STGOD2k6 Diplomacy

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2006-01-13 11:42pm

Sublieutenant Afadj spoke up from the Khar section.

"We too have records of things like that. Back in the Old Eqqaryan days, it was said that there was a Final War that ended the Djye-Oeq-Mara, 1100 years ago. The War, known as the Djye-Oeq-Fyags, lasted for either 144 years or 50, our Legends are not clear on that aspect, and ended with the destruction of the Dryu-Oeq-Dryu Senkrad's FTL Capacity that has only recently been rectified."

He closed his eyes for a second in recollection. "Less clear is the Djye-Oeq-Mara itself. The only records we have state that at this time the Eqqarya was both large and yet did not possess slave races, probably due to it (for most of the time) having not been instructed by the Revalth. I do not know how to translate that word for you. Titans Who Descended From The Heavens To Instruct? Perhaps the best translation would be just a different foreign word-"

Uqlutik saw the danger a split second before his subordinate finished. He managed to open his beak to say something (anything!) before the inevitable occured.

"-Pfhor."

The silence fell heavy on the table for a few seconds.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2006-01-14 04:07am

A member of the crypto team swore over the comm-link. The Mediator was among the first to break the silence at the table. "This is entirely possible. In millennia past, the Empire belonging to my race encompassed vast stretches of space." J'wro was beginning to recognise why the sectors to galactic south of Lh'owon were labled as the Obdurate Worlds.

Shit, shit shit! The Mediator had been skirting around the fact that the LPG was the heir to a galaxy-spanning slaver empire, but now it looked like the hngir was out of the bag. What's more, they seemed to have been responsible for the current state of the Khar Empire. J'wro could feel his options draining away like sand between his fingers.

MEANWHILE:

LPGNN I'meq wrote:Intership tightbeam
origin: LPGEF (detached) I'meq
destin: LPGNN Stn'gr
ref: midcycle scheduled status update
stamp: confirmation

Handshake signal confirmed. Confirm arrival of LPGEF cruisers Antipathy, Thorn of Heaven, and To'pk'zl from Gd'nar high anchor.

The third, fourth, and fifth Pfhor cruisers to enter the system blinked out of their retranslation points with a flash of light and took up position behind a slowly tumbling Kuiper Belt object.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2006-01-14 05:01am

"That was a very long time ago," said Jonas, "if we were to hold ourselves personally responsible for every negative thing that our ancestors did we'd all die of old age while the list of charges was read out. It's our actions, not our bloodlines that define us." Oh whoops, he thought to himself.Concord officers aren't supposed to philosophize during first contact scenarios.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2006-01-14 05:36am

"Wars are wars," the Air-Mage said. "We have had our share of it. And so did our ancestors. We hope they won many battles, of course. But if not, it is their fate. We do not plan to share it."

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2006-01-14 01:31pm

Dahak wrote:"Wars are wars," the Air-Mage said. "We have had our share of it. And so did our ancestors. We hope they won many battles, of course. But if not, it is their fate. We do not plan to share it."

"This is true upon the first and third counts," said the Xenobiologist, sounding vaguely confused. "However, that second statement makes little sense. Had your ancestors lost many battles in the Final War, they would undoubtedly be enslaved by a superior power. This obviously means you must have been victorious in the Djye-Oeq-Fyags. Have you no records of that?"

The Captain chose this moment to interrupt. "Thank you, Xenologist Afadj, for your enlightening summary of the Djye-Oeq-Fyags. However, I don't think that history is the focus of this meeting here. Let us return to the present."

Post by **Beowulf** » 2006-01-14 05:15pm

Spyder wrote:"That was a very long time ago," said Jonas, "if we were to hold ourselves personally responsible for every negative thing that our ancestors did we'd all die of old age while the list of charges was read out. It's our actions, not our bloodlines that define us." Oh whoops, he thought to himself.Concord officers aren't supposed to philosophize during first contact scenarios.

"That's the difference between me and you," said Tizona. "Your ancestors fought in the various wars in the last age. I personally destroyed a civilization."

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2006-01-14 07:50pm

Beowulf wrote:"That's the difference between me and you," said Tizona. "Your ancestors fought in the various wars in the last age. I personally destroyed a civilization."

Erek brushed an imaginary bit of lint from his sleeve. "Oh, you've set me all atwitter with yer bombastic claims of past grandeur. For your next trick why don'cha stop wanking over what you did yesterday and think about what a total tit you're being today? As if we're supposed to be so impressed by talk about what a badass you are that we out-and-out ignore the fact that you just copped to genocide? Real smart, son, ingenious."

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2006-01-14 08:51pm

"That's the difference between me and you," said Tizona. "Your ancestors fought in the various wars in the last age. I personally destroyed a civilization."

The Khar Captain blinked a few times. "Destroyed? How wasteful. There must have been some sort of use those beings could have provided."

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2006-01-14 08:56pm

USMV Constellation

COL Autumn had waited nearly fifteen minutes and despite continuous hailing on several known frequencies there had been no response. Oh, there had been plenty of communications traffic between other ships, but none to hers. Perhaps it was some sort of quiet meeting between nations? Unsure of what to do, Autumn contacted sector headquarters for further instruction, all while her sensor crews happily recorded ever scrap of information they could find.

Post by **Beowulf** » 2006-01-14 09:49pm

Pablo Sanchez wrote:
Beowulf wrote:"That's the difference between me and you," said Tizona. "Your ancestors fought in the various wars in the last age. I personally destroyed a civilization."
Erek brushed an imaginary bit of lint from his sleeve. "Oh, you've set me all atwitter with yer bombastic claims of past grandeur. For your next trick why don'cha stop wanking over what you did yesterday and think about what a total tit you're being today? As if we're supposed to be so impressed by talk about what a badass you are that we out-and-out ignore the fact that you just copped to genocide? Real smart, son, ingenious."

"It was the final order from our creators. We could no more avoid carrying it out than your could avoid breathing, or eating, or being a crude, unsophisticated twit. It is something that I and my siblings must carry to the end of time. Of course, you're a created species. What happened to your creators?"

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2006-01-14 09:53pm

Beowulf wrote:
Spyder wrote:"That was a very long time ago," said Jonas, "if we were to hold ourselves personally responsible for every negative thing that our ancestors did we'd all die of old age while the list of charges was read out. It's our actions, not our bloodlines that define us." Oh whoops, he thought to himself.Concord officers aren't supposed to philosophize during first contact scenarios.
"That's the difference between me and you," said Tizona. "Your ancestors fought in the various wars in the last age. I personally destroyed a civilization."

"...what?" Jonas blinked.

Post by **Beowulf** » 2006-01-14 09:59pm

Spyder wrote:
Beowulf wrote:"That's the difference between me and you," said Tizona. "Your ancestors fought in the various wars in the last age. I personally destroyed a civilization."
"...what?" Jonas blinked.

"For all that my Avatar may look and act human, I am a machine of war. One that's been around for quite sometime. I've done things, for which I am sorry to have done. But I had they duty to do so, and I cannot shirk my duty."

MRDOD wrote:
"That's the difference between me and you," said Tizona. "Your ancestors fought in the various wars in the last age. I personally destroyed a civilization."
The Khar Captain blinked a few times. "Destroyed? How wasteful. There must have been some sort of use those beings could have provided."

"Hence why we didn't exterminate them. We merely... removed their capability to wage war from them, for a very long time."

Post by **Beowulf** » 2006-01-14 11:21pm

phongn wrote:USMV Constellation

COL Autumn had waited nearly fifteen minutes and despite continuous hailing on several known frequencies there had been no response. Oh, there had been plenty of communications traffic between other ships, but none to hers. Perhaps it was some sort of quiet meeting between nations? Unsure of what to do, Autumn contacted sector headquarters for further instruction, all while her sensor crews happily recorded ever scrap of information they could find.

Tight beam transmission to USMV Constellation, full Holo

"It seems everyone else is ignoring you. Do you wish to talk to someone?"

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2006-01-15 12:44am

phongn wrote:USMV Constellation

COL Autumn had waited nearly fifteen minutes and despite continuous hailing on several known frequencies there had been no response. Oh, there had been plenty of communications traffic between other ships, but none to hers. Perhaps it was some sort of quiet meeting between nations? Unsure of what to do, Autumn contacted sector headquarters for further instruction, all while her sensor crews happily recorded ever scrap of information they could find.

"Hi, and welcome to the first Concord sponsored galactic gathering. This automated orientation message has been recorded by Concord staff for your convenience. If you wish to attend tonight's event, please send your team to board the cruiser sized vessel currently 101 DEGREES BY 030 from YOUR VESSEL. Thank you, and have a pleasant day."

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2006-01-15 01:17am

The shuttle docked, and from it descended a group that the description "Pretty freaking odd to be honest", or some equivalent thereof would always be added in unofficial reports. All of them were hexapedal, with some form of antenna raised from the middle of the elongated torso. Observation revealed that both the front and rear legs seemed to include both manipulators, and gripping surfaces for movement, but any more details were lost in the fact that all of the party were encumbered with full environment suits. "Greeting probable-fellow sapients/Delnathan delegation arrived/apologies imprecision translation program/non-audio cues imprecise in translation equivalents".

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2006-01-15 03:00am

Beowulf wrote:"It was the final order from our creators. We could no more avoid carrying it out than your could avoid breathing, or eating, or being a crude, unsophisticated twit. It is something that I and my siblings must carry to the end of time. Of course, you're a created species. What happened to your creators?"

"Of course my ancestors destroyed them, but of course we were just talking about 'ow a people couldn't be 'eld responsible for the sins of the fathers, so to speak. I would've expected a 'igh an' mighty computer brain to 'ave a better memory than meself, but I suppose they don't make 'em as they used to. If we Orcs'd known what it is we know now, we wouldn't've killed them--rather, 'elped them to understand what they'd done was wrong and prevented them from ever making slaves of a people again.

"Now, I may be crude and unsophisticated--but at least I'm not arrogant and monstrous, to name a couple of vices at random. When you told us what you'd done in the past, you weren't repentant, you were trying to impress us--but that dog couldn't hunt. The fact is that you did a crime, and you being a beast of sentient nature, I don't believe yer excuse. You were ordered, but I don't care much and I doubt the innocents that you murdered gave a lick, either. I'm a military man, and I might be a simple creature by your rarified standards, but I know I'd die before anybody made such a monster of me. More to the point, if you was such a creature of your masters in those days, you seem to be doing surprising well in the present, on your lonesome as you are."

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2006-01-15 04:32am

The Ganymede staff showed several insectoid creatures into the room, closely followed by some additional humanoids.

The Captain rose to his feet. "Ah, hello there. My name is Captain Jonas Treia. Please forgive the crude welcoming, we were just all getting to know each other. But anyway, welcome aboard the Ganymede. Please, have a seat..." Jonas observed the unusual body configuration of the creatures, "...or whatever."

OOC: Humanoids can be assumed to be United Systems if that's ok with Phong, just trying to get everyone on the same track.

Post by **Beowulf** » 2006-01-15 04:36am

Pablo Sanchez wrote:"Of course my ancestors destroyed them, but of course we were just talking about 'ow a people couldn't be 'eld responsible for the sins of the fathers, so to speak. I would've expected a 'igh an' mighty computer brain to 'ave a better memory than meself, but I suppose they don't make 'em as they used to. If we Orcs'd known what it is we know now, we wouldn't've killed them--rather, 'elped them to understand what they'd done was wrong and prevented them from ever making slaves of a people again.

"Now, I may be crude and unsophisticated--but at least I'm not arrogant and monstrous, to name a couple of vices at random. When you told us what you'd done in the past, you weren't repentant, you were trying to impress us--but that dog couldn't hunt. The fact is that you did a crime, and you being a beast of sentient nature, I don't believe yer excuse. You were ordered, but I don't care much and I doubt the innocents that you murdered gave a lick, either. I'm a military man, and I might be a simple creature by your rarified standards, but I know I'd die before anybody made such a monster of me. More to the point, if you was such a creature of your masters in those days, you seem to be doing surprising well in the present, on your lonesome as you are."

"Impress you? Why would I need to impress you? In addition to being crude and unsophisicated, you are also apparently unable to tell someone's tone of voice, and tell mournfulness from boasting. You say that you'd never do such a thing, but anyone can say such a thing. You haven't seen people cheering every death of your creators. Observe."
A hologram appeared, emanating from the combat android. Scenes of aliens cheering, as reports enemy casualties were read out. As reports of cities destroyered were stated. As planets were declaimed to have been cleansed.

"The only way to stop them was to destroy their civilization. That is why we were ordered to do what we did. They understand now, what they did was wrong, but it required us to do things we regret."

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2006-01-15 12:27pm

"Ridiculous," interjected the Khar Ship Captain. "They may have been bloodthirsty, but a public and strictly enforced timetable of orbital bombardment against civilian targets//cities would have been able to cow them eventually and achieve a much more useful, if reduced, slave race instead of a blasted and destroyed civilization. The Doctrinals are very clear on this fact."

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2006-01-15 12:58pm

MRDOD wrote:"This is true upon the first and third counts," said the Xenobiologist, sounding vaguely confused. "However, that second statement makes little sense. Had your ancestors lost many battles in the Final War, they would undoubtedly be enslaved by a superior power. This obviously means you must have been victorious in the Djye-Oeq-Fyags. Have you no records of that?"

The Captain chose this moment to interrupt. "Thank you, Xenologist Afadj, for your enlightening summary of the Djye-Oeq-Fyags. However, I don't think that history is the focus of this meeting here. Let us return to the present."

The Air-Mage turned towards the alien. "Well, claiming you won all battles is a bit presumptious, isn't it? After all, you wouldn't have to crawl back into space and sift through a destroyed galaxy if that would be the case. And what we know or do not know of our history remains completely our business."

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2006-01-15 01:06pm

MRDOD wrote:"Ridiculous," interjected the Khar Ship Captain. "They may have been bloodthirsty, but a public and strictly enforced timetable of orbital bombardment against civilian targets//cities would have been able to cow them eventually and achieve a much more useful, if reduced, slave race instead of a blasted and destroyed civilization. The Doctrinals are very clear on this fact."

Facing this new argument, the Air-Mage watched and listened for a moment before speaking.
"I doubt everyone has your doctrinals," he said. "But if a species or civilisation surrenders when faced with overwhelming force, they brought it on themselves. Why stop resisting? Just because it may be hopeless? And what about the victors? What is a victory worth if it is not complete?" he looked around the table and cleared his throat. "Fighting to the last man, the last living entity is valiant and may inspire others that come after them. It is a monument for eternity. A race that would be willing to be enslaved certainly is not worth the effort in the first place and better be destroyed instead."

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2006-01-15 01:16pm

The speaker for the Hekartes was at the meal, having followed mostly out of curiousity; the Freehold always met such interesting people(Then, quite often, killed them), and the fledgling alliance of primitive worlds always stood to benefit from diplomatic relations. He was dusky skinned, speaking of a desert heritage, and wrapped in voluminous robes that hid any hints of his identity. Out of desire for secrecy or from some form of injury, the voice speaking was an outdated synthesizer, producing an androgynous, monotone voice.

"'Complete' victory is a lie." He muttered. "An opponent who is dead cannot appreciate his defeat. They can never come to terms with how total their defeat is, because instead of throwing them down so hard they will never rise again, you have slit their throat. Monuments for eternity are also lies: Entropy steals and destroys all. There is only life and the tribe. Or perhaps nation."

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2006-01-15 01:27pm

Dahak wrote: Facing this new argument, the Air-Mage watched and listened for a moment before speaking.
"I doubt everyone has your doctrinals," he said. "But if a species or civilisation surrenders when faced with overwhelming force, they brought it on themselves. Why stop resisting? Just because it may be hopeless? And what about the victors? What is a victory worth if it is not complete?" he looked around the table and cleared his throat. "Fighting to the last man, the last living entity is valiant and may inspire others that come after them. It is a monument for eternity. A race that would be willing to be enslaved certainly is not worth the effort in the first place and better be destroyed instead."

The Khar steepled his fingers in deep thought.

"I am not an apologist-philosopher, but this seems at odds with what I would consider reasonable. If you are dead, you are dead and the universe is over from your perspective. At best, your spirit recycles into a new being. At worst, it splits into several completely different ones. I have met very few people that are instinctively resistant to fear of mortality. Killing yourself for glory is a noble endeavor, but there is no glory in defeat or a hopeless defensive. What lunacy that would be! A blasted ash plain filled with corpses is no victory for a defender as much as it is no victory for a conquerer.

The Nemrybya once thought it was. They rebelled within my lifetime, and declared that they would rather be dead than serve us. We liquidated a Nemrybyan Ghetto at sunrise every planetary rotation, and they could not stomach the contest of ideologies. A dead race and a molten globe, monuments to eternity? What use has anyone of being dead? What use have we of a ball of molten glass? They are now a true monument to eternity, as they shall be a Nevari-Clan forever in an Empire that shall last until the End Times, and perhaps even transcend the Qedti, the Little Death Where All Becomes Nothing At The End Of The Universe.

So it is written, and thus it is true."

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2006-01-15 01:28pm

SirNitram wrote:"'Complete' victory is a lie." He muttered. "An opponent who is dead cannot appreciate his defeat. They can never come to terms with how total their defeat is, because instead of throwing them down so hard they will never rise again, you have slit their throat. Monuments for eternity are also lies: Entropy steals and destroys all. There is only life and the tribe. Or perhaps nation."

"Why shouldn't it be complete when you destroyed the civilisation and their planet? Surely that is enough. And they certainly will appreciate the totality of their defeat when the last entity dies. Why should one put up with species rising up again after defeat and try to attack you again? That would be wasteful. And our conceptions of eternity and the Universe as such seem to...diverge somewhat. The Universe will always exist and remember, even if this incarnation of it may wither away into Cold Death."

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2006-01-15 01:33pm

Dahak wrote:"Why shouldn't it be complete when you destroyed the civilisation and their planet? Surely that is enough. And they certainly will appreciate the totality of their defeat when the last entity dies. Why should one put up with species rising up again after defeat and try to attack you again? That would be wasteful. And our conceptions of eternity and the Universe as such seem to...diverge somewhat. The Universe will always exist and remember, even if this incarnation of it may wither away into Cold Death."

"A dead entity appreciates nothing. It is dead, destroyed. This is simple enough for any being to comprehend, why does it escape you? As for rising again.. You seem to have hearing problems." The Hekartes said simply, not repeating himself on the subject. "The universe does not remember. It lacks a brain; one would certainly notice such in something so large. The universe simply is there, as the trivial posts of those arrogant enough to beleive their death legendary erode away into nothing, until only sands remain of great cities, and no one knows the name or cares to find it."