Participants: Corris, Serif, Kaxina, Yana
Stellar Consortium Council Chamber - San Angeles – Earth
Serif is sitting at one of the many seats in the council room in an intense discussion with her aids about the situation at hand. Currently several council members, those that are in the city at the moment, are scattered about the chamber as they wait for the meeting to commence.
An electronically controlled door opens, with two guards standing next to it. Standing behind it is Jeffrey Corris, the Mars representative to the council. He steps into the chamber just far enough to allow it to close. Letting out a quick yawn, almost as if he just woke up, he wanders over towards his chair - near Serif. He sits down, placing his hands on his desk - a smile coming to his face. He is expecting some sort of comment from his comrade from Earth for his impromtu comment to the media.
A collection of members of the press are kept at bay by various members of the security staff. They flood around each important looking person to arrive at the chamber, shouting questions, asking for comments, snapping pictures off. Yana arrives at the security perimeter and flashes his credentials. "I'm a reporter!" He announces, pocketing the supposed credentials before anyone can get a good look. He certainly isn't dressed as a reporter. "Corris! Corris!" The timmie calls through cupped hands, pushed back before he can get too close.
Leave it to a Timonae to make a fashionably late entry, and none moreso than Kaxina Nirali, who waits until the assembled bureaucrats are seated and settled before making her own appearance in the chambers. Her strides are long, measured *clacks* of high heels on polished marble, which sound her course from the doorway toward where the lobbyists have assembled.
Serif continues speaking to her aides and ignoring Corris beyond a brief look as he seats himself. She pretty much ignores anything beyond planning the next move for this meeting and what information can be gathered ahead of time.
The Martian ignores the press, for now. He has given his statement already, and then some. He has annoyed the Vanguard, and one particular member of the council - his job is done for the day. He needs only to hammer his message home. He activates the console on his desk, and indicates that he is ready to begin the meeting. He waits for the other members present to chime in, and for the speaker to announce the meeting to begin. He eyes Serif, expecting her to verbally assault him any moment.
Yana looks around. What'll get him more attention? He spies a nice looking grey reporter's hat with a card tucked in on it that even says 'press'. Nothing could be more stylish. With the grace and care of a man buttering his morning toast, he swipes the hat clean off of the reporter's head and dons it, moving further into the crowd so as to avoid detection/retribution. Now we're looking classy.
Dr. Nirali takes her own seat, crossing one leg over the other and gathering her hands upon her lap, waiting as patiently as only someone intimately familiar with the political process can.
Serif has already indicated that she is ready for the process to start, the moment she arrived in fact. She waves the aides away when it is apparent that they would render no further use to her and settles into her own chair. She gives the press no more attention then she normally does, which is none. Settling herself by aligning her paperwork just so she sits with hands crossed and waits. She will not make the first shot in this little war.
Tired of waiting, Corris stands up, activating the microphone at his desk so what he says can be heard throughout the council chambers. Clearing his throat, the Martian speaks, "Members of the council, I believe you all know my stance on the issue that brings us here at this late hour." He says, pausing as he turns to face some other council members. "The station will be there tomorrow, and the day after. We should settle this peacefully, and not with weapons. I am more concerned about the re-appearance of the Parallax. We can deal with the station later. I move that the Vanguard fleet move to intercept the the Nall fleet before it reaches any habitable Consortium worlds."
"Corris! Mister Corris!" Yana yells with the impatience of someone completely unfamiliar with the political process. "Can you tell us why we haven't sent a vessel to the station? Does the Mars Representative mean to allow world threatening weapons to fall into the hands of our enemies? Are we not to have a presence there to doccument, if nothing else?"
Cabrerra's representative moves to speak, and once recognized, rises to address the Council. "Kaxina Nirali, speaking on behalf of Cabrerra Industries. It is with some concern that I recognize a troubling tendency of this Council to leap to conclusions," she begins, before her gaze turns first toward Corris before detouring briefly to rake over the assembly. "First the presumption that the station had in fact been claimed in the name of the Smugglers' Guild, and again that the Nall are interested in the vessel at all. While we all agree that Nall activity is a cause for some anxiety, do we know for /certain/ that this is their grievance?"
A holographic receiver on the conference table starts flashing red, indicating that an urgent incoming transmission is pending.
Serif rises to speak, "I would like to bring up a couple of points. First, this station is dangerous and should immediately be secured by the Vanguard to keep it out of the hands of potential enemies. We can debate who gets use of it after it is safely secured. I do believe the Admiral made a valid point when he said that there are weapons that would pose a danger. The Nall, whatever their grievance can be seen to, without this potential danger being made available to all and sundry." she is about to go on when the flashing holo makes itself present. The speaker activates the transmission.
A holographic image resolves above the table of Fleet Admiral Doyle York: "Just wanted to inform the Council that the representatives of Fagin's Riches are relinquishing their claim on the station under threat of force. They're backing off. If you want to negotiate for their claim, you can do so once we've neutralized the weaponry."
"To the representative from Cabrerra Industries - you should check your facts. Not once did I mention anything about who has laid claim to the station, nor have I suggested, implied, hinted, nudged or otherwise commented on the Nall coming as a result of the stations appearance." Corris replies, somewhat angrily. "My concern is one, a peaceful solution to the station dilema, and two, stopping the Nall advance in our territory. I only want to stop war. We should deal with the Nall." He seemingly does not hear, or acknowledge the reporter at this time - the media, the bane of a politicians existance. He stops speaking as the holographic receiver begins to flash. He looks to the image of the holograph of the Admiral and smirks. "Thank you Admiral. I suspect the council will back any action you take, including capturing the station immediately and placing it under Consortium control. We need to deal with the Nall as well."
"Oh! I should be writing this stuff down..." Yana glances around, spying half a notebook hanging out the jacket pocket of a reporter he swiftly moves to swipe that as well, pulling a grizzled looking pen from his own pocket.
If Dr. Nirali has any opinion whatsoever regarding the Admiral's sudden news, not a single aspect of her person betrays it. "Fleet Admiral York most certainly did - just now, in fact," she notes with a rock of her head toward the holoemitter once the transmission has ended. "The Board of Directors was surprised to hear that the sum total of our corporate assets both within and without the Fringe were the property of Lord Fagin. We do not begrudge the Vanguard its right to inspection. We /do/ begrudge its decision to ignore spacers' and squatters' rights, particularly when backed by a corporation with a history of cooperation and support of this Council."
"I do believe that he stated that the ownership of the vessel would be up for discussion once the weapons had been removed. I doubt anyone will be overly concerned with what happens with the station once it's current danger has been eliminated." is stated to Dr. Nirali to the rest of the council, is said, "Our next step should be to discover the Nall's new interest in resurfacing and our response to this."
Nodding to Serif, the Martian is in agreement. Ignoring the outburst from Kaxina, mostly by choice and not to get into an arguement in front of the media, Corris looks to the holographic imagine of the admiral. "Admiral York, once the outpost is considered secure, you should deal with the Nall threat. Find their intentions and report back. Any confrontation will be deadly for both sides, and I think we all agree that we should avoid that. Hmmm?" He says, some of it pointed at the Admiral, the rest at the Council. "I understand the need to protect our citizens, but we must ensure we aren't needlessly sacrificing the lives of the men and women aboard those ships. Your thoughts and recommendation Admiral, as always, are welcomed to the Council."
Yana scribbles furiously on his notebook. Well it's not his, exactly, but he's borrowed it, and he's getting his money's worth from it. Yes, this is where wars begin. This is where the action happens. This is where it all starts. He cocks his head to one side and looks at his notepad. He drew a pony!
Kaxina appears satisfied with the reiteration that negotiations will remain open, nodding her head once in firm acceptance. "If it pleases the Council, Caberra wishes to make a show of good faith," she informs. "The Equinox and her crew can and will directly support any action taken by the Vanguard to ascertain the motives of the Nall, should you wish."
Serif looks at Kaxina for a moment before nodding, "I move to accept the service offered. Any assistance would be helpful and would strengthen ties. However, I would also like to mention that our initial contacts with the Nall should be with the intent to first open negotiations and not be a destructive force, however strong I would recommend the armament that backs up those negotiations."
"I second the thoughts of the Earth Representative. Peaceful intentions, however defend yourself if attacked." Corris says. "If they come with peaceful intentions, we can send members of the diplomatic corps to take over as they are better equipped to handle this situation. As the motion is seconded, are there any who oppose or does the motion pass?"
Yani is perhaps too busy drawing fluffy animals to get down anything of importance. Certainly not enough to write a proper news article. Mention of The Equinox however gets his attention, the timmie taking off his reporter's hat, sitting it on someone else's head, and moving to slip outside through the crowd of press.
Kaxina inclines her head in wordless agreement at the suggestion of a diplomatic corps, suggesting, "The Demarians may suffice," before falling silent to let the political machine chug to its conclusion.
The admiral in the holographic display says, "The Demarian militia can handle the initial scouting mission to the Line of Pain. Maybe the Equinox can tag along, if that works for the Sand Mother folks. I'd just as soon not send a message to the Nall that the Vanguard is coming knocking on their door just yet."
Serif inclines her head at the holo image of the Admiral, "A wise choice." The speaker decides enough political bullshit has been tossed around and moves to pass the motion of The Equinox's assistance and closes the meeting.
The Martian councillor smiles as the meeting is ended, somewhat more sucessfully then some of the planned meetings. He grabs some papers from the desk, arranging them quickly. He nods to Serif, not entire sure if they are on speaking terms yet - perhaps a conversation for another day. He scurries past the media, nothing to say to those fiends tonight, and disappears to a secure area for council members only, out of sight.
Satisfied with the outcome of the proceedings, Dr. Nirali waits for the meeting to adjourn before taking her leave of the council chambers.
Serif also goes to the secure area with papers, though at a rather sedate pace. She ignores the media however.