Post by tylatz on Dec 5, 2009 18:25:53 GMT -5
It was getting late into the evening, the food was getting cold, and the restaurant was emptying, but the two men continued to idly pick at the tiny morsels left behind and wash them away with gentle sips of expensive wine. The instrumental quartet had started switching between duets and solos to give themselves a bit of reprieve after a long night of playing. Busboys dressed in white shirts and black vests scurried across the plush crimson carpeting to collect the debris of fine cuisine left by the powerful and wealthy members of the Republic.
“Look, Jess,” the rotund man broke the latest round of silence after wiping away a bit of residue left by his meal, “I simply don't see what benefit there is in it for us to place our neutrality on the line for something that we don't even know exists.”
They had been through this part several times and still the senator was dropping back to his initial questions. Exasperation was taking its toll on Jess who pulled away his glasses to rub the corners of his eyes. “How long do you think that neutrality is going to last?” He sighed and slipped the glasses back onto his face, eyes momentarily squinting to refocus through the lenses. “You're a smart man, you can see what kind of man Zabi is and those that follow him march along like good little marionettes under the direction of his strings. They don't question what he tells them and if the Earth Federation falls then do you think that man will stop there?” The diplomat paused and took a long drag from his after dinner cigarette to let things settle in the mind of the senator. “He's a tyrannical malcontent. Riah Republic is just a number on a list to him which he will eventually get around to striking off like he's attempting to do with the Federation.”
A corner of the senator's mouth compressed and a single fuzzy eyebrow piqued in retort, “and if that were the case then why wouldn't we simply throw our lot in with the Federation?”
“Because I don't think the initial ideal of side-ism is a bad thing.” Jess splays his arms and gives a small shrug with his shoulders as a sign of acceptance. “We need more control over things on the home front than the Federation is willing to give us. It's aged and decrepit. An old dog with mange that needs to be put down. The only reason we are in this mess is because they didn't want to let go.” Aged wine passed between his lips, wetting them for the continuance of these long drawn out antics. “Once the Duchy is gone they will slowly begin picking the reins up once more and before you know it they have you trotting around a circle pen being broke back in as the dumb beast of burden they take you for,” the wine glass swirls in his hand. “What is best for the Riah Republic is to surround itself with other small powers of a like mind to form an alliance of support and right now is the most critical time to do this. While they are distracted with their war it gives the chance to stockpile arms and train men.”
“So why do we need you, this African Union that we know so little about when there are other neutral parties involved?” The compressed corner of his lips rolled to the other side of his mouth and held half the length in vice while his brow dropped lower than natural.
“They aren't enough, Senator,” Jess explained with a shake of his head, “and they all have their own agendas. What the Riah Republic needs are people with a similar agenda and background not corporations that are only seeking the next big buck. When this side threw off the shackles of foreign powers and took rightful control of itself the Riah Republic showed itself to be of the same character and determination that has grown in Africa. Our goals are alike and that is vital to having a reliable friend in these troubling times.”
The senator huffed at the difficulty he was having in pinning Jess down in this exchange. The length of the conversation and the lethargic notions catalyzed by the digesting meal flooded in wine was dulling his wit.“So you want us to throw our neutrality out the window today to prevent something that may come to pass tomorrow?”
“No, no, look, all we need is for you to open your wares to us and we will open ours to you. It will be a trade agreement is all. If attacks on your ships is worrisome then we simply employ the services of CMC merchants who don't ask questions. There is no real threat to your neutrality and when this war comes to an end you will have a new ally on Earth, one that isn't a corporation and doesn't want to control you.”
“I don't know, Jess.” The senator sighed resigning himself to being unable to keep up any longer. An attitude that was reflected by the shift to a laid back posture. “It doesn't sound like a good idea.”
“If it wasn't a good idea would twenty-three of your proteges have already sided with me?” Jess could only have wished that that many had sided with him thus far, but with a little lie here and there the wheels would start to spin creating truth from a fib.
“I suppose. Give me time to consider this. This isn't something to be taken lightly.”
“Of course. I understand. Just remember that the longer you take to decide the more difficult you make the future for all of us.” A quick check of his watch and Jess hastily added, “I hate to do this, but if you'll excuse me I have an appointment that I must make.”
“Enjoying the night life of New Mycenae, hm?” The senator gave a smug smile from his seat.
“Ah, you've caught me senator.” Jess laughed it off and nodded gracefully in admittance of his shame. “I hope you will forgive my indulgences.”
“What is the point of power with out a little fun?”
“Too true, Senator. And with your leave.” A wave of pudgy fingers from the portly senator was all that was given and Jess departed with a slight bow.
Once outside in the facsimile of a late night complete with cooled and recycled air Jess quickly flipped a phone from his pocket and waved off the attendant posted at the door. “What does the message say? What?! Why he hell would he help them? Fine, fine. I'll figure something out.” He stole a peak over his shoulder at the decadent restaurant he had just left and smirked. “This might be for the best. Send confirmation to the envoy. Senator Carter is next on our list, correct? Good, good. I'll be back in a bit.” The phone snapped shut and was planted back in his pocket.
The speech he had made earlier was not as successful as he had wished, it wasn't a forum that Jess was accustomed too, but it had succeeded in properly breaking the barrier of the senators he had not yet been able to speak with. In time trade restrictions would be relaxed and the Riah Republic might just recognize the validity of the African Union as a nation. If they could get an Antarctic Treaty with the African Union listed and deposited with the Federation and Republic then the Duchy wouldn't matter as their downfall would already be decided. Things were certainly looking good for the Union.
“Look, Jess,” the rotund man broke the latest round of silence after wiping away a bit of residue left by his meal, “I simply don't see what benefit there is in it for us to place our neutrality on the line for something that we don't even know exists.”
They had been through this part several times and still the senator was dropping back to his initial questions. Exasperation was taking its toll on Jess who pulled away his glasses to rub the corners of his eyes. “How long do you think that neutrality is going to last?” He sighed and slipped the glasses back onto his face, eyes momentarily squinting to refocus through the lenses. “You're a smart man, you can see what kind of man Zabi is and those that follow him march along like good little marionettes under the direction of his strings. They don't question what he tells them and if the Earth Federation falls then do you think that man will stop there?” The diplomat paused and took a long drag from his after dinner cigarette to let things settle in the mind of the senator. “He's a tyrannical malcontent. Riah Republic is just a number on a list to him which he will eventually get around to striking off like he's attempting to do with the Federation.”
A corner of the senator's mouth compressed and a single fuzzy eyebrow piqued in retort, “and if that were the case then why wouldn't we simply throw our lot in with the Federation?”
“Because I don't think the initial ideal of side-ism is a bad thing.” Jess splays his arms and gives a small shrug with his shoulders as a sign of acceptance. “We need more control over things on the home front than the Federation is willing to give us. It's aged and decrepit. An old dog with mange that needs to be put down. The only reason we are in this mess is because they didn't want to let go.” Aged wine passed between his lips, wetting them for the continuance of these long drawn out antics. “Once the Duchy is gone they will slowly begin picking the reins up once more and before you know it they have you trotting around a circle pen being broke back in as the dumb beast of burden they take you for,” the wine glass swirls in his hand. “What is best for the Riah Republic is to surround itself with other small powers of a like mind to form an alliance of support and right now is the most critical time to do this. While they are distracted with their war it gives the chance to stockpile arms and train men.”
“So why do we need you, this African Union that we know so little about when there are other neutral parties involved?” The compressed corner of his lips rolled to the other side of his mouth and held half the length in vice while his brow dropped lower than natural.
“They aren't enough, Senator,” Jess explained with a shake of his head, “and they all have their own agendas. What the Riah Republic needs are people with a similar agenda and background not corporations that are only seeking the next big buck. When this side threw off the shackles of foreign powers and took rightful control of itself the Riah Republic showed itself to be of the same character and determination that has grown in Africa. Our goals are alike and that is vital to having a reliable friend in these troubling times.”
The senator huffed at the difficulty he was having in pinning Jess down in this exchange. The length of the conversation and the lethargic notions catalyzed by the digesting meal flooded in wine was dulling his wit.“So you want us to throw our neutrality out the window today to prevent something that may come to pass tomorrow?”
“No, no, look, all we need is for you to open your wares to us and we will open ours to you. It will be a trade agreement is all. If attacks on your ships is worrisome then we simply employ the services of CMC merchants who don't ask questions. There is no real threat to your neutrality and when this war comes to an end you will have a new ally on Earth, one that isn't a corporation and doesn't want to control you.”
“I don't know, Jess.” The senator sighed resigning himself to being unable to keep up any longer. An attitude that was reflected by the shift to a laid back posture. “It doesn't sound like a good idea.”
“If it wasn't a good idea would twenty-three of your proteges have already sided with me?” Jess could only have wished that that many had sided with him thus far, but with a little lie here and there the wheels would start to spin creating truth from a fib.
“I suppose. Give me time to consider this. This isn't something to be taken lightly.”
“Of course. I understand. Just remember that the longer you take to decide the more difficult you make the future for all of us.” A quick check of his watch and Jess hastily added, “I hate to do this, but if you'll excuse me I have an appointment that I must make.”
“Enjoying the night life of New Mycenae, hm?” The senator gave a smug smile from his seat.
“Ah, you've caught me senator.” Jess laughed it off and nodded gracefully in admittance of his shame. “I hope you will forgive my indulgences.”
“What is the point of power with out a little fun?”
“Too true, Senator. And with your leave.” A wave of pudgy fingers from the portly senator was all that was given and Jess departed with a slight bow.
Once outside in the facsimile of a late night complete with cooled and recycled air Jess quickly flipped a phone from his pocket and waved off the attendant posted at the door. “What does the message say? What?! Why he hell would he help them? Fine, fine. I'll figure something out.” He stole a peak over his shoulder at the decadent restaurant he had just left and smirked. “This might be for the best. Send confirmation to the envoy. Senator Carter is next on our list, correct? Good, good. I'll be back in a bit.” The phone snapped shut and was planted back in his pocket.
The speech he had made earlier was not as successful as he had wished, it wasn't a forum that Jess was accustomed too, but it had succeeded in properly breaking the barrier of the senators he had not yet been able to speak with. In time trade restrictions would be relaxed and the Riah Republic might just recognize the validity of the African Union as a nation. If they could get an Antarctic Treaty with the African Union listed and deposited with the Federation and Republic then the Duchy wouldn't matter as their downfall would already be decided. Things were certainly looking good for the Union.