Bloggs got up and straightened his jacket.
He didn't like speeches all that much but if he wanted people to know who he was and to express his views to the crowd he was going to have to make one.

"Lisa, please put something in my diary to remind me to continue this conversation with Matok some other time on a secure frequency".
"yes sir" replied Lisa simply.

Bloggs walked to the podium feeling a bit nervous but the sooner it was over with the sooner he could relax.

Bloggs on the way to the podium nodded a thank you to Dr. Hodge van mojo for inviting him, finally on the stage he tapped the mic to make sure it was working then begun his speech.

Hello everyone its a pleasure to finally meet you all, regretfully the other administrators at Freeport 101 could not make it tonight. Im sure they would have truly loved the place.
I want to begin by answering the good doctors question, do I have anything to lose? - When I think about this question an answer comes straight to mind, that answer was offcourse no.
Then I look at the other side of things, what do I have to gain? - this answer does not come to me straight away. not because there is not a lot to gain but because the list is almost endless.
Just a few examples of why I think that The Zoners Republic of Freeport 101 should join, we would gain new trading posts which would better our economy, there would be additional forces that have the ability to protect us in our time of need, we would have powerful allies that are willing to stand by us and help us achieve our goals.
I also ask how this will help zoners as whole? - the same answers come to mind as well as a few others, for example Zoners as a whole would be taken seriously the people of Sirius would have to listen to us, we would have the ability to defend ourselves against almost any threat, we could help ourselves to meet any goal we set out to achieve...the list goes on so to put it simply
divided we are weak, together we are strong
I hate to use this as an example but I feel I must - many of us dislike being in house space and that is fair enough but we cannot deny their strength when their own people become united they are much stronger than they would be alone.
I believe that joining the Confederation of Freeports will make us strong and bring us together so I am all for this idea and would like to have The zoners Republic of Freeport 101 join it, so will you accept us?

Bloggs looked around before getting of the stage and returning to his seat, he would have to talk to other people, he knew that his speech alone wouldn't be enough and this was a valuable chance for him to make new friends and allies.

"Lisa you still there" asked Bloggs
" yes sir" replied Lisa
"So what's do we have next on our to do list"
"Well sir I would suggest that you talk with........

Thomas moves down from the podium, to make room for the next speaker, he sits down and wait for the chance to go up an answer, the good commander.
He waited to Mr.Bloggs finished his speech, and noded whit a smile as he past him on the way up to the podium.
He turned his head to look ad Commander Matok and gave a respectful nod.

My good Commander Matok i hear what you say, and i understand your concerns about this, i understand your concern about COF, just being the same thing as the Old Cauncil, but i assure you its not the same thing,
we have learned from our past, but we have also learned from the good
things that the old Council did.
But we cant keep living in fear of old Ghosts and mistakes to happen again,
if you live your life like that, you will never live a truly free life, and will automaticly close you self in a box.
I was taught as a child, when you fall on a bike you get back up, you just dont give up on the idear of riding that bike, same thing still go for allot of things in life,
when times get rough, you dont give up you keep going.

He looks around and try to smile encouraging to the people who bother to listen.

I am sorry if i failed to explain more exactly,
what the COF is Commander Matok,
and what makes it different from the old Council, one of the main strengths of the COF, and perhaps the strongest, is that we embrace
each other as equals, despite how different we are, we use each other as advisors and we help each other when troubles arrives.
For example, Zoner Humanitarian Research that i represent, is building a Satellite station to aid whit secure coms channels, and to host the Zoner Emergency Channel.
When we started this project, we first asked what the members of the Confederation thought about it,and they spoke there mind freely.
Next step was building the station, we then asked for help to build this installation, whit in the Confederation and people stepped up to aid us, we never demanded aid, people did be course of there own free will, be course this is what we do in the Confederation of Freeports, we help each other.

He raises his arms to make the point.

I ts that simple Commander, we help , we stand together, but most importent
we respect how different we are.

He Smiles a friendly Smile to Matok, and then continues.

You spoke also about the Freeport Defends Force [FPDF],
yes i heard you when you told that, you use to lead Zoner Defends Force.
and i will say that you achieved much more then you give your self credit for.
you protected zoners whit your actions, and that is a achievement in itself.
And yes some mistakes will always happen, and some times things do not turn out the way we intent them to do, but never the lees we get back up on that bike and keep going.

He looks on all of them, trying to make a statement.

We need a Force to protect our self when all other hopes, or deplomatic solution
runs out, we cant trust mercenaries and other hirelings to solve every problem we will come a cross, what if the other part pays more, then what will we do then, Mr Robert D"Autoine, tell them they cant hurt us be course they need us,
No we need that force not to use as a weapon of force but to show the flag,
that we care what happen to our homes, so that you have some one to call for if
the need realy is there.

He smiles again and looks around and then looks ad Matok again.

I will make you a promise my fellow Zoners, i will not give up i will aid you as i best can, and i will keep riding that bike even when the weels is gone.

Whit those words he left the stage and sad down next to Mojo and Voncloude

Dr. Mojo stood up and clapped Thomas' speech. He knew that none of them were saying anything new, not even him, but that was a good thing. It would show the rest that they did not have any double speech or hidden intentions. Thomas had done a good job. It was time to settle the matter of the CoF membership and [FPDF] creation, so he decided to try a different approach. He walked yet once again the steps to the stage, and grabbed the mic.

Dear brothers and sisters, we have already been really honest about what we are offering here, it is up to you now. Let me clarify though, so you can weigh the pros and cons that you might be seeing over this.

Fact: The Confederation of Freeports already exists, and it is the biggest conglomerate of Zoner groups and individual bases. Joining it would mean, on top of all the advantages already mentioned, that you would be among the majority, and not the minority. The decisions that the CoF takes will reach your own turf, even if you're based on the farthest of the Edge Worlds. It would be wiser to be there when the calls are made, and have a place where to speak your opinions, instead of just letting others decide for the rest.

He had already been studying who among those who didn't belong to the CoF yet, were more reluctant.

Commander Matok, I beg you re-consider your position towards this. The whole of TAZ supports the Confederation of Freeports, even Mr. Cole from Freeport XXI will be getting a seat among us. I feel that having you out of this Confederation would only broaden the gap between Baffin and Freeport 6, which, in my opinion, should not exist at all. I admire and respect your feeling of independance, but we rely on you, against the Gallic threat for instance, and you rely on us, against the same problem.

For instance, if you had shown interest in Malaclypse Freeport before, you would already know that the evacuation plan we have developed for Freeport XXI should the need of such operation rise, also includes Freeport 6. We did this out of pure good will, because we do care about you and your people. We would also have liked to have you around when we spoke to our neighbours regarding this same matter, but that gap I mentioned didn't allow for it to happen. IT is not too late, Commander Matok, and we'd love you to have you on our side.

Same goes to you Mr. Parkes, and to all Phoenixes, and everyone of you who have doubts yet. I propose you give a try to the Confederation, say six months, or even a year for Goddess sake, what harm does it mean to you?

He didn't imagine this meeting to go this way. He had never pictured that other Zoners would despise the idea so much, so he had to try harder, or else he would be in part responsible for the largest rupture that the Zoner community had ever seen. The need of unity had never been so big.

I am older than what you might ever imagine gents, and I have seen more blood and sorrow than all of you. Please, do not make the wrong decision.

He went back to his seat, wishing that they would all come to reason.