When the assistant who had escorted them to the room knocked on the door and announced that the meeting was about to begin, Orlov blinked in disorientation, and looked at the time again. He couldn't believe that almost 4 hours had passed so quickly. He had been so focused on reviewing his notes and the reports on the other guests, that he had barely noticed the passage of time. He put the terminal aside and got up from the couch. "Well, let's go there. Take us to the meeting room, please." Baxter and Orlov accompanied the assistant through the corridors of the Academy until they arrived in front of the double doors of the room where the summit would take place, which were still closed.
A few minutes passed before they opened, moments in which the Magister dedicated himself to observing the members of the rest of the invited delegations and exchanging some formal greetings and polite smiles with them. There was the Executor Francisco Javier de Creta, with his impeccably shaved face and dressed in his curious representation uniform. He also sighted Administrator Voncloud, whom he recognized due to the Neural Net communications that had already been exchanged. Yuri also observed a woman, whom he was able to identify as the CEO of the OSI, Celcius Abonwood. He had never seen her in person, nor had he communicated with her, but the photos of the file report that the Pontifical Service of Intelligence had given him left no doubt about her identity. Finally, the Magister became slightly concerned when he couldn't locate the leader of the Corsair Brotherhood, Cesar Gutierrez. He knew that he was invited, and it was expected that he would come, but at the moment, he wasn't there with the others.
Finally, the doors opened, and the guests were allowed access to a large room, with a long table in the center, around which were several black embossed leather chairs. Large glass-steel windows offered a splendid view of space while allowing the light of the white dwarf to bathe the room. Yuri turned to Baxter, who had followed him into the room. "Stand next to the entrance doors, at a distance from me, and don't move from there unless someone threatens my physical integrity." The clergyman took a quick look at the room, and at the rest of the attendees, who were already beginning to approach their seats. "I don't know how this is going to play out, but there could be tense moments. It's... relatively normal, given the circumstances. I don't want you to intervene unless my life is in danger. Understood?" Baxter nodded briefly and retreated to one side of the threshold, hands behind his back and studying the room with a searching gaze.
Orlov approached the table and took his seat, in front of which his name and rank appeared in a small hologram on the table. When everyone present had sat down, the Director of the Academy, Jill Xi, made the required introductions to the guests, and then gave the floor to Doctor John Holliday. The man, displaying an exquisite education and knowledge of the formalities of diplomacy, shook the hands of each and every one of the delegates, and then presented his allegations in favor of peace.
In the eyes of the Magister, Holliday spoke from the heart, with the simplicity of a sincere and honest man. Orlov knew that the Doctor always displayed his neutrality as if it were one of its greatest virtues, and Yuri thought that was indeed the case. He had always considered true neutrality to be something very difficult to achieve, and it rarely left anyone happy. In general, everyone was always ready to blame everything on those who did not want to participate in human confrontations. Cowards, stupid, hippies, deluded... There were many common adjectives that could be heard when someone simply stayed out of the quarrels of others. It took a lot of courage, and above all a lot of self-control, not to feel inclined to take sides and resort to violence, even if the injustices were obvious.
However, Orlov could glimpse some almost imperceptible anger in Holliday. Just a mere vibration in some word, a certain intense shine in the eyes... The Magister couldn't blame him for that, of course. MFE had been collecting wounded and dead from battlefields all over Theta for the past few months, and having to personally deal with the senselessness of those massacres... It was normal for one's insides to burn. In any case, what Orlov extracted from the Doctor's words was an appeal to reason, and understanding, to prevent the consequences of the existing confrontation from becoming even more serious.
When Holliday finished speaking, he walked back to the head of the table, where he took his place and waited. Yuri looked around the audience, stopping at the Executor de Creta, who seemed intent on starting to speak. However, his eyes drifted towards the door and the clergyman could see how he smiled slightly. Orlov turned around just to watch as a man, clearly Corsair-looking, entered the room, and who he immediately recognized as Elder Cesar Gutierrez, the leader of the Brotherhood. The Cretan advanced to his place at the table while shaking hands with the attendees, thanking Holliday for his work, and finally sat down next to the Executor. After exchanging a few friendly words with the Elder, Francisco Javier de Creta addressed the rest of those present and began to speak.
Orlov was quite surprised by the restraint of the Executor's tone, calm and lacking that cockiness so common in other Corsairs, although he couldn't help but smile a little disdainfully when the Executor referred to the zoners as the ones who could have prevented the war. However, the Magister didn't perceive anything else that could be considered arrogant, so maybe, the negotiation attempt that Francisco Javier had launched the day before the battle of Freeport 9 could have had a real intention of resolving the conflict through dialogue. The Magister listened carefully to everything the Cretan said, and took notes on his portable communications device with an electronic pen. When the images of the alleged sabotage of Freeport 9 biodome 3 were projected on the table holographic reproduction device, Yuri raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Orlov was not one of those who believed anything just because someone showed him some images that could be faked, but an information like that was worth to be investigated. He would report to the PSI as soon as he returned to Faith Haven, to see if a new operation could shed any light on the matter. It would be essential to know if the Core had gotten that far.
When Francisco Javier ended his argument, Yuri put his pen on the table, turned off the screen of his communication device, waited a few seconds, and cleared his throat. He was going to start speaking but he saw how Administrator Voncloud, red as a tomato from pure anger, hit the table with his fist and burst into shouting, outraged. That was logical, and Orlov understood perfectly the Administrator's feelings. He knew that Voncloud was a person who cared deeply about the people of Pygar and Corfu, that he had done everything in his power to try to negotiate with the Corsairs before the war, and that his efforts had been rewarded with threats. The Executor's intention was undoubtedly good in his presentation, but he had indeed made a serious mistake.
Yuri waited respectfully for Jerard to finish venting, and then raised his hands, trying to deescalate the situation. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's calm down a little, please. We can't start the meeting like this." Orlov put his hands together in gratitude. "Before saying anything else I want to express that it's an honor for me that the Holy Church in the name of which I speak, and the 11.000 souls that live under its protection in Planet Pygar, can be represented here today." The Magister paused briefly, in which he once again scanned the faces of the attendees. "I want to thank Dr. Holliday and Director Jill Xi for offering to host this summit, and I would also like the Executor to know that I admire his courage to make a stop in this conflict and call for dialogue."
Orlov lowered his eyes to the table, like making time to choose his words carefully, and then raised them again. His gaze showed quite seriousness and some anger, although his tone of voice was controlled and measured in every sentence. "I think that nobody here are unaware of the importance of this summit. The situation is catastrophic, and none of us can benefit that things continue as they are currently. Perhaps others can do it, but curiously they aren't sitting at this table." Yuri shrugged. "Anyway, I strongly believe that in the current situation we've here an excellent starting point for a peace negotiation. We may all have different points of view about how this started, but we certainly start from a common base: the war is hurting us, will do more if it continues, and none of us has anything to gain with it. That is why I've high hopes for our success."
The Magister looked directly at Francisco Javier with a censorious expression. "However, these high chances of success could be frustrated if we don't cut directly with what happened in the past, and focus exclusively on the future. " The clergyman made a demonstrative gesture opening his hand. "For example, señor de Creta, I very much agree with you that this bloodbath could have been avoided." Orlov leaned over the table and pointed his finger directly at the Executor. "But I don't think diplomatically it's a good idea to single us out as the ones who could have prevented it, because indeed, if we start talking about of things that have happened before this meeting, our words can be very unpleasant for you. After all, we haven't put any civilian in a garbage compactor and then sent the video to their family, but I can't say the same about you, the Corsairs. Equally can be said of the piracy, hostage-taking and constant threats that the Theta inhabitants have had to endure, long before any Zoner thought of picking up a weapon to defend himself."
Orlov leaned back in his seat and kept his gaze on Francisco Javier for a few seconds, and then close his eyes, take a deep breath and change his face to a more compassionate one, as he ran his hand through his silver hair. "You realize what's happening here, Executor? We've started doing what should never be done in a negotiation. We just made some reproaches about past acts, and now look..." The clergyman pointed to the table and to those sitting at it. "The tension can be cut with a damn knife and our attitude to negotiate has already been damaged. And we've just started..." Orlov adopted that expression of absolute peace and kindness that used to characterize him, while he opened his hands towards the other guests and looked at them one by one, stopping especially at Administrator Voncloud, at whom he smiled affectionately, and finishing again in the Executor. "I ask all of you please, please, that that throughout this conversation we not make references again about all the things that we consider we've done wrong until now. There are many, no doubt, and we'll probably never be able to agree on them. Therefore, let's discard what generates confrontation, and please let's focus on everything that unites us. It's the only way this will end well. Remember we're not doing this for ourselves, nor for the dead, but about the alive innocent people we represent and for their future."
Orlov breathed calmly, giving the audience time to regain their peace of mind, and then adressed Francisco Javier. "And to focus on what really matters I will give you my response to the points you raised, one by one:"
"1- Don't make friendly treaties with the Outcast." Yuri waved his hand showing disinterest. "No problem. On the part of our Church, our relationship with the Outcasts has been reduced to watching the fight from the same side of the ring as them. They helped us because they were interested, and we accepted their help because we were equally interested. Then, when our fight was no longer useful to them, they focused on their own thing. I don't blame them for that, as I never expected them to selflessly join our cause, but in the same way nothing is owed to them."
"2- A Corsair protectorate could be interesting, since we Zoners don't usually like war, at least not against other humans. However, it should be clear that the fact of being under the military protection of the Empire will not prevent us from having our own military forces, if we so wish. Furthermore, I would like to especially emphasize the importance of the joint fight against the Nomad Enemy, whose hostile activity has recently been increasing up in the Omicrons."
"3- It will be a pleasure to help with the repairs to the Freeport 9 biodomes, as soon as the last of the hostages have been freed. What's more, the Church is currently offering hydroponics technicians who can be sent to the station to help restart the biodomes, and even teach Corsair staff. During the last 7 years, we've had quite a bit of success with biodome cultivation on the surface at Faith Haven, which is why we've refined our techniques quite a bit. We can help." Orlov twitched his lips slightly, showing slight rejection. "However, I suggest that the administration of Freeport 9 be shared, or at least that there be Zoner presence in said administration. Two co-administrators, one Zoner and one Corsair, or at least that there are zoner advisors on the station's management team. Surely this would help strengthen the ties between our communities and avoid the feeling that some may have of being the 'losers' in this matter."
"4- Agree with what was expressed in this point, but I would also add that the Corsairs will help to bring fertilizer and food to Pygar." Orlov took a serious look at Francisco Javier. "War reparations must be for both parties, Executor, we've caused the damage mutually."
"5- Obviously nothing to say about the release of hostages, except that the Church will make housing available to those who have lost their home to reside in Faith Haven, if they wish."
"6- Very much agree with the last point about a common market and freedom of commercial docking. These kinds of things are what bring progress and prosperity."
The Magister considered his intervention finished, and prepared to listen to the rest of the attendees, while he poured himself a glass of water from a nearby jug.
