It had not been long since the Nomad skirmish in orbit around planet Malta, so the Amalfi remained stationed overhead. Her crew worked tirelessly to repair the ship after that battle - engine number 4 continued to fluctuate, unable to maintain power following a direct hit from one of the Nomad war forms.
Her chosen transport for the journey was a Dagger-class fighter stowed within the hangar of her personal yacht.
***
Fiorella de Marco stepped into the hall clad in her customary business attire - a black and gold women's pantsuit. Although the tablet thrown in her direction took her by surprise, she had little difficulty catching it in time.
“Buongiorno, Signor Chenzo, Don Harabero. Were it not for the respect I hold for Don Harabero’s time, I would have tossed this device right back at you, Signor Chenzo.”
She spoke slowly, as usual, enunciating each syllable with care. However, compared to her usual reserved tone, she said more loudly, betraying her dismay at the situation - or perhaps at Chenzo's recent gesture. In the meantime, she perused the automatically recorded notes of the meeting on the device in her hands.
Then, she raised her gaze to Don Harabero and Chenzo and started her opening speech.
“Gentlemen, if I may, I would like to offer my assessment of this situation from my perspective. We have indeed coexisted with the Nomads in this system for centuries. They were aware of their domain - their worlds - and we knew ours - Omicron Alpha and Omicron Beta. La Zona Sagrada was that delicate intersection where our worlds overlapped, yet neither side ventured beyond its allotted, almost sacred boundary.”
“What changed, then? The Nomads attempted to eradicate humanity during the Colony Wars at the turn of the century. They revealed themselves as not being the benevolent spiritual guides they once seemed. The Nomads also demonstrated precisely how they intended to defeat humanity - by weakening and infiltrating its power structures, dismantling society from within, and preparing it for domination. Does that sound familiar?”
“Even among the Outcasts, such alien Infiltrators have been discovered over the past two decades. They may have reached our Dons’ ranks if the rumors hold any truth. For instance, factions committed to eliminating the Nomad threat frequently cite Donna Enma Loyola as one of the most famous Outcast infiltrators. Whether or not that is specifically true in her case, there is no doubt these entities endeavor to insinuate themselves into our society, guiding it to suit their own ends. They wear the faces of our brothers and sisters but no longer bear allegiance to Malta, only to their masters. Their feigned loyalty to Malta is pure and masterfully crafted deception.”
“Such infected individuals do not symbolize an act of friendship or respect, but of war. We shall have no mercy on anyone who kills our brothers and sisters. Should we tolerate someone who not only does that but also robs them of their minds, bodies, and faces for the sake of manipulating our society? I think not.”
“No, it was not us who trespassed against those sacred boundaries that stood for centuries - the Nomads themselves have shattered them, employing the same pattern with which they attempt to destroy other human societies. There is no reason to accommodate them or excuse their conduct because, in reality, they have gone significantly further than the Bounty Hunters or Cryer Pharmaceuticals ever have. The Nomads have declared a covert war upon our kind, Signor Chenzo, whether you choose to believe it or not.”
“There is only one objectively correct way to restore our relations to their previous state: The Nomads must cease all aggressive actions against humanity, reveal and withdraw every Infiltrator they have placed among us, and pledge never to create them anymore. Anything else would merely be a foolish concession on our part, which would inevitably be perceived as weakness and permission to escalate matters further in their favor.”
After finishing her speech, she settled into her seat, leaning back comfortably, giving a chance to speak to her colleagues again.
