In the Bretonian Parliament

[pbrione]

Lord Canning was looking distinctly frustrated with continued objections to his Treaty. He stood once more to speak.

"Mr Speaker, I am under the distinct impression that many of my right honourable gentlemen take me to be a dimwitted fool! Has it not occured to them that I have considered all their demands, and more? That I have put such issues as the Colonial Remnant to the IMG Council during my negotiations, and pressed them hard on it, far harder perhaps than my fellow Lords are even doing today? The fact is that diplomacy is not, as several of my fellow Lordships seem to imagine, a case of asking for what we want and having it handed to us. The IMG have their own political situation to consider. Can you begin to imagine the risks they are already taking with this measure? The danger that aligning with us puts them in? Already their relationship with the CR is streched to breaking point, and they are voluntarily severing further ties with the CR. But to declare open hostilites with them now would be suicide from the IMG's perspective - a civil war, in which they would be surrounded and outgunned from the start. What use to us is a new ally if they are already half-beaten and pinned down fighting for their own bases before they even have a chance to aid us? Such demands are not only ridiculous but also futile."

"The fact is that in diplomacy, if you want better tems you have to offer more in return. My Lords, it is my solemn duty to inform you that we have literally nothing left to offer. My negotiation skills, and those of my staff, are exhausted. The final amendment to Clause 4, which was most generously conceded by Guildmaster Masterson, is the last such piece of goodwill that we shall receive from the IMG free of charge. The time for negotiation is at a close - you must accept this Treaty as it stands, or not at all. If you refuse to accept this as it stands, then the deal will fall through. My Lords, I ought not to have to tell you that we cannot afford that to happen. If these deal fails, so does any accord with the IMG. They will retreat back into the arms of the Remnant and the Kusari, and we will have lost them forever. And with them, so too we will have their support in upper Tau, their bases, their supplies, their goodwill, and lost any hopes of preserving our upper Tau empire. Stubborn nationalism and blindness to our situation here will be our downfall. My Lords, I beseech you, in the name of Queen Carina and the Bretonian Empire, you must accept this Treaty."

Visibly exhausted, the colour drained from his face, Canning collapsed back into his chair. After a few whispered words Lord Grey, sitting to his right, helped him to his feet and half carried him from the Chamber, back to his car that waited to take him home. He had done all he could, and it had cost him a good week's bedrest. He could only pray that his efforts had been enough.

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Sir Stanley Nelson




<span style="color:#000066">Charles Canning </span><span style="color:#000066"> Foreign Secretary</span>