Freeport XV: ORI meeting the TAZ, the OSI, and the Omicroners

[Doc Holliday]

Doc showed no emotion. He just sat with his hands in his lap, his fingers still interwove, his datapad still recording. Then, during Ferguson's speech, he received a message from Shasta. It was from ORI Adria. He sat up a bit and read it on his datapad: http://discoverygc.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92097
Doc excused himself as not to be rude and replied to it and then again before finally settling back, continuing to listen.

He then sat and listened to Ambassador Valek again. As he listened, he grew impatient but suppressed the feeling, still sitting back in his chair, his fingers interwove. Once Gabriel finished, Doc decided it was time to speak. His long time friends were visibly upset. He remembered how ugly things got when the Omicroners stood alone during the Corsair conflict. With ORI ships heading to Baffin, it was time for him to speak. He stood up and paced a bit as he spoke, his slight, old Earth southern drawl coming out.

"I find it disturbing," he began, his left hand just beneath his chin with that fore finger scratching at his lower lip, "that a Zoner ship would so much as attempt to fire upon the ship of an ally, namely, the Order. I also find it disturbing that the ORI seems to have little regard for the Zoner way."

He then made a brief motion to Gabriel and continued, "I know what your motives are. Perhaps my colleagues here would be interested to know of the conversation you and I had a few days back in front of Gran Canaria. I know that Mr. Caudill would. Do you remember, Mr. Valek, the request you made of me? You asked my support for an offensive in Liberty....to reclaim Planet Erie and the Pennsylvania system. I said that I wouldn't support such an action. You then asked me if that meant that you would stand alone...."
Doc then paused and looked around the room, looking briefly at Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Caudill. He then nodded, "for such an action, I think you do."

"You fly your Jinkusus," he continued, "a ship built as a colony exploration vessel, or, in the case of my own Med.Force.One, a hospital ship. In either case, they were built as measures of peace. Can they defend themselves?" He then looked at Ambassador Valek, "you bet your ass they can but we don't use them as offensive weapons of war nor do we use them to destroy other Zoner ships."

Doc then turned and continued his slow walk as he continued, "You want to base ships in Baffin at Sedona Station. I will allow you to keep the ships you have requested there but you can bet that my people will be watching as will the ships of the Sentient Machine Alliance which we seldom ever hear from they are such good neighbors. Sedona is a farm station with a total staff of 12 people who have just enough quarter and provision provided for them. Scrubbies require a lot of attention but also require quiet. They will get that quiet.

He then stood in front of his chair, first he looked at Feguson, to whom he gently nodded, and then looked to Valek, "I stand in agreement with Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Caudill. Until you can prove to us that you can live the Zoner way, put away your Jinkusus. That would be a beginning to earning our trust."

Doc then took his seat, re-weaving his fingers together before returning his hands to his lap, awaiting the next speaker.

---

[MFE]Med Force One | Tales of Recovery|Med Force Enterprises

[n00bl3t]

Up far above the station, Coen's roaming battlegroup had conducted one of it's several waypoints for it's patrol.

The entire meeting was being transmitted to him, real-time so that he could monitor the situation and be prepared should he have to send in a protection and extraction force for the Omicroner representatives.

Coen was slightly shocked that Gabriel Caudill had attended the talks, but he pushed it aside to concentrate on the ORI diplomat.

The technique he was using was tried and tested; it was to turn the other Zoners against the Omicroners by looking paranoid. Quite a good technique, and one he would have used himself in that situation. However, Coen noted it was failing, as the technique required offering something tangible in return, to appear as if one is willing to compromise. It also relied upon an empathetical relationship between the ORI diplomat and the others at the table, and the only emotion he was getting in terms of empathy was antipathy.

"Next waypoint Akayama." Coen sighed and moved on with his patrol.

---

Anything I say is not intended as offensive, and to try and deliberately misinterpret it as such would be an attempt at trolling via misrepresentation.

It's not a conspiracy, it's localised bias. They're not intelligent enough to form a conspiracy.

[Valek]

"Mr. Holliday, as I have said:

We are willing to stay out of House space.


This also included the cancelling of any offensives against any House lawful force. There are no more plans to attack the Navy or threaten them.



As you have said, the Zoners are peaceful, only defending themselves.
We are willing to adapt to that way.
The only problem the ORI have right now are the SCRA forces. As you can see in the following video feed from the RA" Mothership, they have threatened us and attacked us as agressors."

***VIDEO FEED***


"We defended ourselves by annihilating their whole small fleet of 1 Osiris Class Battleship and 5 Coalition Bombers. This happened short after our talk in front of Gran Canaia, Mr. Holliday!
A few days later, they came up with a bigger fleet like guerilla fighters, and due to their attacks and a sudden Ion storm, the Celestis crashed into Gran Canaria, causing lots of deaths: http://discoverygc.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92229

Your Med.Force.One might be needed there. "

Valek paused for Mr. Holliday to finish reading the COM and watching the Video feed.

"Due to this incident, our motherships, your so called Juggernauts, are stationed at Freeport 11 and will stay there until further Orders or results from this meeting. They are not going to Baffin.

We have already chosen not to look offensive anymore to bring those vessels up for enlightment, because we saw that they only cause fear. We are now using the Fear"less" *Valek shrugs* and civilian Yachts for diplomatic or enlightement usage."

He looks at the other men present, but he didn't notice anything special. Then he continues his talk with Mr. Holliday.

"As you see, we are trying to make a few steps towards you, to not piss you off and to reach a peaceful coexistence with you, without anyone getting threatened or insulted."

Valek knew that everyone mistrusts him. He can feel the anger and the fear.

"As an arrangement, we offer to kind of decomission our Motherships at Freeport 11. We have contracts with a few independent traders such as for example the Atlantica II to ensure supply delivery for the motherships and the Freeport. But we are not going to Livadia, or Omicron 74, until it is inevitable to do so."


Valek hoped that the Zoner leaders will agree, but he still feels the fear, deep inside them.


"To finally answer your question, lets come to the Order primary fleet."

Valek sighed

"We have no ambitions at all to threat or attack them. Our new Mothership, the Canis Majoris, has already collaborated with them within influental space at Freeport 11, and the ORI have already been described as "friends" in their open COM channel. Please see that the Omicroners asked the Order for support to kill our Motherships, where they have destroyed the RA" in an attack in Lost, but we never had any issue with the Order. As I have said, at the first meeting with an Order vessel, we tried to help it, it was the reason for the Betlehem thing, you remember?"


With these word Valek finished again and sat down again.

He wonders why the OSI is so quiet here...

[lousal]

--------------------------------------------

[Doc Holliday]

When Doc saw the new evidence presented, he just sighed, closed his eyes a bit and looked downward in disgust before raising his head up again. The thought of, "No, they don't quite get it" kept going through his mind. Noticing his glass was empty, he poured himself another glass of the Red Vodka. He then looked to Mr. Ferguson, "I have nothing further to add at this time except that your new evidence only re-enforces my decision."
Still sitting, he just looked to Ambassador Valek and casually said, "The decision of TAZ stands."
He then took a sip of his vodka and waited to see who would speak next.

---

[MFE]Med Force One | Tales of Recovery|Med Force Enterprises

[Valek]

Valek finished his answer in the Communication channal and looked up.

After a few minutes, he saw that the men in front of him have read it.



"As you see, the time has come to lay down our differences. We have to face a new enemy, who is weak but numerous, what makes him dangerous.

I will keep this brief.


The TAZ have best relationship to the SCRA. Mr. Holliday, maybe you or your diplomats can talk to them.

I understand that you are all not willing to build up a warmachine.

I offer you the ORI forces, to defend what has to be defended. I am sure, the Order will declare war on the SCRA. They shall avenge our losses.

The Ori will now patrouille through systems adjacent to Minor and 74, to secure our home.

And we will finish converting the Jinkusus to full Warmachines. They haven't been Colony ships any more for a long time gentlemen.

If its not time to strike back, as you don't want war, it is time to finally secure our Laws and people.
And we would appreciate if you bolster us and not knife us."

Valek sat down again.

The Ori as the vigilante of the Zoners.

Now it has been said.

[lousal]

--------------------------------------------

[Mannock]

Mannock smiled upon hearing the words of James.

"Valek, please, if you're so kind to accompany me outside. We have a guest room ready for you if you come with me politely or ..."

Mannock's body was tense waiting for the opposition of Valek to leave the room. Naturally he indicated the direction of the door.

"Valek, I'm waiting for you " the look was cold and hard as steel.

Too bad, he thought, he has not given me problems

---

[Valek]

Valek stood up, went to the door, turned around and said:


"You will need us."


Then he followed Mannock to his president suite.

[Doc Holliday]

As Valek left, Doc just sat as he had through much of the meeting. Much was going through his mind. He still wasn't convinced that they would uphold the Zoner way.

"And we will finish converting the Jinkusus to full Warmachines," Doc said softly, repeating what Valek said, "this concerns me. It concerns me a lot as they've already demonstrated that their commanders aren't worth their salt. Gentlemen, I'm just not convinced."

He then looked to Ferguson, "I know that some of the Zoner relations with the Coalition haven't always been easy. Alvin Katz is a friend of mine, I make no secrets about that. I can't promise anything except to try and have a chat with him. I'm kind of overdue for that anyway."

He then looked to both Ferguson and Caudill, "Well, Gentlemen, how do you feel about these ORI folks?"

---

[MFE]Med Force One | Tales of Recovery|Med Force Enterprises