The Ruusan Accords

[Ras'kala'han]

It was a complete, utter shame that his superior, [member="Darth Saarai"], would choose to simply... depart. It wasn't that his fine, feathered 'friend' - more of an unwilling acquaintance on Tai's part - was incorrect. This was chock to the brim with xenophobia, disorder, and grandstanding. It was a difficult proposition from the start, and each misstep on the moderators' and participants' parts lead it closer to disarray. No, the issue was that, for him, that was the point. Did this efficiency-minded inquisitor not understand that watching peace fray and fumble, watching even the most simple of humanitarian issues turn to ash over partisan bickering - that seeing chaos arise from order was the acme of pleasure?

What was he thinking? Of course he didn't - there was a reason that cold fellow was anointed and lauded so highly. Rising, Vesper did not let his smile break or falter, but he was, at the end, full of recrimination. Where was the joy in stopping something just because it was futile? If you couldn't watch the ancient foes of the Sith flounder, what was the purpose of negotiations? Did they actually expect a settlement to be reached?

"..." he opened his mouth for a moment, forming the first breath of a word, then closed it. The time for words was over - now was the time to defer, again, to his Imperial masters. He resented this. Silently vowing that one day he would have satisfaction, he followed the Lord of Truth, matching his pace, three steps behind, feeling like a hungry man taunted with a meal and rewarded with an empty plate.

| [member="Darth Saarai"] | [member="Tmoxin Temi"] | [member="Jorus Merrill"] | [member="Vilhelm Balfour"] | [member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Kei Raxis"] | [member="Lord Mettallum"] | [member="HK-36"] | [member="Stephanie Swail"] | [member="Derek Dib"] | [member="Ryan Korr"] |​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay watched as some of the most powerful people in the Galaxy began to depart the meeting. She dipped her head in respect to [member="Darth Saarai"] 's words and made a mental note to herself to reach out to him later. How many others would do the same, she wasn't sure. But it wasn't her place to worry about what everyone else was doing.

Her attention turned to [member="Stephanie Swail"] as she spoke, regarding the accord that [member="Jorus Merrill"] had put forth to be null and void just because not everyone chose to sign it. That was a bad stance to have. "With all due respect, young Jedi, I don't believe that this meeting should be held with the attitude of 'If you aren't with us, you are against us'. Not only does it insult and push away those that are on the fence for the accord in question, but it also insults those that have already agreed to uphold it, by calling their promise 'null and void'. So that instead of inviting further discussion on what could be done to make the accord better so that all parties would wish to sign it, such a sentiment has only increased the division between the government representatives that have sought to engage in efforts to decrease the costly wars that this Galaxy has suffered. Both myself and my people will hold to this document, regardless of who else adds their names to it, and who doesn't."

Whether or not the meeting was being concluded now or if there was more that was to be discussed with those that remained was still to be determined. For now Kay stayed in her seat.

[member="Kei Raxis"] [member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="HK-36"] [member="Ryan Korr"] [member="Darth Vesper"] [member="Vitor Avendahl"] [member="Tmoxin Temi"] [member="Derek Dib"] [member="Lord Mettallum"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

The Alliance representative got up to leave also it seemed. The congregation was fraying. As Stephanie looked at the document in front of her, she heard the Commenor representative talk, aiming it towards her.

"I didn't mean that," she said, looking up. "I meant that it makes these accords more delicate and tentative if some people don't sign, or at don't put their name to it to show willing. The point being we all come to an agreement for a better standing together, so those who don't want to be part of it, well. It just worries me. It draws a line between us. One set of rules for us, another for them. What happens now?"

Sighing, she took her finger and pulled the accord closer, and signed it for herself as a witness and willing participant but not on behalf of the Grandmaster who would need to counter sign.

"The ones who insult you, Lady Kay, are the ones who haven't signed and find reason not to. Not those who are simply worried about the stability of the accord in general in these...trying times."

Her name flashed up with the others. She sat back and rubbed her brow.

[member="Lady Kay"] | [member="Kei Raxis"] | [member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="HK-36"] | [member="Ryan Korr"] | [member="Darth Vesper"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Tmoxin Temi"] | [member="Derek Dib"] | [member="Lord Mettallum"] | [member="Darth Saarai"]

 

[Lord Mettallum]

Lord Mettallum watched the sith leave the accords and a jedi going for a "walk" probably also leaving the accords. Lord Mettallum felt the accords have failed as the sith have left for this could only truely work if all sides agree on it. Lord Mettallum would give Hk the should we leave look as the accords were going no where and only true thing of value to Lord Mettallum was what Jorrus had brought to the table which was filled with to many big loop holes for Lord Mettallum to sign.

"Just like to state to the fella who said combat droids would count as military and non combatant count as civilians that is your definition of civilian yet from what I Lord Mettallum have heard is that this contract Jorus has shown us does not have a definition and instead relies on our own definitions and it doesn't say whose definition at the time. If I Lord Mettallum attack your land would the definition of civilian be up to me or you and if its up to the defender what if the defender uses a civilian militia and the attacker says they don't count as civilians while the defender says they are. Now to you young jedi surely you must understand any contract with loop holes is a dangerous thing to sign and it would be unwise to sign such a thing as someone may use the loophole against you or maybe you do notice it and want to use that loophole against the sith if they would have signed. Now I Lord Mettallum must state this entire thing seems like a failure as one of the more important factions here has left and the jedi here surely didn't help"


[member="Lady Kay"] | [member="Kei Raxis"] | [member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="HK-36"] | [member="Ryan Korr"] | [member="Darth Vesper"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Tmoxin Temi"] | [member="Derek Dib"] | [member="Stephanie Swail"] | [member="Darth Saarai"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

"You're right that a binding, thorough treaty would define its terms, [member="Lord Mettallum"], but this ain't that. This is a statement of principle, a foundation. It's about being willin' to offer respect, and I think we can all agree that's sorely needed.

"Thanks for signin', Padawan Swail. Not an easy thing, bindin' your personal honour to your country's actions. Now I just hope your Grandmaster and the Moff's Emperor choose to step up and not leave you two hanging.

"And thanks for chipping in, [member="Lady Kay"]. Seems you folks' reputation for diplomacy is pretty well earned."

 

[HK-36]

[member="Lord Mettallum"],

It would seem a bit that HK and Mettallun were playing bad cop-good cop during the negotiation, as Mettallum kept making statements that made HK continuously freak out internally and try to do damage control, HK would give Mettallum a gesture to stay in their place, at least for now,

"Please forgive Representative Lord Mettallum for his harsh words, he is a being of passion and strong will. I would not be so hasty to declare these accords a failure just yet. While it is disappointing to see the representatives of Sith Space leave the table,"

Although earlier the only comment he would have made on the departure of [member="Darth Vesper"] and [member="Darth Saarai"] was a quiet metallic scoff. It was no secret that the droid had a strong dislike of the Sith, and the Jedi too actually, and usually humans, he was a pretty bitter being. That plus he was fairly hateful towards most avian species, it all stemmed from the fact that most of the predatory creatures on Abregado were avian, and almost all of them enjoyed going out of their way to screw with the ancient droid. From the Spear-Cranes which often ambushed the machine on his walks and impaled him on their large beaks, shaking him in the air for a while, to the large Owl Bears which would ambush the machine on his walks and juggled him in the air, swatting him around for a while, not to mention the Griffins who would pick up the droid on his walks, shake him around in the air, before throwing him off of a cliff.

"No single faction at this table is more important than others, for even in Droid Space there are multitudes of citizens, all of which who depend on us to come to agreement and make the right choices for their sake."

Saying that the machine would look to [member="Stephanie Swail"],

"Do not be so hung up on who signs or does not signs these accords at the time, as the delegations gathered here represent only a portion of major territories of the Galaxy. I cannot speak for others but I came here in hopes of setting up guidelines concerning the conduct of war, and while I hope that others will agree to follow it as well, it will not affect whether I would follow the accords we agreed upon or not, and I agree with Commenor Representative Queen Kay that we should not deal in absolutes when it comes to these accords."

HK motioned to Kay with his six-fingered hand and with that said the machine would look to [member="Jorus Merrill"] and the ORC representatives once more,

"Even in current state I will bring your proposal before the other Metal Lords and the revered Council of Sparklords to see if they would agree to put their names, and while I have not targeted a civilian center during a military operation, nor am I planning on changing that any time soon, I will not sign these accords in their current proposed state."

He would send them back a copy of their proposal with parts of it highlighted and underlined,

"I have some concerns to address first, mainly I would like a clarification as to whether flamethrowers and napalm-based weaponry count as chemical weapons, as they use a flammable chemical mixture, whether Vong weaponry and other forms of similar technology count as biological weapons, whether Sith Spawn are counted as biological weapons or Sith techniques, and what exactly constitutes to be indiscriminate suffering or death to civilian populations, for example does it have to be premeditated or does collateral damage count as well, and does this refer to physical suffering specifically or psychological forms of warfare that target civilians as well?"

HK would list his various questions before adding,

"I would also like to propose a clause concerning the responsibility of evacuating civilian prior to battles as soon as the information about incoming attack is learned. Throughout recent battles, I have witnessed some of the major powers using civilian populations as living shields against their perceived aggressors, at one point a group of hostages were taken to force their opponents into laying down arms. I also believe throughout various battles conflict is purposefully directed towards populated centers instead of away from them in hopes of creating more collateral damage and using such as propaganda against their enemies."

The machine would propose,

"I would also like to include the Abregado Ethic of Prisoner of War Treatment into these accords. If the Representatives are ready and willing for me to elaborate on that, I would be more than happy to begin my presentation."


"By the way did anybody else thought that Korr has surprisingly beautiful eyes? It is as if they are made from burnished steel."

 

[HK-36]

Double Post

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Now I remember why I don’t dabble in politics, thought Tmoxin. The banter, the flouncing and the posturing threatened to deepen the migraine forming right behind her brown eyes. Giving [member="Derek Dib"] a weary, “please help” look, she knew that next time she’d send him alone. But at least in the present she could find solace in the kiffar’s company.

The Sith had predictably exited, the Jedi staunchly supported the kind of self-righteous peace that the Hapan knew would never be a reality in the galaxy as she knew it. At least in her lifetime.

Lady Kay’s words… Tmoxin smiled and remembered why she liked the Queen so much, despite their likely disparate position on policy.

The droids? Most of the Confederacy droids would not experience freedom, but that was certainly not a nuance to get into now.

“The Confederacy will sign, but not before reading everything over carefully. Have the flimsi’s sent to Geonosis for review. I hope none of you take my suggestion as stalling. The matter here is of the gravest concern and I’m only being cautious but not jumping to sign something I’d like to further understand and examine. Unless someone cares to enlighten me.”

Finally, she reached for the wine. At least it might ease her growing headache.

“Would you agree, Viceroyal Dib?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay turned her attention back to [member="Stephanie Swail"] as the young woman spoke."It is not our place to tell others what to do. We can only hope that they'd share a certain point of view on specific situations. Sovereignty is somethung that many hold dear and as we've all heard, some feel as though this threatens that." She paused for a moment, searching for the right words to express her point. "I'm not insulted by those that have left or refused to sign this accord as it stands. On the contrary, it has me curious and gives me reason to ask them why. And not in a way to force them to follow my point of view, but to enable me to see theirs. That's how compromises are reached. One has to expect a little give and take."

She bowed her head in thanks to [member="Jorus Merrill"] with his compliment. If anything, her government has always tried to be fair to all of those within and without their influence. It was why the Galaxy's conflicts never reached them.

She looked to [member="HK-36"] and [member="Lord Mettallum"] , thinking about their concerns that they had laid out. Even [member="Tmoxin Temi"] chimed in with the same sentiment that the Metal Lords had shared. The document was very basic and anyone could find a loophole. But even the most detailed and specific document had some element that could be exploited. "There are a lot of parts to this document that are open to interpretation, I agree. And I don't believe that any parts would be changed or added to without consulting the signatories first. You've all been at war for so long that you even view this meeting as a battleground. I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised, yet it has opened my eyes somewhat as to why these conflicts continue to rage on in a neverending cycle, with each side trying to punish the other."

 

[Derek Dib]

Observing and listening, Derek quietly mused while making notes on his datapad. With several of the attendees departing the Accords the others grew ... restless. Some thought everything was for naught when the Sith left and others questioned the validity of interest from those who chose not to sign. It was an interesting event that swirled round about.

Eyes turned to Tmoxin as she made her statement, sentiments that were close to his own, but not exact. But before he had a chance to speak Lady Kay began and he turned his head to listen to her. The points she made had merit in their own right, just as the Metal Lords had. Clearing his throat his voice rang out softly as he remained seated in a state of relaxation.

"Yes, these documents have loop holes. And yes, some of us might be more hesitant to sign such loosely written Accords. But, [member="Lady Kay"] , [member="Jorus Merrill"] , [member="Stephanie Swail"] , there is reason. As the Metal Lords, [member="Lord Mettallum"] and [member="HK-36"] , have stated it's not the intent that isn't being signed but rather the specifics. And as the Queen of Commenor had pointed out, those who have seen war see battlefields everywhere. And though we are gathering here as potenial friends and allies, make no mistake, this is a battlefield."

Taking a moment to look at those still gathered he nodded.

"In war a Commander looks for victory, yes, but a Commander looks to protect his soldiers, protect his people, and attain the best outcome possible. That is exactly what is happening here. Our intentions are noble and signing these Accords could be a good first step. But as the ancient saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The Metal Lords wish to attain the best outcome for their people on this field before committing themselves. This is wise, and that is why Lady Temi is making a similar stance. But I wish to point out something."

Slowly he rose and looked among the delegates. His right arm slowly rose and began to point at them.

"Outer Rim Coalition. Commenor Systems Alliance. You have signed these Accords. Jedi Order. Silver Jedi Order. Galactic Empire. You have signed these Accords as individuals. Confederacy of Independent Systems. Metal Lords. Two have expressed concerns about the documents and have stated they will present both the documents and the spirit of these Accords to their governments. Even the Galactic Alliance representative hasn't removed himself from these proceedings other then to take a walk. We are all here. We are all interested. I say that, in itself, is a victory. Look at the governments that are talking, seriously giving consideration, to the possibility of creating an Accord between potentially eight governments. I say, this is progress.

Now, we can either begin refining the Accords where we are all content with the wording in this meeting or we can reconvene after taking this to our governments and getting executive authority to make an acceptance on behalf of our disparate factions after a secondary meeting where we each come with what we wish added to the documents that our people will abide by.

Again, these Accords are proving fruitful. But with such a lofty aspiration a certain amount of delicacy, finesse, and focus must be given to ensure that the spirit of our intentions are able to be achieved."

He slowly sat and leaned back over more, offering Tmoxin a small smile of encouragement through the tedious field of political maneuvering.