Summit on Potthan {Closed Attn GD}

[Ralkovian Grand Island]

The Ralkovian frowned for a second at the mention of the Mobutian space program. It was in fact true, and slightly irritating matter of national pride that the Mobutians had put a Ralkovian in Space, only a mere week after the loss of the first Ralkovian spacecraft intended to orbit. Such matters had been censored and officially, the first Ralkovian to arrive in Space was Hunman Radri; Ralkovians were good at removing embarrassing history.

Of course, it was then a matter that the Ralkovian diplomat would likely be reprimanded for making mention of the Mobutian-Ralkovian, but he wouldn't allow the Mobutian to make insults.

"Naturally, you much correct, that Ralkovian rise to top amongst filth always," he said narrowing his eyes at the Mobutian.

"We have different peace proposal for you. Potthan men move from Kappash...Karash...Keppesh...whatever city they be doing and make it into free city. Potthan pay survivors gold. Everyone be much happy. No war. No more suffering."

[Republic of Vectors]

The Vectorian frowned at the Ralks frown.

What, do you think you can just buy out the terrible events that have happened?!!? You've see n the reports. The city is now void of all people in question. You would just be paying loyalists and collaborators!

Potthan must allow the investigation, allow the remand of those found guilty, and MUST abolish slavery!

You should be happy that we are not pushing for further measures like a regime change. I am sure that the mighty emperor can convince the senate.

[Ralkovian Grand Island]

"If regime change be goal, then Ralkovia will be much involved in conflict, which be into meaning many millions dead on all sides...Vector Man. We would not be accepting of our lack of control of mighty and grand dick river. I would be into recommending we making the peace and be moving on," the Ralkovian stated matter of factly.

[Republic of Vectors]

Are you trying to scare me? Do I look scared? Im not. Because unlike the slaver nations of the world, righteous nations are built upon ideas. Beneath this mask of skin there is more than flesh Mr Ralk Man. Beneath this mask there is an idea. And ideas are bulletproof.


You certainly misheard me, Ralk man. I said be lucky we are not pushing for regime change. Keep up would you?

[Sha Mobutia]

The Ralkovian's rebuttal was met with a raised brow and a surprisingly amused smirk. The jab was low and weak - a concession in all but name.

Then his attention shifted to Mistress Janji. More and more as things progressed she revealed who she was. She had in all likelihood been born to a moderately wealthy political family. It was easy for her to dismiss the plight of others, imaging everyone had their place. Conveniently beneath her own. She was also likely a government lackey who didn't have nearly as much sway in state as she imagined herself to while she repeated party lines and rhetoric with the practiced ease of a drone. To be frank, some part of the Mobutian president pitied her. She was a pup thrown into a den of wild wolves and she'd be reprimanded for anything less than perfection.

But more than sorry for her, he felt angry. Thousands up on thousands lay dead in unmarked graves. In his mind he couldn't stop seeing those damn images of the crucifixes and the mass graves, picture homes shot full of holes and burning down around the corpses of families within. When the Ralkovian had started to speak again the President had been lightly tapping his pen against the desk but now that once slow rhythm had become a rapid cadence dimly audible over his microphone. Maikel set his jaw to try and avoid grinding his teeth.

In the next moment of quiet, he spoke with an unwavering gaze locked on Janji, "Mistress Janji, I don't think you realize the situation you've found yourself in. Do you know who the most powerful Potthani alive is right now? Its not any of your generals. Its not any of the Elders. Its not even your Emperor." He leveled a hand to point at her as he rose from his seet, "You. You, ma'am, are the most powerful Potthani citizen at home or abroad at this exact moment. Because right now you dictate the mood with which each of the representatives here today leave this room. If I leave this room feeling satisfied? The fleets don't act. The troops don't land. If you continue to preach your party lines and pander to old men thousands of miles away who deem to call themselves your betters then I can't speak on what will come next. The Union's ships hold their ground because I implored the Arch-Bishop and the Empress to stop and try for a peaceful solution first."

He was breathing heavily as he composed himself again, "I do not have allies who think that peace might work. I didn't come here with Marines or tanks or any of that because I am thinking of your people when I say that maybe you and your Emperor will listen to an offer of peace. But that can't happen if you won't ditch your party shtick and talk. Because otherwise there will be war, it will be ugly, and the whole force of the Union will come crashing down on your head no matter what I say."

He took a few more moments to recompose himself and control his breathing as he stared down at the desk his hands were splayed out palms-down on.

"Kavash as an independent state is an appeasement clearly meant to fail. They would have no coastal access and no means for sympathetic nations to reach them without the express consent of the Potthani government, or by having the Emperor give up far more territory than he'd likely ever agree to to ensure a clear coastal access and airspace. Not to mention that most of the population has been wiped away to leave only loyalists and sympathizers to receive any reparations for what happened there. And the argument that you need slaves for menial labor? That is laughable. Does your nation not have the steam pump? You can't possibly expect anybody here to buy that you legitimately need to force thousands into an unskilled work force in a day and age when even the most basic and unskilled of labor can have partial mechanization or automation."

"The three demands stand: the Potthani government will step aside to allow for an investigation by a regional force into the events of what happened. They will turn over all those who are determined to have been involved in the orchestration and execution of this atrocity to a regional tribunal for a trial. And there will be complete and total abolition of slavery in Potthan." Maikel shook his head as he sat again, "That is the offer for peace."

[Potthan]

"We simply cannot abolish slavery. It is not an option." said Janji as she stood proud. "Instead, how about we give you your nation's population in gold for your government's peace toward ours?" Janji said.

[Ralkovian Grand Island]

Are you trying to scare me? Do I look scared? Im not. Because unlike the slaver nations of the world, righteous nations are built upon ideas. Beneath this mask of skin there is more than flesh Mr Ralk Man. Beneath this mask there is an idea. And ideas are bulletproof.


You certainly misheard me, Ralk man. I said be lucky we are not pushing for regime change. Keep up would you?

"I find idea far less bulletproof then people think," the Ralkovian smiled coyly, before continuing,"And if we take off mask, will it hurt? You are big guy...But no, I not try to be into scaring you. I am merely stating the fact. And Fact boil down to this, if there be war, it will be into very protracted, with much dead. You are not will face weak power. It be not curb stomp. Rarlukobi-en Empire will join and reach out and touch you."

[Republic of Vectors]

The Vectorian spoke again, disregarding the Ralks answer.

Potthan representatives, What I suggest is this.
1: Allow the investigators unrestricted access to the areas and people in question for the purpose of trial.
2: Allow the indictment and prosecution of those involved in the recent war crimes.
3: Give a public promise for events like these to never happen again.
4: Train your military in such a way that these events will not be repeated.

I believe that with these measures, we can rest assured that war crimes such as what happened will be... less likely.

[Castille de Italia]

Post heavily inspired by this scene.

Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine
An Unexpected Guest to the Summit

The Vectorian host nation was not one that the Union regularly communicated with. It was deemed rather unimportant and incompetent at the international stage, and the Summit that it had announced regarding the conflict within Potthan and the emerging crisis around it was merely dismissed by the Premier and the State Secretariat. The Republic of Vectors had no interest in the matter, but it wanted to prepare invasion fleets while holding a peace summit. The move was regarded by Castillian authority as nothing more than the Republic as sticking its nose where it doesn't belong. The decision was ultimately decided that an official envoy would not be sent, but close eyes would watch the public session unfold. Over the course of hours of squabble by politicians and lords, commoners and military officers from nearly six entities in a near empty debate hall, a new decision had been made.

While the Ralkovian delegate spoke in his strange and primitive dialect, three sharp raps were heard at the grand stained oak doors that led into the hall. The delegate paused for a moment in confusion, and the heads in the room looked around, but nothing came of it. The Ralkovian continued with his rhetoric, until the knocks were heard again at the door, this time four distinct knocks. The Ralkovian again stopped, and two ushers opened the double doors that led into the hall, revealing a tall, wrinkled, frail man dressed in an ornate military uniform. In one hand he clutched a white peaked cover, and in his left gripped the hilt of a sword that rested in the blade's scabbard. A fine display of medals adorned the black tunic, a blue sash stretching across the torso and golden epaulettes to complete the uniform. He slowly paced down the aisle that separated the two sides of the hall, towards the speaker's podium where the Ralkovian stood.

"I believe my reputation may not precede me, as I have not been in the public eye for some time," the man spoke with received pronunciation. "For those not of Royal descent, I am to be referred as Your Majesty. For those of a Royal blood, I am the Lord Caffery, the Regent of Castleclose and the Commonwealth." The Lord Caffery, informally his first name being George, was the next heir apparent to the Closian throne before the collapse of the former Kingdom in 2012 during the Closian Crisis, which occurred simultaneously with the War of the Imperial's Cusp. Two empires had fallen that year, and with that, two bloodlines were removed from power. The Castillian Valerius bloodline was forever lost after the honorable suicide of Titus II, but the Closian Caffery bloodline would succeed with George and his children and grandchildren, who had escaped the chaos of the Closian Crisis and lived in exile in Morrdh up until the Union was formed and Castleclose became an autonomous Commonwealth under the Union. The Lord Caffery had returned to accept the Premier's offer as the Royal figure of the Commonwealth, partially restoring the monarchy, albeit not ruling as a King.

"Is this how the will of nations will be decided? Through petty squabble and childish interlocution, pretending as if we are adults?" The Lord Caffery paused, and turned to the delegates. "Esteemed delegates, is this how you dictate the policy of nations? You call this diplomacy? The lot of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves."

"The Potthanese delegation, have you no morality? You consider to submit men into your will through chains and shackles and justify its morals in the name of tradition? Have you absolutely lost your minds? This is a modern world, and if you do not adapt history has made apparent that adaptation will be enforced. To put it in a commoners perspective, such as yourself Miss Janji, it is to learn a lesson the hard way. I cannot expect you to understand how to rule, as you are not a ruler, nor a Royal, but a mere commoner, but you must at least be intelligent enough to understand that enslaving humans are wrong?"

The Lord Caffery then turned to the Ralkovian man at the podium. "Ralkovian, why rear your ugly face in this summit of supposed peace? The Raskov empire is one built upon war, violence, pestilence. The very notion of Ralkovians brokering a peace deal lies on its face with your presence at this summit. I can only hope that God banishes your people to the farthest reaches of Dienstad."

"Vectorian hosts, it is apparent that peace is not something you expect to be won through negotiation here today. War is on the horizon, and it is not brought by the Castillian ships striking Bokan, it is from the greater Ralkovian and Vectorian forces moving closer and closer to conflict. We will see you two giants clash, and in the end, after the bloodshed, the death, the sadness, neither of you will be the victor," the Lord Caffery sternly lectured the Vectorians.

The Lord Caffery then turned and went to address the entire summit once again. "All of you, I was asked by the Premier of the Union to act as an envoy to the summit, in hopes that my wisdom can be a vital tool in brokering peace among nations. I do not feel that is possible. I feel disheartened by the immorality of the slavers, but just as much by the incompetence and hypocrisy of the nations opposed to Potthan. I do not agree with the greater Castillian position on the crisis either, but it will not be the spark in the powder keg. It will be the aggression of Raskov and the belligerence of the Vectors who cause the Great War. It is simply my place at this time to govern over my own, not act as a diplomat. I can only hope for æterna luceat eis, Domine, but I fear darkness."

[Ralkovian Grand Island]

The Ralkovian paused to face the Castillian, a momentary scowl instantly replaced with the casualness of a predatory grin. He observed the man speak, understanding every word this man spoke from his tongue. As the Castillian engaged in his rhetoric; not of course forgetting to drone on about the royalty of his blood, which had only caused that predatory smile to grow into a deathly smile; the Ralkovian simply stared. The Castillian, like all kings and Emperor's would have in another situation deserved some respect, but the bloodline was obviously far polluted and what remained was merely a shadow of a royal.

A royal with no power was hardly a royal at all.

The momentary thought elicited the beginning of a laugh, almost nearly causing a loss of composure. His response was quick to suppress such a rebellion of mind, biting harshly down on the inside of his own cheek, drawing the iron taste of blood. A minor annoyance in comparison to the Castillian who not satisfied in preaching, decided to incorporate insults and empty assertions into his speech.

What curious noise does a fake king make when forced into a shredder?

How much 'royal' blood could he drain from this rambling rat?

Would the slaves be able to taste the royal flesh when cooked or would it taste just the same?

More thoughts flooded the Ralkovian's brain, calling for a harsher bite to suppress himself, and yet that provided not even a moment of relief from the thought of feeding this 'moral' king alive to the other delegates.

Distracting himself, he tossed his head slowly and deliberately to the right side, the loud crack interrupting the Castillian, before before casually dropping it to his left, several pops echoing out, attracting the gaunt Castillian's attention still rambling about the Potthanese morality. It was then that he turned his eyes to meet the Castillian's own, taking a long, hard examination into the man set before him.

suppression

restraint

suppression

The words echoed out in his mind again and again.

On the outside though, his face remained an ideal portrait of pleasantness. The only evidence of the internal emotions hidden far behind those crimson blue eyes of his, where scarlet blood and blackened suffering pounded beneath like a raging storm, was a ravenous smile and his reddened tongue.

It was then that Lord Caffery called out to the Ralkovian, admonishing him for his very presence. The storm had in that moment flooded the banks, suppression had failed, and the natural disposition appeared like a tidal wave; the Ralkovian ran the tip of his tongue over the sharpened canines of his mouth, reveling in the momentary sparks of pain as his flesh grinder against the bone, as the blood drawn from his cheeks soaked onto the gleaming white blades of his teeth, painting them crimson.

His look had morphed from a facade of pleasantness to the voracious ugliness that Caffery had called out. And in an instant it disappeared again, hidden beneath the layers of control. Perhaps it was only Lord Caffery that caught it, the only one's likely to would have been watching the Ralkovian through the entirety, but he definitely knew Lord Caffery had seen it.

"I bid you welcome Lord Cafferty," the Ralkovian spoke, his words coming across just a little more refined, in recognition of the man's rank. The Ralkovian had not honestly cared deeply about the words he used, being surrounded by lessers, he was not too worried about what he sounded like in their squeaking common tongue, but a King...a King deserved some effort.

"I do not into-" the Ralkovian paused, momentarily paying attention to his words, before starting again. His accent picked up a certain strain in his voice, as he focused on his words. Each one came out slowly, methodical.

"I do not find- it hypocritical that one can desire war...and also desire peace. I think this is similar...int- to how you do not find it hypocritical to interrupt us, reprimand us for squabbling and interlocution, and then engage in it yourself. Calling out a commoner for being a commoner and then insulting our presence at peace conference," the Ralkovian said, smiling smugly at the old man.

"As to your hope Castillian, that Empire be flung to farthest reaches of Dienstad. I ask you only take look at map. We are already there. It is you and your ilk that come to us and lecture us on our supposed immorality in the form of cruise missiles and soldiers."

I do not find it hypocritical that a desire for war and peace, just like you don't find it hypocritical to interrupt a man on the basis of petty squabbling and childish interlocution and then engage in it yourself

[Potthan]

Janji scoffed as his majesty dared call her a commoner. "Your majesty, if I may." Janji said with a slight pause, "I am the eldest daughter of Legate Jakal Nafir, a great warlord from his time. I am hardly a commoner." Janji said with pride and smug grin. "As for the slavery, an nation not with slaves wouldn't understand, however we all have a role in this earth, some more tedious or hard than others. Though with obedience and loyalty to his or her masters, said slave may be granted into the Golden Kingdom of God." said Janji.

"Besides..." Janji said before taking a sip of water, "I am not at liberty to abolish slavery. My rank isn't cleared for such actions. Only royalty or warlords can approve such moronic actions. The abolishment of slavery would collapse Potthani industry." Janji said before reaching into her briefcase for documents. "Before the secession of Barjaanistan, the region had a GDP of $1.3 trillion in today's Potthani Gold Standard Dollars. Currently it is only $30 Billion due to their lack of slave labor." Janji stated.

"Slavery may be barbaric, but it's a necessary evil for those of inferior standards and genetics to serve their role in society efficiently." Janji said and then sat back down.