Proposal: For a Provisional ESUS Joint Task Force

[Arizona Nova]

Hiram Koppel reclined next to the official Arizona Novanian representative, once again in his role as "press," though this time holding much more convincing credentials from an easily persuaded Arizona Novanian outlet. He listened as the various representatives made their cases, and their objections, and let a small smile play across his face. He had to admit, Kemelzar had been particularly ingenius, and politik, in proposing this; its success or failure would be irrelevant, as a multination task force would, in same way or another, be assembled, and would establish itself near Hermes and IRON space.

The Senate vote was simply to determine whether an ESUS sticker would go on the hood.

He could admire the positions of The Cerberus Alliance, Hyperspatial Travel, and Derscon, however. Aside from seeing if the Kingdom could be lucky enough to get an ESUS label on Kemelzar's pet project, the proposal was also simply intended to prod at the collective mind of the alliance, and get its members stirred, and see if any of them would be, if not amenable to an official alliance task force, at least more agreeable to a less official one. He continued to listen carefully, and note the changing expressions of the ESUS delegates in attendance.

[The Cerberus Alliance]

Upon closer inspection of the proposal, the Protectorate would like to point out that the JTF would likely serve no long-term purpose other than inciting the anger and fear of both the IRON and the Hermes alliances.

There is no need to get involved in this dispute. There is at least one ESUS member in each of the involved alliances, and the ESUS is exempt from the IRON trade laws. There is no need to go claiming territory in the name of the alliance, and there is certainly no need to waste resources on something that will only provoke hostilities.

The Protectorate also notes that Arizona Nova's creation and support of this idea seems suspicious. Like it is some attempt to grab hold of the power to speak for the entirety of the ESUS. Despite how influential their nation has been for this alliance, the pointlessness of this task force leads us to believe that there are other motives involved.

[Arizona Nova]

The Arizona Novanian representative narrowed his eyes at the comments of the TCA representative, and said:

"On the contrary; there is every need to become involved. To observe, to guard our own territories, and remind both alliances that ESUS cannot be ignored; which, up til now, it has. Anyone reviewing footage of the late GA conference regarding the Arcturus Incident can see as much; the proclamations of the Mindsetti delegate were more or less ignored. That is an unacceptable state of affairs."

"Questioning the motives of my home country, as well, is a very serious charge, Cerberan. Are you really ready to make it? You must then be ignorant of Arizona Nova's role in the ESUS Civil War; sided against the powers that wished to centralize the ESUS's command structure and put it in the hands of one nation. Our nation has ever been, and remains, a beacon of freedom; there is no conspiracy to seize control of the alliance here, aside from your own mind's inventions. If Arizona Nova is the tip of the spearhead in this operation, we remain a spearhead; the wielder is unquestionably the collective will of the ESUS."

[Allanea]

The Allanean Grand Ambassador rises. His visage is terrible to behold – tattoed heavily, with metal piercings hanging off his cheekbones and USB ports appearing on his wrists, his hair frizzled and colored in brilliant orange, blue, and green to conceal its natural gray, his eyes gleaming with the artificial glow of excitement and drugs. As the implants begin to kick in, the ambassador's eyes begin to glow in a literal, bright-blue light.

“Let us be calm and reasonable and we discuss this option. For years and years the Extra-Solar Union of States had not maintained a centralized military force. We know from history that a centralized transnational military is the path to tyranny and death. Ask the Aumanii, ask the Allaneans, ask those of us who fought in the Federation war what a transnational military will do to you. We have long known this – and thus the Union had long wisely avoided a centralized military, as it has prohibited individual members from speaking on behalf of the alliance as a whole.�

“Yet there are the Novanians – known for their general decency – asking, demanding us to allow them to just create an ESUS navy from a collection of national ships – in effect, just asking for permission to slap the ESUS bumper sticker on their warships as if they were massive pickup trucks. And of course, effectively, to speak, and fight, on behalf of the alliance as a whole.�

“Let me ask you this, Novanians: WHAT THE EVERLASTING FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? Did you apply a single FLOP of thought before you came up with this idea? You would sacrifice the principles of ESUS, the dignity of our alliance – to do what precisely? To fight the GCP, which counts among its ranks fellow ESUS members? To protect the 'dignity' of this alliance by violating its principles?�

“Let me say it in simple words: fuck that shit! We are sovereign ESUS members! We are not the Galactic Empire! We are not the fucking Galactic Federation! We are not Yut or Veritas! We are free beings, and we do not need a fucking redcoat, bluehelmet Army to defend our rights and freedoms!�

With a single motion he rips off his shirt and jacket, exposing his muscular, rippled, augmented torso. As he says his last words, the Allanean ambassador begins to walk to the Novanian.

“We have confronted the Imperiatus, the Shivans, and the Federation, and we crushed them every single time! We do not need an alliance army to protect us from the piddly, insignificant threat that is King Shander and his tiny band of vagabonds! We do not need this nonsense! We will not stand for this! FUCK YOU, Novanians!�

This isn't your pocket alliance! And we don't stand by to watch you fuck it over! THIS! IS! ALLANEA!�

Striking fast like a snake, he grabs Mauro Baldwin, hefts him overhead, and throws him into the crowd of pro-resolution delegates.

[Arizona Nova]

Hiram watched as the Allanean delegate made his stand, and right away knew something was wrong. The man's face and body, aside from being heavily modified, were showing obvious signs of drug-induced euphoria; even with their blue glow, he could still spy significant dilation of the pupils. Why Allanea allowed their delegates to tank up at work, he did not know.

And then, the man launched his speech, and charged, giving no time to reply or react. Instinctively Hiram ripped the tranquilizer autosyringe free from his jacket-lining; the standard "sleep medication" issued to any Black Operations agent, and ratcheted up the dial to a quarter below its maximum dosage; somewhere between a horse and a Sskiss in efficacy. He watched in stunned horror as the man lifted up Mauro like a sack of wheat, throwing him into other members of the assembly; himself lunging like an asp, he grabbed the bulging arm of the delegate and hit one of the veins with the autosyringe, and lunged off to get clear of the madman before he got any more aggressive. Hiram knew the guards would be in in moments to take care of the anarchy, but he was taking no chances. He made for the exit, hoping to get out before too many questions were asked.

[The Cerberus Alliance]

The Cerberan delegate remains calm during all this action. What's there to get violent about? Maybe the Allanean delegate is letting his emotions go too far. There's nothing that violence will solve here. But, rather than comment on the excitement, the Cerberan takes a sip of coffee, clears his throat, and begins his response to the statements that the Novan had made towards him.

"Fellow delegate, I know that Arizona Nova fought on the side of independence and decentralization. The Protectorate wasn't in the ESUS at the time, but we have done our research. The Protectorate also knows that the Arizona Nova of the present is run by different people from the Arizona Nova of the past. People that may very much have a changed its nature.

"Now, look at the Allanean delegate here. Feeling offended, he has decided to take up arms and assault someone rather than taking the approach of reason and patience. Look at the example of our colleague, and then look at the reasons you have stated for this proposal. Hermes and IRON "ignored" us, so you think that you now need to take up arms and start a brawl. Did the Allanean do the smart thing for this situation? Of course not. And its no different from what you want the entire alliance to do.

"This is not the right way to do things. Sure, in the short term you might think its a good idea, but remember that when the entire alliance is involved, the long term effects carry greater weight."

[The Fedral Union]

The Terran representative was a stocky older man; he looked somewhat like a penguin, his head was adorned with a top hat and his right eye had a monocle. His face was well toned, he seemed to be going bald , and his upper lip was tempered by a wispy medium sized mustache. His name was Andres Poirot ,he shifted forward in his seat intertwining his fingers with one another and folding his hands, he watched on as various delegates quibbled over the vote in progress.

Of course the Terrans Agreed to this to be mostly self serving and to prevent a war they would have to support IRON on if it happened.

Things were complex, the stocky man stood up, he cleared his throat softly as he wiped down his monocle and then put it back on. He started to speak in a French accent.

“The United Solar States of the Terran alliance, wishes to make its intentions in voting for this clear. Frankly the situation between IRON, the GCP and various other organizations puts its assets at risk in the north, this also endangers trade, however that said we will not support any measure that will take away sovereign rights to nations wishing to engage in a war, we will however support a task force designed to keep Neutral powers from falling prey to either sides ambitions. I should also note that this would benefit IRON members as well, under a neutral flag supplies could be run from allies of IRON or nations supporting them in the south without interference from the other party in the conflict. In short I think it would be wise to support this measure�

He sat back down, he gave and exasperated sigh, his blue eyes gazing across the senate chamber.

[Arizona Nova]

Near the hatch to his ship, Hiram stood; reaching back into his pocket, this time he extracted a thin black electronic cigarrette, sliding it into his mouth and easing it on; he tried to stay away from the stuff, but days like this...

He exhaled the steam, frowning. Shadrach had already notified the Gard, and doubtlessly Kemelzar was writing a round condemnation of the Allanean's actions as he stood there smoking. For his part, though, he wanted nothing more to do with the Senate that day.

We don't have a delegation in there now, intoned Shadrach. Mauro is out of commission with a busted nose, and we're the only ones on station.

"Fuck that," Hiram mumbled audibly, taking another drag. "Besides, I need to restock on dox. All out, now."

Thats a poor excuse, intoned Shadrach. By the time we can get someone else out here, they'll have quorum.

"I know," he said, exhaling. "But I'm pretty sure that gorilla managed to make the most eloquent argument for us possible; thats the face of anarchy, right there. There is nothing more for us to discuss."

Taking one last puff, he said, "I hope Allaneans aren't always that doped up with stims."

Turning off the cigarrette, he pocketed it and boarded his ship, presented his clearance to space control, and vanished back into the night.

[Capsule Corporation]

Jack Capsule, the participating Capsule Corporation representative, stood up, saying "I think, if anything, this 'task force' should be installed to protect the neutral worlds, those who are neither IRON nor Hermes nor fighting for either side. While we can not expect members of IRON to aid members of Hermes against IRON, or visa versa, we can still make sure that the ESUS do all it can to protect the members of nations that could be caught up in the middle. I'd like to hear any suggestions on how we can accomplish this... or do we all think the ESUS charter is enough to protect worlds like mine?"

[Arizona Nova]

As his vessel traveled through hyperspace back to Joyous Gard, Shadrach suddenly spoke up again.

Oh. OH. Oh my.

"What is it?" asked Hiram.

An echoing chuckle was the only reply as Shadrach fed a quick report from the capital into the ship. Hiram gulped.

"The king is distinctly unhappy, it would appear."

Distinctly.

"What's his ETA?"

He's taking a HF-equipped shuttle, so I imagine... as long as it take for a squad of the Telrosian guard to suit up and embark.

"There is going to be hell to pay when he gets there," said Hiram.