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[mainiac]

Li Halan lays claim to Kish, Criticorum, Absolution and Vera Cruz and no more.  Tethys is a world that we had ambition for but we have no interest to undermine the galactic peace.  We wished to negotiate with Decados for this world but Decados showed no interest.

This is not a dispute over any world.  This is a simple matter of Decados making their intentions clear, to box us in and strangle us.  Why else would they insist on claiming a world after routing a handful of militia but making no move on the capital cluster?  It's clear this isn't a world they desire, they simply wish to deny us expansion.  If they insist on taking an adversarial approach to us then we are certainly not going to do them any favors.

[Kebooo]

The Li Halan either ignored our private suggestions or simply intend to deceive the other lords. The Decados have suggested an alternative world for the Li Halan to expand to. Why do they not do this? Because they will have to pass over Decados space? Then perhaps they will understand our perspective. If they consider themselves "boxed" in, then so are we, because we must pass through not just one Li Halan world, but two, to reach the world all noble houses understand as most important. Why should they have an uninterrupted empire all the way from Byzantium to the outer reaches?

And the Decados are not making claims to any worlds. We colonize worlds and occupy cities to improve the uncivilized. If we meet other colonists on a world, we hope for the best, but tensions sometimes can get the best of these pioneers. To say which worlds we do or do not claim would be advertising our strengths or weaknesses. This goes against our security interests. The issue is over Tethys. What is there to bargain? Would the Li Halan like both Tethys and Pentateuch in exchange for Absolution? No, probably not, they understand that controlling 50% of the lanes into the capital gives them power and influence that shapes the galaxy. Even now my freighter is stuck away from my empire, by threat of force.

[mainiac]

Why would I want a planet past Tethys?  The point is to avoid war not make yet more unstable borders.  It's very rich for you to claim that I'm making outlandish claims when I'm not claiming a single darn contested world!

And you are sure as hell not getting Absolution.

Cut the martyr act, I'm giving you everything you claimed.

[Kebooo]

On the contrary, this would lead to a more stable peace between our houses. If you have an empire uninterrupted by Decados space, then you have little cause to ensure I maintain safe passage over your worlds. And should our noble representative find a blade in his back on one fateful eve, we would be entirely at your whim. I could not send my own brothers and sisters to their potential deaths over your worlds. To have a planet you must seek safe passage over as well would facilitate cooperation and communication because we both would have something to lose. Otherwise you have all the power to lord over my people and given your inclination to violent coercion and belligerent threats, it is not a one sided relationship we wish to be in. I would go so far as to say Tethys is the second most important planet in our empire, after Severus.

[mainiac]

Why do you think a conflict is going to happen between us?  I'm not making any demands of you except that you leave me alone.  I've given you all the contested area.

This overture of yours does not come across as an attempt at peace.  It comes across as you asking that I place myself in a vulnerable position so that you can more easily attack me.  This doesn't promote peace, it promotes you attacking me.

If you are so worried about getting nobles to Byzantium then negotiate for passage with Hawkwood and send them.  But there is no need to involve me in that.  Stop wasting our time with these empty pretexts that we all know are just smoke and mirrors.

Relations between Li Halan and Decados are simple at this point.  I do not trust you any longer.  You will leave me alone or face the consequences.

[Kebooo]

We believe conflict is possible because you would rather give up entire worlds than allow us safe passage over your space, all because you can't keep a contiguous empire with Tethys. Your people having more worlds would make you more difficult to attack because it would be a stronger empire. If I was offered a world in the south of the galaxy, I would let ships travel through Severus itself. The Li Halan requiring passage over a Decados world would simply give me a bargaining chip of value when otherwise we have absolutely none while you have the utmost power over our transporation lanes. If we were the only two houses in this galaxy, I certainly would not make offers that are beneficial to you and your growth. But we're not. And we have a difficult time trusting your house, given that we do not understand how you can pass up new worlds out of spite.

[Margrave]

(Turn sent.)

My most Noble Lords! Come, come, if there's one thing that politics is very good at is making compromises that both sides despise.

Can our Gracious Rulers Decados and Li Halan not negotiate neutral passages for grain and trade? I sincerely doubt that the Lord of Li Halan wishes completely shut down all traffic through his worlds like that Ancient Earthican nation, er what was it...North Spain? Maybe it was the Isle of Southwestern Korea or some such. And our good friends in the Decados do not wish to stifle and harm their neighbors of course! Are there other worlds perhaps that could be used instead?

Regardless it is both charitable to allow food shipments and in the best interest of ALL of us that Byzantium Secundus does not starve and develop the plague. Think of the cost of keeping beggars away from our sumptuous palaces!

Perhaps turning Tethys into a semi-border world? Split evenly and kept free of warships? Galactic Civil War is bad for business.

[mainiac]

The Agoras on Byzantium overflow with food.    Why do people keep acting like this is even a concern?

[Kebooo]

Well for one that presupposes someone isn't blocking the spot next to the one agora that gets replenished. I don't have sight of the agoras yet and can't even trade with them. I will make the attempt, of course, since that is the best alternative after sending my own food.

[mainiac]

Turn sent.

In order for the peace of the galaxy to be preserved Li Halan moves that the ministries be reassigned at the end of this term to avoid any involvement of conflict.  We propose that Hawkwood be entrusted with the Fleet, al-Malik be given control of the garrison and Hazzat continue to be entrusted with the Imperial eye.  We have every faith that the righteousness of our cause will ensure that the other houses will intercede in the event of any Decados aggression but we do not wish for the defenses against the Symbiots to be in such untrustworthy hands.

There has been no sight of the Symbiots at Stigmatia so we have sent the fleet to Apshai to hunt them out.

[Kebooo]

The Decados support this path and will gladly vote for Lord Aqizzar as regent once again in order to ensure that a maniacal and unstable lord does not have control over such a sacred institution as the fleet.

[Il Palazzo]

Turn sent.(I probably shouldn't do my turns while drunk. I kinda landed an Eye transport next to a couple of PTSs...)

The Hazat will support Lord Aqizzar's reelection so that his wise rule might continue.

[Kebooo]

Turn sent.

[Aqizzar]

If only to prevent a theoretical grievance for furthering this conflagration, I can assure these parties that the Agora blighting the surface of Byzantium has is neither barred nor blockaded, and my offer remains to assist the manor of any House that finds itself near to starvation.  If you lack contact with the League representatives there, I am also willing to trade that as well (in the form of map data), with the admonition that you would have no one to blame but yourself for such myopia.

(Turn sent.  Sorry for constantly slowing down the game, I have to pull out a different computer to run EOFS and some nights I just don't have the gumption.  Yeah I know a turn takes like twenty minutes tops, it's still a game with a lot of decisions.)

[Margrave]

(Turn sent.)

The al-Malik approve of this resolution, Lord Aqizzar has been a model of good governance and stewardship for the Empire and I would humbly accept command of the Stigmata Garrison.

According to one of my frigate Captains the Church too plies the space lanes. When he attempted to hail the flotilla he was told to stay the hell out of the way as they
...and I quote, "BURNINATE THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF THE HERETICS WHO DEFIED HIS HOLINESS!"

Which they then promptly closed frequencies and jumped away. I for one will be saying extra prayers tonight for the one they intend to 'burninate'.