Fwurg

[Senator Ardios Eldrilith]

((OOC: Private to the Praetorian Empire and the Veolian Commonwealth.))

Ardios Eldrilith arrives at Purgatory to meet with Nehket Aeka about the current political situation.

"Thank you for meeting me on such a short notice.

As you might have noticed their have been questions about our Capital Ships production that seem to have headed in the wrong direction. It started out as a private message exchange between Danar Torig and Dareal Noxim. This eventually ended in Danar Torig insulting the Praetorian Empire after which Dareal Noxim ended the negotations for our and .

After this Senator Tasser made the private conversation public in the Senate which left me no choice but to defend Dareal Noxim's reasoning.

Since the Teprogrenaian Concensus has no lawful claim on the capital ships market, we do not intend to apologize for wanting to defend the Union from external threats.
The problem is that we can not seem to reason with Danar Torig or Danar Tasser since they are not rational.

How can we defuse this situation so we can continue with more important matters?"

[Nehket Aeka]

Nehket Aeka was a bit surprised by the request to meet in Purgatory, but the message made it clear that this was to be an informal meeting, just to speak things through. So, she went to Purgatory wearing a casual dress.

After finding senator Ardios Eldrilith, she proposed to go to one of the platforms. After ordering a serving girl to bring two glasses of water up to the platform, she went with the praetorian.

"Your message sounded urgent.", she started after Ardious thanked her.

"The situation is indeed unfortunate. I am not aware of the full contents of the private conversation between your two worlds, so I can only guess from the snippets that have been made public.

Am I correct in assuming that you wish to trade your left-over materials for 0.25 a piece to the Teprogrenaian consensus?"

[Senator Ardios Eldrilith]

"Yes, this is what Dareal Noxim proposed.

Servant, hand me that datapad again."

An aid handed him the datapad with the conversation between Danar Torig and Dareal Noxim.

"Since Danar Tassar had no problem in bringing this private conversation to the senate, I don't see any issue with showing you the whole conversation in private, it should provide more context."

Ardios showed the conversation to Nehket Aeka.

[Nehket Aeka]

The veolian woman read through the conversation with surprising speed, and handed the datapad back after only a moment.

"I think I understand the reaction of the Teprogrenaian Consensus. They expected an apology, or at least a token of goodwill. Specifically the Dareal Noxim's remark about being asked by a direct advisor of the praetorian emperor might have given them the impression that this was an important step for the Praetorians. Why else would Dareal Noxim offer such details? The conversation then takes a turn away from what the Teprogrenaians expected, when Dareal Noxim brought up the issue of payment."

The serving girl came in with the glasses of water. "Thank you girl. Please make sure you are available when we are done talking here.", the veolian senator said while she handed the girl a generous tip.

Directing her attention back to senator Ardios, she continued.

"The problem is that the Teprogrenaian Consensus is a young and small economy, and the Praetorian Empire is well established. So right now, the more cooperation-oriented Union members will see the Praetorian Empire as a bully, and the Teprogrenaian Consensus as a victim.

Another thing I would like to point out is Dareal Noxim's use of the word 'cooperate'. While stepping into a business agreement could be seen as cooperating, you have to take into account the very open and friendly way of the Teprogrenaian Culture. After all, they are currently selling 2000 to the Veolian Commonwealth, for 2.9 per ship. And we have already agreed that the next 4000 will be bought for 3.4 tax per ship.

This might help you understand why they see your prices as as joke offer?"

[Nehket Aeka]

As Ardios remained silent, the veolian senator added another point.

"Of course, the fact that Dareal Noxim seemed to be fishing for a public statement in the senate, with his 'We would appreciate it if you would explain to your senator that we are willing to cooperate with your faction.' does not make your position in the negotiation any stronger.

Were you to say such to us, we would interpret this as you wanting to bribe us into giving a public statement that everything has been smoothed over. But Dareal Noxim asks a rather high price of these goods, and that doesn't seem to be a good bribe at all. One might even say that he is asking the highest tax set value for the raw materials you offer."

She took a sip of water.

"I am afraid this might not get smoothed over with words. Maybe it is time to consider a token of goodwill? Maybe you could pay off the Consensus with a 500 bribe, and a 10 (turns) free delivery of 100 and 220 ? After all, that would only lose you 1300 -- and I presume that you are easily saving such amounts by constructing your own capital ships?"

[Senator Ardios Eldrilith]

"The advisor of the Emperor told Dareal Noxim to continue talking with them since we did have more materials than was expected, we never intended to build our capital ships externally or apologize for doing it locally.

This does explain some of their reactions. If we knew that they valuated capital ships at 2.9 we might have made a different offer.

Still I can not see any merit in bribing a faction that has insulted us and published our private conversations in the senate.

Dareal Noxim asked me to request a new representative from the Teprogrenaian Consensus since Danar Torig was not speaking for the Teprogrenaian Consensus as Danar Tassar confirmed. Still I don't see any reasonable outcome from such a new negotiation. We fear that if we give them free materials now that they will return again in 10 and start crying publicly again, this is not a solution."

[Nehket Aeka]

"I would strongly advice against asking for another representative. Think about how you would react if a Union Member would ask that you replace Dareal Noxim...", she paused for a moment. "Furthermore, I am of the opinion that Danar Torig did speak for the consensus, but that he included his remark about an 'investing Rancor' without their approval. I am sure that he will be reprimanded for that."

"It is clear that the Praetorian idea of cooperation and the Teprogrenaian idea of cooperation are not at all alike. But I do think that they understand the value of a token of goodwill. If they return to cry foul after they have accepted your generous gift, the other Union members might suddenly rethink their position about them.

Maybe you can find something else that has their interest? Something that might benefit you in the long run, but that seems magnanimous right now? I understand that they place a great deal of importance on the Cradle, their prestige project.

In either way, you need to decide your course of action:

Either you act as if you are sorry for your earlier intrusion, and offer them a token of goodwill. Of course, if you spin this in the right way, you can probably convince everyone that it is most certainly bad for the Union if you refurbish your industry again.

The other option is to follow the hard line of the law. After all, you did not break any laws, and you should not have to apologize for anything. In a few months, this will have died down, and it will be business as usual. Of course, it might be necessary for some of your current allies to re-evaluate their positions, it could be harmful to be associated with a world that is only out for its own profit and gain."

She took another sip.

"Of course, the Veolian Commonwealth fully appreciates our current arrangements. However, if you antagonize enough of our other allies, we might have to consider our arrangement a purely economic one. Look, for example to the reaction of our mutual ally, the Unified Republic of Darya -- it might do the Praetorian Empire well to consider that not all profit is measured in taxes."

[Senator Ardios Eldrilith]

"I will offer them the 500 as a zero interest loan to be repaid before 120 together with 100 and 165 / in return for 70 / for a duration of 10 . This should be reasonable right? We are not planning to draw any other factions into this debate."

[Nehket Aeka]

"You do not have to plan to draw any other factions into this debate, usually others will do that for you. However, that was not what I meant; it is not about this single debate. It is about the trend. And I am sad to say that the it sometimes appears as if the Praetorian Empire leans towards 'profit before allies'. Other factions have started taking note of this, and this will eventually lead to a friendless existence."

She took another sip, the glass now half empty.

"Regardless, I would not accept your offer were I the Teprogrenaian consensus. It seems as if you still wish to squeeze profit from them, instead of offer them a token of goodwill.

A zero-interest loan could be explained as you storing your money somewhere else. Your asking for 70 in exchange for the raw materials you offer can be explained as dumping left-overs in exchange for scarce and highly sought after raw materials.

Do you not have a technology you can gift them, or something else that doesn't cost you anything to give away for free?"

She took another sip.

"My glass is nearly empty. I suggest we wrap this up?"

[Senator Ardios Eldrilith]

"Thank you for your advice. In that case we will present them the 500 as a gift to refurbish their zone to a weapons zone."

[Nehket Aeka]

"That sounds like a possible solution. I would advice that you see this situation as a lesson for the future -- the actions of your world, however rational and economically viable they might be, will be easily construed as an attack on others."

She drank the last water from her glass and stood to leave.

"I wish you the best today, senator Ardios Eldrilith."

The chancellor left the private platform, and went looking for the serving girl.

((OOC: I consider this thread closed.))