Fwurg

[Nehket Aeka]

This message was sent from Aeka's private terminal to Maria's private terminal. Aeka made sure that this message was not in any way sent through official channels.

Dear Maria,

I write to you, not as a senator or minister, but as a friend.

As you well know, I currently have the duty of Minister of Foreign Affairs. As such, I have access to the full diplomatic communications archive. To my surprise, I found in this archive a communication between you, as the previous Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Mandalorian Fleets. A communication that was not shared with the senate, even though its contents were of the utmost importance.

I refer to the message from the Mandalorian Fleets to you received in 116, 2013-08-19 18:20. The message read:

Hail Maria,

You seem to have no desire to resolve this matter peacefully, but seem determined to go to war. We will give you exactly one more to formally surrender, after that, our hand will be forced. The blood of many innocent lives will be on yours.

Ergos Markoth

In 117, the Mandalorian Fleets launched a, for the uninformed world, surprise attack on the Bisidn outpost. Costing the lives of 15000 citizens of the Union.

Given the current circumstances, it appears as if you deliberately kept this message from being known. Instead of bringing this to the senate immediately, I have given you this opportunity to convince me otherwise. It is my fondest wish that there is a satisfying explanation for all of this, but at this moment, I fear the worst.

Yours sincerely,
Aeka

((OOC: For your convenience: reference to the message.))

[Maria Latharion]

The reply came through the same channel.

Dear Aeka,

First of all I would like to thank you for approaching me first, before you made this public.

As you know when I tried to negotiate a peaceful solution between the Union and the Mandalorians, they demanded our surrender. I did not deem their initial reaction worthy of a reply. When they sent their second reply I did not read it thoroughly enough. I took it as if they simply threatened with war, instead of a direct threat to a civilian outpost. Since it was already clear we would be going to war I didn't see any new information in the message and thus did not report it.

It was a grave oversight on my part, but I had no bad intentions and I do believe others would just as easily made the same mistake.

I would like to ask you what you plan to do with this now you have my explanation.

Sincerely,
Maria

[Nehket Aeka]

Dear Maria,

I believe that you had no bad intentions. It is still an unfortunate oversight, and claiming that others would just as easily make the same mistake is only deflecting the blame. Due to your negligence, the senate was uninformed of the Mandalorium ultimatum. Even if it might not have had much impact in all likelihood, this is not something that can be easily explained away of forgiven.

I plan on doing three things.


First off, during our dinner some time ago, you asked what the view of the senate was on the change of power in the ACA. I will elaborate on this in hopes of assisting you in improving the image of the ACA and yourself in the senate. I write this with the intent to show you how others might view the situation, not to offer a direct commentary.

The sequence of events that has been experienced by the senate is as follows:

1. The Veolian Commonwealth offers military help, and the Stellarian Triad Federation rejects the offer. The minister of defence confirms that the STF doesn't want military presence of other Union members, even if the Mandalorians attack. The STF also withholds detailed information on their fleets' composition from their allies.
2. The STF is plunged into chaos, the cause not exceedingly clear from an outside perspective. A high ranking military commander steps in to claim power. She then relinquishes this power to a new government: the ACA. Of note here is the fact that the ACA is led by a single person, the so-called Lord-Master, of which nothing is known.
3. From the senate's point of view, there is not visible change in government. The STF changes to the ACA in name only, and all other things remain the same. The only change that the senate could observe is the ACA's changed stance on allowing allied military fleets into the sector: they do so under the stipulation that those fleets should submit to the ACA command hierarchy.
4. Now the war starts, and the ACA requests help from the members of the Union in the form of fleets. However, instead of rescinding their stipulation that these fleets submit to the ACA's command hierarchy, the ACA claims that the trade blockade seriously hampers their economy. I'll explain later how the senate views this economic argument. Of note is the analysis that the ACA misses out on ~ 250 per (:turn, which the IO generously starts donating.
5. A few turns later, the senate hears the Daryan accusation of war profiteering. Looking into the economic situation of the ACA, the senate is confronted with the following: a generous donation of 250 per turn from the IO. The upkeep of your two fleets totals 150 , and above that, the ACA is using their fleets to only defend their home world and keep open their holonet relay to receive 500+ from the IO. This 500+ seems to be given free of any payment from the senate's perspective.
6. Now, as to what the senate sees of the ACA economy: the ACA repeatedly claims that it has to protect their economy. From the senate's point of view, this claim is ridiculous, as the ACA independently produces 9 products without any imports. The donations of by the IO are only used to produce more , which are of absolutely no use during the war, while you stand to gain much from the improved infrastructure after the war.

The fact that you do not want military aid, then a change of name coming with the acceptance of military aid only if they submit to your commands combined with the fact that the economic argument is viewed with much scepticism, make the senate highly skeptical and suspicious about the ACA's intentions.

While you may strongly disagree with this, this is how the senate views the actions and statements of the ACA. And if the senate were to learn from your personal oversight, some might even conclude that the ACA has been infiltrated by the Mandalorians, or has been working with the Mandalorians for some time now. The resistance to military aid, the acceptance of economic aid, and a lack of insight into the change of power together with not informing the senate of the mandalorian ultimatum could easily be spinned in the media as if the ACA is in the mandalorian's pockets...

I think that the following factors have not helped the ACA's public reception, and their reception in the senate:

• A general lack of knowledge about how the Astrians people govern themselves. Most union members, the veolian commonwealth included, can not comprehend how your people determine what to do. You have shown remarkable communicative abilities, yet it is unclear how this impacts your decision-making.
• The lack of insight into the reasons for a revolution. From the news, it could be gleaned that the STF leadership had fallen out of favour, but it was unclear how severe this sentiment was until Lady-Fleet Admiral Lythia Nethorius executed a military coup.
• The unclarity about the transfer of power after the military coup, and the new form of government. No information has been communicated about the new form of government of the ACA. From the senate's point of view, this new government has only changed in two things: name, and apparently having a leader. All other things seem to have stayed the same, even the position of Lady-Fleet Admiral Lythia Nethorius.
• Lack of public appearances of the leader of the ACA. The lord-master of the ACA, who seems to be an important figure in your new government, has not made a single public appearance. Because of this, it is unclear what his position is, or what his tasks are. The only thing known is that he is the single most powerful leader, and for all the senate knows, he can actually be a Mandalorian.
• A difference in culture, and how this influences the way each world views economics. The repeated claims by the ACA that their economy is in danger are met with strong scepticism, as the ACA economy really is one of the most independent and stable ones in the Union, as seen from others' point of view.

Given these unclarities, I think the best course of action for the ACA is to quickly increase public insight into their government. Have the lord-master appear in public, even if it was only so that people have a face to go with the title. Make sure that it is clear what sub-factions the ACA is comprised of so other worlds can begin to understand the complex government of the ACA.

But, right now, the best way to quickly gain acceptance is to stop accepting the donations of the IO. Nobody in the senate believes that your world's economy is in danger of collapsing. Any claim from the ACA to the contrary will further the gap between the ACA and the other worlds, as both sides of the conflict have dug their heels in the sand, and are not willing to back down. If need be, claim that you have discussed the issue with the Veolian Commonwealth, and use us as a lightning rod. Let me help you, and the ACA, to get out of this political death trap.


Secondly, I will make sure that your personal oversight will stay in the archives. I do not think that the Union will be served by internal conflict during these times of war. I am afraid that the senate will not react calmly to the revelation that you missed it. As most of the senators have not yet felt the work load of being minister, they will not be able to emphasize with you and some will assume the worst possible scenario. Incidentally, this also prevents any accusations of negligence or dereliction of duty aimed at your person.


Thirdly, I will be asking two favours of you in the future. The first will be a political or economical one, such as favourable terms on a trade agreement, a certain vote in the senate or your support for a law proposal or motion. The second one will be of a more personal nature, this might be something like a meeting with a person of note from the ACA, or something frivolous such as a having a romantic dinner by candle light with someone of my choosing.


I look forward to your reply. A simple 'yes' or 'no' will suffice, should you feel the need to be cross with me.

Sincerely,
Aeka

[Maria Latharion]

Dear Aeka,

Forgive me for pointing this out but it seems you have a very pessimistic view of the Union. While I may not be fully convinced by the current leadership I still have faith and trust the Union as a whole. I can not believe they think the ACA is involved with the Mandalorians, regardless of the misconceptions you or they might have.

Never the less you do make a few good points regarding insights my people overlooked in an attempt to look out for their own. For that I am grateful.

With regard to the favours I can accept these. Do know, however, I can not force someone else to do something against their will.

Sincerely,
Maria

[Nehket Aeka]

Dear Maria,

You might be right that I have a pessimistic view of the Union. I have known most of the senators for over two years, and by now the reactions of some of them have become predictable. They are quick to jump to conclusions, and will then take the conclusions they arrived at as their position to argue for.

I am glad that you accept. I understand that some favours are more difficult then others, especially when third parties are involved. I trust that you will be able to arrange the favours I will ask of you, and I will try to ask for things that are reasonable.

If there is anything I can do or say to help restore the image of the ACA in the eye of the senate, please let me know.

Yours sincerely,
Aeka