Sebastien Coen was loathing walking into another negotiation room. Either way, it had to be done. He had been summoned and it was his responsibility. He did take precautions however. Guns may not have been permitted, but everything else went. Especially when it was not even noticeable.
He wore flowing robes, embroidered to represent diplomacy and that of peace. Underneath he wore closely fitted armour. He carried quick strobe pulse LED's attached to the underneath of his forearms. On top there were communication datapads so it would not look out of place, and so he could communicate with the people that were part of the Freeport XV talks at any time, or anyone else in Sirus. His left leg contained a fifteen minute moulded fit-tank reservoir of oxygen, with a quick-inflate mask and goggles.
He did have a chuckle about the irony of his attire to an old friend about it earlier in a transmission, but he knew it may be needed.
"Survival by any means possible." His mentor taught him that before disappearing.
His sabre had landed on Freeport 9 with an escort of two gunboats and four fighters. Back in Omicron 74 there were two Juggernauts, six Fearlesses and three escort wings on full alert just outside Freeport XV. If things happened, their job was to punch in and grab the Omicroner leadership. It was the Seneca fallback taskforce. The Seneca taskforce activated the Pisonian fallback; a similar detail was pushing patrols from Freeport XV to other stations in Omicron 74. It's job was to protect the Theta hole should the Seneca taskforce be called into action. The Pisonian replacement taskforce activated the compulsory Operation Nero; which required the elimination of the Corsair representative on Freeport XV. Of course, most of this was not known to many, and just a fallback should things go according to plan.
Coen sighed. He hoped any further battles concerned only words.
The gunboats had moved off from Freeport 9 and would conduct runs between the Omicron 74 hole and the Freeport. The other four fighters had landed. Their armed guards had secured their fighters, just like Coen. They circled Coen and all entered the corridor from the hangar bay.
Coen sighed again. He did not want this to be the way things had to be from now on, but he would always be prepared.
Jose reaches across the table and shakes the hand that Silvan has offered 'I'm not sure that everyone would view it as a pleasure to meet me Senor but I am happy to have the opportunity to meet with you'.
Reaching across Jose picks up the bottle of rum and after studying the label for a moment opens the bottle and pours a measure into each of the 2 glasses. Replacing the bottle on the table he offers one of the glasses to Silvan, before taking a sip from his own glass. 'Mmmm'¦.that is good' says Jose. 'I told you that Espi knew a thing or two about rum. Perhaps if we are able to reach a settlement we will be able to raise our glasses and toast our success'.
Sitting back in his chair Jose waited for the preceedings to begin.
Even before the meeting itself, Espi had a conflict with one of the guards. And frankly, he barely kept his temper...
Now listen to me, you worm. I waste my time by sitting here, listening to what you have to say. If you think I came to be pushed around by some bouncer, you have another thing coming. I have stuff to gather, people to feed, ships to build, people to interrogate, Hessians and Bretonians to kill. I bring you a gift of the best rum I have, and I only have one condition - to keep that gun. I let that gun out of my hand just once, and when I got it back, a cruiser was severely crippled. Next time I leave that gun at any door, I will be at the gates of hell itself. Now... If you value that hand and your life, you will let me go. Eye contact full of rage, with the other 3 guards watching them. LET.GO.
...
Now sitting, gun holstered, rum box on the table, hands visible - pouring some rum. Sitting quietly, listening to what people have to say.
"Yes," he told the security team. "Let senior Espi have his gun if it'll make him less nervous. Also, this is mine."
He grabbed the bottle of rum from the guard as he walked into the room.
"Charles. Been a while. Hope you're doing good. Thanks for keeping that seat warm for Sebastian. I got word that he's on his way and you're needed back on FP15."
"It's your mother," he explained, "she wants to know why you stopped calling her and says that if you don't come down there right now she's going to beat you so hard that you'll regret ever coming out of her *****."
"Guys," he turned to the rest, "Enjoy your meeting. Try not to kill each other. Silvan here will be representing myself and everyone else living on the Nine. He's a good guy. Let's go Charles. You know that when your mother scares the bejesus out of Nomads, you don't want to mess with her."
Silvan took a sip from the glass of rum Jose had poured for him.
Indeed this is a fine drink. And hopefully we can drink more in celebration after these talks!
Silvan watched the the sudden flurry of activity in the conference room, trying to keep a mental tally of those who would be attending. So far it seemed that Elders Benitez and Epsi were present, with a third possibly on the way and He, Mr Ferguson and this Sebastion would be the Zoner reps. Getting a slight headache, Silvan looked at the guards
Right, As Mr. Mannock has said, from here on, only those actively in these talks are allowed in this room. That means me, Sebastion, James and the Corsair Elders. Thats it.
Silvan nodded to the guards. Who proceeded to shepard everyone else else out of the room.
Now then, that should ease the chaos in this room. And oh yes before i forget.
Silvan pushed a button on his commpad, and a few moments later a procession of Zoners came in and set down a variety of foods on the tables to the side of the room, and swiftly left. Silvan looked at the others and smiled
You cant negotiate on an empty stomach and expect to get anything done.
If no one has any objections, we will wait for a short while longer for the others to arrive and then begin our discussions.
Silvan sat back in his chair, slowly drinking the rum from his glass
Sephardi quietly walked into the confrence room. Silently he walked over to where Jose and Espi were sitting, his only sound, the sound of the old man's walking stick meeting the steel floor panels. Pulling a chair from the table, he set it behind Jose and Espi, sitting down without a word, he left the two elders between him and the Zoners.
The Black Sails Sovereign leaned back, nodded at the old man and offered a shot of fine beverage of his own make. He then looked down, to indicate he has his sidearm with him just in case.
Sephardi took the shot, and swollowed it in one gulp. He nodded at the younger man and tapped his walking stick against the floor, letting the younger man know he was ready if a fight came.
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