Elizabeth has been writing down the main points of Valdez' ideas. She lifts a finger, asking for a few seconds.
"One moment, please..."
"So, Roussillon, Orkney and Tau-31 will be Bretonian, and Bretonia will recognize Tau-37 and 44 as rightfully Maltese, we will allow free transport of cardamine to Cape Wrath and we will divide Tau-23... like this? Of course, it is implied that free passage to the 44 jumphole will be granted."
She shows Valdez and Don Hernan the border that she's drawn on her tablet.
Eliza traced her finger along the straight line leading from Cali Base to Tau-31 gate.
"As long as this corridor permits the transit of Maltese ships so that we can move garrisons and supplies to Cape Wrath the division looks good to us. The garrison is simply needed to ensure Cape Wrath's safety from our enemies and will mostly consist of smaller vessels - snubcraft and gunboats likely. I hope Bretonia won't see that as a treat to her borders?"
The legionnaire drew another line with her finger, this time from the Tau-37 jump hole to the Tau-44 one.
"This corridor we might need to be able to move heavier firepower in order to secure the system from the Crayterians, though I hope that would be of less concern for the Kingdom of Bretonia as it would be on the very edge of your borders."
"I think that would be accepted by the Bretonian government", Elizabeth nodded lightly, as if answering to a butler asking whether to bring tea.
"I request that we pause here, so I can work on a treaty concept in the room you've given to me. I will then present it to you both, and if you approve, I will send it to the government for review. If they accept it, I will sign it, and then we can throw a party, or part ways, or whatever it is the custom on Malta after a job done."
Signing the treaty with her own hand was the main reason why Elizabeth was there in the first place, and not in Bretonia, communicating via a device
The man was attentively listening the discussion until Miss Hall left the room and legionnaire addressed him.
"Señorita Valdez, we have no addendums to the agreement so far. The points raised by you fit in general all Maltese traders, including us. Hence, our side is satisfied."
Da Silva leaned back in the chair and having finished the whiskey in the glass continued:
"I suppose while Bretonian side is preparing the draft, we can pretend being connoisseurs for a bit more and taste a few more sorts of spirits available at Basilica bar."
Elizabeth called for Valdez and Don Hernan for another session in an hour and twenty minutes. This is the document that she presented them:
Basilica Treaty
1. The Kingdom of Bretonia recognizes the Nation of Malta as a sovereign state and the legitimate successor of House Hispania.
2. The Nation of Malta recognizes the Bretonian monarch as the Empress/Emperor of Tau.
3. The Kingdom of Bretonia recognizes the Maltese claims on Tau-37 and Tau-44 as legitimate.
4. The Kingdom of Bretonia will not lay claim to the Tau-29 System.
5. The Nation of Malta recognizes the Bretonian claims to Tau-31, Orkney and Roussillon as legitimate.
6. The Tau-23 System is divided along the following line: everything south of the A34-CD34-CD56-H56 line belongs to the Kingdom of Bretonia. Everything north belongs to the Nation of Malta.
7. The mining zone in the C2 sector is no exception to Clause 6 and belongs to the Nation of Malta.
8. All Bretonian crown corporations, as well as Gateway and Planetform, have free and unrestricted access to the mining zone, the right to mine its resources without tax and the right to be protected by the Maltese law enforcement.
9. The Nation of Malta has the right to transport supplies to the Cape Wrath Base in the Newcastle System, including cardamine but not including any other contraband unless specially licensed, as well as to garrison the base with a flotilla sized force of snubcraft, gunboats and commercial vessels. The Maltese garrison has the right to ask the local Bretonian law enforcement for help if unable to fend off the danger themselves.
10. All Bretonian law enforcement ships have unrestricted access to the entire Tau-23 System, including capital ships.
11. All Maltese law enforcement ships have unrestricted access to the entire Tau-23 System, including capital ships.
12. The law enforcement of either may pursue criminals or enemies from their own zone, but can otherwise only fire in self-defense or in defense of another Bretonian or Maltese vessel while in the other's zone.
13. No modular bases built in one zone of the Tau-23 System may deploy weapon platforms in the other.
14. The Tau-23 star is an exception to Clause 6 and belongs to both the Kingdom of Bretonia and the Nation of Malta, and may not be subject to action of either without the other's approval.
15. The Kingdom of Bretonia obliges to provide aid to the Nation of Malta against the Crayter Republic, should the Crayter Republic endanger the stability of this treaty, if possible overtly and aggressively, and if not, covertly, after the Kingdom of Gallia has been defeated.
16. The Nation of Malta obliges to provide aid to the Kingdom of Bretonia against the Crayter Republic, should the Crayter Republic endanger the stability of this treaty, if possible overtly and aggressively, and if not, covertly, after the Kingdom of Gallia has been defeated.
17. The Kingdom of Bretonia recognizes that all Independent Miners' Guild assets in the Taus, including those in the Coronado System as well, but excluding those in Tau-31 and Orkney, rightfully belong to the Nation of Malta.
18. The Nation of Malta recognizes that all Independent Miners' Guild assets in Tau-31, Orkney, Newcastle and Dublin rightfully belong to the Kingdom of Bretonia.
19. This treaty is valid indefinitely, but it will be open for re-negotiation should the participants request.
Signatures:
The Kingdom of Bretonia:...................______________________________....................................................................... The Nation of Malta:
"Please read this and tell me if you are satisfied. I might have added a few points."
The legionnaire's azure eyes trailed across the document she was presented. Valdez raised her eyes towards the Bretonian representative.
"Wouldn't Malta recognizing your monarch as the empress of the Taus make her the ruler of both the Kingdom of Bretonia as well as the Maltese people in the Tau sector? When I came for this conference I thought I was here to sign a just treaty that splits the Taus between your nation and ours, not to sign my people as subjects to Her Majesty, the Queen of Bretonia. Perhaps if it was worded more clearly - as empress or emperor of Tau-31, Orkney and Roussillon, then I would be more willing to put my signature on the document."
Da Silva skimmed through the agreement and with a smirk said:
"With all due respect, Miss Hall, but I fully concord with Señorita Valdez. You see, should we recognise the monarch of Bretonia as the sovereign of Taus, then it de jure gives Bretonia claims on all Taus in the future. We do not doubt your diplomatic intentions behind this move but we also cannot vouch for the generations that will replace us. Our point here is to build a lasting partnership and peace - I bet neither Bretonia nor Malta is interested in continuous rivalry, we both have enough problems to sort out even in the post-war time. Hence, giving a legitimate casus belli for Bretonia for all of Taus is not something Malta is interested in. Therefore, I suggest following amendments to the Treaty:
Quote:
Basilica Treaty
This Treaty is concluded between the Kingdom of Bretonia and Nation of Malta in the spirit of mutual respect and aspirations for lasting peace between the states, as well as bringing end to Gallic imperialism in the sector.
1. The Kingdom of Bretonia recognizes the Nation of Malta as a sovereign state and the legitimate successor of House Hispania.
2. The Nation of Malta recognizes the Bretonian monarch as the Empress/Emperor of Tau Australis.
3. For the purposes of this Treaty, Tau Australis region is defined as:
Tau 31 system
The part of Tau 23 system lying below A34-CD34-CD56-H56 line
4. The Kingdom of Bretonia recognises Tau 37 and the space of Tau 23 over A34-CD34-CD56-H56 line as part of Maltese territory.
5. The Kingdom of Bretonia recognises claims of Malta over Tau 44, Tau 53 as legitimate.
6. The Kingdom of Bretonia will not lay claim to the Tau-29 System.
7. The Nation of Malta recognizes Tau-31, Orkney, and Edinburgh systems as the sovereign territories of the Kingdom of Bretonia.
8. The Nation of Malta recognizes the claim of the Kingdom of Bretonia over Roussillon system as legitimate.
9. The mining zone in the C2 sector is recognised by the Kingdom of Bretonia as belonging to the Nation of Malta.
9.1. All Bretonian crown corporations, as well as Gateway and Planetform, have free and unrestricted access to the mining zone, the right to mine its resources without tax and the right to be protected by the Maltese law enforcement.
10. The Nation of Malta has the right to transport supplies to the Cape Wrath Base in the Newcastle System, including Cardamine but not including any other contraband unless specially licensed, as well as to garrison the base with a flotilla sized force of snubcraft, gunboats and commercial vessels. The Maltese garrison has the right to ask the local Bretonian law enforcement for help if unable to fend off the danger themselves.
11. All Bretonian law enforcement ships have unrestricted access to the entire Tau-23 System, including capital ships.
12. All Maltese law enforcement ships have unrestricted access to the entire Tau-23 System, including capital ships.
13. The law enforcement of either of the sides to the Treaty may pursue criminals or enemies from their own zone, but can otherwise only fire in self-defense or in defense of another Bretonian or Maltese vessel while in the other's zone.
14. No modular bases built in one zone of the Tau-23 System may deploy weapon platforms in the other.
15. The Tau-23 star belongs to both the Kingdom of Bretonia and the Nation of Malta, and may not be subject to action of either without the other's approval.
16. The Kingdom of Bretonia obliges to provide aid to the Nation of Malta against the Crayter Republic, should the Crayter Republic endanger the stability of this treaty, if possible overtly and aggressively, and if not, covertly, after the Kingdom of Gallia has been defeated.
17. The Nation of Malta obliges to provide aid to the Kingdom of Bretonia against the Crayter Republic, should the Crayter Republic endanger the stability of this treaty, if possible overtly and aggressively, and if not, covertly, after the Kingdom of Gallia has been defeated.
18. The Kingdom of Bretonia recognizes that all Independent Miners' Guild assets in the Taus, including those in the Coronado System as well, but excluding those in Tau-31 and Orkney, rightfully belong to the Nation of Malta.
19. The Nation of Malta recognizes that all Independent Miners' Guild assets in Tau-31, Orkney, Newcastle and Dublin rightfully belong to the Kingdom of Bretonia.
20. This treaty is valid indefinitely, but it will be open for re-negotiation should the participants request.
Signatures:
The Kingdom of Bretonia:...................______________________________....................................................................... The Nation of Malta:
"Let me explain my amendments, esteemed representatives. First and foremost, with the raised concern as to the vague formulation of "Empress of Taus" I suggest adding a proxy term "Tau Australis" that would include for Bretonia the same territories as provided by the Treaty in question but devoid of vagueness that might give a rise to problems in the future. As you can see, all your rights are reserved in this version of the Treaty, and our interests of no possible laying claims over Northern Taus based on this very Treaty
are also observed. In addition, I went further and instead of laying down "claims" of either of the sides, I changed the wording to include some of the systems as the "sovereign part" of the parties. I see no reason why Bretonia should "claim" Orkney, Edinburgh, and Tau 31 while these territories are rightfully Bretonian. Same I can say about Maltese presence in Tau 37 and Northern Tau 23. The rest systems are better left alone with the formulations as "claims" not to raise unnecessary diplomatic commotion as of now with other factions."
Da Silva sat back in the chair, waiting for the reply of the representatives and making a sip of spirit in his glass.
Elizabeth was pretending to be reviewing the edited treaty. In fact, she was surprised and thinking of what to say. Asking the queen to reduce her title would not make her popular, Elizabeth thought. She herself was a member of the Royalist Party. The Steiners, as perceived by Elizabeth, royal and loyal to the core, and also her main source of income and luxury, would deny her those. So, she devised, ad hoc, two plans. Plan A was to try resisting.
"Queen Carina already carries that title. It is a symbolic title, no more. The Bretonian monarch doesn't have any real power. Besides that, it is obvious to which systems it refers to anyone who reads this treaty. I don't think you are aware of the amount of paperwork and ceremony that would take to change the title... nor the humiliation a Bretonian would be exposed to for asking the queen to reduce her ambition a bit. Is this really that important?"
Da Silva looked calm yet his face could reveal a modicum of discontent.
"Miss Hall, we do understand your concerns. However, you are to understand ours, too. Symbolic or not, the title might be honourable to your monarch and yet disturbing for our political elite. Let us face it: Bretonia does not control anything in Tau region as of yet. Clinging to ceremonial title that stands in the way of practical matters is illogical. Moreover, how can the Queen of Bretonia claim to be "Empress" of anything if Bretonia de jure is a kingdom, not an empire, its monarch being either queen or king? In these circumstances, the symbolism behind the title is naught. Yet, we do desire this treaty to be concluded and are ready to discuss possible solutions. One of the options as I see it is to define in the treaty for the purposes thereof the scope of the title "Empress of Tau". Say, replace in article 9 and article 9 point 1 "Tau Australis" with "The title 'Empress/Emperor of Taus' shall henceforth be construed as Bretonian monarch with sovereign rule over Tau 31, and Tau 23 below A34-CD34-CD56-H56 line". What would you say about this?"