Ruuku Ochi looks over to Hitomi Ryuu and receives a head nod from the Kumicho. Ruuku then turns his attention towards the Order Admiral and begins to speak.
The Hogosha and Order have been friends for some time; and much of our goals are the same. There are, however, some issues that we would like to see resolved so that our relationship can be strengthened. One of these issues is Order activity in Kusari. As Im sure you know; we are rather apprehensive of increased Order activity in our home. It takes a lot of trust to allow an armoured vessel into your home; and in the name of that trust we would request that all Order vessels entering Kusari or any territory claimed by the Emperor first send word to a Black Dragon or AFA operative informing them of your intentions and actions. Im sure you see the sensibility in this.
In the same manner as that, we also wish to be informed. The Hogosha have an important task to maintain proper Kusari culture. Do not take these requests too personally. We are not blind to your efforts in protecting humanity. We remember many years ago the stories of the battle against Tekagi. In our alliance we hope to avoid such a rumored disaster. The nomads are indeed a formidable foe and cannot simply be ignored. But much like our attitude towards the bounty hunters this does not give you the grounds to supersede our laws and our interests. Your battle is of grave importance but preserving Kusari is a matter we do not take lightly. In our fight; aspects of the nomad threat partakes in Kusaris well being but this does not meant that order operations take precedence over what we fight to protect. Your fight for humanity shall never exceed the interests of our heritage, our people, our interests, and our Emporer. With this duty in mind we wish to be informed about everything that happens in our home. That is why we request that any information received and any action taken by the Order that pertains to Kusari be reported to us. You see, complete transparency in all Kusarian issues is an important step in bringing us together; it allows us to see eye to eye. A perspective that as you have witnessed has been rather strained in the history of our dealings.
There is one final issue on the Black Dragon agenda. As Im sure you know, the Black Dragons and GMG are not quite on friendly terms. Weve already explained to you the importance of preserving our culture, and the dealings of our people. The Gas Miners have always threatened Kusari in their expansion into our homes. Although many of them of Kusari descent they have long forgotten the traditions of our people. They seek to expand their business at whatever cost- even if it is Kusari itself. These miners are an ever looming threat upon the stability of Kusari; a stability that you seek to operate in. Through our observations we have discovered that the Order has recently signed several treaties with the gas miners detailing the shipment of supplies of essential resources needed to maintain your fleets and bases. Realize however that these gas harvesters are far from the only group capable of supplying you with essential goods. Samura has long been a Kieretsu of great importance in Kusari, an organization more than capable of acquiring H-Fuel or other resources you may need. I was discussing the issue with several Samura executives; and they informed me that Samura would relish the opportunity to establish a new business connection. One of the main reasons for these meetings is to show all of Kusari that the Order has Kusari's welfare in mind and I can see no better opportunity than to bring your business to Kusari. I can promise weekly shipments of H-fuel and other resources to Planet Toledo or any other Order base. We can discuss the formalities of this in depth later, but you would have to end your dealings with the Gas Miners Guild.
//We apologize for the delay in sending this message, many of us have been rather busy as of late
Duty and honour
Elder Ruuku Ochi, So-Honbucho of The Black Dragon Society
"Well said Ochi-san. Admiral Mirage, you must understand the need for stepping lightly when Kusari politics are involved. Since Ochi mentioned Tekagi I will use him as an example."
Ryuu shifts his weight and continues.
"Now I am not arguing the need for his removal, someone in his position being infested by a nomad is a great threat to Kusari as a whole. However the Order's method of going in guns blazing wantonly destroying everything around is just as bad. With Tekagi's removal an enormous vacuum was created that traitors like the Blood Dragons and Golden Chrysanthemum's took immediate advantage of. To this day we are trying to restore order to that region of Kusari.
Based on the way things worked out I can only assume that the Order was either assisted by or working directly with the Blood Dragons in that campaign. I sincerely hope you are willing to put that relationship to rest. The Blood Dragons are so set in the old ways that they are a plague to themselves, the Emperor, and the people of Kusari.
The simple fact that you are here in this room with us shows that you recognize the need to align your goals with the future needs of Kusari and Sirius as a whole. As you know the Hogosha, and our friends in the Farmer's Alliance, represent the future of Kusari."
"The Blood Dragons..." Ryuu quietly looks off in the distance and a look of hatred moves across his face. He leans forward and slams his fist on the table, "The Blood Dragons are death! They can not be allowed to regain their former positions of honor. Positions they abandoned, vows they broke! They are traitors! They are filth, no better than some gaijin invader trying to destroy our way of life."
Ryuu, realizing he began to loose composure takes a deep breath and looks Mirage in the eyes.
"We are the life force of the people of Kusari, the Guardians of all they cherish and hold dear. We are willing to work with you as long as you respect our customs and tradition. Do not forget, you may be powerful, but we are Kusari. We are the voice of the people. It is nothing for us to turn the entire nation against you. That of course is not our objective, but after hearing of the attitude of your last representative I feel the need to reinforce our position."
Ryuu settles back down into his seat and defers to Barak and Mirage.
Barak sat quietly and watched his old friend Ryuu speak, he was obviously full of emotion, and once Ryuu hits the Blood Dragons in a conversation, it always becomes a bit heated. As Ryuu finished, Ze'ev cleared his throat.
Admiral, as you can see Kusari politics is a complex matter, and the smallest details can become very important..Something I think past Order representatives have lost sight of, but Admiral, if I might be just a bit forward, you seem like a person who understands her limitations, limitations of knowledge, limitations in situation, limitations in manpower, and uses them to fuel yourself, to push yourself to learn more. I felt that way the first time I read a communique from you. You understand that humans cannot know everything, and are willing to listen, and learn. That is what we are asking, let us guide you threw the intricacies of Kusari politics, so that we may help you in your battles, and that we can together do our best to rid Kusari of the influence of the Nomads and Consortium.
Mirage sat quietly on her side of the table. Paying attention to every word , every spark of emotion and every hand gesture , coming from the men sitting on the same table as she did. Despite the passioned speech from one of the representatives of the Hogosha , Mirages face remained cold and stripped of all emotion. With a silent voice she began her response.
" First and foremost , I must say that it is a great honor to meet you in person , Mr. Barak. I'm grateful for this invitation and grateful that you have found spare time to discuss the matters concerning Order operations within close proximity to your home and the so called " Consortium " entities. "
Mirage made yet another slight , but noticeable bow with her head.
" Dear representatives of the honored Black Dragon Society , I have just now came to full understanding of how stressed out the relashionship between The Order and The Hogosha was. Appears that my predecessor , Admiral Kimura , was able to not only loose the trust of the Hogosha towards herself , but the entire Order. To hear threats directed towards The Order as a whole , coming from a group which we consider allied to us , is disturbing , to say the least. However , I understand your concerns and understand that you only wish the best for your people and for House Kusari. "
The admiral made a short pause. She was choosing her words carefully , yet she was deeply concerned about how bad the last meeting had went. That , however , was a matter which was not to be discussed here and now.
" It is of no surprise to me that men , so well informed , such as yourselves , have learned about our diplomatic dealings with the Gas Miners Guild and about resent historical events. Although I can clearly see that you wish me to delve deep into said events and continue the discussion , I regret to inform you that High Command has only given me power to resolve the current "ultimatum" set by the leader of the Artisan Farmers Alliance. What the Hogosha wished from The Order , was that we swiftly and effortlessly deal with matters concerning the AFA. That is exactly why I stand here in front of you. I must inform you , that all other matters which the Hogosha wishes to discuss with us , must be put on hold until all members of the High Command have become familiar with them and have reached a decision. "
Another short pause followed and soon after Mirage continued.
" It has reached our ears that both the AFA and the Hogosha have been doing well , keeping the nomads and the Wilde in order. It was only recently , that we heard about the so called " Consortium " and aside from the diplomatic message they have send us , we have had no further experience with their kind. For that matter , our knowledge and understanding of them is very limited , thus we are unable to make a decisive decision about their group and their goal. I was left with the impression that Mr. Barak will be able to shed some light on their origin and more importantly their current goals and behavior. "
Mirage returned to her emotionless position. Not giving a lot of information , but just a small part of it was something she was good at. Before more information was brought to the table , it was a game of hide and seek.
Silence filled the chamber in which the meeting was taking place. All three sides where carefully planning their next moves. Politics in Kusari turned out to be a lot more difficult and complicated , then Mirage thought.
She allowed herself to brake the silence and speak again.
" Mr. Barak , I couldn't agree more with your statements about Kusari politics. I wish to inform you that I completely understand my lack of knowledge and understandings about basic politics in Kusari. However , I am willing to learn , but that takes time. That is why , for now , I suggest that we discuss basic matters in which both the Order and the AFA are interested in, such as the Consortium , Order operations withing Kusari and docking rights to order agents in Kusari. "
"A most appropriate idea Admiral, but please understand we are going to want to come back to some of the issues brought up by the Hogosha."
Minister Barak motioned to one of his aids, who carried three folders, giving one to Barak, one to the Hogosha represent ivies and one to the Order Admiral.
"Admiral, this is the intelligence we have collected on the Consortium, while it is admittedly incomplete, it is probably the most significant collection of information on them available at the current time. As you can see, while seeming somewhat human, but, these creatures are not human. We have downed several of their ships, and begun an analysis of the material used, but have run into some problems, as some of the materials are not known to have been used in Sirius before. I have ordered some of the debris to be transfered to your ship so you may take it back to Toledo for a better analysis. This group is lead by a maniacal robot, going by the moniker of Iron Watsas. He is mad, bent on overthrowing Kusari and the other houses. Allying themselves with the GC, they have begun to protect the Cardimine trade, and we believe have tried to make friendly overtures to the Nomads and the Wilde." All in all this group is of great concern to Kusari, and I think it ought be of great concern to the Order Admiral. Please, whatever help or information you can develop on the Consortium will be beneficial in our fight.
Barak stood walked to a small counter on the side of the room and poured himself a drink of the fine Sake he had stored there, motioning to his aid, Sake was then poured for the Hogosha and Order guests. Walking back to the table, Barak took his time.
"Admiral, as to your operations in Kusari, as you can see, this is a touchy topic to both myself and my Hogosha brethren, and more than that, to the Emperor himself. None of us relish the idea of Kusari sovereignty being trampled on. While we understand the importance of your work, the continued Order practice of operating in Kusari without the consent nor consultation of the Hogosha and AFA is unacceptable. Not two weeks ago, and Order task force was spotted setting up a blockade in Shikoku searching for a Libertonian transport. This is unacceptable, the only true authority in Kusari belongs to the Emperor. Now we understand the realities of the work you do, and that notice cannot always be given before an operation is carried out, but if you wish to operate in Kusari, we ask that as often as possible either the AFA or Hogosha is informed of operation in Kusari ahead of time, and in the situations when that is not possible, as quickly as possible after the operation. We would ask for full reports of any Order actions in Kusari, allowing us to stay up to date on the threats the Order is fighting here. In exchange for the trust you would be showing in us, I would offer the hospitality of this base for the Order as a forward base of operations in Kusari. We have close access to Tohoku, as well as the rest of Kusari, while providing a system with no other residence than the farmers, allowing for secrecy of your operations. We would also be in a position to offer docking rights on other Farmers Alliances bases, with the exception of Cape Soya Station. We would require reports to be forwarded to us regarding any operations to take place off bases other than Shibukawa. This would allow the Order access to all of Kusari and give you a strong ally to help in your fight, and all we ask is consultation, and operational cooperation in fighting the Nomads, Wilde, and Consortium here in Kusari."
Barak returned to his place at the table, and slowly lifted his Sake glass so the others in the room could see, and drank the rice wine.
"Admiral, while I know this is just an initial diplomatic mission, the requests of the Hogosha do need to be heard by the Order High Command. And while we understand your relations with the GMG, we are in position to provide you with a secure, regular supply of H-fuel. We would like the Order High Command to consider this, as it would help to mend fences that have been built between Kusari and the Order since the Nomad War. Both the Hogosha and the Farmers wish to grow closer with the Order, and this type of deal would go a long way in pushing aside many of the nagging questions and suspicions many Kusari have about your organization."
Ruuku nods in thanks to the man who poured his sake. Taking his cue from Ze'ev he drinks deeply from the fine rice wine before proceeding;
Thank you, Barak-San. We Hogosha are more than happy to discuss the more pressing issues of the Order's operations in Kusrai. The Consortium is quickly becoming quite a threat; we Black Dragons have already found operatives of theirs in the lower epsilons of the Kusari bureaucracy. Admiral, you must realize that it is quite a statement that is being made by allowing active Order operations in Kusari space, your organization is being handed a honour that few gaijins could ever receive. This is why we require complete transparency in all of your actions in Kusari; which can easily be done with reports of your activities in Kusari. The Hogosha, of course, will be happy to lend you aid in your actions here; your fight for humanity is our fight as well.
Duty and honour
Elder Ruuku Ochi, So-Honbucho of The Black Dragon Society
Mirage allowed herself a quick sniff of the substance which her glass now contained. It wasn't the most pleasant aroma , but she thought that it may be considered as an offense , if she did not drink from the glass. Mirage decided that if she drank the liquid fast enough , she wont have to taste or smell it again. After the glass was empty and put back on it's place , even the admirals pale cheeks glowed red.
" Mr. Barak , thank you for this wonderful ... substance. It was .. most refreshing. "
Mirage made a small pause , it was hard for her to talk , her throat was burning. She quickly recovered and continued talking.
" The Order is deeply honored by your proposal , Mr. Barak. Although most of the operation issued by our operatives are short , having a base to re-arm and re-fuel our ships is a great tactical advantage for our agents. "
A short pause followed.
" However gentlemen , The Order is an organization which is fabled for the secrecy of its operations , the precision in which they are carried out and the fact that they are rarely unsuccessful. That is mostly because our operations are over long ago anyone , even the victim , understands what has happened , where and how. No one is fully aware of our operations , where they take place and what purpose they need serve. Discussions about future operations within Kusari will surely take place in the High Command."
" What I'm trying to explain is , that secrecy is the key to our success. Although in this meeting , the AFA has shown nothing but understanding and respect towards our organization , we cannot yet entrust you with detailed explanations about operations within Kusari. Trust is much like a brick wall. One cannot start building a wall from the top , nor from the left or the right. One must start building from the bottom in order to create solid foundations. I believe that we are doing just that , here. Laying down the first bricks and creating a foundation for future cooperation between The AFA and The Order. However , I believe that the honored members of the Black Dragon society can be informed and briefed about upcoming missions , taking place in Kusari. "
" Now , on the matter concerning this so called " Consortium ". I thank you for the material you have provided for us , Mr. Barak. Our scientist will delve deep into the material and I am confident that we shall have results , soon enough. However , before those remains board my ship , they will be scanned and searched. We mean no disrespect in this , it is simply a security measure. "
" If what the Farmers Alliance has observed is the truth. We may be facing another enemy with sympathy towards the alien scourge , which plagues humanity. If connection between the nomads or the wilde , and the consortium is established and proved , The Order will act swiftly and with devastating force. Our organization will seek out anyone who is in anyway connected to those creatures. Machine or human. "
"No disrespect taken Admiral, I would do the same if someone brought me material of an unknown origin. My words of caution when it comes to the Consortium are as follows, they are devious, and alien, and whether or not they have sympathies toward the Nomads, they are a threat just the same as a group such as the Phantoms, a threat to all humans here in Sirius."
Barak stood and walked over to the bar again.
"As to the Order's operations in Kusari, we trust the Hogosha without reservation, if you feel at the moment more comfortable with dealing with operational matters with them, that is completely understandable. So long as someone we trust in Kusari knows what is going on, that is enough for us at this moment. Hopefully someday soon, the Order and AFA will feel comfortable enough with our relations that we can speak directly on these matter, but as you say Admiral, we are taking positive steps in that direction."
Barak picked up a dusty bottle from behind the bar and walked over to the Order Admiral.
"Admiral, this is a bottle of Sake from my private stock, from rice grown on my families farm on Kyushu, please, take it as my gift of goodwill to the Order."
With the Barak held out his hand, grasping the Admirals hand in a shake. The Ministers aides looked a bit shocked, as this was in fact a woman Barak was shaking hands with, a sign of equality and respect, something most of them would not have believed Barak capable of.