Beyond the Pit [Pitboss Diplomacy Game] [Story Thread] . PART 8 (March 2009)

[Pitboss Russia]

From:~ President Rostislav Vladimirovich, Russian Republic
To:~ Friend and Foe

Much has happened these passed weeks and it takes time to ponder upon all the different permutations of such a myriad of events.

On the Front General Kiril Meretsokov has advised that Osaka represents the more pressing target and therefore the 7th Army has been ordered to send some Cavalry to bolster the 13th after it's bitter fight at Tokyo. It appears that some form of Japanese control centre has been established there and this must be dealt with. All proceeds well as the injured recover and are able to take up station once more.

On to Foreign Relations.

Rome:~

My dear friend, Marcus Emperor of Rome,

I can only offer apologies. It appears that the recent strain upon our relations and harsh words exchanged has resulted in an unfortunate border incident. Russian troops sent back to Mino for rest after their terrible ordeals encountered, what they believed to be, a hostile force and opened fire. Sadly the men killed were Roman and it grieves us to the very heart that this has happened. I had intended to travel to West Russia in two rounds time to congratulate our fine soldiers for their endeavours. I have advanced this and after a rally of support for our just war, against the evildoers, in the City Square at Novgorad,



I shall depart. Obviously I shall stop at Oath City to speak with you on this terrible event and on other pressing matters.

Japan:~

Masanori Akamatsu,

Russia does understand and sympathise with your predicament. I myself know how difficult it is to assume the mantle of government in midst of turmoil.

Russia's terms are very simple. Surrender now or watch more innocents die and Cities flattened. If these terms are unacceptable your stay in Osaka will be short and fatal. No compromise or negotiations will be offerred - the lands of Piercia, so cruelly stolen, will come under Russian guardianship. Russia does not wish to see more die in this war but she will have her way regardless of the leadership of Japan, Emperor or other, and it will either be swift and merciful or bloody and merciless.

Do you really wish to see further scenes such as this as yet more of your conscripts die!



Metalheads:~

Bateater,

You are a wise and honest man and I salute you for re-opening borders with us. You have recognised that Russia is no 'Imperialist Power' that seeks to dominate others via any means - Mercantile or Gun!

Maya:~

Pacal Visyava,

We congratulate you on your fine achievements. Maya is a fine nation indeed and we wish only to see our friendship grow.

Sparta:~

Menelaus II,

Send your armies if you will choose to betray an old friend in favour of an old foe. Russia remains resolute in her stance and will return nothing that was never Japanese in the first place. It saddens me that you seem to have forgotten a pre-condition of peace with Japan set out by yourself but one round ago -

- Japan gives all ancient Piercian cities to Russia and signs peace with Russia

It is easy to see how honourable Sparta will be under a your rule.

President Rostislav Vladimirovich,
For, and on behalf of, The Russian Republic

[Pitboss Greece]

President Rostislav Vladimirovich,

Sparta considers Russia to be it's friend.
You can't deny us the right to defend the territories of ourselves and our vassals.
I will send armies to defend our Japanese cities. If you chose to attack us, then it is you who breaks our long lasting peace.

I urge you to return Tokyo (not Kyoto) back to the Japanese and sign peace.
You have played your battle, you have gained a lot. Be satisfied and accept this proposal, or run the risk to lose everything again and let your war have been in vain.

Sparta will ensure that the Persian People will live in peace and be handled in a respectable manner by the Japanese.

Menelaus II
King of Sparta, Japan and Piercia

[Pitboss Greece]

Hail Bateater of the Metalheads,

I see you have settled on New Sparta!
Welcome to this great continent! Let us live next to each other in peace.

I heard you are about to close borders and end trades with imperial powers of the west.
I'm sure that you'll not consider Sparta to be one of these Imperial Powers!

Menelaus II
King of Sparta, Japan and Piercia

[OzzyKP]

Metalheads:~

Bateater,

You are a wise and honest man and I salute you for re-opening borders with us. You have recognised that Russia is no 'Imperialist Power' that seeks to dominate others via any means - Mercantile or Gun!

Hail Bateater of the Metalheads,

I see you have settled on New Sparta!
Welcome to this great continent! Let us live next to each other in peace.

I heard you are about to close borders and end trades with imperial powers of the west.
I'm sure that you'll not consider Sparta to be one of these Imperial Powers!

Menelaus II
King of Sparta, Japan and Piercia

Greetings great powers of Russia & Greece,

We have no intention of yet re-opening our borders with Russia or with Greece. You are indeed both mercantile powers guilty of exploiting our people and our ports. Your empires extract much wealth and riches from the Metalheads and what do we receive in return? Nothing.

Trade with Meduian powers is free, fair and equal. "Trade" with western imperialists is tantamount to theft. Allowing western powers to exploit our ports led to the greatest trade deficit in all of Terra! We may be weaker than the mighty empires in the west, but we are not fools!

You fill our markets with western goods, western spices, western trinkets, and what happens to our own producers and farmers? They lose their livelihoods and starve in the streets. Are they ever given the ability to trade their goods in western ports? No! Their crops rot on the field and their products gather dust in their workshops. Western imperialists strip us of our gold, silver and wealth, leaving us broken and dependent.

Well no more!

As for New Sparta, we have seen the great map for New Sparta colonization, and we settle in the land designated to us. We thank Sparta for such a generous land grant. Our people rejoice at the bountiful land they now settle.

Let there be no mistake, we do not have ill-intent toward any western power whose trade we have ended. We seek only friendship. However it must be equal friendship. No matter how much we may like individual nations, we shall not allow them to rape our people and resources.

-Ozzy the Bateater

[Pitboss Rome]

Emperor Marcus Aurelius of Rome to the Spartan Dictator

Menalaus of Sparta,

Let me be clear.

Russia is a member of the Pax Romana. If you kill a single Russian solider or sailor, and the Russians appeal to me, the treaty which is well know and public will be involved - if you kill a solider of the Pax Romana you declare war on all of the Pax Romana.

Do not try to cloak words and hide your intentions saying things like 'its not as if Sparta declared war on Russia' - that is exactly what you did. Indeed you admit it yourself:

This all ended the war between Sparta and Japan.
It started the war between Sparta and Russia though.

You decided you wanted Japenese fish and uranium, and declared war on teh Pax Romana to get it. You trecherous fool.

Trecherous is the word for you. Indeed I personally doubt that Menalaus is any more than a pseudonym for Orestes, for we have seen and heard of no changes in Sparta, no accounts of the death of Orestes, nothing to make me believe that the ruler of Sparta has changed. All that is happened is that shortly after you declared

"There is no chance in all eternity that we'll declare war on Japan!"

your greed got the better of you, and overpowered all sense of decency, and all loyalty to the oaths you have sworn. Your shame is such though that you try to hide your betrayal under a new name.

You have sword oaths of friendship with Rome. We came to your aid (as you know well) when you were attacked by the Maya and the Koreans. You still day by day try to offer me new deals in your unnatural lust for fish. And now, you of your own free choice (don't try to twist and turn as if it were forced upon you) you declare war on a member of the Pax Romana knowing full well that that means you are declaering war on Rome.

You are a trecherous fool.

Roman infantry and destroyers will be dispatched west. A war between us will destroy you. It will destroy Rome too, but Rome does not care for it values more its honour in staying loyal to its agreements. Sparta will burn, and we will both sink into a scrap heep of twisted metal and bombs while others glory around us, but Rome will die as men of honour. Once in the great days of Sparta the same was true of Sparta. Now it seems greed has rotted the Spartan soul and you behave like a rampant dog.

Or perhaps not, perhaps many in the Spartan nation are still honourable men, honouring the treaties and long friendship with Rome, and are repulsed that your unnatural lust for fish causes you to betray your friends and declare war on them. Maybe you will die at Spartan hands - I pray it may be true and soon.

You have a final chance to save yourself from being the Spartan leader who destroyed the Spartan name for honesty and faithfulness, and destroyed the nation.

You yourself just days ago declared to the world:

- Japan gives all ancient Piercian cities to Russia and signs peace with Russia
- Japan gives all other cities on the continent to the Oldonians
- Japan capitulates to Sparta and becomes a vassal of Sparta
- Japan gives all surplus resources to Sparta
- Sparta will send defence armies to protect all of Japan
- Sparta will send surplus resources to aid Japan in all possible ways
- Borders will be opened

This treaty proposed by you causes there to be no reason for you to attack the Pax Romana. Agree to your own proposal Menalaus or are you so faithless that you abandon your own proposals within days?.

Roman troops stand ready to defend the Pax Romana. Fire one shot against a solider of the Pax Romana whether he wears Wynadot, Russian or Roman uniform and the horror of total war will desecnd on our fair continent.

The choice is yours Menalaus.

Marcus of Rome.

You stated

[Pitboss Greece]

Marcus of Rome,

Do you deny Sparta's right to defend it's own vassal's territory?
Does the Pax Romana include that Pax members can attack other nations and those other nations can't defend themselves?

It was Russia who declared war on Japan.
Japan now is a Spartan allie and friend and we will defend Japanese territory.

Sparta will not invade Russian territory, but if Russians attack Spartan soldiers who defend Japanese cities, then we will fire back at them.
Or do you insist that I keep my guns down and that we'll be killed by Russians?

You are right, the moment that Sparta invades Russian territory, Rome should protect it's allies!
Like Sparta is right to protect it's allie when Russians invade Japanese territory.

Regarding the proposal, it was a draft proposal to the Japanese.
The Japanese made a counter proposal which was accepted.
Do you want me to stand up for draft proposals?

Why would the both of us not work out a peace deal between our allies?
We have the power to make an end to the fighting between Russia and Japan over the spoils of Piercia.

What is your suggestion for peace?

Menelaus II
King of Sparta and Japan

[Pitboss Rome]

Don't twist words, trecherous fool Menalaus - Japan was not your ally, before you declared war on Russia. There was a war between Russian and Japan - you chose to involve yourself in it - therefore you are chosing to involve me in it. They are the facts. You even admit this yourself whne you say Japan is now an ally. There was a war between Japan and Russia - you chose to involve yourself it it - because of your unnatural lust for Japanese fish - the consequences of that will be me involving myself in it.

If you fear world war do not attack the Pax Romana. And do not pretend the Japanese are your allies - they hate you and cower under the threat of your invasion and utter destruction of their land - a threat you made!

[Pitboss Japan]

And do not pretend the Japanese are your allies - they hate you and cower under the threat of your invasion and utter destruction of their land - a threat you made!

This is far from the thruth! We welcome our Spartan friends, our liberators and saviors who will save our cities from the evil Russians.

Yes, there are some traitors in our nation who oppose our agreement with Sparta and our "capitulation" to them, spreading lies among us, but they will be dealt soon enough.

Wise ruler of Rome, protector of Pax Romana!

Please consider that your mutual defensive pact doesnt force you into this war since it was Russia who started it, betraying us all, and they even ignored you when you questioned them. By staying neutral in this conflict it would ensure that the war will not escalate and peace could be achieved shortly.

Yukawa Hideki, prime minister of the Japanese Interim Government

[Pitboss Maya]

OOC:

unnatural lust for fish

[Pitboss Greece]

Marcus,

The Pax Romana, what's it purpose?
Is it's purpose to protect member nations against enemy invasions?
Or is it's purpose to support members when they invade other nations?

Do I understand you correctly that you will declare war on me when Russian armies attack a Japanese cities, and one of my defending soldiers kills one of the Russian armies while defending it?

Do I understand you correctly that I have to withdraw all my armies back to Sparta and let the Russians conquer all of Piercia upon the Japanese?

Do I understand you correctly that you refuse my right to defend Japan, my ally?

Please answer all of these questions separately.

Yes, Japan was an enemy first, but then we made peace. Like Russia was your enemy first, and then you made peace and became allies.
The Roman/Russian situation is perfectly the same, except that I would not support Japan if they chose to invade Russia.

I fear, Marcus, that you decided to use big words immediately instead of diplomatic words to try to find a solution of the Russian/Japanese conflict.
Now you have shouted that hard that you made it impossible for yourself to turn to peace negotiations.

It's your own pride that makes a peaceful end to this situation impossible.

Menelaus II
King of Sparta and Japan

[Pitboss Rome]

Menalaus, King of Sparta and Tyrant of Japan, (I am glad to see you have now dropped your claim to be King of Piercia)

Of course we want peace. But peace emerges from truth.

The facts are:

Russia and Japan were at war - no major power was involved. Indeed I opposed the war.This was a war between two middle ranked nations - indeed Russia was weaker at the outset.

Then you declared war on Japan. You one of the most powerful nations on earth declared war on Japan. You conquered a city of their - riflemen against spears! You demanded that they capitulate otherwise you would annialate them.

Then you declared war on Russia.

The answer to this sorry affair is for both of us to agree that this war has nothing to do with us. But I have to be clear, if you involve yourself, I will involve yourself. You have already involved yourself by declaring war on Russia. Russia has been restrained in not immeidately asking for my protection. I have been restrained in not immediately declaring war. But the just consequence of you involving yourself in the war between Japan and Russia is that I will. Neither of us want that, but the only way for us to avoid it, is for both of us to not involve ourselves in it.

I am very happy to broker an agreement between Russia and Japan over the Piercia territories, and to involve you in those discussions. I am sure that at the same time you will be happy to retore Alcetas to Japan, and guarentee Japanese independence.

Marcus of Rome.

[Pitboss Greece]

Marcus,

Compared to Russia, Japan is a very small nation.
Musketmen vs riflemen and cuirassiers. Russia was having a free field in Persia.
I am sending protection to the Japanese cities. You can send protection to the Russian cities. Maybe that's a perfect way to end this madness.

I did indeed declare war on Japan. Japan was in anarchy, nobody was ruling this civilization. The citizen of Alcetas refused Spartan citizen to pass.
I could do nothing but interfere.
When Japan got a new government I immediately started peace negotiations with them.

Japan needs defence. It's cities are poorly defended and their cities are backwards.
It's on Japan's advantage to be a vassal of Sparta. We have promised to defend their cities, both in Piercia and their other cities.

We also send all resources they need and we have in surplus. That includes oil and other possible resources Japan may need.

Your way of reasoning is weird.
First you deny Sparta the right to defend Japan cities and then later you suddenly seem to care about Japan and accuse me of being their tyrant.
You can't have it both way, Marcus. Either you care for Japan, and you help ending the Russian war, or you do not care about Japan, and you should not act as if I'm suppressing the Japanese.

I am glad that you now see that peace negotiations between Japan and Russia are needed.
Japan has made clear it wanted to give up all cities Russia conquered except Tokyo.
Tokyo is between other Japanese cities. If Russia gives that city up, Japan will give up the other cities.

Russia will have gained a lot.
You should talk to your ally and talk sanity into their heads instead of following them in their warmongering.

Menelaus II
King of Sparta and Japan

(ooc: that "King of Sparta, Japan and Piercia" was a joke in reply to the metalheads who accused Sparta of being imperialistic. I answered it like this:

"I'm sure that you won't concider Sparta to be such an imperialistic nation.

Menelaus II
King of Sparta, Japan and Piercia"

I'm sorry for confusing you with jokes )

[Pitboss Rome]

Menalaus,

I was glad to read your recent pronouncement.

However, it is still at odds from the truth. This makes dealing with you difficult.

You said:

Compared to Russia, Japan is a very small nation.

No, when war broke out, Japan was stronger than Russia. And you are the one who has weakened Japan by seizing a Japanese city cutting Japanese land in two.

Musketmen vs riflemen and cuirassiers.

No, the Russians do not have riflemen. Both sides are fighting with muskets. When this was Russia vs Japan this was not technologically one-sided. It is only your declaration of war against Russia that has made it so.

I find the logic that 'you could no nothing but interfere' that is 'I could do nothign but invade' Japan at the moment of its weakness, with a new emperor just taking the throne, difficult to follow. But let us say that I accept it. Now, since you are the defender of Japanese cities, why don't you prove your goodwil by returning Alcetas to the Japanese? Rome has no intention of taking Japanese or Piercian land. Why are you? Prove you have Japan's interests at heart by returning to them the city you have captured.

Finally, I do care for Japan and I am working to end the Russian-Japanese war. You might have noticed (since it was all public) that I was in the process of putting great pressure on Russia, and was one step away from closing my borders to them and suspending their membership of the Pax Romana in order to force a cessation of hostilities. At the time you did nothing except declare war yourself on the Japan, exploiting them in their time of weakness, and then forcing them to capitulate on pain on you destroying them entirely. I am in constant communication with Japan and Russia. But your declaration of war against Russia does not help, and lets be clear the bottom line is - if you involve yourself in the Russia-Japanese war, I will do too.

You are one who is bringing rifles against muskets, you are the one threatening galleaons with destroyers, you are the one setting up machine guns against curassairs. You are the major power using the threat of your military might to force two smaller technologically limited nations to bend to your will. Well unfortunately for you one of them is my ally, and I will stand by them. A major power against a major power. I am sorry if you prefer to be a giant ordering around the little ones, but there are other giants in this world.

Marcus

[Pitboss Greece]

Marcus, friend of my predecessor, Orestes,

You ask me to return the city of Alcetas to Sparta.
You may consider yourself to be honourable, I consider a request like that to be laughable.
First you deny me the right to protect Japan, and now you suddenly want me to give a city to Japan. A city on Spartan soil.

It is none of your business what happens between Japan and me.
I don't ask you to give up a Roman city to Russia either.
You should keep your nose out of businesses that aren't yours.

But I'll make it easy for you.
Sparta and Japan are already talking about returning the city of Alcetas to Rome.
Since the new government of Japan ended the anarchy, there are no reasons for Sparta anymore to keep the city in Spartan hands.

And you are wrong.
Russia invaded a hardly defended Japan. Japan only had 1 soldier per city, mostly longbowmen and alike.
Your friend, Russia, marched with countless armies against this small nation far away from their homelands. You let them march through your territories.
A David vs Goliath situation. Yes, I will defend the Japanese cities against this ridiculous Russian hunger for more.

I am glad that you are working on a plan to end the Russian war.
While you were working behind the drawing table, I have actually stepped up to defend Japan. Now end your arrogant attitude and join me to safe the Japanese.

Like I said before, Japan is willing to accept peace under the only condition that the city of Tokyo is being returned to Japan.
Russia can then keep the other 3 cities. We do understand that there's nothing more to gain.

It's still obvious that Russia is the only aggressor here!
And you support such an aggressor.

So hurry and support my peace proposal.

Menelaus II
King of Sparta and Japan

[Pitboss Rome]

Sparta and Japan

Menalaus,

Once again truth stands in the way of us restoring the friendship which I had with Orestes, and establishing peace.

Let me remind you of the declaration you made, just hours after the new Japanese government came into office. The rest of the world remembers it well, but you seem to have forgotton it:

The overwhelming Spartan forces destroyed the Japanese defence in only a couple of hours.

Now here we are.
Japan has bowed for Sparta, but it has to bow down even more.
I will send my army to the main-land of Japan and take all of Japan!
But I offer you this great proposal to avoid the annihilation of Japan:

- Japan gives all ancient Piercian cities to Russia and signs peace with Russia
- Japan gives all other cities on the continent to the Oldonians
- Japan capitulates to Sparta and becomes a vassal of Sparta
- Japan gives all surplus resources to Sparta

Answer quickly or be destroyed.

Menelaus II of Sparta

The fact is that you declared war on Japan, you seize a Japanese city, and under threat of annihilation you forced them to capitulate. Don't pretend that you are some great friend of Japan.

And now you say:

and now you suddenly want me to give a city to Japan. A city on Spartan soil.

Its not a city on Spartan soil. Its a Japanese city. It has spearmen defending it and your riflemen massacred them. I'm not suggesting you give a city to Japan only that if you want anyone to believe you are a friend of Japan you will return to Japan the city you seized from them, and release them from your vassalage so they might be free!

Many wars have been fought in this world but never in all history has a powerful nation threatened utter annialation, never has a powerful nation ever demanded capitulation. You have the whole of New Sparta to expand into, you have just conquered land from the Koreans. Why do you need to crush the Japanese under your boot?

Menalaus, you make many good points about peace and the need to work together for it. But while you still appear to be the most tyrannical leader known in history, holding a whole nation under your dominion under threat of annialation, seizing the cities of those you call friends, it is difficult to take diplomacy with you seriously.

Marcus of Rome.