Sparta-Morgan Relations

[Maniac]

Hmm, we now run the risk of course that they'll think an invasion is imminent, and start turning to military production. This we must avoid for another turn or three for the PTS pro-active defense operation aka raid to succeed.

So how about starting some talks, without making official promises of course that could make us look like an agreement-breaker?

Eg Googlie could bring the embassy back online and someone could post a message a bit like this?

Welcome back to the renovated embassy, Gentlemen of the Corporation. During your short absence we have redecorated and repainted a little and wired all rooms with bugs. We hope you like your new surroundings.

Now let's get to business. It seems a comment, made by Major Snoddasmannen after drinking too many fungal gins, has been misinterpreted. Namely Colonel Googlie received a Planetnet Message from Mr. Argenine indicating that Paramiria would have been captured by Federation forces. We can assure this is not the case. Instead Snoddasmannen's comment referred to the mass casualties the base in question suffered in slaying down the pacifist protests following the Hunter hostile takeover. Make no mistake though. If negotiations for compensation of your crime do not reach a satisfactory conclusion, we reserve ourselves the right to take action against Corporate assets.

For as Mr. Argenine indicates, Morgan didn't even try to open negotiations regarding the Hunter position or the Modo Doctrine: you simply immediately took hostile action. This while we were most willing to negotiate with the Corporation regarding a division of the ocean seperating our continents, and a reduction of the extent of the Modo Doctrine, should you have indicated a desire for another arrangement. The doctrine of no ships within a full eight squares of our bases is more meant against Gaian and Angel probes coming from the south in the future.

Therefore we believe we have the right to a compensation on the Hunter issue.

There is however another issue at stake. The Corporation not only took over control of the Hunter. You unilaterally threw ALL treaties, contracts and agreements out of the window, and ceased payments for our Ethical Calculus trade of a while ago. And this for the second time already. The previous time the Junta accedes it was partly justified. In fact we were planning to compensate you on our own initiative for the loss of the Defense Attorney you suffered during our infiltration mission.

But this time your action cannot be else interpreted than as an unprovoked hostile act. In this you have showed yourselves as an unreliable partner to make longterm deals with. That's why, before full peace negotiations start and a compensation for the Hunter incident is sought, the Junta would like to receive the outstanding payments for our tech trades, in one lump sum. It would be a sign of your credibility and show your commitment to a true peace process.

With the greeting of the Junta,

Someone

[Googlie]

I like it. I like it a lot.

Especially getting our due payments in a lump sum (just before we invade!!!)

[Snoddasmannen]

Originally posted by Maniac
Now let's get to business. It seems a comment, made by Major Snoddasmannen after drinking too many fungal gins, has been misinterpreted.

Hey, I am not as think as you drunk I am,
and nonetheless, this looks real good to me , and I have to get to bed now.

[Modo44]

That's great writing, Maniac. And a nice start to "negotiations".

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
Hey, I am not as think as you drunk I am,

Hey, it's not us who think this. It's them who we want to believe you were.

[Googlie]

[sixe=1]Originally posted by Maniac[/size]
Eg Googlie could bring the embassy back online

The Embassy is now back on-line

[Kassiopeia]

I think someone other than me should post that message - it would signal that I am not the only one interested in peace. One of the Colonels would be perfect.

[Modo44]

Good idea. I'll save my words for the raid, to stay in character.

[Maniac]

Message posted in the reopened embassy.

I'll send a message to Mead, jtsisyoda and Micha to announce the reopening. (wanted to send one to argenine too, but I can't find his name on the Morganite member list )

[Snoddasmannen]

Originally posted by Maniac
I'll send a message to Mead, jtsisyoda and Micha to announce the reopening. (wanted to send one to argenine too, but I can't find his name on the Morganite member list )

I guess argenine left the team. His PM was more of a curious outsider wanting to know some details than anything else.

[Googlie]

Well, Maniac's p[ost drew a reply:

Posted by Mead in the Embassy
Greetings Spartans,

We are eager to renew profitable trade.

I understand that there are several outstanding issues that we need to take care of. These include:

Restarting trade between us.

Resolving the ownership change of the Hunter.

Ensuring that the mutual security of both the Federation and Corporation.

First, I need to answer Colonel Maniac's question as to why we didn't just disband the Hunter after we captured. Although it costs us support and drone control problems, we felt that destroying the Hunter would be wasteful and not be beneficial to either Sparta or Morgan. Plus, we thought it would be an insult to destroy such a fine ship. We thought that it would an insult that Sparta would have a hard time forviging.

Keeping the ship afloat offers benefits to both sides. It gives an early warning platform that allows both Sparta and Morgan to ensure they are safe.



I propose restarting the trade between our factions and we share screenshots of all ships that within 8 squares of each others bases.
I propose that until such time (when and if) control of the Hunter returns to Sparta that Morgan support the vessel (and deal with the related drone issues without complaint (okay without too much complaint). Because of the suspension of trade during the past difficulties I propose that we extend the length of our agreements by a length equal to the suspension of agreements so that we ensure Sparta receives the the amount we agreed to (i.e. we are ready to restart the cash flow).

As before I left for my winter holiday, I would be happy to dicuss not only a trade Treaty, but also a Pact.

Please let me know what you think.

Mead
CDO, Morgan Corp.

I'm confident that Kassi can stall for another 2 turns to let the raiding party get into position

[Snoddasmannen]

Alright, cool. Let's look at one of the issues here.

Resolving the ownership change of the Hunter.

If we want to get slightly under-handed, and please let me know if this should be considered against the rules somehow, remember what argenine said in his PM.

It is unfortunate that the corporation did not engage in the buying and selling of units as originally hoped for.

This is likely to be their objective. Frankly, I don't understand how they could possibly think that to be a plausible strategy. That's like rich kids stealing baseball bats from broke soccer hooligans after a lost game, and then selling them back for profit. I can only assume that Sparta has a "no-hostage" policy and does not negotiate with kindappers.

They will understand of course, that we won't accept the "sharing of screenies", and will probably soon offer us an opportunity to buy it back, or hope that we think of it ourselves. Well I don't think we will Remember that they are paying upkeep for that ship, and they currently have no use for it. They probably need to keep it around us to keep safe from a Spartan invasion, but would rather just sell it to us with a pact, knowing that they are safe. So prolonging negotiations is expensive for them.

Anyway, I think that right there is their mind-set. IMO, Kassi should continue to stall, and continue to argue issues other than the direct transfer of the Hunter. Stay with side-issues and force them to bring up their proposal directly, winning us time.

[Modo44]

One thing Morgan didn't, was answering the question about a lump sum payment. If they tried to get a turn to get the needed cash (or a part of it), that's fine. But I'm afraid they think we're dumb enough to go for a simple renewal of treaties. To keep looking like we're going for peace, we should keep on this subject, reminding them again, that a compensation is necesary.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
Anyway, I think that right there is their mind-set. IMO, Kassi should continue to stall, and continue to argue issues other than the direct transfer of the Hunter. Stay with side-issues and force them to bring up their proposal directly, winning us time.

Originally posted by Modo44
One thing Morgan didn't, was answering the question about a lump sum payment. If they tried to get a turn to get the needed cash (or a part of it), that's fine. But I'm afraid they think we're dumb enough to go for a simple renewal of treaties. To keep looking like we're going for peace, we should keep on this subject, reminding them again, that a compensation is necesary.

The Morganites indeed seem to think they can talk themselves out of paying compensations, and thus avoid some issues we've adressed. But who cares: that's in our advantage. It makes it easier to stall negotiations without making it look like we're stalling negotiations.

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Maniac
It makes it easier to stall negotiations without making it look like we're stalling negotiations.

This is sig material, Maniac. thanks.

No, I won't use it now, but it made it to the file.

[Kassiopeia]

PM from Mead:

We felt that you were very clear in your indication that you would destroy the Gator Boat. We did not want to threaten you. We thought that by threatening the Hunter you would definetly have just cause to destroy the Gator Boat.

I am glad that the Hunter was not disbanded. That trully would have been using excessive force on our part. We did not wish to destroy your ship, merely we wanted to remove it as a threat. The ship is still intact. It still can be of use to you for the purpose you intended (floating early warning system).

We have not yet received the turn. Please let me know if we can restart the Treaty, commece payments, and screenshot sharing.

I'm going to respond with "The embassy has been reopened [link], so I think we should continue our negotiations there unless you have some objections. I see no need for PM exchanges since our correspondence isn't meant to be private in the first place anyway."

Then wait a while, and let the feet-dragging commence.