Sparta-Morgan "relations" Part II

[Snoddasmannen]

He even said that he's asking for personal reasons, no big deal, we could well ignore him. Let's certainly not give him any information.

[Maniac]

A good thing we didn't tell him anything big, as he rejoined the Corporation a while ago...

He posted this message in the embassy btw, in reply to that thread I started about we supposedly having captured Paramiria.

I wish to respond to Lt. Maniac's 2 month old statement, by saying I had terminated my employment 3 months ago (around mid december). Having been rehired by the corporation, I am looking at the happenings in the last 3 months. This is my first time in these forums in... 3 months.

I replied:

Great to see you back Mr. Arginine.

As for the message which started this thread, at the time it was written we were not aware you had left the Corporation. Hence the confusion. We realized this a while later though.

With your return to active duty in the Corporation, we hope your faction will look more favourably towards a truce or peace treaty.

[Googlie]

So ............

Do we offer one of the traditional"end vendetta" speeches?: (Hopefully no concensus for the third - we don't want to pay reparations)

"This Vendetta wastes life and resources. Shall we pledge Blood Truce and have an end to it?"

or

"Fighting between the two of us only allows the others to grow stronger. We should pledge Blood Truce before we destroy one another."

or

"Your forces are formidable, and I see I was unwise to test your patience. Allow me to pledge Blood Truce and make amends."

[Modo44]

None of the above, methinks. first we ask them what they would be willing to pay for peacy. If that doers not work, we give them a straight deal.

[Kassiopeia]

Yes. I think we should try to give the appearance that while we are not desperate for peace, we wouldn't mind calling it off provided it's made worth our while by them. This means they won't figure out we actually want a white peace, and it will keep us from giving away the fact that we are in a precarious situation. IOW, give them as little leverage as possible.

[Modo44]

Well, we have a more official answer:

Hello Kass,


I'd like to be pleasant but having suffered so badly at the hands of the Junta I wonder why we should reenter discussions.

Has anything changed that should make you wish peaceful relations?
I would be interested in peaceful relations free of attacks and threats. How would we be assured that you would not attack us, unlaterally change there terms of the peace or agreements we have with you?

Normally, I would like peace but our past experience of 'peaceful' relations with Sparta have not been pleasant.

How could we be assured that future dealings will not be the same?
Mead

Some loose thoughts:

This does not look like they care for peace, or at least they seem reluctant to believe it. I mean, why else would they accuse us of "changing terms of agreements", if the are the ones who did so?

I would say something about members of the Juna thinking this has gone far enough. The action was spawned by their inacceptance of the Modo Doctrine, and now we feel enough has been done to make absolutely sure we meant it . We can, of course, keep killing the puny Morgan excuses for soldiers, but we might be willing to stop. If we get "reason" (read: cash) to do so.

If they ask about trust (and they surely will), kindly remind them who it was who mind-controlled a ship, and then tried to sneak two vessels inside our claimed territory. Make sure to show, that this was the main reason for the drastic actions that followed. Perhaps make it look like the Modo Doctrine (or "Spartan paranoia" ) rules our lives, because, unlike others, we know what damage can be done by units allowed too close. They will not believe, but hey - we all play our parts.

Then tell them, we would accept peace on precise terms: no entering the 8-tiles zone (with a possible agreement for Morgan bses that are closer) and an official (open) confirmation that Sparta will not attack or tke covert action against Morgan Industries for so and so may (to be discussed) turns. Kind of "take it or leave it".

Only then come up with the fact that the Angels are growing fast. For one, Morgan will know and understand that pretty well. Also, saying this almost instntly denies any chances of getting some cash out of the peace (Yes, I still believe we can do that.)

[Kassiopeia]

Yes, I think it's quite rich that they, THE AGGRESSOR, are trying to impose terms on us. How high and mighty of them. Hmm, I'll deliberate on this for a moment...

[Kassiopeia]

I think your approach, Modo, is a bit too straightforward yet. We should approach them from the high above to maintain our position - that is, make the cash demand right away. Remind them that they are the aggressor and that we are proposing peace only because we are indifferent on the matter and that it works for us either way. Also remind them that because of their initial attack, we have just as much distrust towards them as they have towards us, if not more - so the Junta will not take well to Morgan quibbling.

AFAIK there's no reason for us to hurry this, so we should put some honest fear of Spartans into them before we lower ourselves to the same level. I am not going to play this by their terms, we're being gracious here.

[Modo44]

Oh, crap, looks like I was trying to be nice to Morgan. You are right, of course. And double kudos for making the talks even longer.

[Googlie]

remember, too, that there's no monetary advantage to Morgan to a Treaty with us until 2169 (ie, the decade after our atrocity) - assuming that we even want a Treaty, rather than a simple Truce.

I might be a "dove" on this one, but I'd have a hard time keeping a straight face in asking for any kind of cash recompense from them. Surely our destruction of their SP and base, plus the units in the PTS raid, plus subsequent crawlers (including their 1/2 SP supercrawler), ect., etc., more than offsets their cessation of tech payments, and our loss of the Hunter, Mercury, the 4 rovers and the kamikazi noodle?

or is it just me?

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Googlie
or is it just me?

Yes, I think it is only you. They started the hostilities by ignoring our righteous claims. They have lost an important base and are losing units every turn since then. They pay or they keep losing units. Or worse.

It is clear for all involved that we are winning the war. Now, even if we worry about the Angels, and even if others see it, that does not change the situation of Morgan. We can still do as if we had big things to gain by invading them, for in fact - we have. We are not quite able to pull it off, but they do not know that for sure (they are probably suspecting it, though). What we can try to do is let them convince us the war needs to end. This way we turn them into the one wanting something, and possibly paying for peace. At the very least, we can do as if we were convinced to a mutual agreement - a straight truce.

As to the reason of starting talks again, I am sure Kassiopeia can give some vague hints of a "last chance for Morgan to live" kind of situation.

[Kassiopeia]

Yeah, I'm not too diehard on actually GETTING any money out of them, but the appearance of wanting recompensation gives us an edge over them. We need to make them want peace. We don't want to end up asking them for it.

[Modo44]

No worries here. Seems like they will be delaying any talks as well...

Arginine:

Since we are here and talking, I have a question about the past...

In the early game, the idea of a Sparta-Morgan axis was floated a bit in both factions. Sparta had made some early gestures indicating a possible, future interest in an alliance after some rocky, yet successful trade negotiations. The Corporation gave mixed responses. Googlie's memo was leaked and caused a stir for being to much, to soon and the Federation had not agreed to it. Arginine's rambings came out in the resulting confusion, generating further paranoia. Later, the corporation made some minor overtures, which also recieved mixed responses.

Both factions gave lukewarm responses, and further discussion did not follow up. Later on, things degraded to their current state.

I am of the understanding that neither side as a whole wanted to aggressively pursue a joint alliance. The absence of terms for such an alliance inhibited serious discussion. As I had been repremanded for my leaked outburst, I could not offer information useful to help make terms of an alliance, but seeing the likelyhood of it coming to fruition low, I felt little desire to push it foward.

Anyhow, that is the past. Real Life give rewards for its labors, so I spend most of my time here working for a tabloid.

I would imagine that it would be conducive to peace, if there was some way that the Corporation would not have to maintain expensive garrisons on the eastern side of Morgania in peacetime to guard against any imediate changes of heart.

[Maniac]

Just noticed your reply in the Morganic embassy, Kassi.

[Googlie]

And this further:

Posted in the embassy by Googlie

Greetings:

Although not unknown to you, I would like to present my credentials formally as the Chief External Affairs Officer of the Junta.

Within the ranks of the Junta, with Lt Colonel Kassiopeia undertalking Project RL, necessitating some prolonged absences from Junta activities, the Spartan Federation has undergone some minor reallocations of responsibilkities, and I have been appointed Commanding Officer, External Affairs. I remain co-chair of the Junta with Colonel Maniac (Commanding Officer, Armed forces) and am also responsible for CRYPTEIA, our Intelligence Service. Sparta Engineering Corps, formerly my other responsibility, has now been folded into a new command - Infrastructure - which is commanded by Lt Colonel vishniac. Commander Modo heads up our Navy, while Lt Colonel Snoddasmannen is the Officer commanding our Air Forces.

While this position is temporary, I would like to continue the discussion that Lt Colonel Kassiopeia commenced regarding peace between our factions Both our peoples have much to gain by a normalization of relations between us, but as you - and our Lt Colonel - have said, there is much mistrust to overcome.

In passing, I see that now that we have forced the irascible Chairman to sue for peace terms he has turned his attention again to you - it seems that the Hive "needs" an enemy to soak up his vast military machine but found the Federation too much of a tough nut to swallow (to horribly mix metaphors)

We have asked the Data Angels if they are interested in chairing a Planetary Peace Conference - many of these still-contentious issues between the Federation, the Corporation and the Gaian Union can doubtless be thrashed out in such a setting, if you and your pactmates are willing

Regards,

Colonel Googlie