Actually I did exactly that, and the same nonspecific posters who were responsible for warping my idea from "buy a few freighters, and mayyyyybe hire Yrillian adventurers to go exploring coreward to keep them far from the war zone" to "don't buy any freighters, but literally give our internal trade lines to Yrillian hiredmen" told me that these concerns were insignificant.
Sorry. I'm not done being salty about this just yet.
Security was a major topic when the idea was first floated, weeks ago. During the vote discussion I brought it up twice. As far as I can tell I was the only one, likely because security had already been discussed previously.
I believe that inviting foreign shipping into our logistics network was rather predictably an expensive idea.
I was certainly willing to pay that price for a peaceful way to keep the Syndraxion's from forming their own power block to be the Federation's own personal Sword of Damocles hanging over our core sectors and nearly all of our critical infrastructure.
It's not like anyone else proposed any better deals. Like, we got two kinda flowery proposals that my eyes just glazed over looking at-that might not be a fair judgement of their virtues, but I could not tell you what the differences between them were because they were so similar.
It's not like anyone else proposed any better deals. Like, we got two kinda flowery proposals that my eyes just glazed over looking at-that might not be a fair judgement of their virtues, but I could not tell you what the differences between them were because they were so similar.
Actually I did exactly that, and the same nonspecific posters who were responsible for warping my idea from "buy a few freighters, and mayyyyybe hire Yrillian adventurers to go exploring coreward to keep them far from the war zone" to "don't buy any freighters, but literally give our internal trade lines to Yrillian hiredmen" told me that these concerns were insignificant.
Sorry. I'm not done being salty about this just yet.
I would like to encourage everyone to not think this way. We've had some successful tide-reversal votes in the past. In fact, last year's successful Mercantile deal didn't show up until quite a ways into the vote, after which folks jumped on it. It's often not too late, as most of our posters continue checking back into the thread and will jump onto a superior idea when they see it.
I would like to encourage everyone to not think this way. We've had some successful tide-reversal votes in the past. In fact, last year's successful Mercantile deal didn't show up until quite a ways into the vote, after which folks jumped on it. It's often not too late, as most of our posters continue checking back into the thread and will jump onto a superior idea when they see it.
To be fair, if the Yrillian proposal was limited to just buying ships, I would have been more ambivalent rather than skeptically hopeful. It just wouldn't be a proposal I thought would be worth the scarce Sousa deal.
Well, now with that all in hindsight, knowing how Starfleet heads and all Council factions will have a say on any prospective proposal, does anyone have a good AND sufficiently ambitious idea for a Sousa deal for the next snake pit (or this snake pit in hindsight)?
Captain's Log, USS Enterprise, Stardate 25508.5 - Captain Samhaya Mrr'shan
When last I was on Rethelia, I mentioned a new mandate of unity between Rethelia and Fiiral being required to go forward. I knew it would need to be forged soon.
It seems that 'soon' is a lot sooner than I anticipated. We are back just as the Supreme Council in Rethelia stands down all Fiiral members of the star forces over loyalty concerns.
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Captain's Log, USS Enterprise, Stardate 25508.9
An attempt to push through a referendum to enforce an abdication by the current Fiiral Monarch is gaining steam. The stand-down of the Fiiral members has been expanded, the entirety of the forces of the Seyek have been returned to moorings at starbases, and their crews returned to the surface, while special Consular Police occupy the vessels. This in turn is causing mass demonstrations on both Fiiral and among veterans and exploratory interest groups, who hold influential positions in Seyek society.
What I'm trying to say, and what the FDS is currently screaming at the Council, is that we are in a Bad Place, and although the Seyek averted the immediately catastrophic reaction to the mutiny on Sign of Rethelia, we are by no means out of the woods.
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Captain's Log, USS Enterprise, Stardate 25509.4
I've just had a very public debate with a chief anti-Fiiral powerbroker.
Starfleet Academy classes in rhetoric are not popular. But they are worth their weight in gold when uncivil voices call for civil blood on the steps of Council. It's given pause to a few people, and been widely broadcast.
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Captain's Log, USS Enterprise, Stardate 25510.4
We have broken orbit and headed to Fiiral to meet their Monarch, who had returned to his homeworld in frustration after failing to make headway in Council. Ambassador Inox Kestral of Betazed is with us, and we have spent the time working on strategies. A civil war among the Rethelians is by no means out of the question, and it would be an outright calamity.
The Diplomatic Service has been trying to float among both the Seyek Supreme Council, and the Federation Council, the idea of a separate member status for the Fiiral.
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Captain's Log, USS Stargazer, Stardate 25510.7 - Captain Maryam Ajam
Already we are seeing the galaxy with fresh and wonderful eyes. These sensor readings are the first snows of a new season of endeavour.
I see the eagerness on the faces of the civilians who join us on this journey, the children who watch the tremendous light show of the accretion disc on the Astoria B black hole as we pass by. We take readings alongside the sensor ships, showing our value to the Kadeshi by turning sensors well beyond anything they have upon the singularity. It's nothing paradigm-shattering, but the Kadesh have not been this close to a black hole before, as none were near the neutral zone. As a result, if the experience was wondrous for our civilians, for the Kadeshi it was a sobering moment of realisation.
They are now far from their old home, even further from their new home, and in a world unknown.
[Gain +10rp]
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Captain's Log, USS Enterprise, Stardate 25512.5
I'm getting the distinct feeling that myself and the Diplomatic Service are treading water. Again we have helped the calmer heads in Seyek politics hold the situation in check, but there is only so much we can do from the outside. That this comes at a time when the Seyek integration into the Federation is deepening is a two-edged sword. We have more access to them, but by the same token, we are far more exposed.
I cannot help but feel the Fiiral must be defended here. They were added to the Seyek union by force in less enlightened time, and are still minorities within all power structures. We cannot allow this cry for self-determinism to be drowned by those who embrace the status quo. Something must change, and if not in the hearts of men than in the boundaries they carve between the stars. I do not trust the reformationists, and I do not think the Fiiral public does either. But they are responding to an underlying call. Some greater level of autonomy for the Fiiral must be found.
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Captain's Log, USS Enterprise, Stardate 25513.7
The spreading of understanding that if the Seyek join the Federation that Fiiral would certainly have their own seat, with a Fiiral Councillor, on the Federation Council, is doing much to mollify the hotheads among the Fiiral. Perhaps this is that step towards greater autonomy they are looking for? There is a moratorium on new members for another couple years, but that is not so long to wait.
Ambassador Kestral has thanked us for our presence. Starfleet's presence, and especially the presence of the Enterprise, has stood the Federation in good steed. Despite numerous failed attempts, the anti-Fiiral elements of Seyek society have failed to translate the passions of their base into anti-Federation intervention sentiment.
Sticking to one's principles is a narrow, dangerous road, but it is often its own reward.
[Gain +20pp, +50 Relations with Seyek]
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Kadeshi Fleet Status
Pride of Kadesh
4 Motherships
7 Heavy Cruisers
15 Frigates
4 Sensor Ships
It's not like anyone else proposed any better deals. Like, we got two kinda flowery proposals that my eyes just glazed over looking at-that might not be a fair judgement of their virtues, but I could not tell you what the differences between them were because they were so similar.
I'm personally rather salty that the merits of the proposals were not debated more fully. Experience has taught me that adapting a proposal to feedback in a quest is almost always better than sticking to my guns.
Instead I got multiple people telling me that the original option was good enough, and that Sousa or Oneiros would figure out a deal that addressed the specifics I was worried about. Which was absolute horse shit, now that we know the result. /salt
And now people are telling me that one proposal was the same as the other, when they certainly were not.
can someone please explain why losing those mines for 3 years is a bad thing. I was originally going to take that choice but you guys convened me to change my vote. I still think it was the right one but I bowed to the more knowledgeable guys on the thread.
To be clear, if I wake up tomorrow and this place is a saltpocalypse of angry posters posting angrily, I will be so utterly unamused it will be hazardous to everyone's account health.
Jus' saying.
Council deals are highly volatile by design, because you can get serious benefits if you can successfully read the day's political winds. Not even Stesk, sh'Arrath, or Jorth manage to do it all the time, and even Sousa is still just a gifted state league player by comparison to those pros.
You will get some of these wrong. That's just how it is. When you succeed, like with the Mercantile proposal, it can be spectacular. Or you can end up with a situation like this, where you can push on if you really want the effect, or you can retreat without any loss of face.
