Reports from dozens of sources are beginning to flood your desk. There is news from Morshadd, from Paris, from Laio, Gammon, Athos V, Onos IV, Andoria, from seemingly everywhere. Eventually enough is enough, you yell out for the Yeoman, and then for your Chief of Staff, Shey ch'Tharvasse, to cull the numbers to something it is possible for a single person to manage. Briefly you envy the mentats who have built their minds to handle such overloads.
You focus on the politics and the science. While the landings at Gammon have begun, and it is a necessary step, it is beyond your ability to influence now. And frankly, for the Commander of Starfleet, it is not an efficient use of your time. And now, with the Romulans sniffing around the ankles of your endeavours on Morshadd, you need to use your time more efficiently than ever. Rear Admiral T'Lorel and her scalpel like phasers will shepherd the flock there. Likewise you set aside the victories of the Gaeni. These victories, like those of the other task forces before them, were won with skill and daring, but ultimately they serve to give you a chance at the most important task: to win the peace.
Ceasefire agreements are in place with the council of Houses Minor, with the Major Houses Tartresis and Bene, and with the exiled leadership of the Ixira. The situation on Ixaria is now peaceful. Ked Paddah actions to eliminate dangerous scientific instruments are being viewed by some as scarcely better than book-burning, but by and large it proceeds without incident. Only the Baron and House Kortennon persist in their defiant rage, but the impression you get is that the rest of the Arcadian Empire has little love left for that House. History seems set to pass them by.
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By amendments of the Articles of Federation, Starfleet took responsibility for prisoners of war, including their disposition and repatriation. As a result, when House Tartresis approaches Starfleet looking for a repatriation of the survivors of the Battle of Ixaria Approach, where Commodore ka'Sharren had broken the heart of an Empire, it falls to you to fashion a response. In particular, the Tartresis wanted the return of their ranking surviving officer - Warmaster Halkh, who had skippered the AHS Pride. Information is gathered, including reports and logs from the officers who had met with them. In particular, you listen to the report of Commodore ka'Sharren, who informs you that the Warmaster read voraciously while in her brig, and was a willing dinner companion. He asked her about many topics political-science in nature. Of course, the Arcadians have no Federation prisoners with whom they can trade. They do, however, hold a number of Ked Paddah prisoners, whom they are willing to release in trade.
[ ][PRIS] Do not release the prisoners
[ ][PRIS] Release unilaterally (-15pp from disgruntled Federation members, greatly improve relations with Tartresis, improved relations with Licori)
[ ][PRIS] Exchange for the Ked Paddah Prisoners (-5pp from disgruntled Federation members, improved relations with Tartresis and Licori, +25 with Ked Paddah)
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With the revelation of Romulan interference, the Federation Diplomatic Service is putting a renewed effort into House Bene, and avail themselves of Commodore Thuir's ships to pay a visit to the Gesseria system to conduct diplomacy there. The impact of the Excelsior-class vessels arrival is plain, a flag-flying exercise well managed. But it will take more than that to remove some of the Romulan claws. Of course, you still have to decide if that is a measure you want to take.
A meeting takes place with yourself, the head of the Diplomatic Service, and the President. The President is staunchly in favour of blocking any Romulan attempts at spreading influence, but the DS are less gung-ho about the chances, and the willingness of the Federation members to get involved in what may easily become a bigger, uglier cousin to the Orion Syndicate campaigns. Both in talks with Romulan authorities on Athos, and in signal intercepts, it is clear that as much as Romulan scientists are always feverishly at work, the lessons of the "Inflictor" are still close to heart. There is little taste for superweapons and their unpredictability, and no taste for allowing the Licori to act irresponsibly. It poses the question, then. If the objective of the war was simply to end the reckless random acts of science, does the ultimate allegiance of the Arcadian Empire matter?
[ ][ROM] Romulan intervention must be contested fiercely, at every opportunity
[ ][ROM] To justify the costs, it is crucial that the Licori end up with a Federation-friendly government
[ ][ROM] We will put forward our case to the Arcadian people but ultimately we are not colonisers
[ ][ROM] The Arcadians have the right to self-determination, we only demand they respect the safety of their neighbours
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Those opposed to advanced computers, and in favour of mentats, are campaigning loudly, extolling the many problems that faulty computers have caused, including the infamous M-5 fiasco. The Diplomatic Service are concerned enough that this campaign might take hold that they have approached you for assistance. Linderley suggests a somewhat cynical measure - hijacking the means of communication and cutting those broadcasts out of the feed. With your current control of space, even being careful not to violate the terms of the ceasefires, you should be able to pull it off. But others suggest going toe-to-toe not in a battle of propaganda, but of truth.
For so long the populace of the Arcadian Empire has suffered from a deficit of information, controlled by Imperial fiat. So flood their stations with undoctored, unabridged accounts and logs of the various science disasters. Let the populace see for themselves what the cause of the war was. Of course, you are still the outsider, and are likely not to be trusted. But it may be a better option than trying to simply shut down the discussion.
[ ][TALK] Shut down the broadcasts
[ ][TALK] Flood the broadcasts
