Hollander
Well-Known Member
- RP Date
- YE 42.2.18
- RP Location
- Virginia
The Refugee Memorial stood on the side of Mount Gilead overlooking Refugee Facility 1586. 1586 wasn’t a special center by any means, which was part of the point. It was a standard layout with a control complex in the middle and eight camps surrounding it. While the original design had eight fields, this one had six and two factories where the Refugees could work and be trained on Yamatain technology to help ease the transition. During the Essian Occupation it had been filled with Separa’Shan refugees fleeing from the Kuvexian occupation of their homeworld. After they returned, the Memorial had been commissioned by the Separa’Shan who had lived here with help from Yamataians, Norians, and others who had used the Facilities.
The centerpiece was a statue of granite mined from Virginia of a Separa’Shan family with bags on their tails and looking forward to the future. It represented not just the Separa’Shan who had stayed here, but the millions of others who had been here as well. Around the base were carved the names of the groups who had been housed on Virginia.
From the centerpiece a spiraling series of statues with plaques that talked about the Refugee Facilities and their history. There was also a lot of room for growth and more similar markers for more historical information to be added. The memorial was at the center of a large and well taken care of park.
Today, One of the statues was veiled in black and chairs had been set up for a large group of attendees at the unveiling of this new chapter in the history of the Refugee Facilities. The attendees were a mix of species that had used it, Concordians, and others from around the empire.
Standing alone near the memorial was a rare sight on Virginia, and an uncommon sight in the Empire in general. He was a Phod, shorter than most humanoids, feathered and talon’d as was typical for their species. His clothing was simple; a military style top without any medals or awards, simple trousers that ended above the ankle, and a belt arrayed with a communications device and a conspicuously empty firearm holster. The Phod wasn’t observing the statue, meaningful as it was, and he wasn’t reading the names of all the various desperate groups who had stayed here. For the moment, his gray eyes were focused on a non-sapient gardening droid.
It was one of the several mechanical apparatuses that maintained the gardens. This one was equipped with a pair of steel shears and a basket for the trimming and collection of plant stems and leaves. Other robots kept the park’s walkways swept, or removed adventurous and unwanted weeds, or disposed of garbage from the receptacles around the space. For whatever reason, the Phod was focused on this robotic gardener, to the exception of his surroundings. He had come to the only habitable world of the Virginia system to attend an unveiling ceremony, and to meet with the distinguished senator of the system, Iemochi Seinosuke. And though he was here for a somber and serious purpose, something about this little robot had captured his attention…
Iemochi Seinosuke stood tall in the Elysian body that he had created for himself. The senator had helped to create the memorial. He found his way to everyone that was going to attend the ceremony, even if for a moment. He approached the Phod with a warm smile, “I’m glad you could make it.”
The Phod turns, his stern visage melting slightly at the striking sight of the winged Elysian. He’d seen such beings before, on vids and in images, and a few times in person since he’d begun his recent political campaign across the Empire, but he was still often astounded by these beings when he finally met them in person. And this was no mere Elysian, either, but Iemochi Seinosuke, the Senator representing this System. ‘This is an interstellar game, now. Many new players, many new pieces, many new rules.’ he thought to himself.
He attempted to return the smile, his porcine nose wrinkling slightly with the expression. “Thank you, yes.” he replied shortly. “You already know of me, I’m sure, but introducing myself still feels proper. Olin Pirrin.” He extended a feathered hand for a shake of greeting, the digits more claw-like than finger-like. He had to raise his arm up quite a ways, given the difference in height between the two men.
Mochi gave a firm shake. “Good to meet you, Olin. I can’t say I know you as well as I’d like, what brings you here to Virginia?” The tall Elysian asked.
Olin returned the firmness of the shake; despite their stature, modern Phods weren’t hollow-boned like avian species tended to be, and could be decently strong for their size. “Quite a few things, Senator, but the ceremony planned here today was foremost high on my list. Many of us on Ohara followed the story of the Concordians with great interest.” He placed his hands behind his back, turning to look up at the central statue before them both. “My staff and I are scheduled to visit the Veronica system after this. A high number of Phods staff Fort Hankou, working in its dining facilities and classrooms…” Olin didn’t clarify why that mattered, instead wanting to admit something to Iemochi.
“The opportunity to speak with you was also a factor in our coming here, Senator. To speak face to face, before the International Relations Conference.”
Mochi nodded, “I understand that the Phods will be attending and sending two delegations. I can’t say I’ve really understood your political divide. What are your thoughts about it?” The Senator asked.
Olin seemed to grind his teeth for a moment. His eyes shifted now to the names carved on the statue of the two Separa’shan. “My thoughts are that it is a situation with a solution. Many worlds in the Empire have shed excess population, and minorities have flown off to become the majority in a new land.” His eyes moved up to the faces of the two snake-like peoples, squinting at their expressions. What emotions were they feeling? Fear? Hope? Were they leaving one disaster, only to walk… or rather slither… into another?
He blinked, and turned to the Elysian-bodied man more fully. Olin couldn’t avoid looking at Iemochi’s wings, blazing like a sunset, and of the strange black-white patterning around the edges. His own Phodian wings, flightless, seemed paltry by comparison. Useless. He tried to refocus on Iemochi’s face instead. “It is our hope that we can each found our own colony, in a system separate from the other. We’ve each seen what the co-location of two opposing philosophies can do on a planet, and we expect similar difficulties if we were to be co-located within a star system. As the man representing a world where people come and go, I suspect you have a unique perspective on matters of emigration and colonization.”
“What advice would you offer to a people seeking a world of their own?”
Mochi nodded thoughtfully, turning the idea over in his head for a bit. “That’s a big question. But let’s say for a moment I was in your position of leading a group who wanted to find a world of their own. The first question is how they feel about the Empire. There are many among my adopted people that wish to find a place outside the protection that Yamatai provides. For myself, I’ve seen what happens to worlds outside of the protection of the Empress, and it’s not pretty. Not to say it’s impossible, but there is a challenge there that doesn’t necessarily need to be taken on. Second, in addition to the suitability of the world, where is it in relation to the rest of the empire? One fear that I have is that safety in the core worlds causes some in the empire to become complacent. On the other hand, being too far away means that you won’t be as easily protected by the empire as other places. Who your neighbors are also matters and will color your colony. Third, what is it that you will be able to offer the empire? Yamatai has high ideas, but it must sustain itself first and foremost. I think those are the three most important questions that you can ask because almost everything else is downstream of them.”
Olin listened carefully as the Senator spoke at length, absorbing the experienced Elysian’s words. “My more individualistic countrymen may choose to lobby for a world beyond the borders of the Star Empire. Some of their leaders are on record wishing to live without some of the Constitutions ‘restrictions’. Or ‘protections’. I suppose it all depends on how one views a law as to whether they call it one thing or another.”
The point Iemochi made about distance was of particular interest, so Olin asked the question. “Regarding being within the safer core versus the distant edge, your own Virginia seems equidistant between the planet Yamatai and the Hidden Sun Clan’s region of space. Has the relative remoteness of your world helped or hindered?”
Mochi laughed, “Virginia isn’t a normal world, free to make it’s own laws with only a light touch from Yamatai. The Star Army effectively runs this world with only a few million permanent residents, the vast majority of whom are in the Star Army or employed by them. There are large parts of the world that are set aside for Imperial use for storage, refugees, or training. My insight comes from helping the refugees that have come here look for places that will suit them for more permanent occupation. So I don’t know if Virginia’s experience is one that would generalize well.”
He thought a moment and continued, “The better question is will being here help or hurt your people? It has the potential to do both and I don’t know your people well enough to say with certainty. That said, the Samurai Sector benefits from being mostly inside the Virgo Defense Sector. It has a lot of Reds, Star Army personnel, and former refugees who decided to stay. Due to the straight route, a lot of trade from the Hidden Sun Clan passes through here as it’s the first place between here and there that is protected by the Star Army. There is a lot of untapped potential that you could build on here.”
Olin had known a little about Virginia, having been briefed on it before this meeting, but the Senator had more succinctly explained its political situation. “Though your world’s civilian population may be small, your vote in the Senate still carries equal weight with the votes of more populous worlds.” Olin ventured to say. “Isn’t that right? A system is a system, no weighting of votes and no direct democracy.”
Separately, he also asked, “And what sort of neighbors would you Virginians prefer? Those who ascribe to a profit-driven, capitalistic and democratic philosophy, or those who are socialists, and who invest power in a select few?”
“Yes, although each system can determine how their senator is sent to the senate. Some choose to hold elections, others are appointed directly. Essia’s, for example, is sent by a vote of their Conclave, not by a direct democratic vote.” Mochi explained.
He thought a moment before answering the second question, “I’m not sure Virginia or the other colonies here think in that sort of division between capitalism and socialism. Yamatai as a whole has a mixed economy. Not wholly one or the other. There are strengths and weaknesses to each system, the question is really which one is going to perform better in the dynamic and constantly evolving environment of a new colony. What we want is one that is going to contribute to the Empire.”
Mochi continued, “There is no official ranking or system, but I classify systems into several different categories based on how much they contribute. Some systems are drains on the empire. They contribute little or nothing to the empire and take resources. Colonies are this at the start. Some systems are quiet and police themselves, neither contributing much or requiring much from the empire. Some are contributors, adding to the empire and able to not only defend themselves, but also other nearby systems in the empire, freeing the forces of the empire to focus on more difficult problems. Then there are systems that are serious contributors who field fleets of their own and can or eventually will be able to project force and fight side by side with the Star Army. They take responsibility not only for themselves and their neighbors, but for the empire as a whole. Virginia is a system that takes a higher level of responsibility for the empire. We want neighbors who will do the same so the whole empire can be made stronger. It’s a long road, going from a colony that requires resources to meaningfully adding to the empire and taking part in the larger responsibility. But that’s the path we want our neighbors to be on.”
Olin grumbled, which was apparently a ‘thoughtful’ expression. The barest beginnings of crowds of people were starting to make their way through the park. They were off-duty members of the Yamatai military, mostly, as well as a few visiting supply ship crews and some who could be called the non-military citizens of the planet. At the moment, there were only twenty or so filtering in, chatting with each other about news of the current Mishhuvurthyar War, the weather, the quality of the food they’d eaten. It provided an audible backdrop to the political discussion taking place; a modest lull of life spreading out along the horizon.
“I will be frank with you, Senator.” Olin began. “Because I believe you’re a man who appreciates frankness. My capitalist colleagues and I both believe that the political leadership of Ohara will oppose our efforts to emigrate.” He shuffled, his clawed feet leaving small scratches in the stone that he quickly regretted leaving. “They likely believe, rightly, that the loss of a fifth or more of their population will mean significant economic losses. A drop in agricultural production. I… I represent the interests of two cities, fourteen communes, and a number of agricultural collectives who wish to leave entirely. Whole population centers would be abandoned, if we were to leave…”
Again, he looked at the gardener droid going about its business. “What Ohara contributes to the Empire would be reduced. And of course, any newly-established colony may require years before it can make up in production what resources it required for its construction.”
Slate-gray eyes shifted back to the angelic man, with sunsets spreading out from his shoulders. “What action best serves the Empire, Senator? Keeping the emigrants on their homeworld, where they can continue to contribute as they have? Or take the risk of allowing them a place of their own, where failure and success are carried hand in hand?”
“Both courses can serve the Empire. They legally can’t keep you if you want to leave. The Constitution has certain guaranteed freedoms, freedom of movement, association, and employment are a few of them. Ohara may say that you can’t come back due to acquiring technology that they don’t want on their planet, but they can’t keep you from leaving if that is your desire.” Mochi said, keeping an eye on the new arrivals.
He handed Olin a card. “Here is my card. Let’s sit down and have a more indepth talk. However, let me ask you a question to think about before I go. Which is better, a house divided against itself or two separate houses?”
The Phod nodded, realizing he’d already taken up much of the Senator’s valuable time. He accepted the card, his face screwed up in thought, and he stood back. He recognized that the other man’s question was rhetorical in nature; the answer was clear. Olin remained to watch the ceremony, the unveiling of a new statue, but his thoughts remained on the fundamental question of his people, and their place in the universe…
The centerpiece was a statue of granite mined from Virginia of a Separa’Shan family with bags on their tails and looking forward to the future. It represented not just the Separa’Shan who had stayed here, but the millions of others who had been here as well. Around the base were carved the names of the groups who had been housed on Virginia.
From the centerpiece a spiraling series of statues with plaques that talked about the Refugee Facilities and their history. There was also a lot of room for growth and more similar markers for more historical information to be added. The memorial was at the center of a large and well taken care of park.
Today, One of the statues was veiled in black and chairs had been set up for a large group of attendees at the unveiling of this new chapter in the history of the Refugee Facilities. The attendees were a mix of species that had used it, Concordians, and others from around the empire.
Standing alone near the memorial was a rare sight on Virginia, and an uncommon sight in the Empire in general. He was a Phod, shorter than most humanoids, feathered and talon’d as was typical for their species. His clothing was simple; a military style top without any medals or awards, simple trousers that ended above the ankle, and a belt arrayed with a communications device and a conspicuously empty firearm holster. The Phod wasn’t observing the statue, meaningful as it was, and he wasn’t reading the names of all the various desperate groups who had stayed here. For the moment, his gray eyes were focused on a non-sapient gardening droid.
It was one of the several mechanical apparatuses that maintained the gardens. This one was equipped with a pair of steel shears and a basket for the trimming and collection of plant stems and leaves. Other robots kept the park’s walkways swept, or removed adventurous and unwanted weeds, or disposed of garbage from the receptacles around the space. For whatever reason, the Phod was focused on this robotic gardener, to the exception of his surroundings. He had come to the only habitable world of the Virginia system to attend an unveiling ceremony, and to meet with the distinguished senator of the system, Iemochi Seinosuke. And though he was here for a somber and serious purpose, something about this little robot had captured his attention…
Iemochi Seinosuke stood tall in the Elysian body that he had created for himself. The senator had helped to create the memorial. He found his way to everyone that was going to attend the ceremony, even if for a moment. He approached the Phod with a warm smile, “I’m glad you could make it.”
The Phod turns, his stern visage melting slightly at the striking sight of the winged Elysian. He’d seen such beings before, on vids and in images, and a few times in person since he’d begun his recent political campaign across the Empire, but he was still often astounded by these beings when he finally met them in person. And this was no mere Elysian, either, but Iemochi Seinosuke, the Senator representing this System. ‘This is an interstellar game, now. Many new players, many new pieces, many new rules.’ he thought to himself.
He attempted to return the smile, his porcine nose wrinkling slightly with the expression. “Thank you, yes.” he replied shortly. “You already know of me, I’m sure, but introducing myself still feels proper. Olin Pirrin.” He extended a feathered hand for a shake of greeting, the digits more claw-like than finger-like. He had to raise his arm up quite a ways, given the difference in height between the two men.
Mochi gave a firm shake. “Good to meet you, Olin. I can’t say I know you as well as I’d like, what brings you here to Virginia?” The tall Elysian asked.
Olin returned the firmness of the shake; despite their stature, modern Phods weren’t hollow-boned like avian species tended to be, and could be decently strong for their size. “Quite a few things, Senator, but the ceremony planned here today was foremost high on my list. Many of us on Ohara followed the story of the Concordians with great interest.” He placed his hands behind his back, turning to look up at the central statue before them both. “My staff and I are scheduled to visit the Veronica system after this. A high number of Phods staff Fort Hankou, working in its dining facilities and classrooms…” Olin didn’t clarify why that mattered, instead wanting to admit something to Iemochi.
“The opportunity to speak with you was also a factor in our coming here, Senator. To speak face to face, before the International Relations Conference.”
Mochi nodded, “I understand that the Phods will be attending and sending two delegations. I can’t say I’ve really understood your political divide. What are your thoughts about it?” The Senator asked.
Olin seemed to grind his teeth for a moment. His eyes shifted now to the names carved on the statue of the two Separa’shan. “My thoughts are that it is a situation with a solution. Many worlds in the Empire have shed excess population, and minorities have flown off to become the majority in a new land.” His eyes moved up to the faces of the two snake-like peoples, squinting at their expressions. What emotions were they feeling? Fear? Hope? Were they leaving one disaster, only to walk… or rather slither… into another?
He blinked, and turned to the Elysian-bodied man more fully. Olin couldn’t avoid looking at Iemochi’s wings, blazing like a sunset, and of the strange black-white patterning around the edges. His own Phodian wings, flightless, seemed paltry by comparison. Useless. He tried to refocus on Iemochi’s face instead. “It is our hope that we can each found our own colony, in a system separate from the other. We’ve each seen what the co-location of two opposing philosophies can do on a planet, and we expect similar difficulties if we were to be co-located within a star system. As the man representing a world where people come and go, I suspect you have a unique perspective on matters of emigration and colonization.”
“What advice would you offer to a people seeking a world of their own?”
Mochi nodded thoughtfully, turning the idea over in his head for a bit. “That’s a big question. But let’s say for a moment I was in your position of leading a group who wanted to find a world of their own. The first question is how they feel about the Empire. There are many among my adopted people that wish to find a place outside the protection that Yamatai provides. For myself, I’ve seen what happens to worlds outside of the protection of the Empress, and it’s not pretty. Not to say it’s impossible, but there is a challenge there that doesn’t necessarily need to be taken on. Second, in addition to the suitability of the world, where is it in relation to the rest of the empire? One fear that I have is that safety in the core worlds causes some in the empire to become complacent. On the other hand, being too far away means that you won’t be as easily protected by the empire as other places. Who your neighbors are also matters and will color your colony. Third, what is it that you will be able to offer the empire? Yamatai has high ideas, but it must sustain itself first and foremost. I think those are the three most important questions that you can ask because almost everything else is downstream of them.”
Olin listened carefully as the Senator spoke at length, absorbing the experienced Elysian’s words. “My more individualistic countrymen may choose to lobby for a world beyond the borders of the Star Empire. Some of their leaders are on record wishing to live without some of the Constitutions ‘restrictions’. Or ‘protections’. I suppose it all depends on how one views a law as to whether they call it one thing or another.”
The point Iemochi made about distance was of particular interest, so Olin asked the question. “Regarding being within the safer core versus the distant edge, your own Virginia seems equidistant between the planet Yamatai and the Hidden Sun Clan’s region of space. Has the relative remoteness of your world helped or hindered?”
Mochi laughed, “Virginia isn’t a normal world, free to make it’s own laws with only a light touch from Yamatai. The Star Army effectively runs this world with only a few million permanent residents, the vast majority of whom are in the Star Army or employed by them. There are large parts of the world that are set aside for Imperial use for storage, refugees, or training. My insight comes from helping the refugees that have come here look for places that will suit them for more permanent occupation. So I don’t know if Virginia’s experience is one that would generalize well.”
He thought a moment and continued, “The better question is will being here help or hurt your people? It has the potential to do both and I don’t know your people well enough to say with certainty. That said, the Samurai Sector benefits from being mostly inside the Virgo Defense Sector. It has a lot of Reds, Star Army personnel, and former refugees who decided to stay. Due to the straight route, a lot of trade from the Hidden Sun Clan passes through here as it’s the first place between here and there that is protected by the Star Army. There is a lot of untapped potential that you could build on here.”
Olin had known a little about Virginia, having been briefed on it before this meeting, but the Senator had more succinctly explained its political situation. “Though your world’s civilian population may be small, your vote in the Senate still carries equal weight with the votes of more populous worlds.” Olin ventured to say. “Isn’t that right? A system is a system, no weighting of votes and no direct democracy.”
Separately, he also asked, “And what sort of neighbors would you Virginians prefer? Those who ascribe to a profit-driven, capitalistic and democratic philosophy, or those who are socialists, and who invest power in a select few?”
“Yes, although each system can determine how their senator is sent to the senate. Some choose to hold elections, others are appointed directly. Essia’s, for example, is sent by a vote of their Conclave, not by a direct democratic vote.” Mochi explained.
He thought a moment before answering the second question, “I’m not sure Virginia or the other colonies here think in that sort of division between capitalism and socialism. Yamatai as a whole has a mixed economy. Not wholly one or the other. There are strengths and weaknesses to each system, the question is really which one is going to perform better in the dynamic and constantly evolving environment of a new colony. What we want is one that is going to contribute to the Empire.”
Mochi continued, “There is no official ranking or system, but I classify systems into several different categories based on how much they contribute. Some systems are drains on the empire. They contribute little or nothing to the empire and take resources. Colonies are this at the start. Some systems are quiet and police themselves, neither contributing much or requiring much from the empire. Some are contributors, adding to the empire and able to not only defend themselves, but also other nearby systems in the empire, freeing the forces of the empire to focus on more difficult problems. Then there are systems that are serious contributors who field fleets of their own and can or eventually will be able to project force and fight side by side with the Star Army. They take responsibility not only for themselves and their neighbors, but for the empire as a whole. Virginia is a system that takes a higher level of responsibility for the empire. We want neighbors who will do the same so the whole empire can be made stronger. It’s a long road, going from a colony that requires resources to meaningfully adding to the empire and taking part in the larger responsibility. But that’s the path we want our neighbors to be on.”
Olin grumbled, which was apparently a ‘thoughtful’ expression. The barest beginnings of crowds of people were starting to make their way through the park. They were off-duty members of the Yamatai military, mostly, as well as a few visiting supply ship crews and some who could be called the non-military citizens of the planet. At the moment, there were only twenty or so filtering in, chatting with each other about news of the current Mishhuvurthyar War, the weather, the quality of the food they’d eaten. It provided an audible backdrop to the political discussion taking place; a modest lull of life spreading out along the horizon.
“I will be frank with you, Senator.” Olin began. “Because I believe you’re a man who appreciates frankness. My capitalist colleagues and I both believe that the political leadership of Ohara will oppose our efforts to emigrate.” He shuffled, his clawed feet leaving small scratches in the stone that he quickly regretted leaving. “They likely believe, rightly, that the loss of a fifth or more of their population will mean significant economic losses. A drop in agricultural production. I… I represent the interests of two cities, fourteen communes, and a number of agricultural collectives who wish to leave entirely. Whole population centers would be abandoned, if we were to leave…”
Again, he looked at the gardener droid going about its business. “What Ohara contributes to the Empire would be reduced. And of course, any newly-established colony may require years before it can make up in production what resources it required for its construction.”
Slate-gray eyes shifted back to the angelic man, with sunsets spreading out from his shoulders. “What action best serves the Empire, Senator? Keeping the emigrants on their homeworld, where they can continue to contribute as they have? Or take the risk of allowing them a place of their own, where failure and success are carried hand in hand?”
“Both courses can serve the Empire. They legally can’t keep you if you want to leave. The Constitution has certain guaranteed freedoms, freedom of movement, association, and employment are a few of them. Ohara may say that you can’t come back due to acquiring technology that they don’t want on their planet, but they can’t keep you from leaving if that is your desire.” Mochi said, keeping an eye on the new arrivals.
He handed Olin a card. “Here is my card. Let’s sit down and have a more indepth talk. However, let me ask you a question to think about before I go. Which is better, a house divided against itself or two separate houses?”
The Phod nodded, realizing he’d already taken up much of the Senator’s valuable time. He accepted the card, his face screwed up in thought, and he stood back. He recognized that the other man’s question was rhetorical in nature; the answer was clear. Olin remained to watch the ceremony, the unveiling of a new statue, but his thoughts remained on the fundamental question of his people, and their place in the universe…
- OOC Notes
- JP with Soban and Hollander
