RP: United Outer Colonies [-Diplomatic-] Abwehran-UOC Contact

[Abwehran Commander]

The day after their message, the HMS Schneider entered the Jiyuu System. Hitting just shy of the system's Hyper Limit, the ship's pilot, Maat Gottfried Durr, tapped his foot upon the deck lightly in anxiety. They had just caused an international incident with the Khorovarolor Incident and he didn't want the further the shame to the Imperial Family's name with any mistakes of his.

"Calm down now, Maat," the senior military officer on the Fresha-class Transport, Oberstabsfeldwebel Freja Nacht, stood behind the Nightdweller Male with a smile of her own. "They won't be looking towards the actions of a lowly Maat anyway. Besides, no one shoots the pilot in this day and age," she teased her subordinate. Truthfully, the Warrant Officer had formerly been a Marine by trade, not a naval officer. But she had transfered to Logistics due to a lack of personnel in that field. "Anyway, it will be Herr Fisher and Von Kortig doing most of the talking."

"Ah...aye, Ma'am," the pilot grimaced painfully as he tapped his console.

"Jiyuu System Control," the Maat began in heavily accented Trade. "This is HMS Schneider out of Jaspis System. We are carrying diplomatic envoy from Abwehran Star Empire to meet with UOC officials and would like permission to enter inner system as well as directions towards proper docking facilities," he transmitted via Subspace Communication.

Cutting off the transmission, the pilot looked up to see his CO nodding respectfully before leaving the bridge. She might as well inform the envoy personally that they had arrived.

 

[Soresu]

The Schneider would be detected via scanning stations setup along the outer borders of the United Outer Colonies, and their hail also aided in this. They would soon receive a reply by the woman in charge of the Office of the Harbor Master herself, Fleet Admiral Rina Tomori.

"Abwehran vessel, allow me to be the first to welcome you to the United Outer Colonies. I am Fleet Admiral Rina Tomori, Head of the Office of the Harbor Master. I have been informed of the situation at hand, as such it is my duty to inform you, your clearance level is red as is befitting of the Harbor Master Act."

She paused a moment before continuing. "I would also like to inform you our Prime Minister wishes to meet on board your vessel as would several of our assembly members as well. As it stands your entrance to our borders is granted, an escort will arrive shortly to bring you to a pre-designated set of coordinates in which you will wait for our entourage to arrive so we may conduct diplomatic negotiations, as well try to help you find a resolution to your problem. Do you find this acceptable?"

 

[Abwehran Commander]

Now that Maat was really nervous. Who in their right mind would have thought a Fleet Admiral would be contacting a lowly freighter? And who would have thought a mere enlisted man would have been on the horn with one with the CO out in back. "Ah...yyes, ma'am," the Nightdweller man stammered slightly. "Holding position until escort arrives, HMS Schneider out." he stated as he shut of the transmission and nearly slammed his head into his console in embarrassment.

"'Go out into the galaxy,' they said. 'See wonderful sights and meet interesting people,' they said. More like embarrass yourself in front of high ranking officers of foreign navies. I should have stayed on my supply routes." the enlisted man whined. Sitting up, Maat Durr sighed and looked out his view port with an annoyed expression. "Now I wish the Warrant had done the contacting. At least she's an officer." he muttered.

 

[Soresu]

Fifteen Minutes or so would pass...allowing the Maat to wait, and hopefully calm himself before there was a brilliant flash of blue off the Schneider's bow as an Ayana-Class Escort transitioned to real space. The Ayana was easily three times the diameter of the Fresha, intimidation was not the reason for the Ayana being chosen, the simple fact was the Harbor Master Office had several at its disposal and a number of Carriers, and currently these were the smallest craft available.

A male voice soon crackled over the Schneider's internal comm system, his accent was accented (Scottish) and held a deep quality to it.

"HMS Schneider, I am Captain Alercroft of the UCS Koumei and a member of the Harbor Master Office. Our Fleet Admiral has briefed me, and The Koumei is to be your escort. A representative of our office will arrive shortly, and she will be able to answer any questions you may have. However, she will be arriving via armor and via your airlock. Her name is Roxanne Caldwell. She will also be performing the standard inspection of your vessel." He replied, paused and continued.

"She has left our launch bay, and is in-route to one of your airlocks, please prepare to receive her."

 

[Abwehran Commander]

"By the void!" the Maat let out a curse as a much larger vessel appeared in a flash of light. Yes, the poor enlisted man had been quite relaxed. After all, the people here seemed to be quite friendly and cautious enough about their safety to give him a healthy respect for the UOC. That didn't even change when the UCS Koumei appeared before the transport. "A destroyer escort for a transport? Sure, we're carrying an ambassador, but that's pretty extreme," he muttered as the transmission came in.

"HMS Schneider, I am Captain Alercroft of the UCS Koumei and a member of the Harbor Master Office. Our Fleet Admiral has briefed me, and The Koumei is to be your escort. A representative of our office will arrive shortly, and she will be able to answer any questions you may have. However, she will be arriving via armor and via your airlock. Her name is Roxanne Caldwell. She will also be performing the standard inspection of your vessel."

The enlisted man stayed quiet as he awaited the Captain to continue.

"She has left our launch bay, and is in-route to one of your airlocks, please prepare to receive her."

"Aye, Hauptmann...I mean...Captain," he replied, berating himself for not using the proper language for the rank. "Oberstabsfeldwebel Nacht, will receive her at the forward airlock located directly underneath our bridge." he explained.

********************

At the safe end of the airlock, the Warrant Officer stood by the control console as she watched out the view port looking into the airlock proper. Evacuating the air from it, she depressed a button to open the outer hatch to space. With another button press, Freja turned on the lights to the airlock to help guide their visitor in.

The Oberstabfeldwebel also wore an military-issue skinsuit over her body, its helmet over her head and locked into position. It was standard procedure when operating the airlock after all. No telling if there would be a leak in the hull, even if the vessel was brand new.

"Frau Caldwell," the Warrant Officer broadcast over her suit radio in accented trade. "If you can hear me, we are ready to receive you. All you have to do is head towards the bright white light under the bridge."

 

[Soresu]

Roxanne's Tenshi drifted ever closer to the Schneider's arilock upon hearing Oberstabsfeldwebel Freja Nacht's voice, she spoke. "Confirmed, I have spotted the entrance and am currently fourteen meters away, closing in now."

The Tenshi's gravimetric drive systems pushed it along effortlessly until finally it arrived. Roxanne then grasped the sides of the airlock, and pulled herself within. Once inside, she used the gravimetric drive system to allow her to feel some sense of gravity, her feet were now on the airlock's deck.

Roxanne's helmeted head turned to look over her shoulder at the Koumei, and then back. "I am ready for re-pressurization anytime." She stated.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

"Understood," the Warrant Officer replied as the outer hatch closed with a solid thump. The hiss of air would start to enter the Tenshi's receivers as air and, subsequently, sound began to fill the Airlock. The gravity didn't return to the airlock just yet however as a light mist would fill the airlock. Roxanne would detect chemicals normally used in standard decontamination procedures as well as hundreds of nanites using the zero-g environment to their advantage as they swarmed over anything that could be considered a biological or chemical hazard. The Tenshi's sensors would probably note the environment of the ship was different from that of the ship she left.

For one reason, the Atmospheric composition was slightly different with slightly more Oxygen than standard atmospheres and less Nitrogen. Another, was the atmospheric pressure being slightly denser while the most obvious was the heavier gravity on board.

It would only be two minutes for the airlock to cycle completely and the inner hatch to slide open to reveal an helmeted environmental suit standing just off to the side. One couldn't help noticing, however, the sword sheathed at its left hip and the holster at its right hip. "I've equalized pressure and gravity with the main vessel," the helmeted woman spoke through a speaker, just moments before she pulled off her helmet. The woman before Roxanne couldn't have been any taller than 5'11" with pitch-black hair that was cut to chin-length. A pair of thick, black goggles covered the woman's eyes as she held her helmet under her arm and smiled.

"Welcome to the HMS Schneider, Frau Caldwell. I'm Oberstabsfeldwebel Freja Nacht, military envoy of Her Majesty's Armed Forces," she greeted the armor with the same heavily accented Trade she had used earlier. "I am also here to provide you with any assistance you need while on board."

 

[Soresu]

"Thank you." Roxanne said, her voice being piped out through audio speakers. "Please, call me Roxanne," She said before looking around and then back to Freja, having to stare up at her. Roxanne herself was small, only 5'4".

"I am sure by now you realize your vessel has Red Clearance, which intolls my remaining thusly. Forgive me if it seems insulting, but with what your people have requested aid for, pre-cautions must be had." She said, trying her hardest to sound kindly, though her voice bespoke truth.

"I would however not mind if we both exchanged questions between one another. I can answer some of your questions, perhaps not all but I am sure once our delegation arrives more can find their answers. But for now, I am at your disposal as I work." Roxanne said as she sent a signal to Captain Alercroft, informing her of boarding the Schneider.

"Now then...can you explain the nature of this plague?" She asked.

As for the Koumei, it sent a signal to the Maat, asking if they were ready to depart.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

"From my understanding of the reports sent to me, the Khorovarolor Quarantine has been maintained even though there has been much bloodshed in keeping the plague contained," the Warrant Officer admitted. "The reports state that the epidemic is a mutation of my world's influenza virus which was caused by the planet Khorovarolor's biosphere and atmospheric composition." she explained calmly. "The combination of one of our native illnesses and the foreign environment has created an epidemic that is 70-80% lethal to the native Khorovaroloran population. We don't have a good idea of how lethal the virus is overall to the Abwehran physique, but the two civilians who had landed there and caused this are both dead. The civilian captain died to the virus symptoms while the first mate committed suicide shortly after realizing he was infected." she stated before sighing.

"Honestly, we of the Abwehran Star Empire have a law against civilians contacting an unknown species specifically because we were afraid this might happen. Our scientists speculate that our viri and bacterial infections are much more dangerous compared to the Nepleslian counterparts, so we specifically limited first contact scenarios to military personnel because of the training we of the Armed Forces have." Freja explained before nodding. "So I respect your caution and the entire delegation will submit to whatever measures you take. However, I assure you no one has been ill with in the last week and a half. Our physicians cleared everyone before we left."

The Maat pilot, in the meantime, had sent an affirmative message and slid the craft right into a standard escort formation.

 

[Soresu]

"As you know some infections, bacteria and so on can lay dormant for days, weeks, and even years at a time. What triggers them can also be an issue. However, from what you've told me do your people inoculate military personnel against most viral, and bacterial forms prior to sending you out?" Roxanne asked, sounding curious despite the situation.

"Has your Empire contacted the Khorovarolor Government to request assistance on this issue? To help maintain this quarantine?"

 

[Abwehran Commander]

"We had done that immediately upon arrival," she responded confidently. "Unfortunately, there were a lot of problems we didn't take into account." Freja stated before frowning. "A smuggler ship tried to escape from our quarantine zone by attempting to claim that they were carrying sick individuals towards Yamataian Space. Unfortunately, our Quarantine Policy is no ships enter or leave atmosphere except for authorized medical and military vessels. They didn't heave to so the Destroyer Squadron in charge destroyed the vessel with all hands." she admitted.

"The Homeworld Security Force of the Khorovarolorans took matters into their own hands and began attacking the quarantine force, leading to a system-wide skirmish that lead to the complete annihilation of the Security Force except for two vessels and destroyed nearly half of our destroyer squadron that had initially been there. Currently, a Yamataian Gunship Squadron along with a full Destroyer Squadron plus the remains of the former squadron are bulk of the quarantine force. The Khorovaroloran Government is current in shambles due to the loss of their fleet and the threat of the epidemic, so I'm afraid we've taken it upon ourselves to declare martial law on a foreign world for the time being...with Yamataian assistance of course. After all, we don't want to conquer a world we're trying to help." she explained as best as she could.

"After the plague has been dealt with, we plan on aiding the Khorovarolorans rebuild their nation as best as we can. Though I honestly don't see them being that friendly towards us for a while. But we won't allow anyone to interfere with the rights of the Khorovaroloran people once the crisis is averted." she stated confidently. "On the honor of our Empress, we will protect their freedoms as much as we would our own citizens."

 

[Soresu]

Roxanne was thankful for the helmet for she frowned. The Sub-Lieutenant sent this information ahead to the Fleet Admiral over a secure line, and from her to the Prime Minister and delegation.

She shook her armored head, and emitted a soft sigh.

"Have you heard the saying, 'You catch more flies with Honey, then Vinegar?" She asked before moving on. "While I am here, do you have any questions for me on the UOC, and the delegation that will be coming? I'd be more then happy to answer your questions."

 

[Abwehran Commander]

"I am not familiar with it, but I understand its meaning," Freja replied before sighing. "Unfortunately, we Abwehrans are used to quarantine situations. Why, in our very home system there is a primitive species on one of the Terrestrial Moons with a biological virus that enters the body, counteracts the immune system, and genetically alters anyone that is not of their species into mindless slaves," the Warrant Officer explained. "We've had a policy of destroying infected vessels in order to keep it on that moon and away from our citizens. This also means we've had to kill quite a few people ever since the Gefahran's discovery, which was about 1230 of your standard years ago." she stated.

"But enough about that," she stated with a strained expression. "All this talk of plagues and viri gives me the chills. Are there any...customs or actions that our envoy should be aware of when greeting your delegation? Our Ambassador will probably be fine, but I for one was a Marine before I became a transport Captain. Diplomacy isn't exactly my strong suit."

 

[Soresu]

Roxanne's helmeted head tilted to the side.

"Beyond being respectful as is standard of any race's first meeting no. However, as a precautionary measure I have been in formed they will be clad as I am, unless they choose otherwise."

She said as she stood there. "They have left the capital, and are now boarding their vessel, and will be here shortly. However, if your people have any cultural observances, and or set of mannerisms I would like to know so I may pass them along to the delegation."

 

[Kim]

Ayana fidgeted inside of the Tenshi armor as she and the other members of the Assembly were briefed on how to use the power armored suits. She was both excited and terrified, this was an amazing opportunity for the United Outer Colonies to do something but it was also a very potentially hazardous situation. She couldn't risk the lives of her people to make nice with a race of people that admittedly claimed fault for killing millions in a first contact.

"Could these people be trusted? Could this be a trap? If it is a trap, then we might be playing into their hands?" Were the questions plaguing the Prime Minister's mind as she tried to remain still and calm on the ride to meet the Abwehrans. She felt extremely exposed despite the security of the Tenshi around her, but the warmth of the suit against her skin made her nervous, she had never thought she would ever have to be inside a power armored suit.

What have I gotten myself into? She wondered as she looked at the others that had decided to join her. She took a deep breath before she spoke out loud finally.

"Very quickly, we should try to agree on what we want to do. I'm for a humanitarian effort made to assist in the treating of the victims as well as, contacting or medical research people or anyone that might be ale to create a cure and then work on creating a vaccination against it. But until we can get this under control- quarantine procedures in dealing with any from the Abwehrans and a non-aggression pact would be best."

 

[Soresu]

"Well Prime Minister, my representative has forwarded everything she has learned to you. So that you may plan on your route to handle the matter." Rina replied, making sure Ayana's suit was in working order before looking to the three identically suited black Tenshi close by.

She then looked back to Ayana, and made a simple 'Come here' gesture to the three. They moved forward, standing at attention. "These three will be your escort, as well as the other assembly members." She explained before checking the suit over again.

"Everything alright in there? Any discomforts? Errors? Anything?" She asked.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

"Um...well I don't think there is anything your people can do that will insult us," she mumbled in thought. "The Nightdwellers...ah, Abwehrans like me who wear goggles like these," she explained tapping them to point them out. "Have a religion worshiping the universe as a living entity and I do realize the UOC and Yamatai had technology that..well...rips and tears at the fabric of space-time. Though I understand this is natural for your people, we have a rather religious person on staff that is a wee bit sensitive on the subject. You see, any damage to the universe no matter how temporary is a slight against some religious sects and that could lead to a bit of trouble if such technologies are mentioned," Freja explained before coughing lightly into her fist, as if to signal she didn't want to talk about 'troubles'.

"Anyway, I don't believe we will have any problems getting along like civilized individuals, Frauline." the Warrant Officer replied as she pulled a datapad from her suit pouch. "Ambassador Kortig and Herr Fisher are our delegates from the civilian government," she explained calmly. "I will be a part of the envoy to represent His Majesty's Armed Forces in this endeavor. So I assume our delegations would like to meet in an area of relative comfort...therefore I will lead you to the ship's Dining Area and Lounge. If you would like to check the area out before your delegation arrives."

 

[Jo Midori]

River stretched a little, still getting used to the cramped feelings of the Winter suit she was in. She could never exactly get comfortable in the goddess damned things.

If we were meant to fly in suits of armor, the goddess would not have graced us with wings... River Idly mused to herself as she waited to go. She looked over the profile of the three escorts to see their records and the such, just a way to keep her off the thought of having to face the void of space with just a few inches of metal between her and death...

 

[Soresu]

The profiles River tried to access were blacklisted, and as such access was denied to her. As if sensing the Lorath female's attempted record access, one of the black Tenshi' turned their heads looking at her a moment before turning back.

~~~~~

"Please." Roxanne replied, sweeping a hand out to indicate for the woman to lead.

 

[mizunoyoroko]

Shinichi wasn't used to being in a Tenshi and at first found the concept of being in a power armor as a delegation a bit appalling, but then again they were probably the best defence against an unknown virus. As he suited up and was given operational instructions on the armor, he wondered what it must be like for the members of the Peacekeepers who operate this very same equipment day in and day out.

[[OOC: Sorry guys, my bad. I dropped the ball and got slightly confused (somehow) I just redacted my bottom paragraph to reflect that Shinichi is still aboard the UOC ship and not the Abwehran ship. Sorry about that.]]