RP: Abwehrans [ASE-SCU Diplomatic Conference] First Meeting

It had been almost three weeks since a single Sesestran vessel had jumped into the Abwehran held Jaspis system, its simple mission of first contact having gone far better then the Sesestran analysts had planned. The results being three weeks of communications on diplomatic, cultural, and private industry information and above all a set date. A simple point on the calender chosen for the first official meeting between representatives of either side's governments and the ground breaking for their relationship.

The venue had been chosen some time ago, a plan put into the colonial government's playbook as a 'just in case' guide for such situations. It was a dual purpose military station orbiting the oceanic moon of Sesestra's second major colony in the Geneva Star System. Everything had been em-placed to ensure the conference's security and hopefully the comfort of those involved both Sesestran and Abwehran.

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POV: Curtis F. Daniels, Professor of Xenoculture, National University of Rodia

He was the tallest of the three he vaguely realized as he stood at the end of their little presentation, in total four had been selected to act on the behalf of the colonial government. The lean Rodian human glanced again down at his small antique mechanical watch, it had been several minutes since the vessel on the other side of the transparent metallic viewing window had docked. He had heard hushed voices from behind and to the side as technicians did their best to normalize the different pressure of the alien vessel.

The human wasn't alone in the vigil, three others stood beside him, all patiently waiting for the same event. The first was a short stout human, his face and body beginning to show the signs of aging as he had long ago passed through the time of his youth. He wore a simple business suit, one that wouldn't have looked out of place on a banker or mid echelon businessman. Immediately to his right was another humanoid, a former Jiyuuian refugee now turned Lysian citizen, he to was dressed simply, a blue business suit void of any pins marking allegiance or interest. Like most hemosythetic beings he still maintained the look of youth, resembling a Sesestran midway through his twenties, a slightly organized bunch of black hair tied off in a pony tail behind his back. Finally the creature standing directly next to him softly brushed a wayward hair behind her fur covered elven ears, she was a NH-29, part of the first generation of Sesestran nekos born of parents who had formerly been slave warriors to the NMX. She effectively represented the neko population of the Sesestran colonies, her own attire a featureless black sweater with a simple business skirt.

Of course his companions gave the Professor a distinct feeling of inadequacy but then again none of them had much experience in studying and knowing alien species. Of course... being dressed like he was on his way to the lecture hall didn't help much.

Not since first contact with Yamatai had the arrival of unannounced space vessels into the Jaspis system happened, but three weeks ago, such a thing did occur. Luckily, it had not been as traumatic a visit as the 5th Expeditionary Fleet's arrival had been. In fact, the visitors had stayed to trade information on a diplomatic, cultural, and economic level before setting a date for formal proceedings.

Given the distance between the Geneva System and the Jaspis System, the Abwehran Star Empire had deemed it necessary to form a convoy for the journey. Comprised of two military vessels and a variety of civilian transports, the Diplomatic Convoy had three purposes: to transport the diplomatic envoy safely to the Geneva System, to map out a possible route towards the Geneva System, and to protect the first group of traders to the system. The route that was taken required the convoy to move around Yamatai and Lorath territorial space and through a few unexplored systems, though most of the time they just skirted the Oort Clouds of the systems to wait for their Fold Drives to recharge.

It took longer than it would have taking a route through Yamataian and Matriarchy territory, but the Convoy made it with only some wear on their Fold Drives. Arriving in the Geneva System's Oort Cloud, the Victory-class Heavy Cruiser Virtuous and the Loewenhertz IIa-class Destroyer Hamelin escorting ten transports of various makes and models hailed for permission to enter the system.

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+3 hours after arrival

Normally, the standard Abwehran practice for these meetings would have been to have one civilian and one military officer in a diplomatic envoy. However, with the International Relations Conference happening as well, the State Ministry decided to chose one of their own with prior military experience. This led to the decision to send Ministry Assistant Jutta Nathlie Auttenberg, formerly a Hauptmann of the Weltraumflotte. The envoy had been Captain of an old Tempelritter Frigate and had retired to join the State Ministry after First Contact with the Yamataians.

Standing a good six feet in height, the dancer-slender woman weighed a good 187 lbs. Her Crimson hair hung loosely at waist-length and her blue eyes were covered by thick, dark goggles to denote her Nightwalker heritage. The Middle-aged Ministry Assistant strode into the Airlock where her transportation, the Virtuous had docked to the station. As the Abwehran side of the airlock shut, Jutta grimaced as the system started normalizing pressures to something between two different atmospheres. She would never get used to both lower pressure and lower gravity, but it was part of her duty.

Slowly, the hatch opened and she received her first view of the delegation of the Sesestran Colonial Union. The appearance of what looked like a Nekovalkyrja caught Jutta's eye almost immediately, but that was only a glance from goggle-hidden eyes. "Guten Tage," came the rough-sounding greeting as she stepped through the airlock and towards the trio. Attired in a business suit of dark gray slacks and jacket with white tunic underneath, the powerful Abwehran held out a hand to the shorter human in the center (though she seemed much taller than all three of them). "I am Jutta Auttenberg, Ministry Assistant and Envoy of the Abwehran Star Empire."

The shortest of the five significants present and by far the oldest looking his name was Ivan Gunsav, a Rodian citizen and former general during the SCU's less peaceful past. Now he found himself thrust into a position he didn't expect. He smiled in an almost grandfatherly way as he took the taller Abwehran's hands into his own, shaking it with measured enthusiasm. "Yes! Yes! Welcome to our! Um..." He paused and looked around the docking arm's main chamber before turning back to Jutta with a slightly befuddled smile, "I suppose the environment is a bit spartan for such an event isn't it? No matter! I suppose introductions are in order!" He said before raising his arm and gesturing toward the next person in the line.

The man at the other end of the gesture seemed to stiffen slightly as the attentions where directed his way as Ivan spoke again, "This is Kenji Osuka, formly of the United Outer Colonies, now Head Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Lysian Government." Kenji bowed slightly as soon as Ivan had finished, giving away his country of birth. This seemed to cause Ivan to smirk slightly as he moved to the next in line, the nervously smiling Nekovalkyrja whom by far looked the most alien out of all of them. "And this is Haruko Miyami, the present representative of the Nekovalkyrja race in the SCU, she insisted on being here today." The second bowed as well before Ivan turned his gaze to the last, the professor now nervously looking between the new arrival and the smirking Rodian responsible for him being here, "And this nervous wreck is Professor Daniels, hes been studying what we know of your race since the arrival of Kenji and his people, due test him on what he knows if you wish, in any event Ms. Auttenberg welcome to the Sesestran Colonial Union." He finally finished turning back to the Abwehran.

"The environment is quite fine," Jutta replied with a small smile and gave the man a firm, though carefully controlled, hand shake. The 89-standard-year old Nightwalker glanced at the other members of the Union's party. "Minister, Fraulein, Professor," the former Hauptmann greeted each member with a firm handshake as well.

"Forgive me, Fraulein, but you have me curious. I was led to believe Nekovalkyrja were unable to be citizens of other nations due to Yamataian Law. Why would there be a Nekovalkyrja population in the Colonial Union?" the Abwehran Envoy asked without a hint of suspicion or attack.

The question seemed to cause a pause among the four, glances being exchanged for a few moments during the silence before Haruko finally spoke, "That particular subject is going to be." The neko pausing for a moment, searching her mind for the right word to explain the peculiar situation that was her existence in the Sesestran Colonial Union. Finally the neko returned her focus on the Nightwalker, "Rather complicated and something I should probably explain when we start in the conference chambers." She said in a slightly stressed tone.

"Very well, Fraulein," Jutta replied to the smaller woman before raising a hand to gesture everyone forward. "Then why don't we head to the conference chamber and begin with business, ja?" she requested with a smile. The confident Envoy didn't seem too disturbed by whatever implications a Neko presence in the Union entailed. In fact, she seemed quite eager to find out the cause.

There was some subtle discussion among the four representatives as they walked down the passageway and to the designated compartment, the abwehran could note that most of the space's bulkheads seemed to be configured into displays or light emitting panels. A practice which seemed to extend into the conference chamber itself. It was slightly ovoid in shape, a large table with various built in chairs and in a somewhat organic rectagular shape dominated the center. In total there where eight places built in, facing each other down the long axis of the table and all made of some kind of smooth grey plastic like material. The four representatives filed in ahead of the Jutta, taking what seemed to be predetermined places on the opposite side as Gunsav gestured toward the four opposite of them, clearly intending for the fraulein to pick one.