The palace was as beautiful and ornate as ever, constantly clean and shimmering below the starship as it landed. The air of the courtyard was cold and crisp, while the air inside offered a welcome warmth and coziness. Empress Himiko waited with a pair of samurai inside of one of the courtyard doors, seated near a fireplace in a large black leather chair. A second chair sat across from her, separated by a coffee table that held hot cocoa, chocolate-swirled cheesecake, and peanut butter cookies.
Karael Malach, the Senatorial Legate, seemed to glide out of the starship and looked over the palace with a slight smile detracting somewhat from the cold grey of her eyes. It was not Empyrean but her admiration for aesthetics made her admit, at least to herself, that the Yamataians did know how to create great beauty when they put their mind to it. Gathering the folds of her toga around her she crossed the courtyard to the doorway which divided her from the empress and, having reached the distance her carefully honed sense of Elysian politeness and protocol indicated, gave as deep a bow as an Senator would ever give, "The Senate is honoured that you have chosen to speak with us Empress, may God bless our deliberations."
"Please, have a seat," Himiko offered. "Help yourself to anything on the table. If nothing suits you, I can order something more."
"Thank you," Karael replied sitting down in a fluid motion, and helped herself to a cup of coffee. She was not hungry but she was fairly certain that God had made stimulants so that they could hasten the mind for occasions such as these, "Your palace is a place of rare beauty."
"Thank you," Himiko nodded. The Empress had the appearance of a teenage Japanese model, and her young face was framed by very long, very straight silky black hair that ran down in sheets past her white kimono and onto the red carpet. Above the fireplace was a painting of Yui's mother.
Karael noted the picture out of the corner of her eye, noting a certain resemblance to Yui, scourer of the Heavens, but decided against bringing any attention to it. It would not do to bring up the past, at least not at this point in the proceedings, "The Senate has noted with approval your style of governance, the mantle of power rests well upon your shoulders. We feel as though an age of diplomacy and peace can foster while you sit in the throne." Saying this she brushed a strand of thick blond hair away from her ethereal, almost hauntingly beautiful face.
"I have called you here because I want to maintain relations between your great nations. Elysia has been quiet lately, but it has also grown strong, militarily. Both a measured silence and strength are something I can respect. The recent alliance of the UOC, Lor, Nepleslia, and the Freespacers is a threat to us. The Nepleslians have their territory split by your nation, the Lorath are dead set on military expansion, the Freespacers support terrorists, and the UOC is all but a clone of Yamatai. As your neighbor, I need to know where you stand should my efforts at diplomacy fail. I pledge to offer my support in helping your nation grow economically, socially, territorially, and of course militarily. What I want in return is loyalty...a promise not to side with those who are even now working to try to destabilize and even mobilize against Yamatai."
"We are silent so we do not get drawn into conflict, however your words ring true. An alliance between UOC and Nepleslia would be mighty indeed, disregarding the aggressiveness of the Lorath or the eccentricity and anarchism of the Freespacers. The Senate opposes any attempt to create a union which threatens to overwhelm the established order, or threatens to enhance the Nepleslians already formidable strength. If Yamatai was attacked unprovoked by such a union then the Elysian Celestial Empire would do all in its power to help even the balance. However to promise anything more, or for a formal treaty which might rise ire against the Empire we must know what assistance would be granted to us." The Legate responded calmly.
"A formal treaty is my intent," Himiko nodded. "I would be willing to create a new Star Army fleet tasked with ensuring safety in Western Yamatai and around Elysia. I would also give Elysia new military technologies such as teleportation, extremely fast FTL, and the details of Freespacer technology that we analyzed after the previous administration's strike on them. In addition Yamatai will fully open its trade doors, selling you food at very low cost, as well as other goods. In return we would like Elysian cooperation in military operations, beginning with training exercises. Participation in any offensive operations of ours would be optional. We merely want you to help defend the core Yamatai area."
Karael sat back in her chair for a few moments thinking through the offer, then sat forward, "For the sake of an open and honest relationship I believe it is right for me to tell you that my second, the Secondary Legate, is currently on her way to a conference held by the UOC with the aim to create a defensive pact. I should hasten to add that it is not our aim to be part of this relationship, merely that we believed that it would give us a tactical insight into the activities of the associated parties. We hope that it you view it relevant that our primary legate was sent to you. We would be willing to tell you of what is conducted within this meeting, in the spirit of friendship between our people."
"Very well. I hope that you do not choose to side with them," Himiko told Karael. "Instead, I offer you Yamatai's eternal brotherhood. At this point I want our two nations to form a rock-solid bond of trust and power that will benefit us both for all the future. Now is the time to make all of the fallen troops of our nations smile by forging a lasting peace. Yamatai respects Elysia as an equal now, and I want to share our goodwill with all of your people."
"We will not side against Yamatai," Karael responded with a gentle shake of her head, "and we are more than happy to accept your brotherhood. Your offer of a treaty is both wise and fair, although before being formalized it must be passed before the Senate. I assure you that it will pass however; there is little hunger amongst the senators, nor even amongst the War Council, for more war, be it between our great nations or any others.
"That is excellent. Is there anything more you would like to see added in the treaty?" Himiko asked, before helping herself to a cheesecake bite.
Karael responded smoothly,"We would like to ensure that Elysia's right to expand to the Galactic West would not be checked by the Yamataian Empire. However beyond this there is nothing that we want that your generous provisions do not already provide."
"I shall have the papers drawn up for your senate very shortly," Himiko assured Karael. "Come, let me show you around the palace..."
(OOC:
https://wiki.stararmy.com/doku.php?id=ya ... y_of_ye_30 )