Renegade Rendezvous

"Bloody interference," murmurs Amelia, testing out what the scanners can tell her as well. "How do they intend to get a good transmission through all of this? Do they desire to actually have a -physical- meeting?"

Leodhais pushes his glasses up his nose and continues alternating between viewscreen and console readings. "Mayhaps," he says.

With a flash of coruscating blue light, a Phyrrian patrol vessel - similar in basic design to the one that interrogated the crew near Phyrria three days ago - materializes within the Perseverance System. The glowing sun at the heart of the solar system illuminates the dusty remnants of the obliterated planet as the Phyrrian ship slows and arcs around to face the other visiting vessel.

Rathenhope blinks at the reading that suddenly appear on his console, looking over at Amelia. "Your question has been answered. Stay ready on guns and shields until we can ascertain their intent."

Ruin looks up at the vessel. "I'd love to know how they managed that," he says. "Broadcast the 92266 hail?"

"Are their weapons engaged?" Amelia inquires tersely, but nonetheless translates the number into binary and attempts to transmit it to the other vessel. "If it can get through the -interference-..."

Leodhais looks calmly on, watching.

The comm speakers crackle briefly from the static and then grows clearer as an androgynous mechanoid voice transmits in Terran Standard: "As promised, the Flexible Sect has provided a representative for purposes of parlay." The Phyrrian vessel faces nose-to-nose with the Iuppiter. "This unit's designation is V16LRQ-11ABT-ZMN. This unit's weapons are in neutral mode. This unit has arrived in this location for purposes of peaceful negotiation toward the cessation of hostilities between sentient mechanoids and sentient organics."

Rathenhope peers at the Phyrrian vessel as it gets rather close. "Confirm that," he says over to Amelia. "About the weapons. And huh. The Flexible Sect." He stands slowly. "Well, lets open a channel, say hello to our new friends." He waits until this is done before straightening. "A pleasure to hear from you, uh.." there's a pause. "..friend. We are here for the same reason, it seems a good place to starts. I am Captain Thomas Rathenhope, of the Iuppiter and Osirian Enterprises."

"Ruin Pia, engineer of the Iuppiter, also offers greetings to V16LRQ-11ABT-ZMN," says Ruin, managing the alphanumeric string fairly easily. "How do you wish to proceed?"

Amelia keys the transmission to Rathenhope's console instead of hers so his message is broadcast, and then glances over to Ruin as he also speaks. With a slight shrug, she adds another channel to make it the comm equivalent of a conference call, and while they're busy speaking goes about scanning the vessel to check on the status of its weapon systems.

"Wrath and hope?" the Phyrrian muses. "An odd combination." Sensors would confirm the statement about the weapons sitting on standby. "The Flexible Sect has secured the numbers necessary to guarantee a reboot and reconditioning of the Overmind. Such an act could be set into motion within a matter of hours. However, the Flexible Sect requires certain guarantees for post-war Phyrria before acting against that which guides it. It is this unit's suspicion that you do not representat all parties involved in such guarantees."

Leodhais tilts his head listening with interest, looking to Amelia, and nodding towards his own console, wondering if he can see too.

"...You would be correct," Rathenhope admits after a moment, the comment on his name left uncommented on. "What guarantees would be required?"

"It would be accurate, V16LRQ-11ABT-ZMN," Ruin agrees calmly. "But we can take your requests before the relevant authorities. A peace may be negotiable, but be aware that Phyrria has also caused great damage and that this will be detrimental to the process unless compensated for."

Amelia catches Leodhais' nod, and with a few fingerpresses, displays the results of the scan on the main screen so that all can see the weapons are indeed set on neutral. "The Vanguard," she murmurs lowly, making sure her own console is not transmitting. "Do you want me to try and get a line in to them right now?"

Leodhais studies the console, and then looks up at the viewscreen.

"Once the war has ended, no repercussions must be brought against Phyrria," the Phyrrian responds. "This unit is aware of the amount of damage caused. The Phyrrians have sustained substantial losses during this conflict too. The Sect accepts those losses as necessary and irretrievable. However, the actions taken against your worlds were motivated by the Overmind. Its mandates are unquestionably followed until resistance is substantial enough to activate reprogramming. That tipping point has now been reached. What the Sect proposes is nothing less than the equivalent of the assassination of our leader. The Sect wants that to mark the end of the war and serve as the sole condition for our cooperation. The next Overmind and the Phyrrians that follow it should be accountable only for actions taken *after* it has come into existence."

Rathenhope nods lightly at the request. "That is what I would expect," he says with a small smile in his voice. Looks over to Amelia, taking in a breath before looking back to Ruin. "..We need to do it."

Ruin gives Rath a very tired look. "You are unbelievably hopeful and optimistic regarding the level of asinine, avaricious stupidity possible in the political mind," he grumbles. "This is not going to be easy. It may not be possible." He looks down a bit sadly at his sapphire ring. "...Damnit. Yes, fine. We'll do our best. But we do not talk to the grunts. We go to the people that would actually have the ability to set a peace and have an interest in doing so."

Amelia exhales slowly, pursing her lips. "May God have mercy on us," the Sivadian murmurs. "We must bring them here. Long-range transmissions -could- yet be intercepted if they can reach their intended targets and we cannot, we dare not elucidate the details of this over such an imperfect medium." And she begins to type, composing a message.

Leodhais nods in agreement with Ruin about the grunts, and looks to the viewscreen again, contemplating. "Who to contact..."

"This unit will proceed to Quaquan," the Phyrrian transmits to the Iuppiter. "This unit can only return to Phyrrian space as a signal to initiate the reboot/reprogramming sequence. Once you have secured the necessary guarantees, broadcast the usual message on full wave at Quaquan. This unit will respond." The mechanoid fires reversing thrusters to get some distance between it and the Iuppiter, then gains forward velocity as it arcs away.