The Way Forward - Centauran Style

Restaurant  - Centauri - From the lift, a short tube opens into a high-ceilinged circular room about twelve yards across. The illumination above is like a softer version of a yellow-orange star's sunlight, mostly washing out the faint violet glow from floor and walls. A walkway around the edge of the restaurant has passages leading off to the lift and other areas. Just inside this walkway is a circular portion of floor, several yards in width, that rotates with a slow counterclockwise motion. On the rotating ring are situated arc-shaped buffet bars. Spaces between the bars allow passage to the stationary center of the room, a circle some eight yards across; slightly transparent holographic images wander through the circle. Scattered about both the stationary holographic area and the rotating ring are firm but form-fitting cushions of transparent blue gel. Some of these are arranged at soft, ice-colored discs of tables that float at  varying heights above the floor. A few of the occupied tables seem to have a translucent curtain drawn around them from floor to ceiling.

* For details- look BUFFET; look TABLES; look HOLOS *

Sat Mar 04 07:06:27 3006 Contents:                              Exits: Xeter Tepaz                           [LI] Lift to Spaceport Lobby [ZG] Zero-Gravity Room [OP] Offworlder Park

Tepaz glides at a stately pace into the establishment and proceeds along the vegetarian side of the buffet to enter the dining area. It's not long after the Xeter enters the dining area that the lift door opens and the lunite also makes his entrance, he waits outside the lift door, scanning the tables, the chairs, the buffet... spotting his quarry

Ryan strides off in the direction of the centauran following it.

One of the servers bobs to Ryan and bids him welcome, gesturing fluidly to one of the tables. The Xeter dips slightly to Ryan and proceeds toward this one as well. "Greetings... Do you find your organization well?"

The lunite smiles and nods, "We're surviving, largely thanks to your advice, we've ceased our intelligence gathering exercise. I've introduced rituals, a code.... we're small but we're growing."

Tepaz drifts down to float over ones of the gel pillows. "Indeed. As you cannot hope to perform all services well, especially in light of the considerable legal and social impediments to the Watchers, I am pleased that you continue to reexamine and reinvent yourselves. In what directions, if I may ask, do you intend to grow?"

Ryan takes a seat not far from the centauran, "Until now, you've been the only government to aid me. We need to become legitimate, I need to regain my reputation." He stares out over the other tables in the direction of the park, "And I need to save what I can of my people, a remnant of a remnant are still free." He turns his attention towards Tepaz, "It's for that reason I'm here. There's a simple, yet elegant solution to all these problems, but I need your help, your open help to bring it about." His jaw tightens and if the centauran has any skill in reading a human face, this face is determined.

Tepaz places two pairs of arms on the table before itself and steeples the ends. "You have justified the predictions that the Watchers will not simply fade into obscurity within a few years, as some governments have apparently supposed. Now, while demonstrating your usefulness to the international community does seem to me the best way to improve your reputation and achieve legitimacy, I am uncertain how aiding your people will accomplish this." It motions with the end of one limb toward Ryan. "Please explain..."

"I have spoken with Governor Seale of New Luna," explains the Founder. "He's dubious, but I told him I might be able to obtain a sponsor for New Luna. It took some doing, but I manage to convince him to name me as Ambassador for New Luna to the Centauran Freehold." He smiles, "He's convinced I'll fail, but I'm here to ask that as a member of the Orion Arm Treaty Organisation, you can bring about a vote that will allow us membership. New Luna is all that's left of my people, from either universe free of the Republic. Now that's she's come to the attention of the larger powers, it's only a matter of time before either Sivad or the Republic tries to annex her off."

"I see," the Centauran remarks placidly, after which it remains silent for some moments as if to ponder this. "I have no doubt that you will serve well in that capacity as ambassador, as your dedication is well-demonstrated and as no one here will unjustly portray your past." Tepaz motions out to the side and continues, "Now, Centauri would, unless a change in the political situation dictates another solution, support the membership of New Luna. Such an annexation, even if peacable, might reflect badly upon those nations. But I would like to hear how you personally might participate in or affect this petition to OATO, if at all."

"I've thought about this," says Jeff. "Long and hard over the last week. I have a contact highly placed within the Sivadian Government trying to clear my name on the grounds of my defence of Sivad twice last year during the war with the the Parallax, and before that when I fought with the King during the rebellion. I've laid out all the facts with my contact and it's simply a question of whether or not he can convince anyone in the government particularly the King to publish those facts along with any proof. If he does that in time, it will go a long way towards clearing my name." He leans forward in the chair towards the Xeter. "However if that cannot happen in time, I'm willing to take a step back. I'm not about to gamble New Luna's acceptance into OATO if that's the only way I can step forward again. If my name hasn't been cleared by King Richard by the time the vote comes to pass, I will allow Governor Seale to name another Ambassador to OATO, to legitimize the vote, instead of it becoming a circus in my name."

"I will be interested to learn how your personal message passes through the lines of governmental communication and in what effect it might have," Tepaz remarks. "Do you imagine any scenario in which your name would nontheless be used to create a 'circus', by those who wish to avoid more serious discussion on the merits of the vote?"

"If Sivad clears my name I see no clear opposition to myself representing New Luna," confirms Jeff. "The Demarians are indifferent, I've worked with the G'ahnlo in the past, and besides they're more driven by profit, the La Terrans will probably sympathise with the plight of another small colony, I anticipate your support." He smiles at the centauran. "The only people likely to cause a circus would be the sivadians, and I hope to take care of that. I expect there'll be an aftermath, denouncements by the Republic for example, but by then it would be too late, the vote would be taken."

"Even should the vote be basically uncontroversial, as you have suggested," Tepaz responds with a motion toward Ryan, "this situation is not without some political pitfalls. First, the Charter of OATO specifies that acceptance of new members is by fully unanimous decision. And secondly, a small news article recently came to my attention: A cruise line has, for whatever reasons, percieved tensions with New Luna. We will need to discover what effect this has upon Sivad before proposing a vote. You understand, we cannot even hint that we are trying to thwart our ally's wishes in an uncharitable and hasty manner."

"I can possibly resolve that situation," offers Ryan. "The owner of the cruise line is an aquaintance of mine, and besides if Sivad is convinced they owe me a debt for my acts during the war, I might be able to capitalise on that for the vote." Ryan sighs, "I only ask that you call OATO together for the vote, nothing more or less. I'll do my best to convince everyone to vote the right way."

"Perhaps you can discuss with this owner the political implications of the press release, and insure that the allegations or intuitions that triggered the move be referred to the appropriate channels," Tepaz remarks, waving this off to the side with the end of a limb. "I cannot guarantee a call to vote in the near future. But I can assure you that this will remain highly placed in our minds as we try to discover the best moment at which to make the call."

"The sooner the better," says Ryan and stands. "Now that they've noticed New Luna, things can only get worse for us. And if either the Republic or Sivad tries to claim us there's not much we can do about it. At worse they might even go to war over us. The Republic is still smarting after losing Deserata, and they have more claim to New Luna than the Sivadians do." He pauses, "This may be our only chance to keep the area stable for now. I don't intend to see a war break out over us. Not just for my sake, but for everybodys."

Tepaz rises likewise. "You may wish to remind Governor Seale that encouraging certain types of investment in New Luna will help to ensure that the world is protected by emotional, contractual, and political bonds."

"I will," says Ryan with a smile. "As always thank you for your counsel. However as I said, the sooner, the better." And with that the lunite turns on his heel and heads out the diner.