March 20th, 2175
14:34
Widow-System
Citadel
Presidium
Meeting-Room-A21. A simple room with no other purpose than to hold meetings within. A large table with a wooden top, surrounded by decently comfortable chairs. Eighteen, to be precise. Eight on each side, and one at each top of the table.
And utterly dull, in my opinion.
There wasn't even a single painting on one of its walls to give the room a splash of color. The most colorful things were the brown wood of the table and the deep red seat cushions. Everything else was a neutral grey.
Drawing my index finger along the wood's pattern was at least more interesting than listening to the Asari walking the length of the room up and down on the other side of the table.
While I had promised Anita that I would help with the aftermath of the Alliance's rescue mission on Torfan, dealing with self-important idiots was never engaging. And the Asari before me was, in my opinion, trying to become the embodiment of the word.
The moment she had arrived -fifteen minutes late, mind you- she had started ranting about how it was an insolence to deal with me and not with the Alliance's ambassador personally. Besides the fact that Anita was in a meeting with the Council at this moment, the Asari, one Elea V'Olas, wasn't that high up in the hierarchy of the embassy of the Asari Republics. She was in the Top 3, that much was true, but that still made her only the fourth-most influential Asari on the Citadel if one only counted the official positions. And even that position was a bit shaky if my information about her was correct. After all, one only had to look toward the Consort to know that there were Asari with more influence and soft power than she.
Yet, she was still notable enough to warrant this meeting. Thus, it had become my task to meet with her instead of one of the office drones at our embassy.
As V'Olas was about to start her rant once again, and from the looks of it, from the very start, I decided that I had enough and slammed my hand, which had previously drawn along the wood patterns, flat on the table. The sudden slap got her to flinch, and I could see she was about to start reprimanding me for my rude and uncouth behavior, but she stopped with her mouth half-open when she saw my cold stare.
"I believe we don't have to go over your grievances again," I said, my voice flat and cold but with a certain edge within. "We both know that it is mostly hot air you are spewing right now. If you had really wanted a meeting with Ambassador Goyle, you would have scheduled it at a time when she wasn't in a meeting with the Council. So, this is pure posturing. A power-play. And not a very good one at that. So do us both a favor and sit down so that we can talk like the professionals we are."
My words seemed to resonate with her. The slight anger on her face disappeared in an instant and was replaced with the mask of a professional negotiator. I could barely stop myself from rolling my eyes. The whole thing had been a ruse to get me to underestimate her. Or if it had been someone with a more nervous disposition to cave in to her demands. A viable tactic that worked well if one had no idea what was going on. It worked even better when the two people at the table were from different species, since that meant less familiarity with the other party's idiocrasies. To her disadvantage, I had taken the time to learn how to read the peculiarities of each of the three Council species. Asari had been the easiest since their facial expressions and body posture were very close to those of humans.
"Very well. Let's talk," said V'Olas, her tone far more measured now that she had put down her mask. "I trust you know why we are here?"
"Of course. The information you sent with your request for a meeting was bare bones, but more than enough. Furthermore, after the news hit every station here on the Citadel, there is no other topic on everyone's lips than Torfan. I guess the Asari Republics have something to say about the Alliance's actions?"
If she had been slightly less professional, V'Olas would have snorted at my question. "Something to say? You could call it that. I prefer to call it "screaming," but that is simply my personal opinion. Matriarchs and influential Matrons have been calling the embassy non-stop. And I am sure Councilor Tevos had to field more than one call from the most influential Matriarchs. And most have the same question. What the hell is going on, and what are we going to do? Any ideas, Mr. Denebren?"
"A pat on the back and an offer for a Council seat would be a great start."
"Of course. And should I make an appointment for a personal and intimate session with the Consort for you, too?"
"No, thank you. That is something I can arrange by myself."
Our banter elicited a quick smirk from my opposite before it disappeared again, and I answered her seriously: "In all honesty, nothing much is going to happen, at least not between our two governments. Anything official would create a backslash for the Republics, and that isn't something you would want. It would look too much like you were siding with slavers and pirates. And their image is universally despised within any civilized region."
"That is true," agreed V'Olas easily with a nod. "And in the time before the Alliance's operation, public interest turned toward the atrocities committed by pirates against your people and any other member species of the Citadel. The public's sentiment against them turned even more hostile than it had ever been before. I suppose that was your doing?"
I shrugged. "I will neither deny nor confirm our involvement in turning the public against slavers and pirates."
Saying those words was basically an admission. They had been used so often that they had become a synonym for "Yeah, we did it, but we won't say it." Yet, there was a reason why they had become a classic.
They couldn't be used against you.
Those words were an admission without truly saying it, so nobody could say that you admitted to doing it. On the other hand, you didn't lie either by saying you didn't do it, and there wasn't a lie someone could use to hang you.
As I said, there was a reason they became a classic.
Furthermore, I wanted them to know. Anita and I prepared the public perception of our actions to our advantage without anyone realizing or doing something against it. Who was to say that we couldn't do it again? We showed them another avenue of attack if the Council decided to punish us and the Alliance for our, in my opinion, justified actions against the pirates and slavers of Torfan. They would have to use massive resources to constantly keep an eye on the media and the public.Paranoia would follow shortly, thinking that it was a plot conducted by Anita or me whenever the public turned against or criticized them on a topic.
And in the end, it would be enough to point out that the Council was trying to control the media and the public to hurt them. Free speech and free media were still highly praised ideals in the 22nd century.
"Of course, you won't," sighed V'Olas. Despite her sigh, her eyes never lost the slight glint, showing me that she understood at least half of the implications of our actions. "As far as I am concerned, and that will also be the official position of the Asari Republics, the galaxy and the Citadel can be glad to have such an opponent to piracy and slavery as the Alliance in our community. Yet, while we can understand the need for secrecy before such an operation, we are taking offense that so many military assets were mobilized without our knowledge. In the name of peace and transparency, the Republics will impose an embargo on certain military hardware and raise tariffs on others for one to two years. The exact list of which items will be affected will be put together at another time."
Depending on which items landed on the two lists, those sanctions were nothing but a light slap on the wrist. It stings for a moment, but no actual harm was done. Furthermore, the embargo on military hardware wasn't something that would impact the Alliance in any meaningful way. The only hardware they imported from the Republics concerned biotic chips for soldiers. Everything else was produced in-house. And the Republics couldn't keep up the embargo for too long, before the Alliance simply shifted the resources they used to import technology from them to developing their own. It was a pure symbolic action. In my opinion, the embargo would be lifted before even the first year was over, after praising the Alliance for their cooperation and "good behavior."
"The actual content of the lists will have to be discussed in detail," I said after thinking about V'Olas' words for a few seconds, "but I don't think anyone in the Alliance will object to them. A few members of the parliament will do so in their stead, but they won't do it too loudly either. It is simply a matter of principle for them. I am sure you understand."
"I have worked for our embassy long enough to know the type of person you're alluding to," V'Olas replied with a tone that spoke of the suffering and exhaustion she experienced at their hands. She lightly shook her head and said: "Yet, they are part of every functioning government, giving those in power the necessary push to do something or else be replaced by the loud complainers."
"True," I said with a quick smile, before refocusing on my interlocutor. "Anyway, we've discussed the official response from the Republics. Is there anything else the Alliance should know before we end the talks?"
"No, there's nothing," V'Olas answered, her expression absolutely calm.
Her answer surprised me so much that one of my eyebrows went up. Normally, I would have expected a whole list of demands that I would have to strike down one after the other before agreeing to one or two to keep the peace between our two nations.
My eyes narrowed in suspicion. There was no way that the official response was the only one. Politics, and especially back-room dealings, didn't work that way.
"Really?" I asked, my eyes still focusing on V'Olas' face, hoping to find even the slightest reaction to my question that could give me a hint that something else was in the works.
"Nothing," repeated V'Olas and stood up from her chair. After taking a step back from her chair, she said:" It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Denebren. I hope we can meet again under more pleasant circumstances." She gave me one last friendly and composed smile before turning around and leaving the room, never turning around to give me another look.
When the door closed and I was alone in the room, I slumped in my chair, letting out a long sigh. While the meeting went as I expected, the last bit had done a number on my nerves. It was still doing a number on my nerves if I was being honest. The possibilities were numerous.
Perhaps there was really nothing else, and I was thinking about scenarios that would never happen. Making me paranoid for no reason, just like Anita and I did for the Council with our media efforts. I wouldn't put it past V'Olas to use such a tactic. That Asari was hard to read when she wanted to obfuscate her emotions and thoughts.
On the other hand, it could also be that the Republics didn't want to give us any forewarnings so that we would be caught flat-footed by their actions. This scenario was the more likely one, in my opinion. Especially since it was only a matter of time until the Batarians officially left the Citadel and its community. A fact that the Alliance was directly responsible for. After all, despite the Hegemony disavowing any involvement with Torfan, they had spent a lot of resources creating that pirate heaven for their purposes.
And the outcome of the operation didn't even touch on the point that Andrew's covered operation deep in the Hegemony's territory happened at the same time. Of course, the Batarians couldn't make those raids public since it could implicate their involvement in the attacks on human colonies or, at least, with those pirate groups. Acquiring human slaves so quickly after independent groups of pirates and slavers attacked the Alliance was a red flag that they wanted to avoid. After all, making deals with pirate groups was illegal by Citadel law. If the counter-raid by Andrew's forces had happened even a month later, I was sure that the Batarians would have iron-clad documents proving that they bought the human slaves legally. After that, a legal battle between the Hegemony and the Alliance would have started, which could have turned into an actual war quickly.
Knowing I wouldn't find any answers if I stayed here, I stood up and left the meeting room, making my way toward the embassy.
I hoped Anita's meeting with the Council went well, with more information about their reaction to the aftermath to boot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------March 20th, 2175
16:17
Widow-System
Citadel
Presidium
Judging by the facial expression Anita wore when she stormed into her office in the embassy where I was waiting for her to return from her meeting with the Council, it did not go as expected.
"How much is the Council willing to fuck us over?" I asked in place of a greeting.
"Massively," replied Anita in an ice-cold tone. "They are practically giving the Alliance the additional responsibilities we always wanted to prove ourselves and make a step toward a Council seat, but they did it in the worst way possible. A way that could set us back decades in the worst-case scenario."
"Fuck," I said, a grimace on my face. "What are those additional responsibilities?"
"Since we are so good at dealing with pirates and slavers," I could practically see the quotation marks in the air as Anita paraphrased the Council's words, "the Council wants our navy to be included in the regular patrols the Turian Hierarchy organizes to keep the Citadel's territory free of scum."
"Until now, it doesn't sound too bad," I said, but I regretted my words right away when I saw the look in Anita's eyes. "That is not all, correct?"
"That alone would have been enough! They want something between a sixth and a fifth of our fleet strength to join them on their patrols! A fifth! That is almost more than one complete fleet. A fleet far away from the center of our power, fighting and dying against pirates thousands of light-years away from the citizens they swore to protect when they joined the military. And it will weaken our capability to defend our territory, too! Especially with the second concession the Council granted us so generously!"
"Let me guess," I said, my eyes narrowing in thought. "It has something to do with the Batarians."
"Their names never left the mouths of the Councilors, but, yes, you are correct. They simply dressed that statement in a pretty dress, one that neither I nor the Alliance could refuse. After all, how can you refuse the "precious" gift of being given total control of your borders to entities outside the Citadel's community?"
"And right now, the Batarians are still officially members of the Citadel, which means the Council didn't just order us to defend a border with a hostile star-nation while operating with reduced numbers," I concluded, getting a nod from Anita. "They know the Batarians are close to withdrawing from the Citadel and want us to be an easy target to vent their frustrations on. Furthermore, by giving us the responsibility for our own border, they can keep themselves out of the fighting and swoop in when it looks like we're on the back foot, giving them the appearance of the knights in shining armor."
"Which would also give them leverage over us and strip us of those new privileges, arguing that we clearly can't handle the responsibility. That would bar our path to a Council seat for at least a century, if not forever. Maybe they would even treat us something like a client state. Besides, they would love the opportunity to park their own fleets within our territory. Having a fleet parked right at the doorstep of the up-and-coming species that makes a bid for a Council seat? A golden opportunity to keep them under your control. Wouldn't do it any other way if I had the chance." The last sentence was said with a grim acknowledgment of the Council's actions. And I couldn't say anything different without sounding either like a liar or a hopeless optimist.
"It seems like we have to swallow that bitter pill. What are your plans now?"
"Now?" Anita repeated and walked over to the balcony connected to her office. For a moment, she simply stood there, enjoying the slight breeze that brushed over her face. When she turned back to me, she had the most tired look I had ever seen on her face. "I will have to explain the situation to our president and the parliament. After that, I will deal with the inevitable withdrawal of the Batarians from the Citadel. And after that? After that, I will tender my resignation."
While her statement came unexpectedly and seemingly out of nothing, I wasn't exactly surprised. Anita had been part of the Alliance almost since the beginning. From the moment the first colonies had been founded, and the Alliance started to mediate between them and Earth, she had been at the forefront of the diplomatic efforts. Furthermore, she had been indispensable to the Alliance's efforts to integrate into the galactic community. I was sure that had it been anyone else, humanity wouldn't have the position among the other species it now enjoyed.
Years upon years of service without any pause.
She didn't have a break from all the responsibilities of representing a galactic entity like I did for a few years. My intentional distancing from the Alliance's politics hadn't just been to grow and stabilize my company, but to prepare myself mentally and relax before I vied for the position I wanted and would hold for decades when I got it.
Yet, that wasn't the important thing right now.
Right now, there was something I had to say to my good friend Anita Goyle, humanity's first ambassador to the Citadel.
I stood up from my chair, inclined my head respectfully, and said: "Let me be the first to say: Thank you for your years of service. Your actions and demeanor as an ambassador have been inspiring, and with your resignation, the Alliance loses one of its best."
I could have tried to sway Anita to keep the job for a few more years, and I would perhaps have succeeded, but I didn't want to even try. Despite my desire to one day sit on her chair, my ambition had nothing to do with my decision to hold my tongue.
Anita was tired. She wanted to resign, and as her friend, I had to respect her decision and support it. That was something good friends did for each other.
"Thank you," replied Anita, and a small smile appeared on her face. There were dozens of emotions visible in her eyes that fought for dominance, but one of the most prominent was gratitude. Getting one's achievements recognized was always a wonderful feeling, I could say that from personal experience. I still remembered the times when I got back from school with a good grade I had worked hard for and got praised by my father. The memory always put a smile on my face.
"It seems to me you will be busy with preparing a campaign to get my seat soon. Not that you will need to campaign hard, none of the people I can think of can hold a candle to you if you decide to throw your hat into the ring."
"Perhaps, perhaps not," I said, sitting back down. "Yet, it is prudent to take no chances. Besides, it will make me look more humble. Simply expecting to be handed the position by saying I want it seems like the height of arrogance." The grin on my face told Anita everything I thought but didn't say out loud.
The position was mine. There was no doubt.
"You and arrogant?" Anita snorted. "A combination I have never thought of before." Her words were mocking, but full of good-natured humor. We both knew that I could be very arrogant concerning certain topics.
"Nevertheless, I would still recommend you return to Arcturus to prepare your allies. I will still need your help for a few days, but those meetings are nothing world-shaking. Your presence should be enough to mollify them."
"Ah," I said. "Showing them respect by sending out one of the better-known faces of the Alliance who also has some influence in its politics."
"Something like that," Anita replied with a shrug. "To be honest, at least a third of those meetings are completely inconsequential, and if I had been alone, I would have ignored them, but since you're here and offered to help, why not send you?"
"Ouch, that is mean, Anita. And here I thought we were friends," I replied with a slight smile.
"Don't act like you get nothing out of it. The exposure right now can only be beneficial for your campaign, showing that you already have experience with such scenarios. Besides, since I know you, I know that you probably won't go out of these meetings empty-handed. You will come out with another opportunity, either for the Alliance or your company."
Her statement wasn't incorrect. I did try to get out of meetings with something to show for it, even if the meeting had been wholly unnecessary. Yet, that was simply good business practice and nothing to comment upon. And I didn't always get something either, especially when the other party was too boring to even drag up the slightest bit of motivation.
"I'll try my best," I simply responded.
The next few days would probably end up being a little bit hectic, but Anita and I would get it under control. We agreed it would be better for me to be away and on my way to Arcturus station when the news broke that the Batarians were leaving the Citadel.
That way, I could distance myself from the event and be there to help control and prepare for the fallout of the situation by supporting the Alliance's government. Furthermore, I would have to make sure that the production of vessels for the Alliance was ramped up. We would need a lot more ships in the short term.
Despite my calendar filling up more and more by the minute, I couldn't help but feel excited.
I had wanted the position of the Alliance's ambassador for so long, and now it was so close.
And from there?
A seat on the Citadel Council would be mine, too.