Diplomacy - [Level 1 Protection]

[how_they_shine]

If anyone can help locate and retrieve the remains of the Empire members who fell at Tharsis, I have a way to return them to the Empire. Thace is infiltrating as the general there, and he's given me a way to contact him directly about it. It's a good way to demonstrate goodwill and that we're learning about their culture. I'm also discussing it with the Admiral, but Travelers may be faster at this than military beaurocracy.

Additionally, I don't know how far this has spread, but the Admiral seems to believe that the ESDF was somehow responsible for what happened at Tharsis, that it was wrong, and that we need to fix it. She's looking to broker a peace deal, hopefully, and is gathering a secret taskforce to work on things. Matt and I have been folded into that taskforce. If you've become a part of it, speak up here.

Be careful about where and how you communicate about this. Even telepathic communication should be done with some form of protection up. The Empire has some telepathic capabilities, and if they overhear something the consequences could be severe.

Anyone else have any information about the internal politics of all of this?

Comments

[chalicejoker]

I can tell you that the Mantoids don't really care who's in charge; they didn't have interstellar travel before the Aurigans came and most of them are having a ball going out and hunting new things. They like Thace's infiltration well enough--he actually takes the time to tell them apart. He's made a good impression on them. Lots of the vertebrate species don't.

...the Mantoids are well aware they're just being used for soldiers and they don't care because it's fun. My overlay's never seen one take any real command of anything.

[how_they_shine]

. . . [sigh]

If we stop the war, or at least forge a possible set of peace talks, are the Mantoids going to sabotage it by continuing to hunt humans?

[chalicejoker]

Not a chance. They won't hunt other sentients unless it's at time of war or unless the hunted party has committed some kind of crime. To continue to try to hunt humans would be a huge breach of honor and a crime in and of itself--and they'd take care of the criminal themselves pretty quickly.

Basically, yeah, they're kind of aggressive, but there's a sense of fair play to it.

[how_they_shine]

Ah. Good. [That is a big relief.] Is it just Mantoids, Xuil, and Augurians among the ranks? We've been hunting down some images and clips of interactions before and around Tharsis and it looks like there are a few other species there too.

[chalicejoker]

No, there are a bunch of other species here. Some of them I'm not really sure what they are. But we've got reptilians, avians, centaur people, all sorts.

[how_they_shine]

Oh! All right then. ....Do they all pilot mechs? [Yes, hi, sidetracked by trying to figure out if he could pilot a mech as a centaur.]

[chalicejoker]

I think so. I haven't really seen anyone being limited on the basis of their species--unless you count Mantoids not getting into politics, but Mantoids don't get a lot of politics--and if you want to fight, they're not going to turn you away. They'll adapt things for different species.

[how_they_shine]

...Any chance you can get copies of the mech adaptations for centaur-types? Or if there are any aquatic species? Those could be really useful for Travelers.

[chalicejoker]

I can try.

I'm very familiar with the Mantoid adaptations, if nothing else--they're also not exactly human-shaped.

[how_they_shine]

No, I'd imagine the Mandoids are not terribly human shaped. If you can't, it's not a big deal. I can think of some useful applications, that's all.

[chalicejoker]

I definitely see how that could come in handy with some of the form changes people have, so yeah, I'll give it a try.