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

[how_they_shine]

All right. Focus on the memory, and when you feel my mind touch yours, let it play through. You should feel me pull back when it seems complete.

[desperate_times_right]

Okay, give me a minute.

[When he does touch her mind, he’s looking at things from the vertigo-inducing angle of a centaur standing on a raised platform. Chloe’s working on the elusive mech elbow motor bug and grumbling to herself about it when a screen in the hangar suddenly flickers to life. All activity in the hangar stops as Hacet delivers his pre-deployment speech. Everyone stays quiet for a moment afterward, but once people start talking again, the fear and anger are clear in the tone. (Chloe is also swearing in three languages but never mind that).]

[how_they_shine]

[He waits the full 60 seconds before gently reaching out to her across the Network. There's the sense of a hand resting lightly upon her shoulder as the memory begins.]

[He's lucky that he's been a big centaur before. His dismay and concern is palpable, and when the speech is finished, he releases her at once. There's a troubled silence.]

...Thank you, Miss. [His voice is heavy, but even.] People feel that they won't be rescued? Or is it more patriotic?

[desperate_times_right]

Now that you’ve been inside my head, you really might as well just call me Chloe.

It sounds like they think this means they won’t be rescued. Like contact is a death sentence.

[how_they_shine]

Chloe. I'm Shiro.

Do you know if that fear is justified? Have people exposed to X. Pressure died from it alone? Or is this rooted in propaganda and fear around the Tharsis event?

[desperate_times_right]

I’ve heard all kinds of things, but people are so scared that it’s hard to know what to believe. I think they put the people who really can’t handle it and go into the feedback loop into some kind of stasis.