USH'S STAR WARS GAME 2008- 'New Blood' (prequel for new players)

"You DO know what is out there, yes?" Azarl asks. He gestures at the sky. "Beyond this big blue sky? Yes? ...no? Well, there are endless numbers of planets, my friends. We seek to extend our will to each in kind. We want to ascend into the sky and put each planet under our power, as we have tried to do here. But... imagine... if we took you with us! You would see new things, learn new things, EVOLVE! Past these primitive ways that you have lived in. And... as you were the first to understand our greatness... you would be raised upon a pedestal as our devoted followers and given priority over all other species. Few are so strong as you. You would be the supermen!"

"My apologises, I've never really been that good at doing what's best for me. Wouldn't mind a ride in that walker of yours though..." Sean says, ready to attack when needs be.

Get ready to strike, Sean. Pistol or lightsaber? 😛

Saber, gotta go with the saber.

do all the sides have access to a lawyer so all can decently understand the contract?

I didn't know law was an option...

They draw their guns, Sean.

"Last chance, boy..."

-

Lawyers cost money, and besides, few out here have an understanding of Republican law to that detail.

-

Well, Azarl;'s words do seem to carry a certain amountt of weight. But there are cincerns.

"You promise much. But all you bring us is death!" says one.

Renegades-
Oh boy... Good luck Sean, give 'em hell.
What do I see when I get to the settlement? I'd also like to try get some footage of the advancing force if that's possible.

Azarl looks appalled.

"Death? No, no, no! I don't bring you death. It must have been someone else! I mean, I know that there have been some... questionable... executions... lately. But let bygones be bygones! Today starts a new era where we of the Inner Power and the Greater Will concern ourselves with your politics. We immerse ourselves in the workings of your culture and learn from you as you may learn from us. I cannot deny that... before this... whole... rebellion thing... we didn't care all that much about what you people did. At all. But even we can make mistakes, even if we are instruments of... you know... those things you worship."

Azarl pauses. He lets the awkward moment of ill-knowledge of Epirean religious practices with rocks pass.

"But yes, speaking of death, what do you have to lose from possibly siding with us? Best possible situation says that deaths related to random executions stop. We offer you protection from outside threats already, like pirates and... stuff from the sky."

Azarl kind of waves a finger up at the sky.

"But if Ogros' little... plan, here... goes into effect and you all come storming up our mountain... whoopie, more death! No matter how you swing it, Epireans will be fighting Epireans, us of the Mental Strength will kill hundreds upon thousands of you... and it will be stupid. Why do that? What's a few executions compared to the obliteration of an army?"

Ok, assuming that the walker is higher than me, I'd like to jump up into the open cockpit bit. We're not using the full combat rules at the minute, right?

RENEGADES

No, but they are a bit far away for you to jump in, Sean- they have not closed to anything like pointblank range.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team has started to mive into the village; screaming Houn are on the run as the outer buildings start to be cut down. You are trying to get some footage on the move, though at this point they have seen you...

-

DARK SIDE

Fair words then, it seems!

So, can we summarise your presentation to the Epireans?

It is:

1. We can do gnarly stuff that you cannot match, so there

2. We don't ask THAT much, and besides, what's so great about Ogros?

3. Stand with us and we shall show you true power

4. Stand against us and you will most likely die horribly; are you going to take that risk?

And then we have a potential point 5 which is

5. We do not approve of the random executions.

Does that sound about right?

-

JEDI

It does indeed look like the miners are in a minority. Gern is not being vicious about it, but the underlying issue is something he makes apparent- the Senate is losing patience with the matter; every day spent here wastes more money and many Senators were opposed to this deal in the first place. If a deal cannot be reached by the end of the day, the resulting deadlock might mean the offer is pulled from the table- and however much you may think you deserve more, surely SOME is better than nothing?

Trema says he feels that that is akin to moral bullying but Gern says he is only relaying the pracricality of the situation- however, acknowledging that he's not the one with anything to lose, he feels the case would be better made by local authorities.

That is Fisk's cue. Fisk stands and talks, and virtually pleads with the miners. he talks about how the WHOLE package is desperately needed in the constellation. It's not just the mine works, it is the aid with disease control, basic infratructure- the starports on the main worlds are barely working! The system MUST have such aid- especially with this famine crisis approaching (though he hopes the upcoming meeting of the Senatorial Committe that aids on such matters on Mandragos will sort that out). He does appreciate that the miners have concerns but there is a point where you must accept some hardships in order to prevent greater ones.

Gern thanks Fisk for his words, and points out that if there genuinely is not enough money in the mining pot, then it might well be beyond his means to do anything about- already, fully two thirds of the aid package is aimed at the mines! If that much is not enough, that can only mean you are trying to beg more money in total from the Senate which, whilst he does understand why, is hardly practical. It's a big Galaxy after all, and many places cry out for funds.

Now, the two of you, watching all this, have developed differing concerns.

Jovan- your rational and intellectual side is in full agreement with the Senator. Yes, it is a shame if they don't get paid enough, but you've seen and heard about enough hardships in this Galaxy to know that there are people in MUCH worse situations than the miners, and to throw away this aid in search of the 'correct' amount of money could be construed as bloody-mindedness. Even if you have a just cause, sometimes there is a bigger picture. Youe defalt stance, them, would be to talk the minders down and remind then that once the mines become profitable enough, perhaps things can be re-negotiated in future.

But your Intuition says different. Because there's something you don't like about the entire discussion, and you really don't know what. Something that has been said has caused an instinctive reaction in your tie to the Force that does not quite ring true to you.

Denzral, meanwhile, has different issues. Where Jovan's Intuition is worired about the future, Denzrel's more Living Force side of things is worried about the present. You are growing increasungly uncomfortable; you worry something is going to happen.

Originally posted by Ushgarak

DARK SIDE

Fair words then, it seems!

So, can we summarise your presentation to the Epireans?

It is:

1. We can do gnarly stuff that you cannot match, so there

2. We don't ask THAT much, and besides, what's so great about Ogros?

3. Stand with us and we shall show you true power

4. Stand against us and you will most likely die horribly; are you going to take that risk?

And then we have a potential point 5 which is

5. We do not approve of the random executions.

Does that sound about right?

Yeah, though also an additional possible threat to the people they care for (in case they are some of those honor crazies) and I think, in the future, we shouldn't put much emphasis on promising a stop to the executions...cause it's not going to happen.

can I focus on the force to try and sense why I feel discomfort?
Do you mean discomfort in the negotiations and the results of it, or about some imminent danger?

Originally posted by Bardock42
Yeah, though also an additional possible threat to the people they care for (in case they are some of those honor crazies) and I think, in the future, we shouldn't put much emphasis on promising a stop to the executions...cause it's not going to happen.

Ah yes, that is what I wanted clarity on- though I had best take Azarl's opinion too! Azral has kinda opened that door, you see, by implying that they were things she thought were bad.

Was there any other tack you wanted to add to the list?

-

Unfortunately you aren't a Cosmic Force expert, Jovan, and such 'I have a bad feeling about this' feelings are normally almost impossible to get detail on (else these games would be way too easy).

But no, it's not about the immediate moment, which is Denzral's worry. It's about what will result. You are thinking, from your skill and thought and rationality, that you should proceed as I said above; talk the miners into taking the offer on the idea that things will get better, job done. That is, reasonably, the best way on, problem solved, and you've done what you came for.

But every time you think of that, your Intuition is saying- no, it won't work out well.

There can only be two reasons for that- either some great unknown thing will intefere, like a natural disaster or somesuch... but your Intuition doesn't think anything like that will come.

The only other reason can be is that something is not right about the info you are basing your conclusions on.

Has Eckersly joined the negotiations yet?

No.

I turn to Gern (the senator, right?)

"Is it possible to speak with the parties alone? Perhaps the privacy will give some relief and talks perhaps would go better this way..."

Denzral glances around, his face a mirror of calm, but beneath he was worried. "Something isn't right, here." He says quietly. "Something..." Denz looks across the alcove full of people. "Jovan, do you sense anything?" (Can I use scan on all the major people in the chamber?)

I whisper to Denzral:

"I have a bad feeling about this too... but it's something illusive... I do feel the answer might lie in the abscence of Eckerly. With him present, we might push the negotiations home and let the miners see the suffering they're causing by demanding more than 2/3th of the help."

Gern says he will accept a brief recess- though only a brief one.

Denzral is trying to get feeling from those in the room... no, you cannot sense anything unususal; only the anxiety and agitation natural for a meeting of this nature.

Jovan- whilst his absence does give you cause for concern, it doesn't actually materially change any of your conclusions- and hence, nor does it change the manner of your bad feeling about the deal.