Diplomatic Necessities

Posted on Thu Mar 19th, 2020 @ 6:16am by Commodore Siaxx "Bluemoon" Dvald-Vaxx MD & Post Captain Bardan Jusik

Mission: Mission 98: Building Our New Home
Location: Conference Lounge - Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: 1330Hrs - July 14th, 2393

There were seven moons orbiting the planet of Dunkara. Most of them were fairly nondescript, save the third moon. It was the second largest of the seven moons...and the only one capable of supporting life, although just barely. What made that moon special was one of the largest ores of duridium discovered in recent years. Since Dunkara was uninhabited as well, two nearby systems laid claim to the moon. That's where the trouble began.

The Grazellians had first claimed the moon and had begun mining operations. Shortly thereafter, the Thallinians had arrived, claiming that the moon belonged to them. Mining halted, negotiations began and failed...and nine months later, absolutely nothing had been accomplished. Realizing that they were getting nowhere fast, the two sides finally agreed to third-party arbitration. Which was what had brought them to the Starbase they sat in today.

The two sides had already arrived in the conference room...and not five minutes later were already screaming at one another. The first chair was getting ready to be flung when the door opened.

The burly mining workers had expected an arbitrator. They hadn't expected the massively build powerhouse smiling at them.

"Gentlemen...I apologize for my tardiness. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Bardan Jusik. You have both agreed to arbitration, correct?" Jusik explained before popping his question, he wished for no misunderstandings.

The heads of each side nodded.

"Excellent. Let us proceed." Entering the room, he sat down at the table facing the two leaders. Jusik then motioned for them to be seated. It was a little amusing, watching the large men sitting like school children.

Jusik produced two PADDs, which he handed to each of the leaders. "Gentlemen, I have analyzed your dilemma. I believe this will be a satisfactory compromise."

The two men read the PADD before them. The leader of the Grazellians spoke first. "This is preposterous!. Absolute garbage!. You call this a compromise?." the first man roared loudly.

The head of the Thallinian delegation chimed in as well. "I refuse to accept these terms!. This is insanity!"

Most people would have been offended. Jusik simply smiled. "Well...I'm certainly glad to hear you gentlemen can agree on something."

The two men stopped in their tracks. They hadn't expected that as a reaction.

Jusik turned to the head of the Grazellians. "Grazellian mining technology is generally considered to be among the top in the industry. Am I correct in that assumption?"

He nodded. "Certainly."

"Very well. Then, you would both agree that it makes more sense for the Grazellians to be allowed exclusive mining rights to the third moon of Dunkara."

The two sides both slowly nodded. The Grazellian head pointed towards the PADD. "I still don't understand why the Thallianians deserve forty percent of total profit!"

Jusik raised her hand in a calming motion. "I'm getting to that. The closest duridium processing plant is on Thallianus. It is also one of the most state-of-the-art processing plants in the quadrant." Turning to the head of the Thallianians, he asked, "Am I correct?"

"Yes, yes you are."

"But what about the processing plant on Vorcarta?"

"The plant on Vorcarta is an additional five days journey from the moon at warp seven. The plant is also woefully outdated. Utilizing the Thallianian plant would increase your overall yield from the mined ore by nearly thirty-five percent. In addition, you would have to circumnavigate an exceptionally treacherous asteroid belt along the way. I have read that this is a popular ambush spot among smugglers."

"We have no such guarantees for security going to Thallianus, either!"

Jusik motioned towards the PADD. "In exchange for processing, the Thallianians would also provide security escorts for the transport vessels." Glancing to the Thallianian head, she said, "You would be open to providing said escorts, correct?"

"Certainly."

"So...you have exclusive mining rights. In exchange, you receive security escorts and first-class processing for the ore. I think that's worth forty percent."

The Grazellian head was wavering. "Forty percent is an awful lot."

Jusik leaned forward. "Gentlemen. Right now...you're making one hundred percent of absolutely nothing. The last time I checked...one hundred percent of nothing doesn't pay your bills. It doesn't put food on a table, or clothing on ones' back. I'm offering you a chance to make sixty percent of something. Your two sides have spent the better part of two years bickering...and a moonful of ore is waiting to be mined and processed. You've both sat in a conference room after conference room...arguing and fighting, and getting nowhere fast. You can let it sit for another year... or you can take this deal and get back to doing what it is you would both rather be doing." She leaned back, motioning to the PADDs. "The choice is yours, gentlemen."

An hour or so later, the Executive Officer of the Starbase had walked into the conference room after the Grazellians and Thallianians had left. "Well...nothing's destroyed. How did it go?" Dvald-Vaxx inquired, the diminutive Bolian looked up at Captain Bardan Jusik who towered over her, but then most people tended to stand tall over her, this was something the small Bolian female was used to.

Jusik stretched, as he smiled while he regarded her. "I just accomplished in two hours what they couldn't do in two years. I love my job."

Shaking her head, Dvald-Vaxx said, "You'll have to tell me how you do it sometime."

Rising to his feet, Jusik smiled. As he walked past Dvald-Vaxx, he gently brushed his hand over her cheek, "No...I don't." and with that, he departed in silence. Leaving Dvald-Vaxx to sigh quietly before she turned and departed a moment later.