Peace Talks - Day 2 - Part Four

Posted on Sun Feb 23rd, 2020 @ 10:40pm by Company Sergeant Major Jeffery "The Mountain" Duval

Mission: Mission 5: Skyfall
Location: Various Locations - Starbase DS14
Timeline: 1400Hrs - January 20th, 2389

Looking at MacLeod, he said, ''Aye sir.'' Nodding to the other Marines present, he pulled his phaser and made his way around the table, collecting Krazzle weaponry, get vague, angry looks form all of them, to which he paid no attention. After he had collected all of them, he briefly exited the room, put them in a secured storage bin, and returned. He took up the same spot along the wall, his phaser still out, and his gaze locked onto the Krazzle.

Jewel was already standing holding her phaser and stood that way until the situation was under control. She disliked when things took a turn to violence lucky it was stopped before it really began.

As Hurd was watching the Krazzle intently, he spared one quick glance to make sure Jewel was ok. Nodding mentally to himself, he said quietly, almost imperceptibly to himself, '' I hope she will be okay if it hits the fan, and if they hurt her, well i will hurt them.''

“Now, Ra’ to help prevent situations like this again, we recommend a Demilitarized Zone be set up between Krazzle and C’Hakilian space as well as along the Federation/Krazzle border, roughly ten light years in width with full Neutral Zone of five light years width at the center. You already have the systems we request be returned to the C’Hakilians as well as the citizen exchange which you’ve already agreed to. Is there anything else you’d like to add?” Mac said to Graline as he typed everything onto a PADD.

Jewel sat down when they did, and looked at the Ra' waiting for him to respond to the Commander's comment.

Still watching the Krazzle, Col. Hurd thought to himself, ''Now, this is one situation that was tense to begin with, and now it is tense boarding on outright conflict in here.''

"So what will it be Ra', are we in agreement with what has been requested?" Jewel stated breaking the silence. "I think it would be in everyone's interest and be good for everyone all around." Jewel added with a smile.

Graline pulled the Krazzle equivalent of a PADD from his pocket and made a copy of everything from the PADD handed to him by MacLeod, all terms...systems to return to the C'Hakilians, the system to be returned to them from the Krazzle, citizen exchange, DMZ, everything. He then gave it to one of his Staff who slowly stood and left without saying a word.

Mac arched an eyebrow, then motioned to Agtx and Ermey to 'escort' the Krazzle to wherever he was going. As they left, Corporal Cather, the new Caitian Marine came into the room to take their place.

Several minutes went by before the Krazzle returned, followed closely by Gunnery Sergeants Ermey and Agtx. As the Krazzle sat and whispered something to Graline, Ermey told MacLeod, Dartt, and Hurd that the Krazzle went to his ship, before returning to the Conference Room.

Mac then looked up at Graline who leaned back in his chair.

"No." Was the reply from Graline. "We alsso want the Nelass Minor, Cannopuss, and Rrra'klarrr ssysstemss, we alsso demand the Federrration, Klingon, and Carrrdassian fleet withdraw frrrom C'Hakilian sspace before we ssign the trrreaty."

"Cannopus is a Federation planet, and Ra'klar is a Klingon system, we do not have the authority to give them to the Krazzle." Mac replied then glanced at Sergeant Taz.

Taz also looked at Graline, eying him closely.

"Cannopuss is home to Krrrazzle of the Minjay Clan and we want to brrring them home. Rrra'klarrr is a Krrrazzle ssettled planet the Klingonss sstole from uss." Graline replied.

"We do not want to 'go home'" Taz replied aggressively as Graline gave a toothy smirk.

"Enough!" she stated as she looked at them, "That is not an option, we have no way of granting that request. You have what is on the padd, and the ships will stay where they are until the peace treaty is signed." Jewel stated looking at the Ra' and the Commander.


DS14 Security Officer

Meanwhile Duval was standing in the security office as the last of the Krazzle were being processed for their various crimes, he held a PADD in hand as he was busy writing his informal report. "Net losses... a half dozen civilian bodies on the ground and these yahoos spend the day in a holding cell." he growled.

"They won't be around long."

"They should face Federation justice like everyone else who commits crimes in our space.... sir." Duval replied cooly.

Marcus looked at the warriors which the marines had imprisoned earlier.

"No" he finally answered Duval "As much as I'd like to see them face justice we have to consider the political ramifications of our actions, contact the brass and they will make the decision." he turned to face Duval. "That way if this all goes FUBAR it's not down to us" He smiled then tuned to face the cell once again.

Duval did not know the other man and it was showing, the man was something on the order of twenty two years younger then he himself was
yet the First Sergeant outranked him.

Marcus Pepper looked at the Krazzle in the cell, the same one he struck and the very same one that was watching him in the meeting. The krazzle was just standing at the back of the cell watching Pepper's every move.

"him" pepper said pointing at the Krazzle warrior "Separate him, I want him in a cell on his own"

Moments later the being had been moved into his own cell, Marcus sat in front of the cell looking at him.

"You was looking at me in the meeting" he finally said breaking the silence.

"I... know your... face" the warrior said "I am.... first warrior, like... like you"

"You seem to know much about me" Pepper remarked, but the way he said it seemed to suggest it was more of a question than a comment.

"I... have seen you.... before now...." Answered the first warrior

It didn't surprise Pepper that an enemy knew his face, in fact he expected it. He was after all a Sergeant Major and formerly Sergeant Major of the fleet, if the enemy intelligence was even half decent then he knew they would at the very least know his face. Peppers though was interrupted by the warrior speaking again.

"One...two six...three... your people.. call it..." the warrior began

"The Devil's playground" Pepper finished for him.

Years ago on some random backwater part of the galaxy, back when Pepper was a Sergeant in the Thirteenth Battalion Thirty Sixth Marine Brigade. The entire Battalion was deployed to an inconsequential planet with no tactical value designated Planet Twelve Sixty Three. It was supposed to be an area the Battalion could get some rest and re-arm ready to re-enter the fight. The night after they made planet fall it was discovered that the planet was being used as a Krazzle staging area. The thirteenth had over two thousand souls assigned to it, by the time they was evacuated the thirteenth had less than a hundred survivors. Sergeant Marcus Pepper barely made it off the planet alive and his harrowing experience left him scared for life.

"You... remember" Asked the Krazzle as the screams of his friends faded from his mind, Pepper had to summon every ounce of strength he could not to loose his temper and start killing the Krazzle here.

"I objected.... to the attack..." said the first warrior almost sensing the build up of anger "I... watched you.... kill many warriors.... exhausted and bloody... with no.... ammunition..."

The first warrior stood and moved closer to the front of the cell.

"My sibling... he was.... one you killed"

The two of them for the first time stood close to each other, separate only by the forcefield of the cell.

"We all lost a lot that day, many people we both cared about are gone" Answered Pepper, the two of them staring at each other though the forcefield.

"Our... seniors... they make decisions.... and we.... as warriors..... we pay the price"

Marcus nodded in agreement, he was aware of Duval stood half way across the room watching the exchange.

"My seniors will decide your punishment for the actions of you and your warriors"

The First Warrior bowed his head in acknowledgement.


Conference Room

It had been a quite few minutes, then the C’Hakilian Prince broke the silence.

“Ra’ Graline, we have an opportunity here to end centuries of war between our people. We realize that…we will not be getting most of our territory back, but our people are much more important. Please, agree to these terms and allow us to recover our citizens.” The Prince pleaded.

“How do we know yourrr convoyss won’t be attack ssquadrrronss? Graline replied.

“Ra’, each convoy will be escorted by Federation, Klingon, and Cardassian ships to ensure the safety of your people, and the C’Hakilians. If either side opens fire, we will handle the threat…wither that’s a Krazzle ship, or a C’Hakilian.” MacLeod replied, looking at Graline, then to the C’Hakilian Prince Yinsil.

Again, Graline was quiet, then his communicator beeped. He opened the devise, similar to Twenty-Third Federation style communicators. The Krazzle Emperor had a brief convocation with someone aboard his ship and by the expression on his face, he wasn’t happy. After a few minutes, he closed the communicator rather violently and let out a growl and hiss as he slammed his fist on the table…

“The…Krrrazzle…will accept the Peace Deal, in full.” Graline reluctantly said.

MacLeod looked over at Dartt, then to Hurd, then finally back to Graline. He typed all of the points in the Peace Deal onto the PADD. Of course, it wasn’t fully worded with all the diplomatic jargon yet, but it was official. As Mac typed, the comm panel on the conference table beeped and message came across the display. ‘Blockade fleet is returning to Federation space, all relief convoys are to proceed into C’Hakilian territory.’ Again, Mac looked over at Dartt and wondered what happened to get Graline to give in and for the blockade fleet to be recalled…

‘The Krazzle would keep all of the territory they captured in their war with the C’Hakilians, minus the Espa Zeta, Sepher and Charmon systems which they would return to the C’Hakilians. The C’Hakilians would return the Rrraw’la system to the Krazzle. Both the C’Hakilians and Krazzle would allow the return of all citizens to the other. A Demilitarized Zone would be set up between Krazzle and C’Hakilian space as well as along the Federation/Krazzle border, roughly ten light years in width with a full Neutral Zone of five light years width at the center. Each C’Hakilian convoy sent to bring it’s citizens back into C’Hakilian space would escorted by Federation, Klingon, and Cardassian ships, as would Krazzle ships recovering their citizens. Finally, the Blockade Fleet would withdrawn to Federation space while relief convoys are allowed to proceed into C’Hakilian space, without further delay nor will they be harassed by Krazzle vessels going from this time on.’

She looked at both Macleod and Hurd for a moment about confused by what had just taken place. She looked back at the Ra' she tapped her commbadge "General Dartt to Sergeant Major Pepper, release the Krazzle and escort him to the transporter room and make sure he gets back to his ship." Jewel ordered as she didn't want any more problems.

She ended the comm and looked at Macleod, and everyone else in this room. "Thank you for the peaceful solution and agreement," Jewel stated to both the Ra' and the Prince with a smile and a slight bow


Security

Pepper looked over his shoulder at the guard stood by the control desk, he nodded to him knowing full well he heard the order. The forcefield of the cell the first warrior was in lowered, Marcus Pepper setpped forward.

"It's time for you and your warriors to go home, I trust you will show respect and honour whilst we escort you off the station" Pepper said to the warrior.

The first warrior nodded and then stepped out of the cell and stood beside Pepper, Marcus Pepper motioned for the other cells to be opened and soon the Krazzle warriors had started to wonder out of thier cells. Some looked to become aggressive, obviously not pleased with being locked up... but the first warrior growled and the others calmed in obedience.

Escorted by Marines the party of Krazzle warriors was taken to the transporter room where in small groups they began to transport off the station. The last to go was the first warrior, he stood on the transporter and looked at Pepper, he then placed his fist to his chest and bowed his head slightly Marcus of course showed mutual respect and did the same.

As the last remnants of energy faded from the transporter Sergeant Major Marcus Pepper reached for his com badge.

"Pepper to Dartt, all prisoners safely away sir" he said in an almost regretful tone, he then closed the com link without waiting for a reply, turned and went to find his men.


Conference Room

Turning to the Marines around him, Col. Hurd said, '' I think that went as well as can be expected. Pausing for just a moment, he added, ''Good job everyone. ''Lets just do one more sweep of the station to make sure that there are no lingering surprises, and i think we can call this job complete.''

All Mac could do was lean back in his chair...mentally exhausted...