|Viraliv|[20-14]Sliue-Ececs|Ora’s Eye|Tepi|Tepi-3|
11,163,955,738cy
Terraformer Station ‘Favala’, Low Tepi-3 Orbit
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#Point of View of ‘Tymkol’, Valuable Agent of the Medentis Faction
A solemn silence envelopes everyone in the room, except for a periodic tapping that shadows the hearts beating in anticipation. No one speaks, a steady rhythm is created from their collective breaths, all are staring at the door. This room is the designated meeting room for the negotiations with the Captain. Although this one is different to the one previously used, it looks quite similar. The same grungy walls, poor lighting, and bare decorations; not to mention a suspiciously and probably illegally thick wall composite hidden from sight. The minutes tick by, the monotony broken by one the guards lifting their hand to their ear. After a few seconds the conversation seems to end and the guard reports that the guests are here.
Everyone in the room stiffens up and then adjusts their posture and dress, then they put on their mask, a figurative mask on top of a physical one. Everyone knows who the guests are. There are seven others with me in this room, three of them are agents like me and the others are just guards. Although they’re nothing compared to the special forces that captured the councilors those weeks ago, they are unchallenged amongst the common riff raff that make up the forces of the other factions; outside of the Captain’s of course. In the event that something goes wrong, some other faction tries to invade, for example, all of our meeting spots and hide outs are built like fortresses. Of course, if one looks from the outside they simply see a run-down residential or commercial building. Just like us, these buildings are also wearing masks.
Of course, just like how our guards are better than the other factions, so are our aspirations. While the other factions want more power, more corruption, or to simply place their leader as the one console of power, our Medentis faction has more serious goals. Our brilliant leader can see a future for this planet, a very prosperous one too. With the right attention this planet could easily grow to be a sector capital, and with enough time perhaps become independent. However, our leader does not believe that this could be achieved with the current system of governorship that Tepi-3 has. They also believe that the directions society has been developing would deviate us from a prosperous future. As such, they want to totally reform current society while no cultural norms have been set in stone yet. They also want to draw a clear line between power and responsibility in the government. Furthermore, they don’t care if they are directly leading or if they are just a voice for the people. Those who believe these same things have been entranced by their intelligence and unyielding will, and have come under them in this faction.
My thoughts end at the vibrations of boots crunching the floor beneath them. No doubt the personal guards of Captain Simiffin. The door slowly slides open, as one would expect from an improperly serviced building, though in emergency situations it can shut incredibly quickly; just another mask. In the doorway stands four of Simiffin’s guards, they quickly move to the side letting us see the core of their formation. In the core there were two people. One was the expected guest, the Captain, but the other one was some boring looking little woman, an Egol by skin. Likely serving as some aide or diplomat, a professional of some sort. Too bad for them, we also have professionals at this table. But, it does show that the Captain is truly earnest in his want to deal. The Captain places his slightly emaciated looking eyes on us, as if to suss out our identities. Ishinah, our main negotiator motions for him to sit like last time, she also motions for one of the guards to bring the unexpected guests a seat. A show that she is allowing and welcoming this additional person.
“I’ve come, to continue our talks, I assume you don’t mind me bringing a tag-a-long?” The Captain says.
“Of course” Ishinah says. After some time she speaks once again, her gold mask stretching along with her jaw, “I’m sure that you’re here to continue our talks?”, her bioluminescent trills, the area near the end of her hair, lights up in a questionable color.
The Captain rushidly said, “Yes, I’ve talked about this with my advisors and officers and we’ve decided that this would be the best for us and the colony.”
While the Captain was saying his bit the guard came back and put a simple metal chair for the aide to sit in, which she did. Of course, the Captain paints this like he’s doing a favor for the colony out of his own good will.
Ishinah says quietly, and pointedly, at the Captain’s aide,“I’m sorry the chair is rather… rustic, had we known that you would be coming in we would’ve gotten you a better one.”
The aide in a very small voice says, “No need to apologize, I’d rather give my apology for intruding here uninvited.”
A diplomatic one maybe? In truth, we had known that the Captain had a tag-a-long almost twenty minutes ago by our various instruments. We could've quickly gotten a better chair, Ishinah’s description of it being rustic was generous to it. This was just a bit of a power-play really, the Captain never got permission to bring an aide along. Acting like he owns the place and therefore is the more powerful party in this negotiation probably insulted Ishinah. Judging by his actions, this wasn’t likely to be intention either, he’s just not really suited for this stuff. Our leader would much rather have someone more competent in the position of Captain, over him or a puppet. It’s in my own thoughts, and likely the thoughts of many, that our leader should simply become the Captain or Governor. But they seem to have some hesitancy, a rare state for them.
While I was lost in my thoughts, Ishinah and the Captain seem to have gotten more involved in the conversation. The aide seems to be taking notes and, every now and then, whispering in the Captain’s ears. No doubt giving him advice.
The Captain very bluntly says, “What is your goal in this negotiation?” He says so very tentatively and yet its bluntness could be confused with bravery. Even Ishinah falls into stillness and silence, probably shocked. The Captain’s aide also seems shocked but regains her composure quickly, as does Ishinah. One must know that that is not a question one would ask while negotiating outside of friends perhaps. Part of the ‘game’ is to figure out your opponents goals yourself, asking it like this makes one seem very naive and incompetent. While I would personally love to believe the latter, the Captain has done some rather competent things, not enough to prove himself but, he has survived this far. Therefore, it’s more likely that the Captain is just naive when it comes to these things. Afterall, his background is military, not political or business.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Breaking the silence, Ishinah opens her mouth, “Well… Since you’ve asked so, I will of course answer. Truthfully what we seek is to uphold the people’s wishes, at least those of our supporters. To that end, we would like to see the punishment to be in their hands, though this would be an exception. A policy such as mob rule is not something that our faction is interested in pursuing.”
For those who know Ishinah, the harshness in her voice shows more than her mask can hide. Though it’s light enough that the Captain and his team wouldn’t notice. Although those are the goals with this negotiation, and therefore she was being truthful, the aims of our group are of more threat and severity to the Captain. No need to volunteer information though.
The Captain speaks, “That makes it sound like you’re a political party. Anway, I’m sure you can tell that right now I need support from the people to secure my position. To that end, this deal seems like a rather risky one for me. Afterall, there’s the chance that the people see you, and only you, as the ones who delivered this punishment.”
Ishinah decides not to comment on the political party comment, and says, “I see, that certainly could happen. In that case, we could make this a joint effort.” I see the aide about to say something but Ishinah cuts in before she could, “Understandably, one can’t publicly cooperate with an underground faction, that would likely harm the people's trust in you. However, going off of your joke about us being a political party, that is very much what we aspire to be. As such, it would be of great benefit to you and us if you were to officially allow the creation of political parties or at representative parties to form. The people would not think it strange since you have called for a new election. What do you think?”
The legalization of our faction is one step toward our goal, even better if we get that permission directly from the Captain; regardless of their reputation it would secure legitimacy. While a representative party would only allow us into certain small power branches of government, it would still give us the means to propagate our influence and use that to change the growing Tepi-3.
In the meantime, the Captain has been contemplating and conversing with his aide. They seem to have come to a decision and the Captain faces us again and says, “I’ll have to talk to my advisors over such a big decision. However, I personally think that we have much to gain from this cooperation and hope to continue these talks.”
The expected thing to do of course. Ishinah says as such, “I understand, feel free to talk to yours and I will talk to mine. Hopefully we can reach a satisfying conclusion the next time we meet. And make sure to use the same code phrase.”
That was our cue to go, standing up at the same time we head at the door in a file. Ishinah goes first and the rest follow in order of seniority, I’m the second to go obviously. The guards follow out behind us, the only noise is the step of our shoes and the door shuttering open and then close. There’s no real reason behind the silence and eminence of it all, it’s just a performance, something to add to the mystery really.
Regardless, it looks like the free entertainment is over for now, time to get back to my more mundane work. Heading to my small apartment I first lift up the mask revealing an average inconspicuous face. I also lose the clothing, although it’s rather luxurious and smooth it stands out too much. Swapping it all out for some common, though rough, working clothes I quickly head to work. Although the vault I live in is farther from the entrance, and therefore less developed, it’s still a speedy trip. Dodging out of the way of our factions nameless and nearly endless followers along the way. Their presentations and protests never ending until a census is reached with the Captain. One might find it funny that I, a lead figure in an extremely influential faction, works in the mines. In fact, I work on that project that the Captain himself had started, the one to dig down into the deeper caverns. And I don’t even work an important role, I’m just a miner.
I’ll keep working here until the faction becomes more legal, at that point I’d likely become a full time agent, some representative or something. Not far from the project site now, no residential sectors exist out this far. The project was started at the very end of the cavern and we haven’t brought civilization and life this far into the cavern yet. As such, other than a few emergency services and lights, only a rail-line exists. A bit of a desolate site, given enough time and it will fill up with all sorts of people. A thought that brings a rare smile to my face.
#End Point of View
As Simiffin shuffles the papers he got handed right after getting onboard the transport. He had hoped to get a few minutes reprieve after that rather stressful meeting with the enigmatic faction; that’s the name the head officers came up with. The reports are mostly mundane things that require no input, a few are more important though. Such as Simiffin’s pet project, the shaft into the deeper cavern. The report states that progress has slowed significantly due to the rampant protesting. Sometimes even completely stopping the transferring of resources and personnel to the project site. Another reason to finish these negotiations as quickly as possible. At least, the people haven't yet noticed its slow progress, the factions would be jumping on the opportunity to spin it in all sorts of ways.
Another report of note was on the subject of the colonial government and more specifically the flash election. Of course, now that the Enigmatic faction wants to have a system of political parties or representative ones it changes things. At least for now, the election is planned to start once some stability is brought back to the colony and the protest stop. The election will be for councilor seats, to replace the disgraced ones, which will mean that seventeen people will be chosen by this election. While this election will be rather short due to its nature, it is one of importance and Simiffin wants it to be a very democratic process. As such, the people will be directly voting for the candidates and they will do so by way of multiple rounds of rank-choice voting until only seventeen remain.
These candidates are volunteers and will likely only number in a few hundred or so. This is because all of the skepticism and cynicism will be directed at the seventeen that win, not to mention the fact that they have to clean up the mess left behind by their predecessors. Many people can’t imagine themselves under that amount of pressure, especially not the ones inexperienced in governing. However, those hundreds are surely those with a burning passion, confident view of themselves, or those with the desire to fix the sordid government. Hopefully through this process only the best amongst those will be selected. Furthermore, once the negotiations have concluded, Simiffin and his officers will have to come up with a solution to stop something like this from happening. Of course, something that will be orchestrated along with the new government, as it should be to avoid too much power in the hands of whoever the Captain is.
Those factions behind the mess will also have to be cleaned up, it’s quite difficult with the lack of an information network but those factions are far sloppier than the Enigmatic faction and will slip eventually. Not to mention the fact that these factions will try to slip in candidates for the election.