Erlea Zabala (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
commanderzabala) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
concoursec2012-11-15 03:38 pm
commanderzabala) wrote in concoursec2012-11-15 03:38 pm
Live Feed: Diplomatic Negotiations
Characters: Balamb Garden Commander Zabala, Galbadia Garden Headmaster Hartwood, Galbadia President Redley
Location: Live feed to all laptops
Rating: PG
Open/Closed/Finished: Open for responses
Summary: Thanks to the technology and communications upgrades provided by Wayne Enterprises, a live feed of the diplomatic negotiations between Galbadia, Balamb Garden, and Galbadia Garden is available to anyone who wishes to watch them on their laptops.
The cameras for the conference clicked on to show the empty table at which the three principles and the moderator would sit, empty at the moment. Out of respect for bandwidth and the limits of technology, the live feed began only after all the diplomatic pomp and circumstance that was so ritually important to maintain civility and order in a negotiation.
Balanb Garden Commander Zabala was the first to step into the frame, taking a seat on the far right. She looked utterly calm and composed on the surface, though her movements were slow and deliberate in a way that spoke of a great deal of exerted control.
Next, the pleasantly-smiling, slightly pudgy figure of Galbadia Garden Headmaster Hartwood stepped into view mid-wave, apparently having spotted someone in the crowd worth smiling at. He took a seat on the far left.
Third, Galbadian President Redley joined the pair, taking his seat close to the middle – but he turned casually to face Commander Zabala, his chair angled just that bit much towards Hartwood so his affiliation was subtly, but clearly, stated.
The moderator, who was identified onscreen as “Mr. Margus Brei” and who had a beard of rather impressive length as a distinguishing feature, did not sit immediately as he entered, but instead addressed the gathered notables. “Headmaster, President, Commander. We are gathered here today to discuss the recent attack on Balamb Garden by Galbadia Garden—“
“One moment,” Hartwood said, raising a hand palm-out as he interrupted. “You’re biasing the negotiations. We’re gathered here to discuss the potential loss of Balamb Garden to offworld forces.
Commander Zabala slapped the table with both palms. “No. We are not turning this meeting into a referendum on the existence of offworlders! That is not the issue at hand here.”
Redley cleared his throat. “It is the issue at hand. Frankly, Commander, I was about ten minutes from ordering a missile launch on the Garden’s new location before the Headmaster here ordered his attack. Moving your troops into Galbadia-occupied territories? Moving Garden into Galbadia proper without so much as a courtesy note? I had no idea what was going on.”
Zabala frowned at him. “The treaties negotiated after the Lunar Cry allow both mobile Gardens to move freely through all territories. You’ve picked a convenient time to stop paying it heed. If you had attacked us then, you would have been just as guilty as Galbadia Garden is now – which I remind you again is the point!”
Hartwood lifted his hand to interrupt again. “Galbadia Garden responded to a military move by Balamb Garden. Maybe we wouldn’t have looked on it so suspiciously if you didn’t have people with who-knows-what magic powers over there. For all we know, one of them has seized power. Or maybe you’re simply being mind-controlled.”
President Redley shot a “too-far” look at Hartwood, but Zabala merely smiled. “Funny that you should be so quick to condemn everything offworld when you used an offworld device to attack Garden. Unless you’re claiming a sword the size of the Lunatic Pandora is just a new weapon your development teams came up with?”
“Madam,” Hartwood said, smiling blandly, “I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”
Commander Zabala half-rose from her chair. “You’re going to pretend ignorance of this?!” She shot a look at Redley as if daring him to stand by the Headmaster’s statement, but for his part the President seemed mildly alarmed by both sides.
“I’ve read both the accounts your people have submitted, and the fact is they agree on very few points,” he said. “I can’t endorse either of them, and I don’t intend to. But I – Galbadia – remains concerned about the presence of offworlders and their influence on Balamb Garden. I may not necessarily approve of Galbadia Garden taking action against you, but I certainly understand it, and if you’re going to force me to choose a side, then I’m going to have to choose the side I know for certain isn’t under the sway of magic or foreign powers. Do you really want to push me into that declaration, Commander?”
The two glared at each other across the table for a long, silent minute.
“He’s using offworld items, Redley,” Zabala said, quiet and firm.
Hartwood smiled blandly. “Is that your official position? Or do you have proof? I hear Balamb is motoring around just fine these days, it can’t have been particularly damaged, now can it?”
Zabala sat back down with a sharp exhalation. “This paranoid xenophobia is going to be your downfall, gentlemen.”
Not surprisingly, the rest of the meeting didn’t go terribly well – though, it didn’t go terribly poorly, either. After some discussion and a painful amount of political maneuvering, the three powers reached an agreement to, essentially, call the whole thing a wash. Galbadia Garden would receive no censure for its actions; Balamb Garden would receive none for ITS actions, no matter what the truth of those respective actions had actually been.
As for what had actually been revealed during the course of the meeting… well, hopefully it proved informative. Each of the three leaders left with more to think about than they’d come in with, to be certain.
Location: Live feed to all laptops
Rating: PG
Open/Closed/Finished: Open for responses
Summary: Thanks to the technology and communications upgrades provided by Wayne Enterprises, a live feed of the diplomatic negotiations between Galbadia, Balamb Garden, and Galbadia Garden is available to anyone who wishes to watch them on their laptops.
The cameras for the conference clicked on to show the empty table at which the three principles and the moderator would sit, empty at the moment. Out of respect for bandwidth and the limits of technology, the live feed began only after all the diplomatic pomp and circumstance that was so ritually important to maintain civility and order in a negotiation.
Balanb Garden Commander Zabala was the first to step into the frame, taking a seat on the far right. She looked utterly calm and composed on the surface, though her movements were slow and deliberate in a way that spoke of a great deal of exerted control.
Next, the pleasantly-smiling, slightly pudgy figure of Galbadia Garden Headmaster Hartwood stepped into view mid-wave, apparently having spotted someone in the crowd worth smiling at. He took a seat on the far left.
Third, Galbadian President Redley joined the pair, taking his seat close to the middle – but he turned casually to face Commander Zabala, his chair angled just that bit much towards Hartwood so his affiliation was subtly, but clearly, stated.
The moderator, who was identified onscreen as “Mr. Margus Brei” and who had a beard of rather impressive length as a distinguishing feature, did not sit immediately as he entered, but instead addressed the gathered notables. “Headmaster, President, Commander. We are gathered here today to discuss the recent attack on Balamb Garden by Galbadia Garden—“
“One moment,” Hartwood said, raising a hand palm-out as he interrupted. “You’re biasing the negotiations. We’re gathered here to discuss the potential loss of Balamb Garden to offworld forces.
Commander Zabala slapped the table with both palms. “No. We are not turning this meeting into a referendum on the existence of offworlders! That is not the issue at hand here.”
Redley cleared his throat. “It is the issue at hand. Frankly, Commander, I was about ten minutes from ordering a missile launch on the Garden’s new location before the Headmaster here ordered his attack. Moving your troops into Galbadia-occupied territories? Moving Garden into Galbadia proper without so much as a courtesy note? I had no idea what was going on.”
Zabala frowned at him. “The treaties negotiated after the Lunar Cry allow both mobile Gardens to move freely through all territories. You’ve picked a convenient time to stop paying it heed. If you had attacked us then, you would have been just as guilty as Galbadia Garden is now – which I remind you again is the point!”
Hartwood lifted his hand to interrupt again. “Galbadia Garden responded to a military move by Balamb Garden. Maybe we wouldn’t have looked on it so suspiciously if you didn’t have people with who-knows-what magic powers over there. For all we know, one of them has seized power. Or maybe you’re simply being mind-controlled.”
President Redley shot a “too-far” look at Hartwood, but Zabala merely smiled. “Funny that you should be so quick to condemn everything offworld when you used an offworld device to attack Garden. Unless you’re claiming a sword the size of the Lunatic Pandora is just a new weapon your development teams came up with?”
“Madam,” Hartwood said, smiling blandly, “I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”
Commander Zabala half-rose from her chair. “You’re going to pretend ignorance of this?!” She shot a look at Redley as if daring him to stand by the Headmaster’s statement, but for his part the President seemed mildly alarmed by both sides.
“I’ve read both the accounts your people have submitted, and the fact is they agree on very few points,” he said. “I can’t endorse either of them, and I don’t intend to. But I – Galbadia – remains concerned about the presence of offworlders and their influence on Balamb Garden. I may not necessarily approve of Galbadia Garden taking action against you, but I certainly understand it, and if you’re going to force me to choose a side, then I’m going to have to choose the side I know for certain isn’t under the sway of magic or foreign powers. Do you really want to push me into that declaration, Commander?”
The two glared at each other across the table for a long, silent minute.
“He’s using offworld items, Redley,” Zabala said, quiet and firm.
Hartwood smiled blandly. “Is that your official position? Or do you have proof? I hear Balamb is motoring around just fine these days, it can’t have been particularly damaged, now can it?”
Zabala sat back down with a sharp exhalation. “This paranoid xenophobia is going to be your downfall, gentlemen.”
Not surprisingly, the rest of the meeting didn’t go terribly well – though, it didn’t go terribly poorly, either. After some discussion and a painful amount of political maneuvering, the three powers reached an agreement to, essentially, call the whole thing a wash. Galbadia Garden would receive no censure for its actions; Balamb Garden would receive none for ITS actions, no matter what the truth of those respective actions had actually been.
As for what had actually been revealed during the course of the meeting… well, hopefully it proved informative. Each of the three leaders left with more to think about than they’d come in with, to be certain.