"From this hour I ordain myself loos’d of limits and imaginary lines" (Part 1 - Briefing)

[cityship]

A large group of crew members was gathered. In fact, given the mission briefing provided, it was curious that there'd be such a large number for a diplomatic mission.

Planet Designation: Galilee
Status: Terrestrial, H-class.
Non-sentient life: Extensive flora and fauna.
Semi-Sentient Life: Yes.
Sentient Life: Homo Sapiens. [Various translations of "human" appear here so everyone understands it]
Water: 69.5% of the planet's surface.
Climate: Earth-like [Click here for cultural equivalents for non-Earth cultures.]
Landscape: Varied.
Air: Normoxic concentration. Slightly elevated levels of carbon dioxide.
Air Pressure: 101.3 kPa (kilopascals) = 14.7 psi (pounds per square inch)
Sky: Blue. Often overcast.
Sun: A class G2V, yellow star.
Warnings: Wildlife and plant-life can be hazardous. Humans can be hazardous. A human cultural and legal database is available. [click here]
Mission: Successfully negotiate with the Galileeans in exchange for their advanced medical technology.

It was very little to work with, so the crew gathered there possibly had a lot of questions.

Comments

[cityship]

||Unknown. Presumably, however, if the Galileans require our aid, it can be assumed that they fear the potential damage these groups could cause.||

[futureisclear.livejournal.com]

"Do we know what the make-up of these dissident groups are like? Are they engaged in open warfare with the central government? Do we know what sort of weaponry they'll have at their disposal?"

Information was power.

[cityship]

||No, we do not, but conditional to receiving GIA aid was the promise you would be briefed on such information immediately after arrival. The Galilean Council will provide you with a full situational briefing. If you find they have not disclosed enough information to your liking, you may request immediate pick-up and the Galilean Government will be informed that negotiations will only commence upon disclosure of further information.||

I.E. If it looks dicey, she'll get you the hell out of there post-haste.

||Given the nature of the Galilean government and its peaceful relations with other governments, however, it is entirely likely you will receive all the intelligence you require during your initial briefing with the Council.||

[level12headache]

Querl had remained silent, preferring to let the others speak for the moment while he reread all the information provided. "If you will not inform us of that, then I presume you will not tell us why there is such internal strife?"

[cityship]

||Unknown. The Galilean Council of Five has promised to disclose that in their briefing.||

[thewunderkind]

"Wow. Now that doesn't sound suspicious or strange at all!" A voice behind him quipped, her voice filled with sarcasm. Lash most certainly did not like the sound of that, even with promises of quick pickups and getting all the information once they got there. "Either they are being really paranoid about their communication channels being listened into by whatever problems they are having which could be understandable I guess, or we're walking right into something."

Call it her own paranoid nature when it came to anything regarding lack of proper information, but she shook her backpack again, wondering if she suddenly had enough weapons for the trip.

"...diplomatic mission, right?"

[ruffntumblenut.livejournal.com]

"So what?" Ruff asked from nearby, "If we walk into something we don't like, why don't we just take what we need from them and tell em to sort out their own crap? We've got smart people who can figure out how to use their stuff right?"

[thewunderkind]

"As great as that would be and what I'd love to do," because if there was something Lash enjoyed, it was to come in guns blazing, grab what was needed and leave, "negotiation goes two ways. We use them, they'll use us." Just like that time her and Hawke had bargained with Orange Star to stay alive.

"I bet they won't let us even see anything we could even think about reverse-engineering until we've agreed to helping them with whatever internal conflict problems they have. If they're the private sort of people, they've got to be extremely secretive and paranoid as well, asking for help or not." Or at least Lash assumed.

[imperious_lex]

"But they're being so secretive can give us leverage," Lex pointed out. "Obviously, whatever is going on is beyond their control, something that's going to be a huge blow to their pride. Odds are they're going to go into this negotiation dangling their medical technology in our faces as something we desperately need in an attempt to establish the upper hand early.

"If you're smart, you'll let them. That's the best way to get them to open up about whatever problems they have." But, collectively, this crew had a tendency to be anything other than smart. Frankly, if there was a functioning brain cell between the lot of them, they'd let Lex do the talking and shut up, but he knew that would never happen. That would require a shred of common sense.

"From there, its simply a matter of investigating their problem and seeing if we have the solution. If we can prove that we can solve their problem, but refuse to do so because their current offer is insufficient, we now have the leverage to negotiate more favorable terms. The key will be not throwing that leverage in their face. I'd bet that the government won't agree to a deal unless they get to save face as part of it. So long as whoever is handling the negotiations can handle things like tact and subtlety, however, it shouldn't be much of an issue." Of course, no one in this group was know for either tact or subtlety. Still, the strategy was sound and simple; any screw ups wouldn't be on him.

"Who will be taking the lead on the negotiations, by the way? You might want to settle that now, as you'll want to make a good first impression."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"They have already lost face. Despite their history of being able to dissuade attacks from outsiders, they have been forced to entertain our overtures to help deal with dissidents within their own societal structure. Acceptance of those overtures will constitute further proof of their inability to maintain order without outside intervention.

"The fact that they are willing to entertain the possibility of a partnership anyway means that they have, to some extent, come to terms with that truth." Personally, Zouichi thought it more likely that the government would be sugarcoating any problems than clamming up about them. But it didn't really matter either way.

"I do agree that it would be easier to negotiate without thirty or so crew members talking at once." Which might leave the rest of the crew an opportunity to a little outside investigating. Hmm.

[carrieswar.livejournal.com]

"Stacy said, what, Council of Five?" Jr. nodded. "Maybe evening out that number for the initial briefing would be a good idea. Just make sure at least a couple of them know how to get themselves out of a bad situation, so this doesn't turn into another Orya incident."

As for what the others would do in the meantime... "The rest of us can probably check the area around out. Talk to the people. You know, to see how much they know about what's going on, and how much of their knowledge and opinions of it line up with the council's. Obviously none of us should wander around alone down there, so we can stick to a group system. And set up a rendezvous point once those visiting the council finish up with that."

[seasindorei.livejournal.com]

Ter'thelas smiled and glanced over at Lex Luthor.

"Ooh. Now you, you I like. You have your head in the right place." He pulled a pair of gloves from one pocket and fiddled with them, idly testing them for fit (of course they fit, he already knew that, but putting forth the image of a dilettante was useful, at times).

"Obviously they don't want to tip their whole hand, and neither should we. Just a word of warning for all you earnest, honest types coming along on this mission." He looked around the room, giving an appraising glance to a few other crew members.

"The question is, then, who is to be in the group that will be primarily responsible for negotiations? I nominate him," he nodded towards Luthor in an almost lazy gesture, "and myself, of course. Who else?"

[governorkang]

Kang had been silent for a while, just listening and going over the available information in his head. He didn't like this. Something was bothering him, and like Lash, he had a feeling they might just be walking into something. He spoke up, "I should go. I am one of the Councilors, after all, and I've got more than enough experience with diplomacy back on my world. Daniel would also do well; he got one of the Time Dragons to agree to destroy the clock."

[futureisclear.livejournal.com]

"If we're forming a diplomatic team, I believe I should be on it as well. I do have leadership experience and... I am a psyker. At the very least, I'll be able to get a read on their emotions and state of mind."

Ildraniath paused and then she nodded at Luthor and Ter'thelas in turn, "I also tend to agree with the both of them regarding this matter."

[encourage]

Sakura listened, keeping mostly to herself. Yet with the nominations going on for the direct group to talk with this councilor, she felt she should express some opinion. "I'd like to request that if we're going down there with as many people from Medical as we have, at least one of us will be with the group talking with the Galileean Council."

She wasn't about to suggest herself. "In which case, I nominate Rory." An apolgetic tip of her head to Rory, but out of those here from Medical, she felt he had the better personality to handle what might come up. Howard... ha.

Besides, if anything were lurking around, Sakura was better suited for moving around outside of a council situation. "Pending no objections from those of you being volunteered, or volunteering yourselves."

[kandrakar-heart.livejournal.com]

Will sighed. It was pretty obvious that they did have too many people for negotiations, after all. Splitting up did make the most sense. "Alright, so I guess unless anyone else feels like they HAVE to be at the initial negotiations talking to that council, we're pretty much set there, right?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"No objections here." Standing around getting the Standard Tour(TM) wasn't really his style, anyway.

"Should we also decide how to split the remainder of the crew?"

[imperious_lex]

"Medical personnel shouldn't be at the initial meeting," Lex interjected. There was an opportunity there for him to insert a dig about Rory being unable to keep his cool when things get tense, but he passed on it for now. He had already pushed himself to the forefront of the negotiation team, no need to undercut himself.

"They'd all be better served getting hands on with the technology being offered, and talking with the doctors on the planet, rather than haggling over a price. We need to verify that their equipment does exactly what they say it can do before we enter in an agreement." Unless everyone wanted to risk getting ripped off.

[thewunderkind]

"In that case, maybe it would be a good idea to have Zetta as part of the initial meetup team," Lash said, giving him a small glance, hoping he wasn't going to object at the idea. "Having two of the ship's councilmen to meet their group would probably ease their minds, show we come in good faith and make it much easier for you guys to...negotiate with them." Ewww, negotiations. Lash negotiated with her weapons.

"That being said, I'm thinking adding a bodyguard or two to the group would be a good idea. Not because you guys really need it, but who knows what they might have in store. If anything, a few extra pairs of eyes and a mindset to be prepared if anything goes wrong and to look around while you concentrate completely on the talking would be handy don't you think? No use going in this blindly." She spoke from experience.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"At the very least I'd be a damn good representative of just how freaking diverse this crew can get," the book said, not minding the suggestion. "And since their technology is medical stuff, and probably useless on books, that makes me the guy who doesn't need it and can be more objective about it all."

[goddamnwingman]

"A couple of bodyguards wouldn't be a bad idea." Dick spoke up, moving forward. "I'll go ahead and offer myself for that. I'm a pretty skilled fighter and I'm pretty decent under pressure for the diplomatic end."

And if it meant he could keep an eye on Lex while he was at it, all the better. Not that he expected the man to try anything on the mission, not while he was still making nice with the crew. But it didn't hurt to be careful.

[encourage]

"I'm politely disagreeing, sir. One of the medical personnel should be present. If your disagreement is with my suggestion, then I ask you to make your own. There will be time over the course of negotiations for all of us to be doing as you suggest, and that can only happen after the debriefing we'll all be receiving once we're on Galilee."

More particularly, she looked away from Lex and to other members of the group. "Personal feelings aside, once we have had a chance to look at what they're offering, and we know what it is they want, someone from medical is your best bet for prioritizing. As for the bodyguards," she added, hands clasping behind her back, "Altogether it looks like even that angle's been covered now."

[thewunderkind]

Sakura had a point, as much as Lash hated to admit it.

"So how about if we have a few of us of them negotiating with the big five, one or two medical staff just to check if they aren't trying to trick us with snake oil or whatever magical medical thingamajigs they have, someone good enough with technology to see if they can figure it out as it's presented to us, and the one or two bodyguards? That still makes it about a core team of around ten." Lash might not be too good with negotiations, but she knew her technology and how to hit things.

"I'll offer myself for the technological or the bodyguard aspect. More the technological aspect, obviously, but being a bodyguard would give me an excuse to stand around and look at what they have too. The rest of us can go out and find out intel about the place? I'd assume after the briefing they'd let us move around if we're supposed to help out with their problems."

[imperious_lex]

"My objection is simply having Medical personnel at a trade negotiation. No more than one needs a lawyer in an operating room," he addressed Sakura. "But, if we insist on having someone from Medical along, then I'd suggest Dr. McNinja." Not only was he a doctor, but he could double as a bodyguard.

"Beyond that, I have no objections to the plans so far."

[level12headache]

"Zetta should not go." Querl spoke. "Negotiations inherently require persons with great diplomatic skill. No offense, Councilor, but as you would be the first to admit that is not you. Until we know our situation better and the personal qualities of its members, we should refrain from sending in the more volatile and blunt persons until such a time as we have ascertained if they would be useful in negotiation. Every person who goes, regardless of if they are sent for diplomatic reasons, for their medical talents, or as a body guard, must be able to restrain themselves."