That day in Noscovo

[Greywall]

THIS POST IS DARK: RAPE, MURDER, TORTURE YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

"Now or never, remember men, Okeena has personal guards that'll die for him." Admiral Vokoyo knew the risk, but he had General Uduike the last Union head of the military with him, some brave men, and the hopes of what was left of the Union. They marched into Okeena's palace and found him and his guards in a large chamber, Okeena had just finished raping his maid and beating her into a pool of her own blood. He giggled pulling his pants up and strapping on his belt when he saw the group enter, "General Uduike, Admiral...an update? Funny I didn't ask for you." 

Uduike's eyes were on the woman laying in the ground breathing slowly in pain, he felt anger and rage as he gripped the revolver on his holster. "President Okeena, in the name of the Union of South Touli I am placing you under arrest. And relieve you of your duty as President." the Admiral called out. The guards grabbed their rifles, Kumo bolt actions and chambered rounds while the soldiers the Admiral and General brought also chambered. "Are you threatening your president admiral?" Okeena sneered, "The Union has deemed you unable and unfit to be such." Okeena's yellow broken teeth clenched as in his rage he said "I. AM. THE. UNION." 

An awkward silence filled the room, no one knows who fired the first shot. Just that complete madness followed. Bullets flew striking several, Okeena ran behind a tipped over table firing his personal revolver as the room turned into a combat zone shattering the large glass window looking outside sending those outside of it into panic. Admiral Vokoyo pushed ahead trying to reach Okeena as he got caught up in a fight with one of the guards for control of the rifle. "Traitor!" the guard yelled as the Admiral threw him to the ground taking the rifle and turning the guards head into a splattered mess on the floor. Admiral Vokoyo felt sharp pain in his chest followed by intense heat and the loud sounds of gunfire sending him to the ground unable to control his body. 

"NO!!!!" General Uduike shot the guards left but was struck in the leg by Okeena's revolver. Okeena killed the remaining soldiers before charging Uduike with a saber slicing off his hand that held his revolver. Uduike cried out in pain as Okeena laughed, "Did you think you could come into here and kill me? Did you think I could be stopped? That anyone could stop me!? I am a fucking god!" Okeena slashed Uduike with the saber with pure rage making the general wince in pain. 

"You're nobody! A fucking peasant! A worthless animal for me to kill!" Okeena put his knees on Uduike's chest and pressed his thumbs into the general's eyes. "You were just born so I could kill you!" Okeena gouged out Uduike's eyes sending the general into a panic full of fear and pain. Okeena laughed as Vokoyo slid his saber behind the president. "You fucking dumbass! You missed Admiral! I'm gonna skull fuck the bo-" the blade entered Okeena's chest stopping him, he turned to see the maid standing over him, glaring into him. She pivoted the sword up slicing his chest open making him seize and stop as blood poured from him over the now blinded general. 

"Fuck you" the maid said before pulling the blade out, grabbing Okeena's bald head and slicing his throat open leaving him to guttural his last word before death, "shit". He fell over dead ending his long presidency. "Madam...go get help!" the admiral begged. The maid sword still in hand left the room, Uduike was motionless and silent. "Dammit...don't die." 

--hours later--

It was announced that President Okeena was now dead and that the military seized power in what remained of the UST. Admiral Vokoyo sent riders and messengers asking for parlay and ceasefire, he requested Kumosenkan and UKUG oversee the war talks and that the Union was willing to talk terms to all participants. 

[aimway921]

The news of UST surrender and invitation for peace talks would be related to Ashinara through the fastest means possible. Through a mixture of boat, telegraph and train, it would take about 4 days for it to reach Foreign Minister Tagomych's desk.

A quick conference would be held to decide who will be sent to negotiate the peace treaty. It would be agreed that the most successful field commanders from the war would form the delegation:

-General Lishenko, commander of Ashinara's Expeditionary Force
-Dirka - formerly Captain, now promoted twice throughout the war and holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, brave leader of the Ashinaran cavalry.
-Admiral Kolvan, commander of the Ashinaran battlefleet sent South.

Along with them, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hulechenko, will be sent as an assistant to head of the delegation - the old Hetman himself.

[Sophie]

"And why in all of Ouhiri is she attending?!" The shout bellowed throughout the Empress's chamber mere seconds after the woman clad in pink had burst in.

"I will tell you once, and only once, to watch your tone with me, Yamanaka-kas." The words were filled with ice and warning. The Empress of Kumosenkan Shiraori Tetsu Kumo's white spines stood on end and flared. "No one speaks to me in such a way. Not even you."

"Of course, your highness." Kazumi Yamanaka, the Minister of Foreign affairs. "But surely you can understand my outrage! I'm preparing to head to oversee wartalks in just a few days from the bloodiest war between fools in all of history. I overlook the list of those attending, and her goddamn name is on there!" Yamanaka shouted in rage, a side of herself she never allowed to be seen in public.

The Empress glared daggers at the woman and slowly walked up to her. Yamanaka looked up at the massive all-white woman with pause. The Empress grasped the woman's neck with her hand and squeezed with all her strength. "You dare continue this fucking insolence. I personally selected the diplomats who will be in attendance. Do you doubt your Empress?!" The woman growled, staring with her bright red eye shining against the light. The minister shook her head while clutching at the Empress's hand. "Then fucking explain yourself."

The Empress released her grip, and the woman hunched over, hacking and coughing while gasping for air. "I don't doubt you, your highness. I am simply struggling to understand why you'd assign her to my entourage."

"Assign who?!" The Empress shouted as her left eye twitched uncontrollably. "Speak clearly, Yamanaka-kas. You, of all people, should be able to do that, or should I rethink my council?"

"Kure-kan," Yamanaka answered, still choking on air. "Why was she added to my entourage? And why just before we are meant to depart? Did you not wish me to know she was coming? Did you not trust me with this information?!" Yamanaka demanded.

A crack echoed through the room as the back of Shiraori's hand struck the minister's cheek. "I thought I told you to watch your tone." Shiraori's voice was firm. "And I never authorized Kure to join that mission. You better not be making things up. Show me the paperwork."

Minister Yamanaka quickly dug through her satchel and handed the Empress a manilla folder. "Page three." Shiraori immediately flitted through the pages and a headache brewed in the back of her skull when she saw 'Riko Kure' not only as an attending, but the co-head of negotiations.

What on Ouhiri?! Kure, what did you do?! Thoughts raced through Shiraori's head, and she flipped through page after page, following the paper trail of approvals that had to go through to get the Minister of the Navy's name on this document. After backtracking through twelve documents, she came across it. A document that by design must be approved by the office of the Empress, and yet Kure's stamp was on it. What the fuck? Who accepted this? How did a mistake like this get overlooked by my bureaucrats?! A bottomless pit began to form inside Shiraori's stomach. Her eyes darted back and forth between the forms. She hoped with all her heart that this was her eyes playing tricks on her, but every time she checked and rechecked, the document remained unchanged.

"Yes, now I remember." The Empress's voice was calm and steady. The hostility had drained away, and all her effort went into covering up her new deep-seated panic. "I did put Kure on this mission with you. The decision was made last minute, and I had not the time to inform you until now. Trust in me that it was for the best."

This assured the woman but did not assuage her frustration. "I... I understand Shiraori-kama. Thank you for shedding light on this situation for me."

"I am pleased to serve all of my subjects. Most of all, my trusted council." Shiraori put on a smile and clutched the folder in her hand. "Will there be anything else?"

"No, Ma'am. I humbly thank you for your time." The minister bowed as far as her body would let her before coming back up and reaching for her files.

Shiraori pulled away. "I will be hanging onto this for you. You're welcome. Hurry along now; you have a ship to catch."

A completely bewildered Yamanaka stared for a few moments. This was far and away from standard procedure, but as she thought to protest, pain flared in her neck. "Thank you, your highness. I will be on my way."

---

A matter of weeks passed, and on the scheduled day, a contingent of the Kumosenkan Royal Battle Fleet arrived at the UST. A single battleship, two heavy cruisers, a handful of light cruisers, and a baker's dozen of destroyers laid anchor at the ports of Noscovo. The important disembarkees were Minister of Foreign Affairs Kazumi Yamanaka, Minister of the Navy Riko Kure, and a half dozen auxiliary diplomats well versed in the goings on in Touli. Without delay, they were led to the room in which negotiations were planned to be held.

[VoxApocrypha]

 It wasn't with eagerness and glee that the Kithium League accepted the offer of peacetalks, but with anger and a deep feeling of a missed opportunity. Had they been quicker in all likelihood they would have absolutely dismantled the entirely of Noscovo before any Coup would have been affected, but they as well understood that if this was how it was to be, then they'd best maneuver to get what they wanted as fast as they feasibly could - with terms. 

 The Kithium opted to follow the original aims of their invasion to begin with, plus additional demands.

1. The UST is to surrender the gold stolen from the Kithium League during the prior war in the 1920s, and surrender any claim to Razu, or other Kithium Territories - It will as well openly recognize Razu as a Kithium Territory. 

2. The UST will have a military limited to 200,000 men, of which the League hoped that all other powers would support - the aim being to ensure that the UST could still maintain some form of internal security so it could maintain a semi-stable state, regardless what form it took - and would as well be forbidden from remilitarization and the acquisition of modern firearms, artillery, aircraft and other instruments of military power. 

3. The UST will relinquish any claim to Veneshy and surrender the City to the Tafatu, and then recognize the sovereignty of the Tafatu nation and as well, that of the Bian. 

4. The UST is forbidden from waging war against other states offensively, but may defend itself and its remaining territory, of which will be considered its new legal boundaries.

[callmedelta]

Reading the news, Dante felt like a small weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It was finally over. All the bloodshed, the death and violence and destruction. Tafatu was officially free, or it soon would be, and everyone could finally go home and prepare for the worst that nobody knew was coming. That elation didn't last long, however, as the weight of realizing that now he had to make peace soon took up the place on his shoulders. At the very least, it was lighter, and he had quite the friend to help carry the former burden.

"Are you ready to go, Dante?" Lehran de Angelis asked, breaking Dante from his thoughts. The boat was nearing Noscovo now, carrying his Royal Highness King Dante Emil Soleil Della Rosa II, the Director of the Franerri Foreign Affairs Administration Lehran de Angelis, Marhsal Zelgius, the Fraenrri Chief of Staff, as well as the aides and staff necessary for each man. Dante wished that a second mediator aside from Kumosenkan could have been chosen, though at the very least Lehran was confident there may be the chance to negotiate regarding the letter that had been sent. At least one of the two was on optimist.

Dante walked out onto the deck of the boat, where Marshal Zelgius was already waiting as they pulled into the harbor of Noscovo. It was time to bring this all to a close, for better or for worse.

~

Looking over the Kithium League's demands, the Fraenrri demands were very similar, with a few additions and changes.

1. The UST is to surrender the gold stolen from the Kithium League during the prior war in the 1920s, and surrender any claim to Razu, or other Kithium Territories - It will as well openly recognize Razu as a Kithium Territory.

1.5. The UST is to pay the Tafatu 330,000 tons of gold as war reparations for damaged caused in Tafatu by the Union army.

2. The UST will have a military limited to 200,000 100,000 men, of which the League hoped that all other powers would support - the aim being to ensure that the UST could still maintain some form of internal security so it could maintain a semi-stable state, regardless what form it took - and would as well be forbidden from remilitarization and the acquisition of modern firearms, artillery, aircraft, ships sans vessels necessary for coastal patrol, and other instruments of military power.

3. Should the Tafatu wish to claim the city of Veneshy the UST shall legally cede it, and then recognize the sovereignty of the Tafatu nation and as well, that of the Bian. 

3.5. The UST will allow any tribes or groups who wish to secede do so, and join either the Kithium League, Tafatu, Bian or as independent states.

4. The UST is forbidden from waging war against other states offensively, but may defend itself and its remaining territory, of which will be considered its new legal boundaries.

5. Individuals within the Union of South Touli government responsible for ordering or carrying out crimes against humanity, notably the slaughter of civilian non-combatants, shall be investigated, tried, and sentenced if found guilty. 

[aimway921]

As the Ashinaran delegation read over the Kithium and Franerri demands, as well as after a short deliberation between themselves and their Franerri and Tafatu allies, they tacked on a few of their own additions to the list:

6. UST shall keep a demilitarized zone within 75 KM of Tafatu borders at Veneshy and Zest Grav, if they still posses a border with Tafatu after the secession of other tribes and groups other than Tafatu and Bian.

7. Remaining UST territories shall be held under Coalition occupational authority for 5 years as the new government is formed and guided towards a democratic process, with the intent of preventing someone like Okeena consolidating all the power in the nation again.

[Artsy Astra]

A few days would pass as the message reached the Marrlan Government. An observer's party would be selected and dispatched for the proceedings shortly after.
The Observers party would consist of:

Head of FA Leia Korsky
Ambassador Linda Hanlae
Ambassador Dale Adler

All hoped that things would move smoothly.

[Greywall]

Minister Anton McCaig arrived via a simple long range liner, when he saw smoke rising from the city of Noscovo he realized the situation in central Touli was far worse than he thought. He came after his nation was requested to come in but also to support UKUG trade partners. As his ship signalled for permission to dock he would step off and make his way to the presidential palace.

----

Vokoyo was the last active member of the UST government. Uduike died from his wounds, Okeena had slashed him deeply and the general didn't survive with the massive lack of medical supplies left in the country. Around Vokoyo were members of the old Oligarchy, out of their mansions and country homes where they hid from the war and Okeena's slipping insanity. Vokoyo felt them watching his every move, they wanted him to navigate them out of any blame for the war despite being the corrupted souls that funded and backed Okeena's regime.

The terms handed were harsh, as Vokoyo read them over and heard sniveling and sneering comments in hushed whispers the sounds of wood clacking hard against the floor silenced them, a UST guard walked in announcing "President Charles Kendaya, of the Tafatu Republic" Charles walked in with his one leg and a crutch and walking to take his seat. Vokoyo looked at him but quickly shifted his eyes away.

Kendaya laid out the following terms.

1. Tafatu Republic is an independent nation.

2. Zhest Gav and the central mountain region is to be annexed to the Republic.

3. The UST is to pay for the damages inflicted on the cities in the North.

4. The UST recognizes the Tafatu Republic as a sovereign nation and must never challenge this again.

5. The UST apologizes and accepts full responsibility for the genocide inflicted on the native tribes and Tafatu people.


Vokoyo sat there, all this leveled at him. The oligarchs bickered and retorted, "This will destroy us! What will be left!"

[VoxApocrypha]

The Kithium-Valderan occupied portion of the port signaled that he could dock within its free berths, to which there were a few of adequate size. They would guide them in, and then once they had disembarked, provided the ambassador escort to the capital building, where the talks were being held. The Kithium for their part had effectively partitioned the city, with the Valderans, into two. One region was controlled by the League, the other by the Franerri-Ashinaran coalition.

The Kithium ambassador was effectively Nihlus herself, and she oversaw the delivery of the Kithium League's demands, though for the moment she was simply listening to Vokoyo read off those of Kendaya.
She considered some revisions to the Kithium's own demands given this development, but she did so for all parties involved, adjusting the demands of the League accordingly.

With a dissatisfied grunt, as she heard the Oligarchs bicker, she'd turn away and whisper to herself, "Hopefully nothing."

[Sophie]

Shouting quickly broke out among the heated tensions of those still trying to kill each other. At the opposite end of the room, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kazumi Yamanaka, took note of the UKUG's representative. Yamanaka had been barely a diplomat at the time of the peace conference between the UKUG and Kumosenkan at the end of the Hawaii War, but every school in the modern day now taught about that meeting. It had been nothing but absolute professionalism; both sides wanted the best for their people with completely different goals, convening together and negotiating a fair peace that crippled neither nation.

Eventually, Anton McCaig, the UKUG representative, met Yamanaka's eyes. The two shared a look of exasperation before collectively rolling their eyes.

Kure watched the interaction closely, and once Yamanaka's eyes returned to her, Kure nodded. With a closed fist, Kure slammed on the table three times before bellowing. "ENOUGH!" It was loud, well, loud enough to drown out everyone currently speaking. A quick hush fell upon the room as all eyes went to what caused the noise. "This rabble-rousing will solve nothing. If you wish for these peace talks to be fruitful, then you must speak with decorum and in turn."

"On that note, I will begin." Yamanaka began. "For those who do not know me, I am the Minister of Foreign affairs for Kumosenkan, Kazumi Yamanaka. I have been asked to speak on behalf of the Union of South Touli. I understand the lot of you who fought in this war against the UST are angry and want what you believe to be just desserts. However, none of the terms put forth by any party are at any level acceptable. This is an armistice meeting, a conditional ceasefire, not an unconditional surrender. You have not defeated the UST, your soldiers have not marched upon the capital, and your bullets have not slain every last-standing soldier. Demanding that the UST limit its army size is completely unheard of, and restricting what kind of wars they are allowed to wage is absurd."

"This war wasn't even an offensive war." Minister Kure interrupted. "It was a civil war, a defensive war. Attempting to restrict a nation from engaging in international warfare when it has yet to elect to do so is foolish. This should be a discussion between the rebellion and the UST, not their backers. This is a dispute between those that have dubbed themselves the Tafatu People and the internationally acknowledged government of the Union of South Touli."

"However," Yamanaka cut back in. "We understand that you have been invited to this meeting. Your demands, though, make it clear you fail to understand how a peace conference should operate. I would recommend you turn to the advisor the UKUG sent. Twenty years ago, our two nations managed to sign a fair peace that prevented further needless bloodshed and left both nations with their dignity intact. You've come in here swinging for the fences and demanding everything as if you’d captured the UST whole with your banners hanging from every window. The only thing that presumption will get you is a prolonged war and more bloodshed. That is not the goal of this conference."

"The terms we find unacceptable are as follows." Minister Kure continued, picking up a document from which she began to read. "The payment of gold or money as any form of claimed return or reparations."

"The UST has no gold remaining in its reserves, and all the mines that extract it are in claimed Tafatu territory. Nor does the UST have any money, as it has accrued a debt greater than twenty times its yearly GDP during the conflict. Even if you were to claim you were owed such reparations, the Union would never be able to pay it and would only inflict even further suffering upon a people who are already in the midst of a horrific famine." Minister Yamanaka explained further on Kure's point.

"Number two, the limiting of the UST's army in any way, shape, or form." Minister Kure spoke coldly. "That is far and away the most absurd proposal I have ever heard. And it is clear that it is being proposed so that you may pounce upon a forcibly weakened enemy once your economies and armies have recovered from the bloodletting of this war. This includes the state's right to self-actualize military goals for the sake of its people."

"Restricting the size and composition of one's army hasn't been done since the last staol war. That was a global coalition agreeing upon terms to be foisted upon Koi after three global conflicts. Not only that, every nation that forced that deal upon Koi also agreed to come to Koi's defense in the case of an offensive war against them. What you are proposing is the crippling of a nation out of anger. A nation that is not surrendering unconditionally as Koi did." Yamanaka again followed up with further context.

"Number three, the ceding of any territories not currently occupied by belligerent nations." Kure continued in her icy professionalism. "Never before in history has territory been annexed by a belligerent party without capturing it during the war with armed forces."

"As well," Yamanaka added. "The island known as Razu should not be ceded. It is of critical infrastructure to the Union that has received massive investment from the government. More importantly, it is undeniably occupied by humans who hail from the UST and have no desire or intention to leave the UST. As such, the island will remain in UST hands.”

“Number four, the installation of any sort of demilitarized zones within formally recognized UST territories in the post-war.” Kure continued.

“I’m not even sure where you got this sort of idea. Never before in history has any sort of rule like this been implemented. Even in Koi, the Koian military is allowed to occupy any territory formally recognized as Koian.” Yamanaka added further context.

“And finally, the occupation of UST territories in the post-war, especially any form of ‘occupational authority.’ This is not an unconditional surrender. Your people have not earned any sort of right to decide upon the governments of surviving belligerents nor to occupy their territories with armed forces.”

“With all of that said, everything else is on the table to be negotiated.” Yamanaka offered, and both of the Kumo took their seats for others to weigh in.

[callmedelta]

Lehran took the lead regarding Kumosenkan's counter to their demands. They had swung for the fences in regards to their earlier demands, and now it was time to negotiate back down. "Minister Yamanaka, Minister Kure," Lehran said to each woman in turn, "While you may find the proposal for the limiting of the Union Army absurd, it comes from the best of places. The Union of South Touli has lost this war, and while I hope we are all not doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past, it would be a folly to assume that there wouldn't be some within the Union of South Touli who are dissatisfied with their surrender, and would seek to reclaim their former territories. It's a measure to prevent even further bloodletting, not to ensure it. As a counter proposal, what if the Union was limited to a peacetime army of 300,000 soldiers, with no aircraft, ships sans vessels necessary for coastal patrol, and armored vehicles? This is much more lenient than what was initially proposed, and I believe it would allow the Union to defend itself against any aggression, while inhibiting it's ability to enact such aggression in the first place."

"As far as payment is concerned, for those of us with armies involved with the conflict here at the table, if what you're saying is true it's a sad reality that the Union does not have any gold to give. However, I believe some sort of repayment is still in order. To that end, I propose halving the original payments due to both Tafatu and Kithium, and instituting a period of 20 years that the Union will have to repay these amounts with no interest on the amounts due."

"I believe that, as a show of good faith, the demilitarized zones and occupation of Union of South Touli should be slashed from any treaty that would be enforced on the Union. As far as the annexation of any further territories, I wish to make Franerre's intentions clear. We believe in the principle of self-determination of all people, and as such if the people of any former territories of the Union of South Touli wish to succeed from the Union, whether it be as an independent nation or joining one here at this table, it should be allowed. The attempted quashing of the Tafatu's self-determination is what started this war for Franerre and her allies, and to ensure that such rights were not guaranteed at this pivotal junction would be to only invite more bloodshed in the future. To ensure that the self-determination of these people is properly carried out, I propose that elections be held in all UST territories on such a matter, with international observers to ensure that there is no foul play involved. Seeing as they are overseeing this peace conference and have little to no reason to engage in fowl play, I believe that the Kingdom of Ulster-Gaelia and Kumosenkan could act as observers for such elections."

"That is all Franerre currently wishes to say on the matter," Lehran said, taking his seat.

[Kira]

Standing alongside the Kithium ambassador, Fleet Captain Samir Torres considered the bickering of the other powers. "Be it at home or abroad, it seemed very little changed when it came to those in power" the Mil'Nor thought to himself, turning to speak

"I must ask something of a particular concern, Minister Yamanaka. You have shown concerns with the people of the Union after they have endured such a bloody war, and while I do not question your right to speak for them, what about the Galran seizure of the eastern Union? All those assembled seem to have waylaid this event, leaving to accept what you seem to be preaching the avoidance of here today." The Mil'Nor let his words hang for a few moments before speaking once more. "As far as the demands given thus far, the Valdera stands in support of the Kith in their demands. The territories lost in the last war between the two is to be returned, and the independence of those people who desire it is to be respected. 
. 

[Greywall]

Minister McCaig shook his head lightly giggling at the display of chaos, Touli was a nightmare lately. He winked at his Kumo counterpart smiling wryly and wishing he was half a bottle down in scotch.

"The United Kingdom is simply here to observe these talks and support our partners. Them being the League, Mil'Nor, Ashinara, Tafatu and Marrlan. The UKUG has no interest in the dealings in rebels amid former colonials. But given the normal rules of warfare I would like to entertain two key issues. Issue 1 being land seized by the League and why they cannot hold them, issue 2 we want to know how anyone would enforce a damn thing on the UST. I think we should sign for the amended terms by Kumosenkan but I will speak on why Razu cannot remain in the League"

McCaig dry coughed honestly over the entire thing and looking forward to a small break SOON.

---

President Kendaya knifed pointed to the Kumo, "I believe. Your guns were in possession of the UST, since the Union is incapable and you played a direct part in slaughtering my people and destroying my cities. Kumosenkan should pay reparation."

McCaig's eyes widened along with Admiral Vokoyo's at this battered broken man demanding Kumo pay for damages.

The oligarchs continued to argue, their incessant nonsense finally getting the better of the admiral. "These men, are responsible. They were in the Union government and played a direct role in the decision making that led us here." He clapped his hands and some Union guards stepped in, "You can have them, they have no place in our nation."

[VoxApocrypha]

The Kithium were incensed at the insinuation that they wouldn't be allowed to keep territory that in all reality objectively belonged to them, and that they held firmly. The Empress among them was obviously agitated, and the constant grip she held on her tail to keep it from swinging around in malevolent rage was apparent, though she kept the appendage firmly from lashing about and her expression stoic. Nihlus would opt to speak.

"The Island of Razu was settled first by the Kithium League and has for over 300 years had a Kithium presence since the Old Tsardom colonized the island. It holds numerous important cultural and societal landmarks to the Kithium League and the Cult of Mars. Regardless of how much the UST invested into the island - Most of its citizens lived in squalor after they took over, and were living in squalor when we returned to liberate the island. We are not willing to surrender it."

They wouldn't react much to the admiral offering up the Oligarchs, though the Empress interest looked peaked, as did many of the other Kithium in the room, of whom likely had a vested interested in taking these men for trial in their own country and a likely bloody end otherwise or after.

Their empress would however, move on.
"The Oligarchs are responsible for a lot of things but they should be tried by a collective court of victors rather than simply thrown to the wolves. I would however, like these men removed from the room, because they've been nothing but a nuisance since they got here." She'd say, gesturing to the Oligarchs. "And they frankly, should have no future in deciding anything for the UST."

[aimway921]

As the Kumo, Franerri, Mil'Nor, Gaelic and Tafatu parties were speaking, members of the Ashinara party could be seen talking to each other in hushed tones, Hulechenko checking something in his papers, at one point the old Hetman even glared towards Kendaya. While his complaint against Kumosenkan was fair, the Coalition couldn't afford to risk another war right now - and angering the spiders was surely one way to fastrack one. No, they had to play their cards right, appease the greater powers to avoid further conflict with them, while still getting the desired result from this negotiation.

"Perhaps Pani Yamanaka is right, in some of the aspects," Hulechenko began. "However, you have seen the state of this city when you arrived, have you not? UST military is incapable of even defending their own capital in the war they have started against their own people. As Pan Kendaya duly noted, the origin of this conflict was slaughtering his people and destroying his cities. This was not even a civil war, it was a genocide. In such a situation, how can you suggest that this surrender is anything but unconditional?

I do however agree that the terms we originally levied are... Unachievable, as the UST would not be capable of complying with them even if they fully committed everything they have to comply. UST should pay reparations, but not in gold which they don't have, rather in other natural resources, as well us the output of their industry." Hulechenko then turned towards Kendaya. "Kumosenkan has merely sold a product to a party willing to pay. While their war profiteering is questionable, it isn't as condemnable. Especially," his eyes narrowed as he seemed to be staring Kendaya down, before continuing in a lower tone, it being obvious he was speaking directly to Kendaya rather than addressing the whole room, "when the party you are accusing is here to mediate and observe, not become part of the bickering themselves."

As Hulechenko finished, General Lishenko continued.

"We do also agree with McCaig's observation - how would the terms even be enforced. Which is why we are still in favor of setting up an occupational authority for a limited time."