Written by Resentine and Imperial Frost


The Pelican, along with it's escort compliment of Sabres, took off towards from the hangar bay of the Forward Unto Dawn and began making their way through the black of space to the Masak'Tular. The ship itself, though darkly painted and with a very curved design, with many floors of the ship seeming to 'weave' together, was no larger a standard Venterran battle-cruiser, fitted with a number of dishes and arrays on it's topside. The rest of the Tular's fleet compliment was was of much smaller vessels, mostly frigates and corvettes serving as an escort. Despite Commander Marek's actions, the fleet he commanded was no combat fleet. As the Pelican approaches the Masak'Tular, a call comes out over the comm. "This is Masak'Tular Flight Control. You are authorized to land in the starboard docking bay. Any attempts to deviate from the pre-plotted course without notification will result in immediate destruction, as per Xeno-Unknown Engagement Protocol."

The pilot of the D-72 'Pelican' transport nods and tersely says, "Copy that." before correcting course towards the Cruiser's starboard docking bay. Meanwhile in the cargo hold 10 Orbital drop Shock troopers sat with their weapons at the ready as Commander Kobayashi argued with head of the security detail.
"Sir, I insist we expand your security detail to six of us and leave the other 4 to guard the ship."
"Negative Lt. Enel, I need your boys standing by the Pelican. If the meeting goes south the fleet should be warned of the existence of a hostile alien civilization based somewhere in this sector, and appropriate action be taken to protect the next DSERF unlucky enough to be sent here." Replied Commander Kobayashi.
Enel acknowledged the commanders response and then said, "Then at least allow me to accompany you sir with my best man."
She shook her head, "I appreciate your concern Lieutenant, but you and I both know we're expendable in the eyes of the High Council of the Federation. In any case I need you to lead the remaining 7 men while two accompany me to this meeting. I've already conceded and allowed you to take a fire team along but I and the two men you've assigned can take care of ourselves."
Enel tried to speak but was cut off by the intercom as the pilot spoke, "Preparing docking procedures, god speed gentlemen."
Standing by the door Kobayashi nodded, "You heard him, tell your men to get into position. Even if they seek a peaceful proposition be prepared for anything." the Lieutenant shook his head, nodded and then barked a series of orders as the men stood at the ready while the bay doors hissed open slowly.

The door opened, revealing the interior of the Masak'Tular's hangar, maintaining the dark blue-black theme of it's exterior. On both sides of the bay were a set of 8 strikecraft, and in front of the pelican's drop bay was Commander Marek with a pair of Tular Security officers, with several more standing near the doors to the rest of the ship. Marek, with all six of his eyestalks, darted his eyes around the interior of the Pelican, almost as if checking to see if he had been deceived. He then met eyes with the Commander, and nodded. "Welcome aboard the Masak'Tular, Commander Kobayashi. I'm certain our Flight Officer was about as cold as usual?"

The Commander watched the Tular's eyes as it looked around the hold until its gaze rested on the Commander's eyes. Nodding at the Tular the commander responds with the AI translating, It's good to be welcomed aboard as guests. I'm certain our pilot replied in kind. Shall we talk business, Commander?" As Kobayashi spoke, two of the troopers moved to flank the commander while the remainder stood at what seemed to be at attention. However, upon closer inspection their posture appeared to be ready to engage in combat.

"Indeed. Please, follow me. " Commander Marek and his escorts begin sliding towards the doors, with their lower tentacles pulling them along. The guards by the door activate the door's panel, allowing the two commanders and their guards through. As they make their way through the dimmly lit deck to the meeting room, Kobayashi and their guards catch stares from all sorts of Tular crewmen. Some looks of Shock and awe, with several gaping at the sight of a Xeno, but most others seem to stare, give a quick hiss, and go right back to what they were working on. As they enter the meeting room, the commander notes that all but one the chairs surrounding the black, hexegonal table, are round with a deep, cone indent in them, and a very wide, rounded back. Commander Marek quite comfortably hops into one of these chairs, seeming to sink comfortably into it. "Our apologies for the lack of choice in seating. When our engineering department heard you were headed over, they tried to assemble one based off of the feed we got from your bridge. I doubt it will be the most comfortable chair you've sat in, but, it should suite our needs well enough. With that said, please sit down." He motions to the chair opposite of him, the one that at at least 'looks' like it was meant for Venterrans.

As the Xeno spoke to Commander Kobayashi, the two guards swiftly and silently inspected the seat the Tular commander gestured towards for any hidden explosives or structural anomalies. After giving a quick thumbs up at the Venterran Commander, the pair returned to their positions flanking commander Kobayashi. "My apologies for inspecting the structural integrity of the chair, but one can't be too sure during first contact situations. We also expect for you to do the same if our situations were reversed." replied Kobayashi as she sat down on the chair. Looking over at Commander Marek the commander spoke, "As you know I've stated in our initial meeting that the purpose of my fleet's mission was to explore this sector, when we encountered an unidentified distress signal. You claim that the owners of that beacon are war criminals, yet the beacon paints your kind as a barbaric race hell bent on genocide. I am skeptical of these allegations against your kind, but I'm required to investigate the situation in order to avoid war between our respective civilizations."

Marek, calm in his demeanor, seems to sigh at the comment of being 'barbaric', "There has been a long history between our three races spanning thousands of years, and not always in the society that you see today."

He activates a terminal on the table, which in turn brings down a screen from the ceiling of the room. As it activates, it shows what appear to be Tular logs on the Yil-idi and the M'gadri, but, the picture of the M'gadri does not match the one suspected to be one in the Emergency Transmission. It instead shows a ball of tan goo, occasionally morphing into other species, at one point, an avian, and a mammal, and then even a Tular. Marek, looking up at the screen, states, "These are the two we seek, the Yil'idi and their overlords, the M'gadri. For thousands of years, they, jointly, ruled over our sector of space. Together, they committed dozens of planetary atrocities, mostly in the form of genocides, and all in the name of science." The screen quickly changes to a lush forest world, with an overlay of descriptors on it. "Planet M-000987, in orbit of a star we know as 'Aran'Lisak'-Death Gift, in your tongue. It was formerly home to an avian civilization of almost 1 billion worldwide. Approximately 700 years ago, M'gadri scientists, aiming to 'study adaption of a society', created a mass genetic modification device and sprayed a majority of the planet's vegetation, turning them into a number of aggressively expanding carnivorous species. Within 50 years, there were less than 1,000 of those Avians left."

Commander Kobayashi listened intently to Commander Marek. The Venterran commander was disgusted by the crimes committed by the M'gadri, but was intrigued by the trans-formative properties of the species. The Venterran race worked extensively on biotechnology in order to maintain the Venterran species, modifying themselves to preform photosythesis, but mimicking an entirely new species to survive on a desolate planet via transformation was light years ahead of their own technology. Shaking her head softly the commander responded, "I see... Archer explain to our hosts the R2E protocol." She then taps a few keys on the right gauntlet illuminating a small AI figure that explains, "Of course sir. Commander Marek it is possible that you possess sufficient evidence to rescind the R2E protocol that was enacted when we received this 'distress signal'. Protocol dictates that an investigation be conducted to determine the validity of the claims of attempted genocide and the negotiation for the safe exile of vulnerable species. The Federation will also deploy as many combat fleets as necessary to secure the safety of vulnerable species. Furthermore attempts to obstruct or deny the investigation will lead to a full scale war between the Venterran Federation and your intergalactic civilization. However, in the event that the distressed party is the perpetrator of mass genocide, the Federation will order its combat fleets to return to Federation space or assist the other party in seeking justice or retribution against said species." The AI flickers and dims back into the gauntlet, as the Commander continued "The point being Commander Marek, is that the scales have been equalized. If we had more evidence we could rescind the R2E protocol and assist your species bring them to justice. However, we are wary that the evidence provided has been doctored as we recognize your hostility to them."

"Once we have reached an agreement, you are more than welcome to go and see these worlds yourself. There are several dozen once inhabited worlds that the Yil-idi and M'gadri have left their mark on." He changes the screen, showing almost a dozen different worlds of all kinds, a list overlaying them. He then highlights one world in particular, 'Ulma'Kasak'-First Home. "Though there are many others on this list, this is the one that triggered it all. Almost 2000 years ago, during the ages of our earliest civilizations, we encountered them for the first time. At the time, they were revered as gods, worshiped in societies around the globe. However, despite all of our resources devoted to them, they terraformed our world while we were still on it. They drove us underground. We never knew about this until almost 100 years ago, while we served as a part of their 'Triumverate' that ruled this sector. We promptly left, along with all of our colonies, and formed our own Republic. We can provide all of our documented evidence of this, and even take you to some of these sites first hand, but, you must promise that if you find our evidence sufficient, you will allow us to bring them to Justice. Our Justice."

Commander Kobayashi understood that the concept of justice differed between species, and was worried she might overplay her hand when she replied, I'm afraid I can't promise that the Federation will turn a blind eye to genocide, but a sufficient number of senators may change their tune if we can come to an agreement on the transfer of 1500 M'gadri as research specimen to research their trans-formative properties. If you are afraid that they may escape custody, the project could be done in a joint endeavor."

"I cannot promise that, at least not alive. But then again, you wouldn't need them alive with the right tools, which we could provide. I understand your 'Federation' may not approve of our actions, but out here, after all the Yil-idi and M'gadri have done, there is only one justice they have left to report to, the same one they have condemned so many before them to: death. They have caused so much and there is no assurance, and there never has been, that even if one were left alive they would not carry out the same actions that they have. We tried before, to sit down. We only got silence, and burned homes."

"That's unfortunate since my superiors would undoubtedly demand that some be spared, but fortunately for you they're not here. The senators obstructing the more nobler members of the Federation from acting may demand additional bodies to compensate for missing observational data. " The Commander then sighed as she wondered if she was doing the right thing for the continued expansion of the Federation and wondered if she could legally maneuver her way into justifying the mass extinction of another sovereign species that has engaged in genocide. While deep in thought, Kobayashi muttered, "Perhaps, there may be a way for the federation to justify the Tular actions agains the M'gadri..."

Marek leans back, seemingly a bit surprised, but then leans back in and says, "Indeed, it would appear that I am fortunate. Justify to your government however you please, as we do not intentionally seek it. We are already justified with all the dead of those before us, and how lucky we were to stop them before they tried the same with us twice." He places his upper right tentacle into the air, "I do swear to honor this agreement to the best of my ability, on the name of the Republic and those who reside in its borders. And for the sake of all those, before and after us."

Kobayashi nods, "It is quite unpleasant to condemn an entire species, but given the circumstantial evidence You've provided in addition to the potential evidence my fleet may uncover following this agreement may be sufficient enough to justify Tular justice. As such I swear to uphold this agreement to the best of my ability on the honor of the Federation."

"Indeed. You may take your leave, back to your ship. We shall go, and we shall examine that beacon, together. Figure out it's secrets. And then, if you wish, we will show you the scenes of all of these crimes."

Kobayashi nods in agreement and after saying a brief farewell to their hosts was escorted safely back to the Pelican drop ship. After an uneventful flight back to the Forward unto Dawn, the commander talked with the AI as they walked towards the bridge. "That was quite a meeting Archer, thank you for translating my words."
"Thank you sir, but..." continued the AI, "permission to be blunt sir?"
"Granted." She replied.
"Well Commander I am afraid that my programming may interfere with your efforts to cooperate with the Tular."
"I know Archer, it's why we need evidence that the M'gadri are at least a class A threat which warrants all option on the table including assisting the local forces eliminate the threat. Is the evidence you witnessed during the meeting sufficient to revoke R2E?"
"Negative commander, while the evidence the Tularans gave us casts a shadow of doubt we still need the beacon and access to the affected planets to verify the Tularan accounts. Furthermore the M'gadri appear to be a class B-1 threat to the Federation at this time."
"B-1? That bad with the evidence we just gathered?" Asked Kobayashi.
The AI responds, "Yes commander, the evidence provided by the Tular indicates a high probability that the M'gadri have been engaging in genocide, furthermore the threat appears largely contained to this sector of the Galaxy. However, since other intergalactic civilizations will have also encountered this beacon it is entirely possible that the threat level may increase as a result of an encounter between them and an unknown third party." The commander grimaced at the possibility of a third party. Shaking their head softly the commander enters the bridge, relieving the first mate, and proceeded to issue orders to follow the Tularan fleet.