I couldn't find the Sim City macro so blah

[kill_all_vagans]

[1]

What- no!  No!

NO!  YOU CAN'T DO THIS!

[Flit can be found by a television which has been set to the news... announcing an unprecedented peace negotiation.  Two men are center stage, one the ESUN member Froi Olfenoa, while the other...]

"It is time to set aside the hostilities we have had for countless decades.  I am not blind to the actions of my people, nor the fact that our hardline efforts have done nothing but cost more lives.  It is clear now that for us to survive, there must be change and humility to recognize and repent for our crimes.  And that is why I am here now... in the hopes we can end this tragedy that has already taken far too many lives."

[The other speaker, a man in ridiculous, bizarre clothing, is identified as Fezarl Ezelcant... the leader of the Vagans.]



LIVES YOU TOOK BECAUSE YOU DECIDED TO!  YOU"RE ONLY EVEN DOING THIS BECAUSE WE BEAT THE WULGARU AND YOU LOST YOUR ALLIES!

YOU CAN'T DO THIS!  YOU'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO REGRET IT!

[There's more talk between the two about mending the rifts between Earth and the failed colonization program, but Flit's had more than enough and ends up storming off...]

[2]

[Later, Flit's in the hangar.  Looking over the AGE-1, looking at its accompanying device, looking at the Builder...]

\

The SSR somehow getting the designs was one thing, but if the information is leaked to the Vagans...

Comments

1

[star_of_sad]

Flit-kun...

[Setsuko stares at this outburst from a distance before approaching.]

Is trying to make peace with Vagans a mistake? Is that what you really think?

Re: 1

[kill_all_vagans]

After everything they've done, and what they just DID try to do when we fought the Wulgaru...

[He shakes his head.]

I won't take their word on this. I won't trust that man.

[star_of_sad]

The Wulgaru never tried a peaceful solution before. This is the first - for all we know, they could really mean it.

[kill_all_vagans]

After everything they've done, do you think they're on the level? I can't.

[star_of_sad]

I am not saying we shouldn't be careful, but..

We won't know unless we try. And this is an opportunity that never presented itself.

[kill_all_vagans]

And that's because they're the worst kind of monsters. It's not on the level, it can't be.

[star_of_sad]

Zentradi killed a lot of people too, and threatened to wipe us all out. And look what happened between them and humanity now.

And they're not the only ones. There was even...

[Setsuko pauses. If Asakim was still alive and walked up to them and said he wants to be buddies - how would she react?]

[tillallareone]

Flit.

[Look who else found out about this, Flit. Optimus admittedly seemed a little disappointed for some reason. Given his personality... maybe in you?]

If an enemy seeks to end hostilities and choose peace over further war... no matter how painful things are, if they truly wish to make amends then we should give them a chance.

[There was a pause as the Autobot leader regarded the screen.]

That being said... while seeking peace is respectable, it is only so if the intention is honest. The Vagan's history of violence means that they would show as much willingness to broker for peace as Megatron would.

[And we all know how that would go.]

[kill_all_vagans]

Then what do we do? Just lower our guard and wait for them to drop this act and kill hundreds? Thousands?

[tillallareone]

No. We simply hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

If the Vagan plan to betray this show of goodwill, we will be ready for them.

[kill_all_vagans]

I hope so. I'm not going to let this ruse work.

1

[dolorous_sensei]

Hm, so you don't think that they're sincere?

[kill_all_vagans]

Of course not! After everything they've done, after what they just did... how can I?

[dolorous_sensei]

Well, my first instinct on any kind of enemy turnaround is backstab preparation. Nobody ever care about what I think though.

[kill_all_vagans]

But that's exactly what's going to happen here!

[Yes Walt. Flit cares about what you think here. Very much.]

[dolorous_sensei]

So if you think they're not sincere, why do you think they made that announcement?

[kill_all_vagans]

It's to make us drop our guard while still being close to us. They can pretend to be trying to make amends and spring a trap on us when they're ready!

[dolorous_sensei]

Well, since it's done, I guess there's nothing we can do now other than taking the satisfaction that we'll be able to smugly say "I told you so" when the sudden but inevitable betrayal happen.

1

[keep_your_dignity]

[As Flit storms off, she's probably going to run straight into Kagura, who is carrying a few boxes with scientific instrumentation labels]

HAD YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH DIPLOMACY, I SEE.

[kill_all_vagans]

That's not diplomacy. That's monsters pretending to they're sorry and stupid people believing them!

[keep_your_dignity]

THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF DIPLOMACY, KID. OF FUCKING COURSE NOBODY BELIEVES THIS IS A COMPLETE CHANGE OF HEART. WARS DON'T END BECAUSE ONE SIDE SUDDENLY REGRETS EVERYTHING THEY DID, THAT NEEDS A NEW GENERATION OR TWO AT A MINIMUM. WARS END BECAUSE THE SIDES AGREE THAT CONTINUING THE WAR IS NOT WORTH IT - MOST OFTEN BECAUSE ONE OF THE SIDES GOT ENOUGH OF THEIR SHIT BLOWN UP THAT ACTUALLY WINNING IS NO LONGER A REAL OPTION.

YOU SHOULD READ SOME HISTORY. IT'S VERY EDUCATIONAL.

[kill_all_vagans]

So you're just counting the days until the SSR go rotten but you're willing to let the Vagans of all people get a chance?

[keep_your_dignity]

THE IDEA OF A CHANCE ASSUMES I THINK THEY DESERVE TO BE FORGIVEN. WHICH THEY DON'T.

THE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THE REASON THE VAGANS ARE DOING THIS IS NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE. THEY'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE BEATEN FOR NOW, AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT - IF THERE EVER WAS A MOMENT FOR CRUSHING THEIR BALLS TREATY-WISE IT IS NOW. THAT'S DIPLOMACY IN A NUTSHELL. THE ONLY WAY THEY'D TRY TO BACKSTAB US NOW, RIGHT AFTER THEY GOT THEIR SHIT WRECKED IN A JOINT FORCE ATTACK WITH THEIR ONLY ALLY, IS IF THEY WERE TERMINALLY STUPID SATURDAY CARTOON VILLAINS.

OF COURSE, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN EVENTUALLY. I JUST BET THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE FEELING EXACTLY LIKE YOU DO ON THE OTHER SIDE, KID. HATRED AND UNPERSONING IS LIKE WILDFIRE. SETTING IT IS EASY. QUELLING IT, NOT SO FUCKING MUCH. GIVE IT FIVE YEARS.

BUT THE SSR IS GROWING IN FORCE INSTEAD OF WANING, AND DOING SO BY HIRING BOTH MERCENARY PSYCHOS AND DECENT PEOPLE UNDER THE BANNER OF RULERSHIPS THAT ARE NOT ANY BETTER THAN THE VAGAN COMMAND ARE. IF THAT DOESN'T END IN SEVERE DISSENSION, DEFECTIONS, BETRAYALS, AND FINALLY EITHER GENERAL CIVIL WAR OR A STRAIGHT UP COUP, RIGHT AT OUR DOORSTEP, BEFORE THE YEAR ENDS, I WILL BE QUITE SURPRISED.

[kill_all_vagans]

[He just shakes his head.]

... The SSR hasn't strapped innocent girls into machines and sent them to try to kill people with. The Vagans have.

[And... he trusts Woolf. And the other nice people in the SSR. Maybe not the group as a whole, but there's enough good eggs there to hopefully keep the bad in check, or at least raise the alarm.]

[keep_your_dignity]

DEPENDING ON YOUR DEFINITION OF INNOCENT, THAT'S ABOUT HALF THE WARS THAT EVER WERE. BUT EVEN THEN, CONSCRIPTING LUCKLESS ASSHOLES AGAINST THEIR WILL AND SENDING THEM TO KILL OR DIE IN THE FRONTLINES IS FAIRLY STANDARD MO FOR SOME OF THE COUNTRIES SPONSORING AND NUDGING THE SSR.

YOU'RE THINKING OF THE DECENT PEOPLE IN THERE. SO AM I. THAT'S MY POINT. THOSE PEOPLE ARE WORKING UNDER A MILITARY STRUCTURE THAT ANSWERS TO PEOPLE THAT MAKE ME LOOK LIKE A BOY SCOUT, ASUNO, AND I'M BLACK OPS. HOW LONG DO YOU EXPECT IT TO BE BEFORE SOMEONE YELLS ENOUGH AND THEY START FIGHTING EACH OTHER, AND WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THAT WAR TO LOOK LIKE.