Ask Belasco The Art of Neutrality

[Korre Belasi]

Belasco had recently finalized their exit from the Free Worlds' Alliance. It was supported by the majority on Belasco, but the galaxy seemed to have its own opinions. Some supported it, some didn't. Some thought it was a good idea, while others, of course, didn't. Their decision to become fully neutral was brought into question quite a lot as well.

"Warmaster Din has arrived." "Wonderful! I will be down shortly."

After conferencing with her grandfather and the Prime Minister, the decision had been made to continue forward with their initial thoughts about establishing diplomatic relations with the now Imperial Empire. Korre could never support the Sith, nor was she sure if Belasco could support a government that committed such horrors. But now that the Sith had been driven out, perhaps it would be possible. If Belasco was to become a hub of science and innovation in the galaxy, it would be exceedingly important for them to remain on good or neutral terms with as many entities as possible.

Altair, upon his arrival, would be met by an assistant who would lead him inside the palace and to where he and Korre would speak. There would be no grand event for his arrival, nor any large deal made of the meeting. Though it was far from a secret - notable by the presence of reporters outside - it was not treated as an exceptional event. That would be very uncharacteristic for Belasco. He was, however, treated with the utmost respect by those around him. The traditions of the planet he ruled were kept in mind, and the workers in the halls made sure to regard him with more than the simple nods of respect they might afford the Belascan king.

The influences of Belascan secularism would be apparent in the architecture of the building as Altair was led through. It was sleek, modern, and practical, but not without its own character. Tapestries hung down in front of the hall's walls, depicting old kinds and queens among renowned scientists from the planet. Floor-to-ceiling windows faced the Great Sea of Belasco, cracked to let the sea breeze drift inside, and on the inner walls, balconies led out to the landscaped courtyard.

Korre, in the meantime, made her way down to that same room. She was not dressed extravagantly, but she had dawned a well-fitted gown made of green silken fabric and braided her hair behind her head. Despite it being much less formal than something she would wear to the negotiation of an alliance or the formalization of a treaty, it was suited well enough for something like today.

The Belascan woman would wait in the room for him to arrive, standing to greet him when he did. She was excited for today.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was surprised to receive the invitation. While Belasco was neutral these days, it wasn’t too long ago that Korre Belasi held the title of Prime Minister. She influenced the entirety of the Free World Alliance - or as well as she could when the job consisted of herding cats.

It also felt strange to be wandering through a former Alliance world while he was dressed in formal Imperial uniform. He wouldn’t be deceitful in any way and he wore his armor with pride. He wore his dress uniform today, a crisp tunic and form fitting pants. His face was visible, his tail swaying behind him.

The tiefling noticed the stunning backdrop at once, and it gave him pause. His features softened at the sight as he was briefly reminded of home. The Warmaster gave her a curt nod in greeting.

“Ambassador Belasi,” He said as he extended his hand to shake hers. Just this very gesture would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, “Thank you for having me,” His mannerisms were perhaps far more polite than she may have expected from someone that had been a Sith.

“How has Belasco fared since withdrawing from the Alliance?”

@lizziie

 

[Korre Belasi]

"Warmaster Din," she said in response, her lips stretching into a wide smile as she reached out her own hand to complete the handshake. Her hand, though soft and unworked, gave his a solid shake before dropping back down to her sides. "Of course! Please, have a seat."

The red-headed woman gestured for him to sit at either of a set of emerald leather wingback chairs with a glass coffee table sat between them. As he sat down, she would take a seat in the other chair, crossing her ankles after she did so.

"Well," she said. "We had only a few assets tied up in the Alliance, so the withdrawal was mostly painless." Of course, the planet's former allies had their own opinions about the withdrawal and such, but no public statement had been made on the matter by any of her former colleagues yet.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation," she continued, hoping to steer away from small talk and right into the meat of things. "I was unsure of how it would be received, considering the history between the Free Worlds and the Empire." Belasco, as a former FWA member, had once been at war with the former iteration of the Empire - the one run by Sith.

"But that history is why I invited you here today," she continued. "Belasco is looking to neutralize itself in the galaxy. A step in achieving that goal is improving diplomatic relations with those we once considered our enemies." She would state it plainly. There was once a time in which they would have been considered enemies, and she felt it was important to acknowledge that.

She leaned forward ever so slightly, only to be briefly distracted by her assistant entering the room with a teapot of hot water, saucers of milk and sugar, and various tea bags. She looked back at Altair. "Should you be willing, I would like for Belasco and the Empire to formally establish relations." She thanked her assistant as he left the room, then offered, "Tea?"

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

There was a moment of pause as Altair considered her words. He was clearly surprised by the suggestion, not having expected this gesture. The tiefling was not a politician - he was mostly thrust into a role that demanded a diplomatic layer to it. He had to navigate this correctly or it would be yet another cause for the Empire collapsing.

“Do..you have the backing of your people for this proposal?” He had to ask, “Tea would be great,” He said politely. He hated tea. It was frou frou people shit. However, he had to play along. He only hoped it wasn’t warm piss aka green tea.

“What kind of relations would you like to establish?” He asked curiously, “As you well know we are still reeling from the sanctions and losses to the ISC. We are slowly rebuilding, but I won’t pretend we have a lot to offer right now…”
Was he being too honest? He was definitely too honest. He was looking weak. Altair’s palms grew a bit sweaty, the point of his tail flicking back and forth. He had watched a few Emryc Thorne speeches to try and emulate his cool confidence, but he failed spectacularly at it. He only hoped she wouldn’t see right through him.

@lizziie

 

[Korre Belasi]

"Yes," Korre answered simply. To neutralize meant removing all former limitations on trade, which meant Belascan businesses could expand and thrive and their scientists could more easily collaborate and access others across the galaxy. They already supported leaving the FWA; they already supported neutrality. And while the Imperial Empire might still be viewed suspiciously by Belascans, they were included in that neutrality. Plus they had kicked out and outlawed the Sith. Of course, she also had the support of the government, otherwise, she wouldn't be sitting here with Altair.

"Here," she offered after pouring the tiefling a cup of tea. It was dark and rich in color with an aroma that was earthy, floral, and sweet. Black tea; it was Korre's favorite, though she still preferred it with milk and sugar. Altair would be more than able to doctor up his drink as he wished.

"For one, trade relations," Korre answered. Belasco had not previously traded with the Sith Empire, and that by extension had rolled over to the Sith. "The Prime Minister would like to completely open up trade with the Empire, including allowing Imperial businesses to operate on Belasco if they wish, and vice versa."

There was a small notification sound on Korre's datapad - which had been placed on the edge of the table - then. She leaned forward to silence it while she briefly checked to see what it was. With a satisfied look she sat back, but kept the information to herself for now.

"I should ask what you - what the Empire - is looking to achieve as well." She figured it would probably be a good idea to prod Altair for information as well. What direction was he planning to take his people? What was important to him?

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

The tea wasn’t as terrible as he expected, though it was only a few steps above piss. Nevertheless, he kept his poker face so Korre wouldn’t know. He was surprised that the Prime Minister would open up trade. What was the play here? He didn’t consider Korre to be a twisted politician, but were any of them truly honest without a hidden agenda?

“Right now we’re focused on stabilizing,” He answered truthfully, “As you’ve heard, I’ve given Imperial worlds the choice to stay willingly or leave if they wish. Many of them have gone neutral and are struggling. We are focusing on those that stayed and investing in them instead of focusing on expansion.”

Altair paused for a moment, choosing his words, “We need fuel. The sanctions have crippled us and the only people it’s hurting are our civilians. Fuel and your help in influencing the ISC President would go a long way. You and the President have had a positive relationship in the past.”

It almost felt like begging and he hated it. However, if she really wanted to start things off on a good foot, this was one angle where they desperately needed help. The sanctions were killing the Empire and its citizens.

@lizziie

 

[Korre Belasi]

"President Thorne and I have not crossed paths in some time," she began honestly. Since stepping down as Prime Minister, Korre had stayed clear of galactic politics until just recently. Still, she was much less involved than before. "But should we, I can absolutely put in a good word for you." From what she could personally tell, the Imperial Warmaster was already leagues better than the predecessors of the Empire. As long as she continued to hold that opinion, she saw no issue with following through with his request.

As to his other ask: "Do you mean fuel in the literal or figurative sense?" Fuel was not something Korre could offer. Her planet, though it had some amount of oil reserves deep in the ocean, was not a major producer. However, she could provide fuel in the figurative sense, paving the way for perhaps even the Free Worlds to reopen trade with the Empire.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair’s eyebrows rose at her question. Fuel in the figurative sense? What the hell? This politics shit was getting on his nerves. He was way out of his element. His tail swished around a bit and he wished he could just charm her into giving the Empire what he needed. That was always an option, right? It worked out for him so far. Never mind, this girl was too clean. There was never a scandal around Korre fucking Belasi.

“I mean in the literal sense,” He said almost dryly, “However, where your planet can likely help is our gaping need for medical supplies. We are still cut off from bacta and I think that’s a crime. No single government entity should be able to gatekeep such a critical resource. I think if you could help make that case or trade us some medical supplies, it’ll greatly help us get back on our feet. In exchange, we will open up our borders for all manners of trade. We will also allow you to leverage any of our defense factories to support any military production you need.”

@lizziie

 

[Korre Belasi]

Korre simply smiled.

"Belasco will gladly trade medical supplies with the Empire," she answered. Belasco had access to bacta and alternatives. "I only request that the Empire, additionally, allow Belascan scientists to work and conduct research within Empire space."

Korre often pushed to allow Belscan scientists more and more access to the galaxy. If Belasco was to become an even bigger hub of knowledge, to her, this was necessary. She was not entirely sure how much use the planet would get out of defense factories, but she appreciated the gesture and would not disrespect the offer by waving it.

@Sreeya