Cherry Blossom Snow

Diplomacy

Reginald met with Nathan in his office. It was almost time for the General Assembly to reconvene. Nathan had finished reading through the proposal, and gave it his approval. Reginald reiterated his concern about Mithra's support for the plan, but they were both also a bit relieved that they wouldn't have to waste time and effort on Mithra's usual dissent. It also helped that they would have Yidkertjiok Levorpximof on their side, as people all over looked to him as a voice of reason. Together, they entered the General Assembly chamber.

"The United Galactic Confederation General Assembly is now in session," Nathan declared. "We are gathered here to act on the motion to restore diplomatic relations with the planet Earth. Before we call it to a vote, both sides shall present their arguments. Here to argue in favor is Deputy Secretary-General Yidkertjiok Levorpximof, acting in his position as a representative of Qenjfis."

"Thank you," said Yidkertjiok. "I am honored to have the privilege to speak before you about this great proposition put forth by Nathan and Reginald. For far too long, the Confederation has neglected its principles and its duties whenever Earth was concerned. The time is long overdue for this to change. Does Earth have its flaws? Yes. Corruption? Yes. Violence? Absolutely. But can any of us claim otherwise about ourselves? I don't believe so. Earth is far from perfect, but so are we. For all of its faults, many great things have come to us from Earth, and many more could, if only given the chance. Let us not forget that Ruby and Henry, the distinguished and wholly remarkable couple that founded both the Confederation and the Mars colony, were born on Earth. It was the native world of two of the finest people this galaxy has ever known. We have no way of knowing how many people from that planet have lived and died, who had just as much potential, never to be realized simply because they were never given the opportunity. By inviting them in, will we be inviting trouble? Absolutely, but the same can be said of any world. The Confederation was founded for the purpose of promoting peaceful relations between worlds, protecting intelligent life, preserving culture and history, and defending personal and collective freedom. Prohibiting any contact with a civilization in desperate need of help is an affront to everything the Confederation represents. Earth is an essential part of the galactic economy, but due to the embargo, they are forced to go through neutral worlds. This embargo is ineffective at best, and at worst is harmful to the Confederation. Prohibition of trade and travel has not stopped it, but instead has merely served to allow the Intergalactic Trading Corporation to exploit loopholes in regulations and capitalize on them. We have reason to believe that the Intergalactic Trading Corporation has an unofficial branch operating from Earth and fueling the black market with illegal goods and services. Seraphim's forces continue to grow stronger and increase their presence in our galaxy. Our best chance of fighting them is to take away their business by opening up free trade. To defend the principles of the United Galactic Confederation and combat Seraphim, I call upon all of you to join me in supporting this act to lift the embargo and restore diplomatic relations with Earth. Of course, I understand that many of you may have reservations and concerns. I encourage you to voice them, so that any problems may be addressed and a suitable resolution reached. Our continued success depends on our ability to have civil debates with those we disagree with, so any and all who dissent should feel welcome to voice their opinions so that we may work together toward the right decision for all of us."

Following a series of debates, a vote was held. By an overwhelming majority, they approved establishment of diplomatic relations with Earth.

"The motion is passed!" Nathan declared. "Now, it is time to nominate someone to serve as a representative of the Confederation. Any volunteers?"

"I'll go," said Reginald. "If no one objects."

No one objected and no one else volunteered. A vote was held as required, and he was approved unanimously. Each world was allowed the opportunity to send its own representative, although all of them made the decision to wait until after initial contact to do so, with the exception of Mars. Mithra appointed Hadassah as the official Martian ambassador to Earth. After the General Assembly adjourned, Mithra returned to his office, alone, and contacted Seraphim.

"You know I don't like people directly contacting me unless they have something important to tell me," said Seraphim. "I do hope that you have a good excuse."

"The motion passed," said Mithra.

"Reliable sources indicate Germany is preparing for war. Intelligence suggests they'll be making their move in July."

"Why does this concern me?"

"You're preparing to destabilize the Soviet Union. I need you to hold off until after Germany makes their move."

"Why?"

"Otherwise, Germany will take advantage of the chaos and invade. They're not reckless enough to try it while they're in their current state, so the preparations for war are most likely for a different country. Once the war starts, it will be safe for the revolution to launch. Even in the chaos bound to follow, Germany doesn't want a war on two fronts, so they'll leave the Soviets to handle their own affairs."

"What makes you so confident?"

"The last German leader to seriously consider invading the Soviet Union was Adolf Hitler. His generals knew that such a war could not be won and convinced him to wait while focusing efforts elsewhere, but when he again turned his sights to the Soviet Union, they had no alternative but to assassinate him. Particularly reckless actions by even the most popular of leaders tend to result in a change in leadership. Most leaders will consider this, and if they don't, then they face the consequences."

"I like the way you think. I'll inform Xyero."