“ Good, captain.” The ambassador said with just a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
Ericsson silently berated himself for allowing the ambassador to get to him, it would not happen again. There were bigger things to consider here, like the peace treaty.
Dalvosh was due to arrive in a separate shuttle, and would be flanked by several Krenaran guards at the peace talks, making up the Krenaran contingent, this had already been arranged by Ericsson while they waited for Lataf to prepare.
The heavily damaged buildings of echo base were clearly visible now as the shuttle began its final approach into an area cleared of debris for their arrival. The gravitic engines thrummed into life, kicking up a plume of dirt and dust as they slowed the shuttle before it gently rested on its three hydraulic landing legs. A ramp gradually lowered as the shuttle powered down and the occupants all filed out into the damp and muddy surface.
The party slowly made their way towards the temporary headquarters set up for them, as they neared general Kalidis approached them, his nose still taped from the battering he took from Vargev, saluted and introduced himself to the ambassador. “I am General Georgiannos Kalidis, commander of this facility.”
“ What is left of it,” the ambassador replied.
“ If you would like to follow me I will show you to the negotiation area.”
“ Thank you general.”
Kalidis joined the party and they continued on their way to the headquarters, just as the shuttle containing Dalvosh became visible over the horizon, before gently landing alongside the ambassadors own shuttle. The huge Krenaran emerged flanked by the shuttle pilot and about four or five E.D. F troops, Vargev couldn’t make out the exact number as they were now some way off.
The ambassador’s party approached the makeshift headquarters, there were two rather battle weary lieutenants guarding the entrance, who, nevertheless stood to attention and saluted the ambassador appropriately. Lataf however ignored the salute and pushed past these lieutenants, entering the wide, well lit interior.
This infuriated Ericsson who could hold his silence no longer. “You could have returned their salute ambassador,” he said pointing back to the two guards stationed on the outside of the building.
“ Why? I am not E.D. F, I am E.O.C.A.” Lataf retorted matter of factly.
“ It’s about common courtesy and respect damnit! Many people have died here to make this possible.” Ericsson shouted, beginning to lose his temper with the flagrantly disrespectful ambassador Lataf.
“ And they will be honoured appropriately captain, my place is at the negotiating table, not at a battlefield.”
At that Ericsson could say nothing.
The remainder of the ambassador’s retinue all filed into the room, a few men were already there pointing small hand held cameras at them for the benefit of the outer colony news service, who were taking a deep interest in the talks. As they took their seats along the perimeter, Lataf and his aides sat at a large oval table which dominated the centre of the room, the ambassador began to quietly look over the terms of the treaty once again as he awaited Dalvosh’s team.
Michael Alexander entered the room also, after taking time out from overseeing the repairs to the Liberty to be present at the talks. He sat down next to Vargev.
“ Glad your back on your feet comrade,” Vargev whispered to him.
“ Thanks.”
“ How are the repairs going to the Liberty?”
“ Not bad, considering I’ve got half the engineers of the base crawling over her, trying to get that bucket of bolts spaceworthy.” He said with a wry smile.
A few minutes later and Dalvosh’s team also entered the room, there were two other Krenarans who had joined him, as well as four E.D. F troops who took up positions behind the Krenarans at the opposite periphery of the room.
Lataf was nervous and it showed. He had seen pictures of these aliens broadcast on the news during the fighting, but had never seen one up close until now. The sheer size, piercing red eyes, and reptilian features of these brutes that towered over him, was disconcerting to say the least.
Summoning all his inner strength and diplomatic training, he offered a rather shaky hand in friendship.
The Krenaran bowed his head as he shook it dutifully, Dalvosh’s hand dwarfed his own and his handshake was as firm as iron. Lataf winced as his hand felt like it was being crushed and his arm shaken out of its socket.
Vargev quietly chuckled to himself in the corner of the room.
There was a printed hardcopy of the treaty on the table, as well as a digital copy stored on a data navigator, which Lataf held.
“ The negotiations are now in session.” Lataf said trying not to betray a hint of his nervousness as his aides made notes, another held a small recording device.”
Dalvosh silently nodded, his eyes fixed on the ambassador. The news crew trained their cameras on the men.
“ The terms of the Krenaran surrender, and subsequent ending of the E.O.C. A — Krenaran war are as such. Number 1, all military operations against E.O.C. A, its military arm the E.D. F, and E.O.C. A citizens and property must immediately cease.”
“ I understand and agree,” Dalvosh replied calmly, betraying no emotion.
“ Secondly, all Krenaran military assets, including troops, vessels, and related military equipment must immediately leave E.O.C. A territory.”
Dalvosh agreed to this also.
“ Thirdly, all human and Solarian prisoners of war must be returned to the closest E.O.C. A or Solarian colony world or facility where they can be returned to their appropriate homes and families.”
Dalvosh also agreed to this, although somewhat reluctantly.
“ There will be a three light year demilitarised zone, between E.O.C. A and Krenaran territories, extending 8 light years out from the Agemman colony and then across the north eastern tip of the connaught sector for another 15 light years as shown in your copy of the treaty.”
An aide passed Dalvosh a copy of the treaty, which he eyed for a few moments before nodding in agreement.
“ Any deviation from these terms will be considered either as an act of hostility towards the E.O.C. A government or an outright act of war.”
Lataf gave Dalvosh and his aides some time to peruse the terms of the treaty.
An aide spoke up, it was Dalvosh’s second in command, “you must not sign this pitiful excuse for a treaty Dalvosh, we can still win this war.”
“ Quiet Briax!” Dalvosh snapped, “If we lose the entire Krenaran race to win this war, what then? Who would be left to celebrate the great Krenaran victories? We cannot fight both the Terran and Solarian empires together.”
Briax remained silent.
“ A prudent course of action,” Lataf said.
“ I sign this treaty not for your pitiful sake, your race disgusts me. I sign this treaty for our son’s sake, and their son’s, and for the future of all Krenarans.”
Dalvosh took the stylus and signed the declaration, Lataf then passed the Data navigator around the table, each aide in-turn then signed the treaty as a witness, before both Dalvosh and Lataf were handed their own copies. Eventually the hard copies were signed as well, Lataf picked up his own copy to return back to E.O.C. A headquarters on Earth.
“ Today we have made history, let it be known that peace can be achieved on the field of battle and let peace return to the galaxy once more.” A great loud cheer, reverberated around the room following this proclamation, at last, after almost a year of bitter fighting, the war was finally over. Humanity could get on with the task at hand, re-building and exploring the galaxy once again.
As the deliberations gradually drew to a close and the cameras switched off. A Solarian thrust his way into the room, Michael immediately recognised the former first officer of the Liberty. “Televis what are you doing here?”
“ I’ve come from my ship in orbit with urgent news. Solarian intelligence has just made contact with a Krenaran agent. He killed three Solarian agents and severely injured a fourth. Before the last Solarian died, he revealed the Krenaran’s codename as Lathiel.”