Chapitre 15: The Negotiation
"So, your target is both land and people? Do you think I will allow you to just take the citizens I am sworn to protect!?"
"Oh? Land is a very easy commodity to trade. As for people, how many are you talking about?"
Both the military official and diplomat spoke with contradicting tones, indicating to Ivan that they had very different opinions on what they could give.
"I already have the land, a certain place off-world. This world is currently something similar to an anchor point, so to speak. As for people, I have no intention of kidnapping, as some others might do, and have no intention of employing those unwilling. Those who I do employ however, could no longer be considered citizens of your country. They would have the opportunity to visit home at a later date, and also later bring their families back, if they have one and wanted to do so. The number is quite small too, only a thousand people to migrate every six months."
The military official frowned whilst the diplomat beamed in a smile. Ivan's goal was truly an easy thing to provide, depending on the type of people he wanted.
"For a trade, I believe you should also be providing something that we want in return, right?" The diplomat probed lightly in order to see what he could get for his country.
The military had initially wanted to just seize the ship and everything it contained, but reports of Ivan and Mazur being immune to conventional weapons had surfaced, causing them to reconsider.
"We will trade technology, we also have quite a few weapons in the armory that I'm sure you would be interested in reverse engineering."
The diplomat lit up in delight at this. "And what types of people are you looking for?"
"To begin with, I need a hundred miners and another hundred experienced in metal refinery. I will also require three hundred people experienced in combat, or naturally gifted in the sense. They will have to be loyal to the company though, and not some loaned soldiers, so perhaps hunters."
"Two hundred builders skilled in construction and other general trades. A hundred researchers to study material properties and energy within a new field of physics. The remaining two hundred individuals to be a mixed group of architects, land prospectors, horticulturists, chefs and people with knowledge in the design and construction of industrial machinery."
The diplomat happily wrote this list down as Ivan spoke.
"I would like to see these weapons," The military general spoke resolutely. Nobody knew the advantage of more advanced weaponry more than him.
Ivan nodded briefly. "Valeria, you know where the armory is, right? Go and fetch a few weapons, both large and small."
Valeria nodded before running off back into the ship. Whilst waiting, Ivan spent some time talking small talk with the diplomat and learning about the world.
The world was divided into 84 countries, each governed under a monarchy. This was a result of Feudalism never being properly replaced when it was outdated, and all the old nobles forming their own countries. Due to these monarchs still vying for power, the entire world was currently at war with one another, and protecting the borders was of massive importance.
The citizens had been forced into this grinder of war until the current world population had fallen to just 1 billion. It is likely that unless one nation can gain a superiority, the current countries will continue to whittle one another away, until there is nothing left of the Vulpes race but broken ruins and death.
Ivan also learned about the two people he was negotiating with. The military official was called General Portis, and stood at the very top of this nation's military alongside several others. The diplomat was in fact a form of noble as Ivan had suspected. His name was Yukeli A' Morr, a modern bureaucrat belonging to the old lineage of nobles.
Valeria returned shortly after, carrying six different guns in her arms. Both General Portis and Yukeli showed great interest in the weapons.
"Do you have something we can use to test the might of these weapons?" Ivan asked with a smile.
Six steel plates were soon brought over and set up in the distance. Some other military personnel also set up several cameras to record the demonstration for later reference.
"This is a standard Rattle P33 Plasma Rifle, it is one of the most popular guns throughout the galaxy. It fires a condensed plasma blast at hypersonic speed, ripping a hole through practically anything."
Ivan aimed it at the first steel plate and fired. A green beam of light simply pierced through the plate and continued on to the distance. A four inch wide hole was left through the plate with the edges slightly smoking.
He then demonstrated the Cobalt M32 Pistol, Lorange ESS Scoped Plasma Rifle, Metalstorm Multi-Barrel Hunter Gatling, Lorange LO-33 Auto-Aiming Plasmatic Grenade Launcher, and finally the most destructive rifle present, the MLS Mk V Molecular Destabilising Rifle.
All six steel plates were either riddled with holes, blown into several pieces, or in the last case, turned into a sand so fine it was almost water.
The entire field was silent as everyone looked at the destruction. The soldiers operating the cameras all had cold beads of sweat on their foreheads. The weapons were simply more destructive than they could have imagined.
"As you can see, each and every weapon is extremely powerful and more advanced that your current technology. I will also provide a PES, otherwise known as a personal energy shield. My head scientist will work in conjunction with your people for them to learn and adapt to all related technologies, so you can produce the weapons and ammunition."
Yukeli want overwhelmed with excitement while General Portis hardened his heart to take a small step back in order to secure these weapons for their army.
"All you want in return for these, is just a few thousand people?" Yukeli asked, disbelieving that such a good deal could just fall out of the sky.
Ivan shrugged his shoulders, "We naturally have very different ideas on the value of certain things, it is unavoidable. A few thousand people over several years to you is worth the same as a few grains of sand amongst the beach. To me, these weapons hold an equally small value."
"But, speaking of which, there are a few things I require. Where we are going, this translator of mine is useless, so every new employee will need to be able to speak the galactic common language. My head scientist will devise a course for teaching this language, but I hope you will be able to implement a compulsory course for children to learn this during school. Adults should also be encouraged to attend further educational courses."
"This is easy to implement, we would naturally be encouraged for our people to learn the common language used throughout the galaxy."
"Excellent, the other one would be a monthly payment. I have a rough idea of the value of currency in your country. 100,000 Vin each month should be enough for use to support and teach the language to a thousand employees, along with renting a location and supplying resources."
Yukeli nodded to this while General Portis frowned and added, "During any time you are to be in places of civilians, we must have armed guards accompany you. This is to prevent any incidents that could harm the national interests."
Ivan just shrugged in response. He knew what General Portis was trying to avoid, it was foreign spies trying to contact Ivan and win him over.
The agreement between the two side was completed very quickly as they both could give the other what they wanted extremely easily. They held several meetings over the next two days as they ironed out all the small details to ensure both parties would fulfil obligations. Ivan actually held very little interest in this, as since he was a higher form of life, there was little to nothing they could do to him without him allowing them to. But he needed their cooperation to grow his business as smoothly as possible.
After that, the military perimeter around the ship was maintained, but instead of intending to guard against alien invaders, was redirected to keep reporters and unrelated personnel out.
Ivan, Mazur and Valeria rode on a military vehicle with tinted windows. The car drove through some makeshift dirt paths in the forest before reaching the outskirts. Several armed soldiers opened the gate while others cleared a path through the hundreds of reporters trying to gain any information they could.
They drove deeper into the country where its capital city was situated. The Volpes had developed a similar aethetic sense for construction on earth, but were more fond of ornate designs like those of the Victoria Era.
The roads were cordoned off for the military convoy, but civilians dressed in all kinds of clothes made up over overlapping layers of fabric formed a throng outside trying to see what was happening.
The most nervous was without a doubt was Valeria. As a Kivsharr, she would be treated like a wild animal to them, perhaps even beaten or killed due to her status.
"We're here, sir," The military personnel driving the vehicle said as they pulled up at a large hotel. "If you would please follow us."
Ivan, Mazur and Valeria were led through the hotel and up to the top floor, where a large presidential suite was prepared for them to stay. Yukeli was already present to welcome them in the suite, this time exchanging his blue noble dress for an equally flamboyant yellow and red one.
"We have prepared several interviews and public appearances to introduce you across social media to the public. They are currently both curious as to what is beyond our world, and equally nervous about the unknown."
Yukeli glanced toward Valeria and barely withheld his distaste as he continued. "Considering that Kivs- Valeria is uneducated and as such illiterate, we have provided for you a secretary who will aid you in translating any writing into speech which you can understand. She is currently in transit and will be here first thing tomorrow morning."
"Several computers have also been supplied to give you access to our national information network. The Folkien Empire is greatly anticipating our cooperation so if you have any requirements or concerns, you need but ask."
Ivan nodded in acceptance, Yukeli and the Folkien Empire, the empire they were in, were truly thorough in their preparations and sped up Ivan's progress in recruiting people beyond satisfactory.
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