International Conference

The preparations for the building in which to conduct the international conference between Tryscar, Atrum Veneficus, Arian, Cruor, Solitude, the Imperium, the New USSR, Imuabu, and Incarna were all complete. A large, opulent conference hall with a finely polished and sparkling mahogany table lined was lined with seats and placards which indicated the attending nations' seating positions. Security was crawling around this entire business district today, to ensure that there were no issues. All the foreign delegates would be treated quite politely and formally in the city of Tyton.

At the designated time, the delegates would be escorted into the conference hall. Several Tryscarian representatives were already seated towards the front of the room. The seats for the New USSR and the Imperium were marked beside them, with the others arranged as The Empire of Arian, The Order of Atrum Veneficus, The Empire of Cruor Luna, the Kingdom of Imuabu, The Dominion of Incarna, and the Nation of Solitude. As the foreign representatives were welcomed into the room, they would wait for everyone to be seated to begin.

When Isis saw that she wasn't sitting beside Sorac, she sat down in a huff. She knew Tryscar did this on purpose. It was bad enough she was here in the place where her people were being kept as slaves. She would not be a very happy Isis during this meeting.

He sighed sadly when he saw he wasnt sitting next to Isis but he sat calmly smiling at her and nodding and he says in her head 'its ok, calm down. this will be peaceful, hopefully we can save your people without war' he looks around seeing who else has arrived yet.

The pantheon member walked in calmly and slowly and he looked around and then took his seat waiting for the other leaders.

The prime minister of the USSR walked in and sat next to the people from tryscar striking up conversation with them "I have to say, i was surprised you held this. You have slaves from the Imuabu nation and you want to treat with them?

Isis heard what he said in her head and it calmed her. She nodded and looked over at him with a smile.

"I'm sure our business concerns them," said one of the representatives, "but that's all this is - business. It's a legal, viable part of our economy, and is hardly as immoral as anyone makes it out to be." He kept his voice down so he wouldn't stir a conversation before the conference began.

Even though the man from Tryscar kept his voice down, Isis could still hear him. The glare she gave him was filled with so much hate that the energy in the room suddenly became oppressive. She wanted him to feel the hate and anger coming from her and her people. The slaves weren't something that should be calmly talked about.

Sorac felt the change and he looked at her saying in her head again 'stay calm...please stay calm. we dont want anyone here to know your a goddess. Stay as calm as possible alright my love?' he looked at her worried but he cast a hate filled glance at tryscar he could guess what he said from her reaction.

She heard sorac's words in her head and tried her best to stay calm. The energy in the room slowly went back to normal and she leaned back in her chair. "I'm trying baby... I'm trying..." she said back to him in her head, but she didn't take her eyes off Tryscar.

Three more people entered the conference room. One young man, wearing silk robes with light, intricate beige designs woven into it was followed by two women wearing simple, veiled white robes. The women had their hands clasped delicately in front of them with their heads bowed humbly. A marking on the man's tunic identified him as a representative of the Dominion of Incarna. The three of them went to their seats.

Empress Reia entered the room along with her guard Shiranai Kouta and Advisor Koga Ren, they looked around the room and found their place next to Atrum Veneficus and took their seats. Reia sat nervously at the head of her people, she had once been uninterested in diplomatic affairs of her nation but now the outcome of this meeting meant the safety and prosperity of her nation. Her thoughts haunted her, all the nations were larger than Arian and without a sufficient military force they could do little to defend themselves.

Raknir entered the room dressed in a black leather trench coat with white fur lining the neck and sleeves, under that was a gold embroidered long-sleeved uniform jacket and around his neck was a noticeable red gem suspending by a black chain, his black hair tied back in a tail down his back. Along with him came Princess Acele, Warrior General Noctis Orphan and Kovan Van-Korius. Behind Acele stood Fieore Fafnir, her personal guard and Lord general, Noctis was accompanied by his Daughter Unbrae who knelt beside his seat, and Kovan sat alone.

Acele spoke back to Fieore quietly.
"My father seems to have had enough of these disgusting nations that look down upon our kind. What do you think of this meeting, merely a chance for them to try to establish fear within us?"

Fieore nodded without a speaking, his gazed shifting between the representatives in effort to predict their movements.

Quietly the representatives of Solitude entered, Darrien, Meadow, and Larsa all in lock step approached their seats and took them without a word. Darrien wore a combat jacket over his uniform. Larsa wore a black half-jacket, underneath that she wore a heavy black leather corset-style coat that's tail came to her ankles and at her waist was a heavy studded belt with a satchel at her side. Meadow wore her trial-combatant uniform, her jacket came past her waste and on one side a chain-linked section was unlatched. High black combat boots that came just above her knees and female combatant leggings where one side was rolled up to reveal a new link-armor covering her leg.

The Tryscarians, all dressed slickly in their finest business suits and formal-wear, saw that the representatives of all the nations had gathered and promptly began the meeting. President Michaen Reichsson entered the room and stood at the head of the table to address everyone. He seemed quite well-spoken and professional, especially as he gave his short and courteous speech.

"Good morning. Thank you all for taking the time to meet with us here. As residents, friends, and neighbors of Elysium, I'm glad to see that you have all taken an interest in the well-being and prosperity of our future." He looked around at all the representatives, making eye contact in a hospitable, civil, even friendly manner as he spoke. "For each nation of Elysium, and for each of our allies, new and old, I would like to welcome you to this nation and to this land on behalf of the Federation of Tryscar." He paused for a moment. "It's come to my attention that there are matters which many of you wish to discuss pertaining to our international relations. So, please know that you have the opportunity at this conference to speak your minds, so we can address these issues together appropriately and come to a solution that we can all agree with."

Reichsson sat down. He gestured openly towards the other representatives after officially beginning the meeting, giving anyone that would like to speak their chance.

"Let's begin."

Isis sat there, strumming her fingers once he said they could speak their minds. "Well then..." she spoke out, trying to stay calm and civil, "if we're aloud to speak our minds.... I want to discuss the matter of having people used as slaves... In my opinion... it's not civil at all... and they should all go home..." There was so much distain in her voice that if they were to get her mad enough she might just do something drastic. She hated being here, she hated her people and other people being used as slaves, and she just wanted those people and her people home.

Sorac knew she was having so much trouble and spoke out quickly "Thats true, most nations here from what i've heard disdain slavery as an immoral practice. I know its a part of your culture and we cant tell you to stop it all together, but of the nations assembled here, i believe no more slaves should be taken and all those taken should be returned." He smiled "If not, let me walk through your streets and pick the few tryscarians i want, and give them to me as slaves."

Raknir began slowly after Sorac's last statement.

"As blood rules my nations so does the use of servitude, but there is a line between slavery and servitude, my servants are treated with the utmost respect and paid well for their efforts even as they are indebted to me. You enslave the people of other nations and not your own and furthermore, the treatment of these enslaved people is poor at best. I have spent good money on the transfer of enslaved females to prevent their entry into the sex market that runs ramped through your streets, I fed your economy in order to maintain peace among the nations, I fed the very industry that disgusts me as a means of protecting the innocent while keeping relations with a nation that sways in morals," he said as he pulled himself forward and placed his elbows upon the table. His face that was usually calm seemed to have a brash look about it, an angered emotion not withheld by his temperament.

Acele watched and glanced back to Fieore at times only to receive a nod here and there. She seemed uneasy to be surrounded by potential enemies, especially those from Tryscar and Imperium.

Noctis sat silently with a cold and distant look about his face, he kept one hand upon his daughter's head as she rested her forehead on his leg, still knelt respectfully at his side. He brushed back her hair in slow smooth motions without looking down toward her. No one but those next to him would notice she was even there, she remained utterly silent and still as the meeting continued.

Reichsson nodded, expecting this type of response. "I understand your concerns, and although you are right to question many of these matters, I hope to be able to reassure you of the professional and moral standards of our nation."

He continued calmly. "The use of humans as workers and companions is not entirely immoral in and of itself just as some of you will agree, and we have set many strict guidelines and restrictions concerning how these people in servitude are to be treated. While it is true that many of these people are not of Tryscarian ethnicity, many of them have left their homes of their own choice, while others have been given refuge and all the necessities of life where they would have otherwise been abandoned, imprisoned, or killed. They are brought into the nation of Tryscar to earn an honest living, where otherwise they would be homeless, starving, oppressed without restriction - or worse. Most of our workers live just as I'm sure many of your people do - as workers in businesses and successful industries, or as loyal and faithful companions. And at the end of the day, these people who are assigned specific jobs to complete often return to their homes, just as safe and secure as the rest of our citizens, where they are fed, clothed, sheltered, and - yes, in some cases, even paid - for their valuable service to our citizens and our nation. Furthermore, the notion that these people are treated as 'lesser' is simply not true, nor would I tolerate it. Crimes against them are just as punishable as crimes against our own citizens where applicable, in almost every case, and improper treatment is never tolerated. These people are a valued and esteemed part of our society and economy, and they will remain as such for as long as they are under the care of Tryscarian citizens. I am currently working to ensure further legislation that would allow any person of servitude who has the means to provide restitution for himself to be relinquished from anyone at any point in time - at which point they could, of course, do as they please and return to their homes whenever they wished."

He clasped his hands in front of him on the conference table. "I do appreciate that you have voiced your concerns about the civility and morality of this, and there is certainly no need for hostility between any of us here. I am interested to hear what other questions you have for the treatment of these people of servitude, and I'd be glad to answer them all."

Koga Ren spoke out calmly but in a rather unpleasant tone.
"Granted I am not familiar with your culture, slavery in general is immoral and wrong. If you're giving refuge to people then you would allow them to work and live freely in your nation and not bind them to a person or company. Your words are smooth and well placed but all are illusions, any enslaved person is inherently treated as a lesser being than their owner and free people. That is proven in all cases of owner/property relationships. I will not have any of your fallacies," Ren scorned Reichsson.

Reia broke in quietly as Ren paused.
"Stop this, we mean for peace not war," she was so quiet that few would hear her but those within only a few feet of her.

Karos looked at her but then said in a very commanding voice, a voice that spoke of his status of lord of retribution "Dont feed us these lies, we've heard stories from escaped slaves of their treatment and its purely heinous."

Sorac smiled quickly at Karos but it was replaced by a serious look "Thats fine. but whats being said here is a condition to peace. Imuabu wants its people back, and before this day is out, we will either be going home with Imuabu's people, or going home to prepare for a....hostile situation."

The Prime minister said quickly "Now dont be hasty my friends im sure we can come to an agreement about this avoiding a war."

Prometheus watched the proceedings and sighed slightly "If this is so important for peace why not do it? I dont believe people from Imuabu cover much of the market."

Unhesitatingly Ren continued in her offensive attacks on Tryscar.
"The enslaved people of all the nations are 'important' for peace between the nations. We have not forgotten that you hold some of our surviving relations in captivity. You know who they belong with, why not send them to us instead of selling them to your companies and slave owners? Are you so disillusioned that you think taking a wounded people from a land they once called home and selling them off to others to be mistreated without a chance to return to their own people is moral or right? You're greed has blinded you from any kind of honor or justice and that will turn on you in the days to come. You are inhuman if you think taking the rights from another people is moral, no matter their treatment, they are not free people," Ren's voice remained unpleasant but calm.

Reia disliked that they had Arian slaves in Tryscar but saw no way for peace in fighting them. She remained silent this time, not scolding Ren for her outspoken and disrespectful behavior.

Reichsson responded calmly. "As I've said, there is no need for hostility. We are all civil here, and we can manage to reach an agreement on this. This issue concerns you greatly, and rightfully so. But I would like to urge you to rely upon proven facts, research, and statistics as opposed to rumors and anecdotal accounts. I have given you the facts here today. It may very well be true that a scorned or misfortunate person of servitude will not speak very highly of Tryscar or our policies, but at the same time, would every one of the people who live in or visit your nation speak highly of it? I would hope that you'd expect me to base my understanding and opinions of your nations and cultures on factual accounts. We may all have prejudices, but I would like to work past them here...but I'm seeing an eager tendency towards aggression here, and that's certainly not something that will foster positive international relations. We are just as willing to work through this as any of you are."