Alastair

[Joy 0]

Subject : Alastair

From : Ambassador Joy Two, UFP, Aegis

To : Ambassador Drankum, Aegis

CC : Administrator McDowell

Classification : Confidential

 

 

Ambassador Drankum

 

I just had a long, emotional and not very cohesive conversation with Administrator McDowell. From her account, you extorted under extreme duress an 'agreement' with her on the handling of Alastair. It seems that much more effort at that meeting went into posturing and intimidating each other than consulting either the Aegis Treaty or the TKR 117 Charter. The Aegis Treaty forbids the station from acquiring territory, thus your becoming half head of state of Alastair is problematic. Further, the TKR 117 Charter provides a process by which a small group of explorers slowly grows into a fully sovereign self ruling democracy. There is no room in the Charter for foreign powers stepping in and half taking over.

 

Nobody involved has the authority to rewrite the two documents governing Aegis and Alastair. Thus, the agreement must be tailored in accordance to the documents. At least, so says the android with 'obey the law' written all over her Asimov Processor.

 

Thus, the following is not an attempt to write down the 'agreement' reached in the recent meeting. It is attempts to combine the essentials of what the two of you believe you require without trampling roughshod on the documents governing station and planet. Administrator McDowell has agreed in principle to the following.

 

1. Aegis has authority for security from external threats, including everything in space and security for the archeological site.

 

2. Aegis has authority for clean up of the trilithium spill. This authority is temporary, intended to last until the spill is well and truly secure and under control. This is not a permanent claim to a place on the planet.

 

3. Alastair has controlling authority for the science of the archeological dig, including who digs where, who writes what paper, and distribution of artifacts. Administrator McDowell welcomes participation in the dig by scientists from Aegis and shall not exclude participation of Aegis personnel in scientific endeavors.

 

4. The Alastair Charter provides a system of criminal laws, democratic procedures to modify these laws, and police authority to enforce these laws. Aegis shall not interfere with the Charter's scheme of government or citizens choosing how their planet shall be run. Aegis security may respond if they observe people on the planet in distress, but their job is defense against foreign threats not to police the civilians.

 

5. The Alastair settlement has been sponsored and financed by the Daystrom Institute. There is an understanding that Daystrom shall receive first consideration should any commercial opportunities arise. While it is possible and perhaps desirable that Aegis, Alastair and Daystrom might work together commercially to mutual benefit and by mutual consent, Aegis shall in no way coerce or demand a place in the existing relationship between Alastair and Daystrom.

 

6. The command staff of Aegis and colonial administration of Alastair shall do their utmost to maintain a spirit of courtesy and cooperation between their respective personnel. Security forces in particular shall not attempt to bully or intimidate people from the other organization.

 

These points will not be sufficient. You are Ferengi. She is Irish. These cultures share tendencies to be stubborn, emotional, and to refuse to yield what one finds precious. If neither of you can back off of this, if neither can respect and honor reasonable requests of the other, no agreement or lack of agreement can produce a good relationship. There will come times when each of you will have strong concerns that effects areas primarily in the other’s area of operation. Both will need to seek to give the other what is wanted whenever possible rather than to fight for power at every opportunity.

 

Administrator McDowell described grave threats from you should she fail to yield control of her planet. I advised her that the threats were sincere, that there was little doubt that you would attempt to implement them if you were thwarted. I also told her I was quite capable of making as much trouble for you as you could to her. You are incredibly stubborn for an organic being. I lack free will.

 

The result collision would benefit no one. Please give the above serious consideration.

 

 

Ambassador Joy Two. United Federation of Planets. Sky Harbor Aegis