Kathy asked, “What if they want to become independent?”
Scout said, “Then they should be declared independent as soon as possible.”
Rich said, “I was with you up until your last point.”
Scout said, “We don’t want to see a corporate controlled solar system. People should control their own destinies.”
Kathy said, “That’s why we left to begin with. If you read history, you’ll discover that it’s also how the United States formed in the beginning.”
Rich said, “I guess we can agree to that. I can see the benefit of most of what was said, so it won’t kill us.”
Kathy said, “Next up is the sun. We don’t want anyone laying claim on the sun. No one may mine the sun, nor may anyone alter it.”
Rich said, “Who the hell is talking about mining on the sun?”
Kathy said, “We’re just trying to cover as many contingencies as possible.”
Rich said, “You’re crazy. We’re not stupid enough to mess with the sun. Condition accepted.”
Kathy said, “Our next demand is that the entire Martian planet is ours.”
Rich said, “I thought that was the gist of your border condition. We accept.”
Kathy said, “The next condition is that we have complete autonomy from any government of Earth.”
General Rich was getting annoyed. He didn’t understand why they were bringing up minor details. He expected major points to be raised, but they were wasting time with micromanagement.
Rich said, “Why’re we covering things that’re clearly going to be accepted? You’re just presenting the basis of your argument in a different way. These items are the basis of the treaty. Can we move on to larger points that make sense? Condition accepted.”
Kathy said, “We’d like the satellites that provide over the air broadcasting and internet turned back on. We also want phone lines opened so our citizens can communicate with family and friends on Earth. We don’t want to have to pay anyone for it. Communication should be free.”
Kathy believed communication between people and civilizations was the best way for technology and ideas to advance. Money only got in the way.
Rich said, “I guess we can do that. It’ll let us make sure that you’re not planning to attack us in the future. But we want access to your television and internet signals in exchange for ours.”
Kathy said, “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. You’ll be getting access to our entire communication stream, but we’ll only get a portion of yours.”
Rich said, “We’ll provide you with the full stream of public communications. Private ones will remain private. We just want the same in return.”
Kathy said, “We can match that.”
Rich said, “Then we’re agreed.”
Kathy said, “Our penultimate condition is that we may take people from Earth who want to immigrate to Mars, and we also want to be able to send people to Earth who don’t want to be on Mars. No one should be forced to live on either planet if they prefer the other.”
Rich said, “So you want to steal our citizens?”
Scout said, “Don’t you mean ‘customers’?”
Rich answered, “No, I mean citizens. That’s a major point of contention.”
Jordan said, “You just don’t want to lose your slave labor. You know very well that only poor people will want to leave.”
Rich said, “That might be true, but those people are important to our economy.”
Jordan snapped, “Bullshit! They’re important to keeping the rich in their comfort. You know you don’t need all the people you have in poverty to continue your society.”
Scout added, “You seem to have a population problem anyway. There’s nine billion people on the planet. I think that sending a few of them our way might actually help you.”
Rich said, “You can have a few, but we get to decide who gets to leave.”
Scout said, “Don’t think that you’re going to dump your dangerous criminals on us. You’re going to send us people we’ve already accepted, but we’ll grant you the final decision.”
Kathy whispered in Scout’s ear, “Don’t you think they’ll just deny anyone we accept?”
Scout replied in a whisper, “We’ll find ways around that.”
Kathy said, “Our final condition is that people who want to defect from your military can do so. That means all people who are currently here on Mars have the opportunity to join us if they choose to do so.”
Rich shot an evil look at Kathy and replied, “I don’t think you’re going to get very many defectors from our ranks.”
Jordan said, “We have a good number of defectors in our jail who are just waiting for the treaty to be signed. They’ll be welcomed with open arms.”
Rich said, “Yes, I’m aware of the defectors, but they’re the only people I expect to join you.”
Scout said, “I know for a fact that a few prisoners of war want to join us.”
Rich sneered, “While we’re on the subject of prisoners, I want my people released.”
Scout said, “We intend to release them, but they are going to be given the opportunity to defect first.”
Rich said, “We can agree to that so long as it is reciprocal. Any of your people who want to repatriate Earth are free to do so.”
Scout said, “I really don’t think you’re going to have very many of our people willing to rejoin you.”
Jordan stood and yelled, “You’re trying to get us to create a loophole in the treaty that allows you to take our people back to Earth under false pretenses. You’ll have them tried or killed once they arrive on Earth.”
Rich said, “What if we both agree to provide video to provide proof that defectors really want to defect.”
Jordan said, “That would work if you weren’t an expert in video manipulation.”
Rich said, “I’ll provide the video for full inspection to you if I get any defectors.”
The Martians had a small conference in an adjacent room. They didn’t trust Rich, but they needed him to agree to allow defectors to stay. They gave a time limit for agreement and a time for the defectors to change their minds.
Scout said, “We don’t trust you, but your terms seem acceptable, with our few caveats.”
Jordan said, “We don’t really have a choice but to accept your terms.”
Kathy said, “Those are our terms.”
General Rich’s mood changed as he walked back to his seat. He did not sit down, but grabbed a reader. It contained his requests.
Rich said, “We have a few things we’d like to present to you. Not so much demands, because we’re in no position to make demands.”
Scout said, “Go ahead and make your requests.”
Rich said, “We’d like all trade vessels to be subject to inspection when going to Mars and upon coming back from Mars.”
Scout said, “What you do on Earth to ensure your own laws are obeyed is no concern of ours. I would, however, like to point out that all vessels would be subject to inspection upon arrival and departure on Mars.”
Rich said, “So we agree that vessels are subject to inspection four times.”
Kathy said, “That’s correct. Now, move on to your next request.”
Rich said, “We’d also like to ask that no weapons be pointed in the direction of Earth. That means no testing of weapons toward us.”
Kathy said, “That means you have to agree to the same condition. If a weapon is pointed at us, though, we have the right to defend ourselves.”
Rich said, “Agreed. No one may point weapons at the other. If this condition is broken by either party, the other may defend itself.”
Jordan said, “Agreed,” and slumped in his chair with his arms crossed.
Kathy said, “Is that all?”
Rich said, “We’d also like to retrieve our fallen people from your planet.”
Jordan said, “So you want to send a large force to our surface to recover bodies?”
/> Rich said, “I know what you’re thinking. You think that I’ll use that mission as an excuse to attack you again. I assure you I won’t.”
Scout said, “I’ll allow a small team, no more than fifty people, to perform recovery operations on our planet.”
Jordan snarled at Scout, “Are you insane? This man will betray you in a heartbeat if you let him.”
Scout said, “I will also stipulate that your team be unarmed and accompanied by a team of my people to ensure strict compliance to these terms.”
Rich said, “I can agree to that.”
The Operative said, “We also hope we’ll be allowed to each establish embassies on both worlds. That way we could have diplomacy in the future without having a tedious journey through space.”
Scout said, “That’s something that’ll have to wait. Trust like that is something that has to be earned. Perhaps once the governments of Earth prove their desire for peace, we can have real diplomacy. Then we won’t have these bloody wars anymore.”
They continued discussing last minute terms for the next few hours. They were mostly small things like how far ships could travel without informing the other side and what to do in the case of two ships in a foreign planet’s space.
Rich said, “That’s all. We’ll have a copy of the treaty ready for your signatures in about a week.”
Scout said, “We’ll be waiting on our ship. Let us know when it’s ready. Oh, and don’t think you can attack us. We have a 25 hour a day patrol on the ship.”
Scout and his team returned to the Renaissance to await the treaty. He and his team would go over every part of it word by word once it arrived. It was too important not to be diligent.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Treaty
The treaty arrived for inspection. Formal documents were still printed on paper and distributed to every party that signed them. Scout went over the document with a fine-toothed comb. The other Martians did the same.
Scout told Jordan, “I see a few things in here I want changed.”
Jordan replied, “I want to know if he’s serious. This isn’t like him at all.”
Becky said, “Remember that he’s a politician first. He has to make his backers happy, even if it means losing face.”
Jordan said, “But this is like a lion laying down with a lamb in peace.”
Scout said, “I think it’s more like a lion admitting that a bear kicked its ass.”
Jordan said, “I never thought of us as a bear.”
Becky said, “I have. I see us as this cute cuddly bear cub. We’re playful at first, but when we’re provoked we defend ourselves to the death.”
Jordan said, “Have you found anything we didn’t agree to?”
Scout replied, “No, just some wordings that need clarification. What about you guys?”
Kathy said, “I found a section in here that gave them the right to send us defective, damaged and expired products. That needs to go.”
Becky said, “I don’t see any problem with damaged goods in some cases, but never expired stuff.”
Scout said, “Let’s change that to say that they can send us damaged durables if they can be repaired with what we have on Mars. Take out the part about expired goods; that’s never acceptable.”
They found a few other minor things they wanted to change, so they submitted the edited document to the governments’ representatives. The DeNoPE representatives looked it over for the next few hours and either accepted or rejected the edits the Martian delegation suggested.
Rich said, “They rejected the expired products clause.”
The Operative said, “I told you they would. It was bullshit anyway.”
The Asian leader said, “They added a clause to the damaged goods section about having to be repairable on Mars.”
Rich said, “I expected that. It would’ve been too easy the other way.”
The Asian leader said, “But we can still dump a whole bunch of damaged stuff on them. They have almost all the materials they need to repair the merchandise.”
Rich said, “And what they don’t have, we’ll give them. They’re just not going to get brand new things that we can sell to paying customers on Earth.”
The Asian leader said, “Agreed.”
The President of North America said, “So you’re saying this treaty won’t hurt Earth’s economies?”
Rich said, “Not too badly. We’ll take a small hit, but we tried to make the treaty mutually beneficial.”
The American President replied, “So we could’ve skipped the whole war part, and not spent tons of money. No one had to die, and we could’ve skipped to this part?”
The Operative said, “That’s the situation in a nutshell.”
The President of North America said, “This is the last time you get a pass. We all agreed to go to war, but it was at your urging. From now on, all members are equal. There is no chair.”
Rich sunk in his chair as he listened to the President of North America. He had just been stripped of his title and his power. This was not a good day.
Rich said, “Agreed. Now let’s finish this treaty.”
They spent a few more minutes looking over the treaty before submitting it to be retyped with edits made by both sides. When it was done, it was resubmitted to each side for a final review.
Jordan said, “The treaty looks legit. I hope it is.”
Scout replied, “The only way to find out is to walk out and take a step of faith.”
Jordan said, “I hope that your faith isn’t misplaced.”
Scout said, “So do I.”
They approved the finished treaty and informed the Earth delegation. The Earth delegation did the same, and a signing was scheduled for the next day.
No one from Mars was able to sleep that night. They were all too nervous to rest. Everyone wanted the treaty to be signed and the war to end. Hours passed slowly as the group of Martians tried to sleep but only stared into space.
The next morning, there was a lot of regal formality in the meeting hall of the moon base. There was a red carpet and a podium with very fancy looking leather chairs set up on either side of the podium. The treaty was encased in a glass podium at the entrance to the hall, while the parties to it were seated near the main podium.
The President of North America stood and approached the podium. The assembled delegations stood as he approached.
He said, “Today is a historic day. We have ended the first war in the history of the Earth to reach beyond this piece of rock. The Developed Nations of Planet Earth has been defeated, and we now accept a peaceful coexistence with our Martian neighbors. We have prepared this treaty, and all parties have agreed to its terms. Will the parties come forward and sign the document.”
The podium was moved to the front of the hall, and the glass was opened. The treaty was read out loud.
Scout, Kathy, Jordan, Notah, Becky and Lane approached the podium. Then the delegation from DeNoPE took their places at the podium. Each delegation stood at attention while the treaty was read.
The President of North America asked, “Does anyone here have any issues with the treaty?”
No one said anything.
The President of North America said, “Then we can all sign the treaty and begin our peaceful coexistence.”
Scout stood at the podium. The King of Latin America handed him a pen. He signed the treaty. Then General Rich stood and signed. Everyone applauded once the two leaders signed the treaty.
The President said, “This is a momentous occasion, indeed. We’ve just witnessed two opposing viewpoints agreeing on a radical change. Could we have the rest of the dignitaries sign the treaty?”
Jordan came to the podium and signed the treaty. Then Kathy signed, followed by Notah, Jordan and Becky. After the Martians signed, the delegation from DeNoPE came up to the podium and signed the treaty.
The President said, “The treaty is now in effect. Now let us celebrate our newly declared status as neighbors. Ther
e will be a small reception in the adjacent hall following our closing.”
Scout asked his delegation, “Would it be wrong to skip out on the reception? I really don’t trust these people.”
Kathy said, “This is supposed to be a gesture of good faith. If we leave, it shows that we don’t take their gesture seriously.”
Jordan said, “But if we stay and their intentions are evil, as I suspect they are, they might kill us.”
Kathy said, “Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt, even these assholes.”
Scout said, “Fine, let’s make our appearance.”
Everyone from both sides went into the reception hall and celebrated the treaty’s acceptance. As they walked in, the Martian delegation felt apprehension. They didn’t trust Rich or anyone connected to DeNoPE. It took hours to relax. Once they did, though, they saw that this was a genuine attempt to be welcoming. Everyone had a good time once they let go of their distrust.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Stay or Go?
Notah was lying on his bed, thinking about the future. He had his phone on his nightstand, and he was expecting a call any minute.
General Rich called Notah and asked, “Are you going back with us?”
Notah replied, “I can’t. It would look wrong if I left Mars with you. I don’t want to arouse anyone’s suspicions.”
General Rich asked, “So does that mean you intend to stay here?”
Notah said, “I’m not sure. You’ve proven to be an ineffective leader, and your promises don’t mean much considering you don’t really have the power to keep them anymore.”
Rich got a little annoyed and replied, “Look here, you little ingrate. I gave you my word that I’d make you rich if you helped me. I intend to keep that promise, but only if you return to Earth in a timely fashion.”
Notah said, “I’ll go back when I’m damn good and ready.”
Rich said, “Don’t take too long, or I may not be able to help you.”
Notah said, “I’m not sure you can help me now. Scout might actually have some good ideas.”
MARS: Baroque Revolution Page 24