Team Negotiation, Assemble!

[bosswald]

I've read all the threads that were posted in the original OOC plotting post as possible to try and separate them into four different plans. I tried to take elements that everyone has commented with, as well as input from the captain's comments to try and flesh out actual plan proposals.

It might be easier to decide on this by voting on the plan your character is going for in the header of your comment, and elaborating on any other input IC in the comment itself. Please make sure you list something in your header or bold something in your comment so I know which plan is being voted on.

Assume a message went out from Team Leader: Clara Oswald to all members of the team on the afternoon of June 21, calling the team to meet at a set time that evening in the gardens. She will have a handwritten display of the projected plans (listed down below) and will discuss them in depth before asking for input from others. After input is given, she will hold a vote. Based on the character input, I will edit the chosen final plan as needed in order to flesh things out. If responding to this IC isn't your thing, that's cool! Just put what your character votes for and give a reason why if you want. There doesn't even need to be a reason or any input, unless your character would have something to say.

At 10:00 pm CST June 28, I will be tallying the plan that is the most popular based on comment headers and that will be the plan that Clara proposes to the captains.

You can reach me on plurk at spectromagic, or by PM if it's needed!

Plan Give Them Bruce as Negotiation Fodder
This plan involves using a deceptive means to convince the Caducans that they are offering them Bruce to call things equal. "Bruce" would either be a decoy or illusion, depending on the involvement of those that can provide illusions. Using Bruce to get in close to the Caducans, the group that escorts him will engage in face to face negotiations in an attempt to reason and see that revenge is a path that will not end with them feeling satisfied. An attempt at peaceful negotiations will be had, but the group will prepare to fight and for the worst if necessary due to using deception.


Plan Buy Time With a Distraction
This plan involves using a distraction (Peter Quill leading a dance off, anyone?) to catch the Caducans off guard to buy enough time to attack and demonstrate that the Moira isn't to be messed with using a display of strength that results in the Caducans being pushed back well enough that the Moira can run away and safely escape. This plan runs the risk of possibly being stalked and attacked again in the future, but could mean less people being hurt or killed.


Plan Kick Ass (Hostile Negotiations)
This plan involves using a show of sheer strength to intimidate the Caducans into being eliminated or going away. This will mean boarding their ship by force and kicking ass in order to eliminate the threat using whatever means are necessary. The team will attempt to uncover and capture the leader(s) of the Caducans and will use a threat to their lives to arrange a hostile/forceful negotiation that the Moira will be left alone. Or else. This plan could come with a high body count and pure chaos, but it's very likely the Caducans that are left won't bother them again.


Plan Talk it Out
This plan is very against using Bruce at all in negotiations. They are pro keeping a close eye on him for his own safety because you do not turn yourself over, Bruce! A designated small group of negotiators will discuss negotiations both face to face in a peaceful meeting with the Caducan leaders. This plan will rely on experienced diplomats/negotiators to come up with clever words that will convince the Caducans to listen and demonstrate that reparations and preparing for their future is an option that is more logical and the best way to remember the people and planet that they lost. The team will help arrange reparations and offer a helping hand, and push the fact that working together will accomplish a lot more than adding more deaths to their conscience.

Comments

[warandpeace]

Kaz won't be entirely helpful as a negotiator, because his business is war. But he'll have an absolute last choice recommendation. And emphasize that it should be used as a last option.

And it's to remind them that the entirety of Cadacus Primary was destroyed by this ship. While it also helped with evacuation efforts, a crew of significantly smaller number and less dangerous individuals destroyed the entire planet. And that it won't be worth it to them to engage in mutually assured destruction, because if they try that is what will happen.

Rather than war, they should focus all their financial efforts on resettling and rebuilding. This is a fruitless venture and will bring no actual benefit to their people.

[bosswald]

Clara will ask him if his vote is for the Talk it Out plan, in that case, and will say that she thinks adding on a firm tone with a last option reminder to the Caducans (also suggested by Elizabeth) will be put into the final plan.

Talk it Out + SUBTERFUGE...?

[tearmeanewone]

Elizabeth is in favor of sending a small coalition of negotiators over to the Caducan ship to explore possibilities for reparations that don't involve death of everybody involved/handing over Bruce. BUT--

She is in favor of taking a firm tone and letting the Caducans know that if they are unable to reach an agreement, the crew of the Moira is prepared to defend themselves by any means necessary. Given the crew consists of giant robots and magic users, are the Caducans really confident they'll be able to take on the crew? Are they willing to gamble their lives?

The Caducans are expecting these negotiations to take place, so a group is expected to board anyway. Equipping the negotiation team with technology that could give them more information from within the ship could help them exploit a weakness if/when things go south. Also potential for sabotage, introduction of system viruses, etc. while talks are happening.

She's very much against attacking the Caducans on their own turf. They know close to nothing about the enemy ship, including its layout and exactly how armed they are, she'll see that option as a useless suicide run.

[bosswald]

Clara will jot down what Elizabeth is saying, promising her that mention of the firm tone and pointing out that the crew is able to defend themselves if necessary will be included. Because it's a very good idea to include that, and they need to try and limit the amount of casualties from this as much as possible.

She will also start a new chart (because she's a teacher so why not) and write Materials Needed on the top. Under it, she will write technology.

+1 to this

[arcreact]

Tony's with Elizabeth on this one, and willing to consult re: the technology bit if necessary, and/or help monitor whatever information said technology picks up while the team is over there.

ALSO, and he's going to make this clear to Clara in their thread, Tony is privy to this information after several sleepless nights, which he'll want to make known to the entire team. Emphasis on the part where the Caducians don't seem all that concerned with anything but bloodshed and are about equivalently armed, to push the idea of negotiations as a tactic to give the other teams a leg up. Because a fight looks kind of inevitable, from where he's standing, but they may as well give it a good old fashioned try first.

[redshitlord]

Voting for distraction on Sideswipe's part. Because whatever keeps people From being dead is a GREAT PLAN in his book. Also because he told Peter he'd join his distraction plan.

... and his lack of confidence in talking it out, since a lot of this goes over his dumb spiky head.

Talk it Out as Distraction + Prepare for the Worst

[prorenataa]

Adrien will mostly have been listening to everybody and leaning towards the Talk it Out but upon learning this information from Tony as well as some ship specs (thank you roomie!) Adrien would propose:

They put a genuine attempt into Talking it Out with hope to sway the Caducians into a peaceful resolution.

This is also time to be utilized by Team Offense and Team Defense to develop and position themselves in case no peaceful resolution can be found.

If/When the Caducians refuse all reasonable efforts and/or start hostile actions, the Moira (regretfully) finishes it. Leave no survivors.

You don't leave an enemy still standing at your back. The Moira doesn't seem to need enemies stalking us through space. :(

Also if the "Send a negotiations te3am to the Caducian ship" is the way the group goes, Adrien will support Elizabeth's idea of also utilizing that group to lay down some sabotage/attacks form within, WHEN things go pearshaped. He would also advise that the group be made up of volunteers who understand that they'll have to leave behind their weapons as a show of good faith but then be on their own for extraction and won't be a priority for the Defense or Offense group.

So basically negotiation team better have good plans C, D, E and F.

And then he'll volunteer for the team.

ETA: He would be vehemently against using Bruce in any capacity that involves handing him over.

[harderfasterwrecker]

Whirl is going to agree with Adrien's prepare for the worst idea particularly loudly, and probably include a lot of pointing in his agreement.

[a_shadow]

Tex is not the person you want on negotiations. Upon hearing the evidence Tony has to present, in particular, she advocates for the negotiations team idea, so long as the negotiations team contains strong fighters such as herself. She personally doesn't wish to head the team, as she knows she has a bit of a hair trigger and would choose to become embroiled in a fight early on in comparison to what others would. [[ETA: Actually waxing about some character meta in someone's plurk made me realize that she would want to head it for exactly these reasons—because she thinks being ready to spring at the right time, the earlier the better, is best. Tex, what is your record for impulsiveness. ]] But she's more than prepared to help with any sabotage efforts upon being unleashed for that purpose. Tex wants to also make it clear that she believes any team sent onto the ship itself will likely be stripped of weapons as a show of good faith, so good CQC is a must for anyone who is sent down.

[bosswald]

Clara will think over the suggestion of bringing over fighters. She'll explain that this isn't because she thinks it's a bad idea, but that she worries that coming over with people who are clearly fighters will put the mood of negotiations into dangerous territory right away. She does think that people who go need to be able to fend for themselves, but suggests that if Tex were to go along, she could head up protecting the negotiators who are less experienced with actual fighting.

[averagehero]

Saitama is late to the meeting and spends most of it stifling his own yawns. He'll only really speak up if directly asked, his main concern would be to not kill anybody. He's not high and mighty about it, he says it like it's common sense. Disarming the enemies and breaking the hell out of their ship is a-okay in his book, if they come back later, the Moira can just bust their stuff up again. No problem at all, he shrugs off anything more intricate.

He's very much n o t worried about this, he's only bouncing his leg out of impatience. Negotiations are not his style. Does the MID have games on it? Tetris? Anything but listening to people jabber on--?

When it comes to a vote, he's going with a Buy Time strategy. One of the other teams should be able to bust up their ship, not their people, while Negotiations stall for time.

[bosswald]

Clara will occasionally pace the floor, going over to touch at his shoulder to let him know that SHE HAS HER EYES ON HIM AND HIS YAWNING.

[realitywarped]

Loki wants them too bewildered and intimidated to continue, even if that's not very likely. Lies, exaggerations, threats, distractions, any of those that will work. Use the negotiations as a chance to sabotage, and leave, maybe. He suspects the kind of people who stalk a ship for several months are more inclined to vengeance than reason, a mindset Loki will not admit to understanding all too well but will point out, and let's face it he's Loki, negotiating in good faith is really not his thing.

He will also volunteer to go with the negotiating team as an emergency exit, if that turns out to be an issue. Or a decoy. He's good at decoy, and it gives him a chance to cause a little chaos. Also, he really doubts the Caduceans can strip him of his magic, which is hard to predict anyway, thanks oogly woogly chaos magic, and he can keep weapons hidden that way too.

[bosswald]

Clara will be very eager to hear Loki's input, and will tell him that she definitely wants them there to help with a fast emergency exit. She will ask to see him alone so they can talk one on one after the meeting.

talk it out

[bosswald]

After listening to input from others and writing more notes up on her meticulously organized posters for each plan, Clara votes for the plan to talk it out. She thinks that with the added input from Kaz, Elizabeth, and Tony that negotiations could be successful if the right diplomats were chosen to speak. There is a risk in talking things out (and she is almost certain that anyone that goes could potentially become cannon fodder), but if nothing else, it provides a means to stall for time while everyone else prepares an attack. She says she'll be accompanying whatever negotiations team is put together. It's looking a little hopeless for talking to actually work, but they've got to try.

[fight4theusers]

Tron votes for talking it out, though he'd rather stay out of the actual talking. He's going to be helping to guard Bruce's cage and talking to him.

He also notes that talking will hopefully stall enough that the other teams can come up with a plan for offense/defense should negotiations fail. He's in favor of using negotiation as a distraction should that be necessary.

(Sorry, that's kind of two votes in one!)

[trap_factory]

Prometheus continues to be unhelpful and might occasionally drop a quip about how Buy Time is a terrible idea because what? you want this to be a bimonthly thing? He'll actually be staying out of the conversations for the most part and will just be people watching. At the end, he'll toss a vote towards Hostile Negotiations to be contrary. why is he here again?

Fi kinda cares...! As much as she's capable of anyway. Her vote goes towards Talk it Out as the plan most likely to yield the desired results of No Deaths though she'll also back Elizabeth and Miller's addendums because it's good to have contingencies in place. She'll also be people watching unless prompted to join in the conversation because WHAT IS AUTONOMY?

... She has telepathy and a connection with the MID and is actually... a magic sword.... but will not actively volunteer for a position on the negotiation team. Such is the unfortunate consequence of being a servant sword. U_____U

[mttbrandlegs]

Mettaton votes for talking it out. Sure, he usually opts for violence in order to garner attention, but negotiation seems a better idea all around, and besides, with the ability to spend unlimited credits, it seems feasible to offer reparations rather than sacrifices.

[seeingscarlet]

Wanda votes that they should attempt to talk it out first, but she is not optimistic that people this driven by revenge will respond well. Offers were made by crewmembers last time to find and return the stolen goods but they were basically told the statues were 'ruined' by being stolen...so they aren't exactly the most flexible of people.

She will insist on accompanying the negotiation team 'for security reasons' but give a very pointed look to anyone in the know about her powers - obviously she intends to try to read the Caducans' minds for anything to either help the real negotiators find an angle or defend the ship.

[bosswald]

Clara will tell Wanda that she doesn't have to insist, that she'll be inviting her along. She doesn't know about Wanda's powers, but is someone that she trusts as a strong lady, so she'll want her there to be a level head.

[backsassin]

Zam will vote for Plan Give Them Bruce as Negotiation Fodder on the condition that if the Caducans a) accept Bruce as an acceptable trade for peace and b) no other deal can be reached, they just give them Bruce, dead or alive. Zam forcefully argues that any other course in such a situation will lead to far more people dying than just Bruce and possibly even the destruction of the Moira itself. In that case, Bruce would be just as likely to die with the rest of them, making it pointless to risk everything to protect him in the first place.

Zam is also liable to get extremely angry and storm out of the room if this condition is not agreed to.

[bosswald]

Clara will most definitely argue against that plan, and will insist that she doesn't think they have the right to barter with someone's life. She'll say that she doesn't think that many more people won't die, even if they do give them Bruce. It's likely that they'll argue back and forth, with Clara putting her foot down pretty firmly. She may even go so far as to go up to her lovely posters with all the plans written out and put a big red X over the plan mentioning using Bruce.

Which probably means Zam will be storming out I am so sorry

SORRY FOR THE LATE....

[aminerproblem]

Megatron will want to try to Talk it Out with the caveat that they should have a back-up plan should the negotiations turn sour. He will be very much against flat out killing the Caducans and will push for non lethal methods, and only attacking if necessary.

As for negotiating, he's sat through plenty of peace talks during the Cybertronian civil war(they actually had those for a little while). They failed for the most part, but he is comfortable in that kind of environment, especially if they want to go for a more intimidating route.

Personally, he'd rather prefer to play to their good will and emphasize that the Moira has over a hundred innocents on board that had no involvement with Caduceus Primary's destruction. He would advise against starting out antagonizing the negotiators on the other side and would instead try to build rapport with them, or at least some sort of mutual understanding (as a guy who had his own planet destroyed, he'd be willing to speak in this regard). They should also be prepared to offer reparations in some other form, because the fact is they still fucked up that planet. Something like helping the Caducans find a new planet to settle, or resources, etc. The important thing is that they need to show good will coming in.

Should that fail, then they can make a more defensive argument (ie. attacking them would be a bad idea because there'd be a lot of casualties on their side too, etc.), but shouldn't resort to threats. The Caducans already see them as an enemy. There's no need to confirm it any further.

If they go for the deception route, he can project a hard light avatar of Bruce that can bleed and everything if they need it, but he'll need to be somewhere where his focus won't be interrupted.

[bosswald]

Clara will agree with preparing to make reparations, and will ask him to stay for a few minutes after the meeting to explain to her how his projection method would work in execution. She says she doesn't want to necessarily go a deception route, but understands that it may be necessary.

[harderfasterwrecker]

Whirl is going to vote for plan kick ass.

Loudly.

And then he will continue to voice his opinion loudly interrupting others in a particularly singsongy fashion (Complete with Jazz handsClaws) until Rodimus and Megatron get him to stop.

He will, however, at least somewhat agree with plan distraction in that way of 'okay so maybe that might work but it's less likely to be awesome and come on guys none of you are any fun at all.'

[ryuuzaki]

L is not on this team and doesn't belong at this meeting! Clara knows him, so she's probably perfectly aware of this, and it's likely Deacon is too.

However, if there's any functional way for him to have learned about the meeting, up to and including having chosen someone he knows is not on his team to trail after, he will have shown up anyway. (I am so sorry.)

If not challenged (or challenged late), he sits quietly at the back of the room, his hand to his mouth, and listens attentively without contributing or disrupting.

If challenged, he'll calmly explain that he's interested in everyone else's strategies and capabilities and that he doesn't think the teams have been set up as efficiently as they might have been, and will ask, reasonably politely, to be allowed to sit in. If asked to leave, he'll be reluctant (this is not a competition, it's our lives! etc.), but he'll go quietly.

If asked for a contribution, he will explain that it's not his team and he thinks this team is doing well on its own, but he wanted to be broadly well-informed about the ideas and capabilities of the rest of the crew. He thinks the best strategy will probably turn out to be a combination of the three that are developed.

[bosswald]

Upon seeing him, Clara will motion for L to come in closer, and will occasionally look to him to watch his face for a sign of a reaction. She's expecting him to contribute to the conversation, and is surprised that he doesn't. If anyone asks him to leave, she'll put her foot down and say that she gets to say who leaves and goes.

And since she'll be pressing him for a contribution, she'll inform him that he's fully expected to stay and tell her privately what the other teams are discussing.

[outwrite]

In light of Tony's info, Hamilton will essentially vote for Plan Talk it Out but under the condition that whoever is sent on the negotiation team needs to 1) give negotiations their best effort so they can say they at least tried and 2) also understand that their main role will most likely be to stall for time while teams Offense and Defense ready themselves for combat.

Some talking points he will suggest for when they speak to the Caducans:

Their anger is justified; however, vengeance will not bring their planet back.

The catastrophe was an accident, and Moirans have already demonstrated their willingness to assist Caducans. This is seen by the way Moirans risked their well-being in evacuation and rescue efforts.

Some Moirans have also lost their homes and can empathize with the Caducans' grief.

If the Ingress is capable of pulling people from different times and sending them back home, is it not at least remotely possible to find a way to go back in time and prevent the planet from being destroyed in the first place?

If the possibility exists, would it not be better to cooperate with one another? There are more hands on board the Moira now, some of whom possess wondrous abilities that would be an asset to the Caducans.

Moirans are not afraid to defend themselves if necessary. At the same time, there is nothing to be gained by fighting, and the hurt an armed conflict would cause simply wouldn't be worth it.

Instead of pointless bloodshed, both groups should come together and form a treaty.

Hamilton would volunteer to accompany Clara and the rest of he negotiation team. He has enough of a personal stake in this that he trusts himself to do his absolute best, is very verbose and could easily stall for time if it became clear that negotiations were breaking down, and is also not afraid to become canon fodder if that's how the cards fall.

He would also strongly warn against fighting the Caducans on their own turf because that is an excellent way to have your ass handed to you.

[bosswald]

When Hamilton gives his initial conditions, she will give him a look and say that she's naming him to go with her. She trusts him and knows he's good at talking, and if she's going there, she wants to have him with her. She'll give thumbs up to all his talking points, particularly the formation of a treaty. She'll like that idea so much that she'll go write it in on the handwritten poster where the talk it out plan is listed, and will ask him if he'd be up for wording the treaty if one is created.

Secretly, she's hoping that he'll be able to stall for lots and lots of time. But also, the treaty is a really good idea.

plan kick ass - > talk it out

[chipouttaluck]

So, Surely flat-out doesn't buy that negotiating is gonna help anything. But she doesn't really have any good argument for why they should go with plan Kick Ass besides, well, let's just kick their asses. Or any, you know, real strategy for it, so she'd probably drop it once it looks like other folks around have actual ideas and whatnot. Also starts figuring that Kicking Ass is another department, the one she should've been assigned in the first place, so you know, if the talkers wanna talk, she's not gonna stop them.

PLAN TALK IT OUT!!

[sidecars]

Bucky is all for talking it out. Killing MORE lifeforms isn't going to help either side. However, whoever is going in as the negotiator or negotiation team should have a bodyguard, or someone who knows shit about defense, distraction, sabotage, etc. in case worse comes to worse for the negotiation team.

Bucky would volunteer to help defend these people and would fight to at least get SOMEONE to go with her/him/them.

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

There's a thin cloud of smoke swirling around J during the whole meeting. For once she's not sitting in the middle but has withdrawn to near corner, leaning against the wall as she smokes her cigarettes. She's not fan of this situation. At all. This is not her mess and she doesn't want to deal with it.

She's quiet for the whole meeting -- finally taking an advantage lack of her voice -- and seems to be more interested in blowing smoke rings out from her mouth. However, once the option about giving Bruce Caducans she shoots the proposer with cold glare, one that's just oozing out hatred. Yeah, no. Throwing Bruce under the bus is not an option and she's more than ready to stab everyone who thinks otherwise with her cigarette. Don't test her.

In the end she casts vote for Talking It Out option but also making remark that still should prepare offensive and defensive teams for the battle, just in case that the negotiations don't work out.

Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

[imahologram]

Leia votes for Plan Talk it Out followed by Plan Buy Time with a Distraction if (or when, rather, since from what's been said OOC, it doesn't sound like the Caducans are actually willing to negotiate in any meaningful way) they can't get anywhere with the Caducans.

Her goal is for a bloodless solution, and failing that, a solution with the least amount of bloodshed possible.

She'll also insist 1. on being part of the negotiation group and 2. that only experienced negotiators attend (and ideally only teenagers on up, age-wise). As important as it is to have skilled fighters with them, if they don't actually know how to be diplomatic under tense scenarios, they shouldn't be there.

Final Plan Proposal!

[bosswald]

After getting the input from everyone, the final plan based on the overwhelming majority of others supporting the idea, is talking it out!

Given that the negotiations team realizes their role is to attempt to speak with the Caducans in an attempt to end the conflict peacefully, the proposed plan is to meet face to face and talk things out with them in a diplomatic meeting. Despite the fact that peace seems unlikely and fighting is unavoidable, a team of volunteer diplomats will be escorted over to the Caducan ship. Since the ship will be scanned prior to boarding, the group will have the technology available to them thanks to Tony Stark to know the layout of the ship (as a just in case measure). The group will travel over with a treaty that has been written by Alexander Hamilton, hoping to convince the others to seek peace by appealing to their sense of logic in the fact that what happened was an accident and the crew of the Moira helped with evacuations then and are more than willing to help now. Reparations will be offered, as well as assistance in helping the Caducans move on and start anew. Niko will be with this group and will also attempt to share stories about the people on the Moira, and reason with them. Someone can also bring up the memorial located in the Moira's gardens and read the words on the plaque. The glass may reflect images of the past and future. This will be in an attempt to help influence everyone to look to the future and sign the peace treaty, and to show that the Moirans do not take the loss of so much life without regret and remembrance. If the goal of peace cannot be obtained, the diplomats will firmly state that the Moira is equally armed and filled with people who are willing and ready to fight and will attempt to deter any fighting that way.

Since Tony will also have let others know the weapons analysis of the other ship turns out with a result that matches the Moira and that the Caducans are only interested in wiping out everyone on the ship in an act of revenge, the negotiations group will be aware that if this meeting is unsuccessful, their purpose becomes buying time for those on the Moira to prepare to fight. The diplomats and their escorts that go over will be aware that ensuring their survival and safe return is not a priority and they must fight to return on their own. Loki will be present to help make an emergency exit of as many people as possible.

At its best, this plan will ensure a peaceful resolution with minimal crew exposure to the Caducans. At it's worst, they will get nowhere and the enemy will attack and the negotiations will serve as a stalling tactic so those on the Moira can prepare for a fight. This plan will leave room for diplomatic individuals to volunteer, and people who are interested in guarding to accompany them. The others on the ship will be making preparations while the negotiation team is buying time and doing their thing, defense and offense teams getting everyone into place. Everyone will be able to have a part in the preparations, but due to the nature of negotiations only a smallish team (I'd say between 5-10 people) and a few guards would actually be able to go over to negotiate. If the negotiations fail, everyone would be able to participate in both offensive and defensive capabilities.

[backsassin]

Zam’s still unhappy with Clara for her earlier stunt, but grudgingly recognizes that as the Caducans seem unlikely to accept just one person’s capture or execution as an acceptable price, their disagreement is largely hypothetical. As Zam has just as much reason as anyone else for the negotiations/stalling to be as effective as possible, they volunteer as a guard for the diplomatic detachment. They point to their experience in corporate security, which often involved acting as a bodyguard, and to their many years of combat experience. They also point out that their shapeshifting abilities could prove useful in a tight situation.

It’s up to Clara whether she trusts them enough to take them, though. Zam keeps a wary eye on her while making her proposal, aware that she has the authority as group leader to veto their suggestion.