Post by aoibheni on Oct 15, 2018 17:07:09 GMT
Doctor Foe rested her bulging briefcase on the Captain's desk and graced him with a tired, but grateful smile.
"It has been a long few days," she explained. "I am grateful you are here, Captain."
The doctor was short all over. Short hair, short stature, probably a little short on temper, too. She was middle-aged, greying gracefully around the temples, her light-brown hair disappearing into a colourful, azure and teal headscarf that sat atop her head in a knotted flourish.
Her clothes were formal, all tailored lines calculated not to give offense, and matched her headscarft beautifully.
"I am sure you will have questions," she observed as she wrenched her briefcase open and started to pull out PADDs and data chips.
Foyle nodded while stepping over to the replicator and ordered himself a hot cocoa. "Indeed, Doctor. I do." He gently took the mug out of the alcove. "Can I get you anything?"
She shook her head as she continued to fuss with her case. "And that will probably be the easiest question I answer, too," she observed with a wry sigh.
She held a PADD out for Foyle and started talking.
"The Eblani and the Barissi are neighbouring states on one of the main landmasses on Caliope III. They have much in common on the surface, but beyond their shared history of invasion, the two peoples are vastly different." She thought for a moment, her eyes taking on a far-away squint.
"The cliff notes, Captain Foyle are thus: They were both invaded by the Cantra Empire a few thousand years ago. The Barissi, after nominal resistance, simply accepted their new masters and went about their lives under Cantra rule. They adopted many Cantra customs, the Cantra language, named their children Cantra names and adopted their marriage, death and general governmental rituals. As such, the Cantra Empire, happy that control was so easily maintained, turned a blind eye to many Barissi customs that persisted nonetheless. Eventually, the Empire disolved, but the effect is still felt today.
Modern day Barissi have, in general, quite a negative opinion of their own, native culture, viewing Cantra customs as somehow more refined, superior."
She remained standing, her hands clasped in front of her chest. "The Eblani, however, reacted very differently to the initial invasion. They resisted, fought tooth and nail, and as a result, the Cantra hammer fell much heavier on them. Their native language was wiped almost clean away, people with native Eblani names were persecuted, marriages were not recognised and families often torn apart if they had not been joined under Cantra law... it was brutal, Captain. Think of the worst thing that could be done to quash a culture, and it will be present in Eblani history... and now, well, the little of their culture left to them is understandably precious. To them, any scrap of their original way of life has been preserved only through the sacrifice of millions of their martyrs and the diligence of their modern day scholars and historians. Part of that cullture is their reverence for certain trees, and specific locations - usually scenes of grass-roots resistance or mass burials, but occasionally, places with myths attached to them, and this... Captain, is where we find our latest problem."
Skimming the PADD, Duncan took his time, and a sip from his cocoa before looking up at Foe.
"Latest?" He blinked and took a breath, deciding not to press her about the previous issues nor wanting to break her flow. He nodded for her to continue and took another sip from his mug.
"The Eblani and the Barissi border is a constant source of dispute. Those living along it are often subject to violence, unrest, and a sudden shift in regime as one side takes over control from the other. Over the last hundred years or so, settlers from the Barissi side have moved into specially built, walled communities that run right up to and over the border. In this way, the Barissi have gradually taken control of much Eblani land. The area of greatest dispute right now is the valley of Oksha's Curve. The Eblani believe it is the location described in one of their greatest mythical texts, a valley formed with the sweep of Oksha's massive bladed weapon." Foe paused, eyed Foyle up for a moment then continued, "and the Barissi want to mine it for its natural resources. Apparently, they have detected a large vein of rodinium ore." Foe paused again. "It's like locating the city of Atlantis on Earth, and discovering someone wanted to blow it up immediately because there was latinum underneath."
Foe let her hands swing to her amble sides and coughed. "Needless to say, Captain Foyle, finding common ground, metaphorically, or literally is a challenge."
"It has been a long few days," she explained. "I am grateful you are here, Captain."
The doctor was short all over. Short hair, short stature, probably a little short on temper, too. She was middle-aged, greying gracefully around the temples, her light-brown hair disappearing into a colourful, azure and teal headscarf that sat atop her head in a knotted flourish.
Her clothes were formal, all tailored lines calculated not to give offense, and matched her headscarft beautifully.
"I am sure you will have questions," she observed as she wrenched her briefcase open and started to pull out PADDs and data chips.
Foyle nodded while stepping over to the replicator and ordered himself a hot cocoa. "Indeed, Doctor. I do." He gently took the mug out of the alcove. "Can I get you anything?"
She shook her head as she continued to fuss with her case. "And that will probably be the easiest question I answer, too," she observed with a wry sigh.
She held a PADD out for Foyle and started talking.
"The Eblani and the Barissi are neighbouring states on one of the main landmasses on Caliope III. They have much in common on the surface, but beyond their shared history of invasion, the two peoples are vastly different." She thought for a moment, her eyes taking on a far-away squint.
"The cliff notes, Captain Foyle are thus: They were both invaded by the Cantra Empire a few thousand years ago. The Barissi, after nominal resistance, simply accepted their new masters and went about their lives under Cantra rule. They adopted many Cantra customs, the Cantra language, named their children Cantra names and adopted their marriage, death and general governmental rituals. As such, the Cantra Empire, happy that control was so easily maintained, turned a blind eye to many Barissi customs that persisted nonetheless. Eventually, the Empire disolved, but the effect is still felt today.
Modern day Barissi have, in general, quite a negative opinion of their own, native culture, viewing Cantra customs as somehow more refined, superior."
She remained standing, her hands clasped in front of her chest. "The Eblani, however, reacted very differently to the initial invasion. They resisted, fought tooth and nail, and as a result, the Cantra hammer fell much heavier on them. Their native language was wiped almost clean away, people with native Eblani names were persecuted, marriages were not recognised and families often torn apart if they had not been joined under Cantra law... it was brutal, Captain. Think of the worst thing that could be done to quash a culture, and it will be present in Eblani history... and now, well, the little of their culture left to them is understandably precious. To them, any scrap of their original way of life has been preserved only through the sacrifice of millions of their martyrs and the diligence of their modern day scholars and historians. Part of that cullture is their reverence for certain trees, and specific locations - usually scenes of grass-roots resistance or mass burials, but occasionally, places with myths attached to them, and this... Captain, is where we find our latest problem."
Skimming the PADD, Duncan took his time, and a sip from his cocoa before looking up at Foe.
"Latest?" He blinked and took a breath, deciding not to press her about the previous issues nor wanting to break her flow. He nodded for her to continue and took another sip from his mug.
"The Eblani and the Barissi border is a constant source of dispute. Those living along it are often subject to violence, unrest, and a sudden shift in regime as one side takes over control from the other. Over the last hundred years or so, settlers from the Barissi side have moved into specially built, walled communities that run right up to and over the border. In this way, the Barissi have gradually taken control of much Eblani land. The area of greatest dispute right now is the valley of Oksha's Curve. The Eblani believe it is the location described in one of their greatest mythical texts, a valley formed with the sweep of Oksha's massive bladed weapon." Foe paused, eyed Foyle up for a moment then continued, "and the Barissi want to mine it for its natural resources. Apparently, they have detected a large vein of rodinium ore." Foe paused again. "It's like locating the city of Atlantis on Earth, and discovering someone wanted to blow it up immediately because there was latinum underneath."
Foe let her hands swing to her amble sides and coughed. "Needless to say, Captain Foyle, finding common ground, metaphorically, or literally is a challenge."