Articles - Interview with NLC Minister

Earlier today I had the luck to track down one of the new ministers appointed by the New Mayor of Newland City, Mr. Lordstage.

Meeting outside the well known club 'Neuters R Us' in Newland we sat down and spoke about his new boss Mayor Zephrem King, actiing Omni-Tek CEO Tarkhan Zora, the Council of Truth, Notum Mininig, the Nanomage Liberation Front and other matters that affect the neutral community.

Here is a transcript of the interview:

Noticiero turns on his recording device
Lordstage smiles
Noticiero: Hello Mr. Lordstage
Lordstage: Hello there Mr. Rivera.
Noticiero: Thank you for meeting me
Lordstage: My pleasure, I'm sure.
Noticiero: For the record, what is your position in the Newland Council?
Lordstage: Foreign Affairs Minister, a post I share with Yarko.
Noticiero: Ah
Noticiero: Then I'm talking to the right man.
Lordstage: Now, what is it you wish to discuss with me, Mr. Rivera?
Noticiero: Zora, the acting Omni-Tek CEO here on Rubi-Ka stated soon after landing on our world that he wanted to open talks with the CoT. In the last council meeting it was agreed to try and contact Zora. One of the proposals was to try and include the Newland Council as a middle contact.
Lordstage nods
Lordstage: I can see the benefit of such an arrangement.
Noticiero: Do you think that the Newland Council would be open to be in the middle of talks between both larger factions?
Lordstage: Absolutely I do. I think it's an outstanding suggestion.
Lordstage: I would have to speak with Minister Orender and Mayor King to confirm it, but I'm sure they'll agree with me.
Noticiero: Talking of the new Mayor, how does he feel after winning the position by such a large support which was 60%?
Lordstage smiles
Lordstage: To be honest, I haven't discussed the mayor's feelings with him at all.
Noticiero: The closest runner-up was Dante Karall with 27%, less than half of the Mayor's.
Lordstage: He's a rather focused and practical man.
Lordstage chuckles
Noticiero: I see, but he must be in good spirits with such an obvious political victory.
Lordstage: Hmm, I suppose so. You'd have to ask him.
Noticiero: Are there any plans to open talks with the Council of Truth regarding trade? considering that Tir has been closed to neutrals for years now, some say it would be impossible for neutrals to reopen trade there.
Lordstage nods
Lordstage: Free trade is one of the topics we have discussed. Several people are in favor of it.
Lordstage: Of course, that falls under the jurisdiction of the trade minister, rather than myself.
Noticiero: But it would fall upon you to make the contact first, correct?
Lordstage: Once a policy has been defined, I suppose it would. Contact with the Council of Truth would be more likely to be made by Minister Orender, to be honest. His reputation is more extensive than my own.
Noticiero: I see.
Noticiero: One of the oldest arguements between the larger factions and their clans or departments is why are neutrals attempting to hold notum bases outside neutral territory.
Lordstage smiles, confused.
Noticiero: Do you think neutrals have the right to mine notum outside their own territory?
Lordstage: Firstly, the neutral guilds do not answer to the council. Their support for the council is as varied as the guilds are themselves.
Lordstage: Secondly, Clan and Omni-tek mining takes place in the neutral territories as well...
Lordstage: Personally, I believe that notum mining is out of hand generally, and serious steps need to be taken to promote responsible mining practices.
Noticiero: Does that mean that you agree with the view of the Nanomage Liberation Front?
Lordstage scowls
Lordstage: Do they promote responsible mining practices?
Lordstage: They promote the destruction of all mining facilities, and the elimination of all people on Rubi-Ka except for Nanomages and Atrox.
Noticiero: Well...from their gridsite "The Nanomage Liberation Front seeks to stop atrocities associated with the overmining and misuse of notum, by employing any means necessary."
Lordstage narrows his eyes
Noticiero: They have been known to even used explosives to make their point across, many call them terrorists.
Lordstage: I have had extensive contact with them. I know what they stand for.
Noticiero: Do you believe they misrepresent the neutrals?
Lordstage blinks
Lordstage: I don't believe they represent the neutrals at all.
Noticiero: Ah
Lordstage: They are unaligned with Omni-Tek and the Clans, but the do not represent the interests of anyone but Nanomages.
Noticiero: Recently NLF has made statements that they will cease violent action and instead use words to convince people to their views. Is it possible they are changing their ways or could it be some sort of a diversion while they continue their terrorist acts?
Lordstage smiles
Lordstage: Who made these statements? Me, wasn't it?
Lordstage: Since I've terminated my involvement with that group, I'm not so sure those words can really be associated with their goals any more.
Lordstage: I can't speak on behalf of the NLF, nor am I privy to their plots.
Noticiero: I see, you were with them for about 3 months, right?
Lordstage raises an eyebrow
Lordstage: Yes.
Noticiero: Then the peaceful message that you had stated at the time as a member of NLF were just your own, not in behalf of the group?
Lordstage: I'd rather not discuss the NLF. They are not really relevant to my position on the council. Are there any other topics you wish to ask me about?
Noticiero: Very well, I shall move on to another topic.
Noticiero: Have you been contacted by the reclusive Borealis Council yet?
Lordstage: Nope.
Noticiero: Do you have any plans to try and open a line of communication with the leaders of that town to perhaps work together?
Lordstage: Borealis is a very important neutral city, and we would certainly like to discuss the concerns of the neutral community with their council. So far, I've focused my efforts on dialogue with the guilds who call Borealis their home.
Noticiero nods
Noticiero: Now I have a question, which you may be able to answer.
Lordstage: I'll do my best.
Noticiero: With all the weaponry and armor upgrades that both factions have been going through to match the Kyr'Ozch technology, some neutrals fear that the Newland Militia Guards will remain with the old equipment because there aren't enough funds in the Newland Council treasury.
Noticiero: Do you think these fears are legit?
Lordstage: It's a concern, I suppose, but the Newland Militia has never matched the might of our more powerful neighbors anyway.
Lordstage: Thanks to the efforts of Defence Minister Delage, I believe that Newland will soon be safer than at any time in it's history.
Noticiero: Some members of the Council of Truth have mentioned donating Kyr'Ozch weapons to the Newland Council as a sign of good faith.
Lordstage blinks
Noticiero: Would you accept them if they were offered?
Lordstage: I believe such a gesture would be welcomed by "Boltgun" Delage. You would have to contact him, and of course the implications would need to be discussed. If accepting help from the Council of Truth would threaten our public image, then we may have to turn the offer down.
Lordstage: Once again though, this is not my decision to make, but I'm sure the topic will be treated with the respect it deserves.
Noticiero: I can see how some may perceive such a donation as something else.
Lordstage: Exactly.
Noticiero: But the council has been known to be anonymous when it needs be for the good of the clans.
Lordstage: One would have to wonder what the Council's motives for making such an offer were, considering recent Clan hostility regarding Neutral mining operations.
Noticiero: After all, it was Mr. Ross who originally donated a large amount to help the Newland Council hire new guards.

It was at that exact moment as Mr. Lordstage was going to reply to my comment that a clanner attacked Newland Militia Guard with no apparent reason. Guards and even the neutral Food Provided jumped in to deal with the attacker. However soon after the unfortunate incident things got more interesting.

Noticiero shakes his head
Lordstage sighs
Noticiero: Well that just added something interesting to my report, even though as a clanner I consider it a sad addition.
Noticiero: Does these things happen often?
Lordstage: More in Borealis than Newland, but yes... you could say that the degree of respect shown for neutral citizens in our territories is less than spectacular at times.
Lordstage: Hello there Penta.
Penta: Hi Stage
Lordstage: Mmm, another one who's heard the Word of Nohva, I see...
Lordstage shakes his head
Lordstage: And I thought he had decided to pause recruitment for a month.
Noticiero scratches his head
Penta: Er, yes indeed, but I am a special case
Penta: Sorry to interrupt you two
Noticiero: Hmmm
Lordstage: Not at all, all neutrals are welcome to talk to me whenever they see me
Penta: Hi
Noticiero: Miss Penta, as a member of the NLF, what do you think of the newly appointed Newland Council Mayor?
Penta: I am still waiting to see how it goes?
Penta: I have not seen any new Miir Shop as of yet
Lordstage sighs
Penta: But I know these things take time
Lordstage: Rome wasn't built in a day, young one.
Noticiero: Hmm, thank you for your comment Miss.
Lorastina blushes
Penta: And thank you
Penta: I just came by looking for muffins
Noticiero: I thought NFL members were more....how can I say, outspoken about their views.
Noticiero: Didn't expect a fashion statement.
Lordstage: Some are.
Lordstage: Some are perfectly reasonable people.
Penta: Ok, so, is it true there is a proposal to allow neutral mining?
Lordstage: I beg your pardon?
Lordstage: In what way is neutral mining not allowed?
Noticiero: Currently neutrals can mine, as to where they do it...that has been argued mostly by omnis and clanners.
Penta: All mining is awful
Penta: I think you know our stand though
Lordstage: Done a lot of reasearch on the matter, have you?
Lordstage: Or is it just enthusiasm for making things go "boom"?
Noticiero leans back and continues recording
Penta: What, I suppose Notum grows on trees, huh?
Noticiero: Actually....there is a Notum Tree in Avalon, somewhere, a beauty and rare thing if you can find it.
Lordstage: That would be a "no".
Lordstage: I've been there more than once. And yes, it is beautiful.
Penta: I really only came for the muffins
Noticiero: But Mr. Lordstage is right, notum does not grow on trees, at least not in quantities which the galactic demand requires.
Noticiero: Mr. Lordstage has stated before his concern about mining notum responsably Miss Penta.
Lordstage: Like I said, research is required into the impact of notum mining in order to establish a system for regulating responsible mining practices.
Lordstage looks flatly at Penta
Lordstage: Enjoy your muffins.
Lordstage: Is there anything else Mr. Rivera?
Penta: I shall, nice to meet you Noticiero
Noticiero: Looks like all my questions within your field have been answered.
Lordstage: Heheh, and I may have streched myself beyond my field a little too.
Noticiero: I thank you for your time Mr. Lordstage, and I hope you succeed in your new position within the Newland Council.
Lordstage: I hope that you are able to meet with some of my fellow ministers in order to complete your report. Should make good reading.
Lordstage: Thank you Sir
Noticiero: Indeed
Lordstage extends a hand to Noticiero with a smile
Noticiero shakes his hand
Lordstage: Good luck meeting with the other ministers.
Lordstage: And thank you for speaking with me.
Noticiero nods
Noticiero: Take care.
Lordstage: And you.

I'm fairly certain Mr. Lordstage and Mr. Yarko will have their hands full as Foreign Affairs Ministers dealing with both the Council of Truth and the Omni-Tek Board of Directors in the near future.

A serious concern is the fact that both omni and clan citizens attack neutral guards who only open fire in self defense or while protecting neutral territory.

Can the leaders of the larger factions manage to keep their people in check to avoid these attacks for the sake of peace in a world which is already full of conflict and fighting?

I believe that even if both sides agreed to place heavy fines on those who do so there will still be individuals who are thrill seekers that will continue taking on neutral guards to test their combat skills.

Challenges lie ahead the new Newland Council; however if they are all as honest and dedidicated as Mr. Lordstage, chances are that they will make a difference in their community for a brighter future.

This is Reporter 'Noticiero' Rivera, and this has been 'A Rubi-Ka Exclusive'!

Last updated on 12.07.2011 by Windguaerd
Article written by Noticiero
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