[MatthTheGeek]

It makes the Zods too human though.

Their culture has become more and more Terran as the two species grew closer, and even though that change kind of reverted itself as the relation between the two species became frosty, I'm pretty sure someone like Steele has enough of an understanding of the species to pull off something like that.

For reference, see (BP fiction, The Rift)

In the Capellan era, the GTVA had been on the verge of becoming a truly integrated society. The ‘frog calls’ of Vasudan intercom chatter were becoming a welcome sound on Terran destroyers, and Vasudan society in general had begun a sharp turn away from ritualized, formulaic protocols and towards a more Terran model. These social changes reversed themselves with startling rapidity, born out of growing Terran pessimism and the (ironically reversed) Vasudan perception that the Terrans had become backwards-looking, superstitious, and hidebound.

[Luis Dias]

It makes the Zods too human though.

...I'm pretty sure someone like Steele has enough of an understanding of the species to pull off something like that.

That's what I said previously:

Perhaps Steele is someone who understands Vasudans very well? As far as I've been able to understand, the Zods are not the kinds of people who are willing to bet too much in single bluffs like the Tevs are. If that's the case, then it is conceivable that despite understanding the human techniques of bluffing and cheating, they are not that good at the game. They will understand if you try to bluff them (a pathetic race if they couldn't), however when you enter a zone of double bluffs, triple negatives and so on, their BS detector maybe just isn't able to cope very well.

[General Battuta]

Steele had time in advance to prime the Vasudans with the expectation that the UEF were planning to move against them. Vasudan politics have historically been extraordinarily byzantine, sometimes to a self-destructive and paralytic extent, and this expectation is transmitted by avenues as diverse as the childhood stories of a Vasudan youth and the scenarios gamed out during military leadership training. At the same time, the Vasudans are perfectly capable of simple cost/benefit analysis, and it can't have escaped them that the capture of a Hatshepsut destroyer is a long-odds gamble with a comparatively narrow payoff compared to the risk of angering the Vasudans. Steele, in turn, must have known that the Vasudans would scrutinize UEF motives for the attack carefully.

The question the Vasudans face is whether the UEF operation should be taken at face value, whether it was a botched attempt driven by desperation, or whether someone is playing a deeper game. They do have the outcome of the Pesedjet operation to look back on - an event that played right into the UEF's hands.

[headdie]

Steele had time in advance to prime the Vasudans with the expectation that the UEF were planning to move against them. Vasudan politics have historically been extraordinarily byzantine, sometimes to a self-destructive and paralytic extent, and this expectation is transmitted by avenues as diverse as the childhood stories of a Vasudan youth and the scenarios gamed out during military leadership training. At the same time, the Vasudans are perfectly capable of simple cost/benefit analysis, and it can't have escaped them that the capture of a Hatshepsut destroyer is a long-odds gamble with a comparatively narrow payoff compared to the risk of angering the Vasudans. Steele, in turn, must have known that the Vasudans would scrutinize UEF motives for the attack carefully.

The question the Vasudans face is whether the UEF operation should be taken at face value, whether it was a botched attempt driven by desperation, or whether someone is playing a deeper game. They do have the outcome of the Pesedjet operation to look back on - an event that played right into the UEF's hands.

Personally I believe Khonsu II is very much capable of that level of thinking but it depends a lot on the information he is given as to if he has the opportunity to make that call.

[Luis Dias]

Very complex and simple at the same time. I like that angle.

Another one came to mind, probably too off-topic but I just wanted to put it out of my stupid mind.

It's a stupid obvious reference, but the sentiment it echoed in my heart makes me want to spill it out here, and it is the thematics between Kotuzov and Napoleon in you-know-what-book. The latter super-Steely fashionwise, insightful, clever, arrogant, quick and sleazy. The former, an old wise man who knows "better", who is aware of the complexities of the world, aware of how chaotic and filled with unforeseen consequences all actions really are, how amusingly numb, patient and probably downright incompetent, but at some deep, strange level, turned competent due to his wisdom. So much not  unlike the Elders.

[MatthTheGeek]

The question the Vasudans face is whether the UEF operation should be taken at face value, whether it was a botched attempt driven by desperation, or whether someone is playing a deeper game. They do have the outcome of the Pesedjet operation to look back on - an event that played right into the UEF's hands.

And if they ever have doubts, the investigations would most likely be carried over by GTVI - which has every interest into playing Steele's game.

[CT27]

This may or may not be wholly relevant to the current thread, but a number of people in other threads have said/suggested Admiral Recamai did seem a little too quick/eager to believe Steele's story.

[An4ximandros]

He wanted to believe! 

No really, in conversations from WIH "they" mention their allies wanted to believe them.

[MatthTheGeek]

I have a theory where the Admiral actually believed Steele because he's kind of the warmonger type and is trying to find every reason to trigger a war with the UEF. It is merely a theory that fits more or less well with the rest of the BP fluff.

[-Norbert-]

That is also something that I thought.
Recently (during reading this thread) I also got two more ideas though.
1) Maybe the Admiral can't really wrap his head around Steele betraying his trusted allies, shortly after they finally agreed to give logistical support to his forces.
While it is unlikely that the UEF would try what they were accused of, it's (usually) also unlikely that someone would intentionally facilitate an attack on an ally and blame the enemy for it.

2) The Admiral is just playing along for now, while he secretly tries to uncover the truth of the matter, behind the scenes. This might make a very nice sub-plot for spinn-off mini campaign or a piece of backstory.

[CT27]

I have a theory where the Admiral actually believed Steele because he's kind of the warmonger type and is trying to find every reason to trigger a war with the UEF. It is merely a theory that fits more or less well with the rest of the BP fluff.

Even though apparently most of the Vasudans don't want this war and have sympathies for the UEF, I would imagine there would be some Vasudans that are exceptions to that 'rule' (even in high places) that do want to go to war with the UEF...whether they're just trigger happy and looking for a fight or they don't like the UEF or whether they feel they should be supporting their GTVA Terran allies.

[MatthTheGeek]

Or they agree with the Tev point of view that this war should end sooner rather than later, even if that requires Vasudan involvement.

There's a lot of politics going on behind the scenes. Much like Terran, some Zods just can't stand politics and would rather do it their own way.

Not necessarily a behaviour you'd expect from a member of the Medjai though, whose loyalty to the Emperor and his decisions probably go above the rest.

[-Norbert-]

But are the Medjai not also advisors to the Emperor?
That would mean they are trained to think for themselfs, even though they usually don't act on it without approval.

If the Admiral is convinced that the Emperor made an error, that might be his way of providing Khonsu with a chance to change his decree without losing face.
Is it really disloyal to "save someone from his own mistakes" so to say?
I'm not saying Khonsu made a mistake, just that the Admiral could be interpreting it this way.

[Darius]

That's usually the job of the Court Jester.

[Scotty]

That's usually the job of the Court Jester.

What you did there, I see it.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

He did what?

[Phantom Hoover]

Someone's not been paying enough attention to the techroom.