The Horizon Accords

Admiral Halsey signs the Horizon Accord on the flight Deck of the U.S.S. Dark Horizon with Commander Inari.

### Founding Empires

The Draconian Empire, The United Creatures

### Empires in Alliance

The Draconian Empire, The United Creatures

### Size

One star system (G-759, Draconian designation)

**The Horizon Accords** are a set of treaties signed between the Draconian Empire and the United Creatures. The Treaties formalize the relationship between the UC and the Empire for the duration of the crisis on G-759. The treaties are meant as a temporary measure until more formal accords can be signed between the Imperial Senate and the UC governments. The treaties were signed by Commander Omiokane Inari who was the acting representative on behalf of the Empire, and Admiral Halsey, acting interim governor of G-759 under the emergency military government.

The Accords are named for the location of their signing, the UC Battleship U.S.S. Dark Horizon.

## Summary

The treaty consists of four chapters including a formal declaration of peace between the Empire and the UC.

### I. Declaration of Peace and Friendship:

The treaty opens with a Declaration of Peace and Friendship between the Empire and the UC. The declaration was included at the recommendation of Commander Inari.

### II. Purposes and Intentions of the Draconian Empire

This chapter covers the objectives of the Draconian Empire and how it intends to achieve them on G-759. It opens with definitions for the treaty, and outlines the police action the Empire will be taking, as well as processing of relief supplies, means of communication, and the formal process in which the Empire will leave. It also outlines the extent in which the Empire will involve themselves in conflict with the Gossip.

### III. Emergency Joint Government

This chapter describes an emergency Imperial led, joint government with the UC for the duration of the crisis. For the purposes of the government, all UC civilians and military personnel under its jurisdiction will be treated as citizens of the Draconian Empire. All UC Military personnel are to effectively be placed under the command of Rear Admiral Hanzo Itami, commanding officer of the ISS Mediator, who will also be acting head of government. The government will be dissolved at either the request of the UC, or when the Empire can determine that the crisis is over.

### IV. Affairs Concerning Other Powers

The shortest chapter, the Draconian Empire describes G-759 as a special admirative district of the Empire. The region is to be considered Draconian Space for the duration of the crisis, and as such, all other galactic powers are hereby restricted from the region without special permission from the UC. The Imperial Navy to enforce this order and to warn all other powers of this status.

## Accord Provisions

### I. Declaration of Peace and Friendship (Brief [preamble])

Be it here known that the Draconian Empire on this day of our Emperor and Empress, their royal majesty Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto, the 45th of the year 700 in the 230th age, declares their desire for peace and Friendship with the United Creatures. The Empire wishes to extend its deepest offerings of sincere kinship on this day, and hopes that it may have a blossoming relationship with your kind.

With this established, the Grand Empire of Pax Draconia hereby offers this treaty, binding under the highest of Imperial Law to bind itself to respect the wishes of your people and their will. So it be declared.

### II. Purposes and Intentions of the Draconian Empire

Be it here known that the Draconian Empire intends to assist the United Creatures, herein further referred to as the UC in dealing with the emergency military crisis that has been created by the Gossip Empire, herein further referred to as the Gossip. The Primary objective of the Draconian Empire is to bring cessation to the hostiles in the star system designated as G-759, to return civil life to normality, and to assit in the reconstruction of any and all destruction that have been cause by the Gossip.

#### Article I. Imperial Naval Action

The Imperial Navy herein further referred to as the Navy is to establish a military blockade of the star system to deny any further incursion of Gossip Military Forces. They are authorized to use whatever force necessary to achieve this end. However, the following restrictions are imposed and to be respected by the Navy.

1. The Navy is to be prohibited of their use of nuclear weapons within the magnetosphere of G-759-III, and its sphere of influence extending to its moon.
2. The use of gravity weapons of any kind by the Empire is prohibited throughout the sphere of influence of the star system.
3. The Navy is to be prohibited in using their weapons to bombard surface targets on G-759-III, for any given reason.
4. All Navy vessels are required to submit to regular debriefing to Admiral Halsey. The UC understands that they are permitted to request additional debriefings, but are not permitted to board Imperial vessels, or to interfere with their operations in space without special authorization from Rear Admiral Hanzo Itami.

Because of the status of the Imperial Navy, and its importance to the defense of G-759, it is understood by the UC that the Imperial Navy reserves the right to take any action it deems necessary to defend the UC, to the extend that this article allows.

#### Article II. Imperial Terrestrial Military Action

The Imperial Military is hereby authorized to deploy the full extent of its available military forces to the surface of G-759-III to cease hostilities. Imperial Military strength is to be restricted to a maximum of 300,000 personnel per continent. All UC Military Forces are to be placed under the command of Rear Admiral Hanzo Itami. Normal UC Military chain of command remains in place and is to be considered integrated with Imperial Unified Command. Herein it is understood that this means that the effective integrated chain of command ultimately places Admiral Halsey in command of Imperial military forces to the furthest extend that Imperial law will permit, whilst operating within the jurisdiction of UC territory. **The Exception extends to the ships of the Imperial Navy, which are to be considered diplomatic enclaves of the Draconian Empire, and are to operate under their own separate normal chain of command under Rear Admiral Itami, to the extent provided for under Article I.**

Imperial Military Forces are deployed to the surface with rules of engagement defined by the bounds of these accords, covered in addendum to the end of the document. These rules are to followed with no exceptions, excluding special permissions granted by Admiral Halsey, who is acting head of the UC interim government.

#### Article III. Emergency Relief Aid

The Empire is to provide relief aid to facilitate in the reconstruction of G-759, and to care for its refugees. The reconstruction of the planet is to include all damages, not just those inflicted by Gossip Activity, but also any collateral damage that may have been caused by the Empire, or the UC.

It is understood that by relief aid, the Empire means to supply any and all construction material needed to fabricate temporary shelter for the duration of the crisis, and any and all construction material needed to rebuild the destruction caused by the conflict when resolved, medical relief supplies and food aid, both to be supplied for the duration of the crisis, and the reconstruction period that follows after, intelligence and attaché support, including Draconian engineers, medical professionals, bureaucrats, educators, and whatever other expertise may be needed, as well as other essential provisions that must be acquired.

The UC understands that they are not expected to reimburse the Empire for any aid provided, nor will the Empire accept any form of reimbursement for costs incurred. The cost of relief supplies and total quantity of supplies needed to be assessed by the Interim government once hostilities have ceased, and to be supplied as needed throughout the conflict. Disbursement of relief supplies are to be overseen by the Imperial Starlift Command, as per Article Six of Imperial Law concerning Military Emergency Relief.

Article IV. Means of Communication

The UC are to be provided with a superluminal transmitter and receiver of appropriate nature by the Navy, this device will be used to aid in facilitation of communication between the UC and the Empire, and will include appropriate frequencies for communication between both the Imperial Naval Fleet Command, the Imperial Diplomatic Corps, the Ministry of State, and the Imperial Palace. Such device will be provided without cost to the UC, and will be considered the property of the UC. The device is to be given to the UC and will not be expected to be returned to the Empire.

Proper procedure for use of the device, and appropriate protocol for communication will be provided to appropriate technicians, to be taught use of the device, free of cost to the UC. Additionally, the device will be provided with a Universal Translation Computer, also free of charge, and UC personnel will be trained in the use of such computer. In the event that the computer is unable to be used, Ikoharic is to be taught to appropriate UC linguistics experts, free of cost to the UC.

#### Article V. Withdrawal of the Imperial Military

The Imperial Military will withdraw from system either when the Office of Naval Intelligence considers the duration of crisis to be over, its obligations to reconstruction efforts complete, and communication with the rest of the UC reestablished, or at the order of Admiral Halsey and the rest of the UC interim officials. If such a request to withdraw is made, the Imperial Military is to be given 72 hours to leave the influence of G-759. The Empire will not require the UC to reimburse for any effort they have given on behalf of the UC at this point as per the above articles.

Such an order is considered to indicate to all Imperial Military Personnel that they are to leave the sovereignty of another nation, and that shall they remain, they would be violating Imperial Law concerning the rights of other nations-such actions will follow appropriate consequences unless extreme extenuating circumstances permit.

#### Article VI. Definition of the Use of Imperial Military Assets as Peackeepers.

For the definitions of Imperial Law, the Imperial Military Forces under the Third, Fourth and Fifth Guard Fleets are pressed into service as Imperial Peackeepers. They are deployed to the Liskus Galaxy (known as Astrum Prater to the Empire) **Only in the effect and to the effect of Peace Officers as defined by Imperial Law. This means that the Empire is not in a formal state of War with the Gossip Unless the Imperial Senate declares otherwise. The UC understands that the Imperial Military will limit any and all military action to defensive operations and relief aid only-and will not pursue any offensive operation against the Gossip, except in the extent to which the Military can to prevent further loss of life.**

### III. Emergency Joint Government

This Treaty authorizes the formation of an emergency joint government between the UC and the Empire for the duration of the crisis on G-759-III. This government is to operate for the duration of the crisis, and until it is either ended, communication with the higher UC government reestablished, and it is deemed fit for them to take control of governmental agency, or at the request of Admiral Halsey.

#### Article I. Structure of the Government

The Emergency Joint Government is to be headed by Rear Admiral Hanzo Itami and Admiral Halsey of the Imperial Navy and the UC Navy of G-759 respectively. Rear Admiral Hanzo Itami is to have full executive privileges of an Imperial Lord Governor, and Admrial Halsey is to be given the powers of an Imperial Administrator of a Special District-he is to head a Council of five members who will establish laws as needed.

The government is considered a government under martial law, and any crimes committed will be tried by special military tribunal. Imperial Standard Law is to apply by default as the legal code for the Emergency Government.

#### Article II. Legal rights of the UC under Imperial Law

All UC persons under this government will be treated as if they were citizens of the Draconian Empire, and will be given National status, granting them full legal protections of the Empire. As such, they are entitled to all its protections and are guaranteed trial of peers and legal council, free of cost to them, and with no obligation to reimburse the state's fees. The rights of an Imperial Citizen are to be posted in refugee centers for processing and for facilitation of their rights, to be taught in orientation.

Convicted Criminals under the UC Criminal Justice System are not excluded, and are considered to have those same legal protections, and will not be denied refugee status under those conditions.

#### Article III. Orientation of UC Refugees

The status of G-759 has required special circumstances permitting the formation of Imperial refugee camps on the surface. These camps are to be cooperatively ran by Imperial Peacekeepers, and the Gendarmerie of the United Creatures. In this case, the Gendarmerie is taken to refer to the National Police Forces of the UC and its associated bodies.

These camps, whether prominently led by Imperial relief personnel or UC police forces are to be considered under the jurisdiction of the UC-as such, processing at refugees at these facilities is to be handled in the manner to which the UC normally follows, in as timely a fashion as possible. However, as these facilities are to be established by the Empire, any refugee residing in these camps are to be considered *under the care of the Draconian Empire, and* therefore, the responsibility of the Empire is considered to be equal to that of the UC government for their care.

Given the potential shock of encountering a Draconian, all refugees are to be processed in a special orientation handled by *both an Imperial official, and a UC official*. This process is to be handled under Imperial Law concerning refugees and migrants, and to processed in a timely matter under said definitions of Imperial Law. All UC persons are to be accepted as refugees regardless of legal status for their safety. It is recommended by the treaty that UC military units should be integrated with those of Draconian units for this reason and purpose.

#### Article IV. Status of Refugees under the Draconian Empire

Any and all UC refugees under the Draconian Empire are considered to be in the care of the state. Neither they, nor the UC government are expected to reimburse the Imperial Government for costs incurred for their care, and the Imperial Government will reject any attempt to reimburse these costs.

#### Article V. Other Refugees

In the event that refugees who do not belong to the UC, who are present on G-759\_III for any reason, request asylum under the provisional government or under the Imperial Government, given the provisions of Imperial Law, they will be granted the same legal protections as any other UC refugee as listed above. It is illegal for any official of the provisional government to reject refugee status without processing-it is illegal to reject this status for anyone on G-759-III for the duration of the crisis.

### IV. Affairs Concerning other Powers

G-759-III and its star system are hereby declared special administrative districts of the Empire. In the event that other galactic powers of Liskus attempt to approach this district, they will be denied access by the Navy for the duration of crisis, and will be explicitly explained for what reason, unless special permissions are given by Admiral Halsey, who alone has the authority to give said permissions. Any vessel that attempts to ignore these provisions and warning will be treated as a hostile force and will be dealt with as such.