Hans Bluewing
Hans Bluewing (born 11th August 12205) was a prominent March diplomat who served as the Black March ambassador to the Neo-Furrarian Imperium and from 12226 to 12236, and as ambassador to the Eldership of the Drak from 12236 up until his death in 12252. Bluewing's diplomacy has been controversial, earning both praise for his stance against xenophobia and criticisms for his implict support of the New Draconian Technocracy during the Draconian Civil War.
Early Life and Education
Bluewing was born on the 11th of August 12205 in Nera, Hydra’s Head. His father, Dimitrius Redwing, worked as a government bureaucrat in the city. Mira Redwing was his mother and worked as a linguist. Mira Redwing had worked extensively as part of the diplomatic mission to the United Terran Federation and had been part of the team that made first contact with humanity. Dimitrius worked consistently long hours in order to be able to pay the expensive rents of their inner city apartment, so Mira was often tasked with taking care of the young Hans. His mother would occasionally take him along on diplomatic missions whenever conditions permitted. These diplomatic missions would enthrall the young Hans and he would develop a deep interest in international politics.
Bluewing was an only child and would spend most of his early childhood reading and writing stories. As he grew older, he would substitute for the lack of siblings by extensively socializing with many of his classmates at school. This became much more troublesome in secondary school, as he and his classmates became increasingly politically active and arguments would grow so intense that they threatened to boil into physical confrontations. His peacemaker personality and cool-headed approach however, meant that few such disagreements ever reached such a point. He joined the school’s debate team at the age of 16, with his teachers praising him for his calculating approach to heated debates. He was elected class captain in his last year of secondary schooling. After graduating secondary school, Hans took a gap year off to intermittently travel to Greater Prospect with his parents. He recalls being captivated by the vastly differing cultural norms and entwinement of megacorporations with the country’s political structure. The very next year, he enrolled in Nera University to study political science. He would graduate in 12227.
Career
Early Career
Bluewing began his early career in January of 12226 whilst still at university. Harnessing political connections through his mother, he was able to secure an apprenticeship as a part of an envoy to the United Terran Federation. His duties as apprentice were primarily clerical and he would have little official contact with the UTF mission.
In August the same year, his envoy would be reassigned to facilitate first contact with the Neo-Furrarian Imperium. With few duties Bluewing would make only cursory contact with Imperial diplomats. Bluewing did however extensively interact with the NFI security detail, and struck up a friendship with Cole Dane, who at the time was serving as a commander. The two would become lifelong friends. Soon his responsibilities were extended and an eager Bluewing would assist in the management of the bilateral non-aggression treaty between the two countries. During the negotiation of the terms of the treaty, an intense argument broke out between several diplomats regarding its legal interpretation. Bluewing took the opportunity to settle the argument between the two parties by offering a re-interpretation. Though his interpretation was facetious (due to his lack of legal expertise), his impromptu interruption allowed both parties to reach consensus. Recognising the budding diplomat's talent, a March stateman would reassign him to later lead negotiations.
Ambassador to the Neo-Furrarian Imperium
From February to March of 12227, Bluewing would lead the last of the negotiations for the non-aggression treaty. His initial appearance surprised the Imperial delegation, who initially assumed that he was a stenographer. His role would greatly expedite the negotiation process and, on the 31st of March of 12227, the March-Imperial Neutrality Pact (MINEP) was finalised and signed. Bluewing’s initiative as negotiator did not go unnoticed by ambassador Helena Cuil, who sort great opportunity in the young Bluewing. In a radical move, Cuil stepped down as ambassador to deputy and instated the relatively inexperienced Bluewing in her stead. Bluewing reluctantly agreed to this exchange. Cuil would serve as both deputy and mentor to Bluewing, guiding him through diplomatic processes and the intricacies of NFI-BM relations. Cuil would serve as deputy to Bluewing over the next nine years, and would arise back to the position of ambassador after Bluewing’s reassignment.
On 18 December of 12228, under the directive of the Commerce Department, Bluewing would initiate talks with Imperial leadership regarding terms of a free trade agreement. To the Black March’s surprise, Imperial leadership hotly contested any idea of free trade. Bluewing would enter what he would describe were “grueling” negotiations for the terms of a limited trade treaty. The final March-Imperial Limited Trade Agreement (MILTA) would finally be signed by the incumbent High-Emperor, Vulfen Lupine, on the 28th of March 12229. Bluewing would also be tasked with managing these two treaties until his reassignment in 12236.
On 8 January 12230, in an interview with Imperial state media, Bluewing advocated for a “long-term friendship” between the two countries. He also publicly stated for hopes of “continued bilateral cooperation”. In 19 February, he harshly criticized the unlawful killing of Rajeet Mimau. In response to his remarks, Vulfen Lupine threatened to withdraw from both MINEP and MILTA, but the threat never materialized. The spat would become the first and only diplomatic incident between the two countries. The incident thrust Bluewing into the limelight, especially at home, and served to bolster his popularity. Many March citizens applauded Bluewing’s hardline stance against xenophobia.
On 5 May 12234, Bluewing would agree to the deportation of convicted murderer Erin Vulpes to be put on trial under Imperial courts. While he expressed deep concern for the wellbeing of the prisoner, he relented that the Black March should “respect Imperial sovereignty”. Vulpes would be extradited to the Imperium, where sentenced to death and executed the following week. Bluewing declined to comment in following interviews but allegedly expressed deep regret over his role in the extradition.
On 30 May 12235, Bluewing would be personally called upon by the Imperial government to mediate upon a disagreement between two nation-states in Imperial capital of Neopup. The event was highly publicized and Bluewing’s ambassadorship would gain widespread intergalactic renown.
Ambassador to the Eldership of the Drak
In the February of 12236 Bluewing would once again be reassigned to represent the Black March in dealings with the Eldership of the Drak. Bluewing remarked that the Eldership's conservative nature made it difficult to maintain relations with them. In the following years, Bluewing would be responsible for settling diplomatic tensions on the Arkasian planet-side and negotiating the passage of IF3 personnel and vehicles. In 2 March 12241, Bluewing proclaimed that he was forced to fire one of his envoys under suspicions she was conspiring to cause a diplomatic provocation.
In the years throughout the Draconian Civil War, Bluewing and his embassy would struggle to maintain the deteriorating relations between the Black March and the two Draconian sub-factions. Brief ventures to Technocracy-controlled areas in order to negotiate ceasefires proved to be unfruitful, with Bluewing mentioning that, despite the Technocracy’s more progressive ideologies, attempting to coax any of the Technocracy's leadership into talks of peace was “absurdly difficult”. Amid the increasingly untenable security situation on the surface, the entire March embassy was evacuated from Elijah’s Landing, and moved to the newly-completed starbase in Arkasian orbit in 12247.
In the most widely contested move of his career, Bluewing would appear as a neutral third party to assist in the negotiation of terms of the Fenrir Treaty. Though Bluewing’s input had been minimal, his appearance as a March representative sparked outrage amongst the Eldership and some officials for the IF3, with the latter sending an official communication censuring Bluewing’s embassy for associating with what it labeled as a terrorist organization. In following interviews, Bluewing expressed his belief that providing the Technocracy with their own sovereign space would cause them to ease off the conflict on Arkas. His beliefs divided the general public back at home, as whilst many supported the Technocracy movement, they were also concerned that the Fenrir Treaty would provide the Technocracy with the production capacity necessary to escalate the war. Regardless, Bluewing continued publicly expressing his beliefs until reports of the Battle of Fenrir became available, which only then made him doubt his position.
Personal Life & Controversies
12242 both parents would die of old age the same year. Hans would travel back to Hydra’s Head and made Henry Schröder acting leader in his stead. The deaths devastated Hans, who did not expect both parents to pass so quickly one after another.
During 12243, Bluewing would be tasked with a number of duties on the Arkasian planet-side. Bluewing was known by his colleagues to be single at the time, and rumors were abound that he was eloping with a dragon. These rumors would prove correct when Bluewing admitted that he had begun a sexual relationship with Oda, a dragon prostitute. Concerns amongst his colleagues arose as his significant other could represent a security risk among the rising tensions with the Eldership. This would later spark a cascade of official investigations and on the 28th of November that year, with Bluewing temporarily pulled from his leadership position to face the Internal Security Tribunal. The tribunal cleared him of any wrongdoing on the grounds that Oda bore no loyalty towards either of the two major Draconian subfactions in the civil war. Nonetheless, the tribunal received a great deal of public coverage and fanned a great deal of controversy amongst the March public which tarnished his reputation. Bluewing had ‘seriously considered’ stepping down but continued his ambassadorship.
On the 28th of March 12246, Oda gave birth to one Serana Blackwing. Amongst several genetic tests, Bluewing would emerge as the father. dragon-reptilia couples bearing children was an uncommon, but unknown phenomenon at the time. Bluewing willingly submitted the result to the March Foreign Relations Office who once again put Bluewing under investigation and another tribunal. The tribunal again cleared Bluewing, but demanded that Oda and the child be relocated. Bluewing agreed and the two were moved onto the Fenrir colony. The second tribunal received the same media coverage as the last but provoked a much more heated public debate, particularly surrounding interspecies marriage, which was illegal under Eldership law. A citizen-led initiative from Hydra’s Head attempted to remove Bluewing from office for unprofessional conduct, but his positive reputation among the public apparently remained strong, with the initiative failing with 78% ‘No’ votes. Unlike the last tribunal, Bluewing was much more adamant about retaining his ambassadorship to the Eldership. He expressed concerns that the Technocracy’s growing power was becoming problematic and was determined to stay in order to convince either side to conduct peace talks.
Death and Legacy
On the morning of the 10th of January 12252, Bluewing, who had been on the Black March Delegation Base of Operations (BMDBoO), filed a briefing regarding his observations of the Arkasian civil unrest. Minutes later, a trio of suicide bombers would dock onto the starbase and detonate their payloads, completely destroying the orbital base. Bluewing’s remains were not immediately recovered but he was presumed among the 1,044 deceased staff. His remains would only be recovered in 12273 when the Technocracy initiated a cleanup of Crash Site Bravo. He was finally laid to rest at Skyfire Memorial. He died at the age of 47.
His daughter, aged 7 at the time, witnessed the Fires in the Skies Incident and his death. Believing that the Eldership were responsible for her father’s death, the event would mold her into an ardent Technocracy supporter and she would follow in her father’s footsteps in becoming a diplomat. She would go on to become a Technocracy ambassador managing Technocracy-March relations.
Bluewing’s death was met with a mixed response amongst the Black March foreign relations. Many perceived Bluewing as a talented negotiator and diplomat, praising his friendly approach towards the autocratic Imperium. His supporters argued that his presence during the first contact with the Neo-Furrarian Imperium created positive initial relations between the two countries. They would also argue that his negotiations with the Eldership and the fledgling Technocracy had delayed hostilities, giving refugees enough time to escape before the fighting began in earnest. His detractors however, were highly critical of his role in the open support of the Technocracy, citing that his appearance in the signing of the Fenrir Treaty massively inflamed tensions between the Black March and the Eldership. Some would go so far as to claim that his explicit support for the Technocracy was the likely motive behind the Fires in the Skies Incident.
Cole Dane expressed his sadness at Bluewing’s untimely death and personally visited his widow and surviving daughter in 12273.
Politics
Bluewing had remained an enigmatic figure throughout his life, mostly in order to avoid any political prejudices in his diplomatic missions. He was widely considered a pacifist, as evidenced by his continuous diplomatic approach, even in the face of the Draconian Civil War. Throughout his career, strategists have criticized Bluewing’s ‘soft’ approach and his unwillingness to leverage the IF3’s military strength. However, others have disputed this perception of Bluewing, stating that he had openly objected to Eliza Grünza's hardline stance against all forms of conflict on multiple occasions, which suggested that Bluewing always considered military intervention as a plausible strategy. Some political analysts further speculate that Bluewing's actions during the Draconian Civil War were likely because he saw an alternative and peaceful solution towards the war.
Bluewing’s colleagues at the Arkasian embassy have noted that Bluewing was an avowed xenophile, which would have likely tipped his political leaning in favor of neo-cosmopolitanism. He was also reportedly supportive of the Technocracy’s recognition of interspecies marriages, which some theorize was the motive behind his implict support of the Technocracy. However, the theory has been only shakily supported by his denunciation of the unlawful killing of Rajeet Mimau and second-hand reports by colleagues.
Hans Bluewing
