Airik Mitchell listened carefully. It's not like the arguments were unknown to him. They were the same ones that Starfleet carefully laid out. He didn't begrudge anyone their opinions and welcomed the dissenting thoughts. "I appreciate your concerns and they are both noted." He paused for a moment and then continued. "The Federation values universal liberty, equality, justice, peace, and cooperation. These are not attained through force or perceived strength, but rather honesty, integrity and genuineness. Walking into a sensitive situation with a phaser rifle doesn't set a good tone, regardless of whether or not it is used."<br/><br/>Airik looked at each of his senior officers. "Don't interpret my words to mean we will run from a battle, leave the innocent defenseless against enemies, or back down from a hostile. I also would not be opposed to further discussions or proposals regarding our defensive and offensive systems. For now, we're equipped with some of the most advanced technology and I have little fear of our capabilities."