• Nobles of Null is a forum based roleplay site where sci-fi and magic collide. Here, Earth remains fractured and divided despite humanity reaching out to the stars. Worse still, the trans-human slaves of one major power have escaped, only to establish their own Empire, seething with resentment at abuses of the past. Even the discovery of aliens, though medieval in development, has failed to rally these squabbling children of Earth together with its far darker implications. Worse still, is the discovery of the impossible - magic. Practiced by the alien locals, nearly depleted and therefore rare, its reality warping abilities remains abstract and distant to the general populace. All the while, unseen in the darkness of space, forces from without threaten to press in. For those with eyes opened by insight, it is clear that an era is about to end, and that a new age will dawn.

Chapter 8: Negotiations

Ray of Meep

Ray of Meep

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Co-authored by: Ray of Meep (GM), CadetNewb, TheCountryWarrior, Wallflower

Solaris Lihana (Dawn Star System), Planet Lihana (Planet Vermillion Bird)

The air shuttle landed on a high rise building at the center of the city. At their altitude, air was noticeably thinner here, cooler. There were also more of those buzzers around, flying in perfect formation around the buildings here. As the Aos Si stepped out of their vehicle, their eagle eyes could spot humans in shades dotting the interior of the building, outside. At their hips were concealed shapes, shapes of firearms, giving them flashbacks to the girl with the gun that night. Their gaze occassionally landed on the Aos Si, but otherwise they were surveying the surroundings in general.

A woman stepped out of the building, leading a group of three others. Two men were wearing shades on the sides, black, long sleeved shirts with knots lining the middle, collars carrying gold floral patterns, along with black pants. It seems they were armed as well, slight bulges at the sides of their hips.

In constrant, the two women in the middle were wearing y-collared black dresses, long sleeved, that went down to the knees, cuts at the hips to access pockets underneath, gold, white, and red floral patterns sewn onto the entire clothing. They were wearing a black shirt underneath, along with black pants.

The leading woman stopped in front of the Aos Si with a small, confident smile on her face. It was difficult to tell her age; her facial features were wrinkless, no doubt with a generous application of makeup. However, a strand of silver streaked across an otherwise perfect head of black hair. Then there was the pair of faint, trenched lines that ran from the corners of her lips that ran up to her cheeks, then sharp turns down to the corners of her jaw.

"Welcome of Cloud Watch (Yun Wang)." She opened her mouth in a professional, projected voice. "Capital of the State of Dawn (Li Ming), and the Heaven Forged Republic as a whole. On behalf of my country, I, Governor Lv Wen, greet you."
 
Gwaed stood like the picture perfect model of a Commander, back straight, face stern, eyes dark and intelligent. He didn't necessarily want to be the first to talk, but standing there saying nothing wasn't an option. He responded similarly to her, letting his voice in their tongue be heard. "I am Gwaedcryf Hewyllys Anorchfygol, last surviving noble of the House of Hewyllys Anorchfygol, Commander of an Army that no longer exists." He spoke harshly, a diplomatic way of accusing her entire race of these failures. "Let us home we can speak this time around. The last meeting of our two kinds went disastrously." He stared directly at her, his gaze never letting up. Let these parasitic cameras watch.
 
"Only out of necessity," Amisra was quick to remind Gwaed, her eyes then turning to the Governor. "Amisra av Yvresse," she introduced herself as well, lifting her skirt ever so slightly as she curtsied in Aos Si fashion. "The 'helicopter' was not very reassuring, and had to be 'encouraged' to leave," the redheaded woman had since looked up the word for the flying war machine. "I hope that this inconvenience will be overlooked," the ranger referred to their very first meeting with the professor. As eloquent and polite as her words were however, there was the faintest of implied barbs. Not necessarily for the governor of course. She had to have already known. Amisra pondered how the onlookers that she couldn't even see would react.
 
Sai felt like it was something she would never get used to, the strange quiet of the ships that floated through the sky. She wanted to say that it was something foreign and alien, but supposedly even her own people had once achieved similar results. That fantastical past was long behind them now, yet today it seemed closer than any other. The metal beasts flew through the air with stunning ease, and as she looked out the window to the bizarre pallet of the grand city below, something that endlessly did seem alien, she felt like the stars were not out of reach of these vessels. For the first time in her life, she was struck by the idea that the museum she saw was but a brief glimpse into the culture of these people. They were a mere fraction of what existed, and somewhere out there were cultures and people so foreign to her that she would struggle to find common ground between this city and there.

It was a warming thought, to think of that much music, that much art. Things that united the people as a whole outside their squabbles and politics. The bare soul of humanity thrust forth upon the Galaxy, different in every person, different in every people.

She stepped off the grand vehicle cautiously, her confidence in doing so rising from the last time. The air was thin, and as she looked around, her view increased by the lack of walls, she was struck by the grandness of it. Up here, even the endlessly uniform city structure seemed like a strange texture pattern of fabric and silk. An odd form of braille that told more than just the words it produced. She turned, slowly, to the ornately well-dressed people that approached them. She eyed the outfits for a moment, realizing that she had seen some like it briefly in crowds, but hadn't paid much attention to them. She imagined, based on these people alone, that only the wealthy or powerful had access to such clothing.

She had to admit the strange beauty they possessed, if only because she had scarcely seen anything like it.

Listening to the woman, the Governor who had summoned them, give her introduction, Sai gave her practiced bow as she stepped forward. While she didn't want to make assumptions on how the others wished to approach this, it seemed that the others had taken a more standoffish approach.

"Good Morning, Governor Lv Wen." She began, taking a more dignified position quickly. Her clothes were more basic, survivalist in nature while still maintaining strong touches of a distant, but closely held culture in its weaving. "I am Sai Aias, of House Ornstrum." She knew that the Ornstrum clan, or what was left of it, was particularly brutal in its response to the invasion. She wasn't a part of it, last she recalled spending those years in hiding, nursing wounds that never seemed to fully heal. That was her childhood. She did not mention greater detail, knowing greater exposition would ultimately fall on deaf ears.

"We've been informed that you've been witnessing our..." She paused, trying to find the right word, definitions suddenly failing her. "Experiences, of your culture and history." She decided to cut straight towards the point. There was no reason to hide it, that a specific event spurred the meeting. "If you would not terribly mind my asking-" Her verbiage was polite, almost overly so, especially given the opinions she had expressed before. She had admittedly little interest in the expressed power of this woman, only in how she used it. "What made you decide to call upon us?"
 
The Governor raised both eyebrows, her eyes leery as she examined the Aos Si, listening attentively to their introductions, statements, and questions. She first replied to Amisra and Gwaed with a reassuring tone, too reassuring. "We've moved beyond the tyranny, the reckless of our ill-fated predecessors." She spoke with a projected voice, as if she wasn't just speaking to the Aos Si. "I am confident that this meeting, the first formally, between our peoples, will be fruitful."

"Speaking of 'harvest' (results)..." The Governor then answered Sai. "First of all, we are honored that our music can be appreciated across species lines. That is a grand human achievement. As for our purpose here today, I'd like to discuss how you'll live among us, should you enroll in Cloud Watch Institute's education program."

She gestured towards the building smoothly with one hand. "You must be hungry, however, and the chilly air here is no place for guests. Let us head inside. We will eat and talk at the same time."

It was unclear what the purpose of the room the group ended up in, was initially, since it now seemed especially made for this meeting. The entire volume was showered in a soft, gold light. It was small, perhaps too personal, the walls decorated with golden depictions of foreign creatures, with three different flags hanging on the backwall. A round table in the center was draped in white cloth, with a rotating disk built into it along with eating utensils, bowls and plates. Chairs surrounded it, and a squadron of men in shades, what looked to be waiters and chefs, along with buzzers that now climbed along the walls; surrounding the set up. On the rotating disk were food dishes already in place. Some were eerily familiar, yet foreign. Others were alien entirely.

"Please, have a seat." The Governor guided the group to sit down, waiters walking over to poor beverages into their cups. "I assure you that what you eat and drink today will match the Aos Si's needs and preferences. The ingredients used for these dishes either come from this planet's own plants and animals, grown with our own technology; or that they come from my homeworld, but ensured to be edible by your kind."
 
The human was speaking to the cameras that owned the air around them, watching their every move. She was speaking to them, yes, but she was speaking for the cameras. For their benefit. Gwaed wanted to go home, even if home was just a hollow tree where he kept all his dashed hopes and dreams. This was Amisra's sort of get-together, filled with double crosses and hidden meanings and a general feeling of people assuming they're smarter than everyone else in the same room. He was going to be himself, and the humans would either learn to accept that, or he'd be free of them one way or another.

"An impressive mockery of traditional dishes. I assume finding an Aos Si cook was nigh-impossible given their status here, it will be allowed." He took a seat, taking a breath. He could look regal, if he put his mind to it he could look utterly magnificent, and he put in the work outwardly. From his lips however, he spoke infrequently, because he had made up his mind to not lie. Brutal honesty would serve him here. "I do truly hope you don't assume it was human music that brought my friend to tears. I assure you, humanity does not have the monopoly on the concept of music. To think so would be selfish, and I doubt you're here to be selfish in front of the entire public." He smiled at her, lifting his cup to the eyes around them, before setting it back down. He didn't drink.
 
The language the woman spoke in was strange. Undoubtedly it was the language they were taught, as she understood every word of it. Yet, each word felt... Slanted, as if they were false, or represented something else. Like a poem that was meant to be taken a thousand ways but lacking the nuance for the intention to be natural. It was like every word she was stating was part of a contract, and she was speaking to avoid talking herself into some promised corner, unable to move from the tangle of her own words. It was something that immediately put Sai on edge, as the essence behind the words was lost in the process. She wasn't being talked to, she was being read a script.

"You'll have to forgive us." Sai replied as she took a seat. "We're... Unused to what I assume is your political language." It made sense to her more as she thought about it. That fear and shame that had struck her when she realized that the entire city had watched her cry? Something would doubtlessly come of it, and they were witnessing it here. A scripted language that was devised to narrow down meaning to be as direct and inoffensive as possible, not even holding so much as an inflection of discontent that could be taken against them. It was vague when it could afford to be, and specific when it had to ensure that nothing said could be weaponized.

Did their own politics once match this form in some unique or familiar way? She shuddered at the thought, realizing that she didn't know.

"As for the food, I believe that food of your own culture would be fitting just fine." Sai realized as she spoke that she stood out a fair bit from her companions. In complete honestly, she scarcely knew them, and it showed. Even physically there was little in common. Already the images of the last few weeks, the difficult struggle of trying to get along with the few humans they knew, and the looks of frustration as each of the three Aos Si said something either intentionally or not to get a rise out of the professor or one of his companions. She sat in silence, her face contorting briefly to a frown as she realized that it wasn't how she wanted to mend the damage that seemed to throb before her eyes.

"I would like to meet the chef." She spoke suddenly, her uneven eyes staring up to the woman across the table. "An old tradition, as it would not do to speak of important matters over food without meeting the hands who made what brings us together." It was an old family tradition, and one she realized could help bridge the gap.
 
"You will have to forgive the Commander," Amisra politely interjected, having yet to touch the food herself. "Even before the worst of hardships had come, he had and continues to have a particularly hot, burning passion," the redheaded ranger smiled at the woman, then at Gwaed. The innuendo aside, the food itself didn't particularly interest Amisra in the slightest given that this was all pretense for something else, but the fact that it was the familiar so oddly blended with the strange and foreign had her instinctively not even bother. A ranger did not eat every single random thing they came across after all, even if it did look delicious, and even if she did recognize some of it at a glance. Some of it. Her emerald eyes glanced over to Sai. "A good request," she bit onto an opportunity, promptly circumventing Sai's remarks regarding language and politics. She was practically a kid dragged into events far larger than her, and politics were something she likely hadn't even witnessed or dealt with if the ranger recalled correctly.

"I'm curious myself how long it took to integrate it all." Despite her polite tones, the barb was clear. The integration attempt would tell everything about them, much like Li Shi Cheng's own first words on the same matter.
 
The Governor took a pause at Amisra's curiosity. Her hand went for her chin, but in reality her fingers glided along the lines that divided her lower jaw from the rest of her skull. She eyes kept a lock on the group, but the pause, the movement of her hand, they betrayed an unwillingness to engage the subject.

She further delayed the engagement by gesturing to one of the chefs, looking at Sai. "Lady Aias, this is Gentleman Lu." The man nodded politely. He looked to be as old as the Governor, donning a full uniform of red, with black collar, cuffs, buttons, and belt. "He is the head chef here. If you have any questions, you are free to talk to him after our meeting today."

The Governor then looked back to Amisra and Gwaed. Li Shi Cheng quietly watched from the side. It shouldn't be surprising that Amisra and Gwaed, then Sai, act as two separate groups, despite the former pair's apparent conflicts. Seems that friction even in dire times isn't a uniquely human issue. The question is, who here was going to be the easiest to incorporate into human society? Sai seemed the most interested in human culture, but perhaps only as far as it reminded her of what she had before.

"The professor taught you much, didn't he?" The Governor commented. "Transparency is a virtue of our scholars here." She spoke in a forced tone of praise. "How the Republic came to be is still a matter of discussion. Was it through the strength of human will, peace and diplomacy? Or was it through cynical pragmatism, war and bloodshed? It has only been eight years since our formation. The later generations will be the ultimate judges of our actions. I'd like my grandchildren to believe it was the former." Her answer was completely unsatisfactory, yet out of all her words thus far, this felt the most sincere.
 
There were countless reasons to have the chef present at a meal, and not all of them benefited Sai directly. It was meant to show the chef the result of their performance, where their efforts and artistic talent in the culinary field would finally reach the plates of those who likely couldn't make the same meal, even if they tried. It was, Sai guessed, similar to an artist watching the public interact with their public galley the first time it opens. It encouraged that special pride that only the arts could truly bring about, and in its formation, artistic pride even came about in the more strict fields. Sai gave a brief but polite nod to the chef as she shifted in her seat, turning her attention back to the Governor.

"I suppose we shouldn't circle around the topic too much, lest we dizzy ourselves." Sai finally admitted with a brief sigh. She eyed the food dishes available, noticing more than a few dishes that had been constructed strangely, obviously through human cuisine, using foods that had been grown from local flora, and meats whose patterns clearly resembled that of local fauna. In a moment's decision, she concluded that she already knew well enough of their own available food sources and though the humans likely had found ways to maximize how to grow and harvest them, she elected to try one of the dishes that seemed more foreign. If all else failed, she might not get another chance for something like this.

"I suppose it should be stated that I don't believe much else besides transparency will foster growth between us, especially when such a hand has been offered as the... Educational opportunities that have been described." She pause as she briefly took a small mouthful of the hot food. "Given our shared history, I'm sure it can be understood why we would hesitate on what seems like a suddenly offered hand when the same hand once held a knife." She swallowed, her throat feeling dry on the subject. "Not to imply that there is some ulterior motive, of course. Rather, if there is some political, or secondary intention to this hand besides pure kindness, then it would be important for us to know that, and what kind of influence it has on what has happened, and what will happen."
 
As they spoke for a bit, Amisra mused over their situation. If that was the most sincere the human could be, then the road ahead would be a difficult, or at least, a rather tedious one. Though it seemed that Cheng had given them a brief, abridged history out of his own shame rather than any attempt to hide any details, this politician of theirs was less than reputable. Which, she really shouldn't be anything less given the cut-throat nature of it. Sai on the other hand, truly felt like a naive and optimistic child. Which, of course, could be an explanation as to why the younger of the Aos Si here was missing a limb.

"I apologize if I am not as engaged as I should be," Amisra interjected. Chopsticks in hand, she took and built upon the movements she had seen Cheng perform when eating during one of their breaks, now repurposing them to idly take apart and play with her food out of what seemed to be boredom. "I am currently pondering over the challenge of having our people engage," the aloof redhead began to explain, deftly picking up what appeared to be a piece of fried, white something before putting it back down. "The mistrust and paranoia towards your folk is strong, and if they sense so much as a hint of dishonesty, they will not cooperate," the woman pointed out, gently squeezing what she recognized as 'tofu'. Even so, she watched The Governor very closely. Despite being only in the corner of her eye, the vision of her periphery was plenty enough to see. She, and even her guards, did not move with the grace of Aos Si, or even their minions. They were all human. Very human. "What plans did you have in mind?" she asked, now finally turning her emerald eyes on the other.
 
The Governor watched as Amisra placed the piece of tofu down. Perhaps as a demonstration of superiority or genuine reassurance, she picked up the same piece of food and placed it into her mouth, chewing patiently and lightly, all the while maintaining steady eye contact. No, Shi Cheng watched as the Governor took her time to eat her food. She was buying time again to make her own political calculations.

Shortly before the HFR's formation, the AU gave the still conflicting remnants of the previous regime by destroying most of their capital ships in this very system. Operation Distant Flock, as the Americans called it, crippling the infant nation's ability to project power, partially contributing to its confederate system today. He never told the Aos Si of this specific detail. Not because he wanted to lie, but more because the Zhong Zhi event was far more influential by comparison. Still, given that it happened in this system, a group of elites never forgave the AU for their transgression. Before they could contend with the AU internationally again however, they needed to build up their own strength first.

Therefore this group of technocratic elites formed the Unity Party intent on consolidating the Li Ming system's resources, reform its infrastructure, improve its technology, and rebuild the fleet of the HFR as a whole to pressure the AU. A key aspect of the strategy was to stay in power long enough to ensure long term projects stay intact. Problem was the continuous influx of refugees into the system that gave the opposition parties potential to remove said power.

"... We intend on giving you full rights, Lady Yvresse," The Governor replied, saying Amisra's name perfectly. How many days did she spend practicing? "Freedom of mobility, discrimination prohibited. You will be treated as the same as everyone else here, even if you are alien."

There it was. Alien wasn't just referring to the different species that was the Aos Si. The Governor was also appealing to the migrants coming from Sol. Shi Cheng knit his eyebrows, taking a drink from his glass to hide mixed emotions. The Aos Si were used as a tool after all, to send a message to his fellow voters, more than anyone else.
 
Sai knew, of course, that there was no such thing here as an action like this taken out of some pure goodwill fostered by a need to redeem one's people. Her opinion of the Humans had always been sour, and though the curious things she had seen in the past few weeks had taught her that they weren't as one-sided as she initially imagined, she had never truly abandoned the concept that there was some selfish part of them that would only behave in good faith once it seemed to benefit them. Here, it seemed, even the benefits of such cultural growth and connection to something outside themselves were only being considered because of the political implications. In a way, it wasn't even about them.

Her face felt numb, and she instinctively reached for a drink to placate the bitter taste that suddenly filled her mouth like blood. She knew it was too good to be true, and she even asked for the information. The bitter taste only intensified as she realized that in the context of this conversation, she couldn't even call out the selfish nature of it. The Governor hadn't even directly admitted to it, if anything it seemed like she was closer to completely ignoring what Sai said. Why did it hurt so badly to have it confirmed like this? She wanted to shout, to yell that if they were to be used, then have the decency to admit it!

She had lived her whole life being used in such manners. Her dreams of art and music being cast aside for one of constant trial and political posing. She was a scion, but she never chose such a path. Now, once more, those who thought they had power over her wished to bend her to their will.

"Our way of life and the very way we live currently is extremely... Separate, from your own." She spoke after a minute, her throat still feeling incredulously dry despite the liquid that had just graced it. It was like she was suddenly aware that she hadn't had enough to drink for weeks. "Our own people settled away as far from your machines as they can manage, with the genuine belief passed down from parent to child that a human would strike us down for simply trying to live on the same land, as was done unto them." She paused, inhaling deeply. "It was your precursor's firebombs that have left me like this. I'm aware that many of your own population face similar scars."

"So we are to receive the full rights of your citizens. What steps will you take to broach such a strong divide? We were originally approached by armed soldiers in a vehicle that once bore death upon us, who hesitated to let your professor speak to us without us being at gunpoint. I assure you that even with our approval, such an approach will not work for others. Will your hospitality of policy remain, even if we use our newfound rights to begin spreading our own political ideals, even those that counter your own?" The message was perhaps overspoken, but the intent was clear.

What will you do, human, when we do not further your goals?
 
Amisra smiled.

"My companion does have a point," the redheaded woman began. "If our situations were reversed, I would find it bizarre if your folk simply began to come forth after these offers were made," she pointed out. Amisra had still yet to eat, but at least seemed to humor the concept of it by playing with her food just a bit. "The offer itself would seem surreal after all the hardship that had been endured, and though the given history as to why would raise eyebrows, it would simply be suspect regardless." Amisra's chopsticks deftly picked out a single grain of rice and examined it with curiosity, only for her emerald eyes to shift back to the governor. "I would suggest making this a sort of exchange. Perhaps not officially, but make it clear to my people that there is something expected in return," the ranger suggested, setting down her chopsticks. Her faint smile ever present, Amisra went on, "Currently, I am under the impression that a symbol of unity is needed, is that correct?" she politely asked. "We can most certainly fulfill this role, however, we would require additional information on the groups and parties involved, you understand."

Even long before the calamity, politics and courtly intrigue were a joy for the Aos Si, akin to a national pastime that even spectators would gossip and bet on. This however, would be child's play, and only a matter of time. Time that she and her people had plenty of in comparison to these short lived humans.
 
If courtly intrigue was a mainstay of elven society, Gwaed was an oddity of elven culture. He despised the politics. Long at the start of his military career he'd learned that such things got in the way of doing things well. So many things that needed to be said, lies and false promises made, and it only got in the way of work that actually needed to be done. It was a required evil, and it seemed, to his surprise, that the Parasites engaged in politics too.

He almost preferred when the enemy was easy to see, and it was perfectly acceptable to subsequently kill them. He, having not practiced with chopsticks at all, used the little wooden sticks as tiny spears. Spearing the food, he tasted it, his face not moving a muscle as he inwardly found it to be enjoyable. He looked to the chef that stood there with a practiced stance, and gave a solemn nod of approval. The food was still an elaborate lie, but one should enjoy the fruits of the enemy's lies for as long as one could, before their lies crumbled around them like his home had.
 
Li Shi Cheng watched for the Governor's response. She asked him, or rather interrogated him, at great detail for many hours in the conference rooms, of the Aos Si, ranging from their known history, their biology, culture, behavior, even the esoteric magic that the Aos Si were recorded to use against the Zhuli decades ago, back when both him and the Governor will still of Earth, young and stupid. Sometimes he wished he himself could cast lightning out of his fingers to stop the wrongs before they harmed him. If the Governor had any humanity left in her, she would probably agree.

She knows of their long life span, their low birth rate. Currently all humans on the planet out number the Aos Si at minimum five to one, perhaps more if the Zhuli were as thorough as the claimed to be. By just playing the numbers game, the Aos Si aren't a political threat even if they were granted full citizenship. Of course, she was certainly playing with fire as well. The professor's work was meticulous, but it wasn't clear how thorough it actually was. There was the known unknown: how politically savvy were the Aos Si, actually? The professor spoke at great length of their fanatical practice of the arts. Did this apply to governance as well? Political rhetoric is an artform itself, after all. How would these capabilities come into play once the Aos Si are given proper informational and physical infrastructure? Good education, full meals, climate controlled rest?

Then there were the unknown unknowns. The governor placed a piece of alien meat into her mouth and chewed politely. The eggheads gave it a pretentious Latin name, but the Aos Si called it an "iron hawk". She liked that name. She saw one before, flying overhead. Their feather analogues were like rusted, iron blades, and they spent considerable time ingesting mud. It's a shame that the meat was unpleasant. No surprise; it was a miracle this planet supported human life in the first place. There were a lot of things unacceptable in her life, but this will have to fly under the radar. A fried, Earth chicken sandwich is in order after this meeting though.

Right, the unknown unknowns. How will the Aos Si behave once they are given proper resources? There was simply not enough information to even ask the question properly. However, despite the known unknowns, the unknown unknowns, there was a known within high certainty that bothered the Governor more than anything else.

There were technologically advanced Aos Si out there.

"There had to be." Professor Li remarked in her high rise apartment, discussing the matter rather casually with their spouses listening in as they had dinner together. "We have reports that there aren't just Aos Si on Zhuque, but also on Kitezh, Tiantang. Fermi Paradox was shot in the head, sure, but it's highly unlikely all these lifeforms evolved independently on widely different planets all sharing the same physiology, especially when there's no apparent benefit of said physiology for the respective environments. They had to come from somewhere, somewhere with the technology that sent them to our small corner of the galaxy in the first place."

What if those Aos Si came over and witnessed less than stellar treatment? Aos Si gaining political power would be not ideal, but put on a galactic court for space war crimes would be even worse.

An image of her son and her grandchildren flashed before her eyes, and she smiled back at Amisra and Sai. "Disagreements and debates over politics are the natural part of a healthy democracy. In fact, we encourage it. Our diversity of thought is what gives us our strength." She spoke more to the cameras than to the Aos Si. "We will ensure that your rights as citizens are upheld and protected, as we do for all our alien immigrants." She paused, then set her chopsticks down and interlaced her fingers purposefully playfully, "If you wish to make this an exchange of sorts, then I cannot refuse the offer." The governor made a pondering face, then continued, barely thinking at all in reality, "If your people are to enter our area of jurisdiction, we expect you to work or educate yourselves to the best of your abilities as proper citizens of the Republic." She smiled again.
 
Hearing the words that slowly came from the Governor, Sai found herself wishing that they had been ignored for some time longer. Though she cared little for learning the history of domination and subjugation, even if it were stories scarcely relating to her people, such lessons at least seemed to engage Gwaed, while suddenly she felt much like the bitter man as the words became sandpaper to her ears. She was trained a scion through action, not through political comments and wordings designed with some specification that they meant nothing at all.

The right side of her face itched, but she neglected the urge to reach to it.

While she tried to maintain a stern face as the woman spoke, it was obvious to anyone paying attention as she glanced away, her face one of dejected disappointment. She said nothing more, deciding to let Amisra and her poisoned words ruin the field that the human was laying. Perhaps then she'd be good for something aside from slipping poison into the already bitter Gwaed, bit by bit. She looked down at the food with increasing embitterment and regretted having called the chef over quite suddenly. She had lost her appetite in family meetings before, but never like this. Never had the very concept of the food in front of her lost its meaning as it abruptly did now. Still, obliging the art in the same way Gwaed already had, she began to eat.

The food was good, she had to admit. There was a clear and practiced skill put forth into it, made by hands that cared more for the art itself than for any political intrigue. She originally anticipated the incorporated local meats and dietary restrictions to be sloppily incorporated, but there was too much quality apparent for such a statement to prove true. She was glad she hadn't said it out loud, or else she would have had to personally apologize for speaking out of place on the man's artistry. Unfamiliar flavor mixtures swirled in her mouth, cooked in ways that reminded her of childhood in bitter ways. The feelings weren't entirely unpleasant, as much as her stomach disagreed with eating at all.

Her thoughts went instead to the musical instruments she had seen while in the museum, and the repeated promises of a new arm, one that functioned as if she hadn't lost her old one. It was an uncomfortable thought, as much as she wished to pick up an instrument and strum its strings, to hear what melodies she had kept within, or how they would come out. She had largely grown used to only having one hand, and only infrequently found issue with some task she was incapable of. She had deftly adapted to most situations, but then again, even those situations did not make her miss the use of something she only vaguely recalled as a child.

It was an overused little thing, full of dents and scratches where hands and picks had smeared the paint with the grease and oil of their hands. The newest part of the entire device was its seven strings, pulled taut across the instrument like threads ready to snap from tension alone. She had watched her father play it frequently between political sessions and meetings and often begged for him to teach her how to play it. Even with tired eyes that weighed heavy with dark circles, he lamented such requests as he played little melodies and tunes for her in the throes of the night while she was tucked into bed. She all but made him promise that as soon as she was big enough, as soon as her hands could reach all the notes of the strings, that she could keep it for herself to play to her heart's content.

When the blazing hell fell from the sky, she clutched the awkward instrument fervently in her right hand about its neck, two strings having already snapped from the heat as they tortured her blistered fingers. Her first thought when the next bomb hit the earth and knocked her from her feet was a piercing shriek, tears evaporating as they were shed, eyes burning in the ashen smoke. She did not realize that in a mere moment she had been rendered crippled, she cried because she had lost grip of that dear little instrument that she could not yet play, inscribed with her father's name.

She was afraid, she quite deftly realized, of what it would mean to confront the feeling again. A new arm, to grow excited about such a concept. Would it even work? She did not fully grasp the physiological differences between humans and aos si, but certainly, some kind of difference existed, that much she knew for certain. She would be the first to try. It would end one of two ways, either bridging the gap in that medical technology or being the first to be disappointed.

To lose that instrument once more.
 
As Amisra's companions thought and contemplated to themselves the future, there was one thing that came to her mind above all others; was this human an imbecile? Yes, they were being watched. Yes, they were being eavesdropped on. Yes, people were very literally watching them eating all across the entire planet wherever these humans lived and breathed. But this human, when confronted with the questions that Amisra had poised, could only say that the Aos Si were to prosper? Either this Wench was too stupid to even give the most basic, sanitized overview, or she was so constricted by rival powers that she couldn't. Which, in the latter case, would mean that she was already as good as dead politically. There were other possibilities, but few that she believed to be as likely, narrowing down the potentialities to these very unsavory points. And of course, there was the fact that this woman had snubbed Amisra's offer.

"Most magnanimous," the redheaded beauty observed, the splitting image of one touched by another person's kindness. "If this is what you wish, I cannot help but wonder what others will of us," she added. '- and ask for in exchange', Amisra left unspoken. But even so, it was a dagger left pointed at the Governor for this offense. Whether or not that other woman even noticed that hidden blade against her throat, the ranger did not care. Instead, she plucked a succulent morsel from her plate, and in an act that would be viewed by lustful young men and even other women for years to come, ate. Vanishing between her succulent lips, Amisra savored the flavor of the well prepared dish with such grace that witnessing was a pleasure to the eyes. Nevermind that it was such a simple, mundane thing that Amisra did, even by her own standards. But all the while, the Ranger schemed. If the Governor was a fool unable to do anything, a Lame Iron Hawk, then Amisra needed to find out who were the rivals to this Wench as soon as possible.
 
Gwaed ate, letting the politicians speak without speaking the truth to each other, each sentence wrapped in subtext and some with outright lies. He hated it, really. It always stood in the way of progress, pretending to be progress so that society eventually couldn't live without it. Things would be a whole lot smoother had he been in charge of the universe. Culture would thrive among the stars, art and magic prevalent throughout the galaxy. And instead he was sitting here with one of his least favorite people that he was stuck with, speaking to a Parasitic snake about their futures. He ate quietly. Perhaps the humans would think the sight attractive, as heavenly as the Aos Si apparently were, but that didn't matter to him. Perhaps that's just one of the ways he differed from his red haired companion. He wasn't looking to use his appearance for an advantage.

His fantastic appearance was merely a bonus to his existence he supposed, he believed real importance was born of character. Perhaps that's why of everyone in this room only the handicapped elf and the chef who had prepared bastardized versions of their traditional dishes seemed worthy of his respect. Politics left a bad taste in his mouth. The soul was more important than the body, as so many generations of learning had taught him.
 
Li Shi Cheng asked for another glass of beverage from the nearby waitress and drank from it slowly to hide an upset look. Like Sai and Gwaed, he wasn't happy about how the conversation was going. Words hidden behind words, words that are meaningless on the surface, no substance other than vague courtesy. He stole a look at his wrist mounted datapad, hoping the meeting will end soon so he could talk to the Aos Si in earnest.

The Governor, on the other hand, shifted her smile, a subtle acknowledgement of the dagger pointed at her throat. It was unwise to think the Aos Si were incapable of engaging human politics and rhetoric, even for a split second. Perhaps the Aos Si, who was better off working in a whore house, before her knew much more than she let on, and, more importantly, knew how to yield that knowledge to strike at the heart.

It wasn't easy leading the Unity Party with only a plurality of voters. Even with the American Union, the Daqin, and fellow states of the HFR breathing down their necks, the State of Li Ming devolved into politics for politics' sake far faster than expected. This loud mouthed Aos Si was a far more important opportunity than the Governor initially realized.

"We will treat you most properly, as we treat all our citizens, Lady Yvresse." The Governor put extra emphasis on "we", "Should any trouble arise for you, honored guests of the State of Li Ming, you are free to consult me directly, and immediately. While we are in a time of difficulty, the Governor's office and the Mayor's office of Yun Wang are committed to protecting your rights." The Aos Si would know from the professor that the Governor and the mayor of this city are blood related. Whether intentional or not, the Governor implied family business here.
 
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