Engage in eating, unless it appears inappropriate. Keep table manners and local customs and traditions in mind. It is a good thing I took my time familiarising with the Wayfarer culture immediately prior to the mission start, right?
Oh, lunch. Finally! Guess it makes up for missing the chance to eat with the crew back on board.
Enjoy the delicious meal!
Eat politely if deemed appropriate to Steve.
Sit and eat.
You remove your gloves and helmet and, after washing your hands in an offered bowl of some kind of strong smelling liquid (probably alcohol) you begin eating with your bare hands. The food is unfamiliar, spicy and with a citric undertone but not unpleasant. You can't place half the ingredients; one is some sort of dumpling made with fried dough, but the contents of it are unknown to you. They produce a near luminous green juice and taste savory, but the flavor is fairly restrained. The drink is some kind of thick liquid, whitish pink and fruity to the taste, sort of like strawberries but not quite. It's quite rich and even a sip of it washes away any burning from the spices in the food. You sample your way through the small servings placed in front of you; something that tastes like roast banana, what is clearly a cooked bird, like a pheasant, but with 4 wings, a small container of rice drenched in a reddish, painfully hot sauce, a plate of heavily cooked, thin slices of something that looks like the cross section of a melon but is quite tough and rubbery and tastes more like anise. It's all quite odd.
Look around room my personal view (as in don't move around, but look around) and analyze for any hidden dangers, weapons of opportunity, advantage points or escape points (in case they should be necessary). Mentally catalog them and then do nothing else unless requested.
(forgot to bold so I think it got missed so I'm going to repeat)
Look around room my personal view (as in don't move around, but look around) and analyze for any hidden dangers, weapons of opportunity, advantage points or escape points (in case they should be necessary). Mentally catalog them and then do nothing else unless requested.
We'll assume you eat, since Lars is requesting it, in his own gentle way. As per hidden dangers, weapons of opportunity, advantage points and the like, This room has several entrances, all quite large except for the one to your right, probably a servant's entrance, or kitchen access. It's a likely escape path, should it come to that. There are no real choke points, and unfortunately the table doesn't look thick enough to protect from any sort of high powered projectiles. There is no silverware on the table, so nothing to quickly grab and stab with, and you don't see anything that screams hidden weapon or concealed explosive device.
I guess I could eat. They probably won't try poisoning us or using any sort of drug to influence us. If they try anything, our roboguys will be able to handle it. Probably. Plus, I'm supposed to act as Lars' bodyguard, so it would look bad if I didn't eat while he did. Unless they got mini-bombs implanted in their chest. In which case we're screwed either way.
Use the time Lars takes to respond to ask Steve if he knows if there are any rules or customs about food and if there is anything it might be a bad idea to eat.
Also ask if it would be wrong for me to speak with the advisors about irrelevant matters, like their palace. You know, standard eating chit-chat.
Then follow Lars' lead and Steve's suggestions. After Lars removes/opens his helmet and starts eating, do the same.
Do not eat/drink anything that smells like it has alcohol in it. Small bites, mostly sampling things to see if they taste good. And nothing too spicy. Generally try not to eat something that might make fighting more difficult. And try not to get too distracted by eating, stay focused on the conversation and my surroundings. And don't eat like a savage, eat slowly and politely, trying to use the correct implements.
If it seems appropriate for me to make standard eating chit-chat, then after using that polite greeting I found in that phrasebook (in their language) and introducing myself as a soldier (in our language) ask the following:
"I find the construction of this place very interesting. Despite its beauty, it is also a very defensible position. Very sturdy construction. Easily fortified. And other things I have yet to see, I am certain. I would be interested in knowing: is there a historical reason behind this or is it merely a result of the prudence of its maker?"
>Follow the lead of the people around you, they're doing fine. And you should be fine with any of the food here, assuming you're not allergic. If you are, I'm sure we can handle that rare chance.
You should let Lars do the talking for the moment. He's been established as the leader and they will be focused on him. You talking would be disrespectful of him, and that would either mean he would need to reprimand you or appear weak to them.
We'll assume you eat as above.
((Remember that you lose helmet radio if you take it off to eat. That said, I recall Steve said to take anything they offer like this.))
Brother Lars smiled and nodded. "Yes, let us all eat. Come and dine. Thank you for your hospitality."
Remove helmet and eat; sample several reasonably-sized portions. Encourage others to eat as well.
"Thank you for sharing with us. It is good to share a meal after long travels."
Engage in small talk while eating politely (don't gobble) and let them bring up the subject of business.
They wait for you to finish your first few bites before they speak.
"You should know that you and your group are known rebels; that your actions are treason in the eyes of the United Worlds. And you should know also that our very meeting here is tantamount to courting treason. The very fact that we let your ship orbit our world is in the eyes of some an act of treason in and of itself. This meeting is, by extension, an even greater transgression. There is the chance that the forces already on our world will act to...correct this indiscretion of ours. You should understand the dangers we subject ourselves and our people to simply to speak."
They pause for a long moment.
"Now. You wish to form an alliance with us, against that force which even now we must speak hurriedly of, for fear of our conversation being violently interrupted. We know what we might give to you, we know what we might do if released from the control of the United Worlds. What we do not know is the protections you will offer us in return. What are the terms of this agreement you propose?"
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Topic: Mission 17: Diplomacy (Read 76222 times)