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I don't care.

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I don't care.

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Total Members Voted: 0

Voting closed: January 04, 2021, 02:28:47 am

[19_EgarAlnis]

Blood and fire it is then.

"We are weak.  I doubt my Crusaders would be able to withstand your forces." You nod in agreement, not bothering to hide the sarcasm dripping from your voice. "But to be honest, I thought I would be meeting with a king -- instead, I'm met with a fool." You rise, brushing imaginary dust from your pants. Your entourage, after a glance, does the same, and you wrap an arm around Emma. She looks surprised but smiles, leaning into you.

"It's just as well -- I never wished to marry such a senile, old, up jumped warlord anyway."

That did it. The guards draw on you, but you pay them no mind, continuing to step out the doors.

"You insult me, Pheobe Gainer -- in my own home! [Guards! Open--]"

You raise your hand free of Emma and give a snap of your fingers. All for show. Your willpower lashes out -- and the las-gun reactors explode violently. All but one of the five you touch. Blood splatters across the floor -- William shifts, drawing out a pistol and lifting it towards Samkrend. Nicole does the same. Ethan and Finn step back into their armor and slam themselves into two of the nearby guards. The result isn't pleasant. Emma sighs dramatically, reaching down to flick something bloody from her boots.

"You've stoked her temper now, Samkrend." She mumbles.

"[You will not make it out of the Outlands -- we'll shoot you down--]"

Elders! I learned something interesting the other day! Granite is seventy percent silica! You cheerfully point out.

[12][16][19]
You snap your fingers again, and the palace shudders as you gently, so very gently, tug at the silica in the stonework and drag it towards you. You stop when the dust begins to drop from the ceiling to settle across the bloodstained floors.

"You can certainly try -- but Rekhyt is right. My Crusaders are weak. My industrial base is damaged -- that is the only reason I haven't burned you and your kind off the face of my planet. But my mercy has limits, old man, and you're testing them. My nation is weak -- but I am not." A fire sparks itself to life in your hands, "Threaten my loved ones again. Threaten my people again -- I will turn fifty years of your life to glass in a day."

Samkrend strokes his beard, glancing towards the las-guns leveled at his face, at the Voidmarines splattered with blood. Then, he nods. "I'm sorry." He bluntly states, "Your argument is persuasive. Come -- let us go and enjoy my hospitality."

You're tempted to simply leave. Rekhyt lounges with a faint smile, glancing at his humbled father with something approaching contempt. The older man returns his son's look, but his attention returns to you. Maybe this family should go the way of the Moores'...

[ZBridges]

Ha!  Constantine was correct; a show of force wss the better path.  Now that they are humbled, let us continue with the diplomatic mission.

[Superdorf]

Quartz and feldspar, godling; quartz and feldspar! Lovely stuff, granite-- much nicer than marble, I've always thought. Less pretentious.

Let's see what sort of hospitality these folk have to offer. If you were to slaughter every backstabbing, power-hungry warmonger this planet throws your way... ha-hm. There wouldn't be much governance left.

[ZBridges]

Is he a warmonger?  He is offering us peace, and he initiated the diplomacy.  Perhaps he truly does want a lasting partnership.

[VoidSlayer]

Quartz and feldspar, godling; quartz and feldspar! Lovely stuff, granite-- much nicer than marble, I've always thought. Less pretentious.

Let's see what sort of hospitality these folk have to offer. If you were to slaughter every backstabbing, power-hungry warmonger this planet throws your way... ha-hm. There wouldn't be much governance left.

We certainly wouldnt have a grandmother - ha!

[19_EgarAlnis]

We really wouldn't. William would be dead. SEED too.

You are guided into a much more ornate dining room -- and this time, you note, there is food already on the table under steamed over glass domes. Plates upon plates of food set upon miniature tables in front of lavish and comfortable silk cushions. A few children sit nearby, picking at their formal clothes or trying to sit still. Samkren politely introduces you to his children, leaving the eldest for last -- Bat is the eldest son; a muscular man that takes heavily after Samkrend. Atlan is his eldest daughter; a golden haired willow of a woman with cruel, dark eyes. Finally, he gestures to Rekhyt, and you actually pay attention, "And this misbegotten bastard is Rekhyt. You seem to know him."

Rekhyt smiles as he settles down across from you. "It's a pleasure to properly meet you."

[19] "Likewise, Rekhyt Samkrend. I'm told you've been giving William some trouble."

"Not as much as he's given me."

You then introduce your retinue in much the same way. Ethan and Finn give a mock bow, and William rudely begins to drink the liquor on the table. Emma smiles serenly, and Cephie-Turned-Crusader gives a dull grunt when you introduce her as Stephen. Nicole only rubs at her face, and Mellone stammers out a greeting in Outlander.

"Now come, lets enjoy our meals."

You take the lid off to find the plate piled high with dumplings filled with ground [beast of burden] steak, [root vegetables], and fragrant herbs. You take the offered knife, picking at the food and popping on into your mouth -- delicious. Its full of fat, salt, and flavor. The ground steak drips with delicious juices. You wash it down with the white beverage -- its a sweet, only vaguely alcholic drink. Thick and creamy. [Kefir], you think its called.

Next are small loaves of bread -- fluffy and rich. The Outlanders scrape the grease from their plates with them, and you do the same.

A chilled dish of yogurt is placed in front of you, sprinkled with roasted grains and drenched in...a syrup of some sort. Its warm, and filling, and sweet.You observe while using small, fried sweet chips to scoop away at the gelatinous solid. Mellone stares mournfully at her cup when she finishes, but lets the servant take the bowl away without a fuss.  Rekhyt eats slowly and carefully. Samkrend's other children, and the man himself, devour the meal with enthuaisim.

There's a lull as the table is cleared, and Samkrend takes a sip of his liquor -- clear stuff. No doubt local [vodka]. "Lets figure this out between us. What can you offer us? And what do you want in return?"

[ZBridges]

Maybe something like:

"We have engineers, scientists, and a database filled with almost any technology you could ever imagine.  We are your bridge to the future.  If you continue without us, time will leave you behind, and this world will face the dangers of the Void without any ability to fight back.  In return for our expertise, we ask to be an integral part of your booming economy, have paid workers for our projects, and that you contribute to a pool of resources that we can both draw from.  We can be stronger together."

[Superdorf]

We can offer the technical knowledge SEED hid away, the expertise of our engineers, and possibly certain specimens of Pirate-tech for reverse-engineering purposes. In addition, we offer protection against the Plague, should it come to trouble these lands... we can perhaps offer more immediate military aid, of a precision-strike variety.

In return... first and foremost, we need our land-deal with the Clans of Skarin legitimized. Everything else is optional-- negotiable. The land deal is critical.
Might be worth explaining the origin of that Pirate vessel, for context: its descent from the Void, and the revival of those who crewed it.

[Naturegirl1999]

I feel like a shared resource pool will be helpful. We’ll have an easier time fighting the plague cooperatively

[King Zultan]

I'm all for becoming friends with these people and them using our stuff and us using their stuff.

[Eschar]

I'm all for becoming friends with these people and them using our stuff and us using their stuff.

As long as they continue building with granite, of course.

[19_EgarAlnis]

"Technology. You have aquaducts, but we have aquifer pumps and solar-collectors. You have power here-" You gesture to the lights that illuminate the hall, "But I'm sure the rest of your city does not. Solar panels could increase the quality of life for your people. Fusion reactors could light the entire city."

Samkrend nods, leaning back and crossing his fingers over his pot-belly.

"Better weapons. Better training for your soldiers -- our Crusaders are the most modern military this planet has. Besides that -- Scholars to teach and Doctors to heal. Scientists to discover and push our futures forward together." You continue, leaning forward.

"We need those, yes."

"But more importantly -- " You pause, grinning, "There are other worlds than this. Other planets filled to the brim with luxuries, gold, silver, jade -- technology. People. The Samkrend name could spread across the stars alongside me. Hundreds of thousands of worlds, trillions upon trillions of people would know of the Outlander's strength. Their cunning. Their prowess in battle."

Samkrend lifts a brow, "What proof do you have? Our philosophers make the assumption that this world is not the only oasis in the wastes, but why should we risk it?"

You gesture to Ethan and Finn.

[11][6]
"Uh...well-- uh..." Ethan stutters.

"We uh...we come from other worlds." Finn offers, weakly.

"There's loot a plenty out there, that is true. There's thousands of planets out there. We come from one way on the other side of the Void." Ethan finishes.

Samkrend seems unconvinced.

"Well, regardless, there's something poisoning this oasis of ours -- something we need to purge before it taints the entire planet."

"The Plague." Samkrend nods. "We've been having issues with that. I know it exists. That is a threat we should handle, yes."

"An Alliance would keep our knives from each other's throats until it is handled, at the least." You try to recover.

"And what do you want in return, Pheonix?"

"Land. Workers. Industrial aid."

"Land?"

"I owe the clans of Skarin land around their vessel." You explain the location, and how much land the Pirates are owed.

"That is a heavy dowry, Pheonix." Samkrend scratches at his beard, "But not one I cannot pay. Your terms are, for the moment, acceptable. As a goddess, you can have children, yes?"

You nearly choke on your drink. Emma's eyebrows shoot up. You hesitate after a heavy cough, trying not to flush. You consider a lie, but think better of it.

"No. I cannot and will not." You calmly reply, smoothing out your coat subconsciously.

"Then I wish for two marriages. The first to secure our alliance, the second to secure my bloodline."

"[A betrothel between one of his daughters and Moore Thornton could work. He's part of the ruling Family, after all.]" Emma quietly offers, nonplussed.

"[Hypocrite.]" William offers, bluntly.

"[Drunkard.]" Emma retorts. "[One future to secure peace. I doubt he'd mind much.]"

"[You did.]"

"[And it was better I did not, wasn't it? If I married into some random Family, I would not have met Pheobe.]"

Ethan, Finn, and Cephie all take the moment to very studiously look at their tables and plates, ignoring the sniped conversation between the siblings. Mellone and Nicole simply look confused. Samkrend waits patiently, his fingers resting on his stomach.

[ZBridges]

I'm all for it, personally.  He agrees to all our terms.

[Superdorf]

The man offers peace, Φοῖνιξ Ήλιης... with the bind of a [wedding ring]. I cannot, I will not tell you "yes" or "no".
Once again, then, I must ask, before we take the guest-moot any further: how do you wish to proceed in this?

[19_EgarAlnis]

I do not wish to marry him.

"The Thorntons have a child within their family by the name of Moore. He is...?" You hesitate, glancing to Emma, who holds up two fingers. "Two or so years old."

"I have a daughter of three. A betrothal can be arranged upon them reaching their majority. I will not consign my child to unhappiness, as I am sure you will not do the same -- you'll take her and a retinue at certain times. A Scholar's education is good for an Outlander. We will renegotiate if they are unhappy with the choice when they come of age to make decisions."

You nod, not letting the surprise you feel show. "And as for me -- I will not marry you."

"That was expected -- you are too young for me. Will you stay a while and select your husband or will you meet them on the battlefield instead?" Samkrend questions after a shrug.

Once again, you're surprised by the ease of the conversation, your brow furrowing.

I'll outlive any of them anyway, right?