Radio; Foreigners Only [Forward-dated to the 14th]

[purered]

I have spoken with the Grand Justicar on the matter of removing the bodies. She has agreed to allow it. I will be contacting a mortician forthwith.

I speak now to all the foreigners here; Please do not act rashly. I understand your anger at the Justicar. It is justified. Risking your own lives and those of the people here, however, is not. The situation now is precarious at best.

We are guests in this city the same as the Justicar. I would hope we can show more consideration for Keeliai's denizens than her, however.

Comments

[denyamenti]

[ There's a faint exhale of annoyance; why must everything be tied to the Hotel when Bakura and its proprietor are not on the best terms? But it might be worth hearing. ]

Very well.

[purered]

[He hears the tone.]

My apologies. There is also a cafe in the Wood Sector that is generally quiet if you would prefer?

[denyamenti]

Aa. That'd be better, and I'm already in Wood. Send me the address and I'll meet you there.

[purered]

Right away. I will be there shortly.

[Aaaand insert address here.]

[Klaus will be waiting outside the cafe on a bench, doing a great job of hiding his roiling anxiety and the fact that he's going to line his stomach with ulcers at the tender age of 28.]

[denyamenti]

[ Bakura isn't too far behind, having only had to walk from the dojo to the cafe, inclining his head in greeting to Klaus. The interactions they've had up until this point have all been positive and pleasant, but Bakura's hardly ever effusive in speech or manner. ]

Thanks for meeting elsewhere than the Hotel.

I agree that the Justicar likely has access to the console system, beyond the hijacked message she sent last month.

[purered]

[Klaus does try to keep it that way. He doesn't really like needless conflict for... a lot of reasons. Klaus's impressions of Bakura thus far have been good. He seems an intelligent young man, if a bit blunt. But not one to waste words.]

You're welcome - and I apologize if suggesting it earlier caused you discomfort.

[He frowns rubbing the back of his neck.]

The problem is we don't know the extent of her network. If she can access the consoles, it should be no trouble for her to access the radio.

[denyamenti]

[ Bakura gave an unconcerned shrug; he hardly considered it an offense, and not one he'd hold against Klaus anyway. ]

Likely, yes. But even if we managed to get together in person, we're hardly inconspicuous. At best, we could set up somewhere with a spell to prevent being eavesdropped on. There are mages enough here who could do that.

But ultimately it comes to, whether we're committed to doing anything about the Chihuelans at all. If we're not, then we shouldn't make half-assed plans.

What did you find out?

[purered]

That would likely be the best course of action. And I quite agree.

[Klaus knew where he stood on the matter. He wasn't sure where Bakura stood though.]

As far as what I learned, nothing concrete about their intentions, but the way the Inquisitor probed for weaknesses... it seemed like she's here for more than just the deserters.

[denyamenti]

[ Well, that's got his attention. ]

Probed for weakness how?

[purered]

When I was negotiating the burial of the bodies, it came across that she wanted to see just how urgent it was. She was unrelenting in a matter that would cost her nothing, and ease the growing tension in the city.

[He exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose.]

She even admitted to not caring about the latter. It's concerning, considering that as things are she and her men are both outnumbered and outclassed. One would think she would make minimal efforts not to exacerbate things, all circumstances considered.

[denyamenti]

[ Bakura shook his head, disagreeing. ]

No, it makes perfect sense for her to be belligerent in the matter. What's concerning is that she doesn't appear to be an idiot, and to come here -- as you say, with being both outnumbered and outclassed -- with such demands that were guaranteed to be challenged? I doubt she took this task willingly. Her brazen attitude and the way she flaunts their presence might be the only thing keeping she and her people alive.

[ Take it from someone who made a lifetime of bucking the law, Klaus. ]

[purered]

You are saying this bravado is in place to keep us second-guessing?

[Klaus heaved a sigh.]

It's not a terrible idea, but what happens when she pushes too hard and we call her bluff?

[denyamenti]

I'm saying that it's a calculated risk, and one that's been paying off. And unless someone calls her on it, one that's likely to continue to benefit her. It's something I'd have done.

[ That's not exactly a ringing endorsement, though. ]

As for what happens, probably the same as if she'd dispensed with the bluff and just attempted to play nice-- we likely wouldn't have granted her permission, and she'd have no recourse.

She's actually being a little impressive, though I doubt that's a popular opinion around here.

[purered]

"Impressive" is not the word I'd use, but I agree with the sentiment.

[Mostly.]

It would be nice to know if she's here for more than just the deserters, however.

[denyamenti]

[ Klaus gets mental points for not freaking out about Bakura not immediately denouncing the Justicar. ]

You mentioned a cost.

[purered]

I did. They had intended to repay the Kedan with technology for the trouble of having them here.

[He rubbed the back of his neck.]

It was foolish of me to go there not knowing Chihuelan custom.

[denyamenti]

I'm not sure you could have been expected to know Chihuelan custom.

[ Bakura doesn't seem particularly fussed to hear of the lost opportunity or Klaus' part in it. ]

That said, isn't the option to buy the technology still there?

[purered]

Perhaps not. Aren't there books on it, however?

[The fact that he didn't even know frustrated him to no end. He should have done better. He had been foolish. Hasty.]

And... I don't know. Do Chihuelans regularly sell their technology to people beyond their empire?

[denyamenti]

I don't know. Even if the Library in the Palace had once had that sort of information, it's all destroyed now.

[purered]

[Klaus hesitated. He knew this was a bit of a sore subject for Kedan and foreigner alike.]

...From the war with Malicant?

[It was just one more wretched thing that man had destroyed.]

[denyamenti]

From that, from the cultists. From the kedan wanting to purge every bit of rulership from their memories and having a year of Foreigners not around to do it.

Stop looking so guilty, you haven't done anything wrong.

[purered]

Ah... sorry. I'm surprised about the Kedan, however. No matter how dark one's history is, purging it will not erase the atrocities done. It will only leave future generations ignorant and history will repeat itself.

[denyamenti]

I'm not sure it can properly be called their history when they spent most of it as puppets, tekhenu. You weren't here to see what they were like before.

[purered]

[Tekhenu. That was odd. He'd have to ask about it later.]

I was not here, no. And no one who wasn't here will know either. I understand why they wouldn't want such painful reminders around, but what happens in a century or two if something like Malicant comes along again? Will they know what signs to look for?

[The man is from Germany. Troubled history has kind of been a thing well up to the late 80s.]

[denyamenti]

[ Bakura's silent for an extra beat; something like Malicant? Klaus, you have no idea how near to the target you actually are. ]

One hopes. I think that they're capable of viewing the Emperors' tyranny and the threat of Malicant as separate issues.

It would be nice if they had some relevant experience for dealing with the Chihuelans. Perhaps we should poll the other Foreigners, and see if any of them are used to the theme of brashly invading foreign powers.

[ Even as he said it, a look of distaste was crossing the thief's features, because he had experience with that. The threat of invaders to Egypt had been an immediate and serious threat in his time-- in fact, that was what had prompted the Priests to decipher the Tome in the first place, and set off everything that Bakura had lived through and fought.

He was definitely not about to recommend that course of action to anyone else. ]