tushanshu | [NPC] | [console] video;

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[NPC] | [console] video;

[Around about lunchtime on the first of January, every console in Keeliai beeps with a city-wide announcement. While the announcement initially plays without prompting, it can be replayed and re-accessed at any time, ensuring that not a single citizen or Foreigner misses it.

It's Tu Yunxu, broadcasting from inside his study at the Snakes' mansion. He looks as immaculate as ever, dressed in a silken suit with gold thread used liberally throughout.]

It's come to my attention that several people have managed to extract considerable quantities of salt from this oppressive fog. I'm offering a bounty to anyone who chooses to turn their salt over to the Snakes. Prices are negotiable. You will, of course, not be punished for choosing not to take me up on my offer - I am by no means instituting a salt tax. The salt doesn't appear to be dangerous, although I wouldn't recommend ingesting it.

This offer is open to Foreigners as well. I'm sure some of you have been... experimenting.

Thank you.

[And the announcement ends.]

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Maybe because the salt is harmful, which I'm sure you know about, given how smart you are. It tends to make people uncomfortable when you've got a basement full of something that can basically reduce their abilities to nil.

[She softens, marginally, and uses a more conversational tone.]

So what, exactly, are you planning to do with all this salt once you get it? If you're really not trying to weaponize it, why not share with the class? We'd have no reason to 'believe' anything if we knew. And then we can get out of your well-styled hair.

[He's playing some kind of game, of that she's sure. It's probably a very long-term one, but if his intended usage of the salt is really as innocuous as he's implying, she'd be less inclined to get in his face about it, thin ice or not. Then again, she doesn't trust him, so any answer she gets will be held under scrutiny.]

[Yunxu laughs.] You're not in my hair now, Lady Potts. I do apologise, but if there's something I'm keeping from my own family, I'm hardly being unfair for keeping it from the rest of the city, as well. Or are the Foreigners claiming a right to special treatment?

[Keeping it from his family, then? How interesting. How interesting.]

I thought having one dragon in the city was bad enough. [Pepper. No. Moving swiftly on.] I don't speak for the Foreigners, and I don't 'claim' anything. Whether it's you or someone else, I don't think anyone - Foreigner or not - who's affected by the salt to the degree that some of 'us Foreigners' are would be happy to know it's being mysteriously stockpiled.

[He must know that, and maybe he's using this opportunity for a side benefit: as an excuse to get the Foreigners riled up, and perhaps distance himself and the Snakes from their tacit agreement to leave them alone.]

It's not about where we come from, and quite frankly it's not really about you and your secret plan - I'd be just as unhappy with anyone else who made the same announcement. It's about the fact that this stuff can hurt people, that it's hurt me and my friends, so you cannot seriously tell me you're surprised that people are upset that you're not only hoarding a dangerous substance like a super sketch but not telling anyone why. If you'd found some mega beneficial use for the stuff, I see literally no reason for you to hide it. [Pepper sounds like she's just short of growling.] If you want to protect Keeliai so badly, you should stop driving wedges between people - Foreigners, Snakes, Metalworkers, whatever. We all live here now, and this city has been through enough crap. If you really want to protect Keeliai, that means protecting everyone, even if you don't like them very much.

Surprised? No.

[Disappointed, perhaps. Resigned. It's no secret that Yunxu isn't a fan of the Foreigners, but even now, they continue to wilfully ignore every time he believes he understands them. It's irritating.

And Pepper Potts has shown herself to be not only irritating, but a possible threat.

So Yunxu deals with the possibility the same way he usually does.]

Have you heard of a man called Costigan?

[That was a remarkably succinct answer given all of what she just said. The question is seemingly out of the blue, but Yunxu didn't seem the type for pointless diversion.]

No. What does he have to do with any of this?

[Pepper has a feeling she's going to wish she knew who Costigan was; perhaps one of the few traits she and the Snake have in common is annoyance at not knowing things, although she doesn't show it. Or maybe she does. She looks generally annoyed right now.]

Billy Costigan, I believe he called himself. He was a Foreigner from about three years ago, long before your auspicious arrival. He ran his own law enforcement agency separate from Emperor Eshai's rule - in fact, I had a cousin who worked for him. It was remarkably efficient, and went a very long way towards keeping the city safe.

[It's the first time in the conversation Yunxu sounds genuinely thoughtful. It's impossible to tell from his tone how he felt about Costigan himself, but given his general attitude towards the Foreigners, one can probably assume any respect Yunxu feels is in inherent conflict with the rest of him.]

Would you, perhaps, like to follow his example? Prove to me the Foreigners are capable of protecting more than their own, and I may decide I need your help processing any salt I acquire.

[What.

Pepper had been expecting some thinly veiled story about how Costigan got in Yunxu's way and so the Snake killed him, not a suggestion to start a police force. Still, it sounds like a mix of an ultimatum and a distraction - keep her focusing on they very thing she cares so much about so that she pays less attention to his actions, or is somehow still playing into his hands. It was aggravating.

It was also very well played. There were some problems with his grift, however.]

It's a little hard to run a law enforcement agency when the laws aren't written down. But if I ignore the fact that trying to play Hammurabi would be seriously difficult, and pretend I hypothetically get that far, that means more than just protecting people equally. It also means going after the people who break the laws equally. People who stockpile weapons, for example. [She grins almost ferally at him - wouldn't that be a sight. Pepper starts to count things off on her fingers.] We'll need a jail, and courthouses. A facility for a police force. We'll need to organize with the other family heads and city groups to collaborate on the development and approval of permanent laws. That probably means instituting a new government, training people to be lawyers and police officers, coming up with a system of elections. Oh, yes, and taxes to pay for it all - can't have the police being owned by a single family. What do you say? Want to help revolutionize Keeliai for everyone and leave your mark on history? Or would you rather spend your time playing king of your little salt mountain?

[You want Pepper Potts to start a law enforcement agency? You're going to get it, Yunxu.]

[She's not nearly as selfish as Yunxu generally gives the Foreigners credit for, he'll grant her that.]

You'd better get started, then, hadn't you?

[He smiles back.]

Of course, if you're serious about keeping your new force out of the hands of any ruling family, you can't expect any help from me, financial or no. Nor should you seek help from the others. As disagreeable as I'm sure the idea will be for you, you may simply need to trust your own judgement.

[And without even saying no, he's both refused her and managed to not look like a complete child. Tough cookie, this one.]

That's what the taxes are for. Duh.

Since I'm using my best judgement, you won't mind if I chat with some of your Snakes about joining up, because it was your brilliant idea? They're probably the best candidates for a new police force; I'll make sure the benefits and compensation are competitive. The rest of your crew will probably be very interested in learning about labor unions and health insurance and collective bargaining, as well.

[If this becomes a reality it will be such a triumph.]

I'm more looking for help of the discussion-and-debate kind. But if you'd rather not voice your concerns and interests I'll make sure you're kept in the loop, [Pepper says, sounding faintly disappointed. Spoilers: she is not.] Just so you're not left out. Too bad; I thought you would have liked the title 'Founding Father.'

[Spoiler alert: Yunxu has no idea what health insurance is or what labor unions are. It never ceases to amaze him how many of the Foreigners assume he has any context for the worlds they come from.]

I won't mind at all. You're right; I'm sure the more disillusioned members of my family would be more than happy to take you up on whatever offer you care to make. That is, of course, if you believe you can trust them.

[He doesn't know the context for 'Founding Father', either. As far as Yunxu is concerned, he already is a founding father. The Snakes, as aggressive and militaristic as they are, are bound together by the same ties of family which bind flesh and blood relatives.]

I appreciate the consideration, Lady Potts, and I wish you the best of luck.

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[NPC] | [console] video;

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