NationStates Jolt Archive

The Grummian mainland has always been a continent where the most extreme weather conditions were possible and quite common. From the wintery blizzards that draped the land in several densely packed feet of snow and ice to the category five hurricanes that ravaged the resorts along the southern coastal beaches in the fall, it always seemed as if the nation was beset by some severe force of nature or another. But the population was never bothered by this. It was merely another event in the usual cycle of harsh weather that always happened year after year.

Even spring was just another example of this frequent occurrence. Whenever the sun was not shining its warming rays upon the land, extinguishing the remnants of the brutal winter of before, torrential rains would constantly plague the eastern half, overloading the drainage systems of the cities and flooding the streets. Winds were also a frequent problem and would strip trees of their branches and fling them across the yards of the citizenry.

Traveling within the suburbs of the capital city, a heavily cloaked woman found herself experiencing the downside to this as she suddenly dropped to the concrete sidewalk, narrowly missing a two-inch thick branch that nearly struck her in the face. She huffed deeply in anger and cursed at the god-forsaken weather, pulling the black leather tightly around her. The rain and wind never responded to her curses, just continuing their constant beating upon her as she stepped up to the front door of the two story house.

WHAM….WHAM….WHAM… her fist struck the door, aggravated over the weather, and then her fists struck at it once more. WHAM….WHAM….WHAM… She did not want to be out in this no longer than necessary and sincerely hoped that these people would be home.

The Tyler household is peaceful, warm, and dry; and its occupants are just getting back to their individual activities after lunch. Amy is reading in the living room, Greg accessing some choice pornography on his computer, and Paul cleaning the last of the dishes. The first three knocks are lost in the sounds of wind, rain, and flying debris, but Paul picks up the second round of knocking. He wipes his hands on the towel by the kitchen sink and goes to see who it is. He gets his first look at the figure outside through the window built into the top half of the door, but it's impossible to identify the person under their cloak. He opens the inner door enough to stick his head through and calls to the visitor through the screen door. "Can I help you?"

Paul Ernst is an unremarkable man in every sense. He has no interesting competencies or skills, no distinguishing physical features, and a timid demeanor that makes him unimposing and supremely ignorable, even when he manages to stay awake. His wife's professional duties and stronger will leave him to do most of the chores and housework, and the majority of child care while their two sons were growing up. Only one, Gregory Tyler, still lives with his parents.

“Heh…of course, dear Paul. You can allow me into your humble abode,” a familiar voice muttered with a hint of irritation as two bright green orbs flashed from under the shadow of the cowl. “Or, if you like, I can just commandeer the house. I do have that authority you know. Oh! Or better yet, I can just avoid you entirely.”

The woman briefly let the cloak slip from her head just enough to allow her facial features to be shown to the man. Inside, a seemingly delicate yet beautiful elven female stared towards him – her eyes aglow with anger and her long flowing golden hair just appearing around the edges of the leather cowl. Yet as quickly as she revealed her face, it vanished again, masked by the dark energy that seemed to permeate her every being.

But for reasons unknown to anyone, she suddenly began to laugh and stepped toward the screen. “Do we have to go through an ID check or are you just going to let me wait out here all day, hmm?”

"Ch- Chairwoman? I..." Paul's polite expression turns to one of shock and poorly-concealed horror. "Please, cooommmeee innnn." He forces his mouth to say the exact opposite of what he'd like to, opening the door fully as his heart sinks into the pit of his stomach.

"Amy!" he calls into the next room, "Come out here, please?"

His wife picks up the desperation in his tone and quickly puts her book aside, hurrying into the carpeted entryway; a small area with a coat closet sunk into the wall beside the door and a bar with stools facing the adjacent kitchen on the right as Siri entered. Ahead, it gives way to a comfortable sitting area, and on the right past the kitchen is the dining room, which leads into the rest of the house.

Amy is a healthy, vital woman who has gracefully weathered the beginning of middle age. She is short and skinny, with a bony but attractive face and long blonde hair hanging freely down to her upper back. Her normally strong, confident presence is somewhat muted by the casual pastel blue gown she is wearing.

"Chairwoman! What in the universe...?" she says, just as startled as Paul. She quickly recovers and moves forward, past her retreating husband. "Let me take your coat. Sit down! This is so unexpected, if we'd known.... Would you like some coffee? Tea?"

“It’s always a pleasure to see you too, Paul,” Siri commented slyly with a chuckle as she stepped through the doorway and out of the blowing rain. She readily sensed his uneasiness around her – the same as it had been that Christmas Eve when they had first met at the party. But of course, instead of politely reassuring the man she meant no harm to him, she could not help toying with his sensibilities for a bit. No malice was intended towards Paul, but it amused her to do so.

“Ah, Amy, it has been a while now, hasn’t it?” Out of the corner of her eye, she noted Paul’s attempt to slip away from her as his wife arrived and commented to her as kindly as possible, “I see nothing has really changed, but I’m glad for that. I had figured that our little party would’ve scared you both away from us and the Corporation.”

When prompted for her cloak, Siri slid the soaked garment from her arms and carefully handed it to the Xanthalian ambassador, trying not to get any of the rainwater all over the carpet. She was quite relieved to get the heavy cloak off of her and stretched a bit at this newfound freedom. What she was wearing under it was certainly more comfortable. A simple short-sleeved black shirt clung snuggly to her chest, while her lower half was encased in light leather armor, containing extra padding for her knees, and bound around her legs in several places. Her boots were also of the same material and were strapped tightly onto her greaves, preventing the elements from getting into them. Along her waist, another belt rested, containing several newly sharpened daggers, a leather case, and last but not least, her twin revolvers.

“I would like tea, please,” Siri smiled. “I do hope I’m not interrupting anything. It just seemed that this time would be the best to discuss a matter of business I’ve been meaning to for quite some time.”

"Of course, welcome! Paul, would you put some water on?" Amy leads Siri forward to the sitting area; four chairs arranged facing each other in a space that leaves little room for anything else, though there are two small tables set up between each set of two for beverages or books. The room is set against the back wall of the house; a large picture window presents a view of the back yard and the adjacent residences.

"Sorry for my appearance, we weren't expecting company today." The ambassador remains standing until Siri has sat, then follows suit in the chair opposite the one she has selected. Paul keeps a worried eye on them from the kitchen, where he has set about preparing tea.

"Now," Amy resumes with a pleasant smile, settling into her chair, "To what do we owe the honor of your company, Madame Chairwoman?"

Hmmmmm......very interesting....

A slight grumble slipped past Siri’s lips as her body leaned back into the chair. Once again that familiar expression of irritation came over her. “Grrr…” she muttered under her breath as she shoved her hand behind her and produced a five inch steel blade.

“I’ve had enough of that,” the elf commented to herself, carefully setting the dagger on top of the table next to her, and then pulled out a PDA from her leather case. “Now, down to business…recently an anonymous individual came forth with a donation to the family members of those Xanthalians who were killed during the battle at Mirfak. According to their wishes, one-point-three billion dollars are to be divided up into equal portions and dispersed to each of the families. However, they wish it to remain entirely anonymous and without the fanfare and publicity that seems to fill these sorts of situations, if at all possible. Of course, these things do slip into the media and that is entirely understandable…”

She pulled yet another device from her case and glanced at it briefly as she spoke. “The instructions are to give primary access of the single bank account to the present Xanthalian ambassador to Northrop-Grumman. Wherefore they will then have the responsibility in bringing forth such a matter to the Xanthalian government and its people. No further intervention by the Corporation is to be done.”

Amy is visibly unnerved by the dagger. She recovers somewhat once Siri has set it aside, but her eyes still tend towards it.

"I... see." The ambassador takes a moment to wrap her mind around this new development and calculate a response. "I don't know exactly how many people were killed, but that would be about thirteen thousand dollars apiece. What is that... something over sixteen thousand common credits? So about fourteen thousand quinaults."

She does the calculations aloud. Mental math is not a human strong point, so she uses simplified conversion rates and rules of thumb. "I don't mean to sound ungracious, Madame Chairwoman, but why come here to deliver this information? There are secure lines between the Xanthalian consulate and Centennial Plaza."

Siri’s eyes seemed to gaze out into nothingness as the final death toll absentmindedly rolled off her tongue. “One-hundred twenty-six thousand, two-hundred seventy-three people in all, Amy. That’s how many…”

She sighed heavily and rested her head back against the soft chair, staring up at the blank ceiling. The pain and the guilt from the taking of all those lives were still there. Sure, it was nowhere near the level it had been months ago after the war happened – the suicidal tendencies and the severe depressive state had all passed - but it was always present in her and would probably be something she could never ever part with.

“Moving on…” she mumbled yet again and shook her head, almost as if trying to rid the dire thoughts from her mind. “…there is some overlap in regards to families with more than one person that was killed and of course there are cultural differences that have been noted, like the Than. But it is certain that your government will be able to handle those things on their own.

“Now back to your last question,” she handed the rather smallish device in her hand over to Amy. It appeared to contain a blank place for a fingerprint scanner, but on the screen it had a listing of the bank account, the date it was opened, how much money was actually in it, and the place for the name of the account holder. “What is more secure than a personal visit, hmm? Besides, your fingerprint is needed to properly transfer the account holder to your name, and it could not be done any other way. Plus, a matter such as this shouldn’t be dealt with over impersonal devices…”

Amy is moved that Siri knows the exact number, and her expression softens somewhat. She struggles a little with what she must say next. She can tell that the Chairwoman is showing genuine regret, but...

"There is another issue the donor should be aware of before I accept this," she says delicately. "I trust his or her intentions are pure, but there are many in Xanthal, particularly in Mirfak, who will find the offer of monetary compensation for their loss... insulting. If I may, I would like to suggest to my superiors instead that the money be credited to existing memorial funds."

"What kind of tea do you like?" Paul calls from the kitchen, interrupting their conversation. He sounds more collected now that he has a familiar task to focus on. "We have black, green, camomile, and lemon."

“As what had been said before, there are inherent culture differences between the Grummian and Xanthalian nations that must be dealt with. The donor had stated as such and wished to abide by the norms of your nation, so I suspect that they would not be opposed to the allocation of said funds into that of the memorial,” Siri rubbed her eyes and sighed, wishing this matter could’ve gone the way it was originally planned. But alas, nothing ever does.

“Though, it must be asked. What is the aim of this memorial fund?” she finally asked and then turned her attention onto Paul. However she didn’t decide to toy with his mind at this moment for she had too much to think about right now. “Camomile, please. And thank you, Paul.”

"Y- yes."

Amy folds her hands together, searching her memory. "Well, there are many; I'm not familiar with them all. The Xanthalian government has built a memorial in the Mirfak System which the money could be used to reimburse, and in Trasnia and Shinra there are the usual private funds for all sorts of causes. If you'd like, I can procure a list for the donor and he or she could specify which ones to credit the money to."

Paul emerges from the kitchen with a large cup in each hand, giving one to Siri and the other to Amy. He stands by nervously, not quite willing to sit down, but not sure his wife will let him get away with another escape.

“Hrm…that is what we’ll do then…You can compile a proper list of the charities, forward it to my office, and I shall personally hand it to the donor as soon as possible. But, in the meantime, since I am here right now, would you please place your fingerprint directly on that pad?” Siri pointed to the finger-sized black space on the device that she had handed over earlier.

“It’s just to transfer the account to you so that when you receive the list, you can coordinate with the proper Xanthalian authorities for dispersion of the funds. Why it has to be you is that considering the current governmental regulations on foreign bank accountholders, you are the closest person to the Xanthalian government that is able to hold one at this time since you are an ambassador to us. That is the only exception to the usual requirement of being a citizen.

“Of course, I do have complete confidence in you not to do anything…rash. But, I do want to assure you that if something does go wrong – not necessarily with you – there will be certain repercussions to the person who commits such an act.” A look of seriousness came over her as her eyes briefly turned down toward the dagger and then back up at the Xanthalian.

“Ah, tea!” she replied, now incredibly upbeat, and quickly took the tea cup from the man. “Thank you, Paul.”

She sipped at it ever so slightly so that she would not burn her mouth and seemed to be overly content at the taste of it. “Mmm…”

Paul takes a half-step back and coughs nervously as Siri looks at her weapon.

"Wrong, Madame Chairwoman?" Despite the request, Amy still doesn't give her thumbprint. With Siri making threats, there is obviously still some discussion to be had before the ambassador authorizes the account's transfer.

Siri quietly took another sip of her tea, savoring its sweet flavor and just allowing the couple to wait until she felt she was ready to answer. She figured that they could all wait on her since she did come all this way out in this weather after all.

A few seconds passed before she rested the cup carefully on her lap and finally replied, “One-point-three billion dollars is quite a sizeable sum for one person to control. The temptations involved could become overwhelming for the average person. Then again, it takes a unique individual to deal with Grummian matters, hmm? But not to worry, my trust in you is not the focus. My concerns are towards others who might want to take advantage of this little arrangement, whether they be here or in Xanthal.”

"If the donor designates where the money is to be sent, his or her wishes will be followed as closely as possible within the bounds of Xanthalian law. As for temptations, I cannot give guarantees for matters which are out of my control; but statistically, the money will be safer in Xanthal than it was here." She flashes a good-humored smile and impresses her thumb upon the device.

“We’ll see…we’ll see…” the elf whispered with an ever so slight smile and lifted her cup once more for a sip.

“Mmm…this tea is absolutely delicious!” she commented rather joyfully to Paul, but then seemed to snap back to her rather serious behavior.

“Now, another matter I wish to discuss…unfortunately it requires a bit more work for you than just a mere fingerprint, but has less of a chance of your head being handed to you. Then again, danger can get the blood rushing as opposed to being stuck in an office all day. But I digress…to put it bluntly, I want to open dialogue with the Triumvirate, directly, face-to-face. I, basically, want to take a bit of a trip to Xanthal to fix our current, or lack thereof, relations that we have between our two nations.”

Amy frowns. "Madame Chairwoman, with all due respect, I am a representative of the Triumvirate of the Federated Democratic States of Xanthal. While I am serving in that role, threats directed at me are also directed at the Triumvirate. The Triumvirate does not negotiate under threat."

The irony of the statement is not lost on her, but Siri is quite right: this is a serious matter, and if Siri wants to speak to the Triumvirate, she'll have to learn that things are done differently in Xanthal. The Federation's government operates under rules and procedures, subject to practical and political constraints that would be alien to the Chairwoman.

The ambassador is genuinely worried based upon what's happening here that Siri does not grasp that the tactics of intimidation she uses to maintain her authority in the Corporation are inappropriate for negotiating with other countries; especially if the purpose of the negotiation is to mend relations.

Siri settled back a bit more into her chair and raised an eyebrow at what she thought was simply an odd reaction from the ambassador. “Threats? There have been no threats made here, just statements of fact. If you are meaning that my comments about danger and heads being lopped off are threats, then I apologize for the miscommunication. I just see Grummian affairs to be rather violent in their nature and was merely making stating that yours was more civil in comparison. Plus, there was the offhanded comment about danger.”

The elf chuckled, shrugging her shoulders. “Basically, to be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t care for the job you hold. It’s simply not cut out for the way I am. I’d rather have the full control that I do now, the ability to travel almost everywhere I so desire, and in my off-time, to actually go actively seeking that danger I referred to.”

She then paused briefly, considering going further in her explanation but suddenly recalled from memory the irritation that Amy had displayed towards her during the Christmas party. The woman did not appear to care for talk of violent things. “Mmm…I’ll spare you the gruesome details, but it is exhilarating. But of course, you don’t care for such things, and I don’t blame you. Just as I am not cut out for the life you live, so are you to mine. And I respect that.”

Amy watches Siri disapprovingly, then sighs and returns to the topic the Chairwoman had been pursuing. "Of course I can attempt to arrange a meeting, but it would have been easier to address these matters in a timely fashion had you made an appointment to meet me at the consulate. I'm honored by your visit, but this is just my home; I don't really have the resources to process official business here."

“And I suspect that even though I possess a personal communication device that can uplink and transmit through the Corporation’s main networks and most likely out to Xanthal, you would prefer to use your own in the consulate. That is understandable. After all, it is official business,” she replied, sounding rather blunt, though she had not meant to be snippy in any way.

Out of the corner of her eye, Siri noted the presence of Paul, still standing there after he had given her the tea. She honestly did not care to have someone ‘hovering’ over the conversation like that and made a point to address it. “Paul, please, you’re more than welcome to have a seat. I’d hate to feel rude by leaving you out there like that.”

Paul looks over at Amy questioningly. "Yes, go pour yourself some tea and join us if you'd like."

As Paul goes back to the kitchen to follow his wife's instructions, Amy continues the conversation. "You may do that, if you wish."

Why Siri would come here just to contact officials in Xanthal through her own channels is beyond Amy, but she knows the Chairwoman is posessed of more than a few eccentricities.

Siri carefully watched Paul and said nothing as he followed his wife’s instruction so much as a dog would obey their master…or at least, that’s what she thought. She found it rather irritating that he wouldn’t at least assert himself and think on his own, but then again she was quite the assertive one herself, allowing barely anyone to tell her what to do.

“Hrm…yes…” she mumbled, half in thought, and fiddled with her PDA. It certainly wasn’t a tedious task to get the device to access the communications networks as it was quite straightforward and suitable for even a small child. “Here, it’s quite simple really. Input where you need to send an encrypted message and the network will decide the quickest means to transmit it, whether by bouncing it through several different networks till it finds the proper destination or by a direct transmission through our comm arrays.”

The elf stood from her chair and stretched, the sound of her joints crackling could be readily heard. “Ahh…that feels better. Hrm…do you mind if I take my cup back to the kitchen while you’re doing that? I see no reason to bother poor Paul with running after me.”

Amy raises an eyebrow at the sight of Siri apparently explaining the use of the device to herself. When Siri hands it to her, she's shocked. "Me? Why me? I mean, you know your schedule, and I'm not allowed to use an unauthorized communication device to contact the private lines unless it's an emergency."

Paul comes back out holding his tea, but pauses by the chairs when he sees Siri standing. "It's no bother if you'd like me to take your cup," he says, having overheard her from the kitchen.

"Whatever," Amy says, flustered. Contacting the Office of the Triumvirate's public line this way would be like calling the White House from a home phone in Russia; they'd hang up the moment she asked to make an appointment.

While Siri goes to the kitchen, Paul sits next to her, placing his hand on hers. "What's wrong?"

Amy sighs and rubs her brow with her free hand. "Nothing," she says quietly, knowing Siri could probably hear her anyway. Elvish ears. She smiles at her husband reassuringly and clasps his hand. "I just wasn't expecting to have to work on a Sunday."

When Siri returns, Amy continues, pulling her hand free of Paul's. "Madame Chairwoman, I'm afraid I can't contact the Triumvirate this way. If you know which line to call you can, but I don't."

Upon returning to the living room and discovering that even contacting the Triumvirate was a tremendous hassle for the Xanthalian ambassador, Siri’s face began to redden as the anger rose up within her. She immediately snapped at the two, “Excuse me?! You can’t even get in touch with the Triums if you want? What the hell kind of fucking nonsense is this? Seriously, what overloaded bureaucracy do you people have?”

As she stood in front of the couple, her hands seemed to subconsciously stay at her side, resting against her weaponry. No, she did not have any intention of harming the two, but it was just a natural tendency for her to do so whenever she became angry. “Christ…I know what all of my ambassadors are doing because they report directly to me, and I encourage them to constantly stay in contact with me. That is the best way to maintain relations with other nations. A personal touch needs to be given to these things, not all hidden behind mounds and mounds of bullshit.”

The Chairwoman clenched her fists tightly together then released them, trying to calm down if at all possible. “And before we all come to some damned misunderstanding, I’m not pissed at you. I’m pissed at this convoluted….inefficient….ugh….” Out of frustration, she just plopped down into her chair and tilted her head back against the cushion, shutting her eyes in silence for the moment in some effort to relieve her irritation.

Paul shrinks in his chair at Siri's outburst. For her part, Amy is a little surprised at the tantrum. "With all due respect, Madame Chairwoman, the Triumvirate has thousands of ambassadors, as well as the military and domestic policy issues to handle. It's impossible for everyone on my level to report directly to them. Also, it isn't that I'm unable to contact their office; I'm just not supposed to do it outside normal channels unless it's an emergency. These procedures exist to make sure that everything is given due attention and handled as efficiently as possible."

“I see…”

Without even opening her eyes, Siri picked the dagger up from the table and started to twiddle with it in her hands. She was still frustrated, aggravated and overly pissed off at this problem she was putting up with. But now, in a way for her to calm down, she needed to do something that kept her partially occupied. So, she spun the weapon up into the air, then as it dropped down, caught it by its blade with her bare hand, but then started the whole process over again, without even looking.

“I’d have to disagree on the efficiency part. It seems that even though you’ve tried to enact all these procedures, it doesn’t do you any good. Of course, that’s to be expected…” she mused. “Now…how do you expect me to go about trying to meet with the Triumvirate? Send a letter and have it get lost in the cogs of your bureaucracy?”

"A letter would be sufficient, if it was sent as an official document, or I could notify the Triumvirate of your request when I go to the consulate tomorrow and relay their reply to you. Now put that knife away; I don't appreciate you bringing weapons into this house, and if you must play with them, I'll have to ask you to leave."

Amy looks over at Paul, who looks about ready to panic. "I'm sorry, dear; why don't you go upstairs and check on Gregory?"

The ambassador doesn't even dignify Siri's objection to the Xanthalian bureaucracy with a response, though she's tempted. Whatever the Chairwoman might say, Xanthal is an adaptive, stable, and orderly state, all qualities Northrop-Grumman lacks. Its citizens are happier, healthier, and better educated than the average Grummian, and its environment better cared for. About the only edge Northrop-Grumman has is its per-capita income, and as far as Amy is concerned, that's more than a fair trade-off for the Federation.

Siri finally opened her eyes upon catching the dagger once more and decided to rest the weapon upon the table as she had done before. “Well then, it would most likely be faster if you could submit the request from the consulate. You certainly know the ins and outs of the Xanthalian government more than I do,” she smiled. “It would be greatly appreciated.”

Before Amy’s husband got anywhere beyond her sight, the elf quickly said out loud, “Oh Paul, I suggest you don’t go anywhere. There is actually something I’d like to talk to you about, if you’d be willing to give it a listen.”

Paul turns around, disappointed that his escape failed. "Er, yes? What is it Madame Chairwoman?"

The Chairwoman rested one leg over the other and relaxed in her chair. “Speaking purely on non-governmental terms…from what I understand, Gregory is enrolled in college at the moment, and meanwhile, you are basically left here all alone with nary a thing to do. Surely taking care of yourself and Amy isn’t all the difficult, as I do know from experience. It must be terribly boring, isn’t it?”

“So I wish to point you to an existing opening in the job market: a position as a construction manager within a general contracting company. Nothing overly extravagant, but I do know that you used to work at one point in the past and seeing as how you may have future free time. It is certainly something to consider, but I shall not rush you in any way.”

"Thanks, Madame Chairwoman. I'll think about it." Paul climbs the stairs at a brisk pace and disappears from sight.

Amy can't help but crack an amused smile as she looks after him. "You certainly bring out the frightened mouse in my husband, Madame Chairwoman." She turns her head back to look at Siri. "I'm sorry that my government's procedures aren't amenable to your preferred method of communication, but I'll send your request to the Triumvirate tomorrow morning and you should have a response by early next week. In the meantime, is there anything else I can do for you?"

“I have a tendency to do that to everyone,” she nodded to Amy with a newly found grin. “Your husband will not be the first or the last.”

As Siri slid forward onto the edge of her chair towards the ambassador, her smile faded away. “Actually…yes. I would greatly appreciate it if we could keep the dialogue we have between your embassy and the Chair to be a bit more…informal. Basically, if you feel the need to bring something up, then you are more than welcome to bring it to us personally. I certainly don’t mind a visit or perhaps a call. I’d rather not have to suddenly discover a letter at the bottom of my stack of papers. Besides, these things do have a tendency to get lost from time to time, and I shudder to think if it was something important.”

Amy nods graciously. "Understood, Madame Chairwoman. I appreciate the gesture. Do you have a direct line we can call?"

"Dad!" a shout from upstairs interrupts the conversation, followed by a heavy clatter. "I told you to knock!"

"Sorry!" there's a sound of quick movement and a shutting door, then quiet is restored.

Siri's eyes briefly turned up towards the ceiling upon hearing the two Tylers, and she let forth a sudden and hearty laugh. “You have a wonderful family here, Amy. I’m glad I have all of you here instead of someone else who could be…boring and unenjoyable.”

This is indeed the truth. Who all else would be able to withstand her fits of anger, her quirkiness, and that streak of sadism in her? Any other person would have surely scurried back to their home nation instead of putting up with this. For this amount of tolerance displayed towards her, Siri is overly pleased with them.

“Ah, yes…a direct line…” She grabbed a nearby napkin that had been brought for the tea and set it on her lap. With just a stroke of her finger, she ‘wrote’ the number as one would with a pen; the black characters seemed to appear gradually as her hand pressed against the napkin. “Hrm…” she mumbled rubbing her thumb and index finger together after she had finished and handed the napkin over to Amy. “There…that should be all you need.”

“Oh…and one last thing, please call me Siri. We do know each other well enough to do so, and it makes things less stodgy.”

Amy stifles a sigh. Magic is still something she's not quite comfortable with. Instead, she smiles warmly, an expression that is neither deceitful nor genuine. It's just one more part of the job. She stands up and offers her hand, managing to be friendly and businesslike at the same time. She impressively hides her nagging reluctance to let the inscrutable Chairwoman touch her. "Thank you, Siri. On all counts."

Siri rose from her seat and grasped Amy’s hand firmly for a handshake. Contrary to the cold, boniness that it was during the Christmas party, it actually feels like a real hand, warm and quite soft – not exactly the hands that you would expect of some of Siri’s nature. But then again, what can one truly expect from her?

“And thank you, Amy. It has been a pleasure working with you once more, and I do hope this will continue into the future,” she gratefully replied.

And there is still hope for you yet, my dear…

Renku is a mostly Earthlike planet, with a marginally thicker atmosphere and mean temperature and an ever-so-slightly higher oxygen concentration. Its gravitational pull is more than that of Earth, but at 1.1 G it's barely noticable. Olink is the Federal capital city; the name also refers to the island chain and the Federal Zone it is a part of. The islands themselves are quite tropical, sitting comfortably just south of the equator. The city of Olink is located on one of the small northernmost islands, and occupies the entire landmass save for a few narrow greenbelts mostly along the coast. Occupied by fewer than two million sentients, it is far from the most populous city on the planet, but the limitations of its geography give it a more of a "big city" feel than it would otherwise possess. As cities on Renku go, it has quite a bit of flair, reflective of the region's unique culture. Aside from the thanic planet of Megukuga, the Olink islands are the only jurisdiction that are directly decended from Old Xanthal. Indeed, it seems the ideal location for the seat of the young federal government.

Olink's spaceport is actually located on an adjacent island, for safety and to avoid crowding the already crowded metropolitan area. Like the city it serves, is well developed and cared for, but Siri and Naelthasser aren't to see most of it. Their shuttle lands on a special pad used for just these sorts of VIPs, at the edge of the spaceport.

When the rear hatch opens, the Chairwoman and Vice Chairman get a beautiful view of the city, just ten kilometers away across the ocean. It's a gorgeous day, with just a few fluffy clouds decorating an otherwise clear blue sky, the mist of the sea in the air, and temperatures hovering comfortably around 23 degrees celsius. As the ramp descends to allow the passengers to leave, a large black and gold van bearing the seal of the Xanthalian Federation and flying Grummian banners on its hood pulls up silently on the tarmac a few meters from the end of the ramp. The back passenger door slides open and out steps a young-looking xanthalian man.

His skin is like that of a Caucasian, with dark blonde hair. His eyes are a striking violet shade not found in humans. His age is difficult to ascertain; Xanthalians tend to keep their young adult appearance for fifty to a hundred years. His slight, stiff, and bony build is typical of his species. When the pair emerge from the shuttle, he bows respectfully. "Chairwoman Siri O'Neil and Vice Chairman Shiran Naelthasser? On behalf of the Triumvirate, welcome to Renku. I am Ambassador Utemaro Ryusaki. I have been assigned to escort you to the press conference. Your luggage will be transported to the hotel seperately, so if you will follow me, we will begin your trip."

For this occasion, the two Grummian leaders had tried to dress appropriately, taking into account the environmental factors of the Xanthalian world and the formalities this particular state visit entailed. Normally, something rather plain and informal would be the choice, as was the custom for these leaders. But this was an overseas visit, one that required them to adopt an acceptable level of decorum.

The Chairwoman opted for an off-white, ankle-length dress that was decorated by a light brown leaf pattern. It was also semi-transparent but of course not enough to raise too many eyebrows in the foreign land. The silken fabric was wrapped around her chest and midriff several times, tightly hugging her figure. From this section, the skirt portion flared out lightly and was lined with deep valleys of the material. Also, the dress extended upward, curling around her neck, and covered just one shoulder, while leaving the other provocatively bare.

In contrast to his superior’s rather dazzling display, the Vice Chairman wore his formal robes, which never deviated from its plain bland tan color. Like the dress, it also dropped down to his ankles and fit perfectly to his frame, partially secured by a simple fabric belt around his waist. It was neither too tight nor too loose and seemed to be the best thing he could wear for these events. Besides, it suited his demeanor precisely. He was never one to care for the flashy, or to make a big deal over his position in his government. He was a servant of the people, of the nation, and he preferred to appear as such.

As the two moved off from the shuttle, Vice Chairman Naelthasser was the first one to step forward to greet the Xanthalian ambassador, while the Chairwoman seemed content with basking in the warm glow of the sun. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he replied kindly with a full respectful bow from his waist, then motioned forward. “Please, lead the way, Ambassador.”

The ambassador leads the pair into the van and closes the door behind them. The temperature in the vehicle is a few degrees cooler, though still warm enough for comfort. It's a fairly straightforward affair, with no special appointments to speak of. There are two rows of seats in the back and a rear-facing jumpseat against the limo-style divider that separates the passenger ares from the two front seats. The interior is made of sturdy plastics and leather in a conservative tone of beige that seems to be trying as hard as possible not to stand out.

Siri and Shiran are seated in the forward seats, and the ambassador takes the jumpseat facing them, fastening his seatbelt in a deliberate fashion that seems to urge the others to do the same. Moments later, the van begins to move, settling into a quick clip of 100 kilometers per hour as it makes its way around the perimeter of the spaceport to the bridge connecting it to the city across the water.

"There are clean bottles of water under your seats, if you desire it," Ryusaki opens. "It will take about fifty minutes to reach our destination. Do you have any questions or concerns before I brief you?"

The Vice Chairman seemed to take to the process of buckling up well, as opposed to the Chairwoman, who struggled with it for a moment. Then after finally fastening the seatbelt together, she squirmed about uncomfortably, readjusting the straps to her proper height and body side and realizing that this dress certainly does not work that well in conjunction with the safety device.

“Well, none that I can think of,” she replied with a grunt as she finally got herself situated for the lengthy ride. “Most of our concerns, like security issues, have been addressed already through your diplomatic staff and our own.”

"Please feel free to use me as a resource if anything comes to mind," the ambassador says.

The van stops at a checkpoint short of the bridge. The driver steps out and begins an interaction with a guard while two others check the exterior of the vehicle. One peers through the windows to verify the number of passengers. As screenings go, this is very basic. Since it is a government car carrying foreign dignitaries, and Siri and Shiran were screened for hidden weapons or biological threats at the station in orbit, the usual process for clearing people through the spaceport is foregone. Even so, the cursory check and the driver's verification process take a few minutes.

While they wait, Ryusaki goes over the details of the press conference. It's partially review for the visitors, but there is some new information as well. "The press conference will take no longer than an hour. Triumvir Anders will meet us on site, and you will be able to speak with her until the conference begins. She will present an opening address, then you will give the speech you prepared. You and the Triumvir will then take questions from the press. All major news agencies have been invited to cover the event, and I have been instructed to remind you that questions have not been scripted or screened, but you are of course free to decline comment on any matter that you are uncomfortable speaking about. Expect that the broadcast of your comments will be live and uncensored.

"The event will be officials and journalists only, so security is not expected to be an issue. Nevertheless, access to the conference will be tightly controlled and attendees checked for weapons. As planned, you have each been assigned a security detail; they will join us in other vehicles once we leave the spaceport and we will drive to the site in convoy. I presume you have both been informed of their role, but I reiterate that their primary responsibility is your safety; you are duly urged to abide by any recommendations your security detail gives you in addition to those provided in the security briefing you both recieved prior to this trip."

“This is certainly all quite acceptable,” the Chairwoman replied with a simple nod. “Though, I do believe we have our work cut out for us this time, as the Vice Chairman and I have actually never participated in a foreign press conference before and our own are usually quite short and unobtrusive. It is usually tame, orderly, and rather straightforward, not exactly asking the more…sensitive questions, I ought to say.

“Yours probably differs than ours, I’m afraid, but I do have to ask, since I’d like to know what I’m going to be facing, what are yours typically like?”

"In my experience, these press conferences are quite orderly. They will occasionally be more raucous, if the subject matter is controversial or urgent. The format is quite simple; reporters with questions will raise a hand, and be called upon by the Triumvir. They will address and state their question, and the person to whom it was addressed will respond. Then the process repeats until there are no more questions or the time alloted for the conference runs out. As I said, the press will be free to ask whatever questions it wishes, so I have no way to accurately predict what will be asked."

The driver returns to the van and the gate ahead of them opens. The guards step aside and the vehicle accelerates again. From the shoulder of the road ahead, two other vans begin to move, falling in ahead of and behind the van occupied by Siri and Shiran. The three vehicles then proceed together to the main road.

Considering that the suspension bridge is the main artery between the city and spaceport, the four lane road is quite empty; occupied almost exclusively by cargo trucks of various sizes and other special vehicles. Below the roadway, out of sight, run light rail tracks. It is the trains that carry most traffic to and from the spaceport. The convoy proceeds swiftly, reaching speeds around 120 kilometers per hour on the long, straight, uncongested span. The midafternoon sun shines brightly on the water and the bridge from the western sky as the Grummians speed towards Olink.

“Hrm…alright,” she replied with yet again a nod. “I see that it’s really just a matter of waiting to find out what it’s like when we get there then. I can deal with that. It certainly cannot be any more stressing than the usual matters we have to deal with in our positions.

“Now, is there anything else we need to know?”

"This type of visit is unpredictable. Rather than guess at what you should know beforehand, I encourage you to make use of me, your security teams, and others around you for advice when questions arise. You should feel free to make inquiries when unsure how to proceed."

The ride downtown is speedy, but otherwise uneventful. The city streets of Olink seem to be used more for foot traffic than automobiles; people just move out of the way when the convoy comes through. Olink is a colorful city by Mirfakan standards, boasting a variety of architectural styles and modest cultural expression. The Grummians even pass what appears to be a street fair about a mile before they reach their destination.

The convoy pulls to the curb and stops in a fairly central downtown location, surrounded by buildings ranging from ten to fifty stories. The one they seem set to enter has fifteen floors, and has an outer facade of mostly stone and concrete, with obligatory windows breaking the bleak facade. It's just an office building, really; one of several commandeered by the federal government until construction of the new government plaza is complete. The other vans are vacated first, by uniformed Xanthalian police officers who quickly take position around the central vehicle holding Siri and Shiran. Then the ambassador opens the door on the sidewalk side and steps out.

"Follow me, please," he instructs the Grummians, then sets off into the building. When Siri and Shiran exit, they are quickly surrounded by their security teams, which shepherd them into the building as well. Once inside, the officers relax a little, and each team leader introduces herself.

Siri's top guard is a tough-looking human of East Asian descent with a military cut and muscles that suggest her daily routine includes a rather intense visit to the gym. Though not very tall at just under 170 centimeters, she still looks pretty imposing. She speaks with a friendly, demure voice that doesn't seem to match her appearance, but there is a subtle intensity behind her words that compels attention. Her name is Emma Honami.

Shiran's chief of security is more exotic; a catperson, or neko. This one is a fairly typical balance of human and feline: of human stature at around 180 centimeters, a hairless face distinguished by large amber eyes, whiskers, a small turned-up nose, and ascended cat ears that part her striking red hair. Her shoeless feet appear to be short paws, complete with claws and fur, and her hands and arm up to the elbow are also adorned in the manner of a cat. Her fur, on those parts of her that have it, is an orangish-brown color with well-spaced dark cheetah spots. A tail protrudes from a tight hole in her pants, dangling down almost to the floor. Aside from all that, her appearance is that of a normal, albeit rarely proportioned, human. She has a tone of purpose and indifference typical for her species, and treads a fine line between directness and discourtesy. The uniform doesn't suit her, but she wears it proudly. Her name is Vicky Gyamerah.

As they walk through the lobby, both the Chairwoman and the Vice Chairman are handed pocket-sized force field generators, with instructions to use them if an imminent threat becomes clear. They take separate elevators; with five officers apiece, the combined crowd, while not, strictly speaking, too many to ride together, is too many to do so comfortably. After a quick ride to the third floor, Utemaro and Siri and her team going ahead, Shiran and his team following less than a minute later, the whole group soon arrives at a small conference room. The majority of the security force remains in the hall; only the ambassador, the Grummians, and their security team leaders go in. It's small, but not too crowded. Already in the room is a small Caucasian human woman, not much taller than Emma and with a much slighter figure displaying no obvious musculature or fat. She is wearing a black dress and silver sash; the formal attire of a triumvir, and in fact is Triumvir Carrie Anders for those who recognize her. She quickly looks up from the clutter of pads and papers on the table at the new arrivals, and smiles warmly. "Ah, Chairwoman, Vice Chairman." She moves around the table to shake hands and bow to each in turn while Ryusaki, Honami and Gyamerah stand back. "I'm Carrie Anders, Second Triumvir. Welcome to Xanthal. I trust your journey was without incident?"

The elaborate security detail assigned to the two Grummian leaders had surpassed any others that they had been provided from foreign states in the midst of their travels. Normally, they were required to bring a team of their own or, at times, given permission to have none at all. However, in most of those cases, security was rarely needed to be this apparent when the visit entailed direct travel from Northrop-Grumman to a security facility, unlike here where there was a brief trip across a city. But, despite these facts, the two leaders had maintained entirely different viewpoints in regards to their Xanthalian guards.

For the portions of their travel outdoors, Siri had this feeling of uncertainty about them, mostly brought on by her past interaction with these people. She had been present at the Battle of Mirfak, which had taken several hundred thousand lives on both sides, and had been captured and detained for a period of time by them. The elf was now uncertain as to their sentiments towards her, concerned that they might just not give a damn whether someone would attempt to murder her while she visited or even do the job themselves. It would have been best to bring her own elaborate security detail, but unfortunately the situation required otherwise, to her dismay.

If Shiran had caught a glimpse of his superior’s thoughts, he would have claimed that she was overly paranoid, if he hadn’t thought so already. From the start, he was overly impressed by the care that the Xanthalian government had shown towards foreign representatives and the elaborate display of security that they had been in constant contact with upon their arrival. All in all, it had given the impression that they were rightly concerned over these matters and had taken the necessary steps to ensure that everyone was safe and content for the duration of this visit.

Now, upon arriving in the conference room and the subsequent initial meeting with Triumvir Anders, the two Grummians greeted her, each in their own way. Shiran had dipped into a full bow at the waist, feeling the need to show the necessary respect towards this leader, while Siri had opted for a slight bow of her head and decided to speak first.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Triumvir Anders,” she began with a smile. “Our journey had gone quite well and had given us a little taste of what one of Xanthal’s worlds is like. You certainly have a remarkable city here, charming and perfect for the new capital of your people, I must say. It would be a pleasure to see more of it one of these days, perhaps when the times are better for both of our people.”

The Triumvir nods, receiving their acknowledgements gracefully. When the Chairwoman has finished, she takes up the conversation again. "Carrie will do just fine, if you don't mind. Let's not stand too much on ceremony; at least in private.

"A small taste indeed, but I assume you both have more important things to do than tour foreign countries," Carrie addresses Siri. "The Triumvirate is, as I am personally, honored that someone with so much power to bear in her own country would want to travel all the way to Renku on a goodwill mission. To tell you the truth, most of the veterans in the central government still feel like strangers here in Olink. This city's been around a lot longer than we have, so we're all kind of adjusting to one another. I'm sure you understand there are still some hard feelings here towards the Corporation, so I hope you'll excuse any inconvenience our security precautions cause."

Anders steps back, sweeping her right hand in the direction of the table. "Sit down if you like, I'm just finishing up some things before we go onstage." She returns to the position she had occupied when the Grummians first entered the room and resumes work on one of the pads lying about. Apparently confident in her ability to multitask, the Triumvir continues her discussion with her guests.

"By the way, if you have any last-minute concerns about the press conference, or anything you'd like to do before you leave the planet, let me know." She glances up at Utemaro with an apologetic smile. "I have full confidence in your abilities, Ambassador, but as long as I'm here, I'd like to feel like I'm being useful to our esteemed guests. I trust you'll cover for the mistakes of an untrained public servant."

"Of course, Triumvir," he replies in a monotone, bowing respectfully. Carrie sighs. Xanthalians are wonderful people, but she often wishes that they were more... animated.

The smile passes from view upon hearing that particular comment from the Triumvir, her face began to take on a more emotionless expression with her slightly upbeat of a voice toning down to a flatter level. First, Siri nodded, then spoke, “The sentiment that your people still have towards the Corporation is entirely understandable. One cannot simply expect them to overcome this past that we now share in such a short time. That is something that they must do on their own, but that is not to say that we can perhaps assist in speeding it along. However, while I do hope my visit will be able to alleviate some of this, I feel that it will take a greater amount of time to work through these problems than in the time that has passed.”

“…And I do not fault you for the amount of security you have provided for both the Vice Chairman and I as it certainly tells us that you are responsible concerning your foreign guests.”

Taking a seat directly across from Carrie, Siri settled down into her own chair, sitting upright and admittedly looking the slightest bit controlling. Quite a bad habit she had gotten into in her life and it seemed to persist no matter what she actually did. Meanwhile, Shiran settled down beside her, appearing more as a professional businessman.

“Concerns?” the elven female peered to the Vice Chairman.

“None that I have thus far, I do believe,” came the utterly serious answer.

“Very well, neither do I.” Siri nodded slightly, her expressions seeming to be softening and warming as her focus was brought back upon the Triumvir again. “However, I wish to do something before I leave here – a visit actually…when I was here last those many years ago, during the war, my life was saved by a Dr. Emile Zieger, and I never really had the chance to speak with him during all of it. I would like to have that chance now…”

Her fingers curled inward then straightened in slow repetition as she contemplated her next thoughts carefully. A smile returned to her face as she sighed, once more speaking again, “…but if at all possible, I would prefer it to be low-key with no elaborate security details, no enormous and conspicuous motorcade, none of this pomp that always seems to go with any leader’s visit. My intention is not to be there as a leader, to be honest…and if this is something that you feel that your government wishes to avoid an expenditure for, then point me in the right direction or simply bill me...”

Carrie exchanges a glance with Emma, then looks back at Siri, her brow furrowed with hesitation and concern. "Expense is not an issue, Madame Chairwoman, but while I consider Renku to be a very safe planet, it is not entirely without cause that I've made additional arrangements for your personal security. While you're in Xanthalian jurisdiction, it is our duty to ensure your safety by all possible means. If something were to happen to you while you were unsupervised...."

She straightens up, asserting a bit of her own authoritative aura. "I'm sorry, Madame Chairwoman, but I won't be responsible for the Triumvirate being accused of neglecting its responsibilities to foreign officials. If I let you go without adequate security and you are attacked, it will undermine confidence in our ability to protect other envoys in Xanthal. Not to mention I expect your husband and the rest of the Corporation would be quite upset, and rightfully so."

Fingers lightly tapped against the arm of the chair as Siri listened intently to the two Xanthalians, peering at them both during the exchange. “Yes, I understand the risks I could very well take if I were allowed to pursue this visit,” she replied rather bluntly. “But I am more than willing to assume them as I’ve been in far more dangerous situations than this throughout my three hundred years of life. The possibilities of danger here in Xanthal are well within acceptable limits. Besides, I am able to take care of myself as is…if need be.

She shrugged briefly before continuing, “And there is not a real need to worry about my husband and the rest of the Corporation. This is the not the first time I’ve roamed about a foreign land where it might be the least bit dangerous. They know how I am and how I can deal with these things…But…if you are this concerned for my responsibility, I would be more than happy to sign a waiver of sorts…”

"This is very important to you, I see." The Triumvir pauses for a moment, mulling the options in her head. The conservative course would be to adhere strictly to protocol and respectfully deny the request, but that would risk angering the Chairwoman. Carrie has never met Siri personally before, but she is by all accounts a willful woman. Anders is a fairly good judge of character, and she sees a strong determination behind Siri's cool facade. The Triumvir vaguely suspects that the Chairwoman might decide to stage an escape from custody on her own if her request isn't granted.

Carrie adjusts her spectacles, peering briefly over the lenses at Shiran as if hoping for some sort of cue, who obligingly offers a slight nod. She doesn't even need to look at Emma; she's worked with the officer enough in the past couple years to picture in her mind the crossed arms and unrestrained expression of disapproval she gets whenever her superiors consider compromising proper security protocol. She doubts the ambassador approves either, though being who and what he is, he wouldn't show it. Almost reluctantly, she turns her attention back to Siri, speaking carefully in an attempt to explain herself. "I don't doubt your ability to care for yourself, but perhaps your cultural perspective inhibits your understanding of the gravity of what you're asking me to do. You are a guest in Xanthal, and that makes you our responsibility; your experience here reflects upon this country and this government, in your eyes, in the eyes of Xanthalians, and in the eyes of the international community. If this were Trasnia, I would be better able to accomodate you, but even though we're technically in a Federal Administrative Zone, the fact that we are on a Mirfakan planet... influences the factors by which I have to judge this kind of thing; not so much because this is the system in which the ESUS offensive took place, but because, in consideration of your own association with that event, the cultural perception of the message the Triumvirate would send by allowing you to travel without protection is different here than it would be in Trasnia or, I suspect, the Corporation."

Anders cocks her head, smiling foolishly. "Am I making any sense? I feel like I might be slipping into bureaucratese."

“You may be,” Siri smirked in amusement at the demeanor of this woman, pleased that she wasn’t entirely serious all of the time. “And yes, I understand completely what you are saying, but that does not mean that I wish to abide by it, though. I honestly have never been one who cared to abide fully according to the numerous rules set into place, because I feel that they ought to be evaluated for every situation that arises. They never seem to include the concepts of emotion, the essence of what can be considered a prime component of a great many races throughout the universe – a substantial flaw in our systems I feel.”

A glance toward the Chairwoman came from Shiran as he kept close tabs on the conversation darting back and forth between the two leaders, making sure that nothing rude and counterproductive would be said by his superior, but also trying not to pry into any places where his presence might very well be unwelcomed. But he could not help but notice Siri’s comments in regard toward the laws set in place, and while having his own personal beliefs toward the matter, he felt that this was not the best place to engage in such an argument.

“If I may interject,” he cut in after a while of silence on his part. “From what I understand concerning this matter, Chairwoman O’Neill wishes this activity to pass without undue attention and without the need to become a burden on the Xanthalian government. However, on the other hand, Triumvir Anders has the responsibility to assure that all foreign representatives to her nation have the needed security and that they remain safe during their stay here. Perhaps we can come to a compromise on the matter. A limited security presence would be allowed for the travel toward this man’s residence, but will remain outside for the duration of it for the sake of privacy. Personal matters most assuredly do not need to have others looming over their every movements. In addition, she would be transported in a vehicle bearing no markings of your government. This degree of anonymity would be best for this matter for it keeps her presence from being known to those who wish to do her harm and would assure the Chairwoman of her privacy.”

He cleared his throat and turned his attention toward the two women. “Would this be acceptable?”

"Something..." Anders begins, then stops while she puts her thoughts together, then tries again. "Probably. I do understand this is a personal request. In my defense, if I could be completely sure nothing bad would happen, I'd be inclined to just let you go on your own provided you promised to be inconspicuous. In the off chance someone tried to hurt you, though, regardless of whether they were successful, I don't want it said that no Xanthalian was there to stop them."

Suddenly, a thought occurs to her. A small smile replaces her expression of indecision. Emma knows that look; she's seen it before. The Triumvir gets that smile whenever she's planning to bend some rules under the table. The security chief's expression of disapproval shifts subtly to one tinted with dismay as Carrie addresses the room as a whole. "Apologies to you all, but could I have a moment alone with the Chairwoman and Officer Honami?"

“Very well, I shall return when requested,” Shiran responded without a moment’s hesitation, bowing his head first to the Triumvir then to the Chairwoman, and promptly rose from his seat. He departed through the door after the ambassador and others who were in the room at the time, not saying another word as he did so.

Siri’s eyes followed him as he left the room, her eyebrow raised in slight curiosity as to why he should leave with all the others. Certainly, she would have not done the same for Carrie had not true power over her. But then again, she was quite stubborn like that and that was something that could not really be helped.

“What precisely do you have in mind?” asked the Chairwoman, turning back around toward Anders.

Vicky follows Shiran out, trailed by Ryusaki. He shuts the door behind them and they join the rest of the security force in the hallway. The catperson falls onto her front paws and stretches her muscles, showing her claws. They're quite large, proportional to her human size, and dangerously sharp. She briefly inspects them, then retracts them again and stands up, wetting the back side of her right paw with her tongue and using it to wash her face as her tail swishes restlessly against the wall behind her. "I wonder what they're talking about," she poses curiously between licks.


Back inside the room, Emma has drawn in closer to listen to the Triumvir's idea. The room is soundproof, but out of habit Carrie lowers her voice slightly anyway. She gets straight to the point. "Madame Chairwoman, I'm willing to let you go incognito with Officer Honami on this errand, provided you both dress inconspicuously; that means no uniforms. If anyone asks, you're not the Chairwoman," she says, looking at Siri, "and you're not an officer of the Triumvirate," she says, looking at Emma.

"You'll check into a hotel after this press conference, and slip out unnoticed. Your room will be sealed under the pretense that you are conducting sensitive business for the Corporation. When you return, we'll get you back into the room unseen. The official line is to be that neither of you left the room between the time you checked in and the time you returned from visiting Doctor Zieger. I'll take care of things on my side; you just inform the Chairman through a secure channel of your plans, and the Vice Chairman as well, if you feel it's prudent. And do me a favor; tell your husband you're doing this against my advice. I'd appreciate any measure of plausible deniability I can get. Does that sound acceptable to you?" The last question is directed only at Siri. Carrie knows without asking that Emma doesn't approve, but Honami is a servant of the Triumvirate; she will do as she's ordered.

An excellent compromise from the Triumvir – one that managed to bring a broad grin to the Chairwoman’s face, who certainly appeared to be overly delighted with the idea. Her hand stroked her chin briefly as she considered the rest of Carrie’s requirements before this whole thing could come to pass. But that was nothing too potentially difficult as it was merely informing two people of what she was doing, and that wasn’t all that bad. The Chairman rarely ever voiced opposition to this sort of thing and neither did the Vice Chairman.

“Yes, I believe this will work out just perfectly for me,” she replied after Carrie had finished. “The only remaining concern that I have is for a large gift I have for the man – transportation worries mostly – but I feel that we ought to be able to handle it on our own. And aside from that, yes, I am quite willing to inform my husband and the Vice Chairman of what we are doing and to voice your objections to it. That is the least I can do for someone willing to allow me to do this particular task.”

Siri then politely bowed her head to the woman. “Either way, I thank you for taking all of this into careful consideration before you made your decision.”

Carrie looks equally pleased to have resolved the situation, replying good-naturedly to the Chairwoman's gratitude. "Well, you know how we love our protocols here in Xanthal. The trick is being able to recognize those rare occasions when following the rules does more harm than good. As long as your gift meets all the legal requirements, I don't object to that. Just don't let yourself get hurt, or the High Court will put my head on a pike." Her wry grin and serious eyes betray the fact that she's only half joking.

Turning her attention away from Siri momentarily, Anders issues orders to her guard. "Officer Honami, you will escort the Chairwoman for the duration of her outing. You will wear civilian clothing that will be provided for you at the hotel. You are to retain but conceal your weapons for the duration of the operation unless they are needed. You will be given special clearance to conceal the Chairwoman's identity if questioned."

"Yes, Triumvir." Honami punctuates her acceptance with a tightly executed salute; body straight, jaw taut, chin level with the floor, eyes forward, feet together, left arm held vertical at her side, and right hand balled into a tight fist, thumb inward, just touching the center of her chest, forearm held horizontal.

Carrie softens her expression and tone. "Emma, I know you don't approve of this. I will enter your objection in the file for this operation."

"No, Triumvir," the officer replies, her pose and tone unwavering. "I will not oppose your decision."

Carrie rolls her eyes slightly. "That's sweet, really, but frankly I'm trying to limit my own liability here; there's no need to slip the noose around your own neck out of some sense of nobility." Emma doesn't loosen her posture or say a word. Carrie just sighs. "Alright, suit yourself. And for god's sake, stop saluting before you cramp up."

Honami finally stands down, looking at Siri as if gauging just how much trouble she'll have keeping her in line without backup. Anders walks over to the door and opens it, sticking her head into the hallway. "Thank you for humoring me, lady and gentlemen. Please come back in now; the conference is set to begin in just a few minutes."

When the Triumvir had departed from her place at the conference table to recall those who had been waiting out in the hallway, Siri’s emerald eyes gazed upon Honami, carefully examining the nature and stance of this woman to truly find out what she was like. First impressions were always the most important and the way the person acted around others, particularly unique situations such as this. Though, she could not help but allow a sly grin to appear across her face in amusement from her findings.

Oh, how much of an adventure this shall be! the elf mused to herself. Surely, my trip along with this seemingly rigid and tight-laced individual will prove to be most interesting….and perhaps contain a bit of enjoyment, I do believe. There is always time to ‘test the waters’ and who better to do this to than Ms Honami.

As the Chairwoman remained occupied with her own swirling thoughts, Shiran retook his seat next to her, glancing back and forth between the Xanthalians and his superior, wondering just what the outcome was for the discussion. Naturally, he assumed that it had proceeded to a mutually agreeable conclusion for all since Siri did appear to be rather pleasant in appearance and no one else seemed to be flustered. Although one could not be readily certain, but it was perhaps best to keep a positive mindset all around.

Emma returned the Chairwoman's searching gaze with an intense stare, as if trying to assert some sort of dominance over her charge. She didn't know her well enough to realize it was a wasted effort: Siri bowed to no one. As the others came back in and resumed their previous positions in the room, the officer let her eyes wander back to Carrie, who had moved over to the wall with the room's only other door. With the touch of a switch, a section of the wall receded about an inch and then slid aside to reveal a window looking into another room: in the foreground was a small stage with a single podium and three chairs. Beyond that were rows of chairs and standing room occupied by about twenty reporters and several camera crews.

"This is where we'll be holding the press conference. We'll all walk in together. I'd like you two to take the chairs on the ends so the ambassador can sit between you," she said to Siri and Shiran. "That way you can ask him any questions you have while I'm up at the podium monologuing. When I'm done, you can give your speech, then we'll take questions. Fair enough?"

“Yes, this appears to be perfectly acceptable,” responded Shiran with his usual straightforward sincerity that he displayed in just about everything. Though, most of what had been discussed by the Triumvir were events that he had no direct part in, for he was not here to make a speech or to be the so-called ‘face’ of the Corporation to the Xanthalian people. No, he was in tow mainly because of his diplomatic skill, which the Chairwoman possessed little of, and a counterweight toward her erratic demeanor.

“Hrm…” Siri absentmindedly muttered under her breath as her attention was now drawn upon the reporters and their crews. She had always had a particular dislike for the media, never caring to take part in press conferences or other events with them, and generally avoided them unless they served some use for her. But here, even though she hoped to toss a few of their annoying questions in the direction of the Vice Chairman, the elf knew that she would have to put up with them for a while, despite her misgivings. It was a downside to this trip that she had to accept.

After last minute preparations, the group files into the press room. Carrie takes the podium; the ambassador and Grummian guests take their seat as instructed. The two guards stay behind, watching the proceedings from the window, which appears opaque from the press room. It's impossible to tell visually, but there's a forcefield between the stage and the press corps. Since the whole building is secure anyway, risk to the guests is minimal.

After allowing a few moments for pictures, Carrie begins speaking, reading from transparent teleprompters positioned so it could appear she was looking at the reporters while she spoke. Carrie reads speeches well, but she's always felt more comfortable using her own words than a script. Unlike Siri, she is quite comfortable with the press, and she even singles out some familiar faces in the small crowd with a smile or a nod of acknowledgement as she goes. Her hand movements are illustrative, but not excessive, and her poise speaks to a strong confidence in herself and her speechwriters.

"Four years ago, the Xanthalian government faced imminent destruction by enemies of the GFFA. Thrust onto the front lines of a war in which we had sought to avoid involvement, the Labule and its allies fought heroically to defend Mirfak from the unprovoked attack. I doubt not that the brave people of the Xanthalian military would have continued to fight if duty required, but the Triumvirate chose to end the bloodshed and sue for peace. Though that decision was made before I ascended to my present office, I look back on it with pride; pride in a government that valued and continues to value life and liberty and duty above vanity. Militarist historians may recount the Battle of Mirfak as a defeat for Xanthal, but I see it as another in a long line of victories achieved through diplomacy. Peace, liberty, and independent governance were saved that day without the need for more violence. For that we may all be grateful.

"We honored our lost family, friends and fellow citizens with a spirit of reconstruction and reconciliation. We knew that feelings of resentment and thoughts of revenge would poison their memory and the sacrifices that were made to preserve what they and we fought for. We resisted whatever temptations we may have had to linger in that moment and moved forward. We have been steadfast in the progressive ideals that allow us to respond to present realities and future expectations rather than old prejudices. It is in the spirit of reconciliation that we welcome today the Chairwoman and Vice Chairman of the Northrop-Grumman Corporation to our country, in the hope that past pain born of animosity will give way to the mutual benefits of friendship. It is therefore my great pleasure to yield the podium to Chairwoman Siri O'Neill."

Carrie turns to look at Siri and extend an arm in her direction, beaming happily. When Siri rises, Carrie begins walking towards her. They pass each other, exchanging places as the Triumvir adjusts her dress and sits down in the chair Siri had occupied a moment earlier.

Speechwriters seldom provided their services to the Grummian leadership, who instead drew upon their own thoughts for inspiration when composing these speeches. Their intention was to utter nothing other than that which they truly felt and could place into their very own unique way of speaking. Anything else would be deemed a pathetic fabrication of one’s thoughts, a lie fashioned to promote the slothfulness of the individual. Thus, the inexperienced found themselves forced into creating their own text, often disjointed, incoherent in mind, and rambling – while those who understood these duties would spend arduous hours slaving over every word etched into their scraps of paper.

Even the Chairwoman, despite her adherence toward some rather unorthodox methods, was not beyond the reach of these sentiments and had not deviated from the norm. Her private time before this voyage to Xanthal was spent carefully considering each sentence placed onto her notepad, and even then, after the large number of days at that task, she was not satisfied at all by content contained within those margins. Now, as her slender elven body stood behind the podium, her eyes falling upon each of those in attendance, who were waiting expectantly for her to begin, she reconsidered what had been written, all those words that had seemed to be sculpted for this very event. They neither felt proper nor were they indicative of her present feelings. So with one carefully placed hand, the tattered set of notes that had been lying upon the podium was turned facedown so that none would be able to read them. Her eyes, continuing their gaze out into the audience, softly glowed with an emerald light as she smiled warmly and began to speak.

“There had been a point in my life where the mention of the Federated Democratic States invoked nothing more than the recognition that Xanthal was just another civilization out of many that populated this vast universe we live in, an extra several billion that vied for power, for sustenance, for its continued existence amongst so many trillions more out there. Even our time together within the ranks of the Restored Extra Solar Union of Systems had little effect upon the nature of our relationship. Although by the terms of their charter, we were bound together as friends, even allies, regrettably with such a tremendous roster and certainly more aggressively vocal members, Xanthal remained once more one face amongst many, and it would continue as such, even beyond your resignation in later years.

“It was only upon the field of battle that the Federated Democratic States and the Corporation would meet again, pitted against one another in a war that struck deeply into the souls of both nations, snatching up hundreds of thousands of friends…loved ones…and family members from our midst. But it was only then that I was truly able to understand what Xanthal was – an assortment of people from all walks of life, from all racial backgrounds, from all different political ideologies, who believe in themselves, their fellow citizens, and their nation to uphold the ideals of service to one another, of sacrifice for a cause worthier than themselves, of duty to protect that nation which they hold so dear, of charity and kindness toward those who deserve little of either, and of honor in their actions to preserve their freedom, their peace, and the integrity of their nation.”

Siri paused for a few moments, not all that terribly long by anyone’s standpoint but just enough to allow a slight breather before she continued. “And it was only through you that the perceptions of me, and undoubtedly many others, towards Xanthal would change for the better. But it does not end there, nor should it, for it is now the opportunity and the duty of me and my people to show you who we truly are, to understand one another clearer. It is now that we come together and remember, honor those that gave their lives on that fateful day, and to assure all that never will such a thing happen again. And it is now that we ought to come together and reconcile our differences so that there might be a brighter future for all our people in the coming age.”

With her expressions flush with emotions and her heart pounding away furiously from all of these sudden feelings rushing up inside her, she took a quick step back from the podium, glancing expectantly towards Carrie and also the Vice Chairman.

The Triumvir rose gracefully and walked forward to join Siri at the front. She gave a small nod of reassurance to Siri. For all her willfulness, this was an unfamiliar setting for the leader of Northrop-Grumman, and Carrie figured she could use the support. "Thank you, Madame Chairwoman. We'll now take questions."

Immediately the hand of nearly every reporter in the room went up. There was no talking, as per the established etiquette of the Triumvirate press corps. Carrie knew most of them, as the audience was almost entirely made up of regular correspondents to the Triumvirate. Deciding to start things off easy, she picked a usually-friendly face; an early middle-aged human man from a media agency based in Trasnia, sitting a few rows back. "Yes, the gentleman from Political Free Press."

"Thank you," he replied in a gruff voice, standing up uncomfortably. "Madame Chairwoman, you say that you want to keep our countries from going to war again, but can you explain why the Corporation went along with the ESUS attack on Xanthal in the first place?"

Despite being what Carrie presumed to be an easy start for this press conference, the question put forth by the Trasnian reporter was anything but that, in the Chairwoman’s mind. The reasoning behind the war against the GFFA, and subsequently the Xanthalian state, was most assuredly one of the more sensitive issues to the elf and certainly the most complex. The Corporation had its own justifications for its entry into the conflict, while she had a much different perspective that influenced her attitude towards it, one that was never really shared with anyone else and would most likely never be, because it so differed from what most people would consider as a rational one

Here was no different as she represented Northrop-Grumman, its population, and the feelings that they had held during this conflict. There was little need to share her own personal thoughts towards it as she was certain it would do nothing more than create trouble for a people unfamiliar with her.

“Basically, information had been provided to us by other members, who stated that the GFFA had attacked alliance assets and thus the entirety of the ESUS had mobilized for war. It was seen by us as an act of aggression so we decided to join the effort against the GFFA,” Siri answered the man clearly, without the slightest hesitation in her voice. “But before we switch to another question, I’d like to, at least, address the first portion of your sentence dealing with the possibility of such an event happening again and my wishes to prevent it. As you may already know, the Corporation had left the ESUS some time ago, mostly due to its inhumane conduct during the war and its increasingly aggressive tendencies in regards to foreign affairs. We wanted no part in such an organization anymore and dissolved our ties with those who did not closely relate to the ideals that had governed our society.

“We sought to rectify our tarnished image, to join a community of like-minded people, so we joined the Non-Democratic Alliance – one that, while composed of non-democratic states, denounces the aggressive nature of those nations who are quick to action against all who defy them and hold the beliefs that international conflicts are to be solved by means of negotiations, mediations, and other political tools before one resorts to violence. And even then, all military actions are reviewed to assure that it is necessary and proper for the member nation to be doing as such.” Though, she soon realized that she was perhaps starting to head her dialogue into yet another speech and tried to cut it back to just one more sentence. “Joining this alliance is one of the ways that we have fought to prevent such deadly hostilities in the future between the Corporation and other nations and to assure that any war waged is necessary for us to be a part of.”

"The gentlewoman from Mirfak National News," Carrie said without missing a beat. This was all old hat to her. She had been hoping for a slightly softer ball for the first question, but it hadn't been too bad. Siri had handled herself well, anyway.

A pale-skinned xanthalian lady with short blonde hair and a fragile-looking frame stood up. "What measures are being taken to ensure the safety of our Grummian guests while they are in Xanthal?"

"Protection of foreign dignitaries is always a top priority. The Chairwoman and Vice Chairman are each being escorted at all times by a contingent of Federal Police, and travelling in armored vehicles. Additional measures have also been undertaken to minimize the risk of attack and deal with any threats that may arise, but I want to stress that we have the greatest confidence in the integrity and restraint of the people of Olink, which makes all our precautions quite unnecessary." Carrie beamed for the cameras, then moved on. "The gentlewoman from the Xanthalian News Network."

"Thank you, and welcome to Xanthal Miss O'Neill," a tall, homely woman of Asian descent replied as she rose from her chair. "What exactly is the purpose of this visit? Does the Triumvirate intend to sign a treaty of some sort with the Corporation?"

Carrie looked to Siri briefly before responding. The precise reason for her being here was still not fully clear to her as well. Siri's request to come to Renku, which had come to the Triumvirate via Ambassador Tyler, had been quite general in nature, simply stating a desire to open a dialogue and fix relations. Her planned visit of Dr. Zieger couldn't be mentioned either. She ad-libbed a response with the skill of someone with years of experience in the spotlight. "This is a goodwill visit on behalf of the Corporation to form the basis of peaceful and productive relations between our countries. We have no plans to make any formal treaties, but these types of meetings can involve quite a bit of spontaneity and I can't rule out the signing of standard exchange agreements during the Grummian delegation's visit. Don't count on it, though. Do you have anything to add to that, Chairwoman?"

Before the woman from the Xanthalian News Network had the opportunity to present her question, the Chairwoman bowed respectfully to the welcoming statement, sincerely believing that it had needed to be addressed. “Thank you for your hospitality,” she politely said, warmly smiling at the woman before quieting down to allow her to continue.

Soon the question was asked, which the Triumvir had attempted to answer to the best of her abilities despite the lack of clarity involved in the reasoning behind this meeting, but when presented with the chance to add to it, Siri saw little purpose in trying to avoid it. “Yes, I would,” she said when being spoken to by Carrie. “My intentions here today are to essentially promote conversation between our two nations despite our troubled past and to lay the groundwork for whatever future relations we may very well have. One cannot rush into these sorts of matters, nor can one suddenly become the best of allies overnight. My visit is to simply start us all on the pathway to reconciliation and friendship but in such a way that both our citizens are comfortable with.”

"The gentleman from the Associated Press."

Another man rose to speak. "How does the Chairwoman respond to the widespread abuses of civil and political rights undertaken against the Grummian people by her administration?"

Carrie had to stop herself from grimacing at the question. She had been expecting someone to ask something like that, and hoping they wouldn't. It was interesting to her that it would come from the AP rather than a Xanthalian agency. Apparently since they weren't allowed to ask such questions of Siri in the Corporation, they had decided to seize a chance here. "That question should be directed at the Corporation's public relations office. Let's stay on the topic of relations between the Federation and Corporation here, please."

"Then, is the Triumvirate concerned about associating with a country that continues to be associated with so many violations of its own citizens' rights?"

Carrie sighed inwardly. "The Federation is committed to the protection of its citizens' rights under Xanthalian and international law. We have not the ability, authority or desire to serve as the galaxy's arbiter of justice. It is the Triumvirate's stated policy to establish friendly diplomatic relations wherever possible in the interest of national security and international harmony. Though we do encourage a strong institution of sentient rights in the international community, whatever practices we may find objectionable in other countries are first and foremost the responsibility of their residents and governments to judge and resolve. The Triumvirate is not going to publicly condemn or condone the governance of the Grummian state at this time. The gentleman from Outer Wire."

"Miss O'Neill, do you regret your participation in the ESUS invasion of Xanthal? And a followup, would you initiate hostilities against a foreign country on the basis of unconfirmed intelligence again?"

Carrie almost objected again, but decided to let Siri answer that one. It was relevant enough that she could be accused of protecting the Chairwoman at the expense of her own country's interest for denying him an answer. Besides, if a friendly relationship between Xanthal and Northrop-Grumman had any chance of succeeding, Siri and the rest of her administration would have to learn to deal with this sort of thing on the Xanthalian side.

Despite her particular hatred for interacting with the press and with those who wished to make such accusations against her, the Chairwoman refrained from changing the pleasant demeanor that she had on display today, not allowing her any expressions that would betray her thoughts and not allowing herself to be riled up from this. After all, she understood that this was the first time most here had the opportunity to see her and hear her speak, and that first impressions were everything to them. This day and even future relations between the two nations would not be helped if she permitted her temper to flare up at any who aggravated her.

So to prevent any of this from occurring, she simply placed the entirety of her focus upon the Triumvir, listening carefully to the policies of the Federation being expounded upon. In her own mind, she noted how much of this mirrored the Corporation, as the Grummian stance toward most foreign matters was more hands-off than most other nations. It believed that internal matters ought to be dealt with by the ruling government and that involvement in foreign matters ought to be only when the Corporation was affected or its allied nations. This is not to say that it endorsed genocide or other social inequalities, but it believed that voicing opposition would suffice for most of these things as direct intervention would possibly make matters worse.

By the moment of the response’s completion, the Chairwoman had returned her thoughts and focus upon the next question poised for her. But this time, her self-control had slipped slightly, allowing through a more downcast tone within her voice. “The regret that remains with me to this day is at the vast number of lives that were lost on that dreadful day, both Grummian and Xanthalian, that could have been prevented by a more cautious approach taken by the ESUS as a whole. None were spared the destruction and tremendous loss of this, not even myself. If I had the ability to change those sequence of events or even return those souls to the living, I would. But since I possess none such powers, I must live with the knowledge that matters would have been made better had a different path been taken.”

A short pause preceded the response to the man’s next question so that she could regain what composure she had lost during it. “To answer your following question…I do not foresee the Chairman or myself initiating any hostilities without the necessary information required to make such a decision. This is not a matter that can be taken lightly and proper precautions must be used to ensure that such wars are indeed proper and necessary.”

The Triumvir stepped forward and held up her hands. "That will do it for questions this session; the Chairwoman has business to attend to."

She turned to Siri and gestured politely back towards the door through which they had come. "Madame Chairwoman, if you please."

Once they had returned to the private space, one of the first things they noticed was that another person had entered the room while they were away; a tall, lanky, middle-aged human man with scruffy dark hair and a cordial, if somewhat curt demeanor. He was also wearing the black clothing of a Triumvir.

Carrie gave Siri an encouraging smile, adjusting her collar casually. "I think that went rather well, don't you?" Then she turned her attention to the new arrival. "Madame Chairwoman, this is one of my colleagues; Triumvir Marcus Woessner. What can I do for you, Mark?"

"Sorry to intrude, I just thought you should know that the vote came in from Shinra a few minutes ago. It was close, but the Koreans have been approved for statehood."

"Oh, Mark!" Carrie swooped in and gave him a big hug. "That's wonderful! I know you've been dubious about Nakuju. I just want you to know, none of this would have been possible without your support."

"Believe me, I know. I just hope people don't remember that if the Premier and his so-called People's Party cause as much trouble for the Federation as I'm afraid they might." Having been released from Carrie's arms, he turned to Siri, stepping forward to offer a firm handshake. Outwardly he played the role of diplomat perfectly, but there was some reservation hidden deep within his eyes at receiving the Chairwoman so kindly. "Miz Siri, welcome to Xanthal. I'm sorry for the tight security; mostly my idea, I'm afraid. Rest assured, if Triumvir Anders had her way you'd have a much looser leash. I only wanted to be sure you were safe within our borders."