A Fly Caught in the Web

[DrMedic]

"I... uhm..." Laurence was speechless, the fragile composure he'd spent the past night building up having been shattered in an instant. The exchange between the nurse and the empress left him in a state of near shock, being a swift reality check that he was amongst spiders, not bigger humans with more legs. He felt himself getting a bit woozy, but he did what he could to shake it off, blinking a few times to help set himself straight once more. Still, even with his best efforts, he began to grow noticeably pale and his pulse quickened as he started to sweat bullets.

"Right, no need to worry, we are in the same line of work after all, I understand how it is having an empire that requires your constant attention." He said through lightly chattering teeth, the distinct accent of an Eonian slave slowly creeping its way back into his voice.

"I respect your desire to protect the people of Elenria, and if what you're saying about the Greatferns is true, perhaps open conflict is unavoidable. However, that does not mean that I won't put my best foot forward to try helping out. Have you tried speaking with Lord Kaln Greatfern? If not, I have his ear, and it would be my honor to act as an arbiter between Kumosenkan and the Greatferns in the pursuit of a peaceful resolution. I know you'd likely much rather wipe them out, but surely there is a better way." 

[Sophie]

Reitō was satisfied, but she dare not show it on her face. She hoped that now that Laurence was on edge, he'd be unable to spin a convincing lie to her. "Kaln is a pillager and a murderer. I fail to see any meeting with him being productive. He'd demand nothing less than the annexation of Elenria. Then he'd use our technology, the infrastructure I paid for, to prosecute a war against anyone he disagrees with. Which eventually, would be you. I have a better proposal. You lure Kaln in with that bait about a meeting with me. Then my forces capture him and interrogate him. Without him at the helm and the information we could extract from him we could decimate the greatferns in less than a year. We could even talk them into surrender and accept them once again as Kumosenkan citizens of Elenria."

[DrMedic]

"You make a proposition I can't accept. I am here as a neutral party with no place in this conflict, I will not be used as a tool for either side to claim dominion over another. I would be happy to help mediate things between Kumosenkan and the Greatferns, even going so far as to help aid them with my own resources to help maintain stability and ensure a greater quality of life, but I will not sell out a man who put his trust in me. At the very least, I've given you the information that they are looking without their borders to external help."

Laurence sat silently for a moment, thinking to himself. He had further thoughts, plenty of them in fact, but he did not wish to come across as rude or too assertive. After a moment of weighing his options, he broke the silence, anxious how such outward expression would have him perceived, but determined to keep the peace.

"With all due respect, Imperator to Empress, if you'd like to defeat Lord Kaln I would recommend learning what your enemy sees as a problem, then fixing it to remove his support as people realize it isn't a problem anymore. I fought this war not even seven years ago, except I was the terrorist, the murderer. I knew what the people wanted and what my father wouldn't give them, so I raised the support of the people and we live better for it. If you defeat him in this manner you will build a stronger nation as well as rapport with the citizenry, if you wipe them out and torch the remnants they'll only rise once more, hardened by hatred. This is what my father couldn't do. He couldn't stall out my resistance against his domineering hand, and when the time was right, we struck out against him. If I wanted to take the throne, I simply could've waited, I was crown prince after all. I could've fixed everything later, but instead I decided that for the good of my people, I had to act swiftly. Do not let him do the same to you, he's already started down that path."

[Sophie]

The Empress felt her anger begin to boil in her chest for but a moment until Kyou put her leg over Reitō's under the table. She calmed back down and took a moment to breathe. "If it were only you saying that, then I would've screamed you out of my country. Fortunately for you, Amali has been pressuring me to do something similar, and not only them but my own minister of homeland security. It's hard to want to be kind to those who have killed so frivolously. I would speak differently if it was an actual war and the only people killed were soldiers. These people murder civilians without a second thought. I already have plans in motion to make life better in Elenria. How do I appeal to someone who murders civilians? How do I make nice with terrorists and simultaneously prevent them from harming the people I am sworn to protect. Everyone bears down on me for the way I've treated the greatferns, but no one has come to me with a way to deal with them peacefully and protect my people. Are you different? Or are you just here to scold me and act superior?" She punctuated her last point by placing her hands firmly against the table and staring at Laurence, all eight of her eyes piercing in his direction.

[DrMedic]

Laurence stiffened up a bit, growing increasingly more tense as Empress Reito's gaze bore down on him. He struggled with himself, just like he did back in the car whilst on his way to the hotel, the big difference being that now he was sitting in front of a massive spider that he had most definitely angered, judging by her gaze. He stuck a finger down into his collar, giving it a light tug in a vain attempt to loosen it up.

"I cannae act superior because I'm nae different, and I'd get frustrated too if I were in your situation. Nae, gotta get a way in, someone they can trust, someone tae find out what they need'n how tae get it to 'em. Cannae tell yae yer bearin' down on 'em 'cause I only have a wee peep into Elenria from time to time, got other things tae fash. Nae need tae be coarse wi' 'im, I'm willing tae offer yae my help if yae want, not keen on the Greatferns harmin' civilians, but they think ye tryin' tae work wi' 'em an' ye might find they stop killin'." He rattled off, almost too fast to hear what he was saying, let alone understand it.

[Sophie]

Kyou tightened her leg around Reitō's. She took the hint and sat back on her cushion and drank from her glass of water. She took a deep breath before responding again. She spoke in an even and controlled tone. "Very well then. Say I agree to sit down with that monster. What would you even have me say to him. There is very little that he could demand that I would consider for even a moment. It's easy to say 'Just sit down with him and hear him out.' but then what. How do you, Laurence, recommend I deal with someone like this? I feel like I've conveyed my feelings on him quite well. How do I negotiate with him, work with him, without coming across as weak on terrorists?"

[DrMedic]

"Oh, ah.... wow, first name basis so soon... dinnae know yae's a wee sook, 'sokay though, I rather be friends anyways." He replied with a nervous chuckle.

"Ya don' wan' talk wi' 'im 'at's fine. Jus' haud yer wheesht an' I can talk tae the Elenrians, maybe work somethin' oot, at least get ye some info. I can help ye take the wind oot 'a 'is sails, or I can arrange a meetin' wi' the lad, but I dunnae what he wants, so I can't advise ya what tae say t' th' bastard without makin' guesses."

[Sophie]

Reitō sat for a moment and thought, but as she was about to speak another thought took up residence in her head. "What would you get out of helping me like that? What would you get out of 'taking the wind out of his sails' for me?"

[DrMedic]

"A bunch'a not dead Elenrians an' aw two nations not turnin' guns on us too fast, dinnae think Marina'd be happy'f that happened, not tae mention my people. Why? That bad?" 

[Sophie]

Reitō's face was a walking advertisement for dissatisfaction with that answer. "That's all? You must know we'd have no interest in turning our guns on you as long as you didn't fund the greatferns, and why do dead Elenrians concern you?"

[DrMedic]

"Dead Elenrians concern me because war is a sacred thing to be avoided at all costs and I have a reputation with my own kind on the line. I can't sit still while tons of men and women go off to battle only to come back relieved of duty when it can be avoided. Few will forgive me if I don't try, regardless of what I do and don't want. Empress, I'm offering to do what you don't want to because I believe I might have a better chance at success. Let me speak with the Greatferns if you don't want to, they might listen to me a lot more readily than you'd think."

Laurence's speech slowed as he began to get a grip on himself, his accent slipping off as he calmed down.

[Sophie]

The Empress searched the Imperator's eyes for any falsehoods. She let the air hang while she observed him. "You're an interesting character, Laurence. I don't think I've ever met someone like you. If this is a genuine offer then I accept. However, I would ask that you take my minister of homeland security with you. She's a human so she should blend into Eleria quite well."

[DrMedic]

"It would be an honor. Would you like me to charter a transport plane to come pick her up? We brought our fighters out here, but if she were in a transport, we can fly alongside as an escort to ensure her safety."

[Sophie]

"I'm afraid our aircraft are rather limited. The only craft we have that could go that far are strategic bombers, but I would understand you not wanting a Kumosenkan bomber in your airspace."

[DrMedic]

"It would make little difference to me. Machines of war are a common sight within Eleria, though having a strategic bomber from another nation would probably turn more eyes than I would appreciate. If you have a telegraph I can send a message to my Imperatrix, though my squadron and I would have to spend another couple days here. Would that be acceptable to you Doku-kama?"