Franerre & the Land of Cats (Franerre/Kithium League Diplo)

[VoxApocrypha]

They would look them over after a moment.
"Our operating objective against the Union of South Touli is not the simple reconquest of the Island of Razu." She would say.

"It is the total and complete military destruction of the UST and conquest of its agriculturally rich lands."
She'd say. "We are not a Toulian people. We are Kithium. Roskanans a long way from our native land." She'd say. "Those within our borders are Roskanan, in name or spirit. We are a cultural extension of an ancient and now defunct empire, and its last remnant."

"We do not want a war with Franerre. But we do not have compatible ideologies. We do not share the same ideals. We are not Kin."

[callmedelta]

Yves visibly flared at the comments, but he held his tongue for the time being, letting Henri continue. The Colonel cleared his throat. “The military destruction of the UST, or at the very least a greater partitioning of their lands than simply the independence of the Tafatu, may be in Franerre’s plans given the changed circumstances. Youu’ll have to forgive me, though, if I find the definition of ‘agriculturally rich lands’ rather vague. Do you think you could be more specific?”

[VoxApocrypha]

With a blank stare, after a moment, the Gaalsian would clear her throat.
"We want their farmland." Was the blunt reply.

[callmedelta]

Henri would sigh. "I'm not exactly an expert in the agricultural output of the Union of South Touli. I was hoping for lines on a map, even if they are subject to change."

[VoxApocrypha]

"No one here is a farmer, I take it. And soil quality on Touli is generally not adequate for large scale agriculture." She would say. "But what land we can get, we will take."

She'd look at the wall, and then down at them again.
"Due to time constraints, we are going to have to post-pone further talks until tomorrow at noon." She'd say. "You will be shown to your accomodations, and I hope that you find them to be satisfactory - they should keep out the cold and the beds are more comfortable than mine. Food is served in the facility cafeteria every morning, noon and evening." She'd say.

"Adjourned."
The guards move in at their sides, and escort the Franneri party out, leading them to their accomodations in a wing of the building that is deeper in the structure, insulated from the cold air outside.
While arguably basic the accomodations are indeed rather comfortable. Then they are told where to find the mess hall, and guards are put on station in that hall to keep them safe for the night.

[callmedelta]

The Franerri party would leave without incident, though by the time they had arrived at the common area of their quarters none of them seemed happy.



Chloe was the first to voice her frustrations, doing so practically as soon as the door was closed. “Why didn’t you let me speak at all?” Chloe asked Yves in Franerri, frustrated.



“What would you have told the Kith that would have made the situation better?” Yves answered, frustration seeping into his own voice, “This situation is the worst thing we could get shy of the Kith being outright hostile. Now is the time for you to watch and learn while I try to make this situation better. I just need to get it through those thick cat heads of theirs.”



“Take it from a stubborn son of a bitch who’s seen plenty of stubborn sons of bitches,” Henri commented, lighting up a cigarette, “You aren’t gonna get it into their heads before you’ve worn out your welcome and get thrown out.”



“I have to give it one more shot,” Yves said, “And if you’ll excuse me, I need to go put my thoughts to paper. Goodnight.” Yves left for his quarters, and after standing around awkwardly fuming, the remaining pair soon left for their own quarters.

[VoxApocrypha]

The Kithium would return to their own wing, separated by a hallway and small number of rooms that served as the 'buffer' to get into that section, partially burried under ground for better insulation from the cold conditions.
With the Gaalsian taking up residence in her own quarters, she relaxed as another kithium would settle herself next to her on the couch in the room.

"Well?" They would ask.

"They're frustrated. Wasn't hard to do." The Gaalsian replied, crossing her legs and grabbing a glass of water from the table at her side. "They'll be thinking of their next course of action, perhaps they'll offer an alliance again. And I will again, have to stall them."

The other leaned in, resting their head against their shoulder.
"Do you think it'll work? The stalling?"

With a soft hum, the Gaalsian would lift their other arm and wrap it around their lover.
"I don't know. It's winter. The ocean is likely soon to freeze over. By the time we're finished here the invasion will already be underway. Razu is gonna be back in the League's hands soon." They'd say. "..And the Franerri will simply be a welcome, needed second front to put an already weak enemy on the run."

"And what of the Franerri after?"

"We deport them home. On Razu, I don't know. It'll be in the hands of the Empress." The Gaalsian said. "..I know the Cult is going to be very happy about it though, regardless if the Franerri on the island get massacred or they just get told to fuck off." She said.

"Yes, our priests have been hoping to get the island back for a long time. The Temple on it is very important to our religion." She'd say, the feline nuzzling into her lovers side, closing her eyes and gently bunting against it. "I wish to see it again too, and hopefully soon.."

"Hopefully soon, you will." Would be her reply, the Gaalsian said. "I think that's enough talk of work for tonight.." They'd say, relaxing.

---

The next day, at around noon, the Kithium would make their way back to the meeting room. The building was really a court house, of sorts anyway. It had once been a prison complex but had since been converted to a sort of semi-embassy, and as well a area of legal matters if not used for diplomacy. They'd settle in the seats, and wait for the Franerre delegation to make another appearance, the Gaalsian sitting once more in the center seat with her legs crossed and hand on the table, staring off into space. 

[callmedelta]

Yves splashed the cold water on his face, the shock helping to keep him awake. He had spent longer than he intended writing and practicing the speech, and he was longing for some imported coffee.

“Weren’t you the one who said to get a good night’s sleep?” Henri grunted, leaning on the wall next to him as he lit a cigarette.

“I said I had a speech to write,” Yves retorted, pulling the folded paper out of his vest pocket for effect. He wouldn’t actually be reading from it, as he had the speech memorized, but it made for a nice effect. “And it’s quite a good one if I do say so myself.”

“Don’t think it’ll matter how good it is,” Henri muttered, “Like I said, those cats are stubborn bastards. They don’t want to change.”

“I know you’re probably right,” Yves said, wiping his face off with a towel, “But it’s my job to try.”

“It’s also my job too,” Chloe said, interjecting herself into the conversation with a huff, “Yet I seem to have done nothing here.”

“I’m sorry about that, Chloe,” Yves replied, “But sometimes life just works that way. I’m the leader of this diplomatic mission, so it has to be me who delivers this. Besides, unless you think you can memorize it while we’re walking over to the building, I’d say we’re out of time.”

~

Yves stood before the assembled representatives of the Kithium League, heart racing. This would likely be the last chance he got, even if it may not have any chance of mattering. He stepped forward, took a bow, and began. “You said yesterday that you were Kithium, not Toulian. I would like to ask: is it impossible for you to be both Toulian and Kithium?” Yves asked, sweeping his gaze between each of the Kithium officials present. “There are plenty of people of Lusatian or mixed Luso-Franerri descent in Franerre, like my second in command Chloe, but they are no less Toulian than I. It is more than where you trace your lineage from that makes you Toulian. It is the brutal, simple fact that we are behind the mainland in nearly every conceivable way. If a nation like Galra, Gaelia, Kumo, or Lusatia came to your shores to exploit your people, nation, and resources it very well may be an impossible fight to win but it is one you fight anyway. That is the fact that makes you a Toulian, be you Franerri, Elenrian, Kithium, Mil’Nor, Ashinaran, or anyone else. You say you are the last remnant of a defunct empire: then you are a Toulian remnant. If Gaelia, Galra, Kumo, or Lusatia arrives on your shores, they will not be there to colonize the native lands of the great empire of Roskana, they will be there to colonize a Toulian state. That is why the Union of South Touli is such a wretched government. They have exploited their own people in the same way foreigners would exploit us.”

Yves took a deep breath, continuing. “Even if we are not Kin, as you say, there is no reason we cannot work together to make our nations stronger in the face of such adversaries. You yourself say that the League has no conflict with Franerre; why not go beyond that? Why have a neighbor who you simply ‘have no conflict with’ rather than a nation you can call an ally? Both our nations share borders with the Galrans: they’ve seized part of the UST, and I see no reason to believe they wouldn’t try to seize parts of either Franerre or the Kithium League should either of our states prove vulnerable. Touli, and the world at large, grows ever tenser. Choosing to have no allies is the most dangerous move a state can make. Thank you,” Yves said, finishing with another bow.

[VoxApocrypha]

She would stare at the wall, not giving him much in the way of acknowledgement in direct fashion, but her ear was angled to him, and that showed she was at the least listening to his voice. After he would finish his speech, she wouldn't even turn her head to reply, opening her muzzle to speak.

"We agree with your stance on the Union of South Touli. And we have plans in motion to permanently remove them from the playing field for the sake of League gains." She says. "And as for allies, Franerri?" SHe turns her head, staring him in the eye. "We have allies. And we will have more. But we care not for your friendship. We know that at the end of the day, you seek only to exploit the Tafatu to which you claim to support." With a lift of their leg, they cross them together and turn back to the wall.

"I believe we've discussed everything important." She says. "You will be escorted to your quarters, and allowed to pack. Then you are going to leave." She says, making it clear that it was not a suggestion, it was a statement. They WOULD be leaving.

[callmedelta]

Yves was left speechless. Every time he tried to formulate a response, it just died in his throat. That was, in every aspect, the exact opposite of what Franerre was trying to do in this war. How did one even respond to such an outlandish claim? Thankfully, Chloe answered that question for him.

"What proof do you have for such a lofty claim?" Chloe asked, indignant. "Considering that is the exact opposite of what Franerre is attempting to do by assisting the Tafatu, you must have some grand insight or smoking gun about our own government that we must not be able to see. Please, enlighten us." A bit crasser than Yves himself would have put it, but he couldn't blame the woman. Hell, Yves even spied Henri making a wry smile as Chloe challenged the Kithium's assertion.

[VoxApocrypha]

"A kingdom 'assisting' a people who's only aim is to build a republic, actively engaging in a war to which it had no business in fighting as it rawly *undermines* the values of your own nation and government to do so. There's no reason you'd otherwise invade the UST to 'help' the Tafatu other than trying to achieve some sort of ulterior goal to which inevitably leads to that exploitation. Of course, if I am wrong, no one will know that for a fair bit."
She waves a hand, and a group of guards come up behind them. Grabbing them all by the shoulders and turning them, they are led out of the room.

"I hope your journey home is uneventful." She'd say. "And may you have, 'safe', travels."
The door closes behind them, and they are escorted to their quarters to rest for the rest of the day and night.
Come next morning, they are taken back to the dock by truck to be sent back to Franerre.