bravenewworld | The Queen of the Citadel

[The feed from the Warp Band flickers and focuses briefly on the face of an unhappy looking young man with his hands bound behind his back before it rotates back around. A severe looking woman is seated upon what seems to be a throne...]

What a curious device. I can see the use though. Am I speaking to the people of Union and Caldera? I am Frea, Matriarch of the Valkyrie tribes of the Citadel. Some of my girls said you gave them a run for their money. Good. It keeps them on their toes.

Anyway, here’s the deal. I've got… about twenty of your people. They’re getting a bit homesick and I don’t really want to keep them. Fact of the matter is, I've got a bit of a situation and they were ripe targets with all that food they were carrying. There’s an enormous Pokémon that’s been thrashing around our territory and burning just about everything it can get to. It’s driving the game away and has messed up a few of our tribes already. My people need food, and this sucker doesn't seem keen on leaving. So here’s my thought. First, I’ll return your people and their equipment to you. Can’t give back the food, already got eaten, sorry about that. If you can help us drive off this Pokémon, though, we can work it off. You scratch my back, I scratch yours, you know how it goes. We've got some things you guys might find interesting and valuable, but I can’t exactly part with any of it while I have an enormous monster of flame and steel beating down my door. Sound good?

[Those who have penetrated far enough into the Rolling Plains have made visual contact with something interesting. Far to the north at the end of the plains, there is a single tree, enormous in size. Frequent flocks of large flying types with mounted female riders can be seen coming to and fro, and the more keen-eyed among you can see that there appears to be an entire city built into the tree. The tree itself, clearly this “Citadel” Frea mentioned, seems to touch the sky, not even fully visible due to the cloud cover.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ ...frankly, Haruka might be siding with the giant flame-and-steel monster right now. She's trying to control her irritation, however. ]

And how was this more effective than just asking someone?

[ See, control. She sounds bored, not irate. ]

Taking hostages is not the best way to negotiate. Release them immediately!

Kidnapping our citizens, stealing their food, and ransoming them back to us in exchange for help fighting this Pokémon is dishonest and cowardly. If you had only contacted us peacefully in the first place, I'm sure the Council of Elders would have been more than happy to give you their aid without the need for extortion.

I just did. All I knew at first is you guys had some food trucks moving through our area so we took 'em. Your guys said some interesting things so I figured couldn't hurt.

We never had any intention of holding them, but we didn't have any communication lines with your cities before now. When we're in a position to, we will. Unless you want us to just set them loose in the plains where they might get eaten by a giant flaming Pokemon.

Little girl we're not ransoming them. We'll release them as soon as you have people in the area to take them back. As a show of good faith. Or do you want us to set them loose in the plains while that Pokemon is around?

Good faith would have been not kidnapping them in the first place. Or do your people make a habit of attacking first and asking questions later?

[Yeah, Asemu is more pragmatic than headstrong in a situation like this. He's going to actually not try to bite her head off in this situation.]

Can you promise that you'll return what rightfully belongs to us and to release our people?

As soon as you come collect them they're yours.

They aren't Valkyrie and they were in our rangings. You should be grateful we brought them back instead of leaving them to get eaten.

Edited 2014-07-26 19:24 (UTC)

Yet this all sounds like extortion to me and I'm sure I am not the only one.

That's true, but that hardly makes up for having attacked them in the first place. And implied threats are hardly the best way to engender feelings of goodwill or trust. I'm sure many people are asking themselves why we should help you at all after the way you've just treated us. They wouldn't be entirely unwise to suspect that your true intent is to obtain our assistance with the promise of a later reward only to use us as cannon fodder and then attack and loot us again after the larger threat has been dealt with. You've shown yourselves to be perfectly willing to employ underhanded tactics already.

Nobody's saying you have to help us out. 'course if we go down to this thing it'll probably come your way next.

Nobody said you have to help us. I'm offering to work it off if you do. If not, well, we'll see where this thing goes once it's done with us.

I can't say I'm not still suspicious of you, but...

[Lenna sighs. She's angry, but in the end, daddy taught her more than just how to stand up to bullies. There's also that part about being kind and offering help to people in need.]

It would be just as wrong to leave people in danger. You're right that this Pokémon could pose an even larger threat to more people if it's left alone.

Be suspicious all you want, but you probably wanna come get your people one way or another.

[Lin remains silent for a moment. If what she's saying is true, then not only the lives of those citizens are in danger, but also the lives in the people from her city. Which, of course, wasn't good at all.]

...Either way, it is not my decision to make.

Being from Caldera, I can tell you that the people of Union would have happily offered you aid if you'd simply asked for it. They helped us when we were in need.

[But he's sure she's already hearing that from everyone and their grandmother, so he just sighs and moves on.]

That said, it's not as if we'd leave you to your fate. When this is all over though, you should probably offer a formal apology.

Edited 2014-07-26 19:54 (UTC)

If that's all it'll take I'm fine with that. We're not much for ceremony so you'll have to be a bit clearer on what a "formal apology" entails.

I mean that you, as the leader of your tribe, should approach the councils of both Union and Caldera to offer an official apology. I think it would go a long way toward establishing goodwill.

There's no sense in having political tensions with your neighbors if they can be avoided.

[Especially considering that Gigas is still an issue...]

Plus, it will beneficial to all of us to have open communication and trade between our societies.

[He's wondering if he just sounds like his mother right now.

Yeah, he does.]

I suppose we can do that. I can't really afford to leave the Citadel with the current situation is the problem.

Right. It's definitely something to be saved until this problem is taken care of.

[He offers a smile.]

But I do look forward to peaceful relations in the future. I think we can all gain a lot from sharing our knowledge and culture.

Yes, you're right. The rest can come after everyone is safe.

[Pamela's mildly annoyed, but she can understand how a desperate situation might have driven this woman's people toward such an action and does her best to stay composed. After all, this woman's not nearly as obnoxious as Valeria from Gigas.

If she can resist the urge to tell off and slap Valeria, she can show greater restraint with this woman, who at least isn't trying to take over another community.]

My name is Pamela Isley, a researcher and noble of Union. As a show of good faith, I'd like you to show me that our people are fine. I'd also like to discuss what you plan on offering us for the things that were stolen. Then we can discuss what the people of Union will do to help you.

Just let them go and we'll take care of the Pokémon. [He doesn't look happy at all though. Nor does he sound too pleased.]

But then you cannot harm the people of Caldera or Union ever again.

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The Queen of the Citadel

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