Stephaniesland wrote:The Supreme Protector was taken back a bit by Sir Herangi's tone. It carried a power one would not expect from a bodyguard. She was simultaneously insulted and impressed by the power he had summoned.
"Perhaps, I went too far with insulting the Chieftess. For that, I'm sorry. She has been as good of a diplomat as one could hope for. I am just concerned for my people. I will do anything I need to in order to protect them. I haven't received a single transmission from my government since I got here. A worrying sign. Such fears are the bane of any politician's mental health. It doesn't help that I have no clue what Charles von Roland said about my people. Is there to be hostility? I have no clue. Not knowing can be a death sentence for a politician. I most certainly did not mean to insult your deities. Although, I have no clue how I did, but still. I apologise for anything I said that may have lead you to think that. However, I do still take an affront to your insults. Yes, my message to the Indians was probably in bad taste. But, quite frankly, I did not state anything that was a lie, at least to an outside observer. The Swedes had taken control of the British Isles, a land that has a very different culture to Sweden. Although, I must be clear with you. Any intimidation I used with your Chieftess was purely done as a response to her not giving me the information I wanted. Such is the game of diplomacy. Very carefully crafted speeches and inorganic conversations. A rather unfortunate truth about diplomacy. As far as blackmail goes, I have yet to employ any form of blackmail. Deceit, I have not been deceitful. I have not told any particular lies. I do not want to have to use any of those tactics when conducting diplomacy with your people. I do want a genuinely friendly relationship. As far as being raised by the mafia goes, I believe that mafia and mob interactions come far closer to international diplomacy than anyone expects. You'd be surprised by some of the ways pre-cataclysm nations took care of things. Finally, we come to your claim of my selfishness. Everything I do, I do for my people. As should any politician. If that's selfish, then all politicians are selfish."
The Supreme Protector had no hostility in her voice. No anger whatsoever. She was calm. Calm and honest.
The Maori Guardsman would have built up quite the rage when he delivered his response to the Dominion Eagle... Anger is what can push a man further than what could ever be imagined possible... To put it simply, the idea that a 'Man/Woman can be too angry to die' is well and truly... Well, true. And though Petera Herangi was in no situation where his life was in great peril, the point stayed similar.
However, as the Supreme Protector began to speak, mr Herangi would notice something straight away... The Eagle had refused to rise to him, his aggression and insults. Instead, in a cool voice, not even with any ulterior malevolence or hidden anger, not like Charles von Roland had explicitly shown he was willing to perform, Stephanie Cordato would have made her response:
Supreme Protector Stephanie Cordato
"Perhaps, I went too far with insulting the Chieftess. For that, I'm sorry. She has been as good of a diplomat as one could hope for. I am just concerned for my people. I will do anything I need to in order to protect them. I haven't received a single transmission from my government since I got here. A worrying sign. Such fears are the bane of any politician's mental health. It doesn't help that I have no clue what Charles von Roland said about my people. Is there to be hostility? I have no clue. Not knowing can be a death sentence for a politician. I most certainly did not mean to insult your deities. Although, I have no clue how I did, but still. I apologise for anything I said that may have lead you to think that. However, I do still take an affront to your insults. Yes, my message to the Indians was probably in bad taste. But, quite frankly, I did not state anything that was a lie, at least to an outside observer. The Swedes had taken control of the British Isles, a land that has a very different culture to Sweden. Although, I must be clear with you. Any intimidation I used with your Chieftess was purely done as a response to her not giving me the information I wanted. Such is the game of diplomacy. Very carefully crafted speeches and inorganic conversations. A rather unfortunate truth about diplomacy. As far as blackmail goes, I have yet to employ any form of blackmail. Deceit, I have not been deceitful. I have not told any particular lies. I do not want to have to use any of those tactics when conducting diplomacy with your people. I do want a genuinely friendly relationship. As far as being raised by the mafia goes, I believe that mafia and mob interactions come far closer to international diplomacy than anyone expects. You'd be surprised by some of the ways pre-cataclysm nations took care of things. Finally, we come to your claim of my selfishness. Everything I do, I do for my people. As should any politician. If that's selfish, then all politicians are selfish."
And the transition would have shocked Guardsman Herangi more than any anger or intimidation could ever have done in that situation... The anger that he forced within himself was as intense as a bull in a China shop, and yet the antithesis would stand in front of him, the woman of the Dominion of America, acting as cool as a Shaolin monk.
As Stephanie Cordato would have gone through with her return speech, the Maori Guard would have to slowly cool himself from the anger he had built up... Whilst he still found the way Stephanie Cordato had interrogated his boss, Malie Lea'ai of Polynesia, pressuring and mentally hurting the person of which had the utmost respect, and perhaps even the start of friendship with, then to further go on and insult her Gracious Chieftess to his face was very untasteful indeed, he could also understand that the premise that all of that came from stresses, worry and perhaps even a little bit of desperation.
And he himself had reacted in as much, if not more so a tasteless way to ms Cordato, it seems that they had both done wrong in this situation.
So, in a way, the whole conversation would have to return to square one again... This time, there was a change, however. At the very least, Stephanie must know that intimidating mr Herangi would not work... Maybe with Malie Lea'ai, but not the fearless Maori Warrior.
And Petera Herangi would have found a new found respect for the Dominion Eagle... Indeed, he hated the way the Supreme Protector had started that conversation, but he had been shown the true power that Stephanie may well hold in that instant.
And so, ironically, the bout of anger and intimidation both members shared against eachother may well have made the ending result more stable, and potentially peaceful.
There was a small problem, now... As Malie Lea'ai, the Chieftess of Polynesia would have been escorted up those stairs to meet with the von Rolands once more, there was a chance that. She may be swayed to believe to Svenska-Britannia's cause. Especially after seeing a different side of Stephanie Cordato in that room. As sure, Charles von Roland is a man of untold anger and unpredictability, but if there is one benefit to the Anglo-Nordic monarch, is that he is honest... Brutally so.
The Supreme Protector was correct... In everything she has said, honesty was the key idea that she had been following, and that is something mr Herangi would recognise. However, she has a way of showing a little dishonesty, in her emotions... In a way, the exterior cool that she could show in any given situation, no matter how she would feel within could be even more scary than the most angry, vicious person in the world. In the American Mafia of the Pre - Cataclysmic ages, intimidation was very refined indeed. Communication was most commonly cool and collected, but one would have known that they were talking to hardened criminals, people that would not hesitate to slit one's throat if even the slightest thing that they found tasteless was said. And though it would be very rude indeed to call Stephanie Cordato a 'hardened criminal', she does indeed give off the same air that those old Mob Bosses had...
Back to the conversation... Petera Herangi had taken his time in calming himself down... And once in the right state of mind, something that took him almost half a minute of silence between the whole group to achieve, the Guardsman would finally speak:
Guardsman Petera Herangi
"... I accept the apologies you have given me, and Chieftess Malie Lea'ai... I also hope that the Gods above can do the same. And I should return the favor... The things I had said to you was. Untasteful, at best.
In the spirit of acceptance, honesty and friendship, may I tell you a short story?
My family comes from a long lineage of Maori Warriors, going as far back as the 1300's, when my people first set foot on Aotearoa. My ancestors had fought with spears, clubs and maces against the largest Empire of all time, Redcoats with muskets, cannons and some of the best military doctrine of it's time... My people fought with such zeal, patriotism, and most important of all, anger that the British Empire suffered such losses against the Maori, perhaps one of the largest upsets in their colonial history... My people... My family had created such a large impression on the British that we drove them to the negotiating table, and a treaty between us was signed.
Though annexation did finally happen, when the British Empire had the strength and position to do so, our aforementioned impression made it so that, whilst us Maori were still exploited in many a way, we became one of the most well off Natives in the whole of the Pacific Ocean.
Stephanie... It is anger and strength which brought my people to success and into the books of history, forever. Without Maori zealotry, and fury, my people are nothing.
And so I try to continue the trend... It would be a huge disrespect to my ancestors, my family back home, and the deities of Polynesia if I were to abandon what makes us great. So, whilst I do apologise for my backlash against you, including blatant insults and the such, you may now understand that it was the only way I would have reacted. I will not insult your feelings and honour further by asking for forgiveness, but whilst you may now hate my guts, I hope it does not have to be the end of Polynesia's friendship with the Dominion of America."
However, as the Supreme Protector began to speak, mr Herangi would notice something straight away... The Eagle had refused to rise to him, his aggression and insults. Instead, in a cool voice, not even with any ulterior malevolence or hidden anger, not like Charles von Roland had explicitly shown he was willing to perform, Stephanie Cordato would have made her response:
Supreme Protector Stephanie Cordato
"Perhaps, I went too far with insulting the Chieftess. For that, I'm sorry. She has been as good of a diplomat as one could hope for. I am just concerned for my people. I will do anything I need to in order to protect them. I haven't received a single transmission from my government since I got here. A worrying sign. Such fears are the bane of any politician's mental health. It doesn't help that I have no clue what Charles von Roland said about my people. Is there to be hostility? I have no clue. Not knowing can be a death sentence for a politician. I most certainly did not mean to insult your deities. Although, I have no clue how I did, but still. I apologise for anything I said that may have lead you to think that. However, I do still take an affront to your insults. Yes, my message to the Indians was probably in bad taste. But, quite frankly, I did not state anything that was a lie, at least to an outside observer. The Swedes had taken control of the British Isles, a land that has a very different culture to Sweden. Although, I must be clear with you. Any intimidation I used with your Chieftess was purely done as a response to her not giving me the information I wanted. Such is the game of diplomacy. Very carefully crafted speeches and inorganic conversations. A rather unfortunate truth about diplomacy. As far as blackmail goes, I have yet to employ any form of blackmail. Deceit, I have not been deceitful. I have not told any particular lies. I do not want to have to use any of those tactics when conducting diplomacy with your people. I do want a genuinely friendly relationship. As far as being raised by the mafia goes, I believe that mafia and mob interactions come far closer to international diplomacy than anyone expects. You'd be surprised by some of the ways pre-cataclysm nations took care of things. Finally, we come to your claim of my selfishness. Everything I do, I do for my people. As should any politician. If that's selfish, then all politicians are selfish."
And the transition would have shocked Guardsman Herangi more than any anger or intimidation could ever have done in that situation... The anger that he forced within himself was as intense as a bull in a China shop, and yet the antithesis would stand in front of him, the woman of the Dominion of America, acting as cool as a Shaolin monk.
As Stephanie Cordato would have gone through with her return speech, the Maori Guard would have to slowly cool himself from the anger he had built up... Whilst he still found the way Stephanie Cordato had interrogated his boss, Malie Lea'ai of Polynesia, pressuring and mentally hurting the person of which had the utmost respect, and perhaps even the start of friendship with, then to further go on and insult her Gracious Chieftess to his face was very untasteful indeed, he could also understand that the premise that all of that came from stresses, worry and perhaps even a little bit of desperation.
And he himself had reacted in as much, if not more so a tasteless way to ms Cordato, it seems that they had both done wrong in this situation.
So, in a way, the whole conversation would have to return to square one again... This time, there was a change, however. At the very least, Stephanie must know that intimidating mr Herangi would not work... Maybe with Malie Lea'ai, but not the fearless Maori Warrior.
And Petera Herangi would have found a new found respect for the Dominion Eagle... Indeed, he hated the way the Supreme Protector had started that conversation, but he had been shown the true power that Stephanie may well hold in that instant.
And so, ironically, the bout of anger and intimidation both members shared against eachother may well have made the ending result more stable, and potentially peaceful.
There was a small problem, now... As Malie Lea'ai, the Chieftess of Polynesia would have been escorted up those stairs to meet with the von Rolands once more, there was a chance that. She may be swayed to believe to Svenska-Britannia's cause. Especially after seeing a different side of Stephanie Cordato in that room. As sure, Charles von Roland is a man of untold anger and unpredictability, but if there is one benefit to the Anglo-Nordic monarch, is that he is honest... Brutally so.
The Supreme Protector was correct... In everything she has said, honesty was the key idea that she had been following, and that is something mr Herangi would recognise. However, she has a way of showing a little dishonesty, in her emotions... In a way, the exterior cool that she could show in any given situation, no matter how she would feel within could be even more scary than the most angry, vicious person in the world. In the American Mafia of the Pre - Cataclysmic ages, intimidation was very refined indeed. Communication was most commonly cool and collected, but one would have known that they were talking to hardened criminals, people that would not hesitate to slit one's throat if even the slightest thing that they found tasteless was said. And though it would be very rude indeed to call Stephanie Cordato a 'hardened criminal', she does indeed give off the same air that those old Mob Bosses had...
Back to the conversation... Petera Herangi had taken his time in calming himself down... And once in the right state of mind, something that took him almost half a minute of silence between the whole group to achieve, the Guardsman would finally speak:
Guardsman Petera Herangi
"... I accept the apologies you have given me, and Chieftess Malie Lea'ai... I also hope that the Gods above can do the same. And I should return the favor... The things I had said to you was. Untasteful, at best.
In the spirit of acceptance, honesty and friendship, may I tell you a short story?
My family comes from a long lineage of Maori Warriors, going as far back as the 1300's, when my people first set foot on Aotearoa. My ancestors had fought with spears, clubs and maces against the largest Empire of all time, Redcoats with muskets, cannons and some of the best military doctrine of it's time... My people fought with such zeal, patriotism, and most important of all, anger that the British Empire suffered such losses against the Maori, perhaps one of the largest upsets in their colonial history... My people... My family had created such a large impression on the British that we drove them to the negotiating table, and a treaty between us was signed.
Though annexation did finally happen, when the British Empire had the strength and position to do so, our aforementioned impression made it so that, whilst us Maori were still exploited in many a way, we became one of the most well off Natives in the whole of the Pacific Ocean.
Stephanie... It is anger and strength which brought my people to success and into the books of history, forever. Without Maori zealotry, and fury, my people are nothing.
And so I try to continue the trend... It would be a huge disrespect to my ancestors, my family back home, and the deities of Polynesia if I were to abandon what makes us great. So, whilst I do apologise for my backlash against you, including blatant insults and the such, you may now understand that it was the only way I would have reacted. I will not insult your feelings and honour further by asking for forgiveness, but whilst you may now hate my guts, I hope it does not have to be the end of Polynesia's friendship with the Dominion of America."
