The Hotels assigned to each party in the Glorelheim conference were expensive, Crystal Spires had a well renowned reputation for tourism and each delegation had their own separate building, with floors to themselves and in most cases space for more than a hundred support staff, as well as conference areas assigned to themselves. The Rohane Alistan delegation were no exception, and their residence in the Grand Tide Hotel was well appointed, on the generous tab of the conference, as each and every delegation’s.
Telissat Amris arrived on foot with a bare minimum of an escort, he could have teleported more sharply but it was valuable to allow time for sense to be talked into the Imerian High King, or at least a degree of it, before he got there. Sadly there was much to be said for patience and an Imerian’s pride was not easily brought to recognize foreign values.
His request to speak to Severa Uniop was likely to be relayed swiftly he believed, but the security and stewarding functions of the delegations were entirely at their own discretion, so he had no certainty of this.
He would find himself waiting in the lobby a few minutes longer than he probably would've liked before a woman in the semi-opaque parka like covering most of the Rohanian delegation was wearing appeared. This was clearly not Severa, having sleek black hair instead of the firey red of the secretary of state, but with a bow and a motion to follow, the woman led Telissat and his guard back, and into one of the hotel conference rooms, where Severa was sitting with a few aides.
The red headed secretary of state stood, bowing lightly to Telissat. "Lord Telissat," she opened, her face remaining neutral. "You managed to catch me shortly before we began to leave for the airport. I can guess what this is about, but just in case, would you mind telling me?"
He bowed in return, “Madame Secretary,” he said, “I suspect you are correct,” he added, his hands taking the back of one of the chairs, though he did not sit, “I would like to ask you to forebear on leaving, and give us the opportunity to ask for a more sincere apology from the Imerian delegation.”
She took a few moments to respond. "While I understand your point of view, I do not believe Imeriata's delegation to be capable of the level of sincerity you do. It is an undeniable fact that a belief in their own cultural and personal superiorty is paramount to their worldview. I doubt they even understand why we left."
“It is entirely true that they are obsessed with their own cultural and personal superiority, patient explanation is required to communicate these things to them. They are not capable of getting there on their own at least, but I am optimistic that we will at least get through to Primus, he is among the least committed of Imerians to their ‘High Culture,’” he said, “would you mind if I took a seat?”
"Of course," She replied, and the same woman who led Telissat in pulled out a chair for him. "To be quite honest, I'm not convinced even the other DSA members here understand why we walked out. I don't truly expect the Imerians to do so."
“I would like to understand at least,” he said, before sitting down, “thank you, Ms Av'Inri,” he said, a subtle reminder that he could recall the entire guest list as well as a small courtesy, “I think I have a strong understanding, and I can understand why you are offended in the abstract, but I would be happy to be corrected or given the details.”
"Maybe it would be best to start with your conceptions, then? The simple explanation, of course, is that it is racist, but that hardly does the weight we feel from it justice, I think," the secretary's mouth turned down at the corners.
“I think you feel that it is a trait that makes you disadvantaged at times; your people recently lost many lives because they were not able to use magical teleportation as your allies were,” he said, “and you have a certainty, as I do, that there is nothing beyond this world for you. His Eminence recently passed away, and unlike many in the region you could neither forestall that with magic nor believe in phantasmal fates beyond death. It is a part of your identity that closes doors for you and your people wherever you go. You always find yourselves taking the harder road. And those of your neighbors who are more magically inclined often look down on you, particularly the religious. Let alone the radiantly smug ‘chosen of the fierce unconquerable sun and crowned in starlight, mortal protector of the faith of the two faced goddess and defender of her temples and chosen by all gods big and small,” and his people, who regard you as not only given the harder road but as unnatural.”
He paused, “How did I do?”
It was obvious to the room at large that Severa repressed some kind of laugh. "Surpassing all expectations," She said, false mirth in her tone. "You missed the part about the historical oppression by forces very similar in culture and attitude as modern day Imerians, as well as the grinding, crushing power of casual hate on a day to day basis we often experience abroad, or even via foreign media… But yes, you understand more than I perhaps gave credit for. I am honestly impressed, Lord Telissat."
“Our own history is somewhat similar at times, necrontyr do not have souls after all, though they are merely negatory in their impact, rather than actively resistant to magic, though in all but the most unique cases they cannot wield such things, and they most certainly stay dead.”
One of the necron guards that accompanied him tilted her head to one side.
“Not counting technological solutions to that particular problem, of course,” he said. He paused for a moment, “I would not recommend asking what the Imerian media says about you. But I am not here to ask you to forgive them, that would be far too much. I am surprised the Thalassians have managed to avoid taking a swipe in public there,” he said.
"I imagine they are busy with the infighting, and sizing up the Rintyari," Severa shrugged. "They still consider the entire country a province of theirs. As for the Imerians… if you don't wish us to forgive them, what are you looking for?"
“I would like you to stay, to accept their apology in whatever spirit it is given, assuming one at least comes, but I do not expect you to like them. I am not sure I like them, they have good qualities, but they are buried beneath a lot of sneering superiority.
“Of course, speaking of magic, it hasn’t escaped our attention that this gives you no reason to trust us, we’re not particularly secretive that our reason for being in Mystria is at least partially to seek the magic that we natively lack, either in material goods or practitioners, and that is an exchange that Rohane Alista cannot participate in.”
"Indeed," Severa replied. "I think you would find we are uniquely incapable of that kind of work," She continued, thinking for a few moments. "You doubtless know this, but many in Rohane Alista don't trust the Great Civilization, and not only because the name reminds of Imeriata," this last remark was clearly a joke from her small smile. "Indeed, there are entire… growing… parties that deploy anti-C'tan rhetoric. You should know the current government doesn't approve, but such are the tides."
Telissat laughed, “I can understand the suspicion, we are large and threatening. He glanced over his shoulder to look at the towering man-machine beside him. “And we have a habit of seeing other people’s problems as our concern, which when you are a little worried in the marrow that you might be seen as a problem, is very off-putting. I think I know something that might change those tides though.”
"I'm listening," Severa replied.
“When in doubt, make something, that’s what we believe in,” he said, “your people may be about as much use as a chocolate fireguard in terms of providing the magic that we seek, but there are other things that you can do. Do you know why we care for magic so much? I will tell you, the most important aspect is our desire to strengthen ourselves against the Formless Horror, which sadly also has a presence in Mystria, you may recall the demise of the nation-not-to-be-named that once lay to the south of Kouralia across the Sea of the Damned. We have been seeking to contain what has emerged there for some time, and soon it will be habitable again, but only to one nation in the region.
“We would like to give that land to you, if you will... ignore the occasional sign of orbital bombardment, at least... the territory is useful, strategically as well as industrially, and it serves our own interests, as well as yours, for you to have it. We would happily build the infrastructure you would require, to allow you to simply walk in.
“Some will be suspicious of such a gift, but our motives should be clear enough for most I think. It would greatly stabilize the region for you to take custody of the place; but there would be one or two warnings.”
"I imagine this is in part due to our natural resistance to magic?" Severa replied. "I will admit that this offer is quite intriguing. What are the warnings, if you don't mind?"
“I am told by my advisors that you should rename everything, and take nothing of built or manufactured origin of the people devoured by the Formless Horror that is left there, we will leave no stone upon another before you move in, but be careful of anything dug from the ground or pulled from the earth. Furthermore, our own science uses certain objects to counteract magic, which we would be happy to explain to you, but they should be left in place, as capable as you are, multiple defenses are better than one.”
"As long as we can maintain and fortify these devices, and trust they will not become destructive for us, this is certainly acceptable. It sounds as if the land shouldn't be used for agriculture," Severa placed her hands in her chin. "I assume anything dug from the ground means anything? Or is it merely relics we need to be on the watch for?"
“I would be cautious of anything made of metal, but agriculture would not be impossible, certainly anything that seems to be a cultural diadem of the people who went before, and weapons, too, such things should be burned, regardless of ordinary archeological value.
“I would say, this is not an offer contingent on returning to the conference. This is something I would offer anyway.”
"I can't, technically, accept it under my own auspices," Severa replied. "A treaty would need drawing up and then ratification in the Senates, and then the Regent would need approve it… you may consider this a done deal, barring minor details. I'll make sure it passes.
"I believe that does still provide some incentive to return, anyways, but I remain open to further ideas," she continued. "In the spirit of cooperation, I will tell you that a return must at least see a situation where we don't look as if we've rolled over to our citizens. To be frank, nearly no one in the current government wants a surge of extremist leaning sympathy at such a delicate time."
“As we speak, Luna is trying to secure a commitment from the High King to make a more sincere apology, but I do not make promises I cannot keep,” he said, “if you feel that you have to leave, I do understand.
“Let me ask something else, the proposed joint space efforts. You have, Madam Secretary, seemed quite reticent to embrace such an idea. Can I ask why?”
"I'm sure you're well aware of the independent spirit of many Rohanians," She replied with a shrug. "If they don't feel like they're leading it, they'd rather do it alone, sometimes. Personally, I don't mind either way, but the powers that be have decided that our own efforts go well enough… the distrust of your government doesn't help, though. I would be willing to attempt to change some hearts and minds, of course, but it will be easier when actual details are agreed to."
“I would hope so,” Telissat said, “I am quite serious about this, and I see it as being a catalyst for national level development, not a replacement, I will try to reassure you further. Have I persuaded you to at least remain for a time, and see if we can come to an amicable face-saving exchange?”
“It will somewhat depend on the reaction of the Imerians,” she replied. “But, yes, there is at least enough on the table to keep us from leaving the nation quite yet. Your mention of an exchange reminds me, actually. We have some… devices… we were looking to offload into the hands of those who could, hopefully, dispose of them. We obtained these devices from Lubyak, as part of an exchange in which we built energy infrastructure for them, quite some time ago. When we realized the nature… well. We no longer wish to have them.”
“Say no more,” Telissat said, “I think I know the practice you speak of, I can arrange for that.”
“That is a relief,” Severa nodded. “Of course, you understand quite a lot of value is tied up in these. If possible, I would like to seek some form of recompense… perhaps, instead of something material, I have an interesting idea. It is poor form, perhaps, to mention this outside the conference itself, but I believe I could serve everyone’s goals, if we give you the devices in exchange for a leadership role in the… MystCom, I believe you called it? And I mean only a leadership role, not outright control or anything like that.”
“We aren’t going to be recommending a leader as such, but I can say that you have my confidence. I think that is as far as I could go, I am quite constrained in anything that might have the appearance of special dealing, but I think it quite likely that you will end up with a leadership role anyway, given your standing in the Dragon Sea Alliance. I can sweeten that deal, though, by offering to replace the missiles that you give us with something equivalent, derived without the same atrocious source.”
“That is a good deal,” Severa consulted a piece of paper for a second. “I assume we would be given training in the maintenance, if not creation, of these equivalents?”
“Maintenance, yes, creation would require some substantial subsidiary industries we wouldn’t be able to part with on a one for one basis, at least not now.”
“I expected as much,” She said, standing again, this time offering a hand. “I find this deal satisfactory, and we can work over exact details of what we spoke about at a later time, perhaps one without so much else going on. Rest assured, the Rohanian delegation will remain in Crystal Spires for the time being, with an eye towards returning to the conference… depending on the Imerian response.”
“Thank you,“ he said, shaking her hand, “your trust will be worthwhile, even if it is not.”