The Aonach of 2040

[Kythia]

Aye, none of Coedd's concern at all up there. You do what you want, she certainly won't help you but I don't think she'll hinder.

[Featherscale]

The Glix had sent an observer.  Rather, an observer to the Arkhive had come to visit and the Inner Duma was watching...

At this announcement, his tympanic organs quivered and he emoted furiously at his Queens.

After a long pause, he spoke for the first time....

The Combined Commonwealth of Glix recognizes the Fiorid claim to Aridyin.  As proof, we would like to formally lease a zone of their choosing for a period not to exceed 20 Sansar Years, for the purpose of testing deep space gear for eventual exploration beyond Mekhala.  We will pay [one wealth] for this privilege and all knowledge of artificial gravity.  In exchange, at or before the end of the lease, we will evacuate the colony and cede all technologies developed this way to the Fiorids.  What say you?

[Rolepgeek]

It's unclear if it's from a doorway or simply the shadows by the wall, but first a voice, and then a woman, emerges.

"If you're going to be making absurd claims, let me inform you of another fact, so that you have some basis for your accusations:"

The woman, present as both a representative of the Coalition and as the Coalition's liaison to the Jy'mar, was Yǐ Chāohún (尹 超魂), has had her jaw - and indeed, it seems, her tongue and most of her throat - cybernetically replaced, and so the voice that emerges is not one formed by lips and tongue or vocal cords, but by inset speakers. Her clothing is surprisingly loose and airy for a Black Cloud pirate, but the shimmering hexagonal scale-like pattern of synthetic skin across almost all of her body may explain the discrepancy.

"The Coalition's membership will, assuredly, work to ensure anyone except the Fiorid family controls Aridyin. See, Sansar, speaking broadly, is in no danger from us. The same cannot be said for its petty tyrants. Like, well. You."

The slim LED display across where Chāohún's mouth would be displays a pixel smile, but her eyes are crueller as she rolls her neck and shoulders, coming to stand next to but distinct from the Utopian delegation.

"I did expect to be able to remain silent and merely observe the proceedings, however, so congrats on being so incorrigibly conceited as to force that. Truly, congratulations. I'm sure it's something you'll be able to tell your grandchildren about. Oh, wait, no, that's right. I forgot."
She had not forgotten.
"Sorry."
She was not sorry.

[moossabi]

The youngest of the Fiori simply laughs. It's a short burst, as if one had just told a biting joke at a dinner party, punctuated by a removal and cleaning of his spectacles. "My good voicebox, why would we ever be so cruel to them?" Glancing in the rough direction of the Glix representative, Oskar issues a curt "As for your Commonwealth's interests, we'll be in touch." Glasses replaced, Oskar calmly steps back from the table, arms crossed, prepared to enjoy the coming storm.

He does not need to wait long, as Hinrik's piercing red eyes lock onto Clagath's, all pretense of a cordial smile replaced with a cold distaste. "President, with all the respect due in homage to your generous hospitality, is this woman's presence some kind of joke? And you-" His face turns to the diminutive hamsters, the Acting Chancellor somehow appearing all the more towering without his cloak of pleasantry. "-I seem to have the powers of a prophet, because in one fell swoop every concern I expressed over your association with that barbarian cesspool has been rendered correct. Their 'caustic nature' is now a known quantity to all who are present, and unless this interloper's presence was for demonstrative purposes I now firmly doubt that they are being, as you put it, 'managed with care'." This recollection would be more impressive if the royal wasn't taking the occasional peek down at his notes whenever he called upon a quote. "This breach of trust has put a significant strain on our prior willingness to acquiesce to the sponsorship proposal..."

[volthawk]

When Yǐ Chāohún appears, Clagath gives the sort of understated reaction that the others have probably rapidly come to expect from him. "Ah, you're speaking up now." Judging by how relaxed the lannan guarding the room are at the situation, it seems like the silent observer was a known element that none of the hosts felt inclined to mention. If a representative of an Elect country wanted to be involved, they weren't going to be turned away, and if in the end that representative wanted to merely watch rather than speak up? That was their prerogative.

With that in mind, he lets the Fiorids say their piece, noticing and somewhat enjoying the new undertones to the conversation. The elves had mentioned their distaste for the pirates before, yes, and you'd have to be blind to InterPlaNet chatter to not be aware that the feelings were mutual, but seeing it in person was rather interesting. For now, he sees little reason to intervene further. The Aonach was a place for interested Elect countries to discuss the problems of the day and declare their interests, after all, and both sides were doing just that. Now to see how it plays out...