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Diplomacy and Events / Re: The Plot To Destroy Rokkenjiman Democracy
« on: December 16, 2023, 01:59:47 AM »
"With what you've just said I don't really need sources." Rion said "And for the record I don't believe in the unattainable, there are times to be subtle and times not to be so subtle, this for the moment has become the latter. This conversation never happened and it goes without saying that under no circumstances does Lucinda find out about her husband, at least not until this is all over." she looked at the whiteboard again "Meanwhile I suggest you take that and get it somewhere out of sight, if Seagull finds out you've got anything like this then you know what the consequences of that are, whatever is coming and there's always something coming when dealing with plots like this, will happen before we're ready for it. First we need to be certain about Rowe, we need what we're missing, leave that with me. Groves's job is to deliver something that much is obvious but what, what is he positioning? Give him a loose leash and see where he goes, his movements will betray his intent and his part in this." she did another visual pass of the board "As much as I don't like leaving a mole embedded, Seagull's job is most likely to keep the other parties to this abreast of INIS activity and highlight any threat against any of them, Seagull can't report that which they don't know, so business as usual keep the circle small and when the time's right we'll catch them."
Serenity had stayed quiet, her ears were listening to Asuna but her eyes for large parts of what her niece had to say never left the bottle of mead, and that wasn't the worst of it, she could smell it in the air. As someone who was teetotal, and for good reason, the aroma of the alcohol in this concentration was offensive to her senses. Serenity closed her eyes and took a deep breath, channeling her maternal nature, the tough love that she knew she sometimes had to show her girls, picking up the bottle of mead she fixed Asuna with that honed piercing look of her green eyes, the one that gave the impression of seeing right through who she was looking at "What number glass is that today? What number bottle is this? Just because you're legally allowed to drink doesn't mean you get to drink as much as you like, that's how people lose themselves, that's how people get hurt and that's how the darkness seeps in. I've seen that abyss and walked away after the worst thing that ever happened to me happened." she stood up and pulled Asuna to her feet before essentially marching the Rokkenjiman Empress into her bathroom and shoving her into the shower, she turned on the cold water spray and blocked the exit "You can either be the Empress of Rokkenjima or you can be someone who copes by looking for answers at the bottom of a bottle. Your choice."
Half an hour later a drenched Asuna, now in a bath robe was sat down, Serenity put a cup of hot chocolate in front of her "Get that down you." Serenity said before sighing as she sat down next to her niece "I can't keep flying down here every time someone raises a concern about your behaviour, I came this time because it was certainly more serious than you galivanting around with Thomas on the Austrana again." she put an arm around Asuna "It strikes me what you need is a deterrent and what Sophia needs is a smoking gun. I'll make sure she gets what she needs and if she does declare Josai independent then I will play the part of protector, I'll stare the IRAF down, I'll give you reasons to think twice should be enough to keep your people on a leash and get a negotiated settlement out of it and hopefully no shots fired. Let me worry about Sophia, you start worrying about your wedding dress." she gave Asuna a kiss on the forehead "And if you can give you one other bit of advice, I don't care who you replace her with, find some random noble, make someone a noble if you must but for love of all that is holy get Evanthe back here because right now you decidedly lack when it comes to experience and judgement and she brings both in spades."
Serenity had stayed quiet, her ears were listening to Asuna but her eyes for large parts of what her niece had to say never left the bottle of mead, and that wasn't the worst of it, she could smell it in the air. As someone who was teetotal, and for good reason, the aroma of the alcohol in this concentration was offensive to her senses. Serenity closed her eyes and took a deep breath, channeling her maternal nature, the tough love that she knew she sometimes had to show her girls, picking up the bottle of mead she fixed Asuna with that honed piercing look of her green eyes, the one that gave the impression of seeing right through who she was looking at "What number glass is that today? What number bottle is this? Just because you're legally allowed to drink doesn't mean you get to drink as much as you like, that's how people lose themselves, that's how people get hurt and that's how the darkness seeps in. I've seen that abyss and walked away after the worst thing that ever happened to me happened." she stood up and pulled Asuna to her feet before essentially marching the Rokkenjiman Empress into her bathroom and shoving her into the shower, she turned on the cold water spray and blocked the exit "You can either be the Empress of Rokkenjima or you can be someone who copes by looking for answers at the bottom of a bottle. Your choice."
Half an hour later a drenched Asuna, now in a bath robe was sat down, Serenity put a cup of hot chocolate in front of her "Get that down you." Serenity said before sighing as she sat down next to her niece "I can't keep flying down here every time someone raises a concern about your behaviour, I came this time because it was certainly more serious than you galivanting around with Thomas on the Austrana again." she put an arm around Asuna "It strikes me what you need is a deterrent and what Sophia needs is a smoking gun. I'll make sure she gets what she needs and if she does declare Josai independent then I will play the part of protector, I'll stare the IRAF down, I'll give you reasons to think twice should be enough to keep your people on a leash and get a negotiated settlement out of it and hopefully no shots fired. Let me worry about Sophia, you start worrying about your wedding dress." she gave Asuna a kiss on the forehead "And if you can give you one other bit of advice, I don't care who you replace her with, find some random noble, make someone a noble if you must but for love of all that is holy get Evanthe back here because right now you decidedly lack when it comes to experience and judgement and she brings both in spades."