|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on May 16, 2013 20:54:51 GMT -8
Making business with a sub-lieutenant? Was it wrong for Mitsuki to feel partially offended for 'Free Flight' sending a low-ranking officer? And it was the first she had heard of this gang- the other two she and David had a run-in with were related to fire and lightning (OOC: ...because the names have not yet been revealed @_@). Were they the partners? She was skeptical; they just didn't feel right. Perhaps it was because they came out of the blue; she didn't remember seeing colorful mohawks since her arrival there.
"Who are your partners?"
She hoped they understood her questioning instead of answering theirs. Simply protocol before really getting into things.
|
|
|
|
Post by David B. on May 16, 2013 21:07:37 GMT -8
The man would cast a glance to another man before shaking his head a little.
"I can't tell you that- it's above my proverbial pay grade, so to speak. But I don't expect you to take what I say at face value. I can tell you that we are an infiltration unit design to wear a specific cast and lean on specific gangs that are sympathetic to Barker. My unit has been with one up north, which is why we are dressed as we are. During our recall cycle, we were asked to stop by and...excuse my wording but this is what I was told- 'see what all the fuss is about'. Apparently, you guys have been discussed quite...thoroughly."
The man would give a slight inclination of his head for respect.
"If you'd like, I can take you to my superior, whose position in the gang actually allows them to answer questions such as those you may have."
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on May 16, 2013 21:42:28 GMT -8
"...then you'll understand why we won't be going with you."
This entire state was their territory. Following them into an unknown area would only further Mitsuki and David's disadvantage. This was why Mitsuki specifically requested that when 'they' (those other two gangs; or she would specifically request this non-negotiable term once that thread progresses...) were comfortable to negotiate and discuss alliances, then 'they' should go to them- and she made it very clear where she and David would be at all times.
"We mean no disrespect to you nor your superiors."
This was self-preservation. She and David already took the risk by travelling from California to Texas; already put themselves out in the open on a daily basis for them to be approached after initially approaching. She did feel a tad bit sorry because her words may have been misinterpreted easily; some of his men might think their travel / pitstop to visit Mitsuki and David were in vain.
"I hope you can pass on to your superiors that I am prepared to discuss 'business', and that I humbly request their audience at this hotel."
The only advantage of meeting at the hotel was that she and David had looked through the blueprints for security purposes. So, if things didn't turn out the way Mitsuki anticipated, rather than starting a fight with the entire state of Texas............yeahh...................
|
|
|
|
Post by David B. on May 16, 2013 21:50:55 GMT -8
The kids mouth closed a moment as she refused. He would clear his throat and scratch his head.
"Well..uh-"
He would take a deep breath.
"We can't really leave without bringing you along. By...force, if necessary. But-"
David's hand whipped up, drawing the Storm Blade and stepping in front of Mitsuki, moving her back a little as he brought the blade up to the mans throat, the tip touching his neck as his eyes went wide. The men around drew weapons- knives and chains and pipes, ready to attack as necessary. David didn't take his eyes off the man.
"I can kill you and your friends before you blink next, so I suggest you choose your following words carefully. Speak to her over my shoulder and know that if your words carry threat again, you won't live to see the lobby.""
A trickle of sweat came down the side of the mans forehead as brought his eyes to Mitsuki.
"I-..w-was going to say he is h-here, maam. in your r-room."
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on May 16, 2013 22:24:27 GMT -8
Sending a sub-luitenant and crew to use force on Mitsuki and David was just insulting. They were probably training some of those in higher officer ranking positions, if anything, and they send one of the lowest ranking to use force? Either these 'sub-luitenants' were expendable, or they really didn't know how to observe properly. Then again, these were not the same groups she and David had a run in with at the diner.
Mitsuki kept the same, polite expression on her face, as if she hadn't noticed David doing his body-guard duties; as if this were a normal occasion...but her eyes changed significantly, pupils narrowing, letting them know that this was not child's play. That although this may seem like the norm, they carried weight beneath them. So if they thought he was all talk and no action...think again.
Why a superior ranking officer would go into her room in the first place was beyond her. They should know that, if Mitsuki and David hadn't had a run in with these mohawk individuals, then the officer would have been immediately seen as a threat and 'mitigated' without hesitation. Why did they even have the need to escort them back to their rooms? Why didn't they share the information of their superior being in their rooms beforehand? Was it because...they were snooping, and needed time?
"Thank you, Sub-luitenant Quantrel. You and your men are dismissed. David will escort me back to my room, and I will relay to your commanding officer that I refused your assistance."
She waited- either for their parting words and then their departure, or their departure straightaway.
|
|
|
|
Post by David B. on May 16, 2013 22:53:04 GMT -8
The man would nod before backing away slowly- but he didn't leave. The others did, without looking back, but Quantrel did not. He put his hands together and gave a small bow.
"I'm sorry- I can't leave. Kill me if you have to, but if I don't report in with you...they may kill me anyway."
David would turn to look at Mitsuki for direction. Without the others, there was little threat, and the guy seemed to only be doing his job. He would grunt.
"Could let him go in first, make sure there is no trap."
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on May 16, 2013 23:59:58 GMT -8
Mitsuki smiled a kind, reassuring smile.
"We are not unkind, nor unreasonable. Please, lead the way."
She nodded toward David.
|
|
|
|
Post by David B. on May 17, 2013 15:42:16 GMT -8
David would turn to the man and gesture with a flick of his head in the direction of the elevator. He put himself between Mitsuki and the man, making sure the fellow knew that David would be the first person he would be attempting contact with if he got ideas. After a short elevator ride, David would motion with his sword for the man to lead the way, telling him the room number. Once there, David would slide their card key into the door and let the man walk in first.
As the door would close behind the three of them, the man walked into the room and took a deep breath, stopping in the center before turning back with a smile. Not an evil one, but a pleased one. He clasped his hands in front of him and gave a small bow.
"Thank you for listening. My men do not know me as I am, behind the curtain, and I had to make me coming here, alone, believable. Though they see me as sublieutenant Quantrel, the reality is this- I am Mike Offenston, Commander in Chief of all Black ops forces south of Kansas, East of Utah and West of Missouri. My apologies for the deception- but everything here isn't quite as simple as they seem."
There seemed a near ripple of change come over the fellow, as his body tightened with that of respect, and power. The guy was a either a brilliant liar, or talented with skills born of position. David would glance at Mitsuki before posing a question.
"No offense, but I've never heard of you or your men."
Offensten smiled.
"If you had, we wouldn't be doing our job. I am the sole commander of seventeen hundred men. We are a covert ops group, and most of us are what remain of the US military in the sector. After the fall of our base in Houston, we were divided. Our former leader brought us together, but died in battle earlier this year. I took over. Welcome to Texas, Mr.Blaze and Ms.Park. We wondered when the west would show up."
David would shake the mans hand as he reached out, but would then let Mitsuki take over the discussion.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on May 17, 2013 20:14:49 GMT -8
Mitsuki wasn't upset with this commander for lying, but more...displeased. Now, her first impression of the Commander in Chief of the remaining Black Ops in the area was that he blatantly lied. She was understanding of his reasons, of course, but she thought that he could have handled the situation better...though this man seemed very purposeful in his actions, so now she curiously displeased (if that makes it any better). There were many questions that quickly formed concerning his reason for joining Free Flight, as well as why he hadn't approached them by himself. In the hotel, there were clearly no 'superior officers' awaiting the two except the supposed transformed man before them. But, she figured, all that would be answered or more clearly understood in time.
His last sentence...
"Thanks for having us. What took you so long to approach?"
The question was light hearted, but in no way disrespectful. She was not putting herself on equal footing with the Commander- she was no where close. She understood that for him to be in charge of over a thousand men meant he was highly trained and practiced in the art of tactics, diplomacy, and combat. The title in itself was something to be revered, but the title wasn't what started the garnering of respect for him; it was the way he held himself, the way his entire demeanor changed on the spot so drastically and fluidly.
She shook his hand.
"As you already know, I'm Mitsuki Park, and this is my body guard, David Blaze. Please, take a seat."
She gestured to the small coffee table and chairs surrounding it, while grabbing a chair and sitting herself. After everyone settled in...
"Is there anything you would like to address first?"
Before she asked questions, that could all potentially just be answered if he explained himself a little more; like what the Black Ops were doing, if he understood why Mitsuki and David were there, his history as Commander in Chief and their plans for the future- simple things. >.>
|
|
|
|
Post by David B. on May 17, 2013 20:29:26 GMT -8
He took her hand and gave another small smile, seeming to know what was going through her mind. He took a deep breath.
"Many reasons, really. In recent days our numbers have swelled, but so have the number of spies and assassins we have had to deal with. I took a leave of absence and re-enlisted as a startup, running things from the background while doing so. Myself and several other head officers have done this so as to weed out the thorns, so to speak. When we heard you had arrived, we made a few checks in Chicago and California to confirm you are who you say- trusting what strangers have said cost us dearly in the past."
He would take a seat, lifting his water bottle from the table and taking a drink.
"Lets start with why you are here and who you speak for. Is it the Dragons, or some other group back in Chicago? And if its the latter, how did you convince a Dragon Elder to come along?"
He folded his hands on his lap and waited.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on May 17, 2013 21:21:51 GMT -8
They visited Chicago? Smart move.
"Neither. I speak on behalf of Miss Delilah Black, First of the Crows and the future of the Allied Forces, and I am here to negotiate an alliance.
"To say that Barker is a formidable opponent is an understatement. Even with your force of a thousand men, combined with the trained hundreds that are within the three factions of California, would just barely make a dent in Barker's armor. If it comes down to sheer number, we would always be at a disadvantage, and I'm sure this is something you already understand.
"I say this because the reason for creating an Allied Force isn't solely to increase in number; the reason for the Allied Forces is to create a single body of one goal, with many units of separate objectives. The beautiful thing about the AF are the individual factions within it that each have their own strengths and weaknesses; each with a brilliant head leading the group in both tactile offense and defensive positions."
But, that isn't to say that the increase in number wouldn't do good as well- the natural response of a larger force is hope for the civillians, that they would see the world banding together in a fight against the one that started this mess. But...that is, if they went public with the AF.
As for the second question, without even looking at David:
"Before he was a Dragon, he was my friend."
That was all she would say unless the Commander further questioned as to why David was here. A simple answer, but to Mitsuki, held more depth than the Commander could probably even imagine.
|
|
|
|
Post by David B. on May 17, 2013 21:29:32 GMT -8
David didn't say anything either, but felt a twinge of pride in his chest as she called him friend.
Mike said nothing as she spoke, waiting and listening. When she finished, he looked out the window and let out a breath. He would twiddle his thumbs a moment before turning his gaze back to her.
"Ms.Black... I see. Of the Crows?"
He stood and put his hands behind his back, walking a little toward the window and glancing out, at his men down below who had secured the front door. He turned back to her.
"To be honest, If the Crows, Dragons or any other group in your area combined forces, you wouldn't add up to our numbers. Putting that aside, why should I believe this woman is the future of anything- your gangs control a small portion of California- yet you want me to divert resources to you. I'd need a reason more than faith."
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on May 17, 2013 22:19:56 GMT -8
Which was precisely why she mentioned his forces as being a thousand, and the combined forces of SoCal as being in the hundreds. She wasn't going to bother mentioning this to the Commander, but if numbers were what all he got out of her introduction to the AF, which she emphasized was really not the point, then... She was disappointed. He said so little, but there was so much to address- and for the sake of moving things along, Mitsuki would try to be more straightforward (if she wasn't already) in her responses to make herself more clear.
First:
"Diverting your resources to Southern California was not mentioned nor implied. We don't need that kind of assistance."
The assistance Mitsuki needed was his cooperation, and so far, she wasn't getting it. It wasn't because he was stubborn; it was because he wasn't understanding her words.
The Dragons, the Crows, and the Gods were thriving perfectly well enough on their own to not need any assistance from the outside. With his choice of words, Mitsuki almost felt as if he were undermining the power within the three factions alone. She almost wanted to tell him that the population of Southern California alone, pre-Apocalypse, was more than the entire population of the state of Texas. So if the wipe was evenly distributed during the apocalypse...that would mean SoCal still had a larger population than the entire state of Texas.
Continuing on:
"With that said, please bear in mind that the purpose of the AF is to create maximum impact with a clear, unifying purpose, with each faction driving toward several different objectives."
Not clear enough?
"With a force your size, I'm going to assume you have Lieutenant and Major Generals, who are in charge of Colonels and Captains, who are in charge of Sergeants, Corporals, and Privates."
He could correct her all he wanted, but she hoped he would understand that the point of this analogy wasn't accuracy to what titles there were or weren't within his force.
"You, as the Commander in Chief, are most likely not aware of all the actions belonging to that of your Colonels and Captains. But, you trust your Lieutenant and Major Generals enough to understand that whatever plans are carried out are done in the best interest of the Black Ops and what it stands for."
A pause.
"That is the AF on a larger scale. The unifying idea is the Commander in Chief. The leader of each faction, a General, and so on and so forth. Each force holds a different function, according to their strengths and weaknesses, hence the different objectives."
Another pause. Her voice lowered and her pupils narrowed at the Commander, though a pleasant smile crossed her face.
"...'this woman' that you speak of is the beginning of the idea. If you have any respect for what the AF stands for, then you will address her properly."
She was quickly losing respect for the Commander. She didn't give a damn how many men he was in charge of.
"I am not asking you to forfeit your position nor give assistance in material belongings. What I am asking for is your cooperation, not blind faith."
|
|
|
|
Post by David B. on May 17, 2013 22:45:12 GMT -8
Mike took a deep breath.
"I am...sorry, you mistake what I meant."
He chewed his lip a moment, trying to think of better words. He would watch her before continuing.
"May i be...blunt?"
If she gave him the affirmative, he would continue.
"From the east, we have received individuals who have come, looking for things like an alliance. Some with small groups, some with large groups, many with great ideas. When you first spoke a moment or two ago, you had said you were seeking an alliance. An alliance under a name, a group, or any other facet will generally result in a commingling of resources in some way, always. To think otherwise is to address a situation far too altruistically. But resources come in far different ways that manpower, or food, or medicine, or even presence. They come with an edge over people. Over ideals. If I were to say, for instance, that I agree to an alliance, and you get everyone else on board, then the rest of the gangs in the country may hear of it and wish to join. In the end, this organization you are forming may turn into the thing that shapes the world post Barker."
He would not move from her gaze.
"To get to the point- I have many allies in the region who respect my word, and each of them are headed by friends that I care for. Its not out of disrespect for your friends that I question them, but out of respect for mine. I have met you just now, only twenty minutes ago and I, as a leader, must ask what makes you or yours any different than the others who have asked? Would you so readily join someone simply because they believe in an idea? Or in someone who you have not met?"
He would stand and watch her thoughtfully.
"I do not disrespect her- my words give a reflection of my thoughts. For while you see her as a bastion of the new world, I can only see someone I do not know asking for something you seem to regard as easily given. If that is not the case- then enlighten me. What kind of 'cooperation' would she need?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on May 18, 2013 0:25:37 GMT -8
It was mildly frustrating to have the Commander ask her questions that she already answered.
She was beginning to understand the differences between herself and the Commander. For starters, he was doing things that Mitsuki would never do, and she was sure that she was doing the same. One thing in particular is that she wouldn't disrespect his friends out of respect for hers- to her, it just seemed like common courtesy to address people by their names. But to the Commander, who was accustomed to calling people, 'soldier' or some other military title, probably didn't abide by the same standards---
---ah... I see.
She stared.
"Commander, you aren't being blunt enough."
What was the point in him asking her questions despite her having already answered most of them in some form? What was the point in answering them if he didn't think her worth, or even worthy, of being listened to?
"You have a standard- what is it?"
Having to prove herself wasn't exactly part of the day's agenda, but it wasn't something she was unprepared for. She thought she and David were proving themselves when they were training men that were a part of the other two gangs; garnering trust amongst the people whilst gaining respect.
|
|
