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Fever Heat; [P] Rinky 4... IN SPACE!
Topic Started: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:42 pm (3,792 Views)
Rin
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The construct did not allow herself to relax until they had taken several turns and were out of sight. Her shoulders slumped, and she tore a thin strip of fabric off of her splint so that she could pat at the split lip, stopping so that Nkiruka could catch up. The soldier said nothing, a fact that Rin greatly appreciated. She knew she was lucky that the situation hadn't degenerated into more violence. Thankfully, the rest of the soldiers had backed down once they saw how she had handled their comrade. She smiled weakly at the Istani as they continued down the hallway, tucking the bloodied scrap of cloth in her pocket.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was rather tense. Nadiyah was sitting at the head of the table, terse and silent. Although there were several strangers seated around the table, there were also some familiar faces. Khopesh stood up and actually greeted her with a warm embrace that seemed entirely contradictory to his normal stoic behavior. She returned the hug with a soft giggle, ruffling the feathers on the back of the owl demon's skull with her right hand. Zaman was there as well, and Rin could feel the woman's symbiotic ancestor spirit wrap around one arm affectionately. It was quickly followed by a quick hug from the black-haired woman, which took her by surprise. She had saved the life of the soldier when a corrupt brigadier general had tortured her to the brink of death and repaired the bond with her ancestral spirit.

After the greetings were done, Rin and Nkiruka sat down in the seats that were waiting for them. The conference did not start immediately, as more officers were trickling in and taking a seat. Rin hummed softly to herself as they waiting, bobbing back and forth slightly and watching each person that sat down. Khopesh and Nadiyah seemed to be the highest-ranked people present... and from what she understood of military regalia and hierarchy, Nkiruka was the lowest. She had a sinking suspicion that her friend was only present because of her close relationship with Chaitaki. The construct was the only one at the table who wasn't actually a member of the Army, and she thought a couple of the strangers were shooting her suspicious glares. These people... are not thrilled with how we handled the situation in Axerise. The memory of her capture and attempted execution flashed through her mind, and Rin couldn't help swallowing nervously.

When Nadiyah instructed everyone to sit, there were several moments of anticipatory silence. Khopesh eventually broke it by asking her about the meeting with the Sultan. Several of the listeners perked up at the question, their eyes swiveling to the girl to await her response. She grinned widely and nodded at the owl demon, eyes sparkling. "I know! I've been told it's a great honor. I'm looking forward to it! Is she pretty?" The informality of the response clearly shocked several of the soldiers, and she could see them pressing their lips together to keep from snapping at her. There was a slightly mischievous hint in her grin, but she still stopped talking in order to avoid seriously offending anyone present.
Edited by Rin, Tue Aug 14, 2012 6:49 pm.
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Nkiruka
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Nkiruka suddenly looked up from Rin's seemingly innocuous question, her eyes wide with disbelief. The knife-wielding woman actually did a double-take. There was a short, awkward silence as reactions ranged from complete ambivalence to neutral shock or insult. Khopesh, being Khopesh, didn't even skip a beat. "I am sure many would say so. A sixty-year-old woman with the appearance of one a third her age, sheltered from the day-to-day happenings that wear on mortals. Ah, what many of us would give to have our bodies kept young and strong." By the end of Khopesh's small, intentionally whimsical speech, and the light banter it caused among some of the less rigid officers, Nkiruka's cheeks were hot and she was doing her best to try to look small and keep attention off of them. Nadiyah was similarly unamused, propping her fingertips up to her face as she waited for the time to begin the meeting.

The banter tapered off on its own, and Nadiyah brought the meeting to order right after a short pause. Casual stances became more well-conducted, boots were lowered from the table and weapons were removed from view, people shifting in their chairs to get comfortable and put all their materials together. Nkiruka took a deep breath, her eyes flicking between everyone. Nadiyah's speech was more rigid than usual, like she was reading off of something or reciting something from memory. "The purpose of this meeting is to determine the threat posed by Chaitaki Menai and her new Rainfall Rebellion. We will carry out this primary goal by presenting the recent work of my personal counter-insurgency unit to our honored attendees, which include General Nazar Makrih Salgin of the il-Makhti, Brigadier General Symon 'ela Gulrukh of the Taber-Nahkal, Colonel Joachim Arshaq of Kor Lemet, Colonel Telvaira ka Waseem of the Shevakiri, Lieutenant Colonel Najm Rasul of Kirik Jal, and Major Aisha Zaman of the Urban Cohorts.

To all of these unaffiliated guests it is my pleasure to introduce my valued consultants, Captain Nkiruka Menai of the Shevakiri and va-Rinrae Dromigg."
She motioned to each of them in turn, and nodded at the opposite end of the oval when speaking of the two of them. While she went quickly through the remaining members of her counter-insurgency unit, it was assumed that they were members of Nadiyah's counter-insurgency unit and most likely were not going to speak. A few of the officers kept their eyes on Rin, not outright hostile but remembering. "I would like to begin with some of the most recent news about Rainfall attacks which are merely hours old. General Salgin?"

Khopesh cleared his throat. "This afternoon Warrant Officer Arrad Sokel of the il-Makhti was violently murdered in his apartment. The murder happened at approximately the same time that Colonel Isra 'ela Korzul was also attacked in her own home. While the latter is currently in critical condition, her testimony suggests that her and Sokel's assailants both consisted of Rainfall members."

"They're in Istan City now?" asked Symon 'ela Gulrukh, his voice sounding a bit shocked. "How is that even possible? We would have seen people of Rainfall's description from miles away."

"Sleeper agents," Nkiruka said. "Easy for an old tribal to blend into the crowds. And they don't even need to smuggle weapons into the city, since they're all trained in martial arts." She had been speaking before she even realized everyone's eyes were on her. The soldier tried to continue with that same level of confidence. "This was a completely reckless move on Chaitaki's part. She's just lashing out like a wounded animal, trying to scare us while she's vulnerable."

"You would know," mused Telvaira ka Waseem, who looked fidgety without a knife in her hands. Nkiruka glared at her something fierce, but didn't say anything on that particular line of thought.

"She's prioritizing people we know, especially people close to us. The attack on Colonel Korzul was obvious, but I'm not sure about Arrad Sokel's relationship to anyone here. It doesn't even have to be a friendship because Chaitaki is just trying to make us feel responsible for their death."


OOC
 
If you didn't want me to kill your Arry NPC (that guy from Fallout that rin locked in an outhouse ROFL), let me know and I can easily change it to someone else!

Also deepest apologies for NPC-bombing and walls of plotcrap. I promise this meeting will get interesting somehow
Edited by Nkiruka, Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:32 pm.
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Rin
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OOC
 
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY!!! NOOOOO- yeah, that's fine.

Rin noticed that even Nkiruka's cheeks had flushed at her candid remarks regarding the Sultan, but she didn't have time to apologize to the officer before the meeting began. Nadiyah was the first to speak, ever word pronounced very exactly and sharply. The construct suspected that some of the general's ire was directed at her and Nkiruka, but the scar-faced woman was still refusing to look in their direction. She went around the table, introducing each of the important soldiers at the meeting and confirming Rin's guess that they held higher ranks than her friend. When Nadiyah introduced her, the girl waved to everyone cheerfully, smiling brightly.

The first one to speak was Khopesh, who shared information regarding the Rainfall Rebellion's most recent activities. She froze at the first name, the smile growing brittle on her face. She thought back to Demir's attempted coup... and the young il-Makhti soldier who had assumed she was a mole placed in the barracks as a test for the Istani Manhunters. He had been an unctuous, flirtatious, arrogant man, but he hadn't deserved to die like that. He probably hadn't deserved to be locked in a outhouse either, but she had been desperate.

When Nkiruka finished speaking, the construct awkwardly cleared her throat and half-raised her right hand. "Er... Arrad Sokel and I met during that unpleasantness with Demir." She bit her lower lip slightly self-consciously. "He saw through my cover, so I had to... incapacitate him. I don't know how Chaitaki found out, but I think she's trying to tell me she can still reach me..."

"I agree with Captain Menai." The one-eyed woman that Nadiyah had introduced Najm Rasul as spoke up, leaning forward and folding her hands on the table. Rin thought that the officer laid an unnecessary emphasis on her friend's last name, highlighting Nkiruka's relationship with their target. The girl scowled at her, but the Lieutenant Colonel simply continued like nothing was wrong. "Chaitaki is clearly slipping if she thinks eliminating such a low-ranked soldier was a sound strategic decision. We need to strike again while she is still off-balance. I suggest we-"

"Attacking a wounded animal will simply get you gored if you act in haste." Najm's head jerked to one side, glaring at Rin from her solitary eye. The construct didn't seem bothered by her obvious ire and continued. "She might be crippled now, both psychologically and physically... but if we press her into a corner, she will feel like she has nothing to lose. Plus who knows how volatile the situation would become with a power vacancy within the Rainfall Rebellion. Someone would simply take her place and continue their plot. Thousands would die."

Telvaira muttered underneath her breath, but the construct's sharp ears caught a surly comment that included the words 'Meera's Miracle' and 'Lugram.' She stopped speaking immediately, turning to stare at the Colonel. She smiled at the woman, but the expression was just marginally too wide and too long to be considered friendly. "If you are uncomfortable with my presence, perhaps you would like to see my pardon? It's written on very fine parchment, lots of fancy words. Are you literate?"
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Nkiruka
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Colonel Telvaira's face filled with shock, practically agape with indignation until it contorted into a fierce scowl. "How-... how dare you?! You come in here thinking you can insult us simply because old Raahi said you could walk free? You expect us to treat you with honor for that reason alone?"

"Calm down, Colonel," Khopesh gently urged. Nadiyah cleared her throat and shifted awkwardly in her seat.

"I respectfully decline!" Her voice was almost raised to a shout, and she pushed back on her chair as she rose to her feet. "I refuse to let her stay if she'll merely spend our time smugly jabbing at everyone who does deserve to be here!"

"Calm down!" Symon growled.

Telvaira pointed at Rin, her finger trembling with rage and lack of a knife to steady it. Zaman next to her was staring down at the table, gently rocking in her seat and humming dissonantly. "Get out! Get out you artificial, murder-loving abenh gheyr sher'ey khol theml 'ela alejbek an--"

"NEQABH!" Nadiyah roared, slamming her fist on the table. The Istani word roughly translated to 'order' as a command, with connotations for everyone to stop what they were doing. The room went silent. The Brigadier General tapped the table once, insistently, with her index finger, eyes burning into the angry Istani officer. "Sit down, Telvaira, and shut up unless you have something meaningful to say." Telvaira's eyes slowly traced back and centered on Rin, and she stared at the construct while she slowly lowered herself back into her seat. Nkiruka wiped some sweat off her brow with the base of her wrist and tried to recollect her thoughts. She was glad that Rin couldn't speak Istani. The kind of language Telvaira slipped into was one very much not suitable for a semi-formal meeting like this, laced with terrible profanity and insulting her friend based on what kind of monster Rin's mother (who was of questionable occupation) had to screw in order to make someone so insolent, et cetera. Overall it was best not translated.

"The- these recent murders were all committed with intimate knowledge of enemies' personal relationships. That further validates the notion that Chaitaki has a mole in the Army of Istan," Nkiruka said while looking down at her papers. "This threat should now be held in higher regard now that it appears the guerrillas are attempting to destroy the sultanate both from the outside and within."

"And she might still have copies of this, err, anti-magic device?" pointed out the man introduced earlier as Joachim Arshaq. He slapped one of his reports with the side of his hand to point it out. "As va-Dromigg said, too much haste will not aid us here. I am mainly worried of their technology. Kor Lemet did an in-depth analysis of the Greystein murder and tools of Sheikh Nadav. Enchantments research was stolen from the Academy, and the tools are specialized for disrupting living things with magical natures. They may seek to counter the abilities of the Sultan's Royal Guard."

"It is for these reasons and many more that I and the rest of my unit believe that we should devote as many resources as we can to dealing with this problem. It is no longer something I can address with a simple side-project. The situation in Axerise was the triggerpoint for the Rainfall case to fall into the hands of the greater Army of Istan."

Symon exhaled slowly, taking in this information as he ran his fingers through his dirty-blond hair. "I think we're forgetting something important here: the fact that the woman moderating this meeting and her consultants were the ones who almost caused an international incident in pursuit of this threat. Her Majesty herself had to issue a statement simply so their actions wouldn't be interpreted as a declaration of war. This and the destruction at the Academy earlier... you are all quite the troublemakers. I know you had your reasons, but I urge you not to get so swept up into this that we become as monstrous as these guerrillas are."

"We cannot burn down the entire world just to expose a dozen rats," agreed Najm, making eye contact with Rin.

Nkiruka flipped through the pages in front of her.

"I don't doubt the threat," continued Symon, "it's the methods that anyone takes issue with. Your tactics and your choice of units are very controversial, va-Korzul. I know the issue of this girl's presence--" he motioned to Nkiruka, "--has been talked about to death already, but now you've also selected a very notorious northerner and miss Zaman here as your biggest players."

"What's wrong with Zaman?" Nkiruka looked up from her papers. There was far too much hint of a challenge in her tone.

Symon backpedaled suddenly. "No offense intended to Major Zaman, of course."

The woman saw everyone's eyes suddenly on her and got visibly uncomfortable. She rubbed the palms of her hands together to try to work the tension out of her fingers, her gaze flitting around. "I don't want any trouble," she said in her usual heavily accented Common.

"Zaman is a fine soldier. It is the other two I worry about. Actually, Nkiruka's presence hasn't been talked about quite to death, and your hostility toward Rin may be better justified than you expect." Everyone in the meeting looked to Najm now, who had her hands calmly folded in front of her. "Before this meeting I went to speak with Nelij Mordani, the mechanic we have in custody who was working on the anti-magic device." The blood drained from Nkiruka's face as she listened and tried not to show her horror on her face. "Korzul, your Chomai ace is starting to lose it." Najm smiled. "Rin can't really speak for herself either, seeing as she was actually living with and protecting Rainfall for quite a while before Captain Menai picked her up."

Even Nadiyah was surprised by this. "Wait... what?"

OOC
 
AAAGH THE ENDLESS TORRENT OF PLOTCRAP

I am so sorry dude, maybe the longer infodumps will make it end faster
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Rin
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The girl leaned back in her chair with a nonchalant expression that would have looked much more innocent if she hadn't raised her eyebrows up in a slightly contemptuous manner. Telvaira shot to her feet, raising her voice to a shout and slipping from the Common tongue to a dialect of Istani that she couldn't understand. From her tone, Rin could infer that the words were probably derogatory and insulting in nature. She fixed the words in the back of her mind, vowing to find someone to translate them for her at a later date. If nothing else, she would ask Nkiruka for an explanation after the meeting was over... although from the way that blood that had rushed to her friend's cheeks, she doubted that the Captain would be forthcoming with a translation.

Nadiyah put a stop to the outburst before too long, roaring and striking the table with enough strength that the entire piece of furniture shook. Telvaira shut up immediately and took her seat somewhat sheepishly when order to by the older woman. Rin met the Colonel's glare as she sat back down, the corner of her mouth pulled up in the barest hint of a smile. The meeting moved forward smoothly after the interruption, with various members of the Army of Istan interjecting with information and opinions. The construct chose to stay silent, still watching the Colonel she had insulted out of the corner of her eye. Telvaira seemed to be content to seethe in silence, shooting Rin a venomous glare from time to time.

She followed the conversation closely, still weaving back and forth, although she thankfully restrained herself from humming. There was at least one pointed comment directed at her from Najm, but the girl chose to let it slide. It seemed as if Nkiruka's presence on the task force was a controversial matter, to say nothing of her own attendance. It wasn't long before it was revealed that there were doubts about Zaman's objectiveness as well.

Rin only stopped her incessant bobbing when she heard Nelij's name. She had completely forgotten about the young mechanic operating with the Rainfall cell hidden in the Dragonspine mountains. She closed her eyes as she waited for the inevitable revelation of her role in the development of the anti-magic device. When Najm dropped that information on the table, she managed to keep from wincing. She calmly laid her right hand on the table, opening her eyes and looking straight at Nadiyah. The Brigadier General looked shocked and slightly betrayed by the proclamation, and the girl knew that if there was one person in the room she needed to convince, it was Korzul.

"You must understand, I was only made aware of Chaitaki's true identity and intentions recently. The device I helped build and maintain was initially designed as a large-scale mechanical device that would nullify magic in a large radius." She tapped her fingers on the table, frowning slightly and nodding towards Symon. "However, altering the apparatus to function in the manner described by the Brigadier General would not be difficult. With the blueprints, Chaitaki and her cells will be able to replicate my wor-"

"And still you insist upon her presence?!" Of course, the outburst came from Colonel Telvaira. The woman pointed an accusatory finger at the construct, the digit literally shaking with rage. "This... this thing has already proven herself a mass murderer, and now she had helped the most dangerous terrorist alive in the creation of a bomb! Demir might have been a lunatic, but at least he knew how to deal with threats to our nation!"

Rin allowed the flare-up to die down before continuing, still speaking calmly and watching Nadiyah. "The Colonel is correct in some regards. I did allow myself to be fooled. Everyone here knows that Chaitaki is charismatic. That is part of what makes her so dangerous." She looked towards one of the aides standing near the doorway, gesturing at the man. He didn't seem to understand what she meant, so she simply grabbed a sheet of paper out of the stack in his arms and a quill and inkpot.

"However, I insist that if the Army had made its opinions on Chaitaki known publicly, I would have been able to avoid my involuntary assistance." For the first time her gaze flickered away from the Brigadier General, going around the circumference of the table and meeting the stares of everyone in attendance. "Additionally, executing the single entity in Chaon that is capable of giving you the schematics of the device that you will soon be facing... well, that would be idiotic."

Symon and Najm instantly perked up, and when Telvaira looked like she was about to protest the one-eyed woman shushed her with a hiss. Rin started to draw on the parchment without even watching what she was doing, turning back to Nadiyah. Her hand flickered almost too quickly to watch, dipping the pen into the ink between strokes to keep it from going dry. "I will do whatever this council deems necessary in order to rectify my mistake and eliminate this threat. If you think my continued involvement will only make matters worse... Well, I will leave. But do not thank that you can imprison or punish me so easily."

It was silent for a few moments after that ominous remark. Telvaira drew in a deep breath as if she was preparing a scathing retort, but Symon spoke up first, cutting the lower-ranked officer off. "It would be foolish of us to discard such a willing... collaborator. No one can doubt va-Dromigg's skill in combat, and at the moment, she is the only one in this room that has managed to seriously injure Chaitaki." He steepled his fingers, watching the construct draw the blueprint with open eagerness. "We need her, even if she has not made the most responsible decisions in the past. Does anyone here disagree?" Rin arched an eyebrow at the Brigadier General, wary of the unexpected support, but his only response was to smile and nod at her. She shrugged and looked around the table to see if anyone would object.
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There were a few moments of tense silence as Symon's question lingered in the air. Nadiyah was leaning forward in her chair, chin propped up in one hand. Her focus wasn't on Rin, but on the drawing she was making. It was turning out to be an incredibly elaborate, perfectly recreated schematic putting into detail every little clockwork gear and rune that made it functional, as far as they could tell.

"She has an eidetic memory," said Nkiruka softly, always explaining.

Joachim, the man from Kor Lemet, was especially interested in the diagrams, and was the one leaning forward the most. "Indeed," he said. The Kor Lemet regiment was essentially an investigative black ops unit, and they certainly knew what they were doing when they handled dangerous arcanotechnology like this.

No one disagreed. Even Telvaira was smoldering and quiet, knowing now that putting more contention into this meeting would likely get her thrown out and decrease her merit significantly. They all could complain as much as they wanted to about Rin's nature, but the practical ways she could aid them were too many to ignore. Nkiruka bet a lot of them were swallowing their pride a bit right now. Once Rin was done, Joachim politely asked if he could see it while he dug a pair of spectacles from his belongings and placed them on the bridge of his hooked nose. He raised his eyebrows at the sight of it, clearly impressed. Despite that expression, he was probably checking it for validity first and foremost.

Even though most of the people in the council were beginning to settle into the idea of accepting Rin as a legitimate ally, Nadiyah's expression hadn't noticeably changed. "I'm glad we've finally established that someone whom I've never considered an enemy is, in fact, not an enemy," she quipped, deadpan. "As Joachim checks those blueprints I would like Lieutenant Colonel Rasul to elaborate on the claim that Captain Menai is 'losing it.'"

"Yes, ma'am," said Najm, bowing her head politely. And so she recounted the mechanic Nelij's story about Nkiruka's attack; her strange, unhinged behavior; her capture and interrogation of the mechanic and several other operatives; and what basically amounted to a small, terrifying mental breakdown during the interrogation. Throughout the brief telling of the story Nkiruka tried her hardest to wipe her face of any emotion, sit up straight, and maintain eye contact, but her hands were shaking under the table. Once again, the Istani officer found all eyes on her, burning into her. She hated it.

"Is this true, Captain?"

Nkiruka swallowed, but her throat was dry. "Yes, ma'am. But I got better, I swear it. And I regret it deeply. I calmed myself and got my priorities straight since Rin joined me. I know I didn't endear the Army of Istan well to Nelij and likely scarred her for life, and I am truly sorry for that lapse." She had trouble speaking and sometimes had to pause between statements.

The Brigadier General leaned back in her seat, finding a new comfortable spot. The way she looked at Nkiruka was... horrifying, and would've even been frightening if Nkiruka was capable of feeling fear. There was nothing overtly hostile about it. In fact, it probably looked neutral to most of these people. But there was something in her eyes, and her facial expression, something deep and powerful and decades old. It said, I would eagerly exchange your life for a chance to kill Chaitaki. In Axerise I ran for her, and given the opportunity I would do it again without a moment of hesitation. The realization of Nadiyah's deeper motives, hinted at earlier by Chaitaki herself, was more than a little chilling. No one wanted to be thought of as absolute trash, the daughter of the worst person in the world, to be used as a tool for revenge and then discarded.

"These blueprints look very complex, but plausible," said Joachim after a pause. "Thank you, Rinrae Dromigg. This will be a valuable tool in our efforts against these terrorists." It broke the silence for a moment, but people must have still been waiting for Nadiyah or Nkiruka to say something on this fairly tense subject.

Finally, Nkiruka's hands curled into fists underneath the table. Her eyes flashed to Nadiyah, then scanned over the rest of the table while she spoke. "This is ridiculous. This is supposed to be a meeting about the threat Chaitaki's Rainfall Rebellion poses. You need me just as much as you need Rin. Rin is the hammer, capable of so much raw power, but you won't get anywhere even close to Chaitaki without an arm to direct that hammer. I was poisoning punji stakes when I was nine years old under that woman's guidance. I could kill a man with an okulwi when I was twelve. I know every damn tactic that Chaitaki and her extremists use, or close to it. I know her past, and her politics, and beliefs, and personality, and all of that much better than any of you people could possibly hope to gather from scattered old eyewitness accounts. I can and have given all this help to you people, and you're still wondering if I'm cut out for the job?"
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Rin was glad that the gathered soldiers were intelligent enough to realize how much of an asset she could be. As soon as the schematic was finished she slid it across the table to the man who had been introduced as Joachim. He had been silent up to this point, but his eyes lit up as they scanned the measurements and construction notes she had included in the ridiculously detailed blueprints. While it seemed like the construct's presence in these operations had been guaranteed, Nkiruka's behavior was now scrutinized. When the Captain apologized, Rin had difficulty believing that it was her friend who was speaking. Her words were soft and apologetic, holding none of the gruff confidence that she had come to expect from the woman. An awkward silence formed around the table, and she could see how the suspicion of her peers was weighing down her mentor. If her left hand had not been restrained underneath her tunic in its sling, she would have reached out to pat Nkiruka on the shoulder. As it was, she simply smiled reassuringly at the woman as she began to talk.

When she finished, Symon and Joachim were nodding to theemselves, while Najm and Telvaira did not seem convinced. Before either of them could speak up, Rin took the initiative. "I think you might misunderstand my motivation. I am here because Nkiruka is my friend. I will only allow this committee to guide my actions if she remains in the decision-making process. I have sworn no oaths to the Army or the Sultan. If you decide she is mentally unsound or otherwise unfit for this task force, I will offer you no further assistance."

Najm's one-eyed stare moved to her, and although she kept her expression pleasant her words were as harsh as any scowl. "Don't be foolish. Chaitaki has shown she is willing to kill others to get to you. You wouldn't last a month on your own."

Rin's head snapped back as she laughed, the sound as high and delightful as a chorus of silver bells. Most of the people at the table seemed shocked by the mirthful outburst. Only Zaman, Nadiyah, and Khopesh managed to keep their composure, and that was probably because they had spent time with the construct in the past. When the giggles subsided she shook her head at the Lieutenant Colonel. "You think I fear Chaitaki? She hit me with everything she had and still just barely managed to escape. I can take care of myself, Najm. I have no family she can threaten, no lovers she can abduct. There is nothing tying me down. Without Nkiruka, I will simply leave Istan in your hands and leave."

Nadiyah looked rather frustrated by the conversation, raising her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, as if she was trying to stop a full-blown migraine from developing. Rin felt a flash of sympathy for the woman. She was trying to organize a task force to hunt down a dangerous enemy and her subordinates were mired in petty squabbles. Rin sighed and nodded an apology to the table. "I'm sorry. Allow me to rephrase. All of us are here for specific reasons. I possess important knowledge, as does Nkiruka. I can only assume the rest of you are equally competent and important to our success. Forcing anyone here to depart would be a poor decision that would decrease our effectiveness."

Nadiyah huffed in annoyance. "Finally someone else has reasonable input. Captain Menai will remain, so long as she can keep herself in check. If I suspect your emotional attachments will compromise the mission, you will be immediately removed from duty." She looked around the table to make sure no one would object. After a few seconds Rin nodded in agreement, quickly followed by the other officers. "Now then. We need to find a way to eliminate the Rainfall Rebellion. Not just Chaitaki or its leaders. The entire organization. We will tear up their roots and salt the earth so they can never recover." She slapped her gloved hand against the tabletop for emphasis.
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After the tension of the situation subsided, Nkiruka flashed a small smile at her friend that, while brief, conveyed the depths of her gratitude well. Had the discussion gone in the opposite direction, it was possible the Istani soldier would have been thrown out of the counter-insurgency project and maybe even set up for evaluation again. The slippery slope could have left her teetering on the brink of losing her job and the career she had been working so hard to develop for the past several years. Needless to say, Nkiruka's gratitude was beyond immense.

When Nadiyah proceeded to move into the next phase of the meeting, the discussion of how they were going to handle and remove the threat, Nkiruka flipped one of her pages and raised her finger slightly. Nadiyah nodded at her, calling on her to speak. "The ultimate foundation that Rainfall has operated from since the beginning is a belief that their people were deeply wronged by Istan City. Massive anti-sultanate sentiment is extremely common among the tribes that make up the new Rainfall Rebellion, even in non-extremist members of those tribes. Given time and the appropriate mindset, tribals who feel wronged can grow to become violent extremists, especially if they come to believe that violence is the only way to get the sultanate's attention or actually change anything." She took a deep breath and continued, alternating from reading off her notes and looking at the other officers. The other people in the meeting seemed overall interested in what she had to say, and even Nejm and Telvaira looked as neutral as they'd ever be.

"I would like to propose a plan of action that has two parts. The first addresses this core issue and will prevent Rainfall from growing. We need to address the social and political issues that are causing unrest in these tribals. Most importantly, we need to show compassion and make compromises. We'll probably be dealing out as many reparations as we can and-- and maybe even making new land deals and expanding on some of their rights." Telvaira's face was scrunched into a suspicious glare, as if she was saying. 'There you go! There's that tribalist agenda!' She didn't say anything, though. "This facet is something I'd like to try to negotiate with Her Majesty the Sultan if possible. The second part of this plan is the active destruction of Rainfall. Traditional military tactics obviously aren't going to be effective, but it'll still require the cooperation of multiple regimental specialists. I consulted with Brigadier General Korzul, Kho- err, General Salgin, and several other members of the military who have considerable experience with asymmetric warfare." She nodded to Khopesh.

"I am willing to extend the full capabilities of the il-Makhti intelligence network toward Captain Menai's search-and-destroy plan. This will be critical in effectively eliminating the guerrillas. Brigadier General Korzul and Captain Menai will be granted full access to our records. Additionally, my agents will keep in contact with them as they work, in order to keep the flow of information relatively constant."

Nkiruka bowed her head at the owlman in thanks, and she turned to Colonel Joachim. "Kor Lemet would play a vital role, especially in the 'destroy' part of the equation."

Joachim nodded. "Of course. I will do everything in my power to help. I do not have the same resources as General Salgin, but I command enough men to fight the relatively small in numbers Rainfall."

"I also plan to enlist the aid of the Black Bows task force, since I know their commander personally. They can aid in both intelligence and removal of Rainfall cells." Nkiruka looked to Telvaira, Symon, Nejm and Zaman in turn. "The help that the Rangers, Axe and Ox, Kirik Jal and the Urban Cohorts can provide in the destruction of Rainfall is also self-evident. With each of these regiments working together and using each others' specialties to complement one another, there's no way Rainfall will survive."

"Specifically, the Urban Cohorts will take charge of all defensive actions. We will work with Kor Lemet agents and the Axe and Ox heavy infantry so that we might fortify Istan City and the Ivory Palace in the case of a major Rainfall attack," Nadiyah added, nodding to Zaman.

The rest of the meeting was an in-depth discussion and negotiation of logistics. Most of the focus was placed on the second part of Nkiruka's operation, the search-and-destroy elimination of Rainfall, as it was the most straightforward of the two. Nkiruka tried her best to contribute to this final part of the meeting, but even though she was quite knowledgeable of military tactics, it didn't hold a candle to many of these highly experienced veterans. They talked specific unit placement, intelligence gathering, communications logistics, and pretty much every major and minor facet of the whole operation. It was an ambitious project that would smartly comb essentially all of Imythess, smoking out the terrorists and arresting or eliminating them. This was the real power of the Army of Istan: its effectiveness and efficiency when everyone involved was in agreement and on the same page.

It was serious, now. They were playing with a subset of one of Imythess' greatest war machines. Chaitaki upped the stakes first, so now it was the Army's turn to make their enemies sweat.

And then, after what felt like hours of talking, they were done. Nadiyah thanked everyone for their cooperation before dismissing them, and the small group of just a little over a dozen people cleared out of the room. Nkiruka took her time putting all her materials away. She felt Zaman give her a friendly pat on the shoulder while passing her spot; Aisha was busy and couldn't stay to chat. Khopesh also gave Rin and Nkiruka a stiff wave, but he was immediately accosted with discussion from Joachim and Symon which forced him to leave the room. Nadiyah followed the small crowd out and disappeared in the doorway right as Nkiruka, one of the last people still inside, picked up her crutches and got up to her feet. The officer sighed and smiled tiredly at Rin. "Thanks. You were a big help. If they thought my mental state was poor, I could have been sent to evaluation and maybe even lost my job." She started leading the way out, hobble-walking on her crutches. "I'm going back to my apartment. You can follow me or meet me there later."
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The meeting continued in a much more focused manner now that they weren't treating Rin and Nkiruka like ticking time bombs. The construct had very little to add to the preparations. The logistics of coordinating an organization as large as the Army of Istan was mind-boggling. Forgetting any single detail could lead to huge problems, but it seemed like most of the gathered officers had some experience in delegating tasks and formulating battle plans. She soon grew bored, and was only paying attention to the conference in the corner of her mind while she mentally went back through the fight with Chaitaki and the Rainfall guerillas, assessing their tactics and trying to develop counter-strategies that would allow her to fare battle in the next confrontation.

When the meeting finally drew to a close, all of the soldiers dispersed to follow their orders. Not even Khopesh or Zaman could stay behind to talk and reminisce, which was too bad. Nkiruka left as well after inviting the construct to join her at her apartment later. Rin smiled s lazily, at her friend and assured her that she would meet the soldier there later tonight. She hobbled out of headquarters on her crutches, but the construct took longer to depart. She walked through the hallways lazily, ignoring the curious stares she received from most of the passersby. Eventually she reached the large, outer courtyard where the soldiers trained and drilled. She stood on the outskirts of the clearing, watching a small regiment as they went through a choreographed series of sword techniques.

"Telvaira's sister was the captain of the regiment in Meera's Miracle. She was out on patrol when you arrived and removed the source of water." Rin turned to see Najm leaning against the wall, steadily watching her with one eye. She suspected that the Lieutenant Colonel was used to her disfigurement making people uncomfortable, which was probably the main reason why she didn't wear an eye patch. "When they returned, low on supplies and water, they were greeted by empty houses and the corpses of those who had already died of thirst. They didn't manage to make it to the nearest oasis." She moved forward until she stood next to the construct, arms folded behind her with her fingers wrapped together in the small of her back. "The evidence we found suggests that they were forced to drinking the blood of their camels and horses, near the end. It didn't save them, but it did prolong their suffering."

Rin's expression did not change throughout the story, and her eyes swiveled back to the training ranks of soldiers. The silence stretched between them for several long minutes before she spoke. "That is unfortunate. I did not mean for anyone to die. But I do not expect anyone to understand the necessity."

"To be honest, I agree with her. In any other circumstances, I would tie your noose myself." The statement was said matter-of-factly, with no hint of anger or derision. She was simply stating her opinion, and Rin found that she appreciated the woman's blunt honesty. "If you help us defeat the Rainfall Rebellion, I am sure that many people will forgive the atrocities you have committed. Is that why you are here? To make amends?"

The construct was shaking her head even before Najm finished speaking. "I told you inside. Nkiruka is my friend. She needs me here." She ran her right hand through her hair, pushing the golden locks out of her face. "I could care less what a single person in your Army thinks of me, Lieutenant Colonel. Including you." She smiled at the woman before turning and walking straight out of the gates of the military headquarters and into the city streets.



That night, Rin knocked on the door to Nkiruka's apartment with a paper sack in one hand. There was a slight flush to her cheeks as she came inside, and when she opened up the bag the smell of seasoned meat wafted out. "I bought some gyros and souvlaki. In case you forgot to eat." However, instead of withdrawing food for herself she pulled out a large bottle full of clear liquid. The construct collapsed on one of the chairs, popping off the lid and taking a long drag from the bottle. "You know, Soko always told me that alcohol is the best medicine for forgiving or forgetting. It turns out my metabolism functions so efficiently that it doesn't effect me. This is my third bottle. The bartender told me I should be dead." She shrugged and closed her eyes, holding the bottle close to her chest and sighing heavily.
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Nkiruka heard the knock on the door and pushed herself up, grabbing one of her crutches as she went. The soldier shuffled the short distance to her front door and pressed her eye to the peephole. When she determined it was Rin accompanied by the buried scent of food, she backed up and opened it for her. The smell overpowered her wolf's nose when her friend came in, making her dizzy with sudden hunger. "Th-thanks," she said, holding the bridge of her nose briefly before recovering.

The interior of Nkiruka's three-room apartment was basically a single, massive office. Gone was the half-moved-in emptiness of the last time Rin had been here, although the way she organized some of her belongings it looked like the soldier still had lingering worries about having to pack up and leave at a moment's notice. The 'common room' was dominated by a large northern-style table with chairs for seats instead of pillows. It was piled on with stacks of books, scrolls, a lantern, and lots of blank parchment and writing supplies. Nkiruka took a deep breath and dug the food out of its bag, taking one skewer of pork in one hand and a gyro in another. Eying Rin who made herself comfortable in the other chair, the soldier forced herself to eat slowly, painfully slowly. The facade of appearing well-fed left pretty much the moment it started, though, and she was back to scarfing down her meal with expressionless relish.

"You look like a delinquent with that bottle in your hand," she said.

It wasn't long before Nkiruka had ingested every ounce of the meal. She rose to her feet and, trying to taper off her use of the crutches, shuffled back to her room without assistance. Raising a hand in a casual sort of wave, the Istani officer bid her friend good night, pointing out the folded-up futon in the other room that she could use. "Make sure you have something nice to wear for tomorrow afternoon," she added.



The rising heat and the harsh sun coming in through the shutters woke up Nkiruka a bit earlier than she wanted to. It was the first full night's sleep she'd had in a long time, and her body wasn't used to it. She rolled out of bed, sluggish, and tried to stretch the soreness out of her muscles. Upon getting up the soldier was pleased to find that putting all her weight on her legs was no longer the least bit painful, and she could move and rotate them to a normal extent. Her hamstrings didn't feel nearly as flexible as they were before her mother cut them, but hopefully thanks to Rin's healing that would return in time. Once she was feeling suitably alive and awake, Nkiruka dug through her closet and located her fanciest dress uniform hidden far in the back. The number of times she'd worn that thing could be counted on one hand. Honestly, she preferred wearing dresses during formal occasions, but this would have to do considering the militaristic nature of their meeting with the Sultan.

When Rin met up with her in the common room, Nkiruka was sitting on one of the chairs backwards, busy fastening medals to her jacket which was sitting over the back of the chair. It was difficult and time-consuming to get them lined up and layered just right. When she was done, the left breast of the jacket featured nearly two full lines of medals. Even though it looked fairly impressive, it was nothing compared to the ridiculous decorations of higher-ranked veterans, who were often physically weighed down by the medals. (While ribbon bars did exist, they were only used for less formal occasions). Nkiruka's hair was still a bit wet from a trip to the public baths earlier in the morning and in general she looked half-done up. She looked up and gave Rin a nod in greeting. "We'll have to arrive at the Ivory Palace a little early. They plan to... clean us up beforehand. Have you ever worn real make-up before? I haven't."
Edited by Nkiruka, Thu Aug 16, 2012 4:17 pm.
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Rin smiled slightly when she saw how fervently Nkiruka dug into the meal. She had suspected that a combination of exhaustion and nerves had made the soldier forget to eat entirely, and it looked like she was right. She continued to take small sips from the bottle as her friend devoured the spicy food. Her cheeks grew slightly more flushed, but nothing in her demeanor or speech suggested she had reached inebriation. It was actually quite frustrating. Having an eidetic memory had saved her life on multiple occasions, but now that her mind was consumed with memories of Meera's Miracle and the fate of its residents she wished for nothing more than pure, sweet forgetfulness. "Delinquent, eh? Well, that scar makes you look like a pirate." She curled one finger into a hook-like shape and swiped it in Nkiruka's direction. "Argh!"

The soldier tottered off to bed soon afterwards, leaving Rin alone with her memories and her bottle.



She woke up the next morning with a slightly dry mouth but otherwise feeling no negative side-effects from the truly massive volume of alcohol she had imbibed. The girl walked into the common room and nodded in greeting to Nkiruka, who was busy attaching medal after medal to the breast of her ceremonial uniform. The construct quickly got directions to the nearest bath house from the soldier and left to bathe. She returned within an hour, her skin looking pink and freshly scrubbed. Rin had braided her hair and teased it up into an intricate bun on the back of her head that would keep any of the golden locks from falling in her face. She had watched a hairdresser style a customer's hair in such a fashion before and had liked the way it looked.

"Er... I don't know much about dresses, but will this one work...?" She closed her eyes and mumbled to herself. The fabric of her simple sundress shimmered and shifted, elongating as Nkiruka watched until its hem almost touched the floor. The color darkened from plain white to a deep shade of azure blue, the same exact hue the sky turned in the moment after the sun had set over the horizon. Intricate patterns in silver thread stitched themselves across the bodice and edges of the gown, and a pair of teardrop sapphire earrings appeared in the girl's ears. Gloves the same color as the garment formed over the ribbons on her arms, stretching from her fingertips to elbows. A pair of simple and serviceable silver slippers materialized on the floor that adjusted to her feet when she stepped into them. She opened her eyes and glanced at Nkiruka, suddenly shy. "If you have any advice, I can change it..."

After the officer had given her fashion advice and the outfit had been changed accordingly they left for the Ivory Palace. The two finely-dressed women got some odd looks in the street, as was to be expected. They had barely started to approach the huge, impressive-looking structure when several aides appeared out of nowhere, rushing over to them and pulling them aside. They were rushed through a series of opulent corridors to a small room with mirrors for walls and an entire mob of beauticians. They wore clothes that were roughly a thousand times more expensive and fashionable than Rin or Nkiruka, with multiple piercings on their face that glimmered with precious metals and gems. They descended on the berserkers like a swarm of locusts, shoving them into chairs and going to work with brushes and lipstick and combs and makeup. Rin's carefully arranged hair was unwoven and re-done within minutes, mimicking her original arrangement but done much more professionally. The construct simply sat there with her eyes closed and waited for the assault to end.
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Nkiruka had no advice to give on Rin's choice of dress, and was a little surprised and flustered at her friend's sudden shyness or even her asking her opinion about it in the first place. The Istani officer loved dresses, but was hopeless in giving other people really competent advice or anything, so long as it looked formal enough. Soon enough the soldier was ready and fully outfitted. She wore a jacket with short-trimmed epaulettes, a pair of cords hanging across her chest as well as some embroidered sashes looped around her hips just below her belt. As she led the way out of the house, Nkiruka placed a peaked cap with a small top firmly onto her head; it gleamed with its gold-braided edges and a metal emblem of Istan's kite-holding-a-scimitar attached to the front. It was all a bit needlessly decadent.

Hours later, she came out of the torture in the depths of the palace legitimately shaken. There were so many people saying so many things at the same time to her, pulling and prodding and twisting and putting things on her face and eyes and everything was so, so shiny and gaudy. Nkiruka just couldn't retain all these etiquette tidbits they were saying at once as a way of passing the time; they seemed legitimately worried about the two of them making fools of themselves in front of the Sultan. But how could they even know what the proper etiquette was? It was honestly unlikely that the majority of them had all met her in person. She was a very socially withdrawn person who didn't like to interact with a lot of different people. It was why a lot of her detractors called her by the nickname Raahi, which was the Istani word for "Hermit." Foreign detractors took that name and went with it, usually calling Haras some variant of the moniker "Hermit-Queen."

While a lot of their advice was probably inaccurate, like urban legends passed around the palace, there was one line that they kept repeating over and over like the two of them were too dumb to comprehend it. "If she speaks, you listen." Usually the emphasis in that sentence was placed on the word 'listen,' but occasionally they also put stress on the word 'if.' Nkiruka could get behind other bits of etiquette stemming from that, like going out of her way to avoid interrupting the Sultan and self-explanatory things like that. She took deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves and distance herself from all the prodding. In addition to the unwanted advice they kept telling her to get her face repaired and lamented their limited time and inability to bring in a healer to do just that. In spite of that, they spent a lot of time trying to make her facial scar look "prettier."

After the torture was over, a royal emissary and three Royal Guardsmen came to lead them through the corridors toward the Sultan's receiving chamber. Nkiruka was stuck in shell-shocked silence at first. She only had time to look at herself in the mirror-walls for a few seconds before they had to leave. Those palace-people knew what they were doing, despite their annoying advice. With all their poking and prodding and putting strange-smelling things on her face, they had managed to make the Istani officer look fiercely striking. Every blemish was hidden, her scar was an attractive white line across her face, and the way they shaded it all seemed to emphasize her high cheekbones and sharp eyes. Even though it made her look a lot less like herself, Nkiruka thought that maybe looking like a beautiful hawk would help her somehow in this meeting. Make her words have more credibility behind them, or something. She needed every advantage they could get, in any case.

Before she knew it, they were approaching a pair of doors that appeared to be made of solid gold and carved with an overly elaborate history of the sultanate in relief sculpture. The double-doors began to slowly open on their own, which made Nkiruka start a little. The royal emissary bowed deeply, his silk embroidered robe rippling in a soft wave around him. "I give you Her Majesty, Sultan Ishraq Amin Haras."

They stepped into the receiving room and were assaulted by the sight of so many things that glimmered that Nkiruka had to squint while her eyes adjusted; their emissary shadowed them, his head still ducked in reverence. The room was longer than it was wide, and had a high sort of domed ceiling. Glass chandeliers twinkled as they floated high in the open air. The room was lined with glass sculptures, golden flames ever-burning inside their hollow bodies. Impossibly elaborate stained-glass windows depicting important events in Istani history also dominated the walls, although Nkiruka wasn't sure if those windows actually led outside. Beyond all the glass, the floor was tiled in colorful stones, and various other decorations and furniture were made of gold, ivory, gemstones, and similar. Then there was the drapery: vibrant red, embroidered and hung tastefully across the room. A narrow carpet ran the entire length of the room.

At the far end of the room, on the top of several high steps, was the throne of the Sultan. While the legendary curved sabre Syel Kasar was resting sheathed across the throne's armrests, there was no occupant. Nkiruka was so surprised by the throne's emptiness that she didn't even look closely at it. Her eyes instead went immediately around the room, looking for the woman who invited them here.

"Captain Nkiruka Menai and Rinrae Dromigg have arrived, Your Majesty," the emissary said.

Compared to the ridiculously gaudy decoration of the rest of the room, the Sultan was so humbly dressed that Nkiruka didn't even see her until she started moving. She was standing down on the second step of her throne platform, stroking a glass dragon hatchling that was sitting on an ivory perch at arm-height. Ishraq Amin Haras was a woman of slightly above-average height, wearing a red and white dress with an unusually long train. A golden, highly stylized roc wound its way up the back and around the side as integrated embroidery. Her long black hair was done up elaborately and set with jewelry that was either made of highly refined glass or diamonds. Even though her skin was almost as dark as Nkiruka's, the Istani officer wondered if she was wearing makeup that made her look like she was in the sun a lot more than she actually was -- to make her seem more like a worker and thus retain her merit. Impossible to know for sure.

She turned, gently lowering her fingers from beneath the hatchling's chin. Khopesh was right about the Sultan. Even though she was in her mid-sixties, Haras looked like she was in her twenties and, in general, was gorgeous in appearance. Her face was so carefully sculpted that it looked perfect -- almost eerily so. Her green eyes were a little too vibrant to be normal. And the way she moved, and looked at the two of them, conveyed a sense of overwhelming grace, incredible intelligence, and delicate charisma that made Nkiruka's heart race from nervousness. The Sultan studied the two of them as they approached, and it felt like her whole soul was getting scrutinized, though not necessarily in a hostile or judgmental way: more of a powerful, quiet curiosity. When they approached the two rows of pillows (traditional Istani seats) near the foot of the throne area, Nkiruka showed Rin the proper way of sitting by seating herself first.

All of this was enough to distract Nkiruka from the fact that more people were being introduced and led into the room, taking their seats nearby. One of those people was Lieutenant Colonel Nejm Rasul, who was wearing a gold and red eyepatch for once. A very faint, friendly smile tugged at the edges of the Sultan's lips when she looked down at Rin, her hands folded in front of her.
Edited by Nkiruka, Fri Aug 17, 2012 5:01 pm.
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"So, can I talk to her?"

"Only if spoken to."

"Not even to say hello?"

"Absolutely not."

"... Can I wave or something?"

The beautician stepped away, looking down at the girl with horror. Rin was finding it difficult to take him seriously with three platinum loops through each of his eyebrows, making him look perpetually surprised. "Wave?!? To Her Majesty, Sultan Ishraq Amin Haras? Are you insane?"

The construct pursed her lips slightly. "Well, that depends primarily on the guidelines you use to define mental health." The man blinked perplexedly, so she sighed heavily and nodded slightly. "Yes, by your standards it would be safe to say that I am insane."

The man got back to work, keeping up a constant stream of chatter and informing her of the standards of etiquette that must be followed. She would not speak to the Sultan unless spoken to. She would always refer to her as Her Majesty and never use her personal name. She would not stare too long at the Sultan, but neither could she make it obvious that she was averting her eyes. The list went on and on as layers of makeup were applied to her sculpted features. By the time he and his helpers had finished, she had completely started to ignore his stern warnings and rules. Rin had been invited here; she had never agreed to all of these ridiculous restrictions on her behavior.

When the beauticians stepped away, Rin stared at her features with a slightly judgmental expression. They were clearly skilled, using the makeup to accent her already aesthetic appearance. There was a hint of blue on her eyelids, close to the same shade as her dress, and her cheeks seemed to glow with health. It didn't seem like it had been worth the time it had taken, but at least it was bearable. She had only just stood up when they were hurried out of the preparation room and escorted towards the atrium where they would be meeting the Sultan herself.

When they stepped into the huge chamber, Rin couldn't completely suppress a gasp of surprise. Beautiful glass sculptures adorned the walls, shaped into the image of fantastic beasts and heroic figures, each of them lit with a steadily burning internal flame. Stained glass windows covered the walls depicting images that must have come from the history of Istan. The floor was a colorful mosaic, and every piece of furniture seemed to be covered in gold leaf and precious stones. They were announced by an emissary with a load, resonant voice. Rin's eyes immediately locked on the woman that moved forward to greet them. Although she was dressed plainly, the construct knew that the fine material of the garment was probably worth a year's salary to most common laborers. Hair as black as night had been wound in a complicated fashion, gems shining amidst the strands. It was hard to believe that this woman was over sixty years old.

In the back of her mind she remembered that the beautician had warned her it would be rude to stare, but Rin knew that merely be admitted into the Sultan's presence was a great honor, and she planned on remembering every detail of the occasion. So when Ishraq Amin Haras looked at her the construct met her gaze steadily, allowing her lips to curl up in a small smile. She was surprised to see Haras' mouth mimic hers, the expression so faint and subtle Rin wouldn't have noticed it if hadn't been paying such close attention. The Sultan's eyes were a vibrant shade of green that reminded her of new-grown grass, and her presence was almost a palpable presence in the air. She had encountered others that shared the trait, individuals whose intelligence and power was so monumental that it seemed to radiate outwards from them, a tangible sensation that was impossible to describe. Rin instantly knew that this woman was not some pampered figurehead. She possessed a font of inner strength that had allowed her to rule over the most militaristic nation in Imythess unchallenged for decades.

The girl sat herself down next to Nkiruka, a movement made slightly clumsy by the constraint of her dress. She glanced at the other men and women who had been invited here, noting that she was one of the few guests that was not wearing military regalia. Despite the formality, this was almost clearly a council of war. Rin noticed that several of the Istanis were staring at her out of the peripheral vision with undisguised shock, and it took her a moment to realize that she had absentmindedly started to hum softly. In the absence of conversation, the slightly dissonant melody was distinctly prominent. The girl contemplated stopping, but knew that would indicate she had noticed the terrified awe of her companions. So she kept humming, finishing the simple melody before falling into silence and deliberately avoiding looking in Nkiruka's direction. Her friend would probably be as horrified as the rest.
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Absolute silence followed right after Rin finished her humming. The Sultan stepped up to her throne, lifting up her dress just enough that she wouldn't step on the hem. Nkiruka stared down at her hands, which she was pressing hard into her lap without realizing. While the other officers stared at Rin like she had just done something terrible -- Nejm rolled her eye while the Sultan's back was turned -- Nkiruka was just trying to stay focused and calm herself down. She knew that the other attendees were expecting the two of them to stay quiet for the entirety of this audience, something that Nkiruka wasn't sure she or her friend could abide by. Meanwhile, the Sultan walked up to the front of her throne and, picking up Syel Kasar in one delicate hand, turned around and seated herself. Her dress fell around her like an elaborate curtain when she crossed her legs, the train curling around her feet. Ishraq Amin Haras rested the legendary weapon against the front of the throne before glancing back at the chamberlain, who was keeping himself out of the way in the back.

He came rushing up to the head in as dignified and subtle a manner as he could, then took his spot in front of the visitors yet far to the side of things. "Her Majesty the Sultan welcomes her honored guests to the Ivory Palace," he boomed in clear, almost accentless Common. "You are here for many reasons, some which vary from person to person. Despite these differences, you have all been called together because you are connected, in some way, to a threat against Istan. Her Majesty requests counsel on the subject of the threat known as 'The Rainfall Rebellion.' Current intelligence suggests this threat is no longer Contained and is now better classified as Imminent." Nkiruka thought it was a strange, kind of detached way to describe it, but she gave a slight nod in agreement nonetheless. "Her Majesty would first like to hear an explanation of the destruction that occurred in the Deep Hold Axerise."

Nkiruka tensed up. While she was forming a coherent response in her head, she was surprised to hear someone else answering. An older man who looked far more comfortable sitting here than she did. "Your Majesty, the attack was part of an initiative to trap and kill Chaitaki Menai, fronted by the personal task force of Brigadier General Nadiyah 'ela Korzul of the Urban Cohorts."

Nejm also chimed in. "Chaitaki Menai was targeting the friends and acquaintances of Captain Menai for the purpose of psychological warfare, Your Majesty. Rinrae Dromigg thus served as bait."

"She brought excessive force in anticipation of a counterattack, which required a similar amount of force to eliminate them and pursue Chaitaki Menai."

It was like they were all reciting off of Nkiruka's reports, intentionally preventing her or Rin from speaking. Her face flushed with anger. Then she noticed the Sultan's smile had lengthened, and she was looking down at the two of them.

"Did they urge you to stay quiet?" said the Sultan, her voice soft and containing a hint of amusement. Her intense green gaze moved between both Rin and Nkiruka, showing that her question was directed at them both.

The small number of people seated around them appeared to have a response similar to a collective heart attack hidden beneath layers of carefully maintained politeness. Nkiruka glanced around and saw sweat beading near Nejm's hairline. The original speaker cleared his throat nervously. "Ah, Y-Your Majesty we were simply answering a question posed openly."

"Her Majesty wishes to hear the answers of the questioned," the chamberlain said firmly, his voice almost a harsh shout cutting off the older man's final word.
Edited by Nkiruka, Fri Aug 17, 2012 9:01 pm.
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The chamberlain started the meeting by asking them for a synopsis of what had happened in Axerise while the Sultan watched them from her throne. Rin glanced at Nkiruka, silently asking if this counted as permission to speak, but need not have bothered. An older gentleman responded instead, his words dripping with sincerity and respect. The construct's eyes snapped to him, narrowing slightly. She had no idea who he was. He had not been present at the conference yesterday, and she had no idea where he had acquired the information. From her position, she couldn't even see his rank insignia, so she wasn't even sure how important he was in the Army of Istan. When he lapsed into silence Rin opened her mouth, but Nejm spoke up quickly, and the girl had no doubt that she was simply trying to keep them from contributing to the conversation.

Her fingers curled into fists at her sides as she glared at the one-eyed officer, who resolutely avoided looking in her direction. The conversation was continued by the older gentleman, who barely waited for the end of Nejm's statement before he started to speak. Clearly, their input was not desired. These so-called important men and women were probably offended that they had to gall to accept the invitation instead of politely refusing. Rin considered standing up right then and there and marching out of the antechamber. She only refrained because she knew that it would be considered so disrespectful that she might be arrested, and she didn't want to have to battle her way out of the Ivory Palace simply because she was offended.

Surprisingly, it was the Sultan who spoke next. Haras was smiling openly, and although she was soft-spoken her words carried clearly though the room. Everyone froze as she opened her mouth, hanging on every word. Rin smiled in response at the question, but before she could speak up the older man responded again, assuring the woman that no disrespect was meant. Fed up, the construct was about to snap at him when the chamberlain issued a reprimand, making it clear that the question had been levied at Rin and Nkiruka and no one else was to respond.

Her eyes flickered to her friend, but the soldier's cheeks were flushed and she looked slightly uncomfortable in the presence of the supreme rule of Istan. So she cleared her throat and spoke up, her words rife with indignation. "They told me I shouldn't even wave at you. I got the impression that going so far as to speak would be punishable by a quick and unpleasant death." The statement was met with a silence so poignant that it seemed like everyone's heart had spontaneously stopped beating and they simply had yet to fall over. Nejm was the first to move, slowly raising one hand and beginning to massage her temple over her empty eye socket. The older gentleman who had spoken earlier was staring at the construct with such loathing that she suspected he was mentally picturing throttling her to death.

The awkward quiet was broken by a peal of mirthful laughter. Everyone turned to stare at the Sultan, who had one hand delicately covering her mouth as he shoulders shook with amusement. Even the chamberlain seemed flabbergasted by the response, looking back and forth between Haras and Rin and clearly not sure how to proceed. Eventually the woman managed to compose herself, although her lips were still curled up in an amused expression. She flicked a finger at Rin, and the chamberlain turned to the construct. "Her Majesty asks you to continue, va-Dromigg."

Rin pressed her palms together and nodded excitedly. She quickly outlined what had occurred in Axerise, providing their reasoning behind the ambush and allowing Nkiruka to interject as often as she wished. She concluded the brief report with a slightly self-conscious smile. "Your Majesty, we reacted to the situation with what we believed an appropriate amount of force. Clearly, we underestimated the Rainfall Rebellion. If she is not stopped, we believe she possesses the ability and resources to destroy a large section of Istan City, putting thousands of lives at risk... As well as your own."
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