Ezo Conference Room, Aomori Station

[Asbestos]

The largest conference room on Aomori, the Ezo Hall, had been tidied up, seatings rearranged, and the banners of the Kusari Republic and the Gas Miners Guild hung along the walls.

The centerpiece of the room, a giant, circular table, had been shaped in the image of the planet of Honshu; major continents and many island chains were vaguely visible amidst the light blue ocean, all being portrayed on the tabletop. To the members of the Guild, it would be a reminder of the humble beginnings of their forefathers, several centuries ago.

Taro Katsuo, one of the Guild Masters of the Guild, stood by the side of the great table. He took one of the glasses that had been placed on it, alongside a flagon of cool water. He slowly poured water into the glass and took a mouthful. It had a twist of lemon, if ever a taste so slight.
Moments ago, Katsuo had the Aomori Control clear the representative from Kusari for final approach and docking with the station. In an instant, he remembered the tedious talks at the previous negotiations with Kusari, from which the Treaty of Aomori had been written. Face grinning, he tried to suppress the feeling of a headache at the back of his head, but to no avail. He would have a full-blown migraine by the end of the first negotiation session, and no one knew how many more there would be until both sides could agree to anything. He took another mouthful of water, wishing he had have some Sake instead. The situation demanded a clear head, even if it was throbbing the entire time.

By the water which had been sour, Katsuo could now only taste bitterness.

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