Laowai remained in his seat. He sat back in the chair listening as Juan spoke. He knew he would not see eye to eye with this view, he knew he was a simple man, perhaps too simple for the politics of this room. But his code had been enough for him to live by all his life, and he was used to not being in the majority.
"What do i propose?" he asked " I propose that yes, you "help" them, and if need be help them again, and if they still don't get it, then help again. You call yourselves the leaders of our people, then lead! By your example! You would sit here in this hall and actually speak of firing on our own kin? while our enemies are still out there among the stars, whose boldness grows so that they feel strong enough to raid us at the doors of Crete itself?"
He felt himself getting frustrated, he paused and took a breath, this, of all places, was not where he should go off on one of his rants.
He toned it down... "No Corsair in space cannot fail to know you exist my friends, your ships are tagged and badged for all to see, but you must realize that there are a great many Corsairs without a house, and who look upon this council as little more than an advisory board, if they look upon it at all. Our people are so spread out among the stars, and so many, that while i personally long for the time when we are all united, i fear, it may never be so"
He leaned forward in his chair and place his elbows on the table in front of him. "I am no politician, I do not pretend to have the answers you all seek" He nodded to himself and went on. "There are many hotheaded young Corsair pilots up there, all gunning to make their fortunes, to captain their own mighty vessels - I have learned that time tempers the impetuosity of youth"
As he said this he recalled himself the first time he had sat in the cockpit of a Titan, so many years ago, the memory made him smile to himself.
"Wisdom and patience are needed here, i do not believe the answer lies in stamping the will of a council upon those who don't wish it, and to even contemplate firing on a fellow Corsair...." He shook his head.
"Each man here must answer to the dictates of his own conscience and mine..." he sat back into his chair. "Is clear"
