Chanteloup fell into a contemplative silence. She had not expected such a dramatic tirade from Vertiga. She was prepared for innuendos, lewd jokes, all sorts of winks and brash posturing... But not that. Hidden depths, she thought with some remorse for having judged him so quickly. He looks so tired.
She only then took notice of the silence, and how she had been staring at him, probably with her usual piercing gaze. Or perhaps compassion ?
"Forgive me", she finally said. "It's hard to remember that you exist, from my perspective. By you, I mean the victims. Those who suffered, the collateral damage, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Believe it or not, I do feel a twinge of sympathy for the Bretonians, sometimes. Their biggest fault was largely being between us and the Libertonians. And then stubbornly refusing to give in to our demands even when clearly broken and outmatched... But that's another story. This is war, is my point. I firmly believe that the Gallic cause is truly just ; it is a quest of justice, of righting wrongs and bringing balance. It's not been a surprise that we were so poorly welcomed... Do you know anything quite as terrifying as a truly just man ? Justice, monsieur Vertiga, is a terrible, terrible thing. It cares not for details, supplications or compromises. It is... Just." She paused, and started reaching out in the pockets of her uniform. Her weakened state made that a struggle. Obliviously, she went on.
"I am sorry for what happened to Curacao, I truly am. You've been forced onto the path of a cosmic castaway by forces far beyond you. I can only begin to imagine the powerlessness... And the subsequent anger. Gallia is known to hold grudges, as you can surmise ; as such, we understand the feeling. Which is why I had been required to... Inquire upon your whereabouts following our joint operation." She gave Vertiga what she hoped would be a comforting smile ; it was high time to lighten up the atmosphere.
"As for your request... Well, you're here to persuade me that you won't use your considerable power and resources against me. We've got a few hurdles to tangle with as you well know, and I'll be honest ; everyone among us wants it to end, soon. Gallia needs her peace, especially with the Conseillards growing bolder. I don't believe you would trouble it, especially with what you told me ; sounds like it's a haven you're after, and this, we could offer... In return for a few services, of course. But first things first... Go on, convince me."
As she ended her sentence, she managed to grab hold of a pack of cigarettes. An involuntary muscle twitch caused her to let go of it, and it fell on the floor next to her. "Merde... Augh" she groaned in pain, as her body wouldn't let her bend sufficiently to pick it up.
(06-14-2019, 12:25 PM)Sombra Hookier Wrote: If everyone was a bit more like Lanakov, the entire world would be more positive. Including pregnancy tests.
