Sailing for Lower Tides

[Aazalot]

As directed Von took a seat at the table whilst they waited for the single solitary representative from Phoenix to attend. He adjusted his glasses.
"Yes.. because your two factions are the only two to wish peace out of all of us.." Came the response with enough sarcasm to fill the ship.

He was surprised to see Burton himself was who came to the meeting but as he thought about it, it made sense though he couldnt help but scoff a little at Burtons discription of the treaty. Massimo looked towards Jerard but his eyes would of been met with their own reflection. Vonclouds glasses doing nothing to betray where his eyes were looking or their expression.

He listened as they introduced themselves, Despite seeming calm on the outside, Voncloud was struggling with the sheer hypocrisy on display. These 2 men seemed to exist in their own bubbles which would be laughable if it wasn't infuriating. His demeanour changed upon Massimo's "re-count" of how Von had managed to be aboard the ship, and this was enough for him to interject.

"Greed?! I'm sorry but I must correct our Host here, Greed may have been the cause, but it was not from my part" He turns his head to burton as he points towards Massimo "The reason I'm here is because he decided that I should pay for an OSI Debt, despite the fact that I have been part of OSI for.." Von can be seen almost frozen in time as he tries to work out the amount of time it had been. "I left when Bretonia was annexing Gran Canaria, that's how long its been. Not only was he asking me for Credits. He sat next to my ship all the while the other Corsairs were engaged with the outcasts. Demanding I pay for something I had no part of. And the reason he asked me? Because I was a Zoner. Something I have yet to encounter with the other groups. Funny that. Voncloud returns to looking at Massimo, regaining some of his composure he continues.

"Now, to give you your due, you did eventually go and engage the outcasts, only to return and continue your greedy demand. We came to blows because I refused. During our duel a ship belonging to something called Noth Squadron engaged, stating someone wanted me dead. Eventually I surrendered and Paid as we were out gunned. Voncloud stops for a moment leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms his tone becoming softer. "As the Vendetta, Massimo's ship, was leaving the Noth ship, which had been joined by other members continued their assault, leading me to evacuate the Kaldra as she went down. But to my horror they started shooting the Escape pods as well. The Vendetta Tractored mine in before I was hit, but I don't know the fate of the others"

He stopped, and had to swallow the lump that was now formed in his throat again his glasses keeping his eyes covered from any probing of his expression. He cleared his throat before leaning forward to rest on the table "That, Burton, is how I came to be here, because this Particular Corsair couldn't differentiate between Zoners.

With a push of his glasses up his nose he sat up straight once more. "Now I'll point something out to the pair of you. Both of you, both of your groups were invited to be part of the Treaty, In fact Phoenix was invited twice when it was initially proposed. Phoenix denied due to some idea that the Theta Treaty is a slave contract, because it was with the Corsair's. People you cant trust. And yet, here you are, sitting with a Corsair to discuss peace. And the Black Sails denied because, well I think much like you have accused The Brotherhood and the Deterrence, you were showing who had bigger, how you say, 'Cojones'"
Once more he takes a breath "Now, if either of you paid attention, Pygar when it was under my watch, we had alot of cooperation with the Deterrence including food deliveries as part of what we agreed. It wasn't until my.. replacement and Phoenix's stance on the treaty did any tensions occur. And the sail's you say are open to diplomacy yet you shot it down in a sort of, Penis waving contest with your brethren."

Jerard looks at both men, almost sizing them up "So, I'll say this. If your intent on carrying on this, private club house style diplomacy between the pair of you. Then I have no reason to be here. But if you two are serious about trying to be part of the peace in Theta, and want to join us all at the big boy table. Then let me know. Otherwise, I request I be allowed to take my leave"

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