Inside the Tortured Sister

[McNeo]

Instead of greeting at the proverbial door, a job left to the oft-tactful Black Sail leader, Espi, Juan had opted to wait silently on the edge of the designated table. A quiet nod was all that was needed between him, as everyone was eager to get down to business.

A cross-armed Juan listened, smiling slightly when he heard about Omega 5. It seemed everyone knew about that base these days, and quite fortunate it was that Kusari were tying up all of the Bretonian Armed Forces. A concerted strike could probably take down Cadiz, already under pressure from the Red Hessians.

His brow quivered in annoyance at the mention of the Corsairs needing anything from the outside, but the belligerent response was reserved for those without the economic and military power to back up retaliatory action. In the end, it was probably a vocal misstep rather than a determined insult anyway, which made letting it slide easier. There wasn't a choice anyway, so easier was all that it could be.

"First of all, it is a pleasure to meet you, Commander Yamazaki. My name is Juan Montoya, and I currently speak for the Corsair Brotherhood.

To business, your offer of the best pilots to aid against a common foe is very generous, Commander. It goes without saying that we will provide the necessary supplies for your people during their stay. However, my primary concern for our base in Omega 5 is still the Red Hessians. The Bretonian Armed Forces have never had the capability to penetrate dense asteroid fields with a great amount of firepower, but the Red Hessians are another story. They are the ones who've always been at the gates, and given the strategic significance of Cadiz, could we expect the assistance of your men in defensive actions around Cadiz, regardless of the nature of the attackers as Bretonians? Obviously, attacking the Hessians would not be acceptable for you, but in order to use a facility, it must be defended.

I would also like to take this opportunity to suggest strengthened trade agreements between the Corsairs and the Empire of Kusari, should this first step in military cooperation be realised."

That was Juan's position, compressed in the interests of saving time. And it was a reasonable stance, he thought.