1813/Progression Paths

Progression Paths
Date of Scene:	15 March 2015
Location:	Galianda
Synopsis:	Souji and Zwei meet to discuss an arrangement that could have far-reaching consequences for Galianda as a whole.
Cast of Characters:	596, 627

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Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
Thunder and lightning rolls eternally around the Murasame Zaibatsu's headquarters, crackling power striking nearby-placed rods that seem to devour the power relentlessly. A hissing rain continually pours through the air, a calm, continuing rain patter that soaks anything left unprotected. The people of Ramuh are used to it, however, their buildings designed to take advantage of the constant rain and turn it into a form of art, with rivulets and flowing paths through adjuncts and buildings.

Weiss (because Asche would not fit within the building) arrives in the lobby, the floor decorated in black veined marble with the Murasame Zaibatsu logo emblazoned prominently in the center of the area. There are two fountains, with pillars of the same black marble with inset displays that show the logos of the major divisions of the Zaibatsu. There are elevators present, as well as guards placed regularly around the area. The guards are armed. There is a wide desk where the secretary sits, a smartly-dressed woman in her twentysomethings who has a smile like roses, a pleasant voice, and eyes like a porcelain china mask.

Weiss, however, is expected, so their interaction is brief. Weiss is not here to see these people. They enter an elevator and it homs for some time as they are taken high in the building, the doors opening onto a floor that seems to be dedicated towards executive meeting rooms. There is a security checkpoint, which Weiss is waved through without checking, walking down the carpeted hall until they reach a simple door that is inscribed 'Souji Murasame'.

The dominating feature of the office is a massive window that looks out over the city, the skyline crackling with lightning and neon. There is a desk of dark, varnished wood with an inset Galiandan computer, as well as a stack of papers and other accoutrements. Souji appreciates order in his workspace. The chair behind it is large and of black leather. On one wall is a bookshelf, while the other has a doorway that appears to have a keycard lock of some kind. There are hanging wall scrolls of subdued landscapes, and a couple display cases holding masks of various types.

Souji himself sits at the desk, looking up as Weiss enters. He stands, giving a short bow. "Greetings. It is good to meet you. Come, sit down. I have heard much about your associate's performance on the recovery mission. It was..." He pauses, as if rolling the word through his mind before he speaks it. "impressive. Would you like any refreshment before we speak of business?"

Zwei (596) has posed:
    Unlike its last several visits to Galianda, Zwei has sent Weiss completely undisguised. It has made no effort to integrate her with Ramuh's typical phenotypes and fashions. For this meeting, she is providing the role of a face to face representitive, with all the cards out on the table. As such, she stands out in appearance, as well as the fact that any checkpoint scanners will pick up absolutely zero magical energy from her; even less than an offworld human might possess in trace quantities. She doesn't, however, appear to stand out in terms of behaviour. In fact, she seems quite content to be lead through security, looking with feigned interest at the lavish corporate interior of the building.

    "Please to meet you too, mister Murasame." are her first words as she enters the room. The more common chipper tone is completely absent. With no need to present Zwei as enthusiastically harmless, Weiss takes on her more natural cadence: smooth, even, and barely hinting at knowing something the other person doesn't. She brushes off her skirt as she sits down, crossing one leg over the other and folding her hands together into her lap, casting a sideways glance at the locked down door. "I appreciate the offer, but I don't eat or drink. Please, allow them to someone who will better appreciate them." She gives Souji a polite smile. "'Associate' isn't an entirely accurate term. The both of us are halves of the same whole. You speak to the same person now as did the recovery team before."

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
To Weiss' benefit, Ramuh seems to be more accepting and less noting that Weiss is an outlander than, say, if they dropped in on Shiva right now. They get little more than some glances at this point, especially when Weiss enters Sector 13.

Souji has made it clear that he welcomes multiversal interaction, and despite personal opinions, people seem to be unwilling to embarass the corporate heir by making a scene with someone who has a direct appointment with Souji.

Souji himse'd is crisp and businesslike. Polite, but he does not spend much time on wasted effort. He simply nods and sits, folding his hands. "Indeed. Very interesting." his voice carries a tinge of curiosity, but he doesn't act on it. Instead, he gets right to business. "Your work on Odin was exemplary. While it would be counterproductive and potentially dangerous to attempt to station you for long term engagements on the Plate, I understand you have certain additional interests beyond the payment you do not actually need. I understand your resource requirements are functionally nonexistant and that money has no meaning in your land."

There is a pause. "Thus it is that I am curious as to what arrangements you would find more attractive."

Zwei (596) has posed:
    Weiss smiles at the compliment. She doesn't have to; filtering and controlling her expressions is a trivial affair for her, but in this case, it'd only be polite to let Souji know she appreciates some flattery. "Indeed, my interests in specific worlds is transient. I don't have any real desire to commit myself to monster extermination or international warfare here. There are plenty of other, more unstable and wartorn areas of the multiverse to try and tip the scales of. I'm interested in your world for its nature rather than its politics." Might as well establish that quickly and efficiently. Zwei has actually been following the Zaibatsu, the Al Cid family, the tribes of Shiva, and the various other developments of Galianda, but now isn't the time it intends to intefere with its shifting balances.

    "You're also correct in your presumption of payment. Almost nothing that can be farmed, mined, built or harvested has any value to me but convenience. I deal in intangibles. Information and influence. Your world, as astonishingly unique it is in the multiverse, has more than enough of the former to occupy me. Your planet, your gods, your magic, even your fundamental physics, are all so wildly different from what I know of that I can't help but be interested. I've been studying on my own time, but there's only so much I can confirm myself. Your proprietary physics, even down to the basic building blocks of matter, prevent me from advancing past a certain point without local equipment, which I simply don't have the ability to operate. For that reason, I've come to you with a proposition."

    Weiss leans forward in her chair, shifting her weight with the quiet rustle of leather. "I'm prepared to solve your inter-world compatibility problem. If you'll give me access to your research and development assets, I guarantee you that I can have an MP storage and release device useable by offworlders prototyped, if not completed, within a month. You'd retain exclusive rights over the technology and method of manufacture. Sell it, trade it, hoard it, mass produce it. Whatever you want to do with it, I won't say anything to the contrary."

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
Souji listens attentively, his expression intent upon Weiss. The fact that Souji understands what is valuable to Weiss brings a thin smile of satisfaction to the businessman, and he nods. "There are some who say that information is the only thing of true value, it is through knowledge and the application thereof that allowed people to transcend their primitive beginnings. Maybe one day we will be more like you. Maybe not. The multiverse is full of wonders and I would hate to be so gauche as to simply play follow the leader."

An eyebrow arches as Weiss lays out what they're after and how they plan to get it. "Your interest in developing this would be obvious. Once a reliable method of storing MP is developed, you can use it as a conduit to interface with our local technology and gain easier access to our networks." He leans back in his chair, considering. "You're offering to solve one of the greatest technological hurdles of our modern age, you understand. Many people have attempted to do the same thing you have, but have not succeeded. However, only a fool would discard your desire."

There is a pause. "I am not a fool. Besides the obvious benefits, is there anything else you would like in return for your service?"

Zwei (596) has posed:
    Could it be that Zwei is really on the same wavelength as Souji here? That it wants and thinks the same things as him? Or is Weiss just that good at telling people what they like to hear? Who knows. "The ability to exponentially increase one's knowledge base is more or less what defines sapience. A creature that can use learned information to learn more information is what can truly be considered intelligent. I think it's the inevitable destiny of all species with any potential at all to eventually transcend lesser concerns. Though I can't say all nations on this planet have that potential, being little more than barbarians eking out their continued right to live without thought for the future, some others certainly do." She casts a critical eye out onto the glowing citscape out the window.

    "That is at least part of my reasoning. It's difficult to learn anything about this world without access to anything but books. Some would say there's merit in doing things the hard way, but I greatly enjoy absorbing large amounts of information at once, rather than having to content myself with a trickle. There's also the potential benefits of having ties to one of this world's most prominent and likely most scientifically advanced faction, which benefits you as well. I assure you that you will find precious few of my technological ability in the entire multiverse. My actual conditions are simple though." Weiss pauses for a moment as she shifts the opposite leg over the other, smiling ever so faintly. "I want everyone to know I did it. The design and production rights are entirely yours, but the credit will rest with me. I want it to be known that your ties to powerful offworlders are what are bringing Galianda into the new age, and I want it known to anyone who can hear."

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
"You will find that we are in agreement. Some of our people are... regrettable in that respect." Damn Shivans. Can't even do things right even when you're on the verge of civil war. Souji nods. "Your terms are acceptable. I would not be opposed to this anyway. One must be given proper credit for their actions, after all."

There is a gesture. "The arrangements will be made. You will be given access to FUJIN and the project team who has been working on the project. I will inform them that they are to assist you in anything you wish to attempt." At least, if they want to keep getting those research grants they will. "Make your manpower and material requirements known to me during your progress." He reaches over and taps at the display of the computer built into his desk. On the surface it looks very similar to a modern system design, but the inner workings... That which has made Zwei interested in the first place. "I can use my connections with the Syndicate should you wish general assistance, or you can post them yourself. I will underwrite your expenses for field work. You claim you will need one month. I will give you two, to allow for unforeseen delays."

He looks back to Weiss, and folds his hands once more. "If you are successful, you will be hailed as the one who helped usher Galianda into a new age of technological expansion."

Zwei (596) has posed:
    "That's very generous of you~" Weiss practically purrs, clearly having got exactly what she wanted. "I can see you're quite invested in this topic. That's good. Skilled scientists will be helpful, but I will likely need a team for the purposes of simply powering magically operated equipment, possibly in shifts. I can provide a great amount of the necessary material myself, but I'll forward you a list of what I need done locally." Weiss upturns her hand and displays a projected holographic from nowhere, rapidly cycling through a list of precise weights and measurements of raw materials and components. A great amount of it appears to be Ramuh specialty, involving large numbers of conductors, capacitors, and magnetic materials. An unfortunate number of items seem to be native to Odin. Weiss is quick to address that.

    "I intend to accomplish a great majority of field work on my own. I'll have need of your forces at one or two junctures, but I wouldn't consider taking your valuable men to some of the places I intend to go. Anything you can't or won't sign off on this list, I'll round up myself. Consider monster components a non issue. I have a great amount of nightmare golem material awaiting testing." She appears to suddenly remember something. "Oh! Tell me. Do you know what a synchotron is? It's a little crude, but I'll need a large amount of space to build one. You can keep it for later if you want. Don't worry about wiring it to the power grid. I can easily provide the requisite energy."

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
"I will simply say that you are not the first one to have approached me with this proposition." Souji replies. "Unlike the others, I believe you can actually make good on it. The team you will be having assigned can handle all of your operational needs. Most of FUJIN's equipment will simply run off of the local MP grid, and anything you need operated can be handled by your assistants." Telling the other guys to do everything for you. It's almost like being an actual tenured scientist.

The hologram projects information, and Souji begins making notes in a crisp shorthand on paper. He seems to be able to keep up just fine.

The synchotron question causes Souji to pause. "I am unfamiliar with the term, but something similar may exist in in our research facilities under another name."

Zwei (596) has posed:
    "Oh I'm sure I'm not. I'm equally sure none of them were half as qualified as me. There's no point in continuing to say so, so I'll simply vindicate your belief in me when I have working, cross-world MP capcitor sat on your desk before spring is over~" Weiss switches the display of a toroidal particle accelerator, though the information is all using conventional physics rather than Galiandan ones. "A synchotron is a type of large scale collider that uses a booster and linear beam accelerator to kick particles into a storage loop of electromagnetic energy, where the high energy atoms can be smashed into each other to achieve exotic states of existence. If your world has technology that runs on electricity, I feel like it will work. Since your physics observe extremely general rules found in other words, such as gravity and conduction, I believe this will be an excellent way to manipulate Galiandan fundamental particles with forces not exclusive to this world. The test matter will of course, be harvested from monsters, being the only things aside from humans that natively store magic within their bodies. As long as you can get me these components and the biggest warehouse you can spare, I can have one built in a week or so."

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
Souji looks over the information provided and considers Zwei's description. He taps at his own computer, and a display appears, projected with what also looks like a hologram. Depending on Weiss' image processing and if they have the havit of human vision centers to blur things together or skip details in favor of general image recognition, she might notice that the image is made up of a cloud of infinitesimally tiny colored Moogles that form an image by virtue of being too small for the eye to perceive as anything but a mass of color.

It is a map of Sector 13, the rest of Ramuh dimmed out on the edges. There is a building that is highlighted with address and ownership information. "We do not have anything of that scale, but I believe we have devices that can be used to manufacture something like that, as well as components that resemble what you are looking for. I will repurpose this warehouse to your needs. It is spacious enough that it will keep your work protected, and I will assign additional security as well."

Zwei (596) has posed:
    Weiss manages to filter the urge to raise an eyebrow at moogle-pixels, writing-to-memory a reminder to check that particular habit of the mognet out later. "That's perfect~ Like I said, once I'm done with it, you can keep it. I'm not sure if you'll find it useful, but it'll be one more thing that your corporate competitors don't have, right?" She saves the details of the entire map rather than just the location of the warehouse, being her first chance to properly survey the area in any sort of entirety. "I'll be looking forward to hearing from you. I've left my personal contact information, and I'm almost always able to pick up the line."

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
Souji nods. There are some taps and the map is dismissed. He isn't even hiding that he knows Weiss could just store the visual information, as he doesn't bother trying to transmit the relevant information or write the address down for them. "Keep me posted as to your progress. I will be anxiously awaiting word of your success." As much as Souji is anxious about /anything/, anyway. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Zwei (596) has posed:
    "That's just about it, but . . . now that I'm here, there's one other thing I'd like to ask for." Sensing the meeting is over, Weiss pushes the chair back and gets to her feet, folding her hands behind her back. "I'd like a license. The highest grade one you can either authorize or forge. I can cross plates fine with high altitude flight, but there are a number of places I'd like to access under the pretense of being a native, and it'd be relatively easy to track me if I were to apply for one through Chocobo's channels."

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
Souji doesn't even bat an eye at the potentially hilariously illegal request. "I will have my people get on it. You will be provided with the highest ranking license I can arrange for you within reasonable safety."

Zwei (596) has posed:
    "Excellent~ I look forward to working with you, mister Murasame, and I'm sure you look forward to being the only one on the planet who multiversal visitors can go to~" Seeing her business concluded, Weiss does Souji the honour of a slight bow before going back the way she came.

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
Weiss is given a smooth exit out. Her motions are not impeded in the slightest. For now, she enjoys the full support of the Zaibatsu in her dealings on Galianda.

Meanwhile, Souji sits at his desk, considering the agreement he just made. He taps at the side of his head, and ponders the shape of things in silence, as he is wont to do.

Things are going to be changing rapidly. Interesting.