2606/An Offer You Can Refuse

An Offer You Can Refuse
Date of Scene:	11 July 2015
Location:	Mitakihara Town <MT>
Synopsis:	Ineryon Valos approaches Yari with an offer. It goes predictably.
Cast of Characters:	615, 691

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Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Even the best of soldiers sometimes need time off, and thus it is that Yari Takane has found her way to one of the towns the Confederacy has the /least/ interest in. Mitakihara ironically makes for a good place free of conflict, and Yari lavishes in it. Rather than her usual mode of dress, the semi-cool weather has allowed her to don a long coat and pants that helps her hide her tail, and a hat helps her hide her horns somewhat. The Multiverse is still an odd thing for this place, and so she does her best to accomodate.

Luckily, she's gotten more looks for missing an arm than any draconic features she has. Her current perch is at a park in Mitakihara overlooking the harbor. The sun's setting over the area, couples mingle in various areas of the park, and the lizard girl is tipping a half-empty bottle of sake as she stares out and marvels in the beauty of nature and the city's architecture all at once.

An idlyic time.

"Should've brought Sanary..." Laments the girl, her only regret.

Ineryon (615) has posed:
%      Baron Valos is not one to panhandle others, yet, he operates under the presumption that those aware of their own existence, who put forth toil and sweat to preserve those existences, are those who'd dislike being removed from their ability to cognate. That said, if one is known for preferring employment over starvation, hypothermia, or other possible sources of expiration, then Ineryon feels he has the right to seek one known as Yari, in the hopes of discovering how willing the woman is to perform a task for him, with reimbursement a given, in most cases where the dark-elf asks for favors. Walking up until he is adjacent from Yari's position, facing forward, instead of at the woman directly, the drow speaks aloud, hoping to himself that the woman will respond in some coherent fashion, if her boldness encourages her to surmise she is being spoken to, by the sylvan blue-blood, who 'seemingly' calls attention to himself, if one were to put stock in that stance, rather than one lending to the notion that Ineryon is speaking aloud to help him gather his thoughts, "....Should have... thus says the one who apparently knows what one action leads to, in holistic eventuality, from what I gamble..."

     He pauses,, "...versus one who might otherwise wonder if their actions, seemingly adverse in their immediacy, could indeed have valid mettle in a distant time." Tossing his head back, his bangs flapping away from his face, for a moment, in a futile gesture to remove them from Ineryon's line of sight, he remarks, raising a finger in resolute observation, ".....And by this same logic, does one make any choice, while failing to recognize that all actions taken, have some risk, due to the opportunity-cost...." The latter term, Ineryon knows about, being something of mediocre economist, even if some of his relatives would be even better equipped to bring the term into circulation than a 'layman' such as the drow who stood a few meters away from Yari, parallel to her, with an identical heading....

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
It takes Yari a moment to realize she's being spoken to, and in such an odd manner. She suppresses a raise of a ridged draconic brow, instead taking a long pull of her drink. She feels like she's suddenly going to need it.

Slowly, she turns to the man, looking mildly confused.

"What are you talking about?" Comes the young soldier bluntly. Right. Sanary.

"Oh! I was just talking about a friend. The harbor is beautiful at this time of day." All polite small talk, but her body is tense. This man is defnitely not from around here as well.

She mentally takes stock of her bombs and knives, just in case.

And then her finally starts to make sense.

"I can't think of any choice without risk. Life is about minimizing those risks and finding the most efficient path to your goals, while not straying from your morals." A perfectly Garlean thing to say.

She won't be rude though.

"Are you from...out of town too?"

Ineryon (615) has posed:
%      Ineryon grunted, "Life is about whatever life is about. I wouldn't think myself in a position to declare, definitively, what the particulars would encompass.... Now, guessing at what it is about-- this is another matter entirely." Stroking his chin, the dark-elf's stare was fixated forward, not rerouting to meet with Yari's, at that very moment; he was patient, in many instances, comparatively speaking, so, prior to bothering with any emotional connections, on a moderate level, he'll forego too many pleasantries, until it's proven to be of significant value to ascertain higher measures of trust, "I cannot think of any risk without choice. If one is not compelled by their own accord, then one makes no choice, and there is no risk to be experienced, since there is nothing to be felt, to be compelled towards, so, without ability to choose, as part of a mere cog in the machine, it can be said that no risk is to be endured, in light of the fact that risk is the exposure to chance of injury or loss; if there is nothing that one can choose, even so little as risking the delving down a train of thought, should one's body be totally paralyzed, what is done is not known to that one as to be possibly detrimental to oneself."
     Thinking it prudent to let this thought sink in, and catch his breath, the midnight-skinned mediator finally peers to the side of his shoulder, glimpsing at her for a fraction of a second, "The moment one exists, or is aware, and choice exists, if choice exists, becomes the moment conceptualization of reward comes into play, accompanied by penalty, ergo.... this becomes the moment when danger dawns...." Yawning a touch, the nobleman appears as though he's unimpressed by the 'obvious' sentiment Yari has hit upon, as though it could have been achieved through circular reasoning.... as evidenced by Lord Valos' circular argument, brought forth from 'obvious' reversal of the default idea that Yari had introduced. When she asks if he's from out of town, Ineryon smirks, "Before I can answer... why don't you give me a map of the legal parameters defining what is in, at the edge of, and transcending the borders of this thing you refer to as... 'town', if you'd be so charitable... Entity Yari?" It seems as though the drow has been illuminated to her name, somehow or other!

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Cue more drinking as Ineryon starts digging into a philosopher's brand of speaking. To a practical heart like Yari Takane, it all floats neatly over her head. This is a woman who deals with things she can touch and feel and understand. Philosophy is not one of her talents.

"Are you some sort of traveling scholar?" Comes Yari, rather than answer his initial questions. She shrugs a bit.

"So risk and reward are tied together. Alright." Finally adds Yari casually. Not the strangest conversation she's ever had, to be fair.

And then he's asking for a map. She blinks, and ponders. A moment of fiddling with her armlet, making sure she's downloaded a digital one, and then starts ruffling in her coat.

There's a folded map of mitakihara offered over.

"Here. Looking for anything in particular?" She stiffens, however, at the mention of her name. There's more than just simple philosophy going on. But she lets her last words stand.

Ineryon (615) has posed:
     Philosophy, though, in the minds of some, might have been a worthwhile venture, and every bit as practical as the dollar, or gil, or gold coin.... for in Yari's own words, 'not straying from one's morals' was an accomplishment attainable, so long as one was aware of the ramifications of their actions... thus, if one bought wares manufactured in China, ultimately, by extension, one supported 'free-labor' supported by a form of slavery, which came at the expense of the sweat that was 'manufactured' by prisoners who had been jailed for the crime of merely trying to engage in peaceful protest, if they were luckier than the ones who had been in Tiananmen Square. In Yari's defense, if she had never been a slave, this could explain why to her, having never dealt in things she could 'feel and touch', might justify her lack of concern over the purchase of goods or services that perpetuated slavery in realms housing such practices, perchance, occasionally facilitated by the negotiations and lack of embargoes that The Confederacy /could/ see itself invoking, -IF- it were so inclined? So much for that thing so often cited, that went by the name of 'morality', when used by those whose banners were weaved by the starving families in the destitute villages within India, plagued by leprosy, which, despite there being a cure for, was not necessarily widely available, for absence of adequate funding!

     Ineryon actually /knows/ of these things, well indeed... but has long since maintained his subscriptions to natural-selection, combined with luck.... or mayhap misfortune, when taking provisions for his view on how mercifully he viewed the world to be. "Everything that you are aware of, is tied together... for, at the very least, if you are aware of it, then, those things you are aware of are tied together through the lowest common denominator, being, certainly, the one doing the experiencing, I should say!" As to whether he was a traveling scholar, the dark-elf shrugged, "I'm less concerned with what I am, for the most part, and more concerned with what I do. I would say that I like to speculate on costs versus returns... Trying to figure out what is a worthwhile investment, which I'd put time or resources towards, in utter defiance of poor ventures. The winds of change always blow, so much as Absolute-Zero hasn't taken hold; under those circumstances, described towards the end, no movement occurs, so... there is nothing to even be acknowledged, for thought itself necessitates movement of this stimuli through some filter, into some form of information-sponge, where, hopefully, it can be dealt with even more so!"

     Pivoting his body to face Yari's, the highborn darkling placed a hand upon his hip, "....I am trying to classify you properly, to figure out, firstly, if you could be useful to me, and following that, to what chore I would put you, if it were true that you could be contracted. Everyone has a price.... that is a fact. A price-tag can resemble anything from a letter filled with blackmail, detailing risks to the life of a loved one, to promises of luxury, or, some sort of emotionally-gratifying elevation.... perchance, offering someone a shot at being the center of attention, whereby rendering to one, a chance to be flattered by all those surrounding them, whether the compliments involved are genuine, or born of lipservice...."

     Pressing a finger to his lip, he added something, "Oh... and please don't insult my intelligence by pretending you are not doing the same, back to me, in some.... primitive fashion. If you had felt my words had potentially zero value, whatsoever, you'd've simply wandered off without one single eyeball flickering in my direction for half of a yoctosecond, not counting how much energy you mentally diverted to think about my spiels, which consequently, elicited vocalized responses, as though the first two weren't verification enough that you're trying to profit from me-- even if profiting means avoiding a stab in the back."

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Yari was certainly no slave, but 'economics' was a subject she only had the vaguest idea about. She knew procurement, dealing with supplies, and all those other military things...but the economics of civilians was alien to her, unless it came to simple transactions.

An economist was an unwieldy disguise, anyway.

His words, though, have Yari reclassifying him quickly. Either a very philosophical merchant, or an eccentric information broker. The first is just odd, the second maker her wary. She gambles on the latter, just in case.

Her mouth opens, then shuts, as he starts to speak about classification. He knows her name. Does he know her affiliation? Hard to say.

There's a long pause, and she's pulling more drink than she probably should. OH yes, she's going to need it tonight.

"Well, you have one thing correct. I'm definitely seeing just where you might decide to betray, or simply attack me for refusing some kind of deal."

Then, a shrug. She frowns.

"But let me get this clear: I am not some mere mercenary. You know my name, so you should know that I am a Garlean. I am loyal to my country. So unless Emperor or Legatus desires our cooperation, I have no reason or desire to contract to you." Comes the woman bluntly, stubbornly. She's a hard person to bribe. Too much pride there.

Ineryon (615) has posed:
     Ineryon smirked, "So therein lies your crutch. You are devoted, wholeheartedly, to this 'Emperor' character... or Legatus, unless I'm being misled. This is what you treasure..... In conjunction with mere rumors going around about Garleans, and your own admission, beyond a hesitance towards taking so much as a half of a minute to listen to my pitch, you've pronounced your unwavering terms." Bobbing his head back and forth, the dark-elf begins to pace, "...A bit of shuffling here and there.... tweaking with some statistical data.... bribing the appropriate public-relations folks, even the most devout apostles might be viewed by the un-endlessly forgiving messiah that a Judas could exist amidst the ranks of the holy sect of the apostles..."

     He looks backwards, over his shoulder, at Yari, as he 'hypothesizes' out-loud, without any concrete evidence to validate much, "....By the same token, public opinion, should any monarch of a great empire expanding beyond the horizons which he may physically be able to account for, be inclined to read newspaper articles to keep himself properly informed, in turn, delegating tasks to his accountants in his think-tank, could serve to 'improve' the station of a person who is eager to please. I mean... being true to ourselves, which nations exist in this nexus of worlds which incorporate 'innocent until proven guilty', in number, weighed against the amount of nations that are not into such civil liberties?" He cackles, "Oh... but -YOU- would know all about civil liberties, and that type of thing, not that you are an ignoramous like some mercenaries.... the bottom line is, I know some /precise/ things you desire, and you only know the /general/ scope of what I crave, which I think is a problem, is it not?... This is all hypothetical, mind you-- so long as we are not competing, what difference does it make if you wield a knife, and I, a sword?"

     Sighing the 'investor' pulls a card out of a satchel, and keeps it pinched between both his index finger, as well as middle, "....But like I said. Right now... nothing is in contest. As we stand upwind, I smell no scent that should hint at a carcass being in the other direction, over which we might want to.... discuss our respective entitlements to said plunder. If it were not /transparent/ by now, you should feel -somewhat- flattered, to know that I am here, speaking to you, instead of some incompetent wretch, that surely echoes unspoken volumes for how valuable I must have perceived your talents to be, in your field of specialization. Going beyond that, by extension, as a representative of your nation, you are receiving me in an 'informal conference', where your diplomacy could earn /YOUR/ nation an enemy, or an ally. The question I would like you to ruminate upon, if you have the mind to do so, revolves around the matter of how useful allies can be to your organization, in this /incredibly/ vast multiverse, composed of folks who may not care one whim for your emperor, as well as thinking on the notion of how useful you believe someone such as I might be. No advanced computations necessary. No lifelong commitments requested. Just a 'ballpark estimate' on /your/ perception of how formidable I am, if I were to be placed, on either side of the chess-board." He grins in a very subtle way, "...Is that a reasonable request? For me to ask you to, make an attempt to evaluate my net worth?"

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Yari is mostly silent. He speaks of so many things. Her nation. Worth. The Emperor. It's all politics. Yari Takane is a knife in the dark, a scout in the Legion, someone who takes orders and performs. Not an unthinking weapon, but one that is yet a weapon by trade. A tiny shake of the head, and she finishes her drink, tossing it deftly into a reclycling bin.

"I am not a diplomat. I do not have the authority to make alliances. I am a soldier. I take orders, and perform them. Only through my allies do I take anything even close to mercenary work."

She shrugs.

"But it sounds like to me you are approaching Yari Takane, not Centurion Takane, in her work. The answer is the same, but here, I will say this: the Legion, my Emperor, and my Legatus long ago earned my trust. You? You have not even offered your name. I do not trust you, no matter whoever you might represent. So tell me that, or walk away. I will not negotiate without that information."

Another shrug.

"Useful. But allies on that scale are not my place. I am not a Legatus even. Just a Centurion, a small part of a whole. Nothing less, nothing more. I follow orders."

That much, an honest evaluation costs her nothing. She looks him up and down.

"Well, that much isn't a problem. Strong build. Maybe amongst the Eorzean's lands in origin if your race is any indication...asumming you're not from beyond Hydaelyn. Probably capable in a fight, given the tone in your flesh. Given to philosophy and pondering, so likely intelligent and perhaps with knowledge of battlefield tactics. Other than that? I can't guess without seeing you in action."

Ineryon (615) has posed:
     Tapping the side of his satchel, and putting his card away, Ineryon smiles faintly, "Ah... but... If Centaurion Takane is employed by her employer, which is the one to whom she is employed because Yari Takane's moral convictions, how is it that you can claim I can ask one entity a question, which does not at all pertain to the other? How is it that I can say the apple is not of the tree, and the tree not lent to the apple? Do you have any idea how logically contradictory that is? Have you seen a Venn Diagram in your entire life? You say you can make a decision with your sword to slay in your emperor's name, but you have no idea who you slay, or why, other than the fact that it is because some person points a finger in some random direction to have you do what they will?" He snorts, "More importantly... you may /THINK/ you are loyal to your emperor, but that does not mean he will necessarily reciprocate, unless, you believe that he trusts you as much as you trust him, and that he is worth as much to you, as you are to he?"

     Shrugging, the nobleman grunts, "...And you you go, whining about what cause have you to trust me, when I've not given you a name, yet my business card was pressed between my forefingers two seconds prior.... You're quite the observant one, aren't you? I can see what kind of lot your emperor has hired to guard his flank!" Shaking his head, Lord Valos inquired, "....But, back to your question. How much should you trust me, and why.... I counter that question. I counter by asking you, when it is that I /clearly/ stated that you -should- trust me, when the very BEGINNING COMMENT I made to you, when approaching, at the start of all this, was to question whether or not the institution of 'shoulds' and 'oughts' were valid ones, and no less, I counter by asking if you should trust me at all.... or is it true that I asked you to consider, what you think my value is, on the chess-board? If you can tell me when I /encouraged/ you to trust me, then you can give me the EXACT QUOTE, or else I'll hear no more of your borderline-accusatory suppositions about the nature of my integrity, you mindless, driveling excuse for cannon-fodder! I see what you are... all brawn and no brains. No more than an elite mercenary with a few extra badges to make you feel like you're special, or part of some team who is dedicated to a greater cause, or some tripe that bought you the minute they started socializing you, within the society where you were begot, meager instants after you were indoctrinated by whatever books you were actually capable of deciphering." If she can take a few physical blows, hopefully her ego could survive a few psychological ones, irreverent of her /desire/ to analyze their credibility.

     Turning on his heel, he starts down the road, "If you think every single action, and word you choose, when you interact with any other form of life, does not bespeak those with whom you are associated, to even the most microscopic of degrees, then I ask you if you can absolve the actions of the German soldiers, one hundred percent, in the 1940s in the many of Earths to be found contained within the nexus of the Multiverse. To say a soldier for the dictator who endorsed genocide, and that your dictator's actions do not reflect, upon you, and yours, not upon them, despite your choices in life, that led you to further their cause, whether to put bread on the table, or otherwise, then you are only fooling yourself, and those within your circle of the aforementioned group-think! Go on, and claim innocence because you're simply doing your job, then.... and claim innocence when the surviving family-members of the casualties of war ask why you chose to work under that dictator, while you're at it!" Promptly, Ineryon will walk off, unless halted. Yes. He -DID- just compare her mentality to that of a n@z!....