RP [Day 1] IRC YE 36

[Wes]

"I am Officer Rudel, YSA." the Kodian identified himself. "It is you who are being disrespectful to the other guests here. Now...I have asked you to leave. I won't ask you again," the Kodian bruiser stated in a calm but firm voice. "Leave now. You may return when you are dressed for an international conference. If you do not, you will be banned from this facility. Now...either you will walk out on your own or I will carry you. I suggest the former; you have already embarrassed yourself enough."

 

[Doshii Jun]

Miki Tanaka, chief deputy premier of Yamatai, fixed it.

Taking the arm of the Helashio representative, she flashed her best wide smile at the officer. "Officer Rudel, how have you been? I hope the weather doesn't treat you poorly today. I'll be sure to have coats sent to you and your officers." She turned to the Helashio representative, squeezing his arm. "Silly of us to forget coats, isn't it? Sometimes our bureaucratic ways get ahead of us!"

And ahead of the officers, who knew they couldn't stop their boss' boss from taking the representative in, no matter his attire. The captain grunted, his vast brow furrowed beneath his cloth helm, but the representative was in, stunned Helashio on her arm, and there was nothing more to be done about it. The guards returned to their posts.

 

[DocTomoe]

Tanaka's intervention could not have come at a better time, catching the Helashio before his words could spill out. At her touch, she could feel the tension in the Helashio's arm, but that was only a hint at his anxiety, which was also apparent by the fuzz of his ears and tail. If anything, the Helashio was outright frightened of the Kodian, for good reason, they reminded him of Lmanel. Though, her touch was enough to shake Snider from his moment of adrenalin driven fear as he scooped up his coat and looked to her. "Th-Thank you, Madame." Snider spoke, as he was led along. His breathing was ragged, it was clear he was frazzled by the encounter, to say the least.

 

[Soresu]

While the others arrived by car or shuttle. Entourage and security details. One of the Iromakuanhe dignitaries had opted to refuse such things. He had, had an almost petulant tone in his voice at the notion of being brought in by car. Why build such a lovely place if all you did was drive around? Or fly? Why not experience it for yourself? Walk its greenery, listen to the birds singing their songs. While his fellows had finally given into his desires, Ahrim had seemed to pickup a Neko in a YSA uniform. The two in a seemingly deep conversation as they neared the entrance to the central compound where the International Relations Conference was being held. The man walking breezily along, almost brazenly one would assume having foregone a security detail. The YSA Nekovalkyrja having been asked for directions after he had gotten himself lost looking at several cultural pieces of art littering the park. Instead she'd joined him on his quest to get to the conference.

A white Flak Cloak hung from his shoulders, golden clasp holding it on. His arms, chest, and most of his legs save for booted feet obscured as he walked. Twinkling pieces of alien technology glowed and blinked off it. He himself appeared a man in his prime barely in his thirties, but his hair had the grey tint of an old man. A scar ran along his neck and jawline, grey eyes attentive and alive with amused merriment as he made several hand gestures, speaking fervently and giving a glimpse of the silvery sheen of thick, yet decorative plate-mail styled armor underneath. The Neko seemed to listen intently, nodding her head as they neared.

"I know your species enjoys seafood. So this recipe is one I've perfected after a few decades after seeing it done several times. It is a little different than the roast I'd described before. But, imagine eating octopus... as a lollipop." That seemed to capture the YSA Neko's attention even more. But she seemed confused. He'd stopped just short of the steps leading into the building to speak with the woman a little more.

"It's quite easy! I assure you. Slice the tentacles into bite-sized chunks, cook them at very low temperature. Then you introduce a transglutaminase to hold them together. Arrange them equally and form a circular pattern. The transglutaminase will act as a sort of 'glue'. Then you dip the resulting mass in a orange-infused saffron carrageenan gel. Place them on fresh dill flower stalks and serve. Before you say anything, the orange and saffron accentuate the Octopai's natural flavor, the texture is somewhat chewy, but will gradually harden to that of a lollipop's consistency. So they will have a crunch, but also maintain their chewiness once you reach the little nuggets of octopai. It goes quite well with watermelon-infused alcohol chilled to miniature spheroids thanks to a combination of liquid nitrogen and shaping. I find the differing textures, and citrus, saffron and watermelon notes go remarkable well together. "

"Thank you... Cu'Seddir-san. I'll have to try these recipes you've given me. And please, take me up on my suggestion. Fugu-sashimi is quite good." The two exchanged a companionable handshake, then a brief hug of goodbye then a wave as the woman departed, speaking into her communicator. The High Guardian stood there with a soft, but proud little smile on his face. It was such a remarkably easy process to find and become acquainted with someone if you could only find common ground. In this case, it had been differing tastes in cuisine. A soft chuckle and shake of his head accompanied the man as he began to climb the steps two at a time feeling like a 'young' man again.

 

[Nashoba]

Kohaku surveyed the room, it was apparent that the other delegations were being ushered into the meeting space. ‘They knew we were on the way. Why are they already going in to the hall without us?’ she thought a bit of annoyance slipping into her mood. A moment later she watched as a black haired woman approached the entourage. She felt the subtle shift in the stance of the security. She moved her little finger on the hand holding the Siamaka staff twice and felt them relax.

Uncertain who this person was beyond that being a member of the house Ketsurui she let Tesgi deal with her. She looked briefly at Kotori then motioned with a casual gesture of her left hand towards Tesgi.

Tesgi saw the gesture that Kohaku made, it was one of several that been worked out prior to coming here. He was trying to decide the best course of action and wording, the fact that the Premier was not present was by their culture a broach of etiquette. He decided to choose his words carefully and offer a way to avoid a slight to the clan at the onset of the conference. He looked at the Yamataian female named Kotori who approached them and holding his right hand out palm upward.

“Thank you Ketsurui-sar for your greetings. I am Tesgi Toioky, Ambassador to Yamatai for the Poku Saeruo Degonjo. This is obviously the Emissary, and with us is Legos Miaurm our Defender of the Clan.” He said gesturing to his superiors.

“Why is the Premier not here to receive our delegation? Or are you a member of her entourage?” he inquired.

Legos looked briefly at Kotori he brought his left arm up and pressed the palm to his right breast and gave a slight bow. A simple acknowledgement of the presence of a warrior before him.

 

[Fred]

Kotori mirrored each gesture of greeting in a sincere, though slightly awkward, effort to demonstrate respect to the Hidden Sun Clan delegation - the palm outward to Tesgi and then the bow with the same palm over her left breast for Legos. Her odd amber eyes glowed with an obvious desire to be accomodating.

Straightening, she answered Tesgi: "Yes, Ambassador, I am indeed part of the Premier's entourage. There is unfortunately only one of her, and many guests to be made welcome." The warm smile she offered them conveyed the hint of how monumentally arduous it might be to be the hostess of a reunion encompassing over more than half-a-dozen different cultures usually separated by not only tens-of-light-years, but also different standards for propriety and etiquette. "She offers her sincerest apologies to you, Emissary, Ambassador and the rest of your delegation for not being able to attend you presently."

With more aplomp, she continued: "The only reason it is I attending you, and not she, is that is was not the Premier's will that you remain unattended until she could personally greet you and make you welcome. She namely sends regards to you, Ambassador, and hopes that you have been doing well since the two of you have last spoken."

Furtively, she took notice of the Iroma also reaching the entryway and sent the word along, mentally, to her compatriots.

 

[Nashoba]

Tesgi smiled back at Kotori, "The Premier is too kind to ask about me. Though when we first met I was still recovering from my ordeal at the hands of the Siama'bu Soujo. We appreciate that she is busy with all that is going on here." he replied.

Kohaku having listened to the exchange between Kotori and Tesgi; she chose to speak up. "Thank you for attending to us in her absence. I must admit that there are more species present that I was expecting. This should be an opportunity to initiate contact with some of them."

 

[Fred]

Kotori returned a grin. "Then perhaps it would please the Emissary to take this initiative with our latest arrival?"

Her wide sleeve fluttering in the motion, the black-haired Ketsurui gestured to the newly arrived Iromakuanhe. "Emissary, Ambassador, I have the pleasure of presenting High Guardian Ahrim Cu'Seddir of the Iromakuanhe Astral Commonwealth. He comes far from our galactic north to attend our discussions."

 

[CadetNewb]

As he held out the bottle of whiskey, more arrived.

None held the audaciousness of his peers, but they were all interesting in their own regards. From his own eyes, he saw the ever-unoffensive Abwehrans. They could raise hell on a personal level, but on the big stage, it seemed they were mostly content in not rocking the boat too much. What caught his attention after that? The Not-Kohanians that were showing up. Johnathan admitted - inwardly - he had the hardest time thinking of them as being not Kohanians. It took a while, but, reading the dossier, they definitely were not Kohanians. Still. He couldn't stop thinking of them as Not-Kohanians. The visual similarities were quite strong after all, even though the culture wasn't. The Lorath woman seemed to be best described as mousy. Despite all the hostilities and saber rattling both Yamatai and Lor was doing, any sane person would be scared. At a glance. she seemed to be pretty same to him. As the small show of arrivals took Nibbi's attention entirely, he shrugged, putting the bottle of whiskey away.

"Ohhhhh, rejection!" he joked, pretending to wince. "More for me then," the Senator cracked for nobody in particular with a smirk.

As they all proceeded inwards, more and more arrived. With the Azoreans? Well, in the beginning, Johnathan really couldn't help but think of them as Mermaids. But then he looked further into the dossier, as well as the pictures. At that point a few days ago, he thought to himself, 'What the Hell do I call a guy Mermaid?!' It was the kind of stuff that could make people stay up at night, missing out on sweet, sweet sleep. Eventually however, he wisely decided to simply think of them as Azoreans. It was safer for his sanity that way. Talk of the weirdest food caught his attention too - the Iromakuanhe were ever refined and elegant, but sure didn't seem to show up to much.

Like the Abwehrans, they seemed to prefer to just chill. Unlike the Abwehrans though? They kept even more to themselves, were hard to find, and had a distinctly different aura to them. Something a little like a 'With Blackjack! And Hookers!' line of thought, but not. He couldn't put his finger on it. Oh well. All he needed to know for now was that they were pretty impressive, and got the girls without looking like assholes. And naturally, there were the hosts of this meeting here too. The very people that could make, and break this whole entire ordeal. First and foremost was Yuumi, and to guide the Azoreans? Kotori. Everyone knew that Yuumi was quite sane. Very in fact. But with Kotori? His train of thought on her at that moment was, 'Oh hey, it's Kotori...Ko...tori? WHAT? WHERE'D SHE COME FROM?! The bottom line, that Ninja-Girl was dangerous. And sane. He hoped. There was more he thought about those two, but, the bottom line was that they were Special. Even in Yamatai. It was best left at that.

Naturally, Johnathan was also pretty aware that all of this stuff that sat in his head was likely to be really, really racist. Probably sexist too. It wasn't like he could really help it though.

 

[Yoshi]

Following the larger groups Rayntax kept his head on a swivel, not like his security escort did, looking for threats or attacks, but for the hierarchy the delegates were building among themselves. It seem few were giving him or the rest of the Azoreans any attention past and occasional glance of curiosity towards them.

'It wouldn't be long,' the chief Ambassador thought, 'before they either try to go for us and attempt to force us to bow to them, or wipe us from the face of the stars.' Taking a deep breath from his breathing unit he smiled and stepped toward the Nepleslian delegation.

"Greetings, I'm Ambassador Rayntax, From The Azorean Commonwealth." He gave a sharky toothy grin as he offered up his lightly webbed hand in a traditional Nepleslian gesture. He remembered watching the hand shake in a vid on the way here.

 

[Nashoba]

Kohaku was briefly taken aback by Kotori's sudden suggestion to make contact with a new race. It was very unprecedented, normally there was some preparation. She turned in the direction indicated by Kotori, and looked at the Iromakuanhe. This was an alien species that she had no information on other than the few details provided. She waited a moment and then with both hands held away from her body she spoke.

"I am the Emissary of the Poku Saeruo Degonjo. On the behalf of the clan I offer greetings to you and your delegation."

 

[Luca]

Nibbi could hear the nameless Nepleslian senator's thoughts as mumbles. She could get the feeling of rejection from him. She had been swept up in the festivities and the arrival of another Ketsurui. Perhaps they'd share a drink together later. Until then though, Nibbi was seeing and watching more delegations coming in, including the Hidden Sun Clan. Lorath intel had told her that they were firmly in Yamatai's pocket, possibly filled with lies and propaganda - though that could change now that they were on the universal stage and seeing everyone for what they could be.

If this was their first in-person meeting with the Hidden Sun Clan - she had to consider the possibility that they have an existing idea the of Lorath fed to them by the Yamataians. If they didn't, here and now was the best place to make a good first impression and dispel those hurtful rumours. She was about to open her mouth when she heard an altercation further back. Her bodyguard turned around to see what was happening - it was just the Helashio assistant assigned to her. Command had told him to wear something sharp. Nibbi sighed and rested her index and middle fingers against her temple, rubbing in circles.

While she kept on walking with her bodyguard, she watched the Azoreans and the Iromakuanhe make their respective entrances. She had always wondered about the Iroma, it was only the other day that she was able to find an Iroma-themed eatery in Kyoto and enjoy something spicy. It was one of the ways to get to her on a diplomatic level, by sharing food. It'd nearly worked on her with the Gartagens. Eventually, her erstwhile assistant caught up by her side and she said in Lorath, "Snider, we asked you to dress sharp for a Lorath, not a Helashio."

"Madame, if I may, I'd like to remind you," Snider replied back in Lorath, "that kind of talk is the talk of a prejudiced tyrant."
"Perhaps, but this isn't out of personal malice. The Yamataians have a strict dress code - as you've just discovered," Nibbi said to the Helashio with a sigh.
"A dress code I would have followed, if it were posted, and not merely implied."

"Said like a true archive." Nibbi replied back with a wry smile. She knew that the Kodian that'd stopped Snider was a little too similar to a bear-aspected Llmanel warrior of old. Snider's monkey-brain would've gone into overdrive and there would've been blood on the carpet. She didn't trust those bears, they were bad news all over - the 'diplomatic' calls from them after the announcement of the Occhestian eradication were the most vitriolic.

As Nibbi made a mental headcount of the passing delegates, she realised that there was something missing. "Am'ikka, I think a delegation team is missing."
Am'ikka, her bodyguard was gazing aloofly at the other delegates while watching her charges with hawklike eyes and a sharp nose. "The Gartagens haven't arrived yet," the bodyguard observed tersely. "I cannot smell them."
"Where could they be?" Nibbi asked in Trade, half-aloud and close enough for the Nepleslians to hear her. "They love these events."

 

[Doshii Jun]

"They hopefully will be along soon, but you know how intergalactic travel can be," Yuumi amicably said as she helped lead folks to the central conference room.

One by one, the groups came through — the Lorath first, the Lorath's Nibbi, her Fyunnen guard and her Helashio assistant, who looked back once at Miki giving him a kind wave and a mouthed "everything will be fine"; followed by Nepleslia, with the Grand Admiral's chiseled and sculpted features as unreadable as ever compared to Coast's expressive face (Igzimmer was drunk, so his thoughts were pretty open); then the Abwehran state minister Gerhard Stoffleth and his mismatched aides, the chesty blonde Klara Kaldrack, the Nightwalker Malwine Muenzner and the marine Oberbootsman Kriemhild Smollich.

The Azoreans weren't a complete surprise, but Yuumi breathed a silent sigh of relief at their timeliness. The ambassador Ryantax she recognized; the other two took a split second for her bracelet to receive and on which to telepathically overlay data: Commodore Asri and the Elder Washran. Yuumi bowed to them, exchanged pleasantries about the volumetric art, then helped them inside.

Yuumi peered out to see Kotori more or less delaying the HSC's Emissary and Ahrim Cu'Seddir, High Guardian of the Iromakuanhe Astral Commonwealth. Can't blame her for her drive, but I've not the time.

A quick telepathic signal to Miki told her to handle the guests with Koto while she greeted their ally and another welcome neighbor.

Miki, who had been closing in, did a sharp about-face and nodded. "Did you see what the captain did with the Helashio rep?"

Yuumi nodded as the two passed without looking at each other. "If there were media around, I might have him busted down to janitor. Police and politics don't mix."

"Snider seemed shaken, but I calmed him down."

"Great. Herd the wolves please."

"Right away ma'am."

* * *

Central Conference Room

Miki slid more than swept into the room, quickly finding Nobunaga chatting up the Abwehran aide. "Snake," she sent to him; her nickname for him. "Get ready to play usher!"

The blue-haired Neko put on her best smile as she looked to the representatives, some expectantly around the table and others near the galleries.

"If I could have your attention please?" She waited a beat or two for heads to crane her way. "Thank you. The format of these discussions has been made available to each of you, but to reiterate now that you're here — the primary representative will be seated at the round table behind their nameplates. Each nation has determined that primary representative, and as we welcome other guests, feel free to speak to one another and mingle a bit before sitting down.

"Other representatives are welcome to find seats in one of the four quarter-circle galleries along the room. As you can see, the theater-style seating means there's not a bad spot in the house. You are free to sit together with your fellow representative or split up, and you can sit either behind or in front of your representative.

"Each chair, at the Round Table and in the galleries, comes with its own cup and built-in water dispenser in the chair's right arm. In the chair's left arm is a computer terminal pre-approved and installed by your embassy staff that routes you back to your embassy or starship's central computing system. It is there for your convenience; if you prefer your personal device, you are welcome to it. The chair's other controls, including a built-in heater and humidifier, can be accessed from the terminal or your personal device.

"We will meet for three hours, then break for a two-hour meal to allow more time for everyone to talk amongst each other. We then will have a four-hour session before breaking for the evening. If any primary representative has a special request — a different beverage, a room temperature change, other concerns — please silently signal your gallery, who can forward their request to me. I am Chief Deputy Premier Tanaka Miki. My counterpart is Assistant Deputy Premier Nobunaga Koto."

Miki paused as the large, circular lights above each gallery section dimmed, then brightened again. "That is the signal that the conference will commence in the next 10 minutes. 10 minutes to start time, honored representatives."

* * *

Center Compound, outer doors

Yuumi approached the group of the Iroma Ahrim and the HSC delegation, along with Kotori between them. Kotori wisely bowed when she saw Yuumi reach an appropriate distance, but Yuumi didn't acknowledge it right then.

Instead, she faced the Emissary, posture relaxed but solid. She held up an open hand, and bared her teeth.

"Apōtě, Vonai Rya'ka Kohaku Syali," she said, her accent thick but clearly without computer assistance. "Rē sūmănā sēămă vōē tēōăs-mě."

 

[Jimmy]

Central Conference Room

Koto said something witty and charming that was totally not exclaiming at the size of the Abwheran women and asking what they were feed growing up. He did however, at Miki's signal, have to start to take care of actual business. Such as showing the aides boss where to sit, and seating his entourage themselves. Koto himself was unusual for a Yamataian, he actually looked older than a mid-twenties or teen. He even had wrinkles. It seemed he was one of the few in such a society who preferred a more mature appearance.

"Herr Stoffleth, please have the seat here. It should be more comfortable for you, and your aides." Koto said to the minister bowing his head in an respectful but efficient manner. He had a lot of people to seat, and many of those people were of great import. Indeed, the seat and bench seemed larger and designed to take much more weight comfortably than the others in the gallery.

"Your aides may sit near you or move throughout the galleries as they wish, even mingle with other parties." he continued, but his eyes flicked to the three ladies who had accompanied him, particularly the crimson-haired Malwine Muenzner. "I will return periodically if you require anything of my own masters discretely, as well as to arrange other petty affairs concerning your hospitality with your own aides."

Koto wondered quietly what might be behind those opaque goggles the Nightwalker wore, he'd read dossiers about Abwherans but he liked to see things with his own eyes. But those plans could wait a little longer. He still had two more parties to shepherd to their seats, and those were just the ones in the room.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

Minister Stoffleth remained silent throughout the walk to the Conference Room, glancing over at paintings and images depicting not only the rise of the Abwehran Star Empire, but also the triumphs of the Weltraumflotte during the Pirate War. Obviously, many of these were copies since the originals were in National Museums and Galleries where they belongs, but it was good to see at least some of the Empire was represented here. He continued to remain silent as everything was explained to the delegates and the Premier of the Yamataian Government left to gather the next wave.

Then a nice more mature Yamataian gentleman came to seat him. Gerhard had barely heard the chuckle escaping Klara's lips at the wittiness, though the smile abruptly became stern a moment later as Koto went about his business. "Ah, thank you." Gerhard replied with a grin. "See to the young ladies, I shall be quite fine." he continued with a chuckle that rumbled. Taking his assigned seat, Gerhard took the chance to unbutton his coat to allow his belly to expand, as it was wont to do whenever he sat down. Dispensing some water into the glass on his right, Gerhard taped the terminal on his left and began to access the basic network. However, he wouldn't connect back to his vessels database considering it was a chartered vessel. All of his data was on his touch-computer anyway, which he had placed upon the table in front of him.

The Oberbootsman immediately took the non-delegate seat closest to Minister, her posture becoming ramrod straight as she removed the shako from her head and placed it upon her lap. Those violet eyes once again became more like security cameras as they surveyed the entire room. Klara sat next to the Marine, but seemed more relaxed as she sat with her touch-computer upon her lap. Malwine caught Koto's glanced with goggle-hidden eyes and gave the Yamataian a bright, inviting smile as she moved away from the round table and seemed to ponder where to sit.

 

[Jimmy]

Koto bowed his head again to the minister and winked at Malwine conspiratorially and and gestured to the benches a few rows behind the front row of seats. As as he took his polite leave his hand subtly drifted to the Nightwalkers hip as he passed and gave her a small pinch on her bottom with his fingers. Totally unprofessional, but it wasn't like the small minnows following the sharks in the room had too much expected of them, and international relations should be done on the personnel as well as diplomatic level. At least, that would be his excuse. He was definitely coming back to his quarter of the benches sooner rather than later.

Smiling to himself he approached the Lorath delegation, stopping a few paces in front of them out of respect for the large security guard and bowing more formally than he had with the Abwherans. While relations between Abwher and Yamatai were moderately warm, Lorath were a different matter entirely. More warm formality was required, at least at first. Remember, roost the birds, not roast them.

"Ladies. Sir." Koto said as he rose from his bow. "May I take you to your seats? I'm afraid we weren't sure how to adapt the seats for wings but we were assured it wasn't necessary, I see our worries were in vain."

"Please." With that he took a half step back and gestured with an open palm beside his hip for them to walk with him.

 

[Soresu]

A serene smile crossed Ahrim's lips as he gazed first at the jet-haired Nekovalkyrja in her flowing garments. The introduction she'd given the Emissary had been a little off, but he hadn't felt the need to correct her as the other delegate began her introductions. Popping an arm forth from behind his flak cloak, he placed his hand over his left breast and bowed formally to both the Princess, and Emissary.

"I am Ahrim Ehrish Vanu Cu'Seddir, High Guardian of the Temple Guard, and Protector of the Dreamer's Vigil. It is both an honor and pleasure to make your acquaintances." Standing straight again, the smile returned as he directed his focus upon the Poku Saeruo Degonjo delegate. "It is my hope our people will become better acquainted with one another during this conference. And that we may both leave here knowing we have made friends this day."

 

[Luca]

Nibbi saw the chauffeur's sly move as she was watching the Abwehran Nightwalkers get escorted to their seating. Whoever this chauffeur was, they had balls - they had courage, they were shameless. Or perhaps they were bored senseless after rehearsing for days on how to carry oneself in an event this sensitive.

As the chauffeur bowed to Nibbi, she saw it fitting to bow back to him, just as deep as they had. If they were showing respect to you, it was only polite to be respectful back after all - sing with the cats, don't skin them and if they pounce, fly. "Ah, we'd be delighted," she replied back in Lorath accented Yamatai-go. Sometimes Lorath had some particular trouble with the V sounds - sometimes compounding them or adding extra sounds by accident.

She took his palm and they walked together, the other two of the delegation team following suit. Nibbi was wearing gloves, so as not to have her New Tur'listan psychic abilities become inflicted on them, or share her thoughts and read his. "Oh it's not a problem Premier Koto, our wings are mostly vestigial unlike Elysian ones." Nibbi walked and talked with him. "Some of us have them removed early even."

As she sat herself down at the round table to get a feel for the chair as her delegates flanked her. She nodded with a smile once a suitable rut had been furrowed into the chair at the Lorath sector of the round table. "Please give Chief Deputy Premier Tanaka Miki my sincere thanks for helping Snider," she gave Koto a passing message, "Maybe we can meet for lunch after the first talks."

She poured herself a cup of water, and waited for it all to begin, drumming her fingers along the table.

 

[CadetNewb]

Hands full with his bags of random goods, Izgimmer could only lightly chuckle at the scenes.

First contact was typically thought of as a huge deal. Something that was always quite a spectacle worth of the big screen, or perhaps very seminal and moving. Honestly though, he always felt different. The same way that "Shit Happens" held true in that horrible, bad things could simply occur, the same and exact opposite with what people thought of as good could go the same way too. "Stuff Happens" would have been a lot more accurate, but that doesn't grab attention like the classic did. To see the Ketsurui Star Ninja shake the Hidden Sun Clan's Emissary was pric - 'What.' The thought hung in his head for a brief moment before he stole a look at the woman. Staring at the ground in thought, he put together what went wrong while he rubbed his chin. With the crazy show of all these different people, he didn't quite register the person that the Hidden Sun Clan had sent. After all, she was just another Neko, right? 'Just another Neko' - that thought that he had until just a few moments ago was now rather embarrassing in hindsight.

Reading up on who was coming, he always just assumed the person the aliens sent was a Weeaboo that had a name change, and that he couldn't figure out which was the representative because all those animal-aliens looked alike. Not only that, but apparently, he didn't read closely enough and notice that part that said "She's a Neko" or something like that. And! Missed the part where the Neko introduced herself as the Hidden Sun Clan's Emissary thanks to that other scene!

An actual Neko for their rep? Really? No wonder they were in Yamatai's pocket.

And that other scene....when it came to it, the ordeal was distracting to the point he missed something important. However, he could only give an exhausted sigh. "Maybe I shouldn't have come to this meeting sober after all," he remarked to Charlie and Dom. Was this IRC going to be a disaster already? Watching, it was as he thought it'd go. That is, not if Yuumi had her way of course - she did what she could to keep things going smoothly. Even before being picked out of the blue to come, he knew that much about her. That this was one of the things that made Yuumi special amongst all those synths. He honestly felt bad for the Lorath guy. Before he could spare another thought though, Johnathan went back to someone who tried to greet them earlier, before they were ushered deeper in. Fast, like a hawk picking its mark, he was enthusiastically returning a missed handshake with one of those fish people - the guy in specific.

He still couldn't figure out what to call guy Mermaids, but that wasn't important, so he tried to keep thinking of them as just 'Azoreans'. Once he'd figure that mystery out though, the man would relax and go back to just calling them Mer-whatever in his mind.

"Hey, great to meet you Ray. Sorry about that earlier - it's like they're eager to get it all started. No idea why," the Nepleslian instantly nicknamed the alien. "The name's Johnathan. Senator Johnathan Izgimmer. This is your first time here, yeah? Just sit back and enjoy the show. We never know if anything's going to get done, but at least it's entertaining to the other politicians and bigshots back home!" he grinned. "Grab a seat though. We're going to be here a long time, and depending on how well it goes for your folks, you might want to stay longer or leave!" As Nepleslians were - independent - he simply grabbed his own choice spot, regardless of whether or not Valken or Coast would follow. And fortunately? None too far away from the Abwehrans, thank god for blessed bounties, though worryingly close to the Azoreans for some people. As much as stink may have been a concern, he'd been to fish markets before, and this was unlikely to be any worse. Discreetly - and politely - wiping his hand on the underside of his cushion, out of sight, Johnathan tossed an arm over the back of his seat and looked at the Helashio guy.

"Hope that mess with those guys didn't scare a few years off your life buddy - I was hoping the security wasn't going to be anal this year, but decided not to come in jeans just in case," he encouragingly explained, also giving a friendly glance towards the Abwehrans to see their own thoughts on the matter. "Hell, I think that last year, they even made Morioka want to pull out her hair," the Senator honestly smiled, offering his other hand.

The clean one.

 

[Yoshi]

Rayntax smiled at the greeting and nodded. "Yes lets see where the school swims." He motioned to his other two delegates to the stands, before taking a seat right next to the Nepleslian diplomat. Once seated he pulled out a little bottle of hand sanitizer and started cleaning his hands off. Who knew what microbes these land dwellers had on them.

Once seated he pulled out his own tablet and opened the link with the Elder and the Commodore. 'Well here we go... Chat with the others up there and find out where everyone stands... and Asri, play nice. Don't go starting wars right now... Yet.'

Once his message was sent he sat back and looked around the table at the others there.