Kisume Quest VII - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "Then think of something we'd want that you can't just take back when you change your mind later."

>"I'm not a mind reader," says the agent. "If you want something like that, you're going to have to tell me what it is."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "If I could think of something else I would have proposed it by now. But after exposing Sariel and trying to resolve a major political domestic dispute in a country I'm not even from, my brain's kinda drained in the coming-up-with-new-ideas department."

[Hello Purvis]

> "If I could think of something else I would have proposed it by now. But after exposing Sariel and trying to resolve a major political domestic dispute in a country I'm not even from, my brain's kinda drained in the coming-up-with-new-ideas department."

>"Well, I can promise you that if the special adviser has been misleading us, she will be punished," says the Agent. "If the Emperor decides not to invade your world, then he will find some other way to bring glory to our Empire."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shrug.
> "Sariel means nothing to me. I'd like something irreversible that works toward that not-invading thing."

[Hanzo K.]

This is just a thought, one I've mentioned in the past I believe, but what about Yumemi replacing Sariel as Advisor?
I bet it's sure to get those two to either settle their differences, or tantrum spiral horribly ala boatmurdered.

[Kilgamayan]

I already mentioned the idea to Yumemi and she refused.

[Hanzo K.]

Hm...This is a tricky one, eh? Because that was the best idea I had towards resolving this issue.

Well, there's always a Senate kinda thing I suppose, with Canus, Yumemi, and the like.
Canus gets to keep a position of relative power, while Yumemi also gets the same. And if Canus tries anything, there's gonna be more folks to block him. Same goes for the others.

[Kilgamayan]

I suspect that would be vetoed on the whole refusal-to-end-the-dictatorship thing.

> How long did Sariel work for Higan, and was she strictly a shinigami?

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Why do we even care what happens in this world? All we want is for them to not invade Gensokyo. If we can prove Sariel's deceit, Canus may well not invade Gensokyo at all (learning you're being manipulated into a war tends to kill your desire for that war). Would Kisume really care if he's still in charge afterwards or not?

[Kilgamayan]

No guarantee he won't just change his mind later.

[Hanzo K.]

Exactly. Better to square stuff away for keeps, to ensure things don't go sour. It's just good business.

[Hello Purvis]

> Shrug.
> "Sariel means nothing to me. I'd like something irreversible that works toward that not-invading thing."

>"You do realize it's not possible to create something irreversible like that," says Sombraluz. "Treaties can be broken and so on."

> How long did Sariel work for Higan, and was she strictly a shinigami?

>You don't know how long she's been there exactly, but you know she had been there a long time. You don't know what her career had been like, but it seems like she has been a shinigami the whole time.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I'm well aware, which is one of several reasons why I didn't suggest one. It's easy to dismiss my earlier requests as unreasonable, but as long as neither of them are met, I'm alive solely at your mercy, and that's no way to live. In that light, to me, they don't sound so unreasonable."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I'm well aware, which is one of several reasons why I didn't suggest one. It's easy to dismiss my earlier requests as unreasonable, but as long as neither of them are met, I'm alive solely at your mercy, and that's no way to live. In that light, to me, they don't sound so unreasonable."

>"Everyone is alive solely at our mercy," says the agent, "Including each of us. You presently have about as much of a guarantee of safety as any person here."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Snort.
> "Don't treat me like an idiot. You and all these guards here have a hell of a much higher life expectancy than the commoners, who the Empire sees as nothing more than war machine fodder."

[Hello Purvis]

> Snort.
> "Don't treat me like an idiot. You and all these guards here have a hell of a much higher life expectancy than the commoners, who the Empire sees as nothing more than war machine fodder."

>"Then take your own advice," says the Agent, his voice growing frosty, "We've been through the wars, every one of us. No one has seen more danger or risked more than a soldier. A citizen need only obey the law, we risk our lives merely by doing our duty."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And how often do those situations that you chose to get involved in come up? Are you constantly fighting wars you didn't start? Do you live your life in fear for your livelihood every single day due to circumstances out of your control, just like a regular person here?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "And how often do those situations that you chose to get involved in come up? Are you constantly fighting wars you didn't start? Do you live your life in fear for your livelihood every single day due to circumstances out of your control, just like a regular person here?"

>"When does a soldier choose the war?" says the Agent. "But you're right in that I am not living in fear every single day. Nor is the average citizen. Perhaps you have forgotten that the person you're talking about seems to be infiltrating the palace? And if this unit here is any indication, has been doing so for a some time."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I'm talking about the people that live under law they didn't choose, the people that the man in charge himself told me he would keep throwing at a war until it was won. Have you tried talking to these people and seeing how happy they feel? How proud they are of the Kosa destiny of glory that theoretically includes them? How willing to die they are for someone else's vision?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I'm talking about the people that live under law they didn't choose, the people that the man in charge himself told me he would keep throwing at a war until it was won. Have you tried talking to these people and seeing how happy they feel? How proud they are of the Kosa destiny of glory that theoretically includes them? How willing to die they are for someone else's vision?"

>"And what gave you the feeling they aren't happy?" says the Agent. "Because you'll find the Empire rose with their support. Ask how many of them are safe now that the law is enforced. Ask how many fear an uncertain future because some member of Parliament or other decided to block funding for a vital service, or that some plutocrat decided to destroy their livelihood for another handful of pocket change. They will tell you, life is better now."

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"And what of the nations you conquered? Surely you don't honestly believe their people support you. They're the ones who live in fear, and why shouldn't they? A lot of them no doubt died, and given how soldiers generally seem given to act no matter where they're from, I'd bet a lot of the survivors had some bad experiences, too. Rape and pillage, and all that. ANd don't try to tell me this doesn't happen. It always happens."
>"What do you do with people who don't support you? How many dissenters are arrested? Oh, and count bullshit excuse charges like 'disturbing the peace' in that."
>"Do you really think the conquered people don't hate you? Don't fear you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"And what of the nations you conquered? Surely you don't honestly believe their people support you. They're the ones who live in fear, and why shouldn't they? A lot of them no doubt died, and given how soldiers generally seem given to act no matter where they're from, I'd bet a lot of the survivors had some bad experiences, too. Rape and pillage, and all that. ANd don't try to tell me this doesn't happen. It always happens."
>"What do you do with people who don't support you? How many dissenters are arrested? Oh, and count bullshit excuse charges like 'disturbing the peace' in that."
>"Do you really think the conquered people don't hate you? Don't fear you?"

>"You would be surprised how many welcomed us, or come to welcome us," says the Agent. "But you're right, some do fight back and resist. And what for? Failed systems? Pride in an ideology that got them nowhere? You say they are afraid, and I say that they need to overcome their fears and move on like the rest of the world has."

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"The fact that this whole thing started from the lie of an exile from my world would make it all quite funny if not for the effect it's had on people who want nothing more than to live their lives in peace."

[Hello Purvis]

>"The fact that this whole thing started from the lie of an exile from my world would make it all quite funny if not for the effect it's had on people who want nothing more than to live their lives in peace."

>"Then let's deal with this whole thing and wrap up the deal with your terrorist friend rather than arguing for things you know aren't going to happen," says Sombraluz.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I've got it then. Something you can't just take back later. Let me go out into the city and ask the people myself how much they like the new regime."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I've got it then. Something you can't just take back later. Let me go out into the city and ask the people myself how much they like the new regime."

>"That would be difficult," says Sombraluz, "You are rather inhuman, and we would prefer to keep that kind information under wraps until things are better prepared."

>_

[Hanzo K.]

>"That's something that can easily be hidden, we just have to find that wheelchair I brought as a disguise. It worked fairly well on the soldiers after all."

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's something that can easily be hidden, we just have to find that wheelchair I brought as a disguise. It worked fairly well on the soldiers after all."

>"I'll keep that in mind," says Sombraluz. "We'll see."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All righty, then. Though I'll admit I'm not sure all that will coax her out of hiding."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All righty, then. Though I'll admit I'm not sure all that will coax her out of hiding."

>"Then what was that whole aside about?" says the Agent.

>_