[center][b]The Vyalviur Suite
The Chamber
Ot-Skodat[/b][/center]

Nine-Eyes All-Sees flicked his mandibles in consternation as Imperial Liaison Tiani paced like a caged wyvern at the head of the table. From above, a heroic rendition of Naerzo Vyalviur the Conqueror glared down at the room, sword outstretched as if to break free from the lime and impale itself deep within the oak. Ringing the table were a handful of Ot-Skodat and an equal number of Yllendyr, segregated at roughly the halfway point. One seat remained empty, and all eyes darted from it to Tiani and back again.

"When will [i]it[/i] be here?" Tiani asked eventually, glaring pointedly at Nine-Eyes. Nine-Eyes splayed his fingers and flicked his mandibles in apology.

"Blue-Shell Ever-Bright's Truerank is enjoying a not-quite-of-certainty judgement, and her enjoyment of this assemblage is of-very-much-certainty to be delayed." Nine-Eyes forced out in the Yllendyr tongue, "Perhaps a greater suitability could be found of commencement in haste, and a re-telling of this meeting at a time yet further-to-come?"

Tiani's eyes narrowed for a moment.

"You do remember I asked to be [i]informed[/i] when you did any of...this, yes?"

Nine-Eyes rubbed his antennae together with surprise.

"We did, Imperial-Liaison-Truerank." He managed, "We were of diligence to thought-push-send into you many notifications of Trueranks enjoying the not-quite-of-certainty judgements. Were you not enjoying of a correct Outerself-meld-innertalk?"

Something glittered in the Liaison's eyes as she stalked around the table towards Nine-Eyes, hand reaching around for the sabre at her waist.

"Proxy-Governor Nine-Eyes, you are aware that I am not, in fact, a part of your moon-cursed Outerself, yes?"

Nine-Eyes' antennae stiffened for a moment.

"Much apology, Imperial-Liaison-Truerank, we forget that your kind is enjoying the silent-oneself-notalk. It shall be made such that you are receiving paper-ink messages on this subject."

Tiani's scowl deepened, but she spun around and made her way back up to the head of the table nevertheless. Sinking down into the plush chair, she glanced over at the gold-framed portrait hanging at the far end of the room - an older elf with the heavy presence which only regal blood could bring, visible even when locked in time. For a moment she sagged, sighed to himself.

"Cousin dear, how did you ever deal with these people?"

"Imperial-Liaison-Truerank Vistani was enjoying great knowing of our Outerself and the inside-self-thoughts, birthed of six dozen-years of seeings and musing-thoughts. You are enjoying of but five-dozens of days of seeings, and this is of-very-much-certainty causing a miscommunications of thought and taken-procedure. You will be enjoying far more dozen-years of seeings and musing-thoughts, and you too will enjoy a great knowings of our Outerself and inside-self thoughts, I am of-very-much-certainty."

"Thank you for that succinct summary." Tiani snapped, "Now if you could start trying to understand [i]us[/i], that would be wonderful."

"Perhaps a returning to the tunnel we were called into?" Half-Arm Far-Wanders suggested, flexing his fingers slowly, "I am not-quite-of-certainty having a belief that this is for the split-of-hive your kind are enjoying, yes?"

"Our [i]civil war[/i], yes." Tiani replied, "Now, we have already declared for Ecruir - no, I'm not going to be retracting that, shut up - but you're all here because I need to know what assets we have at our disposal. Start talking, and perhaps I won't get a headache today."

"We are having the paper-ink message of Olarth." Nine-Eyes volunteered, "He is of your kind, perhaps you could be enjoying a truesense of his inside-self-thoughts from this!"

Tiani's eyes narrowed once again.

"What message is this?"

"It is being greatly displayed to those who are having the understanding of your script." Nine-Eyes explained, "I am believing that there is one reproduced in the nearby. Perhaps it would be of prudence to acquire it for this presentation?"

The elf's jaw seemed about ready to split.

"Yes. That would be prudence indeed. And next time, [i]inform me[/i] of events like this."

"Much agreement!" Nine-Eyes nodded with a tremor of his antennae, apparently oblivious to the anger seething within the elf, "I am of-very-much-certainty that this shall be delivering with the paper-ink messages too, yes?"

"[i]Yes[/i]."

"Of excellence!"

"And now our [i]actual[/i] assets, if you wouldn't mind?"

"If I may be." Half-Arm began, "Of the Ot-Skodat, your asset-collective is of limiting usefulness. For the purposing of a pest-control-war, our Selfswords are being a usefulness, but they lack an Outerself of the strengths which would permit an outwards-facing thrust of any greatness, of-very-much-certainty. Of most realism, the Auxilia are of the sword you wish to grasp."

"Even then," another elf - this one in full military dress - added, "We have Ot-Skodat distributed fairly evenly throughout the Auxilia here. If we were going to mount some form of an offensive we would need to completely reorganise to account for that, even before we consider the implications for the stability of the region or any potential counter-offensives Olarth's allies make. Consolidating our grip on this province might be an idea worth considering."

Tiani let a hiss of frustration pass through her teeth as she glanced over at the Yllendyr.

"Thank you, Eluir." She managed after a moment, before Nine-Eyes piped up:

"Ot-Skodat would also be having many gratefulnesses for a not-outward-facing war. The Hive-Collective would have many thank to not be enjoying a state of defencelessness."

"If Ecruir deems us to be an important theatre, then he'll dispatch forces to us." Eluir pointed out,"As long as we can justify that expenditure to him, we can cut it both ways."

"Which would be a perfectly acceptable risk to take if we knew which side the Imperium to our north was declaring."

Eluir gestured to the Ot-Skodat side of the table.

"Send one messenger directly north, stopping over, and give another a...Kol Kurak, yes?"

"For journeyings over such distance, Kol Kurak in a pairing would be enjoying a not-inconsiderable advantage." Half-Arm noted.

"Done." Tiani nodded, "Now, assuming that won't come for at least three months, we need to defend the Province with four Auxillia Legions. What are our threats?"

"Avalia we know." Eluir listed off, "The northern portion of the Imperium is a possibility and the same goes for Aurelia."

"Wonderful..." Tiani sighed, reaching up to rub at her temples, "So, we can't be certain we've made the wrong choice until it bites us in the ass?"

"There is not-quite-of-certainty that this is being the case." Nine-Eyes noted, "The conquering of Ot-Skodat was done with haste, by Imperial-Liaison-Truerank Vistani. Even still, he was not of understanding his victory for many dozen-years afterwards, and it is not-quite-of-uncertainty that he was passing of his insight into a new generation."

"Your [i]point[/i]?"

"There is not-quite-of-uncertainty that the north-Imperium and Aurelia-Republic are possessing the much of knowledge of Ot-Skodat. It is not-quite-of-uncertainty that a force of toke could be causing much deliberation by their first-and-foremosts. Were we to be forced into engage, it might be of-very-much-certainty to be sticking with the smallers and preparing a held-in-reserve of largers."

Tiani's face creased into a wince.

"A mobile defense is...workable." Eluir noted, "But we'd most likely forfeit the hive they attack."

Half-Arm flicked his antenna in amusement.

"The purchasing of time is being a transaction Ot-Skodat are within consummation."

"'Are consummate in', [i]please[/i]." Tiani corrected, "But how many Auxilia Legion would we need?"

"One, if we're being realistic." Eluir replied after a moment, "Station them in Nok-Torrak and they can cover the most optimal pushes from both sides, and push out if we manage to get that far. And the cit-hive, sorry, still far outproduces its needs in terms of food, so it has enough stockpiles in case of a siege."

"And if the enemy manages to circumvent it?"

Eluir shrugged.

"We've probably already lost."

The room was silent, save the gentle rustle of antennae rubbing together nervously.