"With the map, you will have the ability to select the precise point where your portal will appear in his realm...with restrictions." Neesa began to explain. With a twitch of her finger, she pulled a piece of charcoal from halfway across the room and hovered it just over the map. With a bit more fine telekinetic manipulation, she used the charcoal to draw a fairly large circle, with the large point of light at its center. "This power is strong enough to interfere with any portal you try to make in the area around it. One could still be established, but it would take too long to become stable, and Vile would certainly be able to sense and, more importantly, stop it. I would estimate anywhere outside this circle to be safe, so pick a spot on the outside and plan your attack from there. I am willing to go through the effort of teaching you how to tune the machine, so you can stay here and plan to your heart's content."

Neesa's expression showed at least a slight amount of irritation, if not some dread. She looked hesitant, but nevertheless continued. "I, unfortunately, cannot be uninvolved in this process, though. No matter how much I would prefer not to be, I am going to [i]have[/i] to be central to whatever battle plans you are making. Quite literally." 

Ri'vashi stood with her arms crossed, still staring at the map. The restriction on how close they could place their portal would complicate matters. No path through the terrain she could see would prevent them from having to fight through Vile's daedra to reach him. She did not want to think about how many lives that particular inconvenience might end up costing them, but for now, she was still paying attention to Neesa. "Ri'vashi does not doubt your personal skill, Hal-Neesa, but our soldiers will be able to fight the daedra with or without one more powerful mage among them. If you want to take a role away from the front line, you are free to do so."

Neesa regarded Ri'vashi as if she had been personally insulted. Even from a rather benign comment like Ri'vashi's she appeared angrier than Sabine had seen her in months. However, she did not yet act on that anger in any other way than a sharp stare. "Listen when I speak. I [i]must[/i] be at the center of whatever you are planning, because there is no way around it. Perhaps none of you have managed to understand this yet, but I am a being of near-divine power. The scale of the magic I can command will far eclipse anyone else on that battlefield who is not a Daedric Prince, and I cannot hide that from Clavicus Vile. You lesser beings will be able to move through his realm unnoticed, but not me. Vile will sense me the moment I go through that portal, and he will know exactly where I am every step of the way. He will naturally assume that I am central to whatever you are planning, but I am sure that 'military' minds like yourselves will be able to make some use of that fact."

[hr]

Meesei did not have a quick answer for Lunise, and after long enough of just holding onto her in silence, she was starting to worry that she would not think of a worthy one at all. Her own experiences did not give her many ways to empathize with Lunise. "I...well I wish I had a good answer for you. I do not think our situations are too closely comparable, I am afraid. I have so few memories of my mother, speaking to her spirit would be like talking to a stranger."

"But..." Meesei began, her voice trailing off into uncertainty until, finally, one thought suddenly shot into her mind. "...do you truly think you have a reason to be afraid of your mother? Or of speaking to her? You have a real, genuine love for your people, and a willingness to dedicate your life to serving them. You are currently working to protect all of Nirn against a Daedric threat, and knowing what you know about the rogue faction of Thalmor that want to destroy Mundus, I know you will be vital in stopping them as well. How could any mother not be proud of what you are doing? And if what I know about the Psijics is any indication, then I quite look forward to meeting her as well. If the two of us were ever to marry, she [i]would[/i] be my mother-in-law, after all."