Over the course of a few minutes, Vektor recognized the value of friendship. For so many years, the gangs of Brez ignored the outside world except to either trade or bully to gather more strength to overcome smaller gangs. Urog knew better, and although it took Vektor some time to agree with him, Vektor now understood how important the steps Urog has taken over the last few months. When Auf Lalur’ab spoke on the Brezans’ behalf, it strengthened his position in a way that Vektor would not have been able to do himself. Make friends, not enemies. Friends give you many more things and you will find more rewarding.
Finally, Sira brought them to a common ground. When Sira asked for tea, Vektor raised an eyebrow. Are we going to get high? Vektor wondered for a minute what he should do next. His people only drink katla from an herbal mix that had distinctive side effects. Vektor smiled, motioned to an Ur Rhug, who produced a rather large portions of urya, wrapped in dry leaf not found in this part of the world.
“Sira, your wisdom in these matters is valued, and we are thankful for it. Some tea, as you call it, is just the thing to bring us together. In Brezan tradition, let us share some… what is the word, a smoke? It helps sooth the soul, as we like to say.”
He focused all his frustrations of the last few hours, drawing fire Leyas to his finger tip, and with a small spark of fire, lit the edge of what would look to an Earther a mix of a joint and a cigar. Vektor took two small puffs, enough to get the fire burning evenly across, held it in just long enough to swirl the flavor of smoke in his mouth, and exhaled luxuriously. He grinned as he passed the urya to Sira.
“Sira is right,” he said to the K’iorn General and the Earther Negotiator in Power Armor. “We want firm ground. When your chief negotiator is dressed in mechanical armor, it is easy to see how we would react defensively.” He looked at Agent Brooke, “I’m not asking you to take it off. Your intentions are your own, I just wanted to point out why we would be wary of your intentions. But as Sira mentioned, let us talk like friends, share urya and katla, or tea, and come to greater understanding.”
He paused while he followed Sira’s lead and got comfortable. “General Ma’pel and Brooke, you both mentioned your desire to bring prosperity to Brez. While I may have certain… what is the word… misgivings, I will put them aside in the interest of building trust.” He nodded to Sira, acknowledging his intentions. “Based on what you say, prosperity is good trade, beautiful buildings, and a “clean” city. Problem is, these things are generally meaningless in Olgog culture. You wish us a prosperity that has no connection to what our actual needs are. We don’t live in Brez with hopes to rebuild it to it’s whatever it was when the Earthers lived here, we live in Brez because it is decent shelter against the Der’na, or Flamewinds. You speak to us as if we should be ashamed to live here.” Vektor sighed, letting the thought sit before continuing, and his tone, “It sounds insincere to say you wish us prosperity and then offer things that we don’t value as if our lives are so bad.” Vektor looked directly at Brooke, “And to quote you, I am sure your people would be much more comfortable if this city was rebuilt as opposed to living in a ruin is deaming. You’re judging us and how we live. The K’iorn live in trees, my olgog brethren live in caves and in tents, would you tell them that they need to be more comfortable? Don’t answer, the question is rhetorical.”
Vektor took a breath and looked around the room, he was rambling a bit, but he might as well get this off his chest so there’s no more misunderstandings. The EEF representatives were probably tuning him out, but if Sira understood him, he had hope.
He continued, “The other thing that concerns me is that up to now you have referred to us as locals. This project does not sound as if it’s goal is to serve our needs as trading partners, but are using our territory and need to find a reason to “appease us”. We happen to be in the way of your grand project, not it’s purpose. And since you consider us lawless, when in fact there are plenty of us that would have a say in these matters, as Auf Lalur’ab mentioned earlier, is concerning. We may not be centralized like the other inhabitants of our planet, but the need for centralized rule is not Olgog tradition, especially not around here.”
Vektor clapped his hands together, and gestured to those that gathered, “There’s an old saying in Earther that is similar to one in Olgog: the path to ruin is paved with good intentions. If we are all to find firm footing, let us stop intending and start doing.” Vektor smilled to himself. He was starting to sound like Sira and didn’t know why. That kind of talk is infectious. No wonder Urog began talking funny after seeing the Mag Auf Yyanyi. Next thing you know, he’ll sound like a Karovan. He was never going to hear the end of it!
“You have a stolen train, General. We will send people to reclaim it with the Earthers from the East. Their people can talk to your people about the situation and we can work together. We don’t know who stole your machine, but in good faith we will help you retrieve it. Even if we choose not to build through Brez, your property should not be stolen. I ask in return, General and Negotiator, is that no more assumptions be made about the Olgog.”