Sending out the Black Waltzes
Apr. 17th, 2014 09:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fallen_stageThe video opens from a high view, a curtain edging on the frame. The room is furnished in dark wood and brightly lit with a number of lamps, shining on a table that's the centerpiece of the room. Upon the table is a map of a labelled continent. By the map is an armored woman with box braids hanging from her helmet, and a large, stately woman with a commanding presence. Evidently the two are in the middle of a conversation.
"We can't spare the main forces, they're busy enough as it is." the taller woman speaks first, "I could detach a squadron from the cavalry to catch up with the kidnappers, but they're too far north already, here." she taps an area labelled "North Gate" with a large blue finger.
The other woman speaks up respectfully. "Perhaps we could detach a small ship? One of the shipping vessals - "
"No, no, we need as many of those in use as we can, they're of upmost priority!" the taller woman raps the map again with a folded fan this time. "What we need is... Kuja!"
From the same corner as the view, Kuja steps forward, bowing and deferent. "Your Highness?"
The queen smiles grimly, but with confidence. "Your weapons don't need rest or restoration. They could easily cut off the kidnappers before they get to Lindblum at the South Gate."
Kuja simpers, smooth as oil. "Oh, Your Majesty, I think we can do better than that! I could set up weapons at multiple points between the crash site and Lindblum, why - " they drift toward the map, "the only way to the South Gate from Gunitas basin without an airship is through here, the Ice Cavern. From there, Dali is the nearest airship port, so it's likely they'll steal a ship there on their way to Lindblum."
"Which would also cripple our supply, however small." the armored woman said.
"Quite right, Major General. Now Kuja, would your weapons be intelligent enough to take the task? I don't need an mindless thing killing the Princess along with her captors."
"Oh no, you needn't worry, Your Majesty. I gave a few gifts to Zorn and Thorn, and the results should be most suitable to your needs. They have the same single-minded purpose but without the indelicacy of their lesser counterparts."
"Good." The queen gave Kuja a short nod. Then, to the Major General: "You're dismissed. Thank you for your intel. Keep it up and who knows what might happen to your career?"
The Major General gives her queen a smile, saluting quickly. "I live to serve Alexandria, Your Majesty!"
As the door closes on her back, the air of the room changes. Kuja is smooth as ever but looks more thoughtful with crossed arms, running a nail along their bottom lip, staring at the map. The queen leans on her powerful arms on the table, but is looking instead at Kuja like one might evaluate the edge of a sword.
"Speaking of those two." she says, respect gone, "Just why is it I must keep them around for the extraction when you're so..." the queen seems to cast about for and reject a number of adjectives, settling on, "conveniently at hand?"
"Because, my dearest Queen Brahne, the ritual requires two people, whose actions must be in perfect time. What better than a set of twins to perform such a challenging role? Besides," Kuja's tone becomes maudlin as they strike a regretful pose, the back of their hand to her forehead, face a perfect image of sorrow, "how could I face my future bride-to-be, knowing it was by my hands that she would know discomfort? Why, I only wish to soothe her fevered worries, and take my place by her side as king."
"Not until I'm gone." Brahne fixed Kuja with a warning glare.
Kuja lowered his affected pose, giving a playful smile instead. "No, but you might become dowager! After a long and illustrious reign, celebrating your empire, of course. Princess Garnet is a charming young lady, but she is still so young, and unfinished as royalty. Without proper support, your daughter might not take advantage of the gains you will make."
"She is not my daughter." Brahne snapped, head lowered to look at the map, eyes hidden under her flowered crown, fanning herself slowly.
".....Be that as it may, she is your heir. I assure you, I will bring her whole and unharmed, ready for her role."
A long pause followed, Queen Brahne deep in her thoughts, Kuja shrewd in their silence. Finally, with a sigh, Queen Brahne straighted, fanning herself a mite more quickly than before. "Right. We don't have the luxury of lingering. I have a war to run. Your payments will be placed in the usual accounts; your shipments so far have been more than satisfactory. Farewell, Kuja."
"Fare thee well, Your Highness."
After the queen swept out of the room, Kuja sneers after her, a quiet "Disgusting" seething out. After making a motion of wiping their hands, they walked around the table, circling a finger around an image of a tree labelled "Cleyra". By chance they look up, and for a moment they're shocked, then guarded, then smiling diplomatically once more. They step away from the map and stretch out a hand, as if the notebook device was a stray bird.
"Well, well, you are a peeping little thing! You better not be sharing state secrets now, but since there is none other from Gaia here, I suppose there's little harm."
[locked]
Date: 2014-04-19 11:26 pm (UTC)Change, yes; miracles, no. Magic has laws just as any talent or force of nature. Even if they should somehow gain souls, I will simply execute my contingency plan.
True, but there are already engineers and mages and the like among the citizenry. No need to take the work away from trained individuals.
[Kuja is much more educated than most Gaians, but even they don't know about quantum mechanics. Intriguing, but not quite accessible. They might be writing down a few notes in the duck notebook to wiki later.]
Hum. Those might be the laws of your universe, but in mine the two are unrelated. Otherwise any being with a soul would be an expert mage, which simply is not the case.
[locked]
Date: 2014-04-19 11:42 pm (UTC)Hmmm. I shan't debate economics with you. But I do think that you would find purposed for your swords beaten into plowshares were you not so casual about their disposal. Then again, my world requires far more conservation of resources since the Inferia.
Ugh, you understand nothing of what I just said, do you? It's a-
Just forget it. I should have known you were too thick for this.
Re: [locked]
Date: 2014-04-19 11:58 pm (UTC)True, true, but I do have redundant plans, aside from their short livespans. I did think of all this before I sent out a single weapon.
Should they fail, well, I have other plans to return the Princess to her home. She would require delicacy, of course, but with the Queen's upcoming plans, I doubt I'll have to resort to many of them. I might even strike two trick sparrows with a single stone...
In that case, I can see why you would abhor their waste. The Mist Continent, however, does not lack in resources, and I could easily make a million more weapons should the need arise. Who knows what the future will bring?
[Kuja laughs at the last, pleased and smiling.]
Ahh, you've caught me! Yes, I plead ignorance to such subjects, since I've never seen anything like "quantum" or "harmonics waves" until now. Pray, excuse my lack of knowledge on the subject, though my previous point still stands: souls and magic are not connected, on this world.
[locked]
Date: 2014-04-20 01:08 am (UTC)Who knows but the goddesses? And even they may be caught unawares by the daring and foolishness of mortals. Still, with the power you command...I might ask some favors of you. Not without compensation of course. But I want to be free-and you could help me with that.
[locked]
Date: 2014-04-20 03:59 am (UTC)A justified worry, to be sure. I prefer more subtle plans, myself.
[Goddesses? Huh. Kuja is pleased that she acknowledges their power.]
If you're in captivity, then I could help you. Even if I couldn't act directly, I'm sure I could find some sort of solution to your confinement.
[locked]
Date: 2014-04-21 01:31 am (UTC)Hmmm. I asked that Kuja to help me once-I'll forward you the security loop of what happened. Suffice to say, he didn't have much luck getting past my guards via the direct route. I'm persuing an indirect one currently.
[locked] I almost said "under the radar" but that doesn't exist in ff9 OOPS
Date: 2014-04-27 03:30 am (UTC)True, but I'm sure I've accounted for most contingencies. If not, well, I am quite flexible.
[
IN MORE WAYS THAN ONEwait wait, "that" Kuja??]I'm sure I could mana - wait. "That" Kuja?
Re: [locked] I almost said "under the radar" but that doesn't exist in ff9 OOPS
Date: 2014-04-28 02:14 am (UTC)