Scene #2880:

Owner	Pose
Nathan Hall	Nathan's office is small, undecorated in any capacity, and used much less frequently than one would expect. At the moment, it's stacked with both digital and physical paperwork that the Union's own General is currently working through, shifting around sheets of paper or holographic panels. The semi-biological opening to the office is set to an unlocked setting; Karima is expected and invited. Nathan, in the meantime, hunches over his work and gets through it in robotic motions, awaiting their arrival. The man himself isn't in his adventuring gear, obviously, but the street clothes look a little out of place on the relatively young general. He'll let Karima take a seat on the simple office chair across from his desk and speak up before he responds to their presence.
Karima	Karima's never been up here before. She wasn't a common sight in Njorun Station as it was, but she did spend alot of time here in the beginning, so she roughly knew where to find his office. She cuts through the traffic of the command center, careful not to stop or get in the way of anyone who might be holding mission critical information, or even just in a hurry to get back to their desk. After a few moments of searching, she comes across Nathan's office, knocking on the side of it a few times before stepping inside. "So...ah...you wanted to see me? Is there something I forgot to do or...?" She takes a seat in the chair provided, swirling it around so that the backrest provides an ample spot to rest her arms.
Nathan Hall	"Salutations, Ms. Blazewing." Nathan says, not looking up from his work. He adjusts his glasses in Karima's vague direction, which is about as greeting-gesture as things get. "I can make this relatively quick." His voice remains that emotionless monotone, and his expression is completely blank and neutral. "You participated in the recent operation, termed Undead Jailbreak by other participant Union Elites. There were noted conduct issues." He clicks his pen a few times as if to punctuate that particularly. "You were invited so that I could provide you with an administrative warning. Prejudiced, intolerant, or disrespectful behavior towards or in immediate proximity of friendly unaffiliated Elite forces, as well as un-necessary escalation of conflicts with Confederate forces, will have consequences if you continue. The only consequence at this time is this warning, assuming you handle this matter maturely." He looks up at Karima, for the first time, but his expression does not shift. "Do you have any questions, or do you understand?"
Karima	Karima tilts her head at the...repremanding...although passionless monologue. She waits for him to finish talking before speaking up, but judging by her facial expression of moderate disgust, she wasn't complacent with his statements. "Wait...what? That doesn't make any sense. You are talking about the undead place right? I asked twice what was going on, got no answer, this guy shows that that definitely wasn't with us, starts talking like he owned the place, and then another guy showed up who was a huge jerk that wasn't with us. I didn't attack either one of them, I didn't lay a finger on either one of them and when the big undead guy showed up, I shot him because he was shooting the guys on our team. Are you telling me that I was in the wrong and next time I should just let the two guys that aren't with us, say whatever they want to me?"
Nathan Hall	"You have my assurance that I am more than aware of the evil nature of the man known as Lezard Valeth, with whom you had one part of your dispute." Nathan says, looking back down to his work. "The man once betrayed me in the middle of a world-scale crisis to try to inject a god of hatred into my soul." He's right back into scribbling through paperwork. "Returning fire when physically attacked was the justified and advised response. Returning fire when socially and diplomatically attacked is not. We strive to be a force of good, to combat the amorality or immorality of the Confederacy. Racist vitriol is not something to respond with in kind. Additionally, the conduct has soured Union relations with a local Unaffiliated Elite otherwise friendly to Union." He makes a vague, nebulous gesture with one hand. "Not receiving all of the appropriate information at once is to be expected. You were investigating a beacon, correct? You received no information because it was an information-gathering mission. It is expected that information will be gathered." He goes back to full focus on the writing. "It is true that you did not harm them, which is a reasonable response, but negative conduct can still sour relations severely, and cause 'image problems', as unaffiliated entities of at least mild local importance now think the Union and Confederacy are both the Factions For Racists. Does this clarify your confusion?"
Karima	Karima leans forward towards Nathan as he continues, her fingers clutching the chair's top end rather hard. "Racist? Against what...humans? Seriously? Alright now listen to me Mister Hall, and listen well. Back where I come from, on Domalaus, humans -ARE- the bad guys. They steal land, defile it, kill, pillage and destroy anything they don't like. They enslave us, kill us, turn us into any number of stupid crap that they feel they need to make themselves feel better. And this is a fight that's been going on for a few hundred years now. They've killed some of my friends and family and in fact, the day I 'unified'? I was going to go fight them. I was prepared to die that day. So imagine my surprise when I suddenly ended up in the multiverse, which is, almost entirely, made up of humans." She clears her throat before continuing. "But I know, I'm not on Domalus anymore. I can't even find the place now. And this faction, or rather, this entire place, is chock full of humans of every color, creed and whatever else. And I'm not stupid. I know that there are just as many humans that would do me harm, as would help. Like you and the others in the Union. But you know what else I found throughout my the time I've spent here? There are other worlds like Domalus. Other worlds, with other dragons. And you know what I found? The exact, same, damn thing. Dragons are the bad guys, dragons made into armor, weaponry, slaughtered wholesale and destroyed utterly. Time after time after time after time. And to give props where it is needed, I know that quite a few dragons probably deserved it. I see alot of files about evil dragons that just want to screw up everything. Those guys, okay. Take em out. That's fine. But it's still a messed up feeling knowing that if I ever lose a fight here, that some jackass might just try to wear my scales are armor." She relaxes after that and looks back towards Nathan resolutely. "You know how amazingly bad it feels knowing that all of my people who look like me are gone? And that alot of people will think I'm a bad guy just because of the way I look? It sucks. But you know what? But I do try. I don't call you guys humans as much. I try to call you by your names. I tell myself to not hate you, like I had my entire life, because you haven't done anything to me. And I think I'm getting better with it in general. But if you are telling me that I can't have my reservations in case that one of those guys turns out to be a dragon-killing jackass? I don't think that's a good idea. Do you understand where I'm coming from now?"
Nathan Hall	Nathan listens, patiently, through the explanation. He does not interrupt, and he even stops his work to look at Karima dead on. Once she's done, he waits several seconds, either making sure she has no more to say, or perhaps giving his words time to cook, metaphorically speaking, making sure he words things right. After that, he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, clasps his hands under his chin, and speaks. "I understand the emotional, social, psychological, and sociological motivations for these actions." He says, nodding. "If you choose to hold a degree of distrust for ostensibly friendly humans as a result of your history, it will not be begrudged. You have reasonable cause to fear for your safety, social stability, and personal freedoms." There's a wide, plaintive sort of gesture, open-palmed. "If that is what you believe is necessary, then that simply is." "I do not believe these interests are practically served by way of your conduct in that operation." He says, re-clasping his hands. "If you intend to reduce the general potential for humans to cause harm to you or matters that you hold to be important, then that specific conduct will increase the risk, alongside requiring additional work for me. The enemy is our enemy for a good reason. Please avoid adopting their behaviors and standards. It is impractical for your purposes, and unethical besides. If you ever do encounter a hero that does turn out to be a dragon-slaying foe who will harm you, then insults will have only served to alienate what allies you might muster against them. Escalating the conflicts with those who do disrespect you because you are a dragon serves only to put yourself and others at greater risk."
Karima	Karima relaxes considerably as she shrugs towards his reassessment. "Just so we're crystal clear here, and that I'm getting what you are meaning entirely...You want me to just let them say whatever they want to me, regardless of what it is if only to not make the situation worse? You...are aware I fought one by myself the other day right?"
Nathan Hall	"No." Nathan says, "I am not. You are free to refute their accusations, certainly. I encourage you to, if you feel it will help accomplish your relevant objectives. You simply cannot respond in kind, with the same negative conduct. You need to avoid letting yourself be baited into a cycle of escalation, and you need to avoid expressing intolerant opinions. However, if someone insults you, you are free to respond in ways that are fitting for an organization intended to act upon principles of tolerance." He then raises an eyebrow, which is about as far as his expression seems able to shift. "I am aware that you engaged one of the Confederate Gems in combat, yes. Is there something wrong?"
Karima	Karima blinks innocently towards him for a moment, before reaching up to scratch the side of her head. "So...ah..In that case, because they were already attacking that place, it was okay to attack her then. But in the other thing...meh. I don't really get how that was okay and the other one wasn't, but I'll try to remember to keep some of that..lack of trust to myself I guess."
Nathan Hall	"War is complex. Each encounter is a new one. Respond to each one as is sensible, and remember that the Confederacy is exactly what its name implies. A confederacy. An organization of individuals, free to do what they will. Know the time and place. There are times when your opinions on humanity may allow you to establish a positive diplomatic relationship, for example, but you need to always focus on the objective." Nathan says. Then he unclasps his hands and gets back to his work. "Did you have any more questions on the subject of this warning?" Scribble scribble scribbling away again, he seems unable to waste time with this.
Karima	Karima pushes herself to a standing position and looks down towards the officer, seemingly just...looking at him. Eventually she snorts, a small gout of flame shooting from her nose. She spins the chair back around in the proper direction and shoves her hands in her pockes. "No. Crystal clear. Sir."
Nathan Hall	"Good to hear. Thank you for your time and attention, Ms. Blazewing. I apologize for the inconvenience." Nathan says, nodding, and focusing on his work. He trusts Karima can see herself out responsibly.
Karima	Karima turns around from Nathan's desk and promptly sees herself out, but judging by the slightly trompy way she's walking; the dragon is thoroughly displeased.