Scene #7035: Where the Buck Stops

Owner	Pose
Tetra	A quiet inn sits a few miles west of Castle Town, a glowing beacon of warm firelight along the road to Lanayru Province. Stars shine bright overhead, as does the crescent moon; the beauty of the night sky is a distinct advantage in pre-industrial worlds. The inn is unusually quiet tonight. Where normally there might be the sound of carousers and drinkers, tonight there is quiet. Two men in polished armor, each bearing a lance, a shield, and armor a fair bit more ostentatious than the rank and file of the Hylian army or even the castle guards. They turn the few late-night comers away, directing them instead to another inn a mile further along the road... Until Staren arrives. He is allowed in without question, and directed to a certain table. Inside, the inn is indeed empty, save for another pair of guards at a table in view of the entrance; around a corner, out of view, sits Princess Zelda herself, with a rather nice-looking cup of something on a dish in front of her. Next to her sits a slender, white-haired woman in light armor. The two are talking quietly. http://sickr.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/hyrule_warriors_impa.jpg The white-haired woman falls silent upon seeing Staren, and nods to him. Seeing the nod, Zelda looks over to him and smiles. "Ah, Mister Wiremu! Please, take a seat." She gestures to the chair across from her.
Staren	Staren is never recorded as passing through the checkpoint. A mercenary with 21st-century equipment comes through, stating that he's investigating potential jobs. He has a pet cat with him. Completely normal. Staren waits until he's well out of sight before having the synthskinned robot wait somewhere, returning to his normal form, and flying on his broom. He lands near the inn and transforms again to case the joint from outside. Huh. Looks like the princess really is here. No need for further trickery then, probably. He returns to normal out of sight and walks up to the guards... relieved when they just let him in. "Princess Zelda." He greets neutrally, and bows, then takes the indicated seat. He clasps his hands together in front of him on the table. "So... what exactly do you wish to talk about? Foreign aid? Local power structures? The war with Ganondorf?" There's still a spark of hope in his tone, but it's cautious and guarded now; He's not exactly sure WHY he should be on guard, but after being caught by social surprise so many times recently, it seems like a safe bet that there's SOME good reason even if he doesn't know what it is.
Tetra	"All of those things, in fact," explains Zelda. "We are here to discuss your grievances." She takes a sip from her cup--tea, most likely--and folds her hands in her lap. "My associate here is Impa. I believe you have met her, briefly." Impa just nods to Staren once again, arms crossed. "Now." Zelda folds her hands in her lap. "Perhaps we should start with the most practical matter. You wish to provide Multiversal aid to Hyrule?"
Staren	Staren blinks. His grievances? "Well..." He's... annoyed at first being made to wait, then being dismissed so easily by the bureucrat, but... He nods. "Yes. Not so much a grievance as... there are people suffering, and I just want to help. I have seen at least one town in need of help; Ganondorf may have influenced them and helped them to go so far as raiding a multiversal hospital for supplies and attempting to kidnap doctors, but the need was there." Staren takes a breath. "Food. Water purification. Medical supplies and medicines. I can set up machines to provide all of these things. They need power in turn, but they can get that from sunlight if need be. I'd show you examples of the machines in action, but I imagine that coming to anywhere I control is considered a little too risky, and it would take time to assemble some here. Umm, I do have some samples of the sort of work that can be provided, though..." He pulls from his bag some common medicines -- antibiotics, pain relievers, cough and cold medicine, stomach medicine, and the like, as well as bandages, and goes over features like 'made from antibiotic materials' and 'covered in nanomachines that repair minor damage and help keep someone from getting worse until a surgeon can see them'.
Tetra	Zelda nods. "I see... I'd heard of that. The taxes on medicine are unfortunate, and... could perhaps stand to be changed, particularly if we can import supplies," she replies thoughtfully. The girl takes a few moments to examine the various medicines Staren offers, then turns her attention to Impa, who scrutinizes them a moment. "These appear to be what he claims," replies the Sheikah woman. "Hmm. Well, I will have to discuss this with King Rhoam and with the council, of course, and make formal arrangements with your organization, but... I see no reason why we should not open ourselves up to medical aid. I assume there are terms to this--that the priority should be the health and well-being of the common man, perhaps?" She gives a small grin, eyes bright. "And as for the other machines... I'm familiar with the concept of water purification, and I assume that the food machines are some form of advanced agriculture." She a forefinger thoughtfully to her cheek. "Once official arrangements are made... I should like to see demonstrations of the machines, before they are put into service. I would require more security for a more public appearance than this, of course, but."
Staren	Staren brightens up a bit when things go... well? Even smiling a little. He nods at the subject of discussion, although he makes the sort of 'ehh...' sound when she says 'agriculture', the kind made by someone in a technical field who wants to say that's not technically correct even if it doesn't matter for practical purposes. He nods at the comment about additional security. "Of course. But what will we tell people? Or are you going to uh, publicly accept aid involving me, a known" he makes air quotes with his fingers, "'Ganondorf Sympathizer'? Also, where might such a public appearance be, maybe I can smuggle in parts and start setting up machines nearby in preparation."
Tetra	Zelda sips from her tea as Staren speaks. Setting the cup down with a small clink, she shakes her head. "You are known to the people you accosted in your attempts to make yourself heard. However... the sort of recording technology you are familiar with is... simply nonexistent here. There are no photographs of your face, and you are not widely notable by name, besides. "And atop all that... we would be entreating with the organization you represent, correct? I need not use your name at all." She smiles coyly, her expressive blue eyes twinkling. "Nor must you smuggle anything."
Staren	Staren blinks. He's... surprised that they haven't got recordings. His ears flatten back against his head, though. "I'm sure Lilian will happily provide them. Although I still don't understand why the Paladins would try to discourage the Concord from providing aid..." He nods at her suggestion of anonymity and smiles a little again. "Sure, I'll let our other Concord Partners heading stuff up in Hyrule know." He tilts his head to one side slightly. "Is there anything else you wish to know about the Multiverse, or about help we can provide? Oh, that reminds me, here..." He slides a tablet and solar charger across the table. "So you can reach us by radio or text message if you need to." Staren looks a little hesitant. "If it's not impolite to ask... what's moved you to view things differently than the other nobles...?"
Tetra	"It is a matter of ingratiating oneself over another. I would imagine similar things happen with every Unification." She finishes her tea. "One stands to gain by aligning the major power of a newly-unified world with oneself, and turning it against one's rivals." "--ah, where are my manners? I've been quite rude... would you like something to eat? Something to drink?" She waves one of her guards over, who arrives with a piping hot teakettle. He fills her cup, and if Staren asks, he produces a cup for him as well. "Thank you." Her eyebrows arch as she's passed the tablet. "Oh my." She looks at Impa, who looks somewhat unimpressed, then back to the tablet. "Hmm. Let me see if..." She looks around the edges and finds the power button. She seems oddly familiar with its operation, finding her way to the messaging program with little trouble. "Right. I believe I can manage." She drops a single cube of sugar into her cup, stirring it until it dissolves. "Well... part of it, I believe, is my philosophy toward nobility," she begins, still looking into her cup as she stirs. "I believe that we are given a gift in the form of our station. We are leaders, lords, and we have a duty to those beneath us." She taps her spoon gently on the edge of her cup, and sets it on her dish. "Are you familiar with the creation of Hyrule and its people?" she asks, eyes meeting Staren's again as she takes a drink.
Staren	Staren frowns a bit at the conjecture about Lilian's motives. "Even so. The Paladins want people helped, probably even more than we do, and they want laws followed. They very nearly pushed us into trying to just start taking over parts of Hyrule." "Oh, um, tea's fine." He takes two cubes of sugar in his, but has to blow on it and it'll probably be awhile before it's cool enough for him. He quirks an eyebrow at her familiarity with the tablet. "Have you seen something like that before?" He nods at her explanation of the obligation of the nobles. "Just so." He shakes his head at the question about Hyrule's creation. "I mean... I've heard something about three goddesses creating all the world and all its people, but I imagine there's more to it than that..."
Tetra	Impa gives Zelda a look, briefly, but the princess doesn't miss a beat. "One can learn quite a bit in fourteen months," she explains. "Hm. As for the Paladins... perhaps it's personal, rather than national. In any event." "After the three Golden Goddesses--Din, Farore, and Nayru--created the world, they created us, and the people of the border realms. The first of each race was animated by divine breath, each receiving life from the Goddesses in different proportions. The Gerudo, the Zora, the Gorons... directly descended from a divine breath of life. The White Goddess, Hylia, is our progenitor, and the three goddesses animated her with equal power." "Hyrule is not simply a kingdom," she explains. "It is a lineage, a common root; a heritage that is in the Gerudo as much as it is in me. As the heir to the throne of Hyrule, I believe my duty is not only to the Hylians, but to the others that share our lineage. And my understanding of history tells me that the Gerudo are people. No less so than us, no less so than the humans, no less so than the Zora or the Gorons or the Rito. Their reputation, the stereotype, is thanks to the desperation they were driven to by my ancestors. Not by a sinful, evil nature."
Staren	Staren listens, ears focused forward, and nods. "In a more metaphorical sense, that divine breath of life or something equivalent is in many people across the Multiverse, I think. I just wish that previous generations of Hylians had thought as you do... but, we can't change the past." He raises his teacup and holds it out in a sort of toast. "To a better future. For all of the people of this world..." If she raises her cup too, he'll gently clink them together. "If you don't mind my curiousity, what's the power of the Triforce of Wisdom like?" If she hesitates, after a beat he adds, "Perhaps asking you and the bearer of Courage might give us insight into one of the powers Ganondorf wields."
Tetra	"To a better future," replies Zelda, smiling brighly as she clinks her cup against Staren's. "Hm... I am a bit reticent to reveal its secrets, as I am sure you understand. But... it's known that each Triforce grants its bearer the ability to use certain magics. However, the Hero, unless I'm mistaken, has yet to claim the Triforce of Courage... and I know not what magic it would grant. We can find no pattern with only one piece, I am afraid..." "So. Are there any other affairs you would like to discuss before we adjourn tonight?"
Staren	Staren nods at the princess's comments. Prompted for anything else to talk about, he considers for a moment. "Your world IS plagued by monsters... do you think military supplies from the Multiverse would help, or...? Also, some in the Concord have discussed the possibility of trying to evacuate Hyrule so that fewer are harmed if the prophecy about it being 'Conquered' comes true. What are your thoughts on that?"
Tetra	"Hm. I will need to have our experts examine the quality of the weapons and armor being imported, before such a deal occurs... we pride ourselves on our metalworking, as I imagine you know, and it wouldn't do to compromise quality. But I am sure that won't be an issue with the sort of technology you have access to." Her eyes twinkle lightly. "As for the other suggestion..." She shakes her head. "Exploiting such a loophole would be exceptionally risky, not to mention costly... and I do not believe my people would accept it. This is our homeland. This is the center of creation, we are rooted in this land deeply, as are our allies... and even if such a ploy succeeded, it would do harm to my people's identity and morale that would take generations to repair, assuming it could be repaired at all. It is unacceptable."
Staren	Staren nods about the loophole, "I figured as much. We're hoping we can work with Hyrule to come up with a better Plan A. As for examining the quality of weapons and armor..." Staren reaches into his bag and pulls out... a rectangle of folded cloth that could fit in a pocket, which unfolds into a spacesuit. "Not armor exactly, but an example of material quality." And then he starts putting guns on the table. Three things that look vaguely like futuristic assault rifles with different details, and a pistol version of them, and an SMG and pistol version of another. Also a machete that goes soft and can be rolled up when a button is pressed on the hilt, and springs back to knife-shape with another press. Between them there's a fair bit of futuristic armament, capable of firing such diverse projectiles as smart material bullets, taser gel rounds, explosive-tipped gyrojets, railgun slugs, and quick-expanding globs of riot foam. The pile of weapons is definitely bigger than the bag he's carrying. "You can take these for now, if there's anything else in particular you want to look at that I can make, let me know and I'll have it brought to you." Zelda, Impa, and any guards watching may suddenly have unpleasant mental images of what might have happened if Staren had been seriously pissed off at a checkpoint. Staren maintains a cheery tone, as if he just showed her more computers and medical supplies or something.
Tetra	Zelda and Impa just sort of... stare as weapon after weapon is piled upon the table. "I... uh. How d--" Zelda doesn't finish her sentence. Everyone in the room is dead silent for a moment. Impa in particular looks rather uncomfortable. "... That is quite a lot of weaponry," the princess says quietly. "Maintenance on such advanced weapons will be difficult." Impa nods in agreement, and Zelda rubs the back of her neck. "We will... see what can be done." She clears her throat. "It may be prudent to look into more... traditional weaponry, with your advanced manufacturing methods. But if nothing else, we will study these." At Impa's command, the guards start to gather up the weapons and take them out through the back. "Now... I believe that should cover things for now. I will be in contact with this," she says, placing her hand briefly on the tablet. "Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. Wiremu. I appreciate your willingness to help my people, and I hope that we can repay the Concord in kind."
Staren	Staren hmmms at their observations about the infrastructure required to maintain such weapons. "I'll have to think about that. Hopefully I can find something better-suited to your needs, then." He's slightly surprised to hear about repaying the Concord. It wasn't on his mind... but that WILL make the bosses happier, after all. He nods and extends a hand to shake. "It was good meeting with you. ...Thank you for reaching out to me. It... it means a lot, to be able to cooperate after all." He'll leave the way he came, leaving some nanites somewhere to gather and process what base raw materials can be found in, like, a field, for supplementing later machines.