[X] Fortify and Negotiate - Set up shop at the exit to the Street and communicate with the government from there. Try to get a good deal, but leave the option of retreating open if things seem suspicious or fall through entirely
---
The Fruitful Negotiations
Ahead of Dorian and his companions stood a riot platoon, soldiers with metal coffin shields and guns. The settlement of Oasis, it seemed, had received an advance warning of their coming and set up a bulwark in anticipation, despite their swiftness in returning. They were also noticed, most likely on infrared visors, and ordered to step forward on a megaphone. Dorian recognized the voice of the speaker as that of Lieutenant Veronica Carrasco, the dour and succinct woman in charge of the resettlement zone.
The Street wasn't far - it was practically right through the soldiers. They approached while staying in relative cover within the forest's foliage, slowly.
"Dorian," whispered Andrei, "Their armor, shields, and rifles aren't magnetic. It seems they've prepared countermeasures. One of team four must've croaked and they had enough time to print out new equipment. On the upside, their gear isn't as advanced as the standard power armor set. The standard here is non-powered carapace."
Dorian mulled over this new fact. He didn't especially like the implications, as if the Command's troopers were readied to counter their own supernatural capabilities, this implied a rather heavy expectation of hostilities. "How about their bullets?"
"It's hard to say. I cannot test without risking an accident."
He nodded slightly. "If they're metal, be ready to scatter them."
"I understand."
Although Dorian didn't have the Webweaver anymore, some habits never died, and certain masks were worn deeper than any other. Adorned with the Theater Child's mien, he stepped forward out of the foliage and affected grandeur in every motion, cloak pinned over the shoulders of his armor. He calmed himself artificially.
"Lieutenant Carrasco," Dorian called out with a deferential nod. "Are you acting here on behalf of the Orbital Command?"
Veronica Carrasco stood at the center of the formation in full armor. She didn't humor the question, instead answering with an unimpressed statement, "Mr. Croft, to be frank, I haven't trusted you ever since you lied to one of my subordinates. But I'm sure if you come along quietly and explain under a lie detector test, we'll figure something out of all this." Her hand was resting on a handgun, holstered on her hip. Within her eyeball, the small homunculoid creature seemed to stir, as if preparing for combat.
"Ah, well, trust is a difficult game to play. What I can offer you instead is an incentive to act in good faith with us."
"It's clear you haven't acted in good faith since the beginning."
"Lieutenant, I swear I meant no harm," he answered with a steady voice, "To explain, me and my compatriots are interstellar travelers. However, we have very limited knowledge of where we'll end up each time we travel. We acted in our own interest since we didn't entirely understand how your society works. We appreciate our independence as individuals - however, we're willing to deal with you on open terms, now that the cat's out of the bag. We can help each other."
As he explained, Dorian listened carefully to the words of his earbuds.
'Veronica. How dull it must've been to run so much, to run so far, and still end up stuck.'
'Lieutenant Carrasco. She loves her soldiers like a family. She obeys the Orbital Command like a child obeys a stern parent.'
"I have strict orders to apply maximum caution when dealing with you. We'll consider your offer, naturally, but it could take a while to process - this is the sort of decision committees make, and even if convened swiftly, they might not do it right this moment," the Lieutenant said. "I'd like more details I can pass onto my superiors."
"Of course. Why don't you dismiss some of your men and we'll talk one on one?"
She stared at him as if he were planning a trick. The earbud voice confirmed a part of her was suspicious this could be some attempt to get near her in an attempt to exert control. Although Dorian could theoretically influence the woman's emotions with Viscerality, he doubted he was powerful enough to fully overwrite her volition. The most he could do, if he were so inclined, would be to sway her emotions to fall in favor with his request. Even so, he decided that remaining fair and peaceful here was better.
"Fine." She made a set of gestures and radioed something in, and the battalion of military officers dispersed, some of them getting into formation and marching into the settlement. Only a single squad remained, while Carrasco walked out of the formation, meeting Dorian quite literally halfway. "We can talk here."
"I'm sure you've received news from Slandon."
"I've received lots of news from Slandon. Be more specific," she ordered curtly. Then, as if rethinking the stern approach, added, "Please."
"Among our capabilities is the creation of new land. It's not easy or fast to do this, and it is somewhat costly, so we cannot do this constantly and everywhere - but we can truly create more, and we can set the variables by which it operates. Immunizing such land against the forest's spread is doable. We could make this entire settlement you have here spiral out into a city of its own. Do the same to agricultural centers, or whatever else you need, make farms into megafarms. Creation of matter is simple enough and even simpler is transmutation, so if your Command requires fossil fuels, metals, or other limited resources, we could manufacture that for you in high quantities."
"I'd want more exact numbers than 'high quantities.' We're running a refugee state here, Mr. Croft, not a backwater tribe. The ledgers need to check."
He nodded affably. "My friend, Dr. Musorov, can fill you in on the details. I'll also offer you an explanation of our other capabilities as a team, such as my ability to craft relic masks with idiosyncratic supernatural powers. I'm sure they'll catch on here."
She stared at him, then after a moment, nodded. The creature inside her eye twitched.
"There was another matter," she said. "Your 'interstellar travel.' I have no doubt my superiors will ask about it. Tell me more."
"I'm afraid it's a method we cannot share with you. Not because we don't want to, but rather because we actually can't. Otherwise, please believe me, I would not have hesitated to grant you this boon in the slightest." He considered how much more to reveal, and decided it'd be harmless to inform her dimly about the Street. It could even help them if more Streetwalkers ever came here. Advance warning could result in better efforts at coordination, next time. "It's called the Street Where the Stones Speak. A causeway that spans multiple worlds out there, connecting them for a select few. It chooses who is allowed to step on it, we do not have a say."
"This is all a rather fascinating fairy tale, but I'm skeptical."
True amusement filled Dorian. She really thought he didn't believe himself insane to start with either? "Be skeptical if you wish then. You have my word as a noble son of Drethir that I am telling you the whole truth." Not that she understood the significance of such a statement.
"Very well, I'll pass this all up the chain of command." She looked at him warily. "Until then, you'll be staying in Oasis and we'll be keeping an eye on you."
"As long as we aren't under arrest, I don't find this objectionable."
She nodded and then led them inside.
It seemed, at least for now, everything had gone alright.
---
You've made a cautious and optimistic compact with the Orbital Command.
Here's the offer that Dorian shall receive:
In return for:
*Full commitment to expand outlined areas throughout their outposts in a manner designated for the entire month.
*Full commitment to crafting masks as requested for recovery teams and Orbital Command's researchers.
*Full commitment from Andrei Musorov to aid research, energy production and storage, and other efforts with his magic.
*Linneas can do whatever, but he's probably best assigned to support your craftsmanship efforts.
You'll receive:
*Your choice of Orbital Command's most valuable and powerful relics collected from Taure, some of them contained in secure vaults for their volatility. All but the most crucial to day-to-day operations will be made available; you're essentially buying them. You'll almost certainly find something useful here. Global teleportation might not be especially relevant for a Streetwalker at your attunement, but you could take an updating map that delivers you and your friends to wherever you tap a finger thrice a day, or a sword that attunes and 'learns' to fight opponents alongside its wielder, changing itself to slay their foes. These are only examples; the true list is exhaustive.
*A full supply of whatever standard (or even advanced) technology, manuals, and devices are considered commonly available on Taure. This includes an autolathe that can, if fed raw materials, produce new standardized equipment; the manuals you receive will allow Dr. Musorov to program in new items if you should encounter such a need in the future, although it'll take some training on his part once you're off Taure. Dorian will craft a miniaturist's mask to carry them onto the Street.
*Other forms of cooperation and considerations can be accommodated if you ask.
In short, you'll work for a whole month for a decent amount of pay-out.
[ ] Accept - What else is there to say? A month of labor in return for lots of powerful relics you almost certainly wouldn't have been able to acquire otherwise.
[ ] Refuse and Leave - You still aren't convinced, and if you don't like the terms, you'd better leave or they might try to poach you anyway.
[ ] Renegotiate - (Write-in amended terms.)
