((anyone know a good ammarian drink, or anything but Quafe? ))

"Uh... okay" says Kador as the armoured man turns to leave.

Somewhat flustered by the brief encounter, and somewhat confused as to the purpose of the visit, he turns to the other figure.

"Was that Nanpali I heard across the translators" he asks in Amarrian.... realising his own stupidity he pulls out the small neocom unit Canus had given him and checks for translation programmes, satisfied with the one he finds he translates his words into the woman's foreign language.

"Welcome honoured guest. What can I do for you?"

Then he hastily adds

"Of which people are you? You garb says Matari, but your tongue says Caldari. Pardon This One but I am a little on edge as of late."

Kador beckons the warrior to follow him inside where he takes the soldier aside, then to take a seat.

"Can I get you anything Ms...?"

He nod politely at her explaination, breaths a sigh of relief.

"Indeed it is Ms Yun Hee, though this pales in comparison before our Catherdral of the Stayed Sword. If you are interested in Ancient Amarrian architecture such a place would be a great interest to you as many aspects of older generational differences are built seamlessly into modern Amarrian architecture.... but forgive me where are my manners. "

He quickly walks into the back offices fetching two cups, refilling the vessel of spiced wine, and filling another with pure mountain water. He quickly hurried back with the elegant pitchers placing them neatly on the table.

"I am Templar Crusader Kador Ouryon, it would be amiss of me not to offer any guest a drink while they visit the offices of Paladin Metsar over there" he says, pointing the blonde man, already enagaged in conversation with an Amarrian new comer.

"Please go ahead, here with have a pleasant vintage of spiced wine, and in the other pitcher some spring mountain water from Amarr Prime."

"My commander, the Paladin has an attachment to Athra. Its is his pleasure to always have such water on hand." Kador replies in an offhand manner, shrugging.

Perhaps I shouldn't have used it, he contemplated internally.

Kador smiles politely.

"Such is fine Ms Ryeon. We are all children of God are we not?....Perhaps it is not your belief but it is mine. But I do understand your sentiment. I apologise if I offended."

He glances around the room, catching the returned armoured form of the Caldari mercenary.

"Consider your regards accepted and returned. You are always welcome here if you seek to discuss matters of mutual importance. More often than not you will always find someone here.... Now if you will pardon me I think our guest here wishes to speak with me."

Carefully Kador stood trying to avoid shaking the table. He bowed formally to Ms Ryeon, then crossed the distance between the couches and the Mercenay.

"Hail Son of the Amarr. Welcome to the emissary."

*Finishing his business with Zanzalin, Metsar looks over at Ryeon. He gets up from his desk and approaches. He gives her a brief bow. It is worth noting that his bow is slightly different from an Intaki or Achuran bow. It's more from the shoulders, with the head tucked down.*

"Ave, Ryeon-haan, if I am using the correct suffix. I apologize, Adamance can be over eager at times when the emissary is busy. I'm sorry if he left rather abruptly. Also pardon my eavesdropping, but I'd just like to say feel at ease. I understand your discomfort with wearing Matari equipment here, but there is little to be done until both our peoples bring our equivalents to the open market. May I interest you in tea? I usually drink Ealurian tea, but most find it distasteful and bitter. I have some milder Ni-kunni tea as well, or a Khanid green tea."

"Ah I apologize, however your stock clone would by no means be an offence here. I understand however if you have personal qualms with the matter. Quite frankly I'm surprised your mask doesn't have some sort of built in straw. I thought Matari helmets had such failsafes for in case the suit's hydration system malfunctioned. A redundancy so the soldier doesn't have to expose his head while drinking. I mean no offence to your training, but poke around in that suit sometime. You'd be surprised at all its extra gadgets and so on. I once used the Matari logistics suit shamed to say, a long time ago before I joined PIE and we had none of our own. Everyday I found something new on the thing."

*Metsar doesn't even flinch at her appearance. Though he himself uses a custom combat clone more reminiscent of his old appearance, he knew many mercs ran the stock clone. And being a hospitaller he works on them often. Metsar leads the way to his desk and takes a seat, pressing a button on the console. Moments later his slave Torsuul emerges with a kettle and a few cups, pouring out two and setting them down. The tea's earthy aroma drifting up in wafts of steam.*

"Thank you, Torsuul." *He takes a sip and turns to Ryeon.* "It is a very good brew Ryeon-haan, enjoy. So were you born in Saiso?"

"Yes it would seem so. Only in the face of adversity can someone truly know the divine. How is one to ever feel it necessary to call upon the higher power if they are raised in a lush world like Gallente Prime? The soul needs hardship like iron needs the forge. To temper it and make it stronger. Idle hands are Molok's playground..."

*Metsar stares into his tea briefly before taking a sip.*

"By the way, my rank is Paladin. The second highest rank of PIE's ground troops. I serve directly under the Lord Marshal, Arrach Sarkal."

"I suppose that's one way to look at it, but quite frankly they have a strong group identity as of now. For all their talk they are rather intolerant of other opinions. Resulting in the Caldari State for instance. The Gallenteans all tout the party line and anyone who disagrees is a monster in their eyes. In my dealings I've found them to be a petty, selfish, arrogant people. Closed to the chosen life of other civilizations. So assured of their cultural and idealogical superiority. With a leader who governs and spurrs them on from within his city carved out of synthetic diamonds."

*Metsar takes a long draft of his tea then sets the cup down, motioning for the slave to refill it.*

"When it comes to the Matari you have to remember a very large portion of them are still Imperial citizens, citizens I am sworn to defend. Most of them in fact are free and faithful after the Empress' decree. The Amarr and Minmatar share seven centuries of history. While those of the 'Republic' cry and detest over it, we see it far differently. To us they are 'our' people in rebellion, not some new nation. This is a civil war in our eyes... You know I've noticed a rather romantic notion among the Republic about their past. They have this nostalgic view of a harmonious tribal society. Little the forget that when the first golden fleet reached them, it found a barbaric society. Tribal wars, genocides, power struggles... They were enslaving each other! And their slavers were far crueler than ours... *ahem* Sorry to burst off on my tangent. Anyways when dealing with the Matari I take the stance that they are impetulant children. And I hope very much they will see the truth and return to us."

"The Jove are twisted and deformed monstrosities. They are inhuman in body, mind, and whatever shred of a spirit resides in their malformed bodies. Theirs is a grave sin. To scorn and alter the form bequeathed to us by God. To change His natural processes. And to proclaim such an advancement, an improvement on His work. I care not what such creatures think of us... And before you retort with 'what of our own cloned bodies' I'll say our changes are far from the scale of theirs. And even these bodies we admit are no longer the sacred flesh of our first lives. But of the deviant Jovians... As far as I'm concerned they are daemons lurking in the darkness of the void... And I would see them cleansed from existence... Our empires squabble and fight when we should turn our blades to those abominations. They are our greatest threat."

"... Sansha's Nation... The rogue drones... The Jove... and most of all the Sani Sabik... These are my personal daemons Ryeon-haan... And my immortal existence shall forever stand against them. I hate each for different reasons, most not even as religious in nature as you might think. Also the Caldari and Matari are wrong if they view their relationship with the Jovians as 'friendly.' How can we comprehend the machinations of a race so apart from our own? How can we hope to read any of their gestures with the tiniest shred of validity? ... ... ... I do not 'fear' the Jove. When you have seen the things I have seen, when you have done what I have done... You learn there is only one thing this universe offers that is worthy of your fear..."

*Metsar pauses and stares at his cup of tea, then slowly slides it off to the side.*

"... Inhumanity... I... Have faced the inhuman before."

*Metsar's serious expression fades into the ghost of a smile.*

"I'm not referring to you or clone soldiers in general if that's what you're inferring. I find most capsuleers and mercenaries are very much human aside from a few individuals. I speak of a greater inhumanity. Not one solely of the body, but the heart and mind as well. I've seen things you wouldn't believe... Many lives ago, before this immortality."

"I suppose I can't disagree with that. The future holds many possibilities. But as for today I am human, and quite frankly you, Kalamari, and Fae have been the most conversable individuals I've met at this summit. Aside from my fellow praetorians of course. Anyways I prefer not to be so serious all the time. So how is your corporation doing? The Initiative is well known to PIE."

"That's a shame to hear. I know the Initiative was founded upon the basis of securing the Caldari State. It's sad that's been lost, profitably or not..."

*The paladin's expression drops drastically. As though any hint of emotion had fled his features.*

"Nonetheless, if you'd prefer our previous line inquiry that's fine. I see you're not one for personas and appearances. As for myself I find them useful. And despite the many years of my life I can still draw on my upbringing in the lower nobility to maintain them. So what would you like to ask or discuss?"

"Well suite yourself, it has been an interesting conversation Ryeon-haan. Hmm..."

*Metsar reaches into the desk and pulls out a small aluminum box.*

"Ah here, some Khanid tea leaves. It is not often you find a partaker of teas among our ilk. Consider them a gift."

*He holds out the box.*