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month record rogue 3 7 1
'It's been quite a while, Dame.'
A metal man clothed like an ordinary human stands atop Čappat's observation deck, seemingly speaking to the beautiful scenery before him.
To his back, on the opposite side of the deck, a white-haired Feline looks out at the landscape below, her lips sealed in silence.
For a time, only the sound of the frigid wind can be heard. After what feels like an eternity, the Feline finally begins to speak.
'I would like to know the President's precise attitude, Tin Man, regarding the Summit of Nations facilitating the Terra Icefield Joint Expedition.'
'The President is in favor of the proposal, and has been pushing us Maylanders to get it sorted out ASAP.' The Tin Man uses a falling snowflake as an excuse to light a cigarette, clasping it between his hands as he rests his arms on the fence.
'And does Columbia's so-called 'favor' usually involve voting against it while holding veto power?'
'I hope you understand, Dame, that all the major tech groups—and the military to boot—are breathing down his neck on this. They're all looking out for their own interests in Sami.'
'How interesting, then, that the building we're standing atop right now is currently owned by the KGCC.'
'It's just a standard business contract.'
'Columbia is losing control of southern Sami, Tin Man. Commerce is but a part of it.
'The human cost of the tech companies' research into the many disasters caused by Collapse is even greater than that of pioneering new land.
'I'm sure you don't need me to enumerate each and every one of these affairs.'
Seeing that the sparks of his cigarette have nearly died out, the Tin Man silently takes a drag.
'And so, I must ask again.
'I would like to know what the President thinks of the matter, in detail.
'The terms of the joint expedition agreement are quite generous, and both Great Yan and Ursus have already offered concessions. They're even willing to share Collapsal-related technologies.
'Yet despite this, Columbia is indecisive on the matter?'
The Tin Man reaches his free hand into his coat pocket, and a faint noise emanates from within.
'The President has already foreseen the result of this cooperation between nations.
'What they will unearth in the icefield will be far greater than they could ever imagine.
'The nations of this land will tear into each other to establish control over these findings. What differences crop up during the expedition will only deepen the rifts between them.
'And right on the cusp of claiming the ultimate prize, the land will be stricken by war.
'In the name of Columbia's freedom and honor, the President is in favor of the spirit of the proposal. But he has reservations on how it will be implemented.'
'If he cannot trust an international organization headed by Laterano, then—' Kal'tsit turns towards the forest, the mist amongst the trees dissipating as she does.
'Then perhaps a non-governmental organization—extending across all of Terra with absolute neutrality—can become Columbia's partner in this matter. Along with every other nation in Terra.
'What do you think, Mr. President?'
The Tin Man pulls out a toy shaped like a stylized President from his pocket, and it speaks, clearly and definitively.
'Columbia is willing to reconsider.'
