Daring conversation (D10 LA)

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

A long time has passed since Zimrzala came here last. Much has changed, much has happened. And this day would bring even more of both - events and changes...hopefully good ones.

She doubted she could come back with exactly what they had asked, from the beginning. She never thought vengeance was a good way to set things right.

But she had some answers, at least. She had some offers. And, again, she had hope.

When she made her way to the entrance of the headquarters of their people again, she did so openly, as promised, the hood pulled back to reveal her tendrils swinging about. She approached slowly and respectfully, and when she saw someone guarding the place, or came close enough to the gates, she announced her presence, loud enough to be heard inside if no-one is in sight.

"Afternoon, friends. I've said I would made myself evident and only enter if allowed if and when I came to your people again. And here I am. My name is Zimrzala, and I'm hoping to talk to Oshazich - if he'll receive me."

She keeps her senses aware to her surroundings, but lowers her head a bit in respect while she waits for an answer of some kind.

[Flession]

The Gonks see you simply walk up to their doors and without much warning, begin to pull out their rifles at you pointing in your general direction. Many of them are in armor, others not. They seem to understand your words, but their communication is left with nothing more than grunts and angry noises. One of them goes inside the gates to make their way into the base while the others continue to hold their guns at you, their eyes not fading from you for a moment,

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

She keeps quiet, waiting for an answer... almost no change in her. Her eyes go from one of them to the other, and seem somewhat saddened.

Something seemed to have happened to them. Most of them, at least. It wasn't clear what, and from Oshazich's previous words he didn't seem to think there was much she could do...

But maybe there might be...

For now, though, she waited.

[Oshazich]

It lasted a good minute for them to return, with their green-skinned leader walking in. Again, he lacked a proper shirt for whatever reason, nor did he wear the robe he wore the day in battle, though he did bring out his rusted vibrosword on hand. He looked you over for a few moments, staring you down, trying to figure you out. "Well, at least you learnt to knock." He nodded to his men as they put down their guns. "I honestly did not expect you to come back here. Some people have the sense not to return, but here we are."

He placed his hand to his side and rubbed his temples at you. "What is it this time? Are you here to criticize our assault? That we should show peace and civility to the Empire?"

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

It lasted a good minute for them to return, with their green-skinned leader walking in. Again, he lacked a proper shirt for whatever reason, nor did he wear the robe he wore the day in battle, though he did bring out his rusted vibrosword on hand. He looked you over for a few moments, staring you down, trying to figure you out. "Well, at least you learnt to knock." He nodded to his men as they put down their guns. "I honestly did not expect you to come back here. Some people have the sense not to return, but here we are."

He placed his hand to his side and rubbed his temples at you. "What is it this time? Are you here to criticize our assault? That we should show peace and civility to the Empire?"

"Oshazich." Zim nodded at him respectfully, a good-natured smile on her face. "Thanks for your trust in receiving me", she adds. Her lips then curl in a grin as she shakes her head. "And no, I'm not here to criticise you. It seems you remember from my first that I hope for peace", she says, her expression becoming more serious, head still shaking. "But there's no peace possible under the empire. As you may, or may not know, I'm also standing against them. I prefer other methods, as you sure know. But I won't criticise you standing against oppression."

She falls silent for some time, then speaks again, still serious. "I... would like to understand why the clinic, though. You must know that placed more people in danger than just the imperials, eh?"

She then shakes her head again. "But knowing that is not the reason I came here. I... would actually like to ask you for something. And offer something in return." She nods again, then looks directly at his eyes, a serious but very respectful expression on her face. "As you may know, there is man who offers treatment to those in the lower city. A trustworthy man, not linked to the empire. But the place he has to work is... not ideal."

She leaves some time for the words to sink in before continuing. "There is an old, inactivated hospital. Close to your territory. I've talked to this man and those who work with him about it."

She nods again, keeping her eyes locked to his. "Having got to know you and your people, Oshazich, I'd like to ask your people that. To move the clinic to that hospital and use it, without this meaning conflict."

Another moment of silence before she speaks again. "If this makeshift clinic could be moved to the hospital, it would mean much better treatment for all those underground." Another nod, eyes on his. "Including your people, when you need it. I'm sure the doc wouldn't refrain from helping your folk. And... it could mean an important step."

She takes one step towards him. "As I said... I'm doing what I can against the empire's oppression as well. As are many others. Including down in the Lower City. As you said before, I can't claim to understand your people's history. I don't know what wrongs were done to your folk." Another nod. "But I am willing to learn, to understand it... and to take steps to help if and how I can, Oshazich. Money or supplies. Establishing links and putting in words in the Lower City to build peace, or shared action against the imperials. This hospital. And other things, to the best of my ability."

Another nod, her expression serious and expectant. "I hope you can trust me in that."

[Oshazich]

Staring at her for a long moment, Oshazich shrugged. "I couldn't tell you why I chose the hospital. Lately, my men and I have been having dreams of late. Of them. The Empire. That building. It's been boiling over, really. Couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to destroy what was causing these feelings. Failed, though, with the help of your friend with the armor, but we knew the risks they come. My men...something happened to them. Surely, you noticed by now they don't really talk much. There's intelligence in them, no doubt, but it's not there. We all remember, though. We all remember the Empire did something to them. To me. Don't know what, really...it's all sort of in fuzzy in my mind about it. Just flashes..."

Oshazich looked at her for a long moment, but it was clear thru his face he wasn't staring at her. His mind was going to other places, and his fists were clutched tightly, his face shifted to that of anger. He looked ready to strike, but shook off the cobwebs and returned to a neutral face. "It's not safe for us to be around others. Even such a kind offer of medical help, we'd end up hurting ourselves. Even when we took that doctor awhile back, we locked him in a cage so he wouldn't get hurt by us." He gave it a pause. "Though, we have been trying to expand our territory. We still understand the usefulness of trade. At least I still do, for however long I still have my senses about me. Protection for aid seems like something we could possibly work towards, but it is best we still remain by ourselves; for our sake, as well as others."

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

Staring at her for a long moment, Oshazich shrugged. "I couldn't tell you why I chose the hospital. Lately, my men and I have been having dreams of late. Of them. The Empire. That building. It's been boiling over, really. Couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to destroy what was causing these feelings. Failed, though, with the help of your friend with the armor, but we knew the risks they come. My men...something happened to them. Surely, you noticed by now they don't really talk much. There's intelligence in them, no doubt, but it's not there. We all remember, though. We all remember the Empire did something to them. To me. Don't know what, really...it's all sort of in fuzzy in my mind about it. Just flashes..."

Oshazich looked at her for a long moment, but it was clear thru his face he wasn't staring at her. His mind was going to other places, and his fists were clutched tightly, his face shifted to that of anger. He looked ready to strike, but shook off the cobwebs and returned to a neutral face. "It's not safe for us to be around others. Even such a kind offer of medical help, we'd end up hurting ourselves. Even when we took that doctor awhile back, we locked him in a cage so he wouldn't get hurt by us." He gave it a pause. "Though, we have been trying to expand our territory. We still understand the usefulness of trade. At least I still do, for however long I still have my senses about me. Protection for aid seems like something we could possibly work towards, but it is best we still remain by ourselves; for our sake, as well as others."

She hears his words with great attention. As he speaks, some realization seems to dawn on her... and Oshazich sees something, burning deep in her blue eyes, that he definitely hadn't seen coming from her before.

Anger. A kind of silent anger. Not at him, of course, and her words to him when she speaks back are as kind as always, perhaps even more so. But it's definitely there.

"I... understand, friend. Not all of it... but I understand."

She lowers her head for some time, and the next words are said facing the ground. "As I said... I'm also standing against them. With a number of others. We... were at the clinic, a few days before your attack. Trying to find data related to disappearances there."

She looks at him again. "We did find... something. About tests. They seemed to be looking for... particular traits, or something of the kind, to test on these people. But we couldn't access the actual reports."

Some time of silence goes by, and Oshazich may notice she's actively trying to control her breathing to hold back the anger that almost burst out for a moment.

"I... believe this is directly related to what happened to your people", she says, her eyes down again as she tries to focus. "I... understand your worry about accepting this aid, Oshazich. Friend.", she adds, nodding. "I do hope I can help your folk in some way, though."

She thinks for a while longer. "Some of those I'm working with will try to find more information on this soon. Depending on what we find... I feel I owe it to you to come here and share it. For your trust and respect. If that is something you'd want of course."

"Balance, equality, peace. A decent life by yourselves. Respect. What I hold important, and what you do... the Empire stands against all of that."

She looks at him again. The peace is now mostly back to her face, but a quiet, now much more controlled anger still burns in her eyes.

"I do believe you, others in the Lower city and those I'm working with have more in common than it might seem, Oshazich. And I believe we could reach the respect we all need in cooperation."

She nods once again. "Peace between us. To the oppressors, fall.", she says, the smile mostly gone, leaving behind a serious face, her hand extended to the Mirialan.

[Oshazich]

Oshazich listens to her breath, her motions, and her movements. It takes awhile for him to speak he takes in everything spoken so far. "Yes...experiments. It would make sense." He motions to one of them. "Yes, I would like to know more about what happened. Everything is just a blank to me. Having..." He pauses, clutching his fist once more. "This rage I feel...finally explained.

He sighs, closing his eyes for a long moment. "It would be good to have some answers. Finally. Maybe with this knowledge some of them could come back, though that is wishful thinking." Opening again, he looks to her and cracks a smile. "Won't hope for that, but maybe I can tell them why." He breathes in deeply and meets his hand with her own, squeezing tightly in that motion. "I hope neither of us regret these actions." Actually was starting to hurt a bit before he lets go, though he was looking rather oblivious about what he had just done. "What is it that you need of us, then?"

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

Oshazich listens to her breath, her motions, and her movements. It takes awhile for him to speak he takes in everything spoken so far. "Yes...experiments. It would make sense." He motions to one of them. "Yes, I would like to know more about what happened. Everything is just a blank to me. Having..." He pauses, clutching his fist once more. "This rage I feel...finally explained.

He sighs, closing his eyes for a long moment. "It would be good to have some answers. Finally. Maybe with this knowledge some of them could come back, though that is wishful thinking." Opening again, he looks to her and cracks a smile. "Won't hope for that, but maybe I can tell them why." He breathes in deeply and meets his hand with her own, squeezing tightly in that motion. "I hope neither of us regret these actions." Actually was starting to hurt a bit before he lets go, though he was looking rather oblivious about what he had just done. "What is it that you need of us, then?"

Her hand does hurt a bit, but she seems to pay it no mind either. And after he releases her hand and her eyes meet his again, a kind, peaceful smile is mostly back, the flame of anger mostly hidden now - although a hint of it can still be heard in her voice.

"I'm happy to hear this, friend. And I can't see why we'd regret. We may not succeed in everything we try to do... but to try to do what we feel is right and fail is hardly reason to regret, eh?"

She looks up for some time, as if thinking. "For now... the only thing I'd ask of you is the permission for the Lower City's Doc to move his operations to that old hospital. And I will owe it to you to see what we can find at the Spire, and bring that information to you."

"With that in hand, and depending on how things go... then there will probably be more we can cooperate on. To do what must be done. Free Bellionas from those who deepened chasms between its peoples and abused them. Abused... you"

She looks at him again "And if you believe there is more I could do for your people, please let me know. We do this together", she says with an encouraging nod and a reassuring smile.