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“Back on the NOAH... what an amazing ship.”

As you, Crooks and Archie dock off of the Maribelle and into the port of the NOAH, you breathe a sigh. It's been two weeks since the first battle with the Yellow Turbans. The elder two Tao brothers escaped and the rebellion continues, but that's not even your chief concern at the moment. No, that lies in the reinforcements you received in that battle... reinforcements that you honestly need in order to combat the Yellow Turbans, but from a man you want nothing to do with.

Kingpin Dong. This man enslaved Krista's family, and not long ago was sending bounty hunters after you and Crooks... but now he's decided to help the alliance of fleets in taking down the Yellow Turbans. It makes all the sense in the world for him. He profits off of the fighting, and it's in his best interest to have all the fleet leaders owing him a favour. And he knows that with how overwhelmed you were in that first battle... nobody is in the position to say no to him. Even Marco understands the situation. He knows that without their help, the rebellion will only continue longer, and more will suffer. Marco's a good man, placed in an unwinnable dilemma, having to accept help from a truly evil man to prevent further suffering.

But now is time for another meeting of the fleet leaders... along with Kingpin Dong, likely where he'll outline his demands.

“Hey, you coming or not?” Crooks asks, turning his head towards the Maribelle. You turn your head as well, to see Krista standing up by the ramp of the ship, hesitant to move.

“I don't know...” Krista mutters. She was like this for the entire first week after Dong arrived. No surprise, after all the horror he inflicted on her family. “I-Is it childish if I kinda wanna just stay on the ship? I'll make a nice dinner for tonight!”

Crooks shakes his head. “That's fine. I'm not gonna be pissed off if you want to stay behind... I don't really want to deal with all these politics myself. Just make sure you don't wreck the place while we're out, you sugar demon.”

Krista nods before turning her head to you. “What do you think, Matt-Matt? Am I being silly? I'm being silly, aren't I?”

>Not at all. Stay back here, we won't be too long.
>No, but I do want you to be with us for this.
>A little. C'mon, you have us with you. It'll be fine.

>>2869654
>>Not at all. Stay back here, we won't be too long.

Lets NOT give dong an excuse to be rapey

>>2869654
>Not at all. Stay back here, we won't be too long.
Probably best to keep Krista away from Don Long Dong

>>2869654
>>Not at all. Stay back here, we won't be too long.

Calling for
>Not at all. Stay back here, we won't be too long.

Writing now.

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>Not at all. Stay back here, we won't be too long.

Krista's face lights up as she looks to you. "Okay... I'll stay back here... and I'll try not to wreck the place, okay?"

"I don't like the sound of that 'try'," Crooks replies, holding up a finger like a scolding parent. "You stay safe... hopefully this will be over and done with soon. Assuming Matt's puritan cousin doesn't rope him into anything else."

Krista nods and slinks back into the ship as its ramp retracts. You, Crooks and Archie make your way up through the main area of the Noah fleet, Archie guiding you to the nearest elevator to reach the conference level of the ship.

"So, what's it like being back on the NOAH?" you ask the scientist. "I know it's only been two weeks..."

Archie shrugs. "I've been away from this ship longer than that. I spent a year working in Athens, remember? Still, any time you come back to this place, it feels so... fresh. You always forget how big it is until you go someplace else. You could fit damn near all of humanity on this ship."

"Sharing a ship with the entire human population," Crooks chuckles to himself. "Sounds like a nightmare I once had."

"Here's our stop."

The elevator doors open as the three of you step out. Archie leads you towards a conference building. The doors slide open, and you're welcomed by a very familiar face, one that immediately hugs Archie.

"You guys!" Dot exclaims, looking rather nice in a very expensive get-up. You're used to her wearing much more casual wear around Maribelle. "It's so good to see you!"

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Crooks nods. "Good seeing you too, kiddo."

"So, Archie..." Dot smiles. "How has it been travelling with these goofballs?"

Archie pauses. "Well, uhh... it's been interesting. They transport and sell... a lot of shady stuff."

"We had to offload a lot of cargo fast to make room for him," Crooks points out. "There's an entire other room on ol' Maribelle that's free for use now. No longer cluttered with boxes of spice."

"How's it been for you?" you ask Dot.

Dot gives a respectful nod. "It's been good being back home, and spending more time with Marco... though the stress of the situation is weighing heavily on his mind. Right now, he's having a private consult with Connery and Kilroy. Still... I've certainly missed spending time with all of you."

Archie blushes and lets out a nervous laugh. "Oh gee, you have?"

"Yeah... oh, no Krista?"

You shake your head. "She doesn't want to come face to face with any of Dong's men."

"Understandable," Dot replies. "Well, I'll have to see her at the Maribelle before you guys take off again."

"You can't be enjoying this much either," you reply. "It was one of Dong's bounty hunters that..."

"Killed my uncle," Dot finishes. "I think we all have bad histories with his crime empire. Well, except Archie."

Archie laughs. "I guess I'm a bit sheltered then?"

"Well, we don't have to worry about coming face to face with that monster," Dot explains. "At least not for now. He won't be joining us for the diplomatic meetings until later. Until then, we've got the other fleets docked here, the generals and soldiers hoping to blow off steam. They're all pretty separate though... even in leisure they can't see eye-to-eye. If you want to join any of them, go ahead. There's not much else to do here otherwise, unless you want to sit and read the same idol magazine a hundred times over."

"I wouldn't mind resting my feet up," Crooks replies. "We've been running so many jobs lately, I'm exhausted."

"And I wouldn't mind meeting some generals," Archie adds. "We'll be working with them in some capacity for the foreseeable future, it would be nice to be on good terms with them."

Well, you suppose it's settled then. But, as Dot said, the fleets remain pretty separate right now. Which fleet should you blow off steam with?

>Shinto
>Camelot
>Athens

>>2869691
>>Shinto
Maybe we'll see more of pure boy

>>2869691
>>Shinto

Calling for
>Shinto

Writing now.

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>Shinto

You met a guy from the Shinto fleet prior to the first battle against the Yellow Turbans. Sun Chen, a member of the royal family... is it a royal family? Well, the chieftain's son regardless. He seemed like a nice enough guy, and he'll likely be here for this meeting again. Maybe you'll run into him if he head off in the direction of the Shinto fleet?

You and the other two men of the Maribelle make your way to the elevators and head to the entertainment floor of the NOAH. Just about anything you could ask for is here. Restaurants, Arcades, Live music, Holotape projections... living in the lap of luxury, no doubt. It's still strange to think that your cousin owns all of this, while you choose to slum it out... though you'd likely get bored with this after a while, and start missing the slums if you had it every day. You're hard to please like that.

You wander around the area, where a lot of soldiers decked out in bright red seem to be partying on the streets. These are the Shinto people no doubt... so many of them are huge and bulging with muscles, and those are only the lower ranked soldiers. Shinto is a fleet that prides physical strength very highly.

As you pass by, you hear yelling from some of the Shinto people. "Do the thing, bastard! The thing you showed me!"

You look in that direction to see Sun Chen being surrounded by a few soldiers, demanding that he do some sort of party trick.

"Okay, fine!" Sun Chen laughs. "I'll show of my magic. All of you, bust out your lighters or candles, or any small flame."

The soldiers do as commanded, and you see even Crooks pulling out his own lighter to see what's going on.

Sun Chen waves his hands in the air. "Now, watch as I make all these flames go out at once! Ready?"

Sun Chen swipes his hand, and just as he said, every single lit flame in the area goes out in a flash.

"Whoooooaaaaa," one of the soldiers remarks. "How'd you do that?"

"I wish I could say magic," Sun Chen laughs. "But it's really all in the Biochip."

Name: Sun Chen
Biochip Class: ULTIMO DRAGON

Sun Chen's Biochip allows him to control the path and ferocity of flames. He is not able to create flames, only control existing flames.

POWER: B
SPEED: B
DURABILITY: C
PRECISION: D
RANGE: C
POTENTIAL: A

"Whoa, wish I had one of those," another soldier remarks. "How come a bastard like you gets one?"

"That's enough..." a young woman standing behind Sun Chen commands. She looks graceful and elegant, like a regal princess. Hardly the kind of person you expect to see in Shinto. And yet, she has the same red hair as Sun Chen. He mentioned he has many half-brothers and half-sisters. This must be another one of them.

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The soldiers meekly walk away after the young woman's command, prompting Chen to speak. "Si, what's wrong? They weren't hurting anybody."

"What right do those lowborns have to call you a bastard?" Sun Si flicks back her hair in an arrogant manner.

"You call me lowborn all the time," Chen points out.

Si glares at the men as they leave. "I have that right. Lowborn or no, you're a member of my family. They need to be taught a lesson in respect if they think they can speak to you like that. Stand up for yourself, Chen."

Chen shrugs. "They were just having fun. Still, it's nice to see you worrying about me."

"I-I'm not..." Si mutters.

Chen turns his head and spots you in the corner of his eye. His face lights up with a smile as he waves you over. "Hey, Matt! Matt Millar! Remember me?"

Chen approaches you, with his half-sister in tow. "Good to see you again! I was worried after I didn't hear from you after the battle. I was concerned the worst might have happened!"

"Chen..." Si remarks, eyeing you up and down. "When did you become friends with such a... ruffian?"

"He's a high ranking officer working for Marco Shao!" Chen replies, "Or something like that. Right?"

"Something like that," you reply.

Si continues to stare at you, suspicious. "I don't buy it. Frankly, there is no way in this galaxy that a high ranking officer for Marco Shao looks so... classless."

>Nice to meet you too. I'm Matt.
>Believe it or not, it's true.
>You got me. I'm really just a smuggler who works close with Shao. We're... good friends.
>I see Chen took all the nice genes in your family.

>>2869759
>"And I wasn't expecting a highborn member of the Shinto to be so tactless, but hey, here we are."

>>2869759
>>"And I wasn't expecting a highborn member of the Shinto to be so tactless, but hey, here we are."
TSUN TSUN

>>2869759
>"And I wasn't expecting a highborn member of the Shinto to be so tactless, but hey, here we are."

Calling for
>"And I wasn't expecting a highborn member of the Shinto to be so tactless, but hey, here we are."

Writing now.

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>"And I wasn't expecting a highborn member of the Shinto to be so tactless, but hey, here we are."

Si puffs out her cheeks in a pout of frustration before letting out a huff. "How terribly rude of you!"

"I'm rude?" you question. Wasn't she the one calling you a ruffian before even introducing herself?

Sun Chen lets out a playful laugh. "Don't mind Si. My sister might act like a snooty princess, but she's actually very nice when you get to know her."

Si stamps her foot. "You lowborn! Don't tell them that! That's not true!"

Chen laughs some more as Si gets even more frustrated. "So, I assume you're here for the war council?"

"We tend to get roped into this stuff," you reply. "I guess your entire family must be here."

Chen nods. "Yep, dad and all my siblings have been enjoying the food here. We don't have a lot of... what was it called? Pizza? We don't have much of that in Shinto, but man, it is something special!"

"So, I guess you're just... hanging out until we get down to business?" you asks.

"Well, until our father gets down to business," Si replies. "We are not his eldest children. I doubt even the eldest of our clan, Sun Zi, will have much say in the matter at hand."

"And where do you stand?" Archie asks. "Uhh, if you don't mind me asking?"

Si flicks her hair. "To be perfectly honest... I abhor fighting. I never trained to be a fighter like the rest of my siblings. Instead, I studied in the art of diplomacy... something our fleet is sorely lacking."

Chen laughs. "Yeah... our head strategist, Amadeus Yu is a smart cookie... but our father likes to think with his fists instead of his brain. I mean, it's how he became chieftain."

"That's right," you note. "In Shinto leadership isn't by succession like in Camelot or by voting like in Athens. When the old chieftain dies, a tournament is held to crown the new chieftain among the best fighters. Then, that chieftain is challenged for his title often... what a weird fleet."

"I suppose it is a little unusual..." Chen admits. "But while it's not a succession, the Chieftain role has been held by a member of the Sun family dating back as far as anyone can remember. We're born and raised to be the best equipped to hold that title proudly and for a long time... well, Sun Zi is. I doubt I'll ever be chieftain."

Crooks chuckles. "Don't be so sure, kid. More surprising things have happened."

Chen nods. "Thanks! Hey, if you guys are free, I can introduce you to some people. You want to meet more of my family? Or maybe more of the Shinto generals?"

>Meeting your family would be nice.
>I want to see some of the generals outside of your clan.

>>2869814
>>I want to see some of the generals outside of your clan.
Lets see the people who have earned their rank through sweat, blood and tears

>>2869814
>>I want to see some of the generals outside of your clan.

>>2869814
>I want to see some of the generals outside of your clan.

>The Sun member that studies diplomancy insults someone that can directly influence a leader of a rival faction
Fucking wew, she's obviously bottom of that class then

Calling for
>I want to see some of the generals outside of your clan.

Writing now.

>>2869814
>>Meeting your family would be nice.

I'm curious about the senpai.

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>I want to see some of the generals outside of your clan.

"Haha!" Sun Chen laughs. "I guess the fleet can kinda look like our entire family is the higher ups! Don't worry, I'll introduce you to some of the other high ranking generals we have!"

"Introduce?" Si asks. "Chen, are you friends with any of the fleet's generals?"

"Nope!" Chen replies. "They actually don't like me very much! But now's a time to get to know people better, right?"

Chen leads you to a nearby bar on the floor of the ship. "Now, this is where just about everyone is!"

Of course most of the Shinto generals will be drinking. You have to admit, they're fun loving people.

"I'm really starting to like the Shinto people," Crooks remarks. "C'mon four-eyes. I'll buy you a drink."

"Oh," Archie smiles. "Thanks, Croo-"

"And then you but me one," Crooks adds. "Fair trade."

"Oh."

"Oi!" a voice calls out in the bar. "Where's that waitress? They one with the massive arse! I need more drink!"

The source of the voice is a barely clothed and heavily tattooed man decked out in rags. His eyes are a striking gold in colour, and they remain constantly wide with a scary intensity. "Yoo-hoo! I quench for another drink! I really hope you can't hear me and you aren't just disrespecting me! Ol' Jack doesn't take kindly to being ignored!"

"Ugh, that savage..." Si mutters in utter contempt.

"Who is that?" you ask.

Chen tilts his head. "You've never heard of him? That's Jack Cutlass. People call him the Crimson Dread... before he became a general of the fleet, he was the most feared pirate in the galaxy. Since joining the fleet, he's racked up the highest kill count of any general. He's beyond dangerous, and might cut you down if you look at him funny. Maaaaaybe we shouldn't try talking to him..."

A woman glares at Jack before standing up from her booth and making her way towards the exit. "Oh, did I offend the newbie general?" Jack laughs. "Look, you've got a crackin' arse as well. No need to be sad!"

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The woman pushes by, accidentally bumping into Sun Chen as she does. She's quick to give a respectful bow. "V-very sorry..." she mutters to him, and as she raises her head, you get a good look at her. Her face is one of striking beauty, and despite being upset, she has a calming grace to her appearance. Sun Chen, you can tell, is smitten.

"Eh-heh," he laughs nervously. "It's quite alright... uhh, you don't have to bow. Not many people do that in Shinto."

"Right... of course," the woman replies. "I'll just be on my way."

The woman pushes on as you nudge Chen in the shoulder. "Who was that? She was called a general."

"I have no idea..." Chen mutters, his eyes following her as she goes.

Si angrily clears her throat. "Her name is Erica. She's the newest general on our fleet. Not much is known about the woman, but she's apparently from Camelot. Why she would make the move to Shinto is anyone's guess."

>Wow... I'd like to get to know her better.
>Looks like she has a fan already, right Chen?
>Well, we'd want to stay out of Jack Cutlass' way. Any more generals in here?

>>2869860
>>Looks like she has a fan already, right Chen?
BOOOOOOLIIIIIIII
also fuck yeah space pirates
TREASURE PLANET CROSSOVER CONFIRMED

>>2869863
>>Wow... I'd like to get to know her better.
>>Looks like she has a fan already, right Chen?

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>>2869863
>Looks like she has a fan already, right Chen?

>It's motherfucking best boi Avenger
YYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IT'S TIME TO RECRUIT OUR PIRATE MEMBER OF THE CREW

ALSO
>Option to avoid Jack
RRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE FUCK YOU BOOKER

>>2869863
>Wow... I'd like to get to know her better.
I see Jack is a gentleman of fine taste as well.

Calling for
>Looks like she has a fan already, right Chen?

Writing now.

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>Looks like she has a fan already, right Chen?

"W-what?" Chen mutters. "I-I mean... she seems very polite, and-"

"Stop this," Sun Si snaps. "I don't want to hear you pair drooling over one of our generals. You should know better, Chen."

"I-I wasn't drooling, I swear!" Chen admits.

As you speak, Jack Cutlass perks his head up. "Oi, oi, oi! What do I see here? Is that the Sun Boros' kids?"

"Oh no..." Si mutters, as Jack Cutlass springs up. The rags around his waist falls and exposes far more than you ever wanted to see, causing Si to gasps and cover her eyes. See, this is more what you expect out of a Shinto general.

Jack pulls up his loincloth as he approaches the three of you, throwing his arms around Chen. "If it isn't the serpent of Shinto and... the other one. The bastard that nobody likes."

"I hate that title," Si mutters. "And don't call him a bastard."

Jack chuckles, placing his hands on Chen's shoulders. "Ahh, don't let those words get you down, boy! Who cares if you're a bastard? I never knew either of my parents, myself! If anyone tries to get on your case over your mom, just remember that Ol' Jack Cutlass has got your back!"

"You..." Si mutters in confusion. "You've orphaned countless families!"

Jack rolls his eyes. "And like I said, there ain't nothing wrong with not knowing your parents! Doesn't make you less of a person. You really gotta learn to listen, you know that?"

Si huffs as Jack turns his attention to you. "And I see you've brought... some kind of midget? A lost child?"

"I'm twenty," you point out, causing Jack to pat your head. "I'm older than these two!"

"Suuuure you are, little buddy!" he encourages you. "You really shouldn't be in a bar like this. Never know the seedy people you might run into. Hang on, my cloth is slipping again. Si, help me out."

"Disgusting," Si gags.

Jack laughs. "Can't be that bad! I haven't heard many complaints! Speaking of..."

Jack throws his free arm around you, pulling you and Chen into a huddle, his overbearing friendliness continuing. "Come on, you boys are of that age. Chen, you may look like a little twink but I know you've got your dad's libido raging within you. And this kid is bound to be hitting puberty! Come on, fess up to uncle Jack!"

"Aren't you only a few years older than us?" you ask.

"I can still be an uncle!" Jack replies. "Come on, which beautiful ladies have caught your eye?"

>I haven't really given much thought to that stuff lately
>I gotta say, Sun Si is pretty cute
>Well, there's this girl I'm travelling with right now...
>The wife of Marco Shao is quite the looker
>I ran into that Metis from Athens lately. She was gorgeous.

>>2869958
>>Well, there's this girl I'm travelling with right now...

>>2869958
>>Well, there's this girl I'm travelling with right now...
>>I ran into that Metis from Athens lately. She was gorgeous.

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>>2869958
>I gotta say, Sun Si is pretty cute
SYNCHRONISE WITH JACK

ENGAGE MAXIMUM SI BULLYING

>The rags around his waist falls and exposes far more than you ever wanted to see, causing Si to gasps and cover her eyes. See, this is more what you expect out of a Shinto general.
I fucking love this beautiful bastard

>>2869958
>Kinda been busy with the whole military operations thing

>>2869958
I gotta say, Sun Si is pretty cute
Getting back at Si does seem fun

>>2869997
Shit I forgot the >

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>2869980
>>2869987
>Well, there's this girl I'm travelling with right now...

>>2869989
>>2869997
>I gotta say, Sun Si is pretty cute

Rolling to break the tie.

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>Well, there's this girl I'm travelling with right now...

"Oh, say no more, say no more!" Jack remarks. "I know exactly what you're talking about! Not from experience, I've never travelled with anyone who wasn't already dead."

"That raises... a lot of questions," you mutter.

Still, your answer was an honest one. You and Krista are quite close, she's attractive, the two of you have... something going on. You think. Maybe. Perhaps it's just a close friendship, and the playfulness of the relationship is leaving you confused. You don't even know if you'd want to pursue something there. As it stands, the two of you are friends who care for eachother, and you'd much rather ignore the elephant in the room than shoot it down.

"And what about you, Chen?" Jack asks.

Chen blushes. "W-well, I don't really think about that stuff."

"Oh, suuuuuure," Jack nods along. "In public, keep a good image, wink wink nudge nudge. I can't imagine the kind of stuff you get up behind closed doors. The dragon of Shinto, wonder how you got that nickname."

"Well, you just gave it to me," Chen points out. "Three seconds ago."

"Can you stop?" Si wags her finger at Jack. "We don't have time to be heckled by a pirate like you."

Jack stares at Si. "You're so lucky you're one of the Suns, you know. Last man who wagged his finger at me had it bitten off. Wasn't that long ago either, I'm probably still digesting it."

"You... swallowed the finger?" you ask.

Jack nods. "Well, yeah! What am I supposed to do, leave a bloody finger on the ground? Had to swallow it, bone and everything. It's just good manners."

Okay, this guy is insane.

Archie and Crooks approach you, as Archie waves his comm in the air. "That was Dot just now, says it's time to get organised for the big council."

"Bigwig stuff, eh?" Jack laughs, before slapping both you and Chen on the backs with a ton of force. "Well, I'll let you get to it!"

Jack returns to the bar, as you turn around. "We'll come with you," Chen notes. "We were supposed to join with our family anyway."

Your group exit the bar, and begin to move down the street when someone catches the eye of Chen. "That guy... isn't that..."

You look to see a tall man with long white hair making his way towards the elevator.

"Oh hey!" Archie exclaims. "That's Prince Arthur!"

"The Prince of Camelot?" you mutter. He's a good deal older than his sister, the Queen... that's right, he turned down the role of King, claiming he didn't want the responsibility. What's he doing at a war council then.

>Well, I don't want to bother a Prince. Let's just stay behind him.
>Let's go talk to him! Diplomatic relations, you know?

>>2870135
>>Let's go talk to him! Diplomatic relations, you know?
IS PRINCE DOUCE OR COOL ALL BETS ARE OFF

>>2870135
>>Well, I don't want to bother a Prince. Let's just stay behind him.

>>2870135
>Let's go talk to him! Diplomatic relations, you know?
Let's see if Si tries to take a dig at him as well.

>>2870135
>Let's go talk to him! Diplomatic relations, you know?

>>2870135
>>Let's go talk to him! Diplomatic relations, you know?
I know he didn’t want the responsibilities but leaving a fake loli to run the country for you is just wrong.

Calling for
>Let's go talk to him! Diplomatic relations, you know?

Writing now.

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>Let's go talk to him! Diplomatic relations, you know?

"I don't know if that's the best idea..." Archie mutters.

Si flicks her hair. "Sounds like a wonderful idea. A proper alliance between Camelot and Shinto could mean wonders. If I work my charms, we could be looking at a strong alliance through marriage!"

"You... you just jumped from talking to a guy to marrying the prince in a single sentence," Crooks points out. "You need to slow down."

But his words are to no avail, as the rest of you hurry up to make it to the elevator at the same time as him.

Upon meeting him, Si lets out a fake gasp. "My, my! Aren't you the prince of Camelot?"

Prince Arthur remains silent. He simply presses the button on the elevator as the doors shut.

"I must say," Si adds. "It truly is a pleasure to meet you. They said the prince was tall and handsome, but I never would have believed it until I saw it! Oh, where are my manners. I am Sun Si, the sixth of Sun Boros's children. I suppose you could say I'm a princess myself."

Still no word from the prince.

You can see the frustration setting in on Si's face as she tries to find a topic for conversation.

"You must be very proud of your sister," Si adds. "Taking on a huge responsibility, and in spite of her youth, she's done an incredible job of-"

"Shut up, harlot."

The prince finally speaks as the elevator doors slide open and he walks off down the corridor.

"What?!" Si bursts out as the Prince leaves. "What did he call me?!"

"You were bothering him in the elevator," Chen points out. "But still... I didn't expect the prince to be so rude."

Crooks shakes his head. "He turned down a kingship because he didn't want to deal with people. Why are you confused that he told you to go to hell?"

Crooks has a point. You doubt Prince Arthur is the social type. Otherwise, he would be King.

As you step out of the elevator, Chen is immediately tackled by another member of his family. Mao, his more playful sister. The two begin to play wrestle on the ground, as Si rolls her eyes. You're then approached by a man in red armour, bearing a strong resemblance to the rest of the Suns. Judging by his age, this must be Sun Zi, Boros' first born.

"Mao, you are incorrigible," he shakes his head, before calmly turning to you. "You must be the associate Marco Shao mentioned. I hope my half-brother wasn't a bother to you."

>Chen? He couldn't bother anybody!
>He can be a little overbearing sometimes.
>Not at all. Your sister, though...

>>2870302
>>Chen? He couldn't bother anybody!
>>Your sister, though...
BOOLI TARGET SHIFT

>>2870302
>Chen? He couldn't bother anybody!
He a pure boy.

>>2870302
>>Chen? He couldn't bother anybody!
>>Not at all. Your sister, though...

>>2870302
>Chen wasn't the one that probably damaged Camelot-Shinto relations

>>2870302
>Not at all. Your sister, though...
>Chen wasn't the one that probably damaged Camelot-Shinto relations
Remove the harlot

Calling for
>Chen? He couldn't bother anybody!
>Your sister, though...

Writing now.

Its honestly surprising how fucking awful she was at seducing

Like who honestly thinks someone could be horny in an elevator

Holy crap, Si is legit incompetent at diplomacy.

Maybe she should just look into fightan like the rest of her family. Betcha she's better at it by default.

>>2870407
Girl couldn't diplomance herself out of a paper bag.

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>Chen? He couldn't bother anybody! Your sister, though...

"Hm?" Zi tilts his head in confusion. "I never would have expected Si to be the one getting into trouble. What did she do?"

"Well, let's just say she may have damaged Camelot-Shinto relations..."

"What?" Zi asks, puzzled.

Si waves her hands in front of her. "N-no, it's not anything like that! Matthew, I truly do not like you..."

You smirk. "What are you talking about? We get along great! You and the prince on the other hand..."

Si has to be held back by Archie, as the prim and proper woman has lost her cool, her Shinto aggression coming out as she's ready to tackle you.

"I won't question it..." Zi mutters. "I have to say... it's interesting being here. Neutral ground between all the fleets."

"Yeah, I'm sure you're used to fighting anytime you see someone in Blue or Green," Crooks points out.

Zi nods. "It's a very odd experience. To be able to actually speak to the elites of each fleet. Janna Von Beck and I had a long conversation about cheese, and look... here come the five Tiger Generals of Athens."

"The five what now?" you ask.

"You've never heard of them?" Zi asks. "The five most elite fighters in all of Athens were given the name, the five Tiger Generals. There, at the front, is Achilles Evergarden."

"I know him," you point out. "I saw him in the last battle. He can beat just about anyone, despite not having a biochip."

Zi nods. "All hard work and determination. I admire him greatly. And beside him, Xiahou Ren. Those two are said to be blood brothers alongside the president. At the very least, they've been close confidants forever... though while Achilles and President Apollo are noble men, Ren is a former pirate, a rough drunkard. Behind them... that old man?"

Behind Achilles and the eyepatched Xiahou Ren, you see a very elderly man. He must be an octogenarian. "That's Hack Gotch."

"I've heard of him," you reply. "Geez... I read about him in history books. He's that old. How is he still a general?"

"Because he can still go," Zi replies. "The man has served the last seven presidents. A living legend."

Zi then points to the man behind Hack, a cocky looking man with long green hair banded up. "That's Malcolm Savage. Don't let his cool demeanour fool you, he's an animal in battle. And finally, you have Simon. The youngest of the generals, he claims to be a believer in Justice and restoring the strength of Athens. He's fiercely loyal to Athens."

You nod along with Zi, who turns to you. "Still, I suppose I'm boring you pointing out all of these generals. Judging by your current knowledge, you mustn't care much for military business."

>You're not wrong. I don't pay much attention to this stuff.
>I'm learning. Keep going.

>>2870496
>>I'm learning. Keep going.

>>2870496
>>I'm learning. Keep going.
I WANT TO FIGHT ALL OF THEM WHILE ALL OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL TRAGIC BACKSTORIES ARE TOLD TO ME

>>2870496
>>I'm learning. Keep going.
Have to know which ones to run away from.

>>2870496
>I'm learning. Keep going.
Got to get the details before everything goes to shit.

Calling for
>I'm learning. Keep going.

Writing now.

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>I'm learning. Keep going.

"Very well," Zi replies. "In Camelot you of course have Janna Von Beck. She's the loyal bodyguard to the Queen, and the fleet's highest ranking general. But there is another now in Camelot... one who may be the greatest warrior in the galaxy. Lancel Luck..."

"You say his name like you know him," you point out.

Zi shakes his head. "He joined Camelot recently, after jumping ship from Athens. And when he first arrived in Athens, it was due to him jumping ship from us. The man's got no loyalty. Always hoping back and forth to the winning side."

"Doesn't sound like a great warrior to me."

Zi nods. "I know, it makes him sound like a coward. But despite his actions, his presence oftentimes is what helps decide on who is the winning side. His power, and the power of his biochip..."

"Are my ears burning?"

You turn your head, to see a man in blue armour and an eye-patch approaching the two of you, swaying back and forth as he does. "Sun Zi, it's been a while since I last beat you in a fight. How's it going?"

"I have nothing to say to you," Zi replies to Lancel, who has a wide smirk on his face.

Lancel puts on an exaggerated pout. "Aw, come on? For me? Look at this puppy dog eye! Besides, weren't you telling this boy about how great I am? Has he told you about how I lost my eye?"

"Not yet."

Lancel smirks. "So there I was, in the middle of battle, completely outnumbered, but I'm fighting the enemy off... I think it was Shinto at the time... no wait, it was Camelot! Back before I represented this baby blue! Anyway, things were looking great, until a rifle fired right at me. I didn't have time to avoid, and the bullet hit me right in the face. It completely shattered the bone of my orbital socket, and detaching my retina, sending my poor eye flying out. Well, it was a great shock to me... but I did the only thing that seemed right at the time."

"And what was that?" you ask.

Lancel smirks. "I picked it up and ate it."

What the hell? What is it with these crazy generals and eating bodyparts? This guy eating his own eye? "Why did you do that?"

Lancel moves closer to you, his face resting a mere inch from yours. "Because... it freaked them the fuck out. They went running in fear, and I was perfectly fine. Never doubt the power of messing with people. Can you believe it?"

>Actually, yeah. You seem the kind of mad to do something like that.
>Nope, that sounds so phony. Do you take me for an idiot?

>>2870633
>Actually, yeah. You seem the kind of mad to do something like that.
So many absolute madmen in this place.

>>2870633
>Actually, yeah. I recently found out it's apparently rude to leave body parts around. And you seem like you're pretty polite.

>>2870633
>>Actually, yeah. I recently found out it's apparently rude to leave body parts around. And you seem like you're pretty polite.
Fuck thats a good write in

>>2870633
>Actually, yeah. I recently found out it's apparently rude to leave body parts around. And you seem like you're pretty polite.

Calling for
>Actually, yeah. I recently found out it's apparently rude to leave body parts around. And you seem like you're pretty polite.

Writing now.

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>Actually, yeah. I recently found out it's apparently rude to leave body parts around. And you seem like you're pretty polite.

Lancel chuckles. "Polite? I'm not, you know."

His face edges even closer, his nose pressing against your cheek. "Not a bit."

The tension in the hallway is firmly interrupted by the sound of... munching and chewing. Everyone stops, as around the corner walks the bearded fat man you've all been waiting for. He walks along, eating a lambs leg in his hand straight off the bone, as a tall muscular man stand behind him, cutting a very intimidating presence. Despite your hatred for Kingpin Dong, your eyes can't move from the man behind him. Something about him strikes fear into you.

"Where's my welcome?" Dong asks with a full mouth, still chewing on the meat. "Where's the celebration for your hero? Come on. I'm waiting. Clap."

There's a tense silence, before you all begin to clap. Anything to satiate him for now.

"Thank you, thank you..." Dong nods. "Wait... Crooks, is that you?"

Crooks places his hand on your shoulder as he stands in front of you. If anything goes down, he's ready to protect you...

"Damn, and your boy too..." Dong notes. "Well, shit. I had hoped you'd both be dead, yet here you are! What's a lowlife like you doing at a war council? Oh, I see... it must be a family affai-"

"Don't try anything, Dong..." Crooks demands. "This is neutral ground. Try anything, and you'll be swarmed in no time flat."

The kingpin gestures towards the giant of a man behind him. "You think I'm frightened by any of you? It's quite alright, though. I don't intend to dirty my hands with you right now. I have more important matters."

Dong snorts as he finishes off the lamb leg, throwing it to the floor before entering the room. The man behind him stands in place, staring directly forward.

"Among men..." Lancel Luck mutters.

"Huh?" you ask.

"That right there is the only person in the entire galaxy who even I'm afraid of," Lancel replies. "They call him LB."

"LB? What does that stand for?"

"No idea. But he's Dong's adopted son," Lancel explains. "Seemed to pop up out of nowhere. I would advise you don't pursue a fight with that one... he's beaten me before. He's the only one who has."

>You know, saying that makes me kinda want to fight him.
>Duly noted... he is pretty scary...
>I'm not much a fighter to begin with... he seems kinda dumb, though.

>>2870767
>Duly noted.

Massive dillweed.

>>2870767
>>Duly noted

>>2870767
>>Duly noted... he is pretty scary...
WOOOF

>>2870767
>Duly noted... he is pretty scary...
>[do not pursue intensifies.]

>>2870767
>You think he cleans up after himself?

Calling for
>Duly noted... he is pretty scary...

Writing now.

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>Duly noted... he is pretty scary...

"You aren't lying..." Sun Si mutters from behind you. "He's like a Titan, out of those old books of myth..."

LB's eyes dart towards Si, causing her to yelp in fear. He stares at her, before taking a few steps towards you.

"I'msorryi'msorryi'msorry" she mumbles to herself, while hiding behind you.

LB keeps his eyes locked on Si before reaching out his hand and presenting... flowers?

"Uhh... what?" Si mutters.

"Take them," LB states. "Now. Don't waste my time."

"Oh..." Si looks at him confused before taking the handful of flowers. "Thank you?"

LB continues to stare at her until Dong's voice roars out from inside. "LB you bastard! Get in her you absolute FOOL!"

Dong begins throwing holopads and the chair he was sitting on out through the doorway in an angry tantrum, as LB returns to his side. You use that time to slink into the conference room as well, sitting beside Marco. You can tell by the bags under his eyes, he hasn't slept much. You know how difficult this must be for him. Marco is perhaps the single most moral person to have ever lived... and now he stands at a crossroads where he is forced to compromise them no matter which path he takes. Either he makes a deal with a monster... or he allows hundreds if not thousands more die in a war that could be stopped sooner rather than later.

"It is good to see you, Matt..." he greets you quietly as you enter, while President Apollo is addressing the room, giving a rundown of the Yellow Turbans numbers and explaining the situation.

"...As it stands," his head researcher Metis chimes in at the end. "Nobody knows the current whereabouts of Shaman Tao and his brother."

"I dooooooooo..." Kingpin Dong gloats, munching on a bag of peanuts.

Metis sits down and locks eyes with you, before she quickly darts her eyes away, trying not to look suspicious. She keeps looking towards you during the meeting as well... dammit, she was in the last battle. Maybe she's seen your biochip ability... or at the very least one of the generals has informed her that you hold the plant biochip that was stolen from her lab. If she does know that, then...

>Signal something to her, try to communicate.
>Ignore it, ignore her. No use giving yourself away.

>>2870973
>>Signal something to her, try to communicate.
JUST MAKE A JACKASS OF OURSELVES IN THIS HUGELY IMPORTANT MEETING YEAHHHHH

>>2870973
>Ignore it, ignore her. No use giving yourself away.
Do not give her any more clues, ESPECIALLY since it'll result in us either being cut up on an Athens or Dong surgical table.

>>2870973
>>Ignore it, ignore her. No use giving yourself away.

Calling for
>Ignore it, ignore her. No use giving yourself away.

Writing now.

>>2870973
>Ignore it, ignore her. No use giving yourself away.

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>Ignore it, ignore her. No use giving yourself away.

You turn your head away, and pretend not to notice Metis' glances. After all, she may not know that you are the one with her prototype biochip, and signalling to her will only result in giving yourself away. If she confronts you later, then so be it.

"When are we going to get to the interesting part of this council?" Kingpin Dong asks. "I know where the Tao brothers are, and I have the numbers to stop this rebellion dead in it's tracks. There's just one thing you need to be asking me, though..."

Sun Boros slams his fist on the table. "I don't like your smug attitude! And stop eating!"

"Calm down, Boros..." Queen Julia mutters.

President Apollo shakes his head. "We understand. You surely have demands to make, to ensure your... assistance. Hurry and tell us what they are. I don't have time to play around with men like you."

Dong picks his teeth clean with his pinkie finger. "Well, first off, you'll need to stop talking to me like that. Sprinkle a little respect on your sentences! And secondly... I only ask for one gift from each of your three fleets. A simple request."

"And what are they?" Marco asks. "Let's get straight to the point."

The doors open, and a strange looking man enter the room. White hair, and red eyes with black sclera, he looks like something out of a horror story. Still, you recognise him as Dong's right hand man and strategist, Akam Rezar. He whispers in Dong's ear, informing him of something, leading the kingpin to nod. "I see... well, onto my three gifts. From Camelot, I demand passage through your main trade route."

"So... you can sell what? Weapons, drugs?" Queen Julia mutters. "I won't have it, I can't allow..."

Prince Arthur places a hand on his younger sister's shoulder, and she lets out a sigh. "Fine... for the sake of an alliance... I'll grant you that."

Dong nods. "From Shinto, I demand copies of all your latest weapons and biochip research."

"No!" Metis exclaims, bursting from her chair. "That's too much! Mr President, we can't allow-"

"Then you shall have it," Apollo nods.

"Mr President..." a shocked Metis mutters.

Apollo turns his head to her. "We have little choice in the matter. Besides, without your intellect to implement it and put the research into practice, those notes won't do him much good."

Metis nods, as Dong turns to Boros. "And from Shinto..."

"What?" Boros asks. "You want weapons? Ships? Dammit, have twenty! I'll just take them back by force later!"

Dong shakes his head. "No... I was thinking... I want a wife. And what better wife than the daughter of a chieftain. I hear you've got a few to spare."

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Boros' face turns hard and cold. "What?"

"I'm not picky," Dong replies. "Any one will do... as long as it's a pretty one. If you have any ugly daughters, keep them away."

"You piece of-"

"You don't have to decide on which daughter right away," Dong explains as he stands up. "I'll be waiting by my ship for an answer. It's hot in here, and I'm sweating like a pig. I can't bear to stay a second longer."

As Dong leaves with his men in tow, Boros crushes his coffee mug in frustration. "BASTARD!"

Marco shakes his head. "Boros, do not feel a pressure to give into his demands. We can negotiate further. That kind of demands is far too-"

"I'll do it," Sun Si butts in.

"What?!" you burst from your chair. "Are you crazy?"

Si shakes her head. "I was trained for diplomacy. I've been willing and ready to make sacrifices for the greater good. If being wedded off to that... pig is what it costs for some measure of peace... then I'm willing to do that."

"You can't!" Sun Chen protests. "He's a monster, don't you know how he'll treat you?"

"Who said that you could talk, bastard?" Sun Chou, the second of his children yells. "This doesn't concern you!"

"And what?" Sun Yin, his eldest daughter chimes in. "What would you have us do? Sell our sister away? Tell him, Zi."

Sun Zi pauses. "You're adamant about this, are you?"

Si nods. "Yes. I'll do what I must. I promised that just because I don't like fighting, that I wouldn't allow myself to become the useless member of the clan."

"Proving yourself?" Mao asks. "What part of selling yourself off to be wed is proving yourself?"

"I'll have none of this!" Sun Boros shouts all his children down, before grumbling to himself in frustration.

Amadeus Yu, the main strategist of Shinto, a man with long black hair and a kindly face, leans in. "Chief... if I may propose a plan?"

"What is it?"

Amadeus nods. "Well, I noticed out in the hallway that his adopted son... that creature, LB... it seemed fixated on the lady Sun Si. Smitten, I would say. He seems to be a creature of lust, just like his adoptive father."

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"What's your point?" Boros asks.

"That thing is not fully loyal to Kingpin Dong," Amadeus explains. "He abuses it and mistreats it, but stays by his side because it has no reason not to. If we can throw a wedge between the two, get them to turn on each-other... well, then Sun Si will be fortunate enough to not be his wife for very long. We can free her, and we may see his criminal empire fall in the process. It's a risky move... and I wouldn't fully recommend it, simply for the emotional strain of essentially using your own daughter as bait between two dangerous men."

"I can do it," Sun Si nods. "Father... I know the danger. I know the risks. But if that plan works... we won't have to worry about Kingpin Dong ever again. Trust me... I can undergo this task."

"Si!" Chen exclaims. "What if that plan doesn't work? What if you're trapped there?"

"She won't be..." Boros notes. "Because whether the plan succeeds or fails, we will have a rescue team at the ready to get her out before she comes to harm. Si... you better know what you're doing, daughter."

"Father..." Sun Si mutters, before giving a determined nod.

Chen shakes his head. "But... Matt, you agree with me, right? It's too risky!"

>Chen's right, I can't support this.
>It's risky... but it's what needs to be done.
>I know I'm not from Shinto... but I insist on being part of that rescue team.

>>2871211
FUCKING OOF
FUCKING UHHHHHHHH
>It's risky... but it's what needs to be done.
>I know I'm not from Shinto... but I insist on being part of that rescue team.

>>2871211
>It's risky... but it's what needs to be done.
Si's managed to piss off us and Arthur with her diplomacy, pissing off LB and Dong and turning them against each other'll be a piece of cake.

My problem with this plan is that Si has so far proven to be, as said before, dogshit.

I'm legitimately worried she'll spill or otherwise give herself away before anything can come of it. Or worse, be too blatant in her attempts and they BOTH see right through her.

I can understand her wanting to be useful...but the simple fact is that she hasn't proven skilled enough for subterfuge like this, as briefly as we've known her. Hence:

>>Chen's right, I can't support this. You'd get yourself killed if you don't pull this off perfectly.

Calling for
>It's risky... but it's what needs to be done.

Writing now.

Like, call it cold blooded, but I haven't seen ANYTHING from her yet that said 'I'm good enough at the skills required to execute this plan.'
She's too emotionally freewheeling, she has no clue of when to speak in proper context, and her choice of words are too obvious. She'll just get herself killed trying.

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>It's risky... but it's what needs to be done.

"But..." Chen begins to protest, before looking you in the eye. He lets out an understanding sigh, and goes silent. "Sun Si..."

"There are some times..." a sorrowful Si explains. "When you have to make sacrifices in the name of responsibility... in the name of duty. I... I wouldn't expect a lowborn like you to understand."

"No, I understand..." Chen mutters, before placing his hand on her shoulder. "If you're certain..."

"I'm certain."

"Then I believe in you."

Sun Si shakes her head. "I-I don't need the belief of some... some... lowborn... thank you, brother."

The council room is in a solemn mood when they inform Dong of their decision. After some negotiating, they convince Dong that he won't get his gifts until he's proven to be a help... that at least gives Sun Si time to prepare, and hone her subterfuge abilities. She'll also have Amadeus in direct contact with her the entire time, guiding her along. A silver lining in a very dark cloud... still, you have to hope for the best, and believe that the plan will go off without a hitch. Hell, wait until Krista hears about this plan... you didn't think about it at the time of the deal, but this may be your chance to take down Dong, get revenge, and save her mother.

With the meeting adjourned and the location of the Tao brothers revealed, everything is set for a final battle against the Yellow Turban rebellion. As the members of the other fleets begin to take their leave, you catch Marco leaning against a wall in the corridor by the council room. "Marco?"

Marco takes a deep sigh, as you see tears running down his face. He looks to you and smiles. "Matt... I'm sorry, cousin. I shouldn't be showing weakness at a time like this. I should be strong for the people... but that man... I never knew such evil could exist in this universe."

"I guess you're pretty sheltered, huh?" you remark. "Dot was just telling me that your grandmother is still kicking. I guess she's my great aunt by marriage or something... I don't think she's blood related to me, but I'd like to see her before we take off."

"Then you shall," Marco replies. "She makes excellent pasta, old Cass Shao... Matt, did we do the right thing?"

You shrug. "We did what we had to. It's a messy situation."

Marco nods, and wipes away his tears. "I understand. For the good of the people... I suppose it must be a net positive. I can only hope. Because no matter what, Matt? Today... we made a deal with the devil."

END OF CHAPTER 11

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>Ending Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRcPA7Fzebw

>Archive
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Kingdoms%20in%20the%20Stars

>Twitter
https://twitter.com/bookerman32

>Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/BookerMan

Thanks for playing! The next thread will be up sometime in the next week! Follow the Twitter for any and all updates!

>Player Question
What are your thoughts on the generals introduced this thread? And of Kingpin Dong now that he's appeared in person?

>>2871389
I love good groups of random assholes who are strong as fuck, and that was this entire thread so im hype.

Also Dong a cunt, but hey at least Krista wasn't kidnapped or anything

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>>2871389
Thanks for running Booker.

>PQ
>Dong and LB
Dong's a massive fucking arsehole and LB's his possible superhuman experiment lackey.

>Arthur
Arthur's BASED as fuck, seems like he turned down the throne to take up THOT slaying.


>Sun Zi
Zi seems level headed just now, it'll be interesting to see what he's like once the ceasefire ends.

>Sun Si
Oh god does she need those lessons. Being the best at diplomacy in a Shinto fleet doesn't take that much effort it seems.
>Erica
Not much to go on for Erica other than she's apparently got a great ass.

>Lancel
Lancel seems fun, it's always fun to have some insane characters around to liven things up. Speaking of...

>Jack
BEST BOI, EXTREMELY POLITE AND CLEANS UP AFTER HIMSELF, GIVES 0 FUCKS ABOUT PERSONAL HISTORY, HAS YET TO SUCCESSFULLY RAID A BELT SHIP, WE NEED MORE UNCLE JACK

>>2871389
Nice thread, Booker, though I didn't get to participate. Thanks for running.

Prince Arthur is a gud boi, Jack is a cool. Lancel is such a fucking nerd, trying his damn hardest to seem so edgy and impolite, and I'm ready to see more of him. Mysterious old man is mysterious, Simon is the ultimate patriot, and Sun Si is ass at diplomacy.

Kingpin Dong is pretty much exactly what you would expect from the biggest crime lord in the universe, but I'm sure his strategist is actually secretly the puppetmaster pulling the strings. Totally. Definitely thought Dong would ask for more, though, yeah all the latest weapons and one of your children and basically legalizing his illegal trade is bad and all, but he could've asked for more, probably.

The ultimate lesson I've learned from this thread, though, is that in order to be a successful general, one needs to eat some human body parts.