Three Bottles

[EisenSeele]

Cobra's refreshing bluntness brought the beginnings of a genuine smile to Siegfried's lips - one quickly quashed in favor of the practiced urbane half-grin.
"I think we both know that I have neither the reach to take nor the manpower to keep Sudbury alone for any appreciable length of time. Even if, as you say, we sat back and waited for all parties involved to be ground down through attrition, it is only a matter of some trivial timescale before Liberty digs deep into its bottomless pockets to begin it all again - this time, with far less opposition. Keeping them at bay is likely the best we'll get - and only if we do not waste time and resources by holding back.
I will not deny that we also want what Sudbury holds - but what little access there is to be had exists only while it is contested, and even for that, we will need cooperation."

Kai took another moment for a sip of his drink.
"Material supplies, arms, ships, and scientific advisors are already a given - enough to keep your guns, ships, and people fed, and to help establish a joint research venture to process any artifacts we may uncover - but those are means to our ends. What would you want out of this? I'm sure you would not have agreed to meet unless there was something we could provide that you already had in mind."

---

FEEDBACK