Record:Negotiation of the Century
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[Mid-afternoon: Grand Magister Loqa Pili sits patiently at one end of a long table, cup of tea in hand, a steaming teapot by his side. The room is utterly silent; no trace of Mholos' usual urban noise makes its way through the soundproof doors. He awaits the arrival of Dux Bartolomeo Marone.]
[Dux Bartolomeo Marone enters through the door. He tells the two soldiers accompanying him to station themselves in front of the door. He hangs his coat and walks to the table in silence, taking a seat.]
Pili: Ah, Ciao, Signore! I've made an effort to learn a bit of your language, to smoothen out the whole process. No guards needed. Please, take a seat, and could I offer you a cup of tea?
Marone: I will do without, thank you. We can skip the pleasantries, who are we performing it for?
Pili: Straight to business, then, Signore. Works perfectly for me. I'm adaptable, you see, and adaptability is really the focus here, I would say. So first, I'd like to raise a question: why are you threatening us with a trade battle in the first place?
[muttering] And I suppose the guards will remain standing there...
Marone: The guards will remain here. I am not treating you any differently than anyone else in that regard. You are most certainly aware of why these tariffs will be placed on you. Your nation has been unwilling to open its ports to foreign goods while expecting others to import yours.
Pili: Ah, yes, but for perfectly good reason, you see. As you may be aware I have established an agency to combat the issue of illegal substance consumption. The ban on foreign pharmaceuticals is merely part of its policy. The produce ban was raised due to concerns over potential food poisoning. All kinds of poisoning, really. I see no fallacy in my logic. The way I see it, your counter-taxation is evidence more of your greed than anyone else's.
Marone: Our gre—? Who exactly do you think you are, talking to us like that?! You think I'm buying this story, Pili? Our pharmaceuticals are tried and tested, and we'd be perfectly willing to allow T'vaqi to verify it with its own exams. It's medicine, for goodness' sake! You'd need it here as much as they need it on Ronatana!
Pili: Civil discussion is much preferred, Signore. Opulilum is hardly necessary to our nation. You know as well as I do the way of the lower classes. Anything that could possibly be abused will be.
Marone: I will not pretend substance abuse doesn't occur, but the stuff comes with instructions and doses. Even so, can you not restrict its supply to only the sick? A total import ban is both unnecessary and overboard.
Pili: Well... we're going to, ah, circle back to this topic later, Signore, the effects of Opulilum were not the subject of our discussion. Changing the subject was a clever act on your end, Signore Marone, but it won't work on me. [A forced chuckle.] Now, ah, I believe we should focus on the future rather than the past. Convince me why we should not place a ban on your imported silver.
Marone: Wha—? Wai—Hold on a moment you snake-mouthed bastard! You will not be spinning me in circles until I submit to you! You will remove the ban on silver if you want to ever have access to our national reserves! Expect no Rossan investment into T'vaqi, state or otherwise, until it is allowed to be traded again.
Pili: Civil and relevant! Please and thank you! Mind your tongue, Signore, I am not here to make any enemies. I find your conduct terribly, shall we say, irrazionale. I really had higher hopes from your island, now that the cheat Barozzo has long since been deposed. You have one more chance to convince me that your Republic is worth trading with, or face consequences.
Marone: Then show it! We will not back down in the face of some corrupt tin-pot dictators who kept themselves in office for life!
Pili: Unacceptable! [He bolts up from his chair, keeping his cup of tea perfectly level.] Your greed will have repercussions! Q'ar T'vaqi is decades more advanced than your Repubblica! Change your mind this instant or see yourself out of my office!
Marone: Over the past 3 octades we have made ourselves the prime manufacturing hub of the west! We will not only catch up, we will go far beyond! You will see your hubris get to you! How long do you think this little island will have resources worth extracting before the earth is left barren? Good luck, Magister, for you will be left with nothing to produce once the factory kilns run empty! Good day!
[Marone picks himself up and starts marching towards the door to grab his coat.]
Pili: And take your sniveling guards with you! You conniving fool! [He removes his glasses and hastily walks over to Marone as he exits.] Never speak to me again! Do you hear me, Signore?! Do you hear me?!
[Marone walks out, the guards close the door behind him.]
Marone: [mumbling] You will regret this.