General Caraway was apparently alone when he entered the bar -- Galbadia and Dollet weren't actively engaged in hostilities right now, but he hadn't thought it wise to bring a high-profile team of bodyguards. The city was swarming with his covert operatives right now, though, and he felt certain that he -- and his daughter -- would be safe.
He waited for the all-clear signal from his man at the bar before approaching the stairs, and exchanged respectful nods with Squall as he was waved up. He nodded to Rinoa, too, as he crested the stairs, and then approached her table with a stiff formality.
"General," Rinoa said, offering him her hand. "I have. I thought it better to act quickly, considering how much is at stake."
Also, if she waited too long, he could change his mind. Or they could manage to have another stupid fight, and he could withdraw his offer on that basis.
"I hope that's okay," she added, sounding less like the Sorceress and more like a girl who had just asked her extremely busy father to hop on a lengthy train ride in order to have dinner with her about a pet project.
Dammit. She was going to clear her throat and try not to slip like that again.
"It's okay for me," Caraway told her with a slight smile, "but the strategists drawing up my possible withdrawal plans might be a bit upset at the pace."
He bowed to her and sat down at the table. "I must say, I'm impressed."
"I'm not making any demands for implementation," she said, sitting back down again herself. "Timewise, that is. I mean, I know this isn't going to happen overnight. It shouldn't be rushed. But my part I could get out of the way, and then your part, that can go more slowly to make sure it doesn't get screwed up."
This was Rinoa, attempting to be patient. He should enjoy that while it lasted.
"But ... as I think you've gathered, I have drawn up a committee who has agreed to serve. I have the full list of names on my person."
She hesitated, there, as if there was a rather heavy 'but' following.
"I'm glad you understand that I have a responsibility to these people," Caraway told her. "I look forward to meeting with your committee."
There was a "but" still hanging in the air, but he would let her get to it instead of bringing it up himself. She didn't trust him, and that hurt, but it also showed a shrewdness that indicated she might actually be taking this seriously.
Rinoa tapped her fingers on the table, carefully, then stopped as she realized that was more painful than it used to be. Stupid talon-claw-things.
So how did she even phrase this? If she angered him, or offended him, then the deal would be off. His temper would get the better of him and this would all be for nothing. And yet, she knew what happened to resistance fighters in Timber. She wasn't just holding a list of names. She was holding those people's lives. The Chief had three kids. Sometimes, Galbadian soldiers sent the guilty party to prison, but executed your loved ones, just to prove a point.
She shuddered, without realizing she had done so.
"If ... I give you this list," she said, slowly, "what happens next?"
"I contact your committee, and schedule a meeting with them," Caraway answered. "We set a timetable. They begin drafting a constitution and laws. Assuming you've chosen well, the burden will be on them from here forward."
She wasn't really asking if he'd keep his word, was she? She knew him better than that!
Shockingly, Rinoa realized there was one more reason for her hesitation; there was no way to say this without hurting him, probably deeply. She had been sure as recently as a month ago that she hated him. It was easier when she thought she did.
"Why?" she asked, finally.
She assumed he would understand that she wasn't asking why they should draft a constitution, or anything like that.
"I came up with reasons!" Okay, apparently she was going to be angry, suddenly. It was more a flash of huffiness than a real blow-out brewing; he should know her well enough to spot that. "Logical arguments! I studied military history and structured occupations of sovereign territories just so I could make a convincing, reasonable argument with you! Two weeks ago! And I've been running around and -- and -- and here you're just doing it because I asked?!"
Perhaps 'flash' was the wrong word. 'Tantrum.' There.
Chuckling at her was probably a bad idea right now, wasn't it? Fury tried to keep a straight face while his little girl tried to hard to prove she was a grownup while throwing a temper tantrum. Normally, this sort of thing would have made him furious, but a few years of her avoiding him had given him a new perspective.
"Well, no, not because you asked," he clarified. "Because you showed me it was important to you. Because it's not just one of your flights of fancy." If she hadn't spent the time researching and developing arguments, he would have just blown her off -- but because she HAD, he didn't care what specifically she'd come up with. She really couldn't win, here.
And now ... there was a strange feeling, deep in the pit of her stomach. Like somehow ...
Like somehow, she wasn't angry for herself, this time. Like the tantrum wasn't appropriate, except she should be angry. She ...
She folded her arms, trying to make sense of her father, and wondering at the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"So ... this is a game to you," she said, slowly. "I had to prove to you that it mattered, to me, and now you'll help people who need it. Timber ... deserves better than that, Daddy."
It was a game to him? She was the one wanting impractical, idealistic, magical solutions to real-world problems, and she thought he was the one playing games?! She didn't understand all of the things that he had to deal with every day!
"I'm not playing a GAME!" he roared. "I'm trying to hold an entire empire together by the skin of my teeth, and the feelings of the people of Timber aren't a high priority! LIVES are at stake! There are riots and people starving on the streets of Deling City! I'm trying to take care of basic needs -- food, shelter, security -- for ALL Galbadians, not just Timbrans!" He pounded a fist on the table. "I took time out of my busy schedule as a personal favor to you, because you matter to me!"
"Feelings?!" Dammit. Now she was angry, and wasn't sure she could put a stopper in those feelings, either. "I'm not talking about their feelings! I'm talking about basic human rights! And you're willing to do right by them because -- because I asked nicely!? Not because it's the right thing to do, not because people have died, but because you wanted to see if I'd jump through hoops if you set them up!"
He waited for the all-clear signal from his man at the bar before approaching the stairs, and exchanged respectful nods with Squall as he was waved up. He nodded to Rinoa, too, as he crested the stairs, and then approached her table with a stiff formality.
"Sorceress," he greeted her. "You've been busy."
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Also, if she waited too long, he could change his mind. Or they could manage to have another stupid fight, and he could withdraw his offer on that basis.
"I hope that's okay," she added, sounding less like the Sorceress and more like a girl who had just asked her extremely busy father to hop on a lengthy train ride in order to have dinner with her about a pet project.
Dammit. She was going to clear her throat and try not to slip like that again.
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He bowed to her and sat down at the table. "I must say, I'm impressed."
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This was Rinoa, attempting to be patient. He should enjoy that while it lasted.
"But ... as I think you've gathered, I have drawn up a committee who has agreed to serve. I have the full list of names on my person."
She hesitated, there, as if there was a rather heavy 'but' following.
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There was a "but" still hanging in the air, but he would let her get to it instead of bringing it up himself. She didn't trust him, and that hurt, but it also showed a shrewdness that indicated she might actually be taking this seriously.
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So how did she even phrase this? If she angered him, or offended him, then the deal would be off. His temper would get the better of him and this would all be for nothing. And yet, she knew what happened to resistance fighters in Timber. She wasn't just holding a list of names. She was holding those people's lives. The Chief had three kids. Sometimes, Galbadian soldiers sent the guilty party to prison, but executed your loved ones, just to prove a point.
She shuddered, without realizing she had done so.
"If ... I give you this list," she said, slowly, "what happens next?"
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She wasn't really asking if he'd keep his word, was she? She knew him better than that!
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"Why?" she asked, finally.
She assumed he would understand that she wasn't asking why they should draft a constitution, or anything like that.
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Why was he going to meet with them? Why should they draft up laws?
Why was he doing all of this?
"Because you asked me to," he answered.
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The entire fate of global politics was resting on ... the fact that she had asked a favor of her estranged father.
"Dad," she said, her face sinking into her hands. "You can't ... you can't just do that."
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Perhaps 'flash' was the wrong word. 'Tantrum.' There.
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"Well, no, not because you asked," he clarified. "Because you showed me it was important to you. Because it's not just one of your flights of fancy." If she hadn't spent the time researching and developing arguments, he would have just blown her off -- but because she HAD, he didn't care what specifically she'd come up with. She really couldn't win, here.
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Like somehow, she wasn't angry for herself, this time. Like the tantrum wasn't appropriate, except she should be angry. She ...
She folded her arms, trying to make sense of her father, and wondering at the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"So ... this is a game to you," she said, slowly. "I had to prove to you that it mattered, to me, and now you'll help people who need it. Timber ... deserves better than that, Daddy."
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"I'm not playing a GAME!" he roared. "I'm trying to hold an entire empire together by the skin of my teeth, and the feelings of the people of Timber aren't a high priority! LIVES are at stake! There are riots and people starving on the streets of Deling City! I'm trying to take care of basic needs -- food, shelter, security -- for ALL Galbadians, not just Timbrans!" He pounded a fist on the table. "I took time out of my busy schedule as a personal favor to you, because you matter to me!"
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