Optional Assembly

[commanderzabala]

Characters: Commander Zabala, an Esthar representative, and anyone who wants to come
Location: Quad
Rating: PG
Open/Closed/Finished: Open for reactions
Summary: Optional assembly during homeroom with a special guest.



As the announcement was only given in the start of homeroom, Commander Zabala waited some minutes for students to stop trickling in before crossing the stage to the microphone, Garden's visitor close on her heels. The man in the typically floor-sweeping Estharian robes had arrived early this morning looking remarkably awake given the time zones he'd crossed to get there, and, after he'd given her a brief summary of his purpose there, she'd allowed him to address the Garden at large.

Zabala regarded those assembled a moment longer, waiting for silence before she spoke.

"Balamb Garden, today we have a special visit from Special Envoy Vlas Colban from Esthar, who wishes to address Garden about recent events. Please show our guest the proper respect," she ordered. She gave Colban a curt nod before stepping back, allowing him to take the microphone.

"Good morning, Garden," Colban began. "I come to you on behalf of President Loire and the nation of Esthar to say that despite our recent military actions against two of your SeeDs, we do not bear any ill will towards Balamb Garden. Our interests were only in the item your SeeDs were carrying, not in your organization nor facility itself.

"We hope there are no hard feelings over what was purely a matter of business. We understand that your SeeD were hired to act against us and do not blame Garden for this, nor do we blame Garden for other such occasions, so we hope that the reverse is true.

"In fact, I couldn't bear Garden any ill will, as I have a son studying here..."

He squinted down into the cadets, looking for someone. One of the younger boys in the crowd, managing to look simultaneously pleased and mortified at being mentioned, hissed, "Dad!" and tried to let the floor swallow him.

"He tells me that Garden has had its share of trouble on the campus itself from... other forces," he put it delicately; oh, Esthar knew well enough who was responsible for the damage around Garden. "So I would like to offer my personal congratulations on your speedy recovery.

"Thank you for your time, Cadets, SeeDs, staff, Commander."

Giving a small bow to the assembly, he stood back once more.

Comments

[plotdeviceturk]

"He's a politician." Tseng replied evenly, shifting to look at Gakuop out of the corner of his eye. "There may also have been a veiled threat in there, which is... interesting."

[eggplantallergy]

Gakupo blinked at the mention of a veiled threat. He glanced back at Colban on the stage before looking to the other again. "You think so?"

[plotdeviceturk]

"It's a possibility. Depends on how tense the situation is to be honest." He replied evenly. "Being paranoid is better than finding yourself unprepared."

[eggplantallergy]

"Very true." Gakupo took a moment to mull that over. "We've been at odds with Galbadia for some time, and although we're technically not allies with Esthar, we're also not completely enemies. I don't think the situation is too tense between us if they're on our stage."

[plotdeviceturk]

He frowned, "Public images can often differ from the actuality of events. Call me paranoid if you will, but I've had my time in political rings."

[eggplantallergy]

"Better you than I, really. But I wouldn't call it paranoia. Perhaps more instinct than anything." Gakupo had no experience with politics, unless the politics of the music business counted.