LongTech Industries - Military Wares - RPLOG
Participants
Date
2/11/477
Log
A small smile adorns Flora's muzzle, the feline flicking her ears and flipping through her books, watching over the different images of guns, pellets, and black powder... Books about weapons, it appears.
Right now, she's waiting for Brutus, to discuss some matters with him... Could they be pertaining to her books?
The rotund nobleskunk answers the summons with his usual haste--that is, slightly slower than an average being's walk, with the thump-thump-thump of that strange new pronged cane of his. Also as usual, he can be heard grumping and grumbling about the summons, his family, his fate, life, the universe, and everything. He offers a new invention to simplify the lives of hunters and defenders of this kingdom, and he's a barbaric oaf, but Varlin leads some silly miltary expedition, and he's some kind of hero who proves Blackbacks are as strong as they are smart? Hmph.
Well. Boss time. He puts a mask of bland politeness over his simmering resentment as he enters Flora's office. "You wished to see me, milady?"
A smile, and Flora turns the chair around, tails swaying behind her and her eyes cast upwards towards Brutus as she gestures at the papers. "Flora has... Recieved word that friend Brutus had... Ideas. We will be discussing them, yes," she rumbles with a flick of her ears, a wag of her tails.
"Flora presumes friend Brutus knows the ideas Flora is talking about?" the cat notes with a raise of her brow, flipping through some papers with HIS name on it, though a slight frown is present on her muzzle regardless.
Brutus twists his mouth rather peculiarly, something of a pained smile on his fat face. "Ah...the self-contained projectile? Yes, well, before joining your company, I had participated in a few military operations, and I felt there must be a better way for a gunsbeing to do this than all that bother with loading powder and hoping it was not too damp..." Brutus trails off, lost in a mix of enthusiasm and self-promotion.
"I spoke to a few Solaciouses, and it was there that I conceived of self-contained ammunition, with a fixed amount of powder in each one, so that a hunter or soldier would not have to risk carrying about their own powder, and a metal casing to keep out moisture..."
"Next time, friend Brutus would do well to notify Flora first," the cat notes, gesturing at the paper, before flicking her ears again, looking towards Brutus inquisitively, and with a particularly penetrating stare... She's not visibly upset, yet her stare holds an almost eerie calm.
"Now then... Flora will need the designs and specs, yes... Precautions, modifications required to the guns, and so on," she rumbles softly, her tails swaying behind her...
Brutus's tail fluffs up indignantly at the admonition, feeling like a scolded child. "Begging your indulgence, High Lady Longtail," he begins with a hint of umbrage, "but 'twas of my design, on my personal time, with my own resources and materials, and it bears little similarity to the..." he gestures absently with his hands, searching for a word, "...the curiosities that LongTech has thus far created...and I felt that the foremost military family should be kept abreast, tasked as they are with the defense of our fine land..."
"Of course, friend Brutus... However... That does not mean that LongTech Industries cannot be involved in the process, no?" the cat notes, before smiling faintly, her tails flicking. "By publicizing, well... It could be that someone from Cliffside took note... Or bandits... Does friend Brutus see? In addition, and Flora will admit, this is a VERY promising avenue of development."
"It could provide LongTech with a... Strong footing. And of course, the inventor gets a... Sizable cut of all sales," the cat notes, sighing softly.
"Flora would prefer not to have to sell weapons or other amarmaments. But for now, LongTech Industries may have to produce such devices."
Brutus's dissatisfaction only seems to be increasing, and he appears near to his characteristic tirade, when Flora actually appears to concede a couple points in his favor. And at the mention of money, his expression brightens quite a bit. "Ahh...yes, yes, of course. Well...I apologize, my lady, and I shall let you know of any future developments," he replies, his tone turning unctuous. The family could huff and puff at him, but research didn't pay for itself.
He tilts his head curiously at her reluctance to engage in the weapons trade. "Beings will always fight, and will always pay to do it. What shame is there in earning your keep from it? After all, if I control the means, I can choose who to sell it to and empower our troops even if I am not in their ranks. I would rather see them used for us than against us."
Flora nods and flicks her tails. "And as LongTech Industries has the means to produce such... Goods, it is a logical thought for us to do so, yes?" the cat notes, before flicking her ears. "Publicizing our methods, however... Would mean our arms wind up in the hands of the wrong people," the she-cat notes, before shakking her head and flicking her tails. "Flora will want full reports on any further innovations, ALONG with their effects upon various non-being, non-living targets. Only when something is deemed... Acceptable, will we produce it."
"We are not in the business of killing, or helping those that kill. We are merely interested in better way to protect ourselves and our country, yes," the cat notes, her tails flicking behind her.
"Is Flora clear?" she notes, her last comment seemingly meant to counteract his last few words.
"Of course," Brutus replies, his smile failing to grow any less smug. "Though I urge you to trust your fellow nobles a little more. I am sure the Solaciouses would not shelter enemies to the crown or bite the hand that feeds..." Was that a jab at the old House Longtail?
"I would not see this fall into the wrong hands--we are in the business of making money, dear Lady, and war unsettles the markets too much for my liking. But the Crown's continued safety and prosperity...is our safety and proseprity," Brutus reasons, far too pleasantly for a discussion about the arms trade.
Flora nods and flicks her ears. "Flora is not concerned about whom they actively shelter. Flora was more thinking of those they have no knowledge about... There is never complete knowledge, not even about one's own guests and employees," the cat notes, gesturing to the paper again.
"Very well... We will produce these... Cartridges, but we keep tabs on whoever purchases them... Much like with the cameras and the pens, but... More stringently."
"Oh, and three more things, before friend Brutus takes his leave... First of all, any further research in this direction will be funded by LongTech Industries. Secondly, that means that Flora is kept up to date with both results and intents."
"And thirdly... Friend Brutus is aware that friend Fenris was recently abducted by... The family?" she rumbles, white-furred, orange-striped tails puffing up lightly, before she shakes her head. "Friend Fenris escaped, but still... Flora figured it would be important to note... Friend Brutus would do well to keep a guard around, just in case. Publicizing this result has made friend Brutus into an... Interesting target, Flora figures."
Brutus nods along as Flora demands status updates and the like. "Right, right, of course, though I will require some cartridges for personal use."
He purses his lips after the words of warning about hidden enemies. This was true, though he couldn't have done all the work without some help--how Flora sat in her study for months and emerged with a fresh new invention alone was beyond him. Still, Hartford had kept him safe thus far, and he didn't trust anyone who worked for pay; someone else could pay a sellsword to turn on you, but the...events of Snowheim and that meeting with Hartford suggested that the buck wouldn't desert him for anything.
"Fenris?" he rolled the name around in his head. "That...performer sort? Mm, well, glad he's alright" he replies automatically. "Don't suppose he was able to offer any insight into the wayward Longtails?" he continues, his tone showing more interest in the latter than the condition of the former.
"Yes. Friend Fenris. One of the new Knights of House Longtail. Along with friend Sveta, whom, as you may recall, was shot, and friend Sara, whom has, so far, managed to evade any retributions."
"Friend Fenris has not... Discovered anything new, although he has confirmed that the house is led by Flora's sister, and that they have... Friends in the north."
"For now, though, Flora has some reports to pore over, and Flora is sure friend Brutus has matters to attend to as well."
Brutus levers himself back to his feet with the assistance of the cane and a mighty grunt. "Indeed," he replies, sounding quite pleased with this meeting--uncommonly enough, "and I shall keep you abreast of any developments." The looming threat of attack had lost its impact, having been dangled over his head for the better part of a year. Still, he would have to let Hartford know--that ridiculous Reindeer would be ecstatic about getting to spend more time with him. "I couldn't convince you to join me for a meal, I suppose," he adds with a grin as he turns to leave. "You do seem to be...enjoying the benefits of fine dining, though," he adds with a sly grin.
