As the negotiations between the Hetman of the 18^th Legion and the Emperor Of Great Tendor were ongoing, it was reported that the two men were actually ideologically aligned.

Emperor Sulabha wants Great Tendor to remain sovereign, but he also wants peldak military protection.

Sir Kiskorski doesn’t want the peldaks to become too bogged down by the internal politics of every member state we’ll incorporate in the coming millennia, but he wants this perticular criminal who killed a kotlis brought to justice.

The two quickly saw their common interests and worked out an agreement.

The Prince of Khagasi would formally apologize for negligence in the matter of reporting Zumee’s Diamond. Sir Kiskorski would acknowledge he wasn’t required by law to assist the investigation. The Prince of Khagasi would then provide the name of the merchant who sold him the unassuming pink gem so the peldaks could trace custody back to the murderer.

When he heard what he was supposed to do, the Prince of Khagasi – a thoroughly unremarkable man whose only notable achievement was the circumstance of his birth – rose and declared to the Hetman and the Emperor that he was not ‘gifted that beautiful diamond by some low-caste merchant’, but rather he ‘heard the rumors himself and personally ordered a hunter to collect one of those glittering gems for his collection.’

One peldak translator remarked that his tone and expression made it clear he’d never been punched in the face before.

The Hetman then slowly stood and said “I won’t violate the trust of this meeting by attacking now. You have three days to hand him over before we burn this city to the ground and take him. Anyone who wants to leave beforehand may do so.” He left before the Emperor’s response was translated.