Jennie
Ryoko Owari's political situation has never been this unstable and the work of good samurai cannot stop to wait for the fog to settle. 

In the days past, Ikoma Zenmai has inspected the status of the city's walls and its defensibility. Her findings were that the walls of the Noble Quarter are susceptible to potential siege relative to the any other of the city's walls.

The ambassador has heard that a Kaiu Engineer has recently found placement in Ryoko Owari, and this, alongside a hopeful understanding, friendship, or even alliance with the Crab lies the reason of her visit.

Alongside Zenmai was Akodo Akechi who has volunteered to come with her to the Crab Embassy as he has had previous encounters with Hida-san himself.

The Lion announced their visit and waited outside the embassy to be allowed in by the Crab's staff.

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Gayle
On this faithful day, Akechi would accompany the ambassador on a mission to repair some of the rather pitiful states of the wall around the city. He was volunteering himself as he could be of some assistance to the ambassador as he was familiar with the Crab Ambassador, Hida Koyama. Also, who wouldn't spend some time with some lovely company? 

From what was relayed to him, they would contact a rather infamous engineer who could repair these discrepancies. He was down to do whatever it took to ensure that the innocent were protected within these walls, especially after the events he had bared witness. 

Awaiting sedately beside Zenmai to be allowed within the Crabs domain. 

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Alfred
The guards quietly allowed the Lion's contingent onto the grounds with solemn bows. There heads still ringing with the Ambassador's ~~tirade~~ report of the Leadership conference. At the Reception area of the Main Office, the pair meet an elderly woman, Easily past retirement age for most samurai, but her eye still hold a distinct sharpness, like a Shepherd to the flock of servants. Her tone gentle yet authoritative. She knew what needed to be done and her efforts were always to make sure no task went incomplete. She bowed deeply to the young samurai.

"Greetings, Lion-sama and welcome to the Crab Embassy. My name is Hoshiko, personal assistant to the Ambassador and Head of staff. If you need anything the embassy can provide, I'll be available anytime. Are you here to see the Ambassador or another?" The elderly woman asks.

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Jennie
Despite the difference in status, Zenmai bowed as she was addressed by the elderly Hoshiko. The Lion's reverence to their ancestors extended to respect for the elderly. For one to survive the number of decades that they have meant that they knew their way around the world, and in a harsh place such as Rokugan, that deserved respect.

*"We seek an audience with the Ambassador, if he isn't too busy, Hoshiko-san. We come with matters involving the city and its future."* 

Zenmai looked forward to this meeting. She had been cautious and afraid of courtiers whose mouths flowed with flowery words hiding poisoned thorns. But the Crab? The Crab understood the value of directness and honesty. 

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Alfred
Of course, Lion-sama. I'll let him know immediately." She said. Raising from her bow with a soft smile on her face. She quickly disappeared deeper into the embassy. The Embassy that embodied the Crab's Nature: Pragmatic and Utilitarian, Everything having purpose and built with a craftsmanship that was respected by carpenters and tacticians alike. Even the Finery and decorative pieces crafted with a secondary, practical purpose. 

"Thank you for your Patience, Lion-sama. Hida-sama is ready to meet you." She said, leading the samurai down to the end of the building where a large set of wooden double doors capped the northern part of the building. Just before it is an office with a heavy screen. 

"Hida-sama, The Lion are here to see you." Hoshiko called out.

"Good. Send them in." A voice rumbled from within. Hoshiko slid the door open and bowed, signaling for the Lion to enter. The ambassadors office was decently more decorated that the rest of the building. An armor and Daisho stand holding the wielders tools for battle but past them was a Large man even by the Hida's impressive standard. He sat comfortably behind his desk With a tray for sake sitting on the edge of the desks. The Older man nods to the Lion.

"Ikoma-san, Akodo-San, what brings the children of the Lion to my Offices today?" He said as he poured them both sake.

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Jennie
Zenmai bowed and thanked Hoshiko-san for her assistance, then did the same for the crab ambassador when they get welcomed into his office. 

A direct answer was, from her point of view, a great respect any official could give to another. It saved both sides time which is the only currency we could never get more of. It was a mystery to her why many courtiers much preferred beating around the bush. 

She grabbed a scroll from her belt. It was a copy of the city's map, obtained from the Scorpion governor so it included detail that wouldn't be available in civilian maps, and with notes written down by Zenmai herself commenting on the city's defensibility and status of the walls. A huge circle marked the Noble Quarter's outer walls. 

*"A walled castle is near impossible to successfully siege. If any potential attackers knew the state of the walls,"* Her finger tapped on the encircled Noble Quarter walls, *"I would make my entry through there. Especially if my army consisted of mounted bushi who needed the space to move through."* 

*"A king is only as strong as its castle."* Zenmai remembered this lesson from shogi and relayed it to Hida Koyama as it was relevant. *"I heard that you had Kaiu engineers being placed here in this city. I believe that your samurai can assist this city greatly by removing this weakness."* 

There was a small problem, however. The Crab were neutral as far as she knew, and some clans might view this help as them taking a political position. Zenmai was prepared for this, but let the great Hida first have a think on what the Lion asked of them and have a good look at the provided map. 

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Alfred
Koyama viewed the map and took in the Lion's words. Handing them both the cups of sake.

"I'm sure they could, but I think we have another matter to discuss first. " Koyama said cooly, as he drank the sake he'd left in front of himself. 

"I understand the bloodfeud between your kin and the Children of Shinjo had been quashed with the regretable deaths of your Champion and my Champion's betrothed. Why have you been so determined to sully this be reigniting hostilities with them? We've learned of Orochi's plot to deceive the Lion at the Ambassador's Conference but you still seem too content to think that the Unicorn wish you Ill. Do you have any other evidence of Unicorn Hostilities or are you so anxious for bloodshed?" 

He voice was pointed as he wanted to make clear that the weight of this discussion carried with it implication or war whether or not the Lion meant for it to be so. Their allusion to the Unicorn and their display at the Conference made this meeting have potential for other clans to twist it to meet their own ends especially if a deal of Military importance was made here. He wanted a direct answer from the Lion's Ambassador.
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Jennie
This was refreshing. Zenmai hoped that every ambassadorial encounter she had moving forward had this level of honesty and directness. She hoped a friendship could come out of this, if not between the Crab and Lion, then at least with Hida-san and herself. 

*"There is one big difference between the wars of men and your clan's war with the taint. Shadowland creatures only know death when it meets them, while us humans can fear death a mile away. Fear, and how we change our actions based on its presence, is the crucial difference."*

*"Believe it or not, war is not what I seek here. We are merely defenders of the Empire's law. Should the Unicorn find themselves the patience to settle this through the appropriate channels and get the Emperor's approval to take back Ryoko Owari, we would step aside and help them take up their seats. But in the meantime, we are honorbound to protect the Emperor's word. That Ryoko Owari is Scorpion land, regardless of the state of the city."* 

*"Our gift was designed to inflict fear. That if anyone wished to defy the Emperor's words, they would have to go through us first. Fear has the potential to stop wars before it starts. To save blood from being unnecessarily shed."* 

Zenmai paused for a second. *"I do not envy your position, Hida-san. I imagine shadowland warfare is much more difficult than the human equivalent."* 

The tactician breathed, then recited the plan that she hoped would reach the Crab's ears and be met with agreement. *"I understand that Ryoko Owari is significant to the Crab as it lies on a major trade route to the wall. If you find our mission and methods clear and acceptable, I believe that our approach of defense would minimize the probability and impact of conflict so that your trade routes would be unaffected. For if the walls fall and the crab pushed back without assistance from the rest of the empire, then any petty territorial squabbles would be senseless and moot. "*

With all of her intentions laid out in the open, all she can do now is wait for Hida-san's reply while partaking of the sake that was offered. 

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Gayle
Giving the appropriate bow to those who deserved such courtesy as he made his way into the crab embassy with his Lion counterpart. Rather enjoying the architecture of the building even more, the office of ambassador Hida Koyama. Once again, bowing down to show his respect to the crab ambassador, one of the few people in the city of lies who he felt deserved such respect from their brief interaction. He remained by Zenmai's side while she explained the purpose of their venture to the crabs' domain. To fortify the lackluster defenses that were the city walls, the Lion would gratefully accept the cup of sake as he began to take small sips out of it. At the same time, both ambassadors dwelled in political conversion. This didn't interest him much as he very much despised such conversation; thankfully, Ikoma Zenmai was with him, so he didn't have to partake in such discussions that often led to unnecessary disputes. He was bred to fight battles for the sake of the emperor and his people, not to converse about such matters. 

He was waiting idly as he drank his cup of sake for the two to hopefully come to terms with each other so they could proceed with the mission of protecting the lives of those in the city walls.

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Alfred
Koyama looked back over the maps and back at the Lion. The matters discussed here today should have been completely straight forward but after the Conference...
Koyama closed his eyes for a moment. 

"I will call in my engineer and speak about what is materials would be needed for the matter. The Crab will take lead overseeing and implementing improvements. I wish to keep an air of neutrality behind this as for the others to not assume Crab allegiance. So I will have the phoenix helping with oversight. I suspect you will have no issue with this." Koyama said, as he looked up from the map to Zenmai. 

"Hoshiko, Send for 

"Hai, Hida-sama." She said, soft footsteps hurried down the hall.

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Christine
It didn't take long for the engineer to answer the summons, a barely perceptible glimmer in his eye as he entered the room. Since he'd arrived in the city of Scorpions he had been eager to tackle a serious project, the minor improvements he'd been tasked with at the embassy had proven easy and he felt uneasy without some task or another to busy his hands with. Offering the appropriate bows and greetings to all in the room, he quickly assumed a position by his superior and, allowing himself a small smile, leaned down to peer at the map "Hoshiko-oba informed me of the general shape of the problem at hand Hida-sama. " He explained in off-handed fashion as he settled in to examine the indicated section of the outer walls

 " Ahh i see, its a simple issue really, the sections of wall near the Noble Quarter have been left unrepaired for quite some time now, our esteemed hosts seem to have shifted resources to reinforcing the gatehouses. Ordinarily that would be a perfectly sensible decision, after all, gates are often the most vulnerable section of any stronghold. Unfortunately though, the sections of wall we're talking about are in desparate need of refurbishment, and thus allocating the resources in such a way has in fact created a new structural weakness." The engineer surmised, and turned from the chart to face his superior 

" Given the size and scale of the task at hand, we will need a several dozen skilled or at least adequate masons, blacksmiths, and carpenters on hand to help patch up the damage and bring the walls up to standard, alongside a solid corp of laborers, I'd say three hundred at a minimum. Fully repairing and refurbishing a section of wall this large is also likely to take a significant portion of time if we want it to be combat ready, several months at the least if I had to give an honest estimate. It may be possible to get it done faster depending on the amount of resources and men that can be allocated to the task." He concluded sharply, and awaited his superior's answer.

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Jennie
*"It's nice to meet you, Kaiu-san. Let me introduce you to Akodo Akechi. He will work with you to get the assistance you need. We will contribute assistance when we can, but the bulk of the workforce will have to be requested from the local Scorpion authorities."* 

Zenmai turned to Koyama. *"I understand your insistence on neutrality. My ask was not for you to side with us, the scorpion, or against the Unicorn, per se, but more to understand, and hopefully agree, that defending this city from any potential attackers is beneficial to your clan and is the wish of the emperor."*

Zenmai continued. *"And this Phoenix overseer, did you have anyone in mind? If you don't mind lending me a quill and a desk, I'll finalise my drafted letter to inform the governor of the project at hand, and formally requesting him of Kaiu-san's workforce and material requirements.*"

As a passing thought, the Ikoma wished the Lion had its own Kaiu. Their engineering was second to none. Surely, a small skill trade can be arranged in the future? 

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Gayle
The Crab ambassador had summoned the renowned engineer into the quarters, returning the respectful bow he had received. Akechi would listen to the engineers explaining what resources and personnel they would occupy to see their vision come to fruition. Indeed, he would have to induce at least a couple of reputable parties to aid in reconstructing the wall. He wasn't too unsophisticated in matters that required some convincing, having a method to get his way. 

"It's my pleasure to make your acquaintance; as lady Zenmai-sama said, I'll be aiding you in what you'll need for the reconstruction. By the sounds of it, we'll need to contact the scorpion to see if they will hand us some bodies for this task. Another thing would be the supplies needed, there are a few avenues we could pursue, but I would like your input regarding it, Yoshitaka-Sama."

He said cordially, leaving the decision of the material and supplies they would utilize to the crab engineer, as he was the subject matter expert.

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Alfred
Koyama's expression changed to one of skeptical surprise at Zenmai's agreeance with the demand. But if defense was a genuine concern of the Lion, coming to the Crab for help is a wise choice. 

"Protection of assets and supply lines is a chief concern, this should hold true for more than just you or me. I'll have to talk to Shiba-san about an appropriate candidate for the role. And I believe after last week's conference that the Scorpion's... Leadership may be shifting. It may benefit us gathering materials and workforce while letting all the ambassadors know what the project is. I'll offer you a space to draft a letter to be sent to all the clans. Let me see the draft you intend to send to the ambassador's before its delivered and In the meantime, I'll try to request an audience with The Phoenix."

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Jennie
Zenmai thanked the Crab ambassador for the desk, the sake, and his assistance. 

*"Kaiu-san, I appreciate your expertise and assistance. Akodo-san will assist you in any way he can."* Zenmai bowed to both crabs, then sat down to work on the letter. 

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Christine
When Lady Zenmai finished her explanation, Yoshitaka would turn and offer a polite bow of the head towards the young lion warrior. A quarter master or logistician might've been more apt a choice for this particular job but, he would take what he could get. Besides, at the very least the young Lion seemed enthusiastic "You need not worry of any recalcitrance Akodo-san, I am more than happy to grant all the input you could need. "

As Zenmai moved over to the desk, Yoshitaka would turn his gaze back to his superior "If I am no longer needed here Hida-Sama, I would like to see the wall in person so I can examine the damage closer, and if Lady Zenmai-Sama gives her leave, I would like Akodo-San to join me, would that be alright?"
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Gayle
The Lion would nod in agreement with the engineer; it would be best for him to see the site and, from there, determine the supplies required. Facing back toward his ambassador and giving her a respectful bow, the Lion made a request:

"With your permission, my lady, I will escort him to the wall. I assure you we will begin to arrange the necessary components to initiate the reparations."

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