<blockquote><div><cite>Soma wrote:</cite>"Yes of course, the slaves." says Soma smoothly. "That comes afterwards...it will be part of the prize. If we can devour the Sogluyem and cow their underlings into submission--or just eat them too, if necessary--then ownership of the gang's livestock will pass to us."<br/><br/>"...it's <span style="font-style: italic">technically</span> illegal to eat free citizens and claim their property, but it happens all the time. With the right bribe, the Law looks the other way."</div></blockquote><br/>"The Sogluyem 's slaves are prisoners," Alyssa rebukes. "Not property, and certainly not<span style="font-style: italic">livestock.</span>They have been held against their will, and against the laws of the Pact, by the travesty of justice Armellian law has become. I intend to resolve this situation as quickly as mortally possible, but until that time, I will not hear Orevian citizens referred to as though they were commodities!"<br/><br/>Unlike her earlier reprimand of Yuki, Alyssa offers no apology, nor does she make any effort to disguise her revulsion towards Soma's callous attitude.<br/><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Mindy wrote:</cite>"Also, I can do a bit of telepathy. I can make mindlinks, allowing us to communicate  over distances without actually talking. I can also... manipulate people, controlling their thoughts and actions, to an extent. It's how I've managed to rescue Vonerys and the others. I can't control large groups though, and I must concentrate on who I'm controlling, meaning I can't use my other powers."</div></blockquote><br/>"Manipulation..." Alyssa ponders Mindy's revelation, incorporating it into her own plan of approach.<br/><br/>"Control of a single person would be of great use in negotiations," she muses. "If we could arrange a meeting to purchase the slaves' freedom... why, between diplomacy and Mindy's power, we could free them for a pittance! Or, we could ask a guard to open the slave pens and bring the captive citizens to us! The Sogluyem would have no grievance against us, and with a small monetary offering to the local law enforcement, we could haves ourselves declared the legal custodians of those we've rescued."