"Hm. Well, we'll see."

"Perhaps you'd like to learn Tapai or Voan or both before you go."

"I don't think I learn languages so fast that not needing a translator is worth the extra time while a war is going on."

"You have a Calador accent," he explains. "It'll be obvious you came here first. If you're not going to stay because there are some internet rumors I think I'd rather we be able to call in favors later, than try to settle up now, but that's easiest if nobody knows you came through Calado."

"'Fix my accent' is faster than 'learn a whole new language'. And I'm not not-staying because of some internet rumors, I'm not staying because there's a war on. And because given a complex sociopolitical system I don't necessarily want to be a national asset for the first country I happened to encounter rather than being helpful wherever that happens to be needed."

"None of the countries where Oahkar is spoken enjoys a very good reputation in Voa. Tapa will care less, but will still draw conclusions."

"That tells me I want to learn Voan or Tapap eventually, but not that it's worth the delay. I'm an alien, if they judge me because I happened to land somewhere they don't like first thing I don't know that I could avoid being judged anyway."

"I see. I'd rather you didn't mention me or Cadra or the Adaros in particular."

"I won't. And I won't forget that you helped me, either."

"Thank you." Smile.

Smile!

"I'm not leaving this minute," she adds, "since I apparently need to obfuscate my accent."

"I could find recordings of some people speaking Oahkar as a second language."

"That could be helpful."

He digs up some speeches. Ambassador saying how pleased she is to be working with the people of Met; Voan standup comedian (green) swapped into the Maniten Republic; etc.

She studies them diligently and winds up talking Definitely Somewhere That Speaks Oahkar But That Sure Is Too Many Accent Influences.

"Nice and anonymous."

"Good!"

...And they're going to go back to the Adaros' before they leave the country because it would be mean to not say goodbye to Alaior.

"Why are you going?" asks Alaior.

"Because there's a war and I don't want people to die."

"But they poisoned the food."

"It was one person who did that, and Voa's greys don't deserve to die for his mistake, and neither for that matter do Tapa's. And I can make more food, too, so people have enough unpoisoned food to eat."

"They poisoned the food and won't shoot the blue who did it."

"Making more food by magic will still keep Tapai people from starving faster than taking territory will, even if I wasn't prioritizing Voa's wellbeing at all."

Alaior pouts.

"Sorry."