A dragon explores space, finds Amenta.
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Any further information I give may risk allowing inference of the whole.

...I will rephrase what I said earlier and say that I sincerely believe any Amentan country would rather know than not know.

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"I'm trying to estimate the value of the information, which is hard; obviously you don't have to answer any question you think gives too much away," says the diplomat. "It could be worth very little if there'll be a public announcement tomorrow, or if there's no way to act on it; or a lot if it's time-sensitive, or there's no other way to find out."

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She seems reluctant, but she says, I do think you would find out at SOME point without me. I am not entirely sure when.

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"Okay - in that case you'll probably make the most money talking to a news outlet instead of a government. Assuming money's what you're after. The National Gazette sometimes buys stories for large sums, I know that."

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Thank you for the advice. I don't suppose you could point me to some media yellows?

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"My press contact is probably not the same one you want for whatever you have but she'll know who is." She provides an email.

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Hmmmm. This is not going how I had pictured. I'm still not really sure how email works...

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"...I can invite her here?"

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That takes your friend out of the daily routine of their life, does it not? I'm unsure whether travelling great distances is easier or harder for you, having trains instead of wings.

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"She's a reporter and travels a lot, but admittedly wasn't planning to come here and would just wind up referring you to some co-worker of hers anyway."

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It would be easier for me, but that's no reason to be quite so rude. I'll figure email out with someone else if you have better things to do, and then send one.

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"I'm not busy. ...if you make a habit of selling secrets then you might find the people around you, uh, become busier."

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They would think I seek to prize kernels of truth from them, and act cautiously in return? A reasonable suspicion, if you have such a reputation. Perhaps I should keep silent after all, hmm? The rewards a media outlet can produce are less than those a government can.

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"No, actually, I mean - doing someone a favor to help them navigate a system is friendly and we're interested in being friendly. Specifically doing you favors for free because you want to make money when you aren't specifically hoping to put the money toward projects we share an interest in would make people begin to feel a little used. I'm happy to get you in touch with my press contact or with other people in my government this once but I do think it might begin to be a point of friction if you did it much."

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Headtilt.

...I see. A humbling reminder to examine one's own assumptions. I knew that the Tapai here are being helpful to be friendly, but of course that has limits. The nature of trade is that if a fair price is reached, nobody resents the other and both are better off, even if the thing being traded is exciting information -- But a mediator does not see any benefit from helping two other parties trade.

I would not object to paying for favors done. Such is the usual way among Draak - if in Shiny Things, not tap. And yet, this interest of mine is likely a one-time deal. I have seen an opportunity and I am trying to bite down upon it. I don't expect similar opportunities to come up.

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"I can see if my contact can guess off the Gazette who'd be authorized to buy and invite them. I think the government would be worried that trying to get information they can't necessarily act on - and you haven't said they can - would look pointlessly antagonistic to other countries, even if in isolation they'd like to know; that. and I'm not sure they'll be confident in your assessment of whether they would like to."

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I don't actually know if you'd be able to act on it. I don't know enough about the relevant Amentan things to tell. Not looking antagonistic seems like an almost overriding concern at times. Our Senate is probably not very good at it. I don't think they even properly realize it might be something we might want to prioritize.

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"I think Seeker understands it, at least when someone reminds him, and we're doing our best to remember that aliens will need reminders about how things will come off."

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The Seeker is the face of our kin on this world to some extent... Hmm. I'm not sure I like that. I don't like him. 

Perhaps there is some favor I can do in return for your assistance? I doubt I offer much unique compared to other Draak, but I must offer now that the full context is clear to me.

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"I'm actually not supposed to accept personal favors in my professional capacity beyond things like dinner invitations, which I don't think would work out. - what is it you don't like about Seeker? Bloom's about as famous, though for different reasons..."

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Indeed, eating is not a social activity for Draak.

...It is hard to put it clearly. He is arrogant, which is sometimes good but sometimes bad. He is adamant that his vision of the future is the one true, correct, good, and best path forward, so while the other Elders watch and wait and consider and work on long-term projects he is running around doing things. I am perhaps a bit of a hypocrite there. I am doing things, too. But Elders are supposed to be different.

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"If he weren't doing things at all no one on Amenta would know about Draak at all."

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Hmmm. This is true.

He has great deeds of magic and technical wonder to his name, but brilliance in one thing does not lead to brilliance in all things. We were neighbors for about half a century a long time ago. He has gotten more confident and hasn't gotten less... Energetic. I worry he thinks he's wiser than he truly is. That's why I don't like him.

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"We're not wedded to having him as our main point of contact."

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It's not like I can shoo him away. I'm just an environmentals technician for Shining Truth. We did pick some diplomats of our own, they're just not entirely sure what to do with themselves yet, I think.

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