The laughter startles Jayden in turn, but only for a moment, and he relaxes a bit once more at Istredd's next comment. 'Dangerously incompetent and arrogant' is a very elegant way to ride the line of professional and scathing all at once.
He nods in thought at the next part, still tapping his fingers against his side, but less in agitation now and more just as an idle motion while he processes. "Could be. They'd probably be perfectly happy to use it if Thorne weren't around."
No need to get rid of a resource if it's not at risk of being used against them, after all. But the last part of what Istredd says is a bit of a pivot, and he has to ask--
"If not the Singularity, what's the excuse? Territory?" That's the common thing nations go to war over, after all, even if they usually come up with some sort of more politically correct reason. But then again this is an entirely different world, so maybe Thorne or the Free Cities would be shameless about it.
no subject
He nods in thought at the next part, still tapping his fingers against his side, but less in agitation now and more just as an idle motion while he processes. "Could be. They'd probably be perfectly happy to use it if Thorne weren't around."
No need to get rid of a resource if it's not at risk of being used against them, after all. But the last part of what Istredd says is a bit of a pivot, and he has to ask--
"If not the Singularity, what's the excuse? Territory?" That's the common thing nations go to war over, after all, even if they usually come up with some sort of more politically correct reason. But then again this is an entirely different world, so maybe Thorne or the Free Cities would be shameless about it.