Editing Three Visits For the Brass Lady

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"Dance away, demon.  Whatever he has done, he is not for you."  Sweet Brass touched her hand to her sword hilt.   
 
"Dance away, demon.  Whatever he has done, he is not for you."  Sweet Brass touched her hand to her sword hilt.   
  
"Is he for you, then, goddess?"  Stanewald smiled, and her smile was cruel.  "Small thing that you are, material, defiant of your station?"
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"Is he for you, then, goddess?"  Stanewald smiled, and her smile was cruel.  "Small thing that you are, material, defiant of your station"
  
 
"He is for his people, demon, and for mine."  There was steel behind Sweet Brass' voice.
 
"He is for his people, demon, and for mine."  There was steel behind Sweet Brass' voice.
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She tried, of course.  She drew her short-blade from its scabbard and stabbed wildly, but she could no more touch the Legionaries than she could slay the wind and they marched up the steps to her shrine in perfect formation.  This was it, then: a quick strike to shatter the House of Courage and send her spectrally back to her sanctum in the [[Pagoda of Infinite Strategy]], without strength or speed enough to return to Storm's side.
 
She tried, of course.  She drew her short-blade from its scabbard and stabbed wildly, but she could no more touch the Legionaries than she could slay the wind and they marched up the steps to her shrine in perfect formation.  This was it, then: a quick strike to shatter the House of Courage and send her spectrally back to her sanctum in the [[Pagoda of Infinite Strategy]], without strength or speed enough to return to Storm's side.
  
The goddess had only one chance: to use her Essence to Open the Army's Way and hope that someone - [[The Qinglong Alliance]], [[Rivers Between Us]], [[Choshu Ishi]], ''anyone'' - would be quick-witted, and quick-footed, enough to jump through to her aid.   
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The goddess had only one chance: to use her Essence to Open the Army's Way and hope that someone - the [[Qinglong Alliance]], [[Rivers Between Us]], [[Choshu Ishi]], ''anyone'' - would be quick-witted, and quick-footed, enough to jump through to her aid.   
  
But as she raised her signal-horn to her lips, Sweet Brass got a clear look at the Legionaries kit and saw equipment that would have been the envy of the First Age; the crackling tips of Shock Pikes, the polished lenses of Discrete Essence Armor, and on their shoulders, their insignia. These were no ordinary Brass Legionaries; these were the Sun Guards, the personal forces of Sunipa, Patron of Soldiers, War Goddess of the East. 
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But as she raised her signal-horn to her lips, Sweet Brass got a clear look at the Legionaries kit and saw equipment that would have been the envy of the First Age; the crackling tips of Shock Pikes, the polished lenses of Discrete Essence Armor, and on their shoulders, their insignia.
  
The Sweet Voice of Brass and Glory lowered her horn.
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These were no ordinary Brass Legionaries; these were the Sun Guards, the personal forces of Sunipa, Goddess of Soldiers, War Goddess of the East.  The Sweet Voice of Brass and Glory lowered her horn.
  
And then she heard Sunipa's voice.  "Sweet Brass, can I see you in my office for a minute?"
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And then Sunipa herself stood before her.  Her skin was pale, her hair was silver-gray and her eyes were jet.  In her left hand she held Delicate Scarlet Blossom, a fire lance sized for a warstrider, and in her right she held Neverfrost, a daiklave with a blade carved from the ice of the Elemental Pole of Air.  Her dragon armor was impossibly fine steel, but the shadow of her royal warstrider, Dreadful Necessity, hung about her like a cloakShe was a fearsome sight, a military machine given single form, and in a voice no less terrible she said, "Greetings, my captain."
  
"Uhm..."  Sweet Brass glanced over her should, to the valley where Storm of Amber trained.   
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Sweet Brass bowed low to her superior.  "Greetings, my lady.  Your visit honors meIn a moment I can prepare tea..."
  
"The Sun Guards can take over for youThey'll be no less dedicated, skilled or imposing than you yourself.  Your golden lord will be safe in their care."
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"No needWe have business to discuss, any not much time for it."
  
"Well," Sweet Brass said, and before she could say anything more she was gone, called to Heaven by the Daimyo's Reveille. 
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Sweet Brass bowed again.  "What are Heaven's orders?"
  
Sunipa's office within the Crimson Panoply of Victory ran over with chaos.  Cabinets along the near wall had scrolls stacked with memory-records of every battle in the East for the past decade, and even larger cabinets along the far wall held destiny-projections for every battle in the East that might occur in the decade to comeThe office had chairs, but there was no place to sit for all the maps, charts, files and figures tossed in their seatsThe office's only decorations were Sunipa's equipage; Delicate Scarlet Blossom, a fire lance sized for a warstrider, hung from the ceiling and Neverfrost, a daiklave with a blade carved from the ice of the Elemental Pole of Air, rested in a rack perched precariously atop one set of cabinets.   
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"Heaven has none, but I am a different matterThis business is personal." Sunipa handed her weapons to a waiting Legionnaire and leaned against the wooden water trough.   
  
The Bushi of Eastern War, Goddess of Soldiers and Officers, sat behind a great desk made of pine from Jorst's forests in the Far East; the desk was, if possible, piled even higher than the chairs and cabinets.  Sunipa's skin was pale, her hair was silver-gray and her eyes were jet.  Her dragon armor was impossibly fine steel, but the shadow of her royal warstrider, Dreadful Necessity, hung about her like a cloak.  She was a fearsome sight, a military machine given single form, and in a voice no less terrible she said, "Greetings, my captain."
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Sweet Brass nodded her readiness.
  
Sweet Brass bowed low to her superior"Greetings, my ladyWhat are Heaven's orders?"
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"War comes to the East on swift wings," Sunipa said, "and none can say where it will landAt our planning sessions, Siakal gnashes her razor teeth that the [[Roseblack]] has left her waters for my sphere of influence; [[Tien Yu]]'s reports on [[Lookshy]]'s stance change daily; and the [[Mask of Winters]] intentions are beyond even the Sidereals' abilities to forsee, try as they might.   
  
"I just thought it might be time we talked; a little informal chat, nothing serious."  Sunipa waved to one of the chairs.
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"This uncertainty frustrates, though the tidings have been only good for our budget.  Expect [[a bonus]] when next you draw your pay, and a new title if things continue this way."   
  
The junior goddess scooped the pile of files and maps into her arms and put them on the floor, careful not to topple the pile"Did I do something wrong?"
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The two goddesses shared a smile.   
  
"NoNot at allBut..."  Sunipa leaned across her desk, rested her cheek in her hand. "Are you happy with your job?"
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"But, all unwitting, [[An Oathsword Circle|your lords]] create more frustrations by the dayEven [[Cathak Nekuto|their commander]] dashed Ahlat's careful plans for an uprising in Harborhead to the ground with but [[The Five Changes of Fire|a moment's action]]You should see how he rails around the Crimson Panoply..."
  
"Of course!"
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Sunipa sighed and shook her head.  "And you are in the thick of it.  You've made personal enemies just standing here, and if you war with Lookshy you'd face Tien Yu."
  
Sunipa gave a slight smile"Really happy?  Be honest."
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"Lady," Sweet Brass said, after some consideration, "I bear Tien Yu no ill willIf we come to blows, it will be an honorable duel."
  
"Well..." Sweet Brass chewed on her lower lip"I've really grown into the job I've got now, but sometimes I feel like I could do more..."
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"Honorable, yes, but not equal; she is your match and moreStanewald you were lucky to catch in a rage and the Red Root Sage is not one to underestimate, elemental or noAnd what if Ahlat sent Sharp Edge, Dedicant of the Daiklave, to test your mettle?  How long would you stand?"
  
"I think you could, too. And I think you'll have the chance soon."
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"Lady, I..."
  
Sweet Brass narrowed her eyes.  "I don't want to transfer."
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"You are a worthy relay, but if it comes to personal battle you must be more.  I will not have you lose to someone from another department or fall to soon from a colleague from withinThat would embarrass us."
 
 
"Transfer?"  Sunpia blinked.  "No.  No, no."
 
 
 
"I have family in the East."  
 
 
 
"And the East is just where we need you.  War heads there on swift wings, and none can say when it will roost.  Siakal spends every morning planning meeting gnashing her razor teeth around a donut that the [[Roseblack]]'s left her waters for my sphere of influence; the [[Mask of Winters]] intentions are beyond even the Sidereals' abilities to forsee, try as they might; and [[Tien Yu]]'s filing a new and different report on [[Lookshy]]'s stance every day.  We're busy, and we're only going to get busier."
 
 
 
"So, you're not firing me?"
 
 
 
Sunipa threw herself back into her chair. "Firing you?  Not remotely!  In fact, expect [[a bonus]] when next you draw your pay; [[An Oathsworn Circle|your Solars]] are the ones bringing all of this business our way.
 
 
 
"And without even trying! I have," Sunpia waved her hand over the chaos on her desk, "somewhere, a memo from [[Ahlat]] complaining that [[Cathak Nekuto|their commander]]'s ruined his careful plans for an uprising in Harborhead to the ground with but [[The Five Changes of Fire|a moment's action]]."
 
 
 
The two goddesses shared a laugh, but a moment later, Sunipa lost her smile.  "We should talk about your reports, though." 
 
 
 
Sweet Brass winced.  "I have been falling a little behind..."
 
 
 
Sunipa nodded.  "And that's just what we need to fix.  If you don't want to be up to Tien Yu's standards..."
 
 
 
"I do!"
 
 
 
"...that's your decision.  Though it wouldn't look good if [[The Marukan Alliance]] warred with Lookshy, the two of you came to blows and you went down too quickly."
 
 
 
Sweet Brass half-stood, but she topped the pile of paperwork at her feet and sat back down.  "I'm better than that."
 
 
 
"It's the outsiders that are worse, though.  Losing to someone from one of the other directions, or a demon, that would just be embarrassing for the whole departmentBut you're making enemies just standing around these past two months..." Sunipa sighed and shook her head. 
 
  
 
Sweet Brass took a breath, and then said, "Lady, what would you have me do?"
 
Sweet Brass took a breath, and then said, "Lady, what would you have me do?"
  
"I've arranged for you to attend a training seminar to start you on your way to learn the Art of Forceful Declaration."
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"Train with me.  I will teach you the Art of Forceful Declaration, that you might stand toe-to-toe with the worst the world can offer and bring pride to our department."
 
 
"A training seminar?"  Sweet Brass' lip twisted skeptically. 
 
 
 
"It's all expenses paid."
 
  
"And the Sun Guards will keep guarding Storm of Amber? He has two months left..."
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"But..."  Sweet Brass glanced over her should, to the valley where Storm of Amber trained. He had two months left...
  
"Of course." Sunipa smiled"What do you say?"
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"Let my Sun Guards take your place for a time, oh Sweet Voice of Brass and GloryAt my command, you will find them no less dedicated, skilled or imposing guards than you yourselfYour golden lord will be safe in their care."
 
   
 
   
The junior goddess nodded.  "Coral Archipelago, here I come!"
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The junior goddess nodded and picked her short-blade up from the floor of her shrine.  "Then let them guard well; I am ready to learn."
  
  
 
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[[Heaven's Mandate]]
 
[[Heaven's Mandate]]

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