Oscar Krantz, or better known as Generalfeldmarschall Krantz has gotten that promotion he was counting on. Sadly, it wasn't a promotion he had been hoping for. Ever since the Central Governor showed up and connected their world through that veil thingy, things had been bad. The situation worsened considerably when a mutant showed up looking about as valuable to the other planets as a piece of history from before the world forgot. Out here in the west, it's still... relatively quiet. There have certainly been cross-world incursions by various factions, all looking to stake a claim on a world clearly more valuable than the Central Governor says it is. Krantz himself attributes that factor to the fact that most of the planet is endlessly scoured by mana-mutants.
Speaking of mana-mutants, he doesn't miss the irony that some of the main reasons The Lost are still holding on is because of those very same mutants. Warshawa being razed to the ground, and now overrun with hostile fauna and what seemed to have been tribals, now roam the formerly concrete jungle. While what happened to Warshawa is a horrible disaster and a tragic loss of life, he wouldn't be a very good military commander if he didn't see the morbid... benefits from a city that was about to become the supply line for a western push suddenly becoming rather inhospitable. The hostile mutant wildlife isn't the only thing severely hampering his enemies, surprisingly of all things while most of the invaders are human or some of the more... acceptable mutant races, there are plenty more who seem to be more interested in co-operation than invasion to get what they want.
"We have drafted the trade agreement for an exchange of resources, particularly those pertaining to the acquiring of processed metals. We will provide plenty of raw ores for the Krantz Marshall to sustain his armies." While by all accounts the large bug people would be considered an invasive hostile mutant, they have certainly been more accommodating than any human visitors have ever been, still that doesn't mean Krantz will just negotiate with the bugs himself. He specifically got the city lord to negotiate anything that isn't directly related to the military. A woman called Francesca Müller who has been having an ever more... fascinating taste in fashion ever since the bugs came to trade. The woman now wears mostly feathered clothing, apparently mostly harpy feathers. Which are a flying mutant if the description he was given is anything to go by. Hopefully she doesn't do anything stupid if she has a run-in with a certain feathered mutant that has been causing headaches for Lost commanders in this theater.
"The tariffs listed in this document state a 3.7 percent tariff on the goods, but in the last document it was 3.6 percent. Is there a reason for this change?" As much as Krantz doesn't understand her various oddities, miss Müller is an excellent administrator, and a terrifying negotiator. He didn't know ant-people could sweat, but the one in front certainly seems to give it its best shot.
"W-We figured that with the amount of processed metal you produced, such a change would be needed. How do you even produce such large amounts of metal without attracting the ire of local mana streams? It tends not to like it when nature is disturbed on larger scales, and tend to act against such things." At that, Francesca actually coughs a bit, and decides to softly elbow Krantz a bit while he's still reading the latest report from his eastern counterpart.
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"U-Uh? Oh! The factories, yes, we do have extensive records of mana creatures being more aggressive around factories." Krantz goes back to the report, as it's clearly more interesting to him than some question asked by a delegate of a foreign planet. Müller simply sighs audibly at the diplomatic blunder that is Generalfeldmarschall Krantz.
"Krantz, our esteemed guest would like to know about the details of the containment procedures you use to keep my factories safe." Krantz is actually shaken out of the report by that, and begins rummaging through his desk for the designs on anti-mutant actions. While the delegate actually gets a bit surprised at the term 'containment'.
"Here, standard procedure for protecting industrial zones, every entrance or exit needs to be at minimal 20 meters apart, and maximum 50 meters, garrison size is 1 soldier for every 20 square meters, and 1 soldier for every 5 factory workers. Nearby mutant activity of significant amount is bombed and scattered by armored forces, if no activity buildup is detected it is assumed to be out of sight and additional scouting forces are designated to find the mutant buildup. Mutants are all unique threats, so the doctrine of The Lost must stay adaptable at all times to prevent a mutant takeover scenario. There is more details and procedures, but you get the gist." The delegate gives Krantz a look that goes unseen, as none of the humans present know how ant-facial features work.
"That would explain the lack of magic in the people on the planet, such aggressive anti-mana behavior would result in less mages. You would greatly benefit from the books on runic magic sold by us, as runes are often used by the magically incapable to make up for a lack of enchantments." The delegate is clearly somewhat disgusted by the treatment of mana as a whole, but the insult goes completely over the head of the military commander.
"Fewer mages? Excellent! Ripe bastards, is what they are! Anyway, I have this report here that insinuates that the winged mutant known as Justitia apparently aided my eastern comrade, and fought on the side of The Lost while crushing the skulls of that fucking knight order. Müller, you are good with mutants, what is your opinion on the matter?" Müller flinches at Krantz using language that is considerably... undiplomatic while also discussing a military report directly in front of a delegate, all the while insinuating that the delegate is a mutant. Before she can speak up, the delegate answers for her.
"You have good relations with the winged one? The Hive is willing to go to great lengths to establish a... peaceful contact with [Justitia, Seraphim of Judgement]." The bug delegate rubs its hands together, all in all not doing a very good job of hiding any intentions.
"That's great and all, but I would hardly call it good relations, especially considering what I did to her last time, and the report also states my eastern counterpart quickly lost all sign of her when he sent a strike force after her." Krantz taps his pen impatiently on his desk while staring at the delegate, as if he's anticipating something.
"You personally survived an encounter with her? We... we are in ownership of an item that sends an offer to all major forces on a planet to send a representative to a pocket dimension for a magically backed peaceful meeting. If the Krantz allowed someone of the Hive to accompany your delegation, the Hive would allow you to use the [Royal Parley] for a... cheap price." Krantz gets up, and looks out the window, so the bug doesn't see the smile on his face. Müller might know negotiation, but Krantz knows exactly how resourceful mutants can be, and how they can be convinced to bring those resources to the table.
"Alright, miss Müller, would you be a dear and negotiate the price? I'll have to make some calls."