City Hall.

The Duchess glanced down at the pile of papers before her. While she was aware that administrative work wasn't as simple as some would wish it to be, even she was finding the paperwork in this new world rather... complex. To the point that she wondered how anything got done! There was paperwork here that brought up the issue of road maintenance. However, in order for something as simple as repair work to be even officiated it needed to go through several other administrators to read, approve, and then send it onwards to even be heard by the local council!

That wasn't all either. Apparently those with the tools and will to do so of their own accord would be punished for doing so without the permission of the local council! While she understood the need for proper procedure, this all seemed needlessly convoluted and even detrimental to long-term growth. Surely if someone desired to do the public some good they should at least be allowed to do so shouldn't they, she thought as she flipped through more proposals for proposals for hearings of further proposals.

"Mr. Schmidt." She said as she turned towards the wiry and nervous young man beside her.

The young man seemed to flinch at the sound of her voice, even though it was neither loud nor sudden as she has engaged in conversation with the young lad several times already, or tried to. He was terribly nervous and anxious. The presence of the strange uniformed guards, the ones that wore black, and the strange goblin-like creatures didn't seem to help him.

"Y-y-y-y-y-yes?" The man stuttered.

"What is the purpose of this parchment?" She asked and handed it to the skittish lad.

He peered at the form for a moment before turning to her.

"Th-th-th-these are f-f-f-f-forms f-f-f-for r-r-r-r-road m-m-m-maintenance."

"I am aware. But why does it seem so complex? Surely all it would require would be a slip from the treasury for some laborers and tools." She said in confusion.

"N-n-n-not r-r-r-really. The t-t-t-t-town has t-t-t-to a-a-a-authorize any f-f-f-f-form of p-p-p-public p-p-p-projects."

"But why? If the roads are in need of repair then it should be a simple matter to resolve."

"Ag-g-g-gain, n-n-n-not r-r-r-realy. Th-th-th-there are ins-s-s-surance c-c-c-companies t-t-to t-t-talk to, w-w-w-work u-u-unions t-t-to neg-g-g-gotiate with, g-g-g-gas, w-w-water and p-p-power to w-w-work ar-r-r-round. Ont-t-t-top of f-f-f-funds t-t-to ap-p-p-p-p-p-porpriate."

The Duchess stared at Greg for a long moment, unsure where she should even start her inquiry. Like what is an insurance company? Was a work union like a craftsman guild? Why would water be a concern and what kind of gas and power was he referring to? She took a breath and figured to start with the stranger of the three.

"What is an insurance company?"

Greg cocked a brow at her as if he wasn't sure he heard her right, then his eyes turned towards her emerald green dress and he nodded his head as if in understanding.

"Ins-s-s-surance c-c-c-companies m-m-make s-s-s-sure th-th-that s-s-someone is c-c-c-covered in the ev-v-v-vent of an acc-c-c-c-cident."

"How so?"

"M-m-m-money. H-h-h-healthc-c-c-care isn't ch-ch-cheap. And an ac-c-c-c-cident c-c-can r-r-r-ruin s-s-some f-f-f-folk in m-m-m-more ways th-th-than one."

The Duchess could see that, to a degree. While many healers would work on charity if they could, but even they had certain expenses to look after. Though the pittance charged was just that, a pittance. Not near enough that it would ruin someone financially. At least not any honest healers. There were always those that sold their phony potions and other miracle elixirs and charged staggering prices for little more than scented water, or worse.

"But why would they need to be consulted?"

"B-b-b-because it w-w-would be a p-p-p-public p-p-p-project. So any inj-j-j-juries w-w-w-would m-m-m-make the t-t-t-town l-l-liable."

"But it would be an accident occurred during work. Why would the town itself be at fault?."

"It's on th-th-th-the t-t-t-town to p-p-p-provide adeq-q-q-quate s-s-s-safety f-f-for a p-p-p-project th-th-they c-c-c-c-commis-s-s-sioned."

"But why? Are they not capable of providing safety? Is that not what the funds are for?"

Before Greg could answer a cough sounded from behind the Duchess. She turned and found Agent Smith standing before one of her Delta Guard that insisted on following her to provide for her safety despite being Duchess in name only. Smith smiled and gave a wave.

"Greetings, Your Grace. I require a moment of your time if you will?"

The Duchess sighed. She still had so many questions and what few answers she was getting just added to her confusion of this strange new world. She nodded and stood before turning towards Greg and giving a bow.

"Thank you for your advice Mr. Schmidt."

Greg grew flustered and stuttered incomprehensibly while the Duchess and her sole Delta Guard followed after Agent Smith. The three of them walked silently down the halls, though that was less to do with intent and more to do with the surroundings being much louder. Booted feet stomped and marched this way and that as soldiers made their way to fulfill their orders while what few of the locals that would visit shouted and tried to wave down any of them for assistance for anything they might need, to little success.

She was comforted by the sight of several of her people finding employment since her plea to the Major General. While it wasn't particularly prestigious work, it would go a long way in improving relations as her people and the locals worked side-by-side.

Agent Smith led the two of them to a room down the hall. He knocked thrice and opened the door and gestured for her to enter. He peered at the Delta Guard for a moment before sighing and allowed him to enter as well. The Delta Guard pushed past the agent as if he didn't require permission in the first place. The sea-foam steel plated guard turned steeled eyes around the small but well furnished room in the search of threats to his charge.

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Yet the only other person in the room was a young-faced man who stood nearby. He perked up and stood to attention when Agent Smith entered the room and took a seat on a leather couch. He gestured to a leather chair across from him.

"If you may, Your Grace?"

She nodded and made her way towards the seat. Her bodyguard followed along closely, keeping grim eyes on the two agents with distrust and suspicion. She took a seat in the leather chair and found the feeling rather uncomfortable. The leather was smooth like silk and squeaked whenever she moved. She hoped that they wouldn't be long.

"What is it you needed Agent Smith?"

The agent drummed his fingers on the wooden table between them for a moment before reaching down and pulling a suitcase from somewhere below him. The Delta Guard tensed up before Smith flipped it opened and turning to towards the two to show that there was nothing of threat within.

When the Delta Guard relaxed, or as close as one of them could be, Smith reached in and produced a thick set of papers. He sat the hefty pile of parchment to the side and placed a hand on it.

"What I have here, is an agreement by my government to you and yours. While you may not have any official power anymore, we are willing to wave away any complications in that regard for expediency."

"An agreement? But I was not informed of any negotiations." She stated after a moment of confusion.

"Well we are more than happy to negotiate anything in the future, this is just a rough draft-"

"Are you sure they are not demands instead?" She asked with a cold firmness in her voice that caused the Delta Guard to grip his trident tightly.

But if Agent Smith was at all intimidated by his presence he didn't show it. He merely sighed and slid the stack of papers to the side and rubbed his hands together uncomfortably.

"Let me ask you, Your Grace. How different from our world is yours do you think?"

The Duchess blinked at the strange question and thought for a long moment before answering.

"Besides your bureaucracy being senselessly labyrinthian, your weapons can kill from a distance greater than that of any bow I know of. You travel in horseless carriages and provide clean water and light seemingly from nowhere and yet it does not seem to be magical. You also seem to be able to provide an enormous amount of food that I am unsure where it comes from or who it is taken from to provide for us. Despite the both of us being, at least from my own eyes, human the humans of this world act and speak in a manner that is completely foreign to us. If you spoke a different tongue it would not surprise me. Yet we speak the same tongue. We look the same except in dress. We are so much alike yet so completely different that it is frightening."

Smith nodded his head in agreement.

"Yup, that's about the response we expected. So aside from that, let me enlighten you as to how truly different our two worlds are."

Agent Smith leaned forwards, uncaring for the tenseness of the Delta Guard glaring at him.

"We can't just kill someone farther than any bow ever could. We can kill people without being in the same continent. We can destroy entire cities in the blink of an eye. At the same time, you can throw a dart at any spot on the map and I can all but guarantee that they will have access to water, power, and food. The quality is a matter of debate but the point still stands. We can communicate with someone on the other side of our world with absolute ease. Information isn't shared in a matter of days or weeks but seconds. Someone makes a joke and millions of people will have heard it before lunch. There isn't a single place on this world that we have not touched once and cant do so again. We've been to our own moon and beyond. We've been to the highest spaces of our world and the lowest depths. The reason for that isn't magic. It's technology. What work your guilds can do in a year can be done by a single factory in a day. We don't need horses or carriages to travel. Pretty much every mode of modern transportation is damn near entirely autonomous save for where to go and how fast. We can fly above the clouds or travel the ocean at will with ease."

Agent Smith paused for a moment to give the Duchess a moment to process what he just stated as fact. But he didn't wait long before continuing.

"We don't have elves and dwarves on our world. Not real ones at any rate. The closest are humans with dwarfism that causes them to appear similar to halflings. But other than that, they are entirely myth. Stories we tell to ourselves and our children for entertainment. There are what we call 'mythical creatures' that are still around. But make no mistake, we are the masters of this world. Back when man was cowering by a fire scared of the dark we eventually decided we wouldn't be afraid anymore. So we took that fire and conquered the darkness and made it light. In doing so we drove anything that wasn't human, and even those that were, into extinction or hiding. They still exist, but that has more to do with cordial relations or religious connections than any sort of open acceptance. But anything that was, or is, considered a threat to humanity is either destroyed or locked up in a dark hole for eternity."

Smith leaned forwards more and looked into the Duchess' eyes.

"And what you call magic, we call fantasy. Fiction. Fake. While magic, to a degree, does exist on our world, it is as aggressive and unfriendly as the very world we call our home. We don't cast fireballs or spikes of ice. We call upon the elements or patrons to bargain with. Yet even those are an EXTREME minority. To the overwhelming majority of the people on this planet is concerned, magic doesn't exist. It's little more than a party trick to impress your friends or to try and score. More sleight of hand than actual magic."

"What few that CAN wield actual magic rarely live long enough to make a career out of it. Those that try usually end up setting themselves on fire, most of the time without even realizing that they could channel magic in the first place. Yet those few that are smart enough, and talented enough, are VERY quickly picked up by local organizations like my own. We then give them two options. Work for us and train to use their powers for the betterment of Mankind, or never see the light of day again. Most choose the former. Many don't even get that choice."

Smith then slid the stack of papers towards the stunned Duchess while keeping his gaze firmly on her.

"You're right. This is a demand. Because right now, as much as you and your people do not intend to be, your very presence is a threat and puts THOUSANDS of years of work and effort in jeopardy. I'm not unsympathetic though and won't lie to you. A negotiation requires two parties with something of comparatively equal value. But in this instance, you and your people have nothing to offer and everything to take. This stack of papers is the best, and only, agreement you will ever get. You and the people will be provided for. Food, water, shelter, the works. Pretty much everything that we are doing currently but long-term and more organized. In return you and your people can't leave without our say-so. For some of you, you will be gradually assimilated into the wider world and eventually allowed to leave and travel without restriction, within reason. Except for dwarves, elves, and the turtles. Dwarves and elves will be allowed to leave but only under heavy observation and restriction, but the turtles wouldn't be able to leave. Ever."

Smith paused and let it all sink in for the Duchess, even her Delta Guard seemed shaken by it all.

"So we are to be prisoners."

It wasn't a question. Smith nodded.

"To a degree. This isn't the first agreement of such we've arranged. There are communities of creatures from other countries fleeing destruction or seeking a place to call their own away from modern society that such an agreement has meant their continued existence and even benefit."

"Yet this isn't such an agreement."

"No. It isn't. Terms wouldn't normally be quite so harsh, but given the size and severity it was determined that security came first and foremost."

The Duchess swallowed dryly.

"And what if I were to refuse to sign this... agreement."

"Then you would all die." Smith stated coldly.

"Would it be done by those warriors in green?" She asked after a moment.

"No. It would not be a quick and clean death. We would withdraw our support and supplies. Then we would leverage our connections locally to ensure the local government did the same while evacuating and relocating our own people. There would be some leaks and challenges to that, but it isn't something we haven't done before. After that, we just maintain a blockade of the town against your people. Then we just let nature take its course. Either you die out eventually, or someone eventually comes to power that will sign. The only difference is how many die between now and then that could've been avoided."

The Duchess felt sick to her stomach. The difficulty of things before seemed more like a minor nightmare. Getting her people work and security, integrating herself in the local administration, anything she could do to see to her people in anyway she could.

Now she awoke to the cold and cruel reality. They may have fled the orcs. But they weren't any safer than before. If even half of what the agent said was true signing was her only real option. To do so would damn her people to a slow death that they were only just managing to avoid thanks to the very help that was being threatened.

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking in a voice that took every effort she could muster not to crack from despair.

"May I have some time to read and consider?"

"No." Smith declared bluntly.

She was on the verge of tears when Smith stood and marched towards the door with the other agent close behind. He opened the door yet paused in the doorway. He turned around and looked at the Duchess.

"Normally we would demand an answer immediately. But this isn't normal, even by our standards. So I'm sure the higher ups can wait a little for an answer. Not like we don't have plenty on our plate in the meantime."

The Duchess nodded in thanks towards the agent. He looked sad to her as he spoke.

"I'm sorry. I really wish I could do more. But the needs of the many-"

"-Outweigh the needs of the few." The Duchess finished as a single tear slid from her eye.

Smith nodded solemnly before turning and departing with the younger agent following. Leaving the Duchess to stare down at a pile of papers that may very well have been chains. It seemed like no matter what she did she would be damning her people. Either she signed and subjected them to be prisoners in all but name, or she refused and her people suffered even more than they already were. Her only saving grace was that she had time. Time to think of a way to fix this. The agent was right. They didn't have anything to offer them that would necessitate a more equal agreement. But she had time to fix that. For now she would read this agreement and learn all that she could that would entail within. Perhaps there was something she could exploit. If not, all she could was hope that attention would be off of them long enough for their fortunes to change in their favor.