Westin, The Bird of Hermes, Teppelin

"Hmm. A good definition? As good as any. What it is is a practical definition. Rather cold, but very smart - reasonable, you might say. Very sane. Something to ponder though - what if the reason is simply 'just because', hmm?" The old man gave a dry chuckle, shaking his head.

"But enough philosophy. I came to hear wonders. And see wonders too, since one can hardly simply trust word-of-mouth, can they? I've seen many things so far. I might call some of them wonders, but not the sort that need my funding, hmm?" Westin rose from his seat, producing a sturdy cane from seemingly nowhere. He didn't need it of course, but it looked rather stylish.

"Hmm, yes. First thing I see is this fine ship. Very nice. Very... large. Destroyer-Class. Hmm, but with some oddities - no destroyers were ever built in our shipyards matching the exact specifications of this one. Checked myself. Very strange, very fishy. Where did you get one of Teppelin's destroyers, if not from us? That smacks of friends in high places - high enough to build it somewhere else, or high enough to make it seem like it was never built at all. Very nice - friends like that, speaks wonders for your credibility. Alternatively, speaks wonders for you ability to dupe people into supporting you. Both possible."

"Very much, very informative. You, even more informative. Very smart, very sane, very rational. Also, very ambitious - you do not convert a fishy destroyer to make soup and sandwiches. Unless the soup is amazing. Perhaps. But no, irrelevant. The real question is - how ambitious are you? You can be too ambitious, hmm, yes, but it is far too much more common to be not ambitious enough."

He turned to Cecile, giving her an appraising look, like an employer about to hire a mercenary. "And I see this. Very nice girl. Clever girl. Also, very pretty girl. That first one is pleasant, the second one excellent, the last one meaningless, if you'll beg my pardon. Clever thing, science. Always a trade-off. Meaningless things don't last long, certainly. Better to put something better in their place." The man looked back to Lloyd, nodding sagely.

"Consider that my request. Take this girl, and improve her to the best of your ability. Better. Best. Proof-of-concept. Also, proof-of-dedication. Leaving improvement undefined - by design. Want to see what you do. Bigger? Tougher? Broodmother? Warrior? All? Nothing at all is nothing done. More done is better, but not without purpose, hmm?"

"Wheels turning in your head, Dr. Lloyd? Show me what you can do. If what you can do is impressive, hmm, yes, then you shall have all the funds you could ask for and then some - and all the respectability Galia can give your fishy destroyer. Hardly mad, by your definition. Reasons, good reasons. You'd be mad not to."

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OOC: To everyone not replied to, I'm going to bed because it's late. Sorry. Will reply tomorrow. Battle scenes take time to write.