Juniper opens the door to her personal hybrid workshop and office, walking in and closing the door behind her. She pauses for a second, taking a look around the room and noting the spare parts lying around from her last job. ~Hmm, bit messier than usual in here. I should clean the place up soon~

Her gaze then focuses on the sealed letter that had been placed on her workbench, official UM insignia on the wax sealing it. She walks over and picks it up, opening it and scanning its contents. The mention of the Amalgamate Research Branch doesn't surprise her at first, what with all the work she had been doing recently on automatons. This room was actually fairly close to that branch, since she found the need to pop over once in a while to get help with the less technical aspects of making her servos. She found herself re-considering her initial assumption, however, when it seemed like the matter at hand was being handled with secrecy. ~Huh, maybe this doesn't have anything to do with Automata after all... Or maybe... Oh jeez, I hope they're not shutting research on this down because of something they found out about Amalgamates~

Suddenly feeling worried about the potential implications of this seemingly top-secret matter, June put the letter into a pocket in her backpack and hurried back out the door. She probably came into the room for a reason, but she had completely forgotten what it was, the contents of this letter having been bumped to top priority on her mental to-do list. ~Alright, calm down June, you don't even know what this meeting is about yet. Maybe they just found some Amalgamate artifact that they want more eyes on~ Realizing she had been speed walking, she slowed herself down to a normal pace. No need to worry when you don't even know what to worry about.

However, she still found herself rubbing her thumb and forefinger together absentmindedly while walking through the halls towards the room the meeting was to be in.

A somewhat stout fellow finished welding some metal together and began to address the paperwork he had just been left by one of the junior members of the Universal Machine. It was a single envelope.

Frowning, he puffed on the cigar he had just lit as he slid a letter opener through the gap in the envelope's folds, opening it to reveal a summons.

Strange, he thought. Normally there's some hint as to what's going to be discussed.

He set the message on his desk, cluttered as it was with other blueprints and paperwork and small pieces of mechanical tinkering, donned his trademark top hat, and ambled on down towards the meeting room.

@Yomojo
@Ember Storm
The Amalgamate Research Branch was always stereotyped as "that" research branch among those who made their stay at Ammonia Avenue. Their research after all, was centered around the studying of monsters that were once Casters, ones that were once friends and family. As the two would pass through the facility they would see the fruits of the branch's labor. Some caged Amalgamates, being kept docile via void stone, amalgamate runes being tested out, and in one testing chamber was a strange, ape like amalgamate, being taught sign language by a pair of researchers. From its body language and its docile nature, it was as if it could understand humans.

As the pair would reach the meeting location, they would come face to face with a youthful looking Beastkin standing in front of the door to the meeting location. From his facial features and tan skin, he must've been from the Gishkan Branch. What was someone from Gishka doing all the way in Kokotha over a meeting?

Juniper? Isambard? Are you the two who got the message? he said, plainly and professionally.

@Patches @Ember Storm
Seeing that Isambard was there too, and apparently for the same meeting, caused June's earlier worries to re-surface. ~This seems a bit too much to be a coincidence, this has to be about Automata. King's been doing some work with them as well, I wonder if he found out anything bad... No, probably not. He looks to know about as much about this "meeting" as I do~

She nods curtly to Isambard, then addresses the Beastkin, pulling the envelope she had received out of her pack. "Yeah, I got the message. We're not in trouble, are we?" she said jokingly, but secretly worried that they actually were. ~No, Juniper, stop that. You don't even know what this is about~

"So, who all is going to be in this meeting? Is it just King and I, or are there other people involved? The letter was very... cryptic, and I'd appreciate having some idea of what I'm walking into here." June's voice had a slight muffle to it, the high collar on her overcoat coming up past her mouth. Her stint with the Drekka wasn't something many people knew about, but most UM members who cared did know about the damage that was done to her lower jaw. She didn't wear the high collar out of shame, it was more so people weren't forced to look at the extensive scarring while talking to her.

@Patches
@Yomojo

The engineer puffed on his cigar and nodded at both June and the beastkin, making a genuine effort to keep the noxious fumes out of the faces of his companions. "I say," he began, brushing some ash off his shoulder, "What brings us here?" He wasn't much of an Amalgamate expert and he shied away from an active role in the fight against those Amalgamates that couldn't be reasoned with, so it made little sense for him to have business here.

Still, he was ever the gentleman, and as such he confirmed he had received a summons. "Just the pair of us had the summons,
then? Whatever would you require us for here in the Eh-Arr-Be?" His words were soft, his pronunciation much more subtle than the average citizen of Kokotha. Usually, if the job required some form of communication and Isambard was available, he was asked to lend a hand. His voice had that kind of effect. It also helped that he didn't tend to worry about race or class when talking to others, unlike some that would still discriminate for ignorant and, in Isambard's mind, silly reasons.

The beastkin carried himself with a polite stance. Standing up staight, keeping a friendly tone, maybe a bit too passive.

@Yomojo
Bowing, the beastkin properly introduced himself.Forgive me. You're not in trouble. All your questions will be answered in due time. Once formalities are out of the way. I am Hueco. Assistant Head Researcher of Amalgamate Research at the Gishkhan Branch. I was transferred here last month on orders from my boss. He said, showing his badge. Right there, below his name, was the aforementioned title. Looks like he wasn't kidding around.

@Ember Storm
Uh... Hueco waved a dismissive hand. Please no smoking here. It may disturb some of the creatures here. Plus, he had a sensitive nose. Smells of smoke, especially cigar smoke, were far too pungent for him. Putting a hand over his nose, he tried to not take in any of the fumes. "I can smell it from here!"

@Ember Storm@Yomojo
With his hand still over his nose, he continued. Follow me... It is just you two and myself for now. He said, as he opened the door to the next room. There, was a small meeting room of sorts. A table with chairs, a blackboard and some chalk, no details around the room, just your ordinary, sterile meeting room.

@Patches @Ember Storm
June gives King a shoulder shrug before heading into the meeting room. "Pleasure to meet you, Hueco. I hope the Kokothan Branch has been treating you well. This meeting must be some pretty important stuff, considering the secrecy of the summons, and the fact that they've brought someone all the way over from the Gishka Branch."

She slings her backpack off her shoulder, setting it down beside a chair, and takes a seat. She left Lizzy back in her workshop, figuring this particular event was going to be more talking than anything else. Juniper takes a casual glance around the room, searching for any more clues as to what this all was about. Finding nothing, her gaze settles back on Hueco, looking at the beastkin expectantly.

@Patches
@Yomojo

Isambard obliged, stubbing out his cigar on a piece of slate that suddenly appeared in his hand. "My apologies, my good man," he said, following the younger two UM members into the meeting room. He sat down in one of the chairs, pulling a small leather-bound notebook out of a pocket in his suit jacket and placing it on the table in front of him along with a pen that had until recently been in his breast pocket. The cigar, now cool, was placed inside a small case and thrust into a pocket in his trousers, so as to keep his clothing - immaculate despite the work he usually did - clean of ash.

"Pray tell, is there a primer as to why we might be here?" He asked finally.

@Yomojo
"The people here are quite friendly. I've found that Kokothans are rather open to new things. Forgive the stereotype." Standing in front of the blackboard Hueco began to write, looking at a piece of paper in his hand, his tail swaying back and forth as if he was excited. Well... They didn't send me here for this. I've been here for a bit over a month. THey just choose me because what we're dealing with has to do with Amalgamates. Hueco said, finishing drawing on the blackboard. The image drawn resembled a pair of wings with a crown floating above them... His art skills were a bit lacking, but at least it was apparent what it was suppose to be. Below the wings were the words "The Radiance."

@Ember Storm
This. Hueco said, pointing to the symbol. In recent times, this group has become quite popular within the country of Aubune. For an explanation if you're not aware, the Universal Machine lacks a branch in Aubune. We're planning on changing that. However before that can be done, the Universal Machine plans on making an alliance with this group. As Hueco spoke he began to write footnotes of what he was saying on the board. The Radiance is a enigmatic group... A group of monks who live alongside Amalgamates. Strangest of all, their number is surprisingly large. No one knows just how many countries they are in but their base of operations is in Aubune. Making an alliance with them would come with two benefits: It'd allow us to possibly understand things about Amalgamates we do not know and help us get a foothold in Aubune... Plus, having allies is a big plus. The Radiance doesn't seem like the type I'd like to anger... Any questions?

@Patches @Ember Storm
Juniper's eyes light up as the mission is explained. The rest of her body language stays the same, but it's clear she's interested. She hasn't been on many diplomatic missions for the UM, but she has enjoyed her time during the ones she's been sent on. Her rough early adulthood has given her a unique perspective on the lower-class and those in need, pitying their plight rather than ignoring them, as most UM members seemed to.

"Live alongside Amalgamates? Do we know exactly what the situation is like with that? What I mean is, do they keep them as slaves? Pets? Peers? And if it is peers, are they treated as a separate, but parallel peoples? Or do the monks and the Amalgamates have the same standing and roles in their civilization?" June machineguns questions at the Beastkin. She takes out a notepad of her own, beginning to write notes on it. "Sorry if that's a lot of questions, but I'm quite curious, if you couldn't tell. People living alongside amalgamates isn't something you hear about every day, after all, and I'd like to go in as prepared as I can be. First impressions and all that, you know?" she says to Hueco, offering him a small chuckle and a half-smile.

@Patches
@Yomojo
Isambard frowned, taking notes. After finishing, one not proficient in shorthand might find his page full of weird scribbles and symbols, but, to the engineer, everything was perfectly legible. Once Juniper had finished throwing queries at the young man, Isambard took a turn.His voice soft but audible, he began. "I'm more concerned with general culture. What is and isn't acceptable in Aubune that differs from Kokotha? Language differences? How do they expect others to carry themselves? That sort of thing."

Although he did not reveal it, he certainly admired June's enthusiasm. Young folk, he thought. Certainly an interesting group of demographics.

@Yomojo
Their life among the Amalgamates is interesting... Hueco continued, his cat like ears twitching; curious, how many beastkin possessed the mannerisms of their animal counter parts. Since Amalgamates come in varying shapes, forms, and levels of intelligence, it all depends on how close they are to humans. From observations, many of them are treated as pets while some are treated as peers. Their are no slaves of them, unless the amalgamate lacks the intelligence of both a human and a animal. Hueco said, scratching his head. Amalgamates who possess teh intelligence of a human or beastkin is something that has been cropping up more and more in the past years actually... Recently, for one to possess a human degree of intelligence was unheard of except in the strongest and most powerful of them.

Hueco continued to write on board, a short synopsis of what he just said, My boss told me that a powerful, intellignet Amalgamate has appeared there. One calling himself "King." Whether he is friendly or not is unknown right now. All we know is that he is willing to meet with us.

@Ember Storm
Ah, so questions about the country itself, Hueco nodded, Thankfully, it shouldn't be a problem. Before we go to Aubune, we'll be meeting with a representative of the Radiance. I mentioned him already. The Amalgamate known as "King." Hueco said, writing the Amalgamates name up on the board and circling it. He agreed to the meeting and expects to meet us on the East Coast, North of New Wickborough. A quick trip through Yim should be able to get us there fast. Nodding, he asked again, Any questions?

@Patches @Ember Storm
Juniper looks from the chalkboard to her notepad, biting the end of her pen in concentration. "This all sounds fantastic, and I'm glad I was chosen for this assignment, but I do have one more question. What do we know about King? Shape, size, abilities, mannerisms? I feel like our interaction with King will shape our interactions with the rest of the Radiant, at least to some degree. And have we thought about gifts? Gifts might be a good idea."

June looks over to Isambard, checking to see how he was taking all this. She's heard that King was one of the UM's more prolific diplomats, but had only interacted with him in technological matters. To his credit, he was being as professional now as when he works on machines. ~I'm willing to bet we'll be a good combination. I'll be the energetic, welcoming face of things, and he'll be the calm, professional side. I can see why they picked the two of us for such an influential assignment.~ She absentmindedly stares at Isambard the whole time she thinks this, giving him a small smile and nod if he looks over and notices her.

@Yomojo
From what we know about King, he is strangely human in appearance. he said, scratching his chin, thinking on the subject. After being pelted with so many questions after another, the Assistant Head Researcher was starting to look a bit nervous. A human, but far too tall and from some observations I've heard, lacks genitalia or a naval. Gray skin too. The last part is a common trait of Sparks but not the first too, so take that with what you will. What I've heard as well, he is very pacifistic...

As for gifts, I recommend a symbol of peace of sorts. Flowers would be a good choice. Something to symbolize our joining of hangs. he chuckled, I know a good florist if you need one.

@Patches @Ember Storm
Juniper nods, tapping her pen to her notepad. "Flowers, yup, seems good. Is he interested in technology? Should I bring him a servant servo?" her mouth turned into a smile as she continued "And yes, if you could recommend a florist, that would be great. Believe it or not, I don't find myself getting flowers that often."

Noticing the nervous glint in Hueco's eyes, June closes her notepad and tucks it into a pocket before standing up out of her chair. She walks over to Hueco, putting a hand on his shoulder. "But with that, I think you've briefed us masterfully. Thank you. It was a pleasure meeting you, and I wish you the best of luck in whatever pulled you out here to Kokotha." And with that, she takes her hand off his shoulder and steps back, offering her other hand for a handshake. Making eye contact with the beastkin, she gives him a soft smile that spreads from her hidden mouth and shows up in her eyes. It was sincere, of course, but it was also a very conscious action. ~Might as well start practicing my diplomacy right away~ she figured.

@Yomojo
Technology... That might be good, yes. he slowly nodded. He wasn't sure how advanced this "King" guy was in terms of technology, but a gift like technology would help him understand his new allies. That is what Hueco theorized at least. But really, don't worry, I go to this florist a lot. He said with a chuckle. Flowers are included in gift baskets for branch member's anniversaries of them joining. It helps boost moral.

Ah! Hueco's eyes widened with surprise, his animal-like ears standing up. *Someone complimented him!* Steadily regaining his composure, Hueco responded to the compliment. Th-thank you... I catalogue the Head Researcher's speeches back home, so I've learned a thing or two on making them myself. Writing down a date on the blackboard and circled it. Here is when we'll be leaving. Please be ready by then.

@Patches
~What a sweet guy, this Hueco~ June thinks, still smiling at the beasrkin. She takes a look at the blackboard, going through the timeline in her head while scribbling down the date. She then nods at Hueco "Will do, should be no problem to get things ready by then. If that's all, I should be heading out. Have to let people know I'll be gone, and make sure some projects get put on hold while I'm out. I'll do some thinking on which bot I should gift King with, and you make sure the flower business is all sorted out."

Pocketing her notepad and picking her backpack back up, she gives Hueco a parting wave before strolling out of the room and back towards her workshop, the spring in her step a far call from the speed walk she had taken to the meeting. ~We're going on an adventure, Lizzy!~

@Yomojo
I will don't worry. Gotta send some letters to my house to tell my son I'll be going on a longer trip than usual. He said, rubbing the back of his said. Regardless, I'll see you then! Get a good night's rest and contact me if you need anything.

Did he say son? He didn't look older than someone in his early 20s. Was he just a young father or was he older than he looked?

@Patches
Juniper hums a tune to herself all the way back to her workshop. Thoughts float through her mind of the final touches she'll need to do in order to have an automata ready to present to King as a gift. ~Should probably keep it generic, give him a basic Butler Bot. Didn't Hueco draw the Radiant's insignia? Yeah, I should probably put that somewhere on the bot too...~

The time spent getting ready for the trip is rather uneventful. Packing clothes, finishing the Butler Bot, sending letters letting people know when she'd be gone, nothing one wouldn't expect. June makes sure to visit her parents, letting them know what was happening, and making sure to get stocked up on enough rune batteries for the trip.

Finally, the time comes. Juniper gives one last look at her workshop, then turns around and walks out the door, locking it behind her. It's quite obvious to anyone looking that something interesting was happening in the young woman's life. In addition to her normal attire, her usual backpack is softly bulging on all sides, obviously loaded to the nines. She carries two suitcases, one in each hand, with the one in her right seeming more boxy and industrial than the one in her left. In addition to all that, she has her trusty, comically oversized wrench, Lizzy, slung across her back. Despite this obviously large load, June seems to carry the weight with surprising ease for a non-caster as she heads out to meet with Hueco.