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Bent over his desk in the makeshift office that he had hurriedly set up on the edge of the large area set aside for training recruits, Wraith lazily flipped the cover of Shane's file left and right. It was a very good thing that some of the recruits were actually getting some experience. They were going to need it. However, Wraith wanted to make absolutely sure that they would be able to handle anything-- there was a world of difference between being a new recruit and one with a rank.

Shane seemed competent. But he'd have to wait and see before he truly believed it himself, Wraith thought, as he waited for the man to arrive.

Wraith looked up as Shane's greeting reached his ears.

He didn't know if he was in the mood for jokes, even small ones. "Yes... indeed." Clearing his throat and setting down the thin file, Wraith glanced over at the man. His previous missions ran through Wraith's mind... with Shee, he had gone to Peru and retrieved Maita's letter. He'd done well in that one. Check. He'd accompanied Wraith and others to Puerto Rico where they'd had a run-in with some rather nasty pirates... that one hadn't gone so well, but that was clearly the fault, not of the Irishman, but of someone else. Someone who owned a rabbit.

Standing up, Wraith decided they'd better start. He didn't want this to last too long.

"Firstly-- I am going to give you a situation. After I have explained this situation, I would like you to explain to me what your thoughts on the situation are and how you would proceed. Brevity is appreciated and feel free to ask any questions you many have."

Wraith picked up the file again and retrieved a single sheet from inside it, placing it in front of Shane, and then sat back down. "You may sit if you'd like."

Diplomatic Case Study - Sino-Tibetan Tensions

The nation of China has claimed that Tibet should remain part of China, citing evidence that it has been a part of China for a very long time, and China has numerous other contented minorities within its borders. China also states that they have bettered the quality of life for Tibetans versus the situation before China had occupied the region. However, Tibet does have a markedly different culture than China and was once a sovereign nation. Tibetan autonomists argue that China has repressed people, forcefully, in Tibet, and also cite the fact that the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, was forced out of the area by China and now lives in exile in India.

"Let's say that you're a much higher ranking member of LOTUS than you are now. Let's also say that a sizeable force of Tibetans-in-exile have decided that they will attack Chinese officials and Chinese citizens in China and Tibet. China's government responds by evoking a state of emergency in Tibet, allowing a greater military presence in the area and allowing arrests to happen much more easily. Now, say that Janus decides he would like to take advantage of this opportunity, and chooses to support China, which will garner him good will from the nation, and many more devotees. As a high ranking member, you have considerable political influence, as well as the full support of LOTUS behind you. How would you prevent Janus from creating significant gains in the situation?"

As Shane spoke, Wraith's eyes were fixed on the papers in the file in front of him. He did not look up at Shane, instead touching a pen to paper as he wrote busily while Shane was speaking.

Gaining trust... that was good, Wraith thought. Offering a more concrete solution as to how exactly to do that was also good. He listened as Shane continued on about his idea for cease-fires and treaties. He nodded slightly without looking up as he noted that Shane was taking into account both the problem of Janus and of tensions between the two nations, and proposing an elegant solution to try to ameliorate both. Shane had also indicated that he had realized that his proposed solutions were just that-- proposed solutions, and could possibly not work, in the long-term or even the short-term.

All-in-all, Wraith was satisfied with the answer. He looked up.

"Good."

Wraith reached over and slid the paper he had given to Shane to read back into the file, and resumed his writing stance, pen in hand.

"Now-- I have a few more questions. I warn you that they are of a personal nature; however, I feel that it is necessary for me to ask them of you. You do not have to answer right away; feel free to take some time to think." Wraith looked directly at Shane, not averting his gaze back to the file this time. "It should go without saying that I expect the truth."

"Why did you join LOTUS? What do you hope to gain by joining LOTUS?"

Wraith abruptly stopped writing after the last word of Shane's answer came out of his mouth and closed the file with an air of finality. He stood up.

"There is one more thing that I'd like to test you on. Please follow me."

Wraith walked out from behind his desk and opening the door to the office, strode out without glancing once at Shane. He stopped in front of a large screen that acted to partition the large room they found themselves in and pulled on it without a word. It slid back to reveal a smooth, wooden floor and bare walls, slightly awash with the sunlight peeking through a few windows on the far wall.

"How would you rate your combat skills, Shane? I want to make sure we don't kill you."

Wraith found himself in a better mood than he'd been in all day. Shane was not a bad recruit, really.

At Shane's answer, Wraith shook his head. "If you can defend yourself and others who may be with you, then I don't care about 'proper' training." He paused, wondering just how he should go about this; Shee would probably be ideal, but that was not going to happen. Sebastien was next to useless without some sort of blade, and he didn't think Midori would work either. He supposed it would have to be him. "The missions that new recruits complete are very different from those that members in higher ranks would be given. I need to make sure that you are able to complete these missions before I send you on them."

He smiled slightly at Shane's comment. "Hopefully we can fend her off for a while longer. So, are you ready?" And with that, Wraith shrugged off the light scarf wrapped around his neck and threw it on the floor behind him.

Wraith's smile widened slightly before it flitted off his face and his expression took on a serious tone. Eyes slightly more alive, closed them for a moment, blinking, before he lightly touched down with one foot and quickly closed the distance between him and the Irishman, barely skimming the floor's surface like water. Face-to-face with the other man, less than an inch away, Wraith twisted and made to touch Shane's arm lightly, intending to gain the leverage needed to sweep around, leg extended, to bring the other man to his knees.

They were mismatched; Wraith couldn't help thinking it as he quickly took in the man's posture. He had never been one to rely on strength; for most of life he could never quite match up in raw power to the other boys he had grown up with. They were large masses of flesh, those boys. Not quite fat; fat denoted a slovenly image that would never enter your head again after you'd been thrown across the room by one of them. But robust, certainly. The Punjabi boys had been the worst; proud to a fault and fed on a steady diet of ghee and rewarded with those coveted North Indian sweets that were every boy's dream. The pride was not misplaced as they were without a doubt the strongest of them all. This was evident in the monthly Kabaddi tournaments Wraith remembered hazily had been held in Varanasi at the patronage of his father and the other officials.

He had developed for himself over the years a much different style; one that was not at all useful for Kabaddi (he'd given up on that years ago) but served him well.

Shane had just pushed his arm away, which prevented him from doing what he'd originally intended. Wraith shifted his weight to his heel to and attempted to tighten his grip on the man's arm instead of letting go to keep from falling. Making a mental note that, while perhaps not the most elegant method, the other man had responded accordingly, Wraith matched Shane's smile with one of his own.

Maybe he'd make sparring a requirement for new recruits. It would do him some good, if no one else.

That he hadn't expected. As Shane moved towards him, rather than away as Wraith had predicted, he began to relax his locked joints, letting his elbows and knees go lax. The change of plan had been formed quickly, mechanically. Wraith found he wasn't thinking much anymore-- or perhaps he had just done this so many times that he was just thinking that he wasn't thinking. If Shane thought it was that easy to be rid of him, he would find out quickly that was not the case. Becoming more fluid, languid, Wraith thought that he could probably pull the Irishman closer towards him, using the force Shane had already put into lunging. Wraith would, of course, not stay where he was, but pull himself under the other man and throw Shane over top him.

His back was sinking to the floor, readying himself, when Wraith emitted a loud beep.

Tensing up again, Wraith's eyes flicked towards the pager that he knew was fastened to a belt around his hip under his coat. He realized too late this was a mistake. He didn't have enough time to force Shane over and off of him, and Wraith shut his eyes tightly and hoped Shane didn't weigh as much as he thought he did as he felt his back make contact loudly with the wooden floor and Shane's weight beginning to bear down on him.