QUOTE : Shall we get to the subject at hand?” she<br />suggested in an even tone.<br /><br />“You didn’t answer my question.”<br /><br />“Because the answer doesn’t matter. What I<br />do or do not believe has no bearing on our negotiations. We could<br />argue all night about our differences and it seems both our peoples<br />have wasted enough time doing that already. What terms do you<br />propose?”<br /><br />“You don’t have an offer?”<br /><br />She actually made snorting noise, at odds<br />with her regal poise. “No wonder you all spent so many days<br />discussing. If I’m not mistaken, you’re in the position of power.<br />It seems to me that this conversation should consist of you, the<br />conqueror, giving terms to me, the conquered—at which point I<br />attempt to weasel out whatever concessions I can.