I'm posting this to see how it's received. It has been floating around in the back of my drive for a while. R&R.

Update: I've fixed the spacing.

The reinforced door slid closed quietly behind him, guided by his hand that still lingered on its handle, effectively cutting off the drops of drizzling rain blown in by a light but biting wind and that wind itself. He stood for a moment, listening to the rain rattling on the aesthetically added tile roof that hid the strong shell of the actual building and for anything else - anything out of place. He internally sighed and slipped off his shoes. Two stair steps up from the entryway and finally onto the raised wooden floor of the main level, he let himself relax just a little.

The mobian mused over the events of the past several days as he stepped with padded feet towards the kitchen. He should send a message to his friends as soon as possible. They'll be worried if he doesn't arrive back from visiting family when he's suppose to but with the rising tension of the region he wasn't sure he should leave just yet. For a moment he smiled as he remembered how Charmy had become so excited, exclaiming about wanting to know more about this family he mentioned he was visiting. Did he have brothers and sisters and cousins? He shook his head at the memory and refocused, thinking over the conversion with his mother.

It had been early in the morning long before the rains had begun in the afternoon. Deep within the main base, Espio had taken a seat on the cushion at a low table, his mother already seated across from him enjoying a cup of tea before continuing with her meal.

"I must apologize," she had said softly, "I had given you permission to do as you see fit." The cup resting in her hovering hand finally contacted with the table.

Espio studied her.

"The Yagyu Clan and their subordinate groups are continuing to encroach into our territory despite our efforts to deter them. One of our offshoots, mostly civilians, is in danger of being discovered. There is the worry that they shall continue to encroach and many are asking for more stern measures." She paused. "There are rumors of a coming storm."

". . . have you and the council decided on a plan?"

"Nothing too concrete. Especially for the long term." She folded her hands in her lap out of Espio's view but Espio knew her hands were likely tightly gripped together, the purple of the scaly skin of her hands blanching. "Contingency plans are being devise."

He frowned slightly. "What kind of contingency plans?"

"For the trouble with the outlying town, if something were to happen we need a way to move the families out of harm's way. Those few of the clan who are not chameleons do not have the luxury of becoming invisible." Her gaze caught his. "Can you secure a warp ring for the Clan, and what are the limits to them?"

He had stared at her. "I understand, Mother. Have you finalized this plan with the Council?"

"No. I needed to know if you can do this."

"It could work. The Chaotix . . . may agree to it. We currently have two warp rings in our possession. It is to protect my clan . . . but to move everyone from even one of the smaller village? There would be a lot of chaos on the other side. Can the main base or Rainbow Valley sustain the added numbers?"

"It is a contingency plan . . . and I won't lie that we have already begun gathering extra supplies to fill community and personal storage as much as possible."

"Mother? Ah . . ." He knew she observed his hesitation.

"Some have added the notion to use the warp ring as a tool for positioning - for strikes," she figured his thoughts were tipping towards this.

"This sounds like you've already decided for me."

"The extra gathering of supplies was likely to happen anyways, Espio." She took a sip of tea.

"The Clan can ask the Freedom Fighters for help. The Princess is very experienced with diffusing political matters."

"Just as the Yagyu Clan encroaching into our territory is seen as a threat, having such powerful outsiders repeatedly become involve in this region's disputes, especially with the Freedom Fighters since they have the power of the Acorn Republic behind them, it will be seen as a power grab."

"But if all the clans were to agree to it first. An official arbitrator."

"It may not work."

Espio poured a cup of tea for himself. "The Chaotix need the warp ring for quick escape as well so we would feel better if we hung on to at least one. Only the amount of people that can fit through the ring's opening at one time can go through at that time and the size of the ring can only expand so large, and the user must know exactly where they want to go to control the rings. And what if the Yagyu Clan or someone worst got a hold of a warp ring?"

"That is why I'm trying to ensure that any warp rings are only used to move, for example, the people in harm's way." She paused. "So one must know the exact location they wish to go?"

"Yes."

"And a Dr. Finitevus is their creator, correct?"

"Yes." Espio watched as Constant Vigil gazed into the liquid of her cup, the lines of her face creasing. "Dr. Finitevus is a dangerous mobian."

"The reports say Dr. Finitevus is known to give warp rings to individuals that work for him. It could be easier to obtain one for ourselves from one of them."

"And takes them back when he's done with them," Espio had added.

"Espio?"

"Yes, Mother."

"May I ask a promise of you?"

"Yes?"

"If the time comes that we must relocate the people in the outlying territories that we may used the warp ring as soon as possible?"

Espio stiffened. "Mother! Of course I'll help protect the Clan but . . ." his posture slumped a little, "we are in no position to go to war."

"I know."

Espio's hand grasped the handle of the refrigerator door, suddenly in the present. He chewed his lower lip but was conscious enough of the action when it started to prevent him from accidentally hurting himself in his musing.

He let his head dip, his eyes closed. Nothing serious had happened - yet - but . . .

Should he ask to the Chaotix to help figure this out? They would readily come to his aid. The Freedom Fighters? The Princess could be very helpful in helping ease the tension but Sonic could be as much as a hot head as Knuckles and with what his mother had said . . . He crossed his arms in frustration, what he had wanted from the fridge forgotten for the moment. Because of their friendship with him they would likely be marked as favoring the Shinobi Clan which would not help whoever he asked. Maybe, the thought bubbled up, sour before he even thought it out in words, he could play the act of having left the clan. Distance himself and help his friends traverse this situation, diffuse it.

The idea went foul quickly. The Shinobi Clan meant family.

Khan wasn't experienced enough - not yet - to properly diffuse the situation or knew enough about it to be truly helpful . . . and the others trusted him enough where he could actually help them with the culture and the basics of the situation. Another idea popped up then. Have Khan ask - that may work. Maybe. But the clans would still have to agree to a degree to an arbitrator of any kind. Could he put that much faith in that everything could work out?