"So, two ambassadors walk into an embassy, right?" Marco 'Smiley' Malone started his joke with the usual plattitude.
"Two ambassadors" was a common satirical joke in Muterra, almost as common as "Guys walk into a bar" everywhere else.
Yako Foxx, the Devart ambassador, had heard his Toadlerone counterparts tell him this kind of joke many times before. The precise reason Lady Broadside had sent him was because he had survived this joke the most often. The reason The Don had sent Marco was expressly because he was the best at telling this joke.
See, whenever a Toadlerone ambassador made his opponent see everything from his point of view, he'd begin his grand jape. Whenever a diplomat told it, "Two Ambassadors" became less "Guys walk into a bar" and more "The Aristocrats". The setup and the punchline were almost always the same, but the twist came in the middle.
"Huh, what happens?" Yako reached into his pocket and walking up the stairs and into the small private jet.
Marco slid the door shut behind him, and Yako could feel air move next to his ear. The click of a long, sharp switchblade was sickeningly loud at this distance.
"Only one walks out."
"I figured." The wiseguy drew first, Yako knew he'd have to resort to Plan B if he didn't want to get Trotsky'd, "But, what if we both walked out this time?... Or at least until we reach some airspace with confirmed diplomatic immunity?"
Yako slowly pulled a grenade out of his pocket, trying to look like he knew what he was doing... All those classes in the use of concealed baton had proved useless...
"You're serious, huh?" Marco smiled, "All or nothing? Broad's never pulled this one before..."
"Yeah. I'll blow up this plane over international waters and and screw Muterra on the diplomatic front for
years if you make a move."
"Not pullin' the pin with the same thumb, you ain't."
Yako found that the punchline was quite piercing.
"Any attendants on this thing? Yako seems to have spilled his drink..."
Behind closed doors, if Oscad would have him, a sketchy-looking diplomat may or may not have offered some support in the branches of militiary and intelligence on behalf of the Toadlerone Family, should Karknar decide to start making noise. An edge, if perchance this Rebel Baron wanted to play at breaking the stalemate. If not, it would be a pleasant plane-ride back to Muterra, however tough it might be to break the news to his capo.