The Lion pilot ensures a small table on the far side of the lounge is prepared with tea for his guest, and with branded on the way. As he awaits her arrival, he reviews Lion-approved news from the Crossroads system. As he nought have predicted, it sounds like little has changed.

The Lion in question is in her full ceremonial uniform as befits a meeting with a commanding officer. It makes for a slightly ridiculous sight as she weaves through the various tables and guests (narrowly avoiding a waitress with a platter of cabbages) before arriving at the table Akihiko occupes.

"Akodo-sama!"
Shoan bows respectfully.
"Blessings upon you."

Akihiko gives a thoughtful blink, but no indication he's surprised. He quickly rises, bows, then sits again.

"Welcome, Murame Shoan-san. Please sit. I am glad to see you well. I had heard yesterday that you were part of a rescue operation, but also that you had won a vintage game at the Retro Night event. So I hope all is well?" The Akodo had spoken a little quickly, but he shows genuine interest in the answer.

Across the lounge sat Shokomaru
A proper distance from the Lion, intruding was not what he wanted. Though as he sipped his coffee whole waiting for his companion to arrive, he did offer the Akodo a nod. He remembered the man from their shuttle trip.

He looked back to his densai, reading news and looking at old pictures.

Michiya entered the lounge and ordered something lite to eat, before noticing Shokomaru and moving to greet him. "Daigotsu-san. A pleasure to see you again. How are you doing today?"

"Fairly well, thanks", he turned his dendai off, stood abs bowed before gesturing for the imperial to sit. "Glad i could catch you this morning. Here for some rice?"

He sat back down.

"I am. Is there something you wanted to talk about?" he asks, curious about the comment of being glad to catch him.

It didn't take too much time for the servant to bring him rice with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

"Well did get out to the Starcade last night?" He asked. He sipped his coffee again.

"I did. Got a little bird plush of one of the Otori, but I had fun playing games. I don't get to arcades too often."

"Nice work, i managed a bit of a haul myself", he said with a confident grin.

The servant dropped off his in order. Egg toast and miso.

"Knocked a 1-1 pitch out of the park."

She settles herself carefully opposite the Akodo with a nod.

'Hai, it was an eventful day. I was able to demonstrate the Lion approach to war on both monsters and arcade cabinets. Hopefully it goes some way towards making up for my lack of success in other areas."

Shoans looks around the room curiously for a moment before refocusing on Akihiko
"And you Akodo-sama, is all well?"

Akihiko smiles at Shoan's attitude. He nods appreciatively at her "report" on the day, and he's quick to answer her question. "Hai, Murame-san, all is well." He looks thoughtfully at his tea cup for a moment, then up to Shoan. "I wanted to ask a philosophical question of you. A reflection on Bushido," he quickly clarifies, lest the dedicated soldier profess herself no philosopher.

"A samurai, and a good bushi especially, must show dedication to duty, lest they fail their lord and clan." Akihiko's words and tone would fit in any Lion dojo, training the next generation of devout warriors. "The duty of every commander is to honor their superior's commands and objectives, fulfilling their duty, but according to their best understanding of conditions on the field." He sounds much like the instructor in a Lion Clan officers academy, though the tone is more human, warmer--a bit like Akihiko's talking to himself, not Shoan, as the metaphorical cadet. "So, Murame-san, on the battlefield of this miai, and with my superior's orders to 'marry well for the clan,' how much command authority do I have to respond to conditions on theground? Or to phrase it differently, at what level of independence do I exceed my command authority here?"

Akihiko folds his hands in front of his face and looks at Shoan intently. After a moment, it's clear he's finished and waiting to hear from her.

Shoan takes a few moments, clearly thinking over the question seriously
“The Akodo are trained to be the most skilled commanders in Rokugan. Every samurai trained at the war college is able to interpret the orders of their superiors and ensure they are carried out on the ground.”

Shuffling around her setting while she continues.
“So a general has no need to oversee a single squad, that is what their guntai is for. I would hesitate Akodo-sama, that it might be the same for you. You have been given your orders and trained with the skills to carry them out, but now you are the ranking officer on the ground it is by your discretion that you lead. You only exceed your authority when you go beyond your orders.”

Clearly self conscious
“At least... that is how this one sees it. I was not trained to lead.”

Akihiko processes as the other Lion speaks, and it takes a short time after she finishes, before he begins to nod thoughtfully.

"I think that's wise counsel, Murame-san. Now, if you were the ranking Lion at this miai, and I asked you how to choose a match,what would you tell me?"

Blink

“Me? Uh. I suppose... I would say that you should take the needs of bushido, the needs of the clan and the needs of the heart into consideration and into that honour. Um, I might say that you should find a samurai who will bring you and the clan honour and who you can honour with a productive relationship.”

Dipping her head respectfully
“I... am not sure if that is helpful.”

"It is, it is," he nods. A servant brings them the simple breakfast he had requested, and he waves to Shoan to eat as he takes a drink of weak tea.

"I appreciate you sharing these thoughts with me. I know it's not... comfortable to give advice to someone of higher rank, especially when you don't know them well. But I value your thinking, as a paragon of honor and Bushido, to help keep my own thoughts to those critical pillars." The flow of his voice doesn't suggest he's done speaking, but he takes a small bite of food and chews thoughtfully.

"Nice. Do you play baseball back home?" he asks the Spider.

he shook his head. "Not really, there were some clubs when i was at the dojo and you play a pick up game maybe here and there, but moving on to the officer corps after that contests got a little less official." He cleared his throat. "I just had a decent eye for reading pitches. What about you?"

"I thought better of sharing my next thought," he says, knowing he sounds a little silly. "I think I have already imposed enough on your time, and I would hate for counseling me to distract from your own duty. But, as I said, I appreciate hearing your thoughts." Akihiko shifts his seat as he transitions, although a small look of longing crosses his face as he moves on: "What can I do to support you in your duty here, Murame-san?"