The staff ushered the group in as soon as they could get the back room ready, and Max took a seat at the head of the table while the two groups faced off across the long sides.
"Now, where do we start? Since we are having a meeting in good faith, I will forego the fines for public nuisance this time. I believe that you are all familiar with our probation program for new businesses, and starting out this way would not bode well for your future attempts to expand. Now, I will flip a token. If it lands with the Aquila up, the group on my right will start. If it shows a skull, it will be the group on my left."
That way, neither of them had to admit to the weaker position of being the first to offer terms. They were simply going by what the mediator fairly offered.
