The two continued bickering, momentarily forgetting their societal roles, until they finally stopped. The warlord wore a complicated expression, surprised at how easily he had slipped out of character. It was fortunate that no one else was present in the room; otherwise, they wouldn't know how to face the consequences.
"That thing," the warlord pointed at the bluish transparent energy shield surrounding the Sultan, "Is that technology from New Atlantis?"
"That's right," the Sultan confirmed.
"Impressive tech. How much does it cost? I bet it's expensive, seeing as it's not used on the battlefield. But, you know, technology isn't everything. New Atlantis' forces are overrated. Without those strange drones, they're nothing," the warlord said with a mocking smile.
