Author Topic: Volume One: Number Theory  (Read 49337 times)

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #200 on: June 25, 2013, 03:54:22 PM »
Alexei stands up, grunting in annoyance. "I just left here... if I'd known you all were coming, I would have stayed inside."
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Offline Agita

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #201 on: July 01, 2013, 07:29:13 PM »
"Ow!" Kitty gets up, dusting herself off. "Well, if you hadn't gotten greedy we wouldn't need to get in this way in the first place. No complaining. So left or right?"
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Offline Agita

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #202 on: July 12, 2013, 10:34:55 PM »
Faced with no response, Kitty moves on her own. Keep moving, show confidence, pretend you know what to do. "Alright, come on!" She jogs up to the left door and gives it a try.
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Offline Bozwevial

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #203 on: July 12, 2013, 10:54:47 PM »
The double doors swing open and nearly smack the short, elegant woman behind them in the face. Between her dark hair, cut into a bob, and the pale grey gown she's wearing, she resembles nothing so much as a flapper. She stares at Kitty and the rest of the group, blinking, before letting out a small, resigned sigh. "I suppose this is, in a roundabout way, what I requested. Please, come in."

She turns and walks back into what turns out to be a large office. Everything from the walls to the curtains (silk) to the furniture (velvet) is done in an off-white that looks unnervingly close to bone. Perching herself on the edge of the desk, the woman pours herself a measure of something dark and red from a decanter before gesturing to a couch in front of her desk. "Do sit down."
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Offline Agita

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #204 on: July 12, 2013, 11:06:09 PM »
Kitty gives the woman a big, pleased smile - the one that says 'this is going exactly the way I want it to go'. "Of course. Surprises are what I do." She leads the way into the room and takes a seat in the middle of the couch, leaning back and crossing her legs over each other. "So, there's a lot to talk about. Where would you like to start? Oh, before that. Dachner's the name. But most people call me Kitty." She leans forward to offer her hand.

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Offline Bozwevial

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #205 on: July 12, 2013, 11:46:43 PM »
"Lilly Dachner, yes, I know. I've met your mother before. Let me see if I can work out the rest of you...Philion Quilos, I believe." She gives Phil a small, cool smile. "Not personally acquainted, but I'm familiar with your work. You - " She turns to Leo, briskly thrusting another glass of the dark red substance into his hands. It smells vaguely fruity and spicy. "I confess I have no idea who you are, but you do keep interesting company. My name is Therese Skavis. Have some plum wine, and perhaps you'll grace me with your name later." She winks at him, the friendly gesture vanishing an instant later as she glances at the last member of his group.

A thought seems to occur to her, and she reaches behind the desk. There's a soft click, and she says briskly "Reiter, call off the search, and for god's sake put the guns away. I'll be on the phone for weeks as it is." Shifting back around again, she crosses her legs impatiently. "Which, of course, leaves you," she adds crossly to Alexei. "Why is it that when something happens it's always you?"

Despite her no-nonsense demeanor, however, Kitty gets the impression that Therese appreciates her composure.
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #206 on: July 17, 2013, 08:55:42 AM »
Alexei is the soul of nonchalance. "Oh, hello Therese. If I'd known it was you asking, I might have come earlier. You never know the kind of treatment you'll get from underlings." He pauses, then (never one for subtlety) he deadpans, "How are things with the Swiss chapter? Are you two on speaking terms yet?"
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Offline VennDygrem

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #207 on: July 17, 2013, 02:10:37 PM »
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Offline Bozwevial

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #208 on: July 18, 2013, 12:38:47 AM »
Kitty and Leo (and anyone else who gets at least a 4 on Lore)
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Leo (or anyone else who gets a 5 on Lore)
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Therese's lips purse at Alexei's remark. "Oh, they're splendid, though they won't admit it. They're also absolutely furious about being manipulated by, and I quote, 'a walking, booze-soaked steak.' Really, what you did might have been the best long-term solution for all of us, but your 'negotiations' were incredibly messy." Pouring several more careful measures of the plum wine, she passes the rest of the group glasses before draining her own. Alexei could swear there's just the tiniest bit less wine in his glass than in everyone else's.

The vampire sighs appreciatively before pouring herself another measure and setting it to the side. "As was your most recent altercation. Honestly, would it have been that difficult to come along and see me about your winnings? It surely would have been less painful than setting off the fire alarm, fighting my security, and in general ruining the business for at least a full week."
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Offline VennDygrem

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #209 on: July 18, 2013, 01:18:40 AM »
Given what he knows of Therese Skavis, and her current focus on Alexei, Leo keeps his mouth shut. He knew enough, at least, not to draw attention to himself where vampires were concerned, though he also knew that he'd have to interact with her at some point- she wouldn't be likely to forget to get his name before the group left.

Offline veekie

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #210 on: July 18, 2013, 06:33:41 AM »
Phil opens his mouth, then closes it, glancing at Kitty, "Sounds like something that happens."

Unspoken was that Kitty would be the default culprit.

Lore (4d3-8+4=2)
Everything is edible. Just that there are things only edible once per lifetime.
It's a god-eat-god world.

Procrastination is the thief of time; Year after year it steals, till all are fled,
And to the mercies of a moment leaves; The vast concerns of an eternal scene.

Offline Agita

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #211 on: July 18, 2013, 03:07:04 PM »
Kitty keeps on smiling, blissfully oblivious to Phil's glance (or maybe fully aware and blithely ignoring it). "That was pretty excessive, yes. You should apologize. Since we're guests here, and all." She gives both Alexei and Therese a wink and swishes the plum wine exaggeratedly under her nose, imitating a wine expert.
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #212 on: July 18, 2013, 03:20:15 PM »
With studied innocence: "If I caused you pain, madam, I apologize. Though.. it was more fun this way, and far more my style. And as I said, I didn't realize I was being brought to you -- I thought it was just going to be some lowly thug trying to mess up my face without realizing who I was."
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Offline Bozwevial

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #213 on: July 18, 2013, 04:32:14 PM »
"I imagine so," sighs Therese. "Reiter is incredibly inept at his job. Still, keep in mind what this looks like to my staff and business associates in future, won't you? It's tantamount to letting someone walk into your dining room and slap the food off your plates." She shifts in place restlessly, taking a more measured sip.

"Which brings us," she continues, "to the reason you're still here. Not only that, but with some highly interesting friends in tow. You broke through the window not five minutes ago, but rather than making good on your escape, which would have been easy, you decided to break back in. Since I doubt you care that much about the money, and I know you're not stupid enough to think you could get it right now, there must be something else, mustn't there?"
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Offline Agita

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #214 on: July 18, 2013, 04:38:58 PM »
"Yes, about that." Kitty leans forward. "That's why I'm here, actually. It's about that business with your extended family in the subways."

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Offline Bozwevial

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #215 on: July 18, 2013, 05:01:10 PM »
An eyebrow quirks. "My extended family is rather large and mostly idiotic. You'll have to be a bit more specific." She leans forward, meeting Kitty's gaze a little too coolly.

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Offline Agita

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #216 on: July 18, 2013, 05:11:03 PM »
Kitty's grin turns into a conspirational smile that doesn't show her teeth. "I see. So you have no hand in two members of the same deciding to play Final Solution with a wagonful of bystanders? You can verify, if you'd like. Considering response times, how long we took to get here, and the amount of people, the ambulance and police should still be there."

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Offline Bozwevial

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #217 on: July 18, 2013, 07:05:06 PM »
The corners of Therese's mouth turn up in a very small, pleased smile. "Very quick on the uptake, Miss Dachner. I would ask where they are now, but frankly I'm not concerned. That said, your friend has already cost me quite enough today, and I don't make a practice of handing out information gratis."
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Offline Agita

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #218 on: July 18, 2013, 07:58:37 PM »
"Of course." Kitty blinks, and her eyes change. Instead of entirely human amber eyes, two golden irises filling the entirety of her eyes - no whites - and slit pupils stare at Therese. "So, the ritual has failed. I don't think Skavis is directly behind it, but you're clearly involved. And given that I'm here now, I'm sure my mother already has the full story. Since you say you've met her before, and you're obviously intelligent, you can guess that she's going to be annoyed. Since I know you're not in the inner circle, I think there's a lot to gain by being on the right side and a lot to lose by being on the wrong side of this." With another blink, Kitty's eyes are back to normal and she gives Therese a big, friendly smile.

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Offline Bozwevial

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Re: Volume One: Number Theory
« Reply #219 on: July 18, 2013, 10:19:19 PM »
Therese's face is a mask, but Kitty can tell the prospect of going up against her mother unnerves her. Of course, if it didn't, Therese likely wouldn't be sane enough to deal with so politely.

Taking slow, measured breaths and a mouthful of wine, she replies, "I know very little about the ritual itself. What information I've dug up is conflicting and contradictory enough to render it essentially worthless, or so I'm told by my contacts. The two members of my house you met in the subways, however, are another matter. They're distant cousins of mine who were pawned off on me to keep them from causing trouble in the Americas. They possess a certain level of cunning which is just enough to render them dangerous while not actually improving their ability to think further than a move ahead." Therese reaches behind the desk again and produces a folder in the same off-white as the furniture, pulling out a picture of the two vampires Phil, Kitty, and Leo left in Celaeno's care.

"While I was understandably irritated by the prospect of being put in charge of two treacherous stains like these, I kept them around as a sort of weathervane." She smiles, eyes flashing. "Their regrettable tendency to adhere to anyone who so much as sneezed in the direction of betraying me was remarkably useful for sussing out undesirables. Usually, this would be a member of my family, and the matter could be kept entirely in-house. This time, however..." A second picture emerges from the folder. This one is slightly grainy, but still unmistakably the man from Leo's divination.

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"His name is Tobias Brunner. A professor of linguistics at the University of Vienna, and coincidentally a member of the White Council. This, as you can imagine, presents me with some difficulties. I cannot imagine what Brunner is planning that would have convinced those two to assist him, but the fact remains that as of late they have been wrapped around his finger. If I interfere with this ritual, not only do I risk the Council's retribution, but I also tarnish my reputation as a neutral arbiter and risk further upheaval from my own family. Such is my lot as a signatory of the Accords." She shuts the folder, setting her glass down on top of it. "However, unless I miss my guess entirely, you have a vested interest in the matter as well as no obligations preventing you from acting on it. Therefore, I would like to propose that you make a deal with me. In exchange for my information on Brunner as well as a nominal fee, you will investigate his recent activities. That, of course, is where our business relationship ends. Please do not imagine that I am paying you to cause him harm. If you felt gripped by the need to bring injury or inconvenience to anyone, that would be an issue between yourself and Brunner, unrelated to the task for which I would be hiring you." The vampire matches Kitty's smile, eyes wide with innocence.
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