Topic: Setting Up Shop

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-12 13:19 EST
The newly appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce had mercilessly been teased since she returned to her ship. The crew, accustomed to her demands of hard work and the utmost respect had instead turned into a bunch of heathens. They proceeded to address her as "Miss Minister" at every chance they got; "Pardon me Miss Minister"; "Let me get that for you Miss Minister, we can't have you hurtin" your self."; and even yelled out in the docks "Miss Minister coming through' whenever she needed to walk into town.

That evening after her speech the teasing progressed into the Rusty Scupper, a rather frequented tavern of ill repute. The Captain needed to be helped home by men that were almost as drunk as she.

It was now, a few days later, that they had subsided to only addressing her with the title occasionally and the effects of the appointment had wore off. A few crew members that she had hand picked (those who teased her the most) were now carrying heavy crates into her new office. It had been refurbished in the last few days and furniture was now being set up.

"Cap"ain...I think that's the last o"it."

Silver's hands fell to her hips as she surveyed her new office. It was still new to her to think of herself as Minister of Trade and Commerce like the sign outside stated. A large wooden desk polished to a high shine faced the door, behind which were large windows overlooking the docks and her ship, as well as the sea beyond. Shelves of books relating to Trade and Commerce and Law on the Seas filled the other side of the room. Finally, various tools of her trade lined the various places along the room " a spyglass, chronometer, almanacs, compass, sextant and various ropes knotted in extremely complicated knots.

There wasn't much more she could ask for.

The men behind her shifted on their feet before one stepped forward. He set a wooden, model lighthouse, roughly three feet tall, right next to the door to her office. It was painted in a dark blue and white striped pattern with a spot for a candle in the top. Silver arched a single brow as the man shuffled back into line with a nervous smile.

Another crewman stepped forward and approached her desk, bending down toward the floor. He worked the tip of a knife into the floorboard, trying to pry one of them loose.

"Jackson!" Silver barked, both eyebrows raising. "You're already destroying my office!"

"No Cap"ain?" he muttered as he yanked the board up and produced a small silver coin, dropping it beneath the loosened board. He pounded the wood back into spot before sliding the leg of her desk over it again. "Ye got no masthead, but I's figure this be close enough."

Truly touched, the Captain watched the few men in silence. Not only had they made and painted her a lighthouse to guide her back home, but had thought to bless her with good luck by placing the silver coin under the masthead of her office.

"Aye' I couldn't have asked for a better crew." She stated quietly.

Silver quickly turned from the men, crossing the room toward her desk. "Now go back to work. A ship can't run itself." She barked out again with a smile and a wave of her hand.

The men chorused an "Aye Cap"ain!" with wide grins before trailing out of the office and back toward her ship.

Alone, Silver peered around the room again, falling into the large chair behind her desk. "Time to get to work?? She muttered, reaching toward the papers that awaited her.



(this SL is open for anyone, whether stopping by to see Sil or setting up their own offices.)

Race Bannen

Date: 2010-05-13 11:38 EST
The Mongoose skipped up on the curb, darting around a few fruit carts and pedestrians in the path as transportation and rider skimmed towards the Trade office. Ducking low to avoid a swinging I-beam being raised for construction from the Kamchatka building's newest floor he had to drop a foot from the pedal and shift down a gear to avoid racing headlong into a parked chariot of all things!

"That was close." heaving a slight sigh he checked his watch and pushed off again. "Hope she's in her new office to make that appointment."

He made it to the dock area relatively quickly and borrowed a right from one of the contractors from the warehouse. Looking up at the building he smiled just a touch before heading inside to hunt down Minister Bubbles.

(Meanwhile at the Baxter building...er...we mean Docks!) ————————————————————————— ——-

Rumbling down the docks came a large diesel hauling a flatbet, a heavy tarp tied in place keeping something held down. The driver looked down at his shipping order and drop numbers with the ATTENTION notice.

"So..the Starstruk Siren" Guess that should be easy to spot..." the words barely from his lips before noticing a large ship with a woman on the masthead with arms upraised as if singing, a star clutched in one hand, a sword in the other. Bitch-slapping the breaks he came to a hault. "Damn, almost missed it!"

Getting out he moved down along the flatbet and put down the supports before moving towards the ship to hail someone down who could sign for the delivery.

"Hey!" He called out to the first man he saw. "I have a delivery for Minister Silver "Bubbles" Starblade?"

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-13 13:55 EST
"A ship?" the Master Scientist said as he peered up the gangplank. "Her office is on a ship?"

"That is what the sign says," Hedronbot said from about a foot to the right of his head. Drake shot a look at the floating icosahedron.

"I am literate, you know."

"That would make two of us."

"Who raised you with this sense of humor?" Drake complained rhetorically. As he'd also raised Hedronbot with a sense of the rhetorical, the robot felt no obligation to reply. "Maybe I should have an office on a space station."

"That would present certain problems of access."

"No it wouldn't. I'd just jump a door-gate up there from my main office."

"You asked me to assist you in this endeavor to help you keep your feet on the ground," Hedronbot observed. "I will do it literally if I must."

Drake let out an exaggerated sign, then mounted the gangplank, looking for whoever handled getting in to see the Minister.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-13 15:59 EST
Patrick stuck his head over the rail, staring at the delivery man below. "A delivery for Silver who"what?" He yelled down, a hand reaching up to scratch at the mop of brown hair on his scalp.

"Minister Silver Bubbles Starblade?"

The young, gangly teenager thought for a moment. The majority of that name was correct, but bubbles" "Uh yeah...hang on!" He yelled, quickly scurrying across the deck. A large, tree of a man stood with his back to the boy, barking out an order to a few of the crew members. Patrick cleared his throat behind the man who turned, scowling at him. "What?" he grunted.

"Delivery." Patrick motioned.

Ty, the First Mate, who had now shouldered the responsibility of the ship while his Captain was working her other job, grunted in response before crossing the deck and walking down the plank to meet the delivery man.

"Sign here."

Ty took the pen, signing two simple letters "T" and "Y", which the Captain had taught him years ago. The two men unloaded the pallet and set it on the docks, and with that, the delivery man sped off.

Patrick wandered down to the docks in front of the ship, a hand reaching out to lift the canvas. "Um...Ty?"

The First Mate pulled the canvas back further, only to find a case of ...bubble bath' Some sort of stuffed child's toy in the shape of a bubble with a scrub brush under it' and new sails" He lifted a corner of the sail just as Patrick was lifting the other corner. The whole thing unfurled revealing a rather large bubble pattern across the canvas of the sail.

"Bubbles!" Patrick exclaimed with a smile before he realized the situation they were in. He absently rubbed the back of his neck. "There's no way?"

Ty stared at the boy as if he was going crazy.

"The delivery was for "Silver Bubbles Starblade." He explained. "Apparently she's gone and gotten herself a nickname". One of the better ones, I'd say, but you know she's gonna have a fit."

?"Ey"what are those?" One of the crewmen yelled down, spying the bubble bath and the sail. "Bubbles?"

Ty grunted, yelling in his booming voice to get their lazy arses down to the dock and load the cargo on the ship.

No sooner had Ty managed to get back on deck then two others" one of them mechanical no less, appeared seeking the Captain. The beast of a man scowled further, thumbing over his shoulder at Patrick to deal with them.

"The Captain" She's not here. She's at her office in the ports. Once ya get back onto the dock head left. It's near Blood Holdings. It's got a sign with her new title, ya know. " He directed, watching the pair of them skeptically.

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-13 17:07 EST
"You said this was her office."

"No, I said this was her last known address," Hedronbot said patiently. "When I ran the initial search, the office we were just directed to was not in the database."

"You're splitting hairs."

"I have no hairs to split."

Sighing, Drake slapped at the robot — harmlessly, since the alloyed metals ignored forces of several orders of magnitude higher, but it did knock the robot a foot or so back before the force-drive compensaetd — then turned to march down the road. Hedronbot followed, cheerfully starting an argument on a minor and incredibly esoteric point of theoretical physics to distract the Master Scientist from the lingering pains exertion had set throbbing in his mostly-healed wounds.

So it was that the Minister of Science and Technology's arrival at the offices of the Minister of Trade and Commerce was announced not by Thomas Dolby, but by an argument about how many dimensions one could stuff a baryonic string into comprehensibly, conducted primarily algebra with a varying base number system.

"You're miscalculating the number of scalar fields in the conformal theory! Update yourself on the latest Minkowski space vectors." Drake paused in his considerations to casually push open the door for the hovering robot and hold it, before following into the office. "Or better yet run a bicameral comparison of vector and affine assumptions."

"Is it cheating if I do it at my natural speeds?" the robot asked.

"Yes, but do it anyway. Now hush and present yourself as a proper whatever-you-are."

"I tried, but the tie outmastered me."

"Hush."

Technomachia

Date: 2010-05-13 17:48 EST
"Figures, I'd find ya here," a familiar voice growled behind the Minister of Science and Technology. "Nose for trouble, and all."

Likely it didn't surprise Drake at all that it was the Minister of Agriculture who'd stumped up behind him while he was busy arguing, a covered basket clutched beneath one arm. She squinted up at him over the bridge of her glasses, and snorted. "That's fine, it saves me a trip to your office. Assuming you even have one right now." That said, she shoved a bottle of blackberry brandy at him, assured that he'd catch it.

"Ya think your mother would've taught you how to knock, instead of standing outside of the door to an office, yammering on like you're not using a brain or a processing unit in either of your heads—" addressing the robot now, before she pointed a finger at it. "And I'm well aware that technically he's your mother." Pointing at the Master Scientist. "You've got my sympathy, trust me."

With that said, she lifted a hand to rap sharply at the lintel of Silver's door.

"Official welcomin' committee!" she barked in best military fashion.

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-13 18:07 EST
"I'm all head, ma'am," Hedronbot said. "Or all body."

Drake, on the other hand, accepted the brandy with overt delight. "A beautiful woman bearing brandy. I'd be in alliterative paradise if I dared to call you 'babe'." Mer got one of his charming smiles, not at full intensity.

He stuffed the brandy into his coat, and thus into the SILCH (Standard Issue Lab Coat Hyperspace). "I'm actually here on business, though. I intend to consult with you as well, but I figure you're still settling in..."

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-13 19:23 EST
(posted with permission- taken from RP)

Silver sat at the large wooden desk, sorting through a small pile of papers and trying to figure out where to begin for the day. She shifted in the chair to look out over the docks and her ship, secretly wishing for the sunlight and rolling decks before she scolded herself and set about to working again. First order of business was to line up all the businesses in the area that dealt with trade and commerce. ...and that was going to take a while if she hoped to sort through that paperwork.

Adjusting the strap on his travel bag, Race 's stocky frame drifted through the main door like a man on a mission. In fact, he was a man on a mission. A mission of getting wood...rights. A little tune played at his lips drifting through the hall and following signs to Silver's office to give a polite wrap-tap-tap on the door.

She glanced up from her desk, her eyes settling on the figure in the doorway. She nearly scowled when she saw who it was. Silver dropper her arms to rest on the desktop, managing to plaster a slight smile on her lips. "Mornin'. What can I do for you?"

"That depends on how nice I have to be." Race shot right back, yep there went the dimples as he moved into the office and unslung his bag. "Just have some papers to turn in to you being the new head honcho for trade and commerce. Figure you'll come knocking on my door eventually so I have come to you." He took out a small stack of papers and set them down, each one filed with up to day regulation.

"I doubt I'll be knocking on your door any time soon." She retorted, reaching out to pick up a few of the papers and give them a quick glance. She waved at the chairs opposite her desk. "Sit, sit." She placed the papers back down and leaned back into her chair, arms rising to cross across her chest. "Care to just summarize what you brought so I can get the gist of things quickly?"

"And I want to schedule a meeting with you about some other things. Nothing very important, but we must be proper about this. It's business, not..fun and games." At her words he pulled a chair up to the desk and set his elbows upon the woods' edge. "The first 3 are my lumber companies logistics, basicly what we do for the city. The second pile is a request form to buy twenty more acres next to our current production area outside the city wall."

Silver's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched him from across the expanse of her desk. She bit back another smart comment regarding the 'fun and games' and instead focused on the business he was bringing to her office. As much as it pained her, she spoke the next words. "I must thank you for taking the initiative to bring the papers for filing and review. Can't say it'll be the same with other businesses. And the request....is it for forest land?" She shifted once again in her chair, running her fingers lightly over the papers until she found the one that entailed the need for more acres.

"Yes it is. I have all ready had the requested area prospected to assess any ecological damage. It's mostly dead trees so once the area is cleared my druid will come in and work the ground to restorm life so cutting can take place. As it stands now I either have to procure new land or sell a warehouse which will hurt my business as we handle a good number of the city's lumber needs for furniture, housing construction, and paper milling and recycling."

She nodded as she listened, her eyes scanning over the paper in her hands. "It seems you thought this entire procedure out." She muttered as she finished up looking at the document. She laid the paper back down, her eyes rising to meet him again. "If it is mostly dead trees as you say, I do not forsee a problem. I'll get out there myself to see and have an answer within the week, and I would not want you to have to lose business. DId you check into property ownership" Leins" Is it land held by city?"

"The area in question is about 2 or 3 miles from the Rhydin Nature preserve. There lies my concern, I don't want operations to effect that space. I often go there to think. Right now, my company only works through the week. On the weekend I have 2 druids on retainer who visit the sites and do what they do to regrow the felled trees."

"That, I'm going to have to look into and talk to a few people. I can't have the preserve effected at all. As I said, I'll make a trip out there in the next day or two and you will have your answer shortly after." She dropped her arms to the desktop again, a finger tapping on the papers her brought. "Cantath' Is that you?"

"No. Cantak died ten years ago and Cantath put the company up as collateral in a poker game. I had two a straight over his four of a kind." Minor shrug.

"Some hand." She responded with a hint of a smile. "Anything else I can do for you at the moment?"

"You free for lunch?" Race gave a slight smile.


Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-13 19:24 EST
A single brow arched, her head tipping ever so slightly as she was taken off guard. "Lunch' I suppose so..." Silver watched him skeptically from across the desk, wondering what he was up to.

"Good. There is a diner about two blocks away called Tori's. They've got a great cup of coffee and a mean baked potato soup. Not to mention on fridays they hold a trivia night with cash prizes."

"Trivia?" She laughed, shaking her head as she gathered the papers up into neat stacks on her desk, sliding a select few into a folder. "One one condition..." She returned her gaze across the desk at him. "There is no mentioning anything to do with bubbles."

"Fine, ya kill-joy" Race couldn't help but laugh as he moved to stand and re-slung his bag.

She snorted before laughing again, rising from her oversized chair and grabbing the folder. She had alot to do, despite her lunch break. She rounded the desk and paused, her free hand dropping to a hip. "Ya know....I think I'll start calling you Bunny." She winked, nodding to herself as she headed toward the door. "I think it's perfect."

"Well I am wascally. Though I'm never late for important dates. Guess I just need to start keeping carrots with me." he grinned back to her wink good naturedly.

"I don't think you need carrots - Ithink you're hair does it for you." She turned, heading out of the office and into the sunshine of the street. She took a breath, inhaling the salty sea air as she waited for him to exit behind her. "Lead the way, bunny." She teased good naturedly.

"All right Bubbles." fired right back with a good natured laugh as he looked towards the ships.

She grimaced, chuckling quietly as she followed his gaze toward the ships, spotting her own. It was going to take some getting used to, but she was ready for this position. "Which way?" She asked, looking back to the road.

"Walk this way" and he fell into something almost like a pimp strut heading towards the left, even had a hand mimicking the act of holding a cane.

"What in the hell are you doing?" She questioned curiously, staying a few steps back as if to look like she wasn't with him. "You okay?"

He turned back to her with a wink. "I said walk this way." He emphasized playfully.

"I heard that part...." She trailed after him warily, refusing to walk in that crazy style. "Are you okay up there" I mean like...have all your working parts?" She tapped her head, following him around a corner toward the diner.

"It's Rhydin. I could run around and behead every third person I meet and no one will care." Came his retort before walking normally. "Very few in this town really care about it or about governing bodies. They're gonna do what they want because no one can control everyone or maintain law and order."

"I think I should talke to Riley about making it illegal to walk like that." She responded with a laugh before she caught up and decided it was safe to walk next to him. "And I believe that's the reason the Governor hired us all...in attempt to reform Rhydin."

"Well I wish you the best of luck because this is a land of angels, demons, gods and demi-gods. If anything governor is a figurehead title to make those without all consuming power feel safe."

She arched an eyebrow again, looking sideways at him. Truth be told, she knew that's how almost everyone felt, but she'd be damned if she at least didn't go down swinging. "So." She started, glancing up at the approaching signs. "Where's this diner" I'm starving."

Race's hand lifted and pointed out the labeled awning with TORI'S in nice big letters. "And don't get me started on the slavery and crime rates. I live in West End, the children there will mug you." Grunts as they move along, him stepping up to hold the door for her.

She visibly grimaced at his beginning words, until he made the last comment and she burst out laughing despite her venemous objection to slavery. She stepped past him, still chuckling as she entered the diner. "I'll have to let Riley, again, know of that one...or Wolvie. Let him know to start working on a mugging child defense."

?You guys want to start on reform' Outlaw vigilantes." That'd definitely stir things up.

"I'm not the one to spout off about laws." God knows she was the last person to do that with her record. "That's not my area of expertise." She moved to an empty table, lowering herself into a chair. The wood groaned in protest as she settled in, dropping the folder to the tabletop next to her.

"I realize that, just saying. Have a town full of all these self-proclaimed heroes but when bad things go down...not a one is to be found." Another shrug as he took a seat at the table she picked, his hand going in up a wave to Doris as she came over to take their orders.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-13 19:26 EST


Roughly an hour later and completely full on pancakes, Silver smiled, dropping a hand to her hip to produce a few silvers and drop them on the table for the meal. Her hand reached over to pluck the folder off the table.

Dropping a handful of coin to the table Race stretched a wee bit before offering a wave to Doris, then looked to Silver. "Well I'd say this was an eventful lunch-date Or would that be food-ful?"

She laughed, sliding his coins back to him. She'd left more than enough. "Either one, I'd say, though I am the one who ate her whole meal." She rose from the chair, pushing it back in before turning to make her way out. "Still got a whole day's worth of work ahead of me."

Race raised a brow at that but shrugged and picked up his coins. He could use those later. "As do we both hotpants, but at least we had an enjoyable distraction."

"You really need to watch your mouth." She pulled open the door, keeping it open for him before stepping back outside. "Someone's gonna smack it but good one of these days."

"Not like I'm being beligerrant." Countered with a laugh.

"That's a matter of opinion." She responded before slapping him on the shoulder. "I'll get back to you shortly on your requests." She flashed him a quick smile and turned, heading back toward her office.

At the slap Race just shook his head, though he did watch her go, eyes sliding south at that sway. Damn, she's nice, thinking to himself before moving in the direction of his warehouses, he had to meet with a foreman anyway.

Silver entered her office building a few moments later, climbing the steps to the sound of an argument between two..males" and then a female voice. It was barely past lunchtime, but as she ascended the stairs to her office door she spotted a robot' and two of the other ministers. She looked at them curiously before flashing them a smile. "Afternoon everyone" Please do go in, no need to stand in the hall." She swept a hand toward her office.




Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-13 20:34 EST
Hedronbot hadn't warned him of Silver's approach; his own ears had, though, so when she mounted the stairs he was ready with a smile. Drake, charming polymath that he was, had a startlingly high number of smiles. This particular one, one of his favorites (or at least most-used), sat on the exact border between professional and mildly flirtatious with a precision scientists calculating atomic mass would envy.

Come to think of it, he didn't know which time period Silver's cultural background came from, so Drake bowed. Bows were universally acceptable, after all. "Minister Starblade..." Then his smile slipped to playful, and his demeanor to informal. "Can I just say right now that you have I think the coolest name I've ever heard?

Hedronbot made a noise that was absolutely nothing like the clearing of a throat. Drake waved in his general direction. "This is Hedronbot, he's my personal assistant and sole planned concession to nepotism."

"Minister Starblade, it is a pleasure to meet you." The robot, despite having no distinct features on its polyhedral surface (except a 1 on one side and a 20 opposite it, purely for the sake of nerdy jokes), had an absolutely human voice, warm and rich and deep with nuanced inflection. "I assure you that my lack of flirtation, comparative to the Master Scientist, is due to my status as a NBP, not to being any less charmed than said Master Scientist."

Drake looked sidelong at the isocahedron for a long moment, then said quietly, "You and I are going to have a talk later."

Technomachia

Date: 2010-05-13 21:08 EST
"Ladies first," said Mer, and strode in before the Master Scientist. Nevermind her snickering—she never had thought she was a proper lady. From the basket she carried beneath her arm, she plucked a bottle of Captain Morgan, and set it on Silver's desk.

"Not my usual drink of choice, but given what I've heard, it probably fits just fine right here." She gave the bottle a pat and leaned against Silver's desk, before giving Drake a look over her glasses.

"Haven't picked an office yet. That's why I'm here. That and I have to set things up once I do." She patted the basket—presumably, her laptop was in there someplace.

"I just couldn't pass up saying hello to a—to the Captain," she corrected herself with a grin. "And of course, saying hello to you, you old dog. Still up to your old tricks, I see." Smirking at the Master Scientist then, with a shrug of her shoulder towards Silver, grinning all the while.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-14 12:05 EST
Silver laughed loudly at Drake's admission to her last name. "Thank you. I quite like it myself." She responded before looking toward the noise making robot. Her lips curved into that trademark lopsides smile, the grin deepening to showcase a single dimple at the machine's words and Drake's reaction.

Silver slipped past them to enter her office, dropping the folder on the desk. She lowered herself onto the edge of the desktop, dropping her hands to her lap, waiting for the other two to make their way in" ladies first.

The Captain's eyes widened for an instant as the Minister of Agriculture placed a bottle of her beloved onto the desk. While Merriam turned to address Drake, Silver rose from her perch on the edge of the desk and plucked the bottle into her fingers. She deposited it onto the small table holding various nautical instruments, within arm's reach of her desk chair. Perfect.

"Merriam, you couldn't have chosen a more perfect gift. We might need to make a date soon to drink it." She laughed, moving once more to retake her perch. She looked between the two, arms rising to cross loosely. "Anything I can help ya with today??


Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-14 14:49 EST
"I flirt, Mer brings booze, Mer gets a date. This is probably the most unambiguous, comprehensible message I've ever gotten while dealing with the fairer sex," Drake said, grinning with mild self-deprecation. He was self-aware enough to make light of his own nature, after all. He wasn't about to stop appreciating the view, though; he had more than enough practice in the art of admiration to conduct business perfectly normally at the same time.

"But as for business, a few things. I'm here to meet you, professionally and personally. I don't plan to have a rigid dividing line between the two, after all. I'm here to see your office —" here he shot a look sidelong to Hedronbot —"and to make sure its address is updated properly in this hovering excuse for a Rolodex —"

"DATABASE ERROR," Hedronbot said in a mocking monotone, "UNABLE TO COMPLY." Drake smacked it sidelong, sending it into a midair spin.

"—to offer the services of my Ministry, or at least me, in getting you set up in your new office," the scientist continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "with various awesome technology. Computers, intercoms, I do a wicked concealed rotating minibar. And to see if you've got anything cooking that you'll need me to prepare for as we get rolling.

"Same to you of course, Mer," he said to the other woman, "you just already know where to find me anyway..."

Technomachia

Date: 2010-05-14 14:58 EST
"And even if I didn't, I could hunt you down," Mer almost sing-songed in return. She couldn't stop snickering, but admittedly, Drake's antics—and that of his creations—usually had that effect on her.

"I figured I'd eye the place, see what office space was available, see where I'd stake out the office away from home and all that. See what I could do with the place, since eventually I have to at least get my secretary in here." She peered at Drake over her glasses again, with a smirk on her face. "I figure nobody I don't really need to speak to will get past Gibson, after all."

About the worst thing there is that she'd have to resort to threats to get the kid in a suit. That or bawling like a drill sergeant.

"And, well, there was a lotta truth in the welcoming committee thing. I kinda tried to pick something out for every Minister. I just haven't had time to go hunt 'em all down. Yet."

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-14 15:24 EST


Silver simply sat back and watched the antics of the three people (if the robot could be lumped in that category) that were in her office. It was apparent that Drake and Merriam knew each other, which lead to even more good natured bantering that had the Captain laughing.

"Well..." she began when the two both stopped talking. "I have to say again, Merriam, the gift was well chosen and much appreciated."

Her eyes slid toward Drake and his counterpart. "As for the date, I can always make time for a fellow minister." She teased with a grin. "I have no idea about these...computers and intercoms you talk about, but I'm assuming those are the boxes I see people typing on and rambling on and on about." She paused, waiting to see if his reaction was worth the wide smile she flashed him. "But if you think I'll need something updated, I'll take your recommendations."

She paused, once more in thought, fingers tapping lightly on the edge of her desk where she sat before she looked back toward the other woman in the room. "Secretary. I haven't even thought that far ahead. I was planning on sorting through some urgent paperwork and figuring out the posts I'd need to fill in the next month to get things running. I haven't even gotten that far yet...and I doubt anyone I know will make a good secretary. They are either drunk, stealing or like to punch people who annoy them." She shrugged a single shoulder with another laugh. "I might have to post some job openings."


Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-14 16:25 EST
"Bringing Gibson into society is going to be like bringing an ItXer into a Mennonite village, you know," Drake said quietly to Mer. "Godspeed, that's all I can say."

He brought his attention back to Silver with a grin set to medium-charming. After all the time he'd spent in Rhydin, he found it hardly surprising that people still didn't understand technology. But certainly regrettable. He'd gone so far as to plan to address that in his acceptance speech, after all. "I definitely think it would be beneficial if all the Ministries got a decent communications package. Phone, email, public and private networks. I'd be happy to get you up to speed on it, if you're interested." That actually wasn't flirting; he'd glanced around the office as he spoke, considering the best means to go about it all if she chose to accept. But then he turned back to her. "As for your offer to make some time, well, I'd do it literally and consider it energy well spent, for the purpose."

A moment of thought. "I expect you're going to need to consult with my office on a semi-regular basis for information on anything overtly technical you plan to regulate or deal with, too. I've got to do my own job-postings too, so I'm trying to get a sense of how much that service is going to be needed and whether I need to devote some manpower to it."

Rona Deykar

Date: 2010-05-15 14:37 EST
There could be moments of disbelief, the whispers that came to the gypsy that left her surprised and well yes....shocked.

Silver was a Minister. Her best friend....was a minister.

The windblown and tousled strands of charcoal black were pushed from her face as the night emerald of her eyes set upon the Starstruck Siren.

A shake of head and she moved to her own way of entrance on to the ship. The same way she always had as she gripped at the rope that descended the side of the ship, muscles cording in legs and arms as she moved up the side of the ship and pulled herself over the edge for barefeet to land soundlessly on the deck.

That ember of a soft smile was a greeting to Jackson and Ty as they spotted the gyp even as they were fussing about to get things in order.

Yes of course, only Silv's would set her business up on her own ship.

A look around at the changes with a surprised lift of brows before the softness of her voice would escape her lips.

"Is she here?"

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-15 17:56 EST
Silver listened intently as he explained what he wished to set up and the technological gadgets that all ministers should wire up in their office. It was called a communication package...she understood what that meant, but when he spouted off names of things like networks and email she was utterly lost.

At least telephones she had somewhat figured out. Almost.

She nodded in thought at Drake. "If you have someone that can just train me on how to use them, I suppose I should be fine. And just expect me to contact your office now and then if I have a question...otherwise I don't foresee taking up too much of your time." She smiled, reaching behind her to grab the folder she had carried around most of the day.

"Though I do in fact, Merriam, need your help for my first order of business if you have a moment. I have some request for land near the preserve that I wanted to check out before I signed off on it." She glanced over the folder to the other minister in the office, arching a single brow before looking back at Drake. 'You are more than welcome to come as well."

———- -On the Starstruck Siren-

Jackson shook his head, rubbing a hand over his close cropped hair. "No she's not...her office is down the road. You'll see the sign above the door." He smiled at Rona, still thinking she was the prettiest thing he'd ever seen. "I'll take ya if..."

Ty grunted in response which immediately shut Jackson up. He dropped his hand to shrug. "Take a left off the ship and she's just down the road a ways. Big windows, big sign." He smiled again and turned back to help Ty.

Technomachia

Date: 2010-05-15 19:11 EST
Mer lifted a hand to her face, making sure her glasses were still there. She mostly used them for reading, and so she hadn't been wearing them during her acceptance speech, but they seemed to find themselves on her nose a lot lately. She hadn't removed them, and so she held a hand out to Silver for these documents.

Once Silver slid them over, she rested her rump on the edge of Silver's desk and read them carefully, going over a few items once or twice before arranging the pages again and setting them down on the desk nearby.

"Looks good as far as I can tell, so long as Mr. Race there doesn't go into the areas posted by the nature preserve, and he pays his property taxes, such as they are, to the city on time. You might want to check with Minister Ravenlock just to be sure—he might think it's a little too close, but that's my take on it."

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-15 19:29 EST
"Sure, I'll get you a self-guided system, you can learn it on your own time." Drake shot a glance at Hedronbot, who apparently did absolutely nothing in response. For some reason Drake appeared satisfied by this.

"As for the land thing....I'd love to come, though I figure my only contribution is just being there and enjoying the company. Which, incidentally, is why I'd love to come..."

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-05-16 14:36 EST
Riley, dressed in a dark grey Karl Lagerfeld tweed suit and 3-inch Louboutin stiletto court shoes, poked her head into the hallway and gave the small gathering of her fellow Ministers a lop-sided smile. "Did I hear mention of presents and a field trip? I approve of both."

She'd been spending the day getting the small suite of offices set aside for her Ministry in order, beginning with her own office - moving furniture, putting books away, and hanging various diplomas and pictures on the "brag wall" directly behind her desk. She'd since moved on to her Executive Assistant's office, which she was affectionately referring to as the Gates to the Kingdom. It was time for a break and it seemed that spending some time with the other people on the Council would be the perfect way to get away from grunt work.

Rona Deykar

Date: 2010-05-16 16:34 EST
A smile slanted in that ember way as she looked over to Jackson and Ty, a grin sparking only to reach her eyes as she heard the directions to Silver's new office.

An office for Silver. It seemed such a strange thing.

"Mora thanks."

A whisper as she tossed a wink over her shoulder again and headed out for the office.

So many changes in such a short amount of time but all of them seemed for once for the better.

The dark bird's caw in the air had her looking in the direction of the raven before Bey descended to alight upon her shoulder.

It was in such a very state that the gypsy would step inside Silver's Minister Headquarters.

"Silver?"

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-16 20:36 EST
Silver nodded to Mer as she spoke. "Yes, I was going to look up past property taxes and draw up documents for renting the land. I'm not quite sure about purchasing, though if it is for a business, that might be the best bet. I would probably need to talk to Riley about that to look over the contracts and make sure everything is in order.

On that note, I'd also probably go bother Brian to double check on the proximity to the Nature Preserve."

She slid her eyes back to Drake and laughed again. It seemed the even though there was much to be done, she was in good company. "Who am I to deny you company?"

And then" Riley appeared. Silver's gaze once more turned to the door as she laughed again, rather loudly in the tiny room. "I'm going to need a bigger office at this rate. Hello Miinster!" She raised a hand and waved to the woman in the door. "I was just talking about you? Mer and I are going to head over to check out some property that has been requested for purchase." She handed the papers that Mer had moments ago been looking at to Riley. "Drake decided he's going to join us as well"but here is the purchase request for your perusal."

The squawk that came next followed by a hesitant "Silver?" once again turned the Minister's attention. While Riley looked over the papers, she pushed off the desk and crossed the room to slip past Riley's perch in the door and into the hallway to greet Rona.

"Rona! I am so glad to see you." She started with a laugh, reaching a finger up to stroke the bird's chest. Her fingers fell back to her hips. Not one to waste time, she flashed a devious grin at Rona. "I don't have much time at the moment...but do you want a job?"

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-17 13:40 EST
First Mer, now Riley. To think some people didn't believe that pretty girls just appeared around him through no doing of his own! He rose to greet the MoJ with a broad smile. "Now that's timing. I was planning to track you down....for the best reasons, of course. It's wonderful to actually meet you off of a stage."

The grin stayed natural even as a little twitch in his mind piqued his curiosity. Years ago it would have merited an active response, possibly even aggressive, but after years of exposure — and mellowing — the Master Scientist no longer nursed the sort of self-defensiveness required for that sort of stunt. Besides, in this case, he had no idea what it actually meant.

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-05-17 14:54 EST
"Purchase request' Huh." She accepted the stack of papers from Silver and gave them a rough perusal. "Well, without looking more closely, I'd say that everything seems in order. Just make sure you get the go-ahead from all parties involved. I'd hate for my first case to be a lawsuit!" She handed the papers back to Sil with a smirk.

Then Riley leaned casually against the door frame, crossing those impossibly long legs at the ankles and loosely folding her arms over her chest. She gave the Scientist and the Ag Minister a big smile and nodded to them as well. "Any idea when we might have our first cabinet meeting?" she asked the three of them. "Or, I guess I should call it a Council meeting, huh' I'm anxious to get going with things. I've got a bunch of ideas that I'd like to run by all of you and get some second and third opinions."

Technomachia

Date: 2010-05-17 14:59 EST
"I'm up for it whenever. So long as there's coffee," Mer said. There really wasn't much she wasn't up for, so long as there was coffee involved. Or even better, booze, but business was business, and usually alcohol didn't belong there.

Afterwards, however...

"If you need any help with a round-up, let me know. I'm happy to give a hand. It's nice to officially meet you, Ms. O'Rourke. Especially after knowing this reprobate for a while." With a hand waved towards Drake. Expecting a hurt face from the Master Scientist, the woman gave him a smirk.

"Suppose it remains to be seen, if we find other faces popping up around here."

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-17 15:42 EST
"Reprobate?" He added just the right touch of whine to the word, adopting a facial expression he must have copied off of one of his children, all hurt indignation. The mischievous glint in his eye utterly spoiled the effect.

Hedronbot spoke up, with a slight dip in altitude that served to draw attention to the robot lest Riley think the walls were talking to her. "It is very pleasant to meet you, Minister." It was polite and warm, and Drake took the moment of distraction to....

Drake had been through a lot in his life, any number of challenges or difficulties he'd overcome. Matters of mere Einsteinan physics were as nothing to him; biology his playground; temporal mechanics his lapdog. But some difficulties, some challenges, were simply beyond him. He couldn't avoid them or defeat them almost by definition; failing to overcome them practically defined them.

Under the cover of Hedronbot's greetings, Drake took a moment to check out those very long legs.

To be fair, he at least did it subtly and reasonably tastefully, as these things go. He's had a great deal of practice at this, after all.

Then, existential imperative momentarily satisfied, he turned to the business of Riley's actual question. "I'm actually trying to make sure we all have the technology we need for easy communications. Phones, email, etc. Since I've got you here, what can I do to give your office what it needs?"

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-17 16:33 EST
Silver moved back into her office after talking quietly with Rona, her smile widening as she heard the mention of Council meetings and caught Drake doing a subtle look over of the MoJ.

"Well, I'd say we're on the right track for a council meeting right now considering half of us are here." She laughed, picking the papers up off her desk again. "Whoever is up for the walk, I'd say we get going. The sunlight's not going to last much longer."

She waited for those involved to either decide to come with or stay, having sent Rona on her own personal mission. Satisfied with those gathered, and quite happy to be in such company, she slid out of her office and descended the stairs to enter the afternoon sunlight of the docks.

"By the way...did you all get your gifts from Mer and I?" She shot a grin toward the Minister of Agriculture before looking to the other two.

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-05-18 14:58 EST
She'd caught that appraising look from the Scientist and it made her smirk. She was used to such looks, but was always quite flattered by them. As the small group prepared to go, she pushed up from her lean in the doorway and fell into step alongside Drake. "Well," she said thoughtfully in response to his question, "I suppose I could use the complete package - computers, phones, a intranet, that kind of thing. You gonna hook me up?" she asked him with a mischievous glint in her caramel gaze.

As she hit the bottom of the stairs, she paused. "I'd love to come along and see this piece of land, but I'm afraid these $500 Louboutins aren't made for walking. If...when, I guess...y'all come back to the Town Hall, stop by my offices. You can give my assistant something to do, other than harass me, I mean." She gave them a little wave and a big smile and turned to go in the opposite direction they were headed.

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-05-18 19:32 EST
"I'll make it all happen," the scientist promised. His smile stayed quite charming, though his boast wasn't mere talk to impress the ladies. "I'll have a startup package to you with the works. The service provision will be self-generative and I'll set up a manufabricator somewhere in my office for addition provisioning as staff expands. More efficient that way. If you need something customized, let me know." He shot a glance over his shoulder at the isocahedron' "You got all that?"

"I'm sorry, my sensors inexplicably failed to process the entire conversation into comprehensible data," Hedronbot said.

"Then how did you know what I was referring to?"

The robot paused audibly. "Syntax error! Command not found! Executing default instructions: Missiles away, wheeee!"

"I swear he likes being smacked," Drake mutters, though the opinion doesn't stop him from the action.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-19 12:41 EST
The trio had wound their way out of the office and began the trek through the streets toward the worksite. Silver had the folder under an arm, her eyes watching the passing buildings as she began to refamiliarize herself with everything around her. Apparently neither of the women were much for small talk, but the excitement of new offices and introductions created conversation and Drake and his robot made for a comical walk.

Every street, every shop they passed was alive with commotion; after all a nice day never went to waste for those who had money to make. The trio was in no hurry as they wound their way through the town, making side comments and wonderments about everything they passed.

Silver flipped open the folder as they approached the requested land, her eyes sliding from the request to the dead land ahead. "This is it." She stated, once more folding the papers back under her arm. "The preserve is over there." She raised a finger to point a few miles away. "As long as it is not infringing on the preserve, I don't foresee an issue." She dropped her hands to her hips, staring at the dead stumps and the few living trees before she turned her eyes to the Minister of Agriculture.

Technomachia

Date: 2010-05-19 13:21 EST
Mer surveyed the land, lips thinned. She'd picked up her cane on their way out, and lucky for her they had, because despite the fun company, her body was beginning to snarl at her from the exertion.

"What's he gonna do here, build, or just grow trees? I don't mind magick to grow trees to help provide wood, so long as he takes care of the land and doesn't deplete it, you know what I mean' Since that is my purview and all." Though it also extended to Brian Ravenlock's purview as well, truth be told.

"I still don't see it being too much of a problem so long as he stays on his spot and all. Could probably even make a little house for himself on the land too, if he cared to. Plenty of old time business were work and home as well," the minister mused.

"In any case, I'm still in agreement on the transaction going. So long as no one else can find fault with it." Mer nodded.

Race Bannen

Date: 2010-05-20 17:42 EST
From a few yards away came the steady rumble of a motorized engine, obviously not native to Rhydin. Cresting a small ridge that connected with the Forrester's jeep path the machine and rider came to a stop. "Keep me runnin...keep me runnin wild..." he sang along softly with the current stanza, or would it be bridge" Didn't matter.

Dropping the stand he leaned the Indian on it's side and twisted the wheel for balance before looking up at the soft halo of light filtering through the trees around him setting off the red and gold in his hair that normally remained hidden behind the usual curly mess of waves. Really did need a haircut, the hippie. Dressed in ripped, faded jeans and an old red t-shirt, that upon closer inspection read "Gone Wild: Unauthorized Parts and Service", Race surveyed the dark area, his mind all ready on the future project as the bike's radio played on.

Reaching back into one of the saddlebags he pulled out a blue folder and flipped it open, eyes looking over figures and estimates along with chemicle readings taken from soil samples on what would grow most effectively after his druid's finished their task. Overall he looked forward to the new distraction, hoping his bid was approved of course. With each passing year it became harder and harder not to think of earth and all he left behind. This place wouldn't let him go back just yet, for whatever reason.

Folder returned he took out a red delicous then fished for his pocket knife, flicking it open to peel off a sliver to munch on as his eyes fell upon a small managerie of people. At the current distance he couldn't make out who they were, just that there were more of them than of him. Good thing he had his axe just in case.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-28 19:35 EST
"I'll make sure to drop these off to Brian's office by tomorrow morning and with his go ahead, I'll sign off." Silver nodded to Merriam before the steady rumbling drew her attention to the hillside a few yards away. A hand rose to shield her eyes as she glanced at the redheaded figure, a small laugh escaping her lips. Great.

Mer squinted. Even with the glasses, her eyesight wasn't what it had been, even ten years ago. "That's the kid?" It made her relax, though, fixing both hands on her cane and leaning on it. "Speaking of the devil himself."

"As if you were the old one, here." Drake nudged Mer gently, with a grin.

"Old enough," she retorted to the Master Scientist.

Silver laughed quietly again at the two next to her before the hand slid from her eyes to give a half wave to the man on the hillside. She dropped her arm to her side again, curling her fingers about a hip as she looked back to the land. "If you two are old what am I" I refuse to be lumped into the geezer category yet."

"I'm old. Pushing 40. He's REALLY old," Mer said, jerking a thumb at Drake. "What's it gonna be this year, sixty, Grandpa?"

"Yes, I am. And you, Silver, are..." He flashed a grin. "In your absolute prime, beautiful lady."

Race's narrowed behind his shades to see across the sun-soaked distance a mite better, that knife shearing off another curl of apple for the nom-nom-noming. Well he recognized one of them. He'd know Bubbles anywhere, which reminded him to send her another gift in about a day or so. Maybe this time neon pink, and squishy. With plenty of velcro. And look, he's getting flagged down. Guess that's the cue to go play nice with the other kids. Hogging the tree-fort is out it seems. Lifting himself off the Indian with some effort, dear gods being short had its downsides some days; Race began walking towards the cadre, peeling away on his apple. Well well well, seems like she brought some other Ministers, Race thought. This should be fun. The thought brought a grin to his lips that faded before he came upon them, the apple half-peeled. "Well, what a pleasant surprise." He responded, offering a nod to them.

Silver waved a hand at Drake despite her wide smile. "Stop it." She laughed, shaking her head. "If I actually blushed, I'd be pink with you around." Her blue eyes turned toward Mer. "Is he always like this?"

"Pretty much, 'less he's havin' an off day. Not often that happens." Mer had to grin at that.

Hedronbot commented, "Someone forgot to tell him rutting season is not year-round."

The Master Scientist adopted a hurt look. "Hey! I haven't done any rutting with anyone here!"

"Yet," the technomancer pointed out with a grin.

"Hmph, you know I won't ever actually poach you, Mer."

"Don't look at me..."Silver chuckled again before she looked toward the approaching apple cruncher. "Afternoon Bunny." She smirked, raising a hand to wave between her two companions. "Merriam, Minister of Agriculture and Drake Minister of Science and Technology. That is Race.....who's looking to acquire this property."

"But you're so nice to look at." With the introductions, Drake added with a nod to the floating isocahedron, 'And Hedronbot."

"Oh Hedronbot, I apologize." Silver flashed the robot a smile. "You're just as important too...considering you're responsible for keeping this one.." She thumbed at Drake. "Out of trouble."

Mer just laughed, then. Silver had Drake well pegged. Merriam looked back at Race. "Nice to meet you. I was actually interested in how you were planning to accomplish your wood harvesting business...as that seems to be what you had the interest in this place for?" Merriam offered a hand toward Race, though, all business like.

Race closed the knife and pocketed it to take the offered hand. "Well that's part of why I'm here now, just going over some soil-samples and fertility numbers to see what I'd need to introduce into the first three layers before my druid's come in and work their wonders to regrow the trees here. It was only a few years ago this was all healthy vegetation, then an earth hag set up a hut not far from here. She really did a number on the place before getting run off."

"Supernatural corruption?" Drake shoved Hedronbot before he could make the inevitable smart remark to Silver's earlier comment.

"Earth hag. Sounds like a way to describe someone's mother"." Silver responded. "How's it looking" Going to be able to salvage it?" She looked at Race, raising a single brow in question.

Race just shrugged at the 'corruption' bit. "I'm no mystic thearuge. I just know what was and what is. And recognize it's not natural. So, gotta do what I can to fix it. Won't be an over-night thing, may take a while, but someone should. And Earth Hag is sort of the polar-opposite to a druid. Where most work to cultivate nature and keep a balance between society and wilderness, the hags corrupt and twist making areas completely hostile to life. You missed out on the clean up. Lost some good people to some vine-monstrosity."

"Spirit isn't my strong point, but I could probably help with the actual, physical damage here." Drake interjected.

"If you have any plant problems that spring up, let me know. I think it's partly my responsibility to take care of them. Not like I'm doing much else, anyhow." Mer shrugged at that.

"I'll stick with sea monsters, thanks. Battling plants is not in my to do list." Silver interjected, looking back to Race. "I'm going to drop your information on Brian Ravenlock's desk for one last look before I can sign off. You should have an answer in a day or two."

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-28 19:35 EST
"Works for me Bubbles." Race nodded to Silver before looking back to the MinoAg for her input on the area, since she asked. "Well the hostile plants are gone...with one sent to an escort service. Figure they'd find a vine monster useful."

"Oh good lord." Silver muttered, shaking her head at the comment before she snorted a laugh.

"I guess it really does take all types here, don't it' Oh well, whatever floats their boat and doesn't sink mine." Mer gave a roll of her eyes and peered at Drake over her glasses. Whatever she'd thought, she apparently thought better of it, and just smiled.

"As Koy has put it time and again in public. 'Different Folks, different strokes." Race smiled a touch before taking his knife back out to go back to keeping his mouth busy with the apple.

"Bubbles?" Drake asked, amusedly.

"Don't even ask." Silver muttered, grimacing at the question.

"Where's Blossom an' Buttercup?" Mer mumbled this beneath her breath.

"That's a very....evocative nickname." The still grinning Drake pressed further.

"It's a good thing you're eating an apple to keep your mouth busy' and that there are witnesses." She threatened Race . At Silver's comment Race smiled serenely while his eyes held something a lot more wicked in their intent at her observation. One didn't need words to react others, or to tease the begeezus out of them.

"If I'm going to get this on Brian's desk before the end of the night, I should be heading back. Gotta finish up some work and head back to check on my ship as well." Silver quickly tried to change the topic. "Are either of you going back that way?" She asked, pointedly looking at Mer and Drake.

"I gotta walk back now" Kibo. 'Least I have some whiskey in the office...I should've brought the Land Barge." Mer said.

"I could get it for you, if you want." Drake offered, looking sidelong at the Minister of Agriculture.

"Eh. You gonna just bring it here" You could take me home just as easy. I could even do that, I guess. It's not that difficult to Correspond myself there."

Drake just shrugged. "I honestly have very little afoot at the moment. The office is already set up, and I don't have any immediate business."

"Well"good luck with it all." Silver looked back at Race, offering some sort of civilized words before she looked to leave.

"I look forward to it." Race responded to her offer of luck. "And, I find the harder I work, the luckier I get. So I get lucky a lot. Thanks for the wishing." Still that serene smile before offering the other two another nod. "Well it was a pleasure meeting you both."

"Nice to meet you too. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help." Drake stated.

"Likewise. If you have any problems pop up, like I said, let me know." Mer offered a low-grade military style salute, before eyeing the Master Scientist. "You wanna go over those blueprints again? Gibson hasn't got anything on that machinated part yet..."

"Blossom and Buttercup." Silver muttered amusedly, watching the exchange between Mer and Drake, the lopsided smile dimpling a cheek again. They might have new nicknames themselves, she pondered silently. "Well...seeing as you two have plans, I'm gonna head back to wrap up my night."

"Mmm." An uncharacteristic frown from Drake. "I suppose I should, though I gotta admit my enthusiasm for the project is low at the moment."

"Got to get up on the horse again, ol' man." Mer teased, slapping Drake on the shoulder lightly before she turned to trudge back toward the offices with Silver.

"Hey, I took the Ministry position, that's a horse of a different trouble!" Drake exclaimed.

"Well the only problem I've got now is figuring out how to get rid of the high ass nitrate level." To Drake and Mer with a slight frown. To Silver he offered a wink. "Take it easy Bubbles....I'll be seeing you shortly...I'll bring chocolate and ale."

"Seriously." Silver grumbled. "Again, you're lucky there's witnesses around." She threatened, stomping off toward the way they came. Her hand raised in a not so friendly gesture toward Race before she fell into step with Mer, choosing to ignore Drake's comment.

"Maybe some lingerie?" Race called out toward the departing Minister of Trade.

"Man, stop giving me those images of her, I'll never sleep at night now..." Drake mumbled.

"Yer wife is gonna string your eggs up like it's Easter." Mer called back.

"...No, I think she'd agree with me, honestly..." Drake responded.

"Someone's gonna get their eggs strung up." Silver grumbled again, disappearing around the corner. "Or just broken."

"I was thinking blue-silk and a little lacey." Race nodded sagely, calling out.

Silver's steps paused as she bent down, fingering a rather large rock. She stepped back around the corner and chucked it with all her might at the redheaded, smart mouthed man standing a few yards away.

To the incoming projectile Race just raised a brow. "Wonder what she'd have done had I simply asked her out on a date..." The rock caught up with him as he looked at Drake in question, getting hit square in the back of the brain bucket.

"Are you capable of doing that without the shameless teasing?" Drake asked. It's an honest question! "I'm pretty sure I can pretend to be fifteen rather than twelve."

"Squeaking voice and hopeless shyness around duuuuuh pretty girl is a step up?"

"It's past the cooties stage." Race snickered lightly as he finished off the apple.

"But not the acne stage." Drake reminded him.

"I never had that, so it's out of the equation." Race wiped his hands off on the thighs of his jeans before tipping a proverbial hat to the MinoSciTech. "Guess we'll meet again." He began moving to return to the bike.

He gives the man a friendly sort of wave and — well, let it never be said the Master Scientist doesn't cheat, as he and his robot simply vanish in a flicker of rainbow light.

Faustus

Date: 2010-05-29 11:15 EST
Xavier Faustus rubbed the stubble on his jaw, grinning widely. "Received what?" He asked again, his informant repeating himself for a third time. "Well well well" look at her already making friends." Faustus clapped the young lad on the shoulder, dropping a coin into his hand. He looked to the man next to him; the man stared back with an equally wide smile. "Keep the fort down. I'll be back."

Faustus left the ship, meandering his way down the docks puffing on a cigarette. He exhaled a ring of smoke, waving to one of the passing ships before his shoes stopped in front of the Siren. He glanced up on deck.

The cigarette was extinguished with a flick into the sea and Faustus rounded the dock to ascend the plank. "Hello!" He called out as his feet landed topside, his eyes immediately falling to the rather large crate sitting in the center of the deck.

"Evenin"." Came the gruff voice of the first mate. Faustus gave the man a wide grin before he approached the crate.

"See she got a delivery. What types of friends is she making now?" Faustus asked in jest, lifting the top to peer at the bubble patterned material. He glanced back at Ty before he dug deeper into the contents of the crate, discovering bubble bath and some sort of plush toy. He yanked one of the bubble bath bottles out and held it up, spinning to face the large crewman.

Ty shrugged his shoulders in response, the brute grinning from ear to ear despite the anger the Captain was sure to unleash upon her return. Faustus chuckled, turning to look at the rest of the ship. It was then he noticed that her main sail had been lowered, folded and was being held reverently by one of the crewmen. No longer did the midnight blue sail catch the wind, the women's figure calling to the stars was replaced by white canvas, covered in rather large blue bubbles.

"Oooooh"." Faustus swore, shaking his head. "You're gonna be in a boatload of trouble.?

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-05-29 11:41 EST
Silver had parted ways with Merriam, heading back to her office to finish up the last of her business for the night. The thought of returning to her ship, the feel of the sway beneath her feet and the smell of the salty ocean while she slept was quite appealing after her busy day. She pushed open the office door, turning to head up the stairs and was instead met by the lanky form of Patrick.

"Patrick!" She exclaimed with a tired smile, a single brow arching in question.

"Thought I'd escort ya home, Minister, after yer first day o"work." He grinned sheepishly, and Silver could almost see a hint of pink tipping his ears.

"Actually"Patrick?" Silver began, her brow lowering as she smiled. "Would you mind running a quick errand for me" I need to finish up a few things here before I can head back and you doing this would save me some time."

The boy nodded. Silver extended the blue folder to him. "This needs to go to Minister Brian Ravenlock. Tell him it's for his approval and to send it back at his earliest convenience. You know where the Ministers Offices are in town, right?"

"Yes Cap"ain." Patrick nodded, heading toward the door.

"Patrick?" She called out, watching as the young man turned to look at her questioningly. "Thank you."

The boy smiled from ear to ear before disappearing out the door and down the street. Silver chuckled, looking to the bare space to the left of the stairwell. That'd be a perfect place to set Rona up with a desk and all those nifty technological things Drake had talked about. Silver's grin widened at the thought of Rona being the first thing her visitors encountered. The gypsy had a way of tempering even the angriest bulls.

Her office was as she had left it, papers strewn across the desk and awaiting her attention. She needed to hire some help and fast. There was too much to do and not enough time for one person. Silver lowered herself into the chair behind her desk, pushing up her sleeves before she began to rummage through the papers and make some semblance of order out of them.

The opening and closing of the door went unheard and it wasn't until she heard the clearing of someone's throat that she looked up. Patrick stood in the door, hands in his pockets as he kicked at an imaginary rock. Silver reached up to rub at the bridge of her nose, looking back to her desk. She had managed to sort the papers into piles of importance, the ones needing immediate attention sitting in the corner of her desk.

It was enough for one night. She rose from the chair, crossing the room silently to pull the door closed behind her and follow Patrick down the stairs. "Is the Siren still afloat?" She finally asked as they began the way down the dock toward the ship.

"Aye Cap"ain." Patrick smiled.

"Good"." Her voice trailed off as she looked up at the ship ahead. "What in the hell.." She started, her steps slowing as she looked at the sails. Where in the hell was her main sail" What the hell had replaced it' Was this some sort of demented practical joke"

Patrick bit the inside of his lip to keep from laughing despite the anger that twitched at the corners of the Captain's mouth. He knew there would be repercussions for this but he couldn't help it. He trotted after her as she rapidly rounded the dock to ascend to the deck. "WHERE IN THE HELL IS MY SAIL"!" She yelled, narrowed eyes watching as every member of the crew stopped in their duties to stare at the Captain.

She could swear they were all trying not to laugh. "I'm glad you find this highly amusing." She hissed out, stabbing a finger at the bubbles. "Bubbles. Hilarious." She continued, completely ignoring Xavier Faustus as he tossed a bottle of something from hand to hand behind her.

"Get that off my mast NOW!" She barked, her glittering blue gaze searching out her first mate. Ty, smiling widely despite her anger, approached cautiously.

"One day?" she began, her voice low. "One blasted day in charge and this?"

Ty nodded, rubbing at his bald head before he crossed his arms. "No harm. Kinda funny bu?"

"DON"T say it." She threatened, unable to yell at the big man. The Captain shook her head, reaching up to run her fingers through the thick waves of gold that spilled down her back. This was not a way to end her first day; and damn it all, she'd get Race back somehow. Faustus tossed her a bottle, her arm snapping out to catch the incoming projectile.

Silver turned toward her quarters, Faustus following behind her. She flipped the bottle over in her hands as she descended the steps and pushed into her room. "Ugh." She grunted, staring at the smiling bubble in a bathtub on the bottle.

Faustus leaned a shoulder on the doorframe, his hands dropping to his pockets. "Nice friends, Sil."

She didn't answer, her back still toward him as her lips worked into a grimace at what she was holding. How in the heck was this supposed to be hilarious"

"Just think of the fun we could have"." Faustus began, watching as her shoulders stiffened. He saw her turning and ducked just as the bottle went sailing over his head to slam into the wall behind him. "Well" I see you're busy...I'll come back.? Faustus teased, disappearing back down the hall.


Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-06-01 18:42 EST
Silver awoke slowly, rolling over in attempt to grab the pillow and throw it over her head, but she was instead stopped in midroll by another body. She gingerly turned over, quickly filtering through last nights events.

She did not go drinking, so chances are the person in the bed she knew.

Faustus went home after he almost got a bottle of bubble bath in the head.

Her crew was not welcome in her bed. Ever.

One eye opened cautiously as she tried to figure out who it was. The other eye opened as she peered at the dark curls splayed across the pillow next to her.

Rona.

Silver chuckled, sliding her own pillow out from under her head before she thwapped it down on the gypsy's sleeping form. Apparently Rona had snuck in sometime during the night.

"Morning sunshine!" She muttered, rolling out of the bed to stand, long arms pulled over her head in a stretch before she bent down to the bowl of water resting on a bolted down dresser to the side of the room. She quickly splashed water on her face and arms, patting them dry with a towel.

"Are you coming into the office today as your official first day, Madame Secretary?" Silver continued to tease as Rona stared at her from the bed.

The Captain crossed the room, pulling a clean white shirt out of her closet and sliding it over her head, she reached back in for a pair of pants. "I actually have a few things that need to get done and I could use your help."

Silver dropped onto the edge of the bed, falling backwards to sprawl across the still lazing gypsy with a laugh. "Put my shoes on, Secretary." She teased, raising a bare foot and holding up a boot. She was promptly met with a pillow in the head and a throaty laugh as Rona finally rolled over to get up.

" I think we're going to have to keep normal hours Ro". Or at least try to." The Captain spoke again as she pulled her boot on, dropping her foot with a thud to the floor before she yanked the other on. Long, calloused fingers curled about the edge of the mattress as she pushed herself up, reverently picking up the sword that lied in the trunk at the edge of her bed. She buckled it about her hip, adjusting it so it rested just so before dropping a dagger into her boot. Completely dressed, she turned to look at the dressing gypsy.

"Blessed Paladine yer slow this morning. Let's go, woman!" She ordered with a laugh, throwing open the door and stomping upstairs in the bright morning sunlight. It was time to put her office in order.

"I need you to contact the Minister of Magic, Silas Greyshott, and ask him to stop by at his earliest convenience." Silver started as they disembarked the ship. "I also need Drake, Minister of Science and Technology to stop by when he has a chance to set up all those technological gadgets he was talking about." Her eyes fell to the woman next to her, her smile widening. "And Brian Ravenlock, Minister of Citizen Resources to see if he got the folder I left him."

"Oh?" She paused, reaching to unlock the door of her office. "And would you like breakfast?? The lopsided smile widened, dimpling a single cheek as she propped the door open with a hip.


Rona Deykar

Date: 2010-06-01 20:51 EST
The night prior seemed to be in a swim of whiskey, had she really been dancing on a table top in the seedy bar at the docks" An inward groan as the light of the dawn sank through her eyelids leaving those night emeralds to pry open and roll towards Silver.

"Ila mora."

A mumble as a hand shoved through the charcoal black of her curls as she stretched in that near feline coaxing of figure. Silver's rambling was gathered and collected in pieces and shards before focus filtered through and had it all making sense.

"Silas, Drake, Brian. Alrigh'"

The smolder soft of her voice came drowsily as she pulled on her skirt and the peasant blouse to follow suit

"If you recall while ya were busy doin' Ministerly duties ah was in tha dock pub doin' yer dirty work."

A nose wrinkle as a hand smoothed over her abdomen, an absent fleeting memory of broken ribs. A flash memory of Colt before the thought of him was nudged from her mind....she hadn't seen him in some time.

Fingers curled in her ribbons as she followed after Silver as she padded barefoot.

"Mm...breakfas'?"

That brought a widening of eyes seemed the days searching for food day by day along with warmth and shelter were long gone....

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-06-02 14:51 EST
As it turned out, the Minister of Science and Technology had no need of a message; he had his self-imposed assignment, after all, and the urge to see it through. Also, the urge to flirt some more. (Drake tried to play to his strengths whenever possible.)

Thus at midmorning, the Master Scientist cheerfully pushed open the door of Silver's office, then stepped aside and held the door for what appeared to be a floating mass of round-edged cubes. "I'm fairly certain I didn't sign up for manual labor," commented Hedronbot from somewhere in the midst of the pile.

"I'm fairly certain I very specifically left that part of the deal vague, for just this sort of occasion," returned the scientist. "Besides, that's getting into a new and uncharted definition of manual labor."

"I assure you I'll have some choice commentary on your proposed official definition, when you choose to promulgate it."

"Huh," Drake said, "that IS my job now, isn't it?"

"I am certain the governor, even now, is regretting his failure to appoint you Minister of Shameless Flirting."

"I'm certain the governor is regretting his failure to take the post himself."

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-06-06 10:24 EST
Silver wandered down the street at a leisurely pace, the small box in her hand balanced easily as she looked at the rows of small shops, dotted occasionally with larger warehouses for the big companies. There were some new additions since she had last been here.

First order of business, she mused as she turned the corner toward her office, was to take another day or two to walk around town and gather the names of the nearest businesses. She'd need her deputies soon so they could begin gathering the necessary information; and then expand further into the city. Not every business rested in the ports.

There was so much to do.

She reached up her free hand, plunging her fingers into the mass of blonde that fell down her back, boots thudding up to the door of her office. It was open and a robot was standing in the entryway.

Silver chuckled, stepping up behind Hedronbot, peeking past him to see Drake. "Well" either Rona was quick with her task or you had your own agenda, Minister." Silver commented as the robot floated out of her way and she stepped into the small reception area.

The box she was carrying was set on the small desk that would be Rona's. She slipped a plate of food out along with a large cup of tea. "Your breakfast, Ro". Can't work on an empty stomach."

She lifted the box again, tucking it under her arm as she turned to look at the two "males" in the room. "Are you here to install all these nifty gadgets" I will warn you again though' though I am a quick learner I have no idea how this will work.? Silver laughed, blue-n-silver eyes twinkling. A tanned hand fell to the banister as she started up the stairs toward her office.




Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-06-07 10:05 EST
At some point, Hedronbot, as did all Valkonan AIs, would have to grapple with the decision of gender. The robot already used a male voice, but such things were easily changed given the range of outputs available with even the simplest hardware. But then, perhaps the voice had already decided the issue.

Drake, meanwhile, had no such doubts about his place in the gender spectrum. He flashed one of his more charming smiles at the lovely lady. "You're so surprised" I promised I'd have these things to you quickly, didn't I?" Had he ever even said that' Well, he'd implied it at the very least, he was sure of that much.

"And yes, I do have something of an agenda," he added as he stepped in. Now you've done it, Silver — his voice has switched from 'playful' to 'visionary, insane'. "I'm actually glad, to be honest, that you're not as familiar with this level of technology as I am, because in large part what I'm trying to do is develop modern technology that is accessible and usable by people without a lot of training. Yours are....more advanced, I suppose, than ones I'd put into public distribution, but the fundamentals are the same. So I'm very much looking forward to getting this up and running and having you as a willing participant in my fiendish experiment.

Then, right back to playful: "And I intend to flirt with you vigorously. It's a two-pronged agenda."

Hedronbot chose this moment to pick up. "You said prong."

Drake, quite slowly, looked sidelong towards the isocahedron. "Who taught you that sense of humor?"

"I adopted it ironically. Incidentally, didn't we just categorize your flirting as 'shameless', not vigorous?"

"It can and will be both," Drake said quite firmly.

Race Bannen

Date: 2010-06-07 20:03 EST
"All right minions! Listen up!" He called through the megaphone as ten men and women gathered around just outside of his office each one carrying a box or two labeled with contents.

"Let's keep this orderly. Rick and James you're on tech support. Mina and Secce you're secretaries alpha and beta. Michael, Isuelt, Bakara, and Winthrop, you're my security staff. Muriel you're my masseuse as always. Hctib Elttil, you're my advisor as always. Get to work my magnificent miscreants, we've an empire to establish!" Putting down the horn he opened the door and let them get to work as Rick and James were the first through the door to step up his computer system and following website on the Rhydin world web. On either side of his office door two large wooden desks were set up for Alpha and Beta to handle his day to day business as well as meeting schedules. And coffee. Mustn't forget the coffee.

Isuelt and Bakara started going over lists of security procedures, mainly deciding who got inside the office and who had door duty while Mike and Winthrop began memorizing names of cleared individuals to enter without appointment. Muriel went to get herself lunch.

As they all scurried along he stood watch like the taskmaster he was.

Rona Deykar

Date: 2010-06-07 20:15 EST
A bemused look was sent up to Silver as the plate of food of cup of tea was set before her.

Thoughtful look was cast down to the offering as she sat down at her desk, a smooth of the flowing skirt worn, a straighten of blouse even as one of those ribbons was drawn from her throat to lace and draw back the charcoal waves of her hair.

It had been long since she had breakfast or fed in the morning. Truth be told Colt and Silver were doing so much to make sure that the gypsy stayed healthy.

A dance of pencil against the desk top as her chin dropped in her hand. There was so much to do.

The breakfast finished and it seemed that Drake was already found, so now it was time to find the others that Silver requested.

Huffing out a nervous breath as that natural embered smile crossed her lips she went to find the pair that Silver was looking for.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-06-08 19:15 EST
Silver listened intently as Drake described the technology and his vision, doing everything she could to keep a straight face until Hedronbot decided to crack a joke. The Captain could hold it back no longer as her face broke into a wide grin and she laughed quietly. "Well"however it needs to get done".shameless or vigorous or both, so long someone teaches me how to use all this so it doesn't just take up space and gather dust."

She winked at Rona as she headed up the stairs to her office, only to be met near the top with the quite loud voice of Race. Silver stopped in the ascent, just in time to see a hoard of people file out of Race's office, a few heading in. It was like watching an ant farm at work. Or worker bees.

A single eyebrow arched, a warning sign to those who knew her, as she slid her gaze toward the office that was to the left of her own. This was a bit of overload. Ten minions" In her mind she had three; her two deputies and a secretary; yet she liked her secretary too much to consider her a minion. Race had ten"

"This office suite is not a carnival." She warned, shooting a glare at Race as the few minions in front of her parted to allow her and her two companions through. She walked into her office, making sure Drake and Hedronbot made it through unscathed. The box that was moments ago balanced in a hand was set on the edge of her desk, a plate with a breakfast sandwich, hashbrowns and a cup of steaming tea were set out before she rounded the desk and fell into her chair.

"Would you like anything?" She asked, looking up at Drake. "Tea" Hashbrowns" Breakfast sandwich?" Might as well feed the man who's here to help you install things, she mused, her smile reappearing as she dropped her hands to the desk. "Or shall we get started?"


Pslyder

Date: 2010-06-11 17:28 EST
The bike's engine a quiet whine of electricity as he pulled up in front of the Minister's building. Psly could've flown, but with everything he'd brought, it would've been problematic. The telecom wasn't an issue, but the 'special package" for just in case purposes, that had some heft to it.

Since Psly didn't have a parking spot set up yet, he took one of the out-of-the-way spots off in the back. It wasn't often that the receptionists happened to see a six-foot-three elf carrying a briefcase in one hand and a footlocker over the other shoulder, but to their credit, they at least acted like they'd gotten the memo about his appointment.

It wasn't hard to find his "office". Almost looked like someone cleaned out a closet for him. A large one, but barely enough room for a desk, three chairs, and a filing cabinet. No window, but that wasn't so bad. Closing the door, he eased the footlocker up onto the desk, and got to work putting the necessities of being away from home into various secret locations. Beneath the desk, behind the door, under the drawers. All the drawers, even the ones in the filing cabinet. Behind the filing cabinet. If there's one thing he'd learned in life, it's that you can't be too careful, or too well-prepared.

The footlocker, now empty, would go outside and wait until he'd departed for the day. Psly's next order of business was arranging for the telecom's installation. So, he jotted down an interoffice memo, and left that with one of the receptionists. He hung up the denim jacket on the corner of the door, and left it standing open, taking a seat behind the desk.

"Open fer biz, Ah guess.?

Brian Ravenlock

Date: 2010-06-14 13:11 EST
"Dad?"

"Yes, Nathressa?"

"Who do we get to see this time?"

"We are going to see Lady Starblade, the Minister of Trade and Commerce, my dear."

"You mean the Pirate Lady?"

Brian chuckled, as he replied..."Actually, I prefer the term Privateer, love. And I do not know if she is one or not, but I do know she is very capable, and will do a very good job at her post."

"Privateer, gotcha! Can I call her Cap'n?"

"How bout, you ask her, when we meet her, hmm?"

"Yeah I will, and then I will offer her a trade!". said the little Ravenlock.

"A trade?""

"Uh huh, I'm gonna trade her Aleyah for a banana!"

"Wait...You'll trade her your sister, for a banana..?"

"Yeah, trade and commerce!! Or should I hold out for a monkey instead?"

Brian shook his head...And mind you, Nathressa was the more calm of the two, and now apperantly more scheming...Brian looked to his daughter, as he arranged some folders in hand.

"No sister trading,...Yet. Now get your game face on, we're here."

Standing before the main doors, Nathressa could hear the controlled chaos inside, as she smiles that Ravenlock smile. "It's showtime, Daddy!"

"Game on, Nathressa," said Brian, as the door opened...Inside the Ravenlocks went.

Glancing about a moment, Brian found someone passing, as then addressed them.

"Pardon me, is the Minister in?"

The person, nodded and went along their way...Brian glanced to Nathressa, a bit as he tried again, and again, to no avail...The staff it seems were a finely working machine, and Brian could understand many not talking, as they had jobs to do...But Nathressa...Well, she did not.

So upon a near table did she climb, as she glanced around...A frown indeed, as she hopped down, and then dragged the table in the center of the area. Then she climbed it once more, and looked around...And at the top of her lungs, the little Ravenlock screamed aloud..

"HEY!! Get yer BOSS and tell her, my Dad the MINISTER is here to see her, and where is the little girls room, I gotta PEE!"

Ah yes, the Ravenlock Subtlety...Like her father, and mother...Like her late aunt Jewell, her uncle Alex, and aunt Jade, and so many other Ravenlocks...Being subtle was not something for Nathressa it seemed..

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-06-14 13:34 EST
Good lord it never ended.

Did someone let a loose child into the office"

Silver looked to Drake apologetically before she slipped past him and into the hallway again. First, she noticed Minister Ravelock and a little girl on a table waiting at the foot of the stairs. Second, she saw the door to the Deputy of Trade office open. And third, Race's minions, though working like a well tuned machine, were everywhere.

"Race!!!" She bellowed from her doorway. "Get these people situated somewhere and out of my hallways! And I need to see you before you leave!"

"Bloody hell." She muttered, shaking her head as she turned to the door in which Pslyder's office resided. She glanced in at the man. "I need to see you and Race before we close tonight"and welcome to the office. Please let m'secretary, Rona, know if you need anything." Silver flashed him a wary smile before she approached the top of the stairs and looked down at the huffing child and her smiling father.

"Well" welcome to you, too!" She called down the stairs with an amused smile. "Please, come on up. As for a bathroom, M'lady, you can find one under the stairs." Silver pointed down at the stairs below her feet. "Rona will show her up when she is done, Minister Ravenlock".or I bet if you ask nicely, Ro' might even have a trinket for the little lady."

Silver's eyes glittered, crinkling in the corners as her smile widened. "Minister Valkonan is already up here" he's going to show me how to work this technological stuff." She waved a hand as Brian began to climb the stairs turning to head back into her office and the waiting duo of Hedronbot and Drake. The "boxes" the robot had been holding were now piled neatly at the foot of her desk.

"What have I done to deserve this" Two good lookin" men in one room.? She winked, laughing quietly as she turned to perch on the edge of her desk, crossing her arms loosely and looking to both of the other Ministers.

Pslyder

Date: 2010-06-14 13:48 EST
"Sure thang, Miz Starblade."

He hadn't quite had much time to think of the whole protocol/addressing issue, but that would come fairly soon. Always does, when people work this close to one another.

First things first, he had a craving for a big cup of coffee. Once that's out of the way, he'd see about digging in to the no-doubt mile-high mountain of paperwork and tedium that came with an office job.

All for want of something to do. He chuckled quietly.

"Careful what?cha wish fer, neh?"

Race Bannen

Date: 2010-06-14 17:38 EST
At the sudden yell a scrunched look overcame his face. What the hell did I do now? Pushing out from his desk, Race popped his shaggy mane out the door to look at what she was talking about, noting Isuelt hitting on Beta...as usual. So. Up comes the bullhorn.

"MINIONS! Front and center! Rick, James, you still have work to do. Mike and Baka, take a break. Winny and Issy' Be scarce. Security is to observe and report. Not be seen. I am not afraid to replace you four with that group of ninja monkies that were advertising in the paper!"

The group paused a moment before scattering like cockroaches when the lights come on. Nothing but animated dust trails noting this direction or that. He looked at Silver then and smiled grandly before ducking back into his office to crack the whip on the techies.

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-06-15 11:30 EST
Graciously declining the offer of food, Drake took advantage of Silver's momentary absence to set up the stuff she and Rona really shouldn't touch. In cheerful defiance of both conventional computer design and the laws of physics, he quickly hung the potted fern with embedded wireless transceiver, then kicked one of the boxes into a corner where it unfolded into an oak filing cabinet full of server architecture. This he quickly labeled "Computer Stuff, Do Not Touch" in the hopes that Silver and her secretary would read and obey.

He didn't expect them to. That was part of the challenge.

Drake, at the moment Silver slipped back into his office, was unguarded. Seeing the rather silly smile on his face — the fond smile a father and man who just plain likes children adopts on hearing a kid do something cute. Yes, he'd thought that outburst was cute, quite probably because she wasn't his child and he didn't have to deal with any mortification from that. The smile quickly transmuted back to his sly one as he took notice of Silver's perching. What wasn't to appreciate?

Oh yeah, and the other minister, to whom he flashed a smile that wasn't flirtatious. Mustn't cross the streams, after all.

Hedronbot, though, spoke up — since it lacked the capacity to smile pleasantly. "Good morning, Minister Ravenlock."

Brian Ravenlock

Date: 2010-06-16 10:08 EST
Before Brian could even reply, Nathressa looked up to Silver, and offered a quick salute, coupled with a flashy grin indeed.

"Under the stairs, Aye Aye Cap'n!"

That said, she turned and hopped down from the table, to make for the ladies room...That was before she heard something..

"Trinkets?"", asked the little Ravenlock, as she glanced to Silver once more. Oh, Such a grin indeed, that formed upon the face of Nathressa, as she raced to the restroom.

"Loot for me!! Rawr! Have fun daddy!"

Shaking his head, Brian looked upwards, and offered a sincere smile to Silver, coupled with a two fingered salute, as he ascended. Following Silver, he glanced about a bit more so, taking in the scene about them. And more so, appreciating the flow of progress, indeed. A pleasant smile offered to Minister Valkonan, and Hendronbot in turn. Looking to Silver, he smiled once more, offering a somewhat bow in turn.

"Minister Silverblade, it is an honour to be here with you, and my apologies for not coming sooner. Minister Valkonan, a pleasure indeed."

A moment was taken,as he glanced to Hedronbot, "And a good morning to you."

Pondering a moment, Brian glanced to the door, wondering just what Nathressa could get herself into, within the confines of this controlled chaos, and more so, he was thankful that her sister Aleyah was not in tow. Looking back to Silver, he nodded once more, and continued.

"First off, thanks for taking the time, to have this sent to me. More so, taking the time to see me, when I know you are very busy. I had a look at the proposal, and like where it is headed. I see no issues what so ever, with moving foward on this, as well.So consider me on board, with this. I look foward to seeing this started and more so, seeing where we can go from there."

Glancing back to the door, as he no doubt heard Nathressa, he chuckled somewhat, looking back to Silver.

"And...Well, Nathressa here, may very well try to trade you her sister Aleyah, for a banana. I would advise against it, for the moment."

A sheepish grin taking form, as he nodded once more. Back to business indeed.

"So tell me, how fares everything for you all, Hmm?"

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-06-18 19:05 EST
Drake, assuming he's counted in "you all", tossed out a reply from somewhere near the ceiling. The scientist had actually jumped up to hook one hand around an exposed timber; now he hung from that hand while sticking a narrow rectangular box in a semi-hidden nook up there. It was a pretty impressive feat for an old guy (even if Drake didn't look it), which was the entire point. He was a grandfather for crying out loud. He had to remind himself he can still do this sort of thing.

"I get to screw around with technology, I'm doing good. If you have something important to talk to Silver about, feel free to cut in line, I just need to get her up to speed on all this technology, which is less important and probably a pretty long process. I'll just grab her back when you're done."

He let go, landing lightly on his feet. At least he hadn't felt obligated to do a flip or something. "In my fantasies that would be literal," he added with a wink at the lady Minister, and then almost as part of the same sentence Drake appended a clinical, "Hedronbot, please get that running."

Hedronbot didn't do anything obvious, but it must had satisfied the scientist, for he looked back to Brian. "I need to wire up your office, assuming you want it. We can talk whenever's good, I just need to know what your needs are and how tech-savvy you and your staff are for all this stuff."

Rona Deykar

Date: 2010-06-19 08:24 EST
The gypsy lifted a brow as a hand plunged through the charcoal waves of her hair. Lips pursed even as she looked over the schedules and requests for Silver.

Rona looked up again as the door opened and offered the warmth of her embered smile to both Minister Ravenlock and his daughter.

Of course she was not without her notice of Drake and Psylder and the others that had entered, but as per the typically quiet gypsy she rarely spoke about it.

"Yana, ah'm sure I can manage something."

A grin came from the gypsy as she looked from Minister Ravenlock, to Silver, to Ravenlock's daughter.

While the girl was occupied in the restroom, Rona could not help but offer a bemused look as Bey landed on her desk.

"You know you should ne be here. Donne think Silver be wantin' ane bird save fer a parro' here."

At that the raven ruffled his feathers, huffing out a silent sound before clicking his beak in feigned annoyance.

Her merry laughter escaped her at Bey's antics even as she looked through her desk drawers before a resigned sigh and fingers palmed the ribbons at her throat.

There was no bonding, no pull to that ribbon as it was withdrawn from its siblings.

Still there would be the magic and the protective ward that always came with Rona's soul ribbons.

This one a ribbon that appeared black but in the right light would flash deep lines of sapphire and amethyst.

The shade of a Raven's feather in morning light. She knelt down before the younger Ravenlock as she returned from the bathroom.

"Der now. Silver promised you a trinket, and ah canne be goin' agains' her wishes. Hold your hands out."

It seemed a humble and simple gift that the gypsy offered as she laced and wrapped the soul ribbon around the younger Ravenlock's wrist.

A smile was offered to the girl as she rose with a hint of wishful melancholy in her eyes before it was gone from those night emerald eyes.

"Le's ge' ye back te your pa, yana?"

Touching the girl's shoulder lightly she directed her to Silver's office and escorted her back over to the Minister Ravenlock.

"As promised, ah assured her safe return te your side."

She was silent then,ribbon claimed wrists pressed at the small of her back as she looked from Silver to Brian and Drake to confirm if anything else was needed before the gypsy would take her leave.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-06-19 11:06 EST
Silver's eyes slid skyward as she looked at the Minister of Science and Technology hanging precariously from her ceiling. Despite the amused smile, she couldn't help but hope he didn't fall from the beams.

She shook her head and looked back to Brian, extending a hand. "Don't think we've been formally introduced. Please, call me Silver."

Introductions out of the way and Drake back on the floor, she laughed quietly, reclaiming her perch on the edge of her desk. "Yes, this technology process is undoubtedly going to take a while, considering I know nothing about it. But, things are getting underway here. What about yourself, Minister?" Her eyes slid to Brian as a single brow arched in question.

It was then she heard the steps in the hallway and her eyes trailed behind Brian to the door. The gypsy and the young girl both entered, Silver noting the new ribbon the child wore. She couldn't help but flash a small smile in Rona's direction.

"I don't think I need anything else Ro'. Save for you to decorate...the entryway to the office is quite dismal and boring." She hoped that would give the gypsy something worthwhile to do - Silver knew how Rona enjoyed colors, and honestly, the bareness of the front office was uninviting. With a wink to the other woman, she regarded the rest of her company.


Brian Ravenlock

Date: 2010-06-22 11:29 EST
With a somewhat chuckle, Brian looked to the hanging Minister, and offered a nod in reply, most impressed with Drake's prowess indeed.

"Thanks, Minister. I'll keep it brief, since I am more than sure you have a full plate indeed, forgive me for cutting in like this, I thought it best to come over, in person, and my daughter wanted to meet everyone along the way...Of course, I personally, that is because she wants to expand her "network" as she puts it."

A shake of head, as he looked to the hanging minister once more.

"As to the tech, I had that taken care of, but thanks for the offer. In any case, feel free to come by, and have a look see if you wish."

That said, Brian looked to the door, as he smiled warmly seeing his eldest twin, and her escort. A bow offered to Rona, in turn, as he smiled once more in appreciation.

"Milady, thank you for seeing to Nathressa, here. I know she can be a handful at times."

Of course, that was Nathressa 's turn to chime in..

"Could be worse, Daddy. I could be Aleyah, heh! Oh yeah, Lookit! I got this ribbon, and it's sweet! Lookit! When I wave my wrist this way, woosh! It changes, kinda! Neat huh"!"

Nathressa then turned to Rona...The little Ravenlock's lilac eyes looking to the woman, as such a wonder, beheld the little one's eyes. The doorway to the soul, indeed. A huge smile taking form, as the child address the woman.

"I like you! Your colours are soothing, too!"

Turning to Brian, Nathressa continued. "Dad, she is nice! Can I trade her, for Aleyah, instead of the banana" I mean this is trade and commerce right?"

Brian stood there stunned a moment, as he nearly facepalmed. Instead, he smiled to the little Ravenlock, and shook his head.

"Sweetheart, we cannot do that, as I am sure the Minister frowns upon people trading, and more so, this fine lady, has work to do here, no?"

"Okay , okay...So no go for the banana, either?"

"No my heart, no go on the banana trading."

The little one quieted down, and pondered, obviously plotting her next move, as a little hand stroked her chin softly..

"Well played father, I shall remain quiet while I ponder my next course of action."

That said, Brian smiled to Silver once more, taking her hand, as he bowed in kind, "Silver, it is a true pleasure, and please call me Brian, or Raven. Whichever you wish, is fine with me. As to the technology, we are fairly versed, as my ventures have taken me abroad, enough. However some things still take some getting used to, as I am sure you all are vastly aware of."

Another smile offered to Rona, in turn and another to Silver.

"It seems, Nathressa here has some designs, in mind. But before that, this proposal that was sent to me, seems like something very interesting, indeed and I will offer any support you require of course."

Rona Deykar

Date: 2010-06-23 19:02 EST
A curious look was dipped down to the young Raven as an embered smile curled upon her lips as she laughed quietly and bowed her head in appreciation of the compliments. It took a bit of control to not reach for the back of her neck and touch at the brand that rested on the flesh hidden by the charcoal waves of hair.

A flash of memories came to play, glittered in a dark flame at pupils as she drew in a sharp breath before Silver's words drew her attention and she found herself looking around the room again, recollecting where she was.

Fingers smoothed nervous patterns through the ribbons at her throat and wrists as she flashed Silver a reassuring smile as she noticed the worried look in those blue eyes.

She found herself looking upon Brian then with another bow of head.

"She was hardly ah burden, her company was appreciated...been some time since ah have been 'round children."

Night emeralds brought down to lilac depths with an affectionate look. Soul born eyes indeed, smoldering with that hidden wealth of magic, the dark fissures of power that rolled through her spirit and perhaps marred her....a reason she believed deep down was the true reason that Kusinage had decided to end it all.

Colt seemed transfixed by her....gifts....but she couldn't help but wonder on the promise of love in her life.

Did he wish children? A furious blush colored her cheeks as she grinned down to Nathressa, yes it was too soon to think on such things as children.

Another curl of ribbons as she looked up to the other Minister, the deep fathoms of those emeralds lingering there before she was smiling to them all.

"If ye will fergive me...ah should return te the office te ge' some work done."

The dancer's curtsy as she waited for official dismissal to be offered.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-06-26 18:26 EST
Silver nodded to Brian. "Good, I will see that the papers are signed off on then and the request goes through for the land. Thanks for your approval."

Her eyes befell Brian's daughter, her smile widening at the young girl's antics. No doubt she was a handfull. Silver looked up and winked at Rona before she crosses her arms loosely, glancing back to Drake and Hedronbot.

"I don't have any other business as of now..." she looked between the other two Ministers. "Other than getting this technology up and running. But if there is anything I can help you with, please do not hesitate to ask...and your daughters are always welcome to visit. Maybe, with your father's approval..." Silver's eyes dropped back down to Nathressa. "I'll give you a tour of m'ship another day. You can be an honorary pirate."


Brian Ravenlock

Date: 2010-06-28 02:55 EST
Brian offered a smile to Silver, as he nodded in kind.

"Wonderful, I can't wait to see how this all pans out."

Brian watched, as Nathressa was addressed, and more smiled, as his daughter's eyes literally lit up!

"A tour of the ship!" A real ship, like a Pira—- I mean Privateer ship! And an honorary Pirate too!" Oh WOW!! Daddy didja here that!" I'm gonna be all like 'ARGH!' an 'Give up yer boo-tay ya tax fattened hyenas!!"

This of course was followed with a series of grimaces, and rather eventful goose stepping, for a moment. And as abruptly as it began it had ceased, as Nathressa, looked to Silver, and saluted rightly.

"Oh Cap'n, my Cap'n!"

Brian of course, did what any proud adventuring father would do, in a situation, such as this..

He facepalmed..

Smiling to the ladies, he looked to Nathressa, and chuckled.

"You could have just thanked her proper, sweetie."

"No daddy, I'm gonna pillage proper, ARGH!"

"Gods help yer mother, child...Let's shove off them, eh Nathressa?"

As he guided the child, er...Possible fledgling privateer, to the door, he offered another smile to the ladies, and mouthed a 'thank you' to Silver, and Rona, and then a wave to Drake, and the bot.

"Daddy weren't you a pirate once?"

"That was a long time ago, sweetie."

"Like when you and Uncle Dark, with the other guys stole Governor Kitty's ship, and took it to the isle of Lez-bos?"

"Something like that, baby."

"I wanna an eye patch, and a pirate cat, like Jean-Luc! Parrots poop on ya."

"Yer not a pirate sweetie."

"Not a pirate yet, daddy."

Thus another facepalm, as Bri bid them farewell.

"See you all soon, and thank you all."

He smiled, watching his daughter bolt down the hall, slashing at an imaginary foe, with no doubt, a rapier of some sort.

What a grand visit indeed, and he had hoped it was the first of many others.

Drake Valkonan

Date: 2010-07-07 11:05 EST
Drake ran an analysis of the wireless signal and transmission protocols purely for an excuse to keep his grin hidden, though he offered a wave over his shoulder when the Minister and Family said their farewells. "Cute kid," he commented to Silver once he got control of his expression again. He banished the holographic screen he'd summoned with a wave of his hand as he turned, only to spot Silver's own smile vanish as she eyed the space where the display had been.

"Technology AND magic?" she said, arching one eyebrow. "I can't handle both."

The scientist took a moment to process that — then remembered that people generally tended to think of the two as separate. For a moment he debated an explanation of Clarke's Law and the fine points of manipulating the worlds by use of principles and laws — and, yeah, no making Silver's head explode. "Oh! Don't worry, they're the same thing." And before she could worry about THAT too much, he added, "And I want you to keep one thing in mind through this whole process..."

"And that is?" she said, not bothering to hide her skepticism.

"I," Drake said, inwardly pleased that he'd though of this comparison, "have absolutely no idea how to sail a ship. I don't even know the teminology besides aft and fore and starboard and port. So if at any point you start feeling dumb, just imagine me tied up in the ropes or falling overboard or something, because I totally would if you were the one teaching me." This was not entirely true. Drake was also familiar with the term 'hull'. Other than that....he knew exactly how much he wasn't exaggerating.

That brought Silver's smile back, as he'd hoped; he liked seeing it, as that particular lopsided quirk of the lips made her dimple. "Well, I suppose that helps," she said, laughing as she crossed her arms. "Though I don't want to burden you with my inability to use all this when you have an entire ministry to run."

"This is part of my ministry, too, so this is business as well as pleasure. My goal is to make it usable!" He clapped his hands together, rubbing them gleefully, as he paraphrased the Valkonan family motto. "And mistakes and difficulties are the best way to learn." The actual motto was "Explosions mean progress." He rather suspected Silver would not find this reassuring.

"Fabulous." Silver laughed again as she turned to eye the display and printer on her desk. "Where does this start?"

"Well, we're starting basic. Cell phone, or computer" Picking randomly is fine," he added.

"I have no idea what a cell phone is...and I'm vaguely aware that this..." She pointed a single finger toward the computer on the desk. "Is a computer. That's the extent of my technological knowledge."

And that was better than Drake had hoped! He was starting to feel outright optimistic about this venture. "That's why I said picking randomly was okay." He winked at her.

"Um....computer?"

"Okay! Let's start with the basics!" He cleared his throat, adopting something of a more professorial tone entirely in keeping with his labcoat. " The basic of a computer is this: it's a calculator. A really, really, really fancy calculator that has a really, really big memory."

"So I just calculate stuff?" Silver asked. The more Drake heard the skepticism in her voice the more he became determined to banish it. She ounded her desk to slide into her chair. Wheeling closer to the screen, she reached into a drawer, pulling out a calculator and holding it up. "I actually know how to use these."

"Then we're off on a good track." Drake shut his mouth before he could start referencing teraflops, gigahertz, memory speed or I/O bandwidth. One quick revision to layman's terms later, he said, "Now, the trick is, this thing does more calculations in a moment than you can even imagine, so it can do some really fancy things. One of the best uses for it in an office is creating and storing information."

"Okay." She set the calculator down and looked from Drake to the computer. He could almost see the questions fighting to get past her restraint, but with a little flash of guilt he didn't prompt her for them, hoping his explanations would answer some as they went.

"First lesson, what are the parts." He pointed at each in turn, naming the computer, monitor, mouse, keyboard, and printer to her. "The computer is where are the functional parts are. The monitor shows you what?s going on. The keyboard and mouse are how you interact with it. The printer puts stuff on paper. " Then, knowing she was bound to be confused with that list, he added, "That's just an overview so you'll get more as we work."

"Oookay...." Her eyes darted about as she followed his finger, though as he finished describing the parts they lingered on mouse. "What does the mouse do?" Silver picked it up, flipping it over before setting it back down. "I gather this thing..." She pointed to the keyboard. "Is how I"m supposed to enter in information, considering it's got letters and numbers."

"Well, this leads into lesson two: turnin' it on. That's easy enough." Oh, Drake was very pleased with himself here. How many times had he heard of people turning the monitor on and off and wondering why the computer didn't reboot' He tapped the little black box that was his most obvious external modification to the standard computer setup. Its buttons clearly read "EVERYTHING", "MONITOR", "COMPUTER," "PRINTER".

"So do I just hit the everything button?" Silver's finger shot out as she asked, pushing it before her question was even finished. First success! Drake mentally pumped his fist as everything turned on — with a friendly beep from each device. That too he'd customized, since the devices themselves ran startlingly quiet. If she wasn't afraid of it so far, his user-friendliness improvements were paying off!

On came the monitor, with a friendly screen that says "Now powering on! Please be patient!" Silver let out a surprised little, "Oh!", her expression wavering from discomfort to relief. "Okay then."

"I tried to keep this pain-free," Drake murmured to her reassuringly.

The screen flashed to a large smiley face, with words that match a pleasant if clearly artificial voice. "Hello, and welcome to your new computer! Are you the person who will be using this computer the most' You may say your answer, or type 'yes' or 'no' followed by hitting the 'enter' key on your keyboard."

"Um, what? And why is it talking?" Silver stared incredulously at the screen before her hands planted on the desk and she leaned around one side, then the other. "Can it see me?"

With a mental wince and a note to provide more first-boot explanation, Drake said, "It's interactive. It can hear what you say. I didn't go with camera input, I figured that would be too much."

"Who can hear me" Every one can hear me?" She sat back in her seat, staring at the screen again. "I don't want people hearing me!"

...Who would Silver think was hearing her" He couldn't even begin to fathom this line of thinking. "Well, the computer isn't a person." Then a though struck him, and he smiled. "I mean, it's not intelligent, not like Hedronbot. It's just another way to tell it what you want to do, or what it needs to know.

"Oh....so only the computer hears me?" Silver glanced from Hedronbot to the computer. "It doesn't repeat things....does it?" She winced slightly. Well, she was a sailor....

Why did sailors have such notoriety for language, anyway' "Well, you're talking out loud, so people around you could hear, but I promise I'll keep it in confidence." He crossed his heart solemnly, hoping to make her smile. "You can *tell* it to record what you're saying, but it won't do it unless you want it to, and it won't send your voice to anyone."

She did smile, which was a relief, then looked back to the screen.

((Shamelessly adapted from play.))

Race Bannen

Date: 2011-05-25 19:01 EST
"Certainly will miss things."

Being somewhat certain that the next governor wouldn't need the Ministers and their underlings, Race sat at his desk carefully coordinating his "minions" while rolling the bottle of rum from Silver between his hands. Certainly had been very rocky between the attacks and then the Governor's disappearance. He still didn't know what to think. Then again he couldn't explain his own absense during that period. Though certainly he'd have to try when confronted about it. Brow creased in thought, he gazed down at the green ring on his right middle finger. "An Otaku with a power ring. Some one must have made a mistake." Reaching over he turned up the volume on his headset as the next song came through his player.

"Hey boss, just letting you know we have everything ready just in case the next guy dismantles the current system."

Race didn't even look up to see who said it, just waved them away as he went back to rolling the bottle between his fingers and carefully weighing the pieces. "Runnin through the Tomb of Horrors with a plus two dagger...where do they come up with this stuff?" Chuckling he pressed skip to something else.

Race Bannen

Date: 2011-05-27 16:32 EST
A lean taken against his door, Race watched new people come in and those not retained under the new administration go out. "Well this was a blast." With a small grin he dismissed his minions to return to the CCL main office. With summer came the busy season where wood product was in higher demand as well as more recycling efforts to be put in place.

"Guess I had best go and give the new gov'na my respects and luck." A faint vibrating came from his waist causing the former Deputy of Commerce to look at his cell. "Or not..." With a groan he slid it from the case and pushed the little green button. "Yeah Marcelo, what is it' No I didn't get that thing you sent me. Stop watching Harvey Birdman. Anyway, remember that property we procurred last year" File to have it rezoned now that we have the soil issue fixed. This city needs a theme park. And a major distraction. See about getting thirty percent of the profits directed to Rhydin Town treasury as a tax like they do to casinos on Earth."

Pausing he listened to the outrage on the other end for a moment then counted to ten. "Are you done" Good. New business means new jobs plus we can rent out a pavilion to for other organizations around town. Every endeavor is a multi-pronged assault, you know this. Now see to it." Whistling gently he began to walk towards the front door.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-06-01 20:01 EST
Silver glanced around her now empty office. It was depressing how bare it was. The wooden lighthouse that sat next to the door was moved into her office at Starblade Shipping and the long desk that used to occupy a majority of the room had gone with it. Her nautical instruments had been moved, some to her ship, others to the warehouse. The coin that had been placed under the floorboard by her desk was now dancing through her fingers.

It had been entertaining, if not busy.

But as all administrations come and go, so did the Ministers. She flipped the coin in the air, watching it flip over before her fingers plucked it out of the sky and placed it in a pocket. The former Minister of Trade and Commerce bent down, picking a bottle of rum off the floor. She had been remiss in her duties the last few months....personal life had called. Though her deputies had run the office just fine in her absence, she still would miss it, not to mention the other Ministers she had come to know.

The door clicked quietly behind her as she moved into the hall and descended the stairs, the voice of her Deputy reaching her ears. "...Every endeavor is a multi-pronged assault, you know this. Now see to it.." Silver cracked a smile, pausing at the landing to raise the bottle of rum and wave it back and forth.

"One last hurrah, Deputy?"

Race Bannen

Date: 2011-06-01 20:12 EST
"Only if you wear that little blue number.." he quipped without missing a beat coming to a stop by his former boss. Glancing around momentarily with a faux whimsical sigh Race set his eyes on Silver.

"Certainly was a blast while it lasted. What are you to do now?" In that second the mogul did something uncharacteristic...he turned off his phone.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-06-01 20:24 EST
The smile faltered as she glared at Race and his mention of the 'little blue number". She still did not know what the hell she was thinking with that little stunt. The bottle of rum was lowered to the railing as she took a lean against it, a single shoulder shrugging in response to his question.

"Go back to my business full time. With the summer coming, shipping prospects and cargo hauls will be at a high demand. Need to earn money before hurricane season and before the winter rolls in again." Her eyes strayed to the window where her the bow of her ship was visible from this vantage point. "Not like I have far to go to get to my office."

The dimples reappeared again as she looked back to Race. "And you, Rabbit' Going back to your trees?"


Race Bannen

Date: 2011-06-01 20:33 EST
"Actually I'm going to have that land rezoned for a theme park. I"m thinking all of the female staff will be clones of Kitty Helston, that way I don't have to hire security. Course for use of her likeness I'd have to come up with some form of compensation, you think she'd want a lifetime pass or seasonal family passes?" Quirks a brow at Silver while flashing a crooked little grin.

"Going to stand there all night or pop that top?" Motions to the bottle as he lifted his hands up and stretched out with a groan.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-06-01 20:39 EST
"God help Rhy'din with you at the helm of a theme park." Silver shook her head, chuckling quietly. This, would indeed, be interesting.

"What are you going to do with all that timber, if I might inquire...." A single brow arched, her lopsided smile reappearing. Sitting around waiting for business never made anyone money.

"What' We're going to stand here and drink? While I'm all for being able to get drunk any time, anywhere, the least we could do is sit down."

The former Minister pushed off the railing and instead of leaving the office, she lowered herself down to sit on the stairs that led up to their former workspace. She yanked the cork out of the bottle, tossing it up over the railing before she patted the step next to her with her free hand, inviting Race to sit down.

The bottle was lifted for a rather unladylike long pull of rum before it was passed to the man next to her. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before draping her arms across her legs. "Hate to say it, but I might miss this place. Have you seen Plsyder by the way' That man is like a gnome....you never know where or when he's going to pop up."

Race Bannen

Date: 2011-06-01 20:53 EST
"Not a clue where he's at. But then I tended to stick to my own guns. I'm sure he'll turn up somewhere." Easing himself down, Race took the bottle and paused a moment.

"Even though this town in itself is a theme park, I think a distraction like that would be good. Maybe have a geisha pavillion, a few beer gardens, some random stuff that teleports customers around the park mocking the nexus." Finally takes his turn at the bottle and hands it back after enjoying the slow burn. Rum, it always cleared his sinuses.

"All of that lumber'd build the park of course. Going to try and incorporate as much of the land into the constructions as possible, bring in elven woodshapers, some earth movers. Give it a natural element. Have to talk to a few historians, because I'm thinking the them of the whole park will just poke fun at Rhydin in general. All of its peculiarities. You know, give birth in one of the beer gardens and win a cupey-doll." Shrugs though the thought makes him grin completely.