Just a nice lil' laid back thread for phylus. :) No rush 'cause I know you're uber busy. -- Tria 9th, 81382 Council Chamber, Ajita http://shadowlack.com/persona.php?id=54Lakmir</a> & http://shadowlack.com/persona.php?id=542Koani Grader</a> Stepping into the dimly lit room was like walking into a tomb. Every surface was cold and hard. It had never been a very welcoming place. It was a place of authority. A place where decisions were made for the greater good. As Koani walked further in, she was detected by a motion sensor that then coaxed several more lights to life. In the middle of the room stood the Council's now unused table. It was this that Koani was immediately drawn toward. Lakmir wasn't here yet, and it certainly had been quite a while since she had last been in this room. Standing beside the table now, the Grader touched it tentatively with her right hand. The stone surface was frigid to the touch. A chill ran down her spine, causing her line of quills to quiver noticeably. Keeping contact with the very tips of her fingers, Koani let them trail along the table's edge. It was in front of the Grader's insignia where she came to a fluid stop. The regal crest was carved flawlessly into the stone. While different from her own insignia that was tattooed on her hand, they were made up of the same design elements. Koani reached forward and traced the lines of the crest before resting her palm on top of it. The table, much like many of the Grader's relics, was enchanted with magic. It was just the sort of thing that Jaceen would squeal over. Smiling faintly to herself, Koani closed her eyes and deliberately focused her energy on the crest. She felt it pulse in sudden recognition underneath her palm. In a way, Koani likened its response to that of a pet: happy and excited to have its owner home. Although the table remained completely stationary, inside it had been awoken.
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font face=verdana style="font-size:12px; line-height:16px;"> The sun cast long shadows in the fading day. Clouds hung in the air without menace. The wind, barely felt its breath was so weak, tugged them along against a backdrop of slow-moving sunflower orange faded mauve. He moved his sight up along the grey stone steps before his feet actually advanced upon them. His footsteps were punctuated by the clap of hard-heeled shoes, ones that he wore on while on serious business, the ones that seemed to make his presence all the more stifling and prominent. Peculiar... his political agenda that day had looked clear thus far. Clack-clack-clack. The hallways echoed with impendence. There the sun shot its last rays of day through the entrance, a cavernous mouth, and lit a stoic stone interior. Lakmir looked on at it pensively, although his expression seemed hazed over by clouds of milling thought. His tongue rolled within his jaws like it was waiting and ready, passing the time. In fact, it was actually rolling with unspoken and imminent word. For who? Clack-clack-clack. His attire that day was formal, in that, the crisp lines of his suit showed a thought-out ironing job. Otherwise, it was nothing beyond a pin-striped suit -- sooty ash, not too loose but not too tight, and definitely not very sharp, like the suits of the metropolitan. His hair had been brushed back tight behind his head into a ponytail. Not one strand was missed. Clack-clack-clack. And then, he turned. <font color=cyan>"Hello Koani."</font> </td></tr></table>
Koani was aware of Lakmir's approach even before she picked up the sound of his purposeful footsteps. She would have liked to have been able to say it was his sixth sense that alerted her. Sometimes, yes, she was more in tune with her senses and quite rightly the offspring of Karryasa. However, today she was distracted. What had alerted her instead was the table. It had been thrumming contentedly under her hand... until it had noticed him. For an inanimate object, the Council's table almost seemed to have a life of its own. Koani knew that it was only imbued with magic, but by Fronna, it sure knew a purer bloodline when it felt one approaching. Even though it remained stationary underneath her palm, she could feel its essence leaping around in order to get closer to Lakmir. She turned away from the table, letting her touch linger briefly before taking hold of her left wrist. It was then then that she heard those familiar footsteps. Clack-clack-clack. It was the sort of noise that could easily drive someone into a panic. When Lakmir entered the room, Koani politely smiled in greeting. “Evening Uncle Lakmir'ba. How's the day faired you?" It was small talk of course, but then Koani didn't know just what exactly this meeting was going to entail. Lakmir was dressed for business, and so was she. Although Koani was sporting a little more business casual look with her short sleeved beige top and earth green trousers. Koani couldn't help but get a sense of foreboding as she looked at him. What perhaps unnerved her the most were the subtle similarities between Lakmir and her late father.
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font face=verdana style="font-size:12px; line-height:16px;"> OOC: sorry about my slow replying. i'm still trying to work myself into Lakmir, get a good feel for him. might be easier after i draw him. how did you imagine him dressing? putting him in a suit was just funny for me. ;P --- The sleek sable table held his attention momentarily. He regarded it with a peculiar intimacy, and then let the thought dissipate. His eyes next alighted onto Koani with great purpose. Although he wasn't the easiest guy to read, it was pretty evident that Lakmir had something reeling in the back of his head. He wanted something. Unfortunately for him, he had to work through the spawn of his late brother to get what he wanted. Accustomed to the direct, forward manner the majority of his business partners and general public addressed him with, he was not anticipating their meeting... it felt likely that the two were going to quibble. The question did not require thought, although it did spur the older arden to take to mind the advents of that day thus far. <font color=cyan>"Well enough,"</font> he began casually as he sided against a chair, letting his hand run against its smooth frame, <font color=cyan>"I was at the Neurotech Facility this afternoon..."</font> Judging by his tone, he had built up a tent of opinions from his day trip and if Koani wasn't careful enough, she could spur the whole river of them to pour out from past the dam of his lips. The pressing matter that he'd come to address was put on hold now that she'd diverted his interest onto his day's journey. Mind you, it was definitely not going to be forgotten about. </td></tr></table>
Um... He'd probably be able to pull off wearing dress robes pretty well. Not like Harry Potter, but like... fancier Jedi knight with attitude, lol. He could totally be a Jedi. -- Koani nodded her head slightly, still feeling hesitant. She had never exactly been on the best of terms with her father. There were even times when she got the feeling of resentment from him. Lakmir on the other hand, well, she'd never been too sure of him. Unlike most families, the Graders seemed to lack a certain camaraderie. Everyone just existed on their own, bound more so through honour than by blood. At the very least she knew that she could trust him. “Neurotech? Business then? I don't supposed you stopped in to see Talis. I talked to him a few days ago," Koani remarked. Indeed she had talked to Talis recently, and like always, he was still upset with her. He'd been disagreeable ever since he lost his position when the Council of Twelve was disbanded... and had started to make it his business to poke his nose into her affairs. “Would you like to take a seat?" she asked as she indicated the chair that Lakmir had come up against. “Unless of course you don't anticipate this taking long..." She fixed Lakmir with a quizzical look. She couldn't help but be curious.
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font face=verdana style="font-size:12px; line-height:16px;"> OOC: AHCK. i just realized i've been spelling Koani's name wrong the entire time. sorry. :x that's embarrassing. pleasepleaseplease let me know if there's anything i can do to make Lakmir more Lakmiresque! ---- <font color=cyan>"Talis? Yes, of course. We talked for a while..."</font> he began with a certain quaky line of displeasure growing on his lips, faulting an otherwise reserved expression. <font color=cyan>"Without him on the Council, we as a state need to know more about Neurotech's activities. Neurotech plays a fairly important role in our health care, and also in the economy. Although they make to play as if they are transparent in whatever they do, there is now distance between government and the facility with Talis removed."</font> It wasn't unusual for Lakmir to pick up a subject as specific as this. Yet his words had a manner of flow to them. They were headed into a direction that his niece probably already foresaw. Curtly nodding at the invitation to sit, the arden pulled the chair from its place so that it could accommodate his angular body. It slid over top the cool floor without a noise. The silence of precision and age-wisened motion. Lakmir took a seat, placing one palm against the table's cool surface. Beneath his touch he could feel the pulses of energy leap then pool, no question in its strength or direction. He gave a brief smile of recognition. Grader ingenuity was hard to beat, even in this day and age. But when he returned his attention to Koani, the rigidity of business returned to his features. The matter at hand was important. <font color=cyan>"I... how have you, or Meurrin, adjusted to this gap?"</font> This issue stood as only one in a complex that swam in the Grader's head, although this nit-pick problem was just that: a nit-pick. He was, like a fish to a worm, nibbling at Koani's ability to run the government she had so wittily crafted. His eyes, one bright and gleaming like the way one would imagine the earth's heart might, studiously steadied on his niece's face. Within her, he saw reflections of his brother. Time glazed, details lost, just a minute. Then, remembering, he spoke: <font color=cyan>"There is something of Zamfir's that I would like."</font> </td></tr></table>
It's cool, and I think you're doing pretty awesome with him so far. Just make 'im your own. ^_^ -- Koani claimed the seat adjacent to Lakmir's and tucked her right leg behind her left. She was glad that he had chosen to sit down; it helped to alleviate some of the tenseness that she had been beginning to feel. Although unlike Lakmir, she didn't touch the table. “I appreciate your counsel, Lakmir'ba, just as I appreciate Talis'. Despite his removal, his voice on the Council has not been silenced. I suppose he's just the type that I've found better works when kept at arm's length." It was a partial truth. While Koani liked Talis well enough as an individual, he was almost impossible to work with on a business level. He was very manipulative, and more than once he'd steered the Council's meetings into directions that suited his own agenda. Koani supposed that he was mostly driven by his own ego as well as his attraction to drama. “Meurrin has been doing fantastic. The Council itself isn't without its flaws though, as we aren't perfect beings. However, I believe we've got a sturdy foundation." This seemed a lot like idle chatter to Koani. She was already fairly aware of Lakmir's displeasure with the new Council. Had he come here just to speak to her about that? They were certainly in a pointed meeting place if that was the case. “Besides, without Talis under my nose, it makes it a little easier to overlook his other, ah, questionable past-times. We have a little bit of an agreement." It was true that Neurotech operated transparently. Pretty much all of Trilok kept pretty silent in regards to its tests and experiments. While most of the experiments were innocent and for the betterment of the planet, there were a few that were rather questionable. “Something of Zamfir's?" Koani echoed, the metal in her ears gave a musical jangle as they perked up. Was this why Lakmir was really here? “What?"
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font face=verdana style="font-size:12px; line-height:16px;"> <font color=cyan>"Perhaps the reason for my doubt is that, simply, that I've yet to be able to observe those meetings to see that foundation."</font> Although the statement could've come off as more than a little accusative, Lakmir only meant the truth. The Council's meetings were not readily accessible to all and everyone -- every activity could not be framed in a room of glass like those at Neurotech. Perhaps he was setting a suggestive stage for Koani, whom he looked at with great severity, or maybe he was not trying to hint at all. Being of Grader lineage, however, the 'noble' arden believed he was in position enough to be oversee the Council's gatherings. By blood, he had a duty... It could be said, at times, his belief in Grader integrity made Lakmir slightly pompous. <font color=cyan>"Yes, something of my brother's."</font> The statement found both verbal reaffirmation and physical reaffirmation, that being a slight dip of the arden's silver-speckled maw. The sinking sun cast its amber-glow rays on the stony room as if it were making the efforts to warm the otherwise chill scene. It had minimal success and instead cast one side of Lakmir's face in solid shadow. <font color=cyan>"A pendant, specifically. I'm sure you know which I'm talking about. Zamfir wore it often it enough."</font> Indeed, the pendant had hung around his proud brother's neck on most occasions, although more than not, all that was visible of it was the dark, thick cord it was strung on. The rest slid into hiding beneath the day's wear. <font color=cyan>"It was with him when he passed away... I should've thought to speak about it sooner, but, of course, other things have come up."</font> In honest, it might've been more accurate for Lakmir to have said 'but, of course, some things are easier to speak about than others', but his rigid expression fought to stay in place. His left hand, further from the humming table, reached up to scratch lightly at his chin. <font color=cyan>"Do you know where it is, Koani?"</font></td></tr></table>
A small smirk pulled at the corner of Koani's lips. Lakmir was a Grader, through and through. He kept his remarks purposely vague, and in doing such left them open to a lot of interpretation. It was this sort of allowance for “wiggle room" and carefully laid sentences that often made their family quite formidable manipulators. “Of course, you do understand that I'm not in any position to give you observation privileges. Although if it were brought up, I'm fairly certain the rest of the Council would not object to your presence. Seeing how you did serve before." Koani answered. She personally would not have minded if Lakmir wished to involve himself more... there just was the rest of the Council to contend with now, as well as their hidden veto figure, who could just as easily say yes as they could say no. Although Koani had been readying herself for Lakmir's inevitable question, when he hit her with it, all of her preparation and resolve took off without a second glance. Inside she was a ticking clockwork of emotions. However, from those emotions quickly sprung one strong and heated one: anger. While Koani did her best to mask her facial expressions, she could not do nearly as much for her eyes, which became sharp and stony. “Yes, I know the pendant," she answered. Zamfir had been inseparable from it... right up until his death anyway. “He..." Koani paused, momentarily unsure about how to phrase her next words without sounding too callous. “I really don't know why, but he entrusted it to Cayson. My Cay'ni who doesn't have a magical bone in his body." Despite how she affectionately referred to Cayson, Koani's words had a slight edge to them. She didn't like Cayson being in possession of the pendant. He'd had weak ties to Fronima ever since he was born; even his tail remained embarrassingly unlit most of the time. “You could possibly ask him for it..."
<center><table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font face=verdana style="font-size:12px; line-height:16px;"> His fingers were knobbed with age and work but still managed to retain a feline eloquence, one that seemed uncharacteristic of an arden of Lakmir's appearance. Those of his left, once scratching chin, remained where they were but now held the posture of thought instead of scratch. Pensive, he took in all her words with great care... concrete expression unfailing to take on a remarkable similarity to the now gone Zamfir. <font color=cyan>"Of course, it is the decision of the Council... I understand this."</font> Although he refrained it from leaving his mouth, there was a sarcasm that hung about in his body long after those words left. The Council... of Thirteen. Despite the public silence he'd maintained during the birth of Koani's governing career, he'd despised the Council of Thirteen that she'd created and had, more than once, requested that she'd change her decision shortly after it'd been made. Although the Graders were not exempt from political decision making, their bloodline had been severed as royalty. More as if, no longer was it within all promise that the Graders would have Ramath under their watchful eye. Graders like himself. The air in the room shifted ever so subtly. The tiny hairs coating the outsides of his ears like peach fuzz stood on end. Maybe the humming table had something to do with it. Like Koani's eyes, it too had a sharp and stony appearance... however, that was its daily wear and scrutinizing those qualities would've probably revealed nothing about the funny weather. Lakmir's one-eyed gaze faltered to it anyway. <font color=cyan>"With Cayson?"</font> He could hardly mask the rude lacquer of surprise to his words. 'The dead are more perplexing than the alive,' he thought with a hanging note of irony. Outside, he quickly collected himself and advanced on the topic carefully, not wanting to step on soft spots about his niece's son. <font color=cyan>"You feel it's wiser for me to ask, than for you to, Koani? He is your son, afterall."</font> Obviously, he didn't look forward to having a chat with the little nullfire. Lakmir and Cayson actually had a rather neutral relationship, so it wasn't likely that they'd be quick to ignite any sort of... argument. It was more that Lakmir just didn't want to go about doing the dirty work, particularly when there was somebody to work from the inside and do it for him. He tapped his chin with a claw. But Lakmir understood when circumstances called for a little dirt beneath the nails. Most certainly, he was no stranger to them. </tr></td></table>
Koani felt her gut steel itself, reflecting her still sharp gaze. She wasn't entirely sure if it was intentional, but Lakmir had a certain way of making her feel naive. He was a lot like her father in that respect. Koani knew that he did not approve of the Council... however, at the time of Zamfir's death it had seemed like the only viable option. Give the public the illusion of distributed power, let them feel as if they have more of a say through the Council... Above all, it had been an opportunity to reintroduce herself and albeit deceivingly, regain trust. She was a lukuo after all, and whisperings of the rapine had been on her coattails for years. The public had been suspicious of her, yet with the sudden death of Zamfir, the confusion that followed, and then the introduction of the Council, she was able to whisk away those doubts. Of course, there were those who did not agree. Lakmir and Vythe being her closest associates. She and Vythe had argued the topic to death. Vythe had been Zamfir's right-hand man after all and was very much rooted in tradition (not to mention the fact that he wanted to be the Magos to her Magosai). “I believe so. Cay knows that I do not wish for him to have that pendant. It's much too valuable for it to be in his possession. He may have been born my son, but ah. We're only tied by blood and not much more." Koani gracefully flexed the fingers on her right tattooed hand before letting them rest in her lap once more. While Koani did not have as much influence over Cayson as she'd like, there was no doubt in her mind who did. “Jaceen has the best probability of getting it from him. We would just need to coerce her."
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td><font face=verdana style="font-size:12px; line-height:16px;"> OOC: -cackles. maniacally.- ---- <p style="text-align:justify"><font color=cyan>"We'll talk to Jaceen then..."</font> purred the lion from the chambers of his chest, his words sounding rich and pleased as if he'd eaten a rather large meal. Why the smug satisfaction? The one-eyed arden had heard Koani invite herself, unknowingly or not, into his plan. “Jaceen has the best probability of getting it from him. We would just need to coerce her." And with that one slip of a word he could make up one damn presumptuous agenda. While he smirked none there was as sharp twinkle cast in his one good eye. It laughed just like the stars in the sky laughed. Then again, Koani herself made the admission that she too felt Cayson's possession of the pendant was beyond her understanding, and beyond her level of comfort too. The kid had enough media to fawn over him as it was. If anybody caught wind of what was strung around his neck... well, one could only hope for the sweet nioti's safety! But, even if Koani's words had been tactfully chosen he still delighted in them for it meant that they would be working on the same sides. Grader to Grader. Just as their bloodlines had intended. Who knew, maybe they would bond? Chums. You know. <font color=cyan>"I suppose you're alright with making the call?"</font></p> </td></tr></table>
Koani had no reason not to play into Lakmir's hand. She didn't like Cayson being in possession of that pendant just as much, if not more than Lakmir did. Not to mention that Zamfir's original request to give it to Cayson had seemed misplaced. Lakmir had been rightfully next in line and should have received the heirloom without question. “Of course I'm fine with making the call," Koani answered unwaveringly. She pulled her small grey day planner from out of her right pocket and flipped it open. It's back-lit screen gave off a familiar soft aqua glow that she found rather comforting. “I don't think Dad was thinking all that clearly when he told me to give it to Cay'ni." The Grader said as she checked her schedule. Remembering that conversation with her father wasn't all that pleasant: he had kept mistaking her for Karryasa, which made the situation a thousand shades of awkward. Then there was also the small detail that he had died at the end of that particular exchange... and Koani wasn't exactly without blame. “Hm, Jaceen's generally free on the paquitten. Today would have been great to speak to her, but tomorrow will probably do just as well," she said as she gently closed the planner and slipped it back into her pocket. “Did you wish to meet with her?"
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td><font face=verdana style="font-size:12px; line-height:16px;"> OOC: shall we schedule another thread sometime soon for this? ---- <p style="text-align:justify"><font color=cyan>"Tomorrow?"</font> His one 'good' eye shot rolled upwards as if he could gather an answer from the sky. The other eye, grayed out, still rolled visibly beneath a clout of scar tissue. It wasn't the most pleasant of sights... Lakmir probably scared the shit out of the respectable little nioti he graded. Anyway, when finished contemplating the air in search of response, the arden lowered his maw with a slow nod. He too had a day planner and, on top of that, someone to schedule his dates for him. But, being an arden of old trades, he preferred to keep his trust placed in his head. The gears were well oiled. <font color=cyan>"Yes, if she can make it tomorrow in the evening, after 8'o clock. How about we arrange for a dinner at Rloa Kumiym? A relaxed meal would certainly make things a little easier."</font> His voice had then quieted, unable to fully repel the soft sorry sentiment that grew from reflecting on his brother's passing. Abruptly, he started and then made a calculated reach into his pocket to find his own shiny little piece of technology. It pulsed and hummed in his weathered palm. He touched the screen, a few cursory flicks of his fingers, and the slipped the device back into his pocket. Although it didn't seem like a pressing matter, he rose anyways from his seat. The table's energy recoiled and then immediately went back to Koani. <font color=cyan>"You'll let me know then, Koani?"</font> </td></tr></table>
