Space Oddity

[Dracos]

Dracos eyed Bjorn, barely resisting a horribly out of role diatribe, opening his mouth a few times before talking.  "You're right.  Things could be a lot worse, and while I could do with an end to sudden surprises for a while, if we pass this venture, we're in a good place for a lot of things, particularly resisting those that need resisting and helping those that need help."

[Halbarad]

"Yeah, well, not all of us have it quite that easy," Tim replies, glancing at the much-shorter 'spirit of war'. "So far I barely know anything more than I did when I arrived, and no one - aside from the good Inspector here, now - has any idea I'm anything other than what I appear to be. I'm not particularly fond of stumbling around in the dark the way I have been."

[Carthrat]

"'specially not in your position," notes Tom, stretching his arms. "But hey, learning by doing is a virtue in this line of work."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn shrugs and then grins broadly, white teeth flashing in his dark face.  "So tell you what.  I'll fill Catherine here in on the basics of the situation.  Then you can ask me about the bits you're missing, and then we can all gang up on Holmes here on the things we're all confused about."

OOC: Okay.  I think the only NPCs left here are Catherine and Holmes.  Need this confirmed before I go further.

[Brian]

OOC: Catherine is absent; getting sized for a dress.  Holmes is around, and everyone is (presumably) in someone's quarters once the tailors have left.  Let's go ahead and say Tim's quarters, since they're the biggest and most well-appointed.

"I'll leave you to decide who you do and do not trust," Holmes say with a shrug.  "I doubt you'd be able to fool anyone especially close to who you were before, so...."  He shakes his head.  "To the matter at hand; I'd like to hear what you have to say to better determine how to approach a resolution for various of our problems."

[Carthrat]

"Mind setting them out for me?" asks Tom. "It's all been a bit of a blur since I got picked up, I'm afraid."

[Rezantis]

"I think Tim or I should explain it to Catherine," Nathan notes, "but if you want the simple list of problems, they are 'The Church appears to be Not Nice, and we are going to make a mark on the world by Kicking Their Asses.'  Simply put, they're the only ones who understand how to use the gates properly, which means they control all access between the spheres.  We're going to fix this."

"Any questions?"

[Dracos]

"The only question I think of immediate importance is what do we need to know to avoid any troublesome political faux-pas when we meet the king," The question was directed at holmes.  "I think beyond that, most everything well depend on what we discover there."

[Brian]

"The king is an easygoing sort for the most part," Holmes says, shaking his head.  "Simply be polite.  He takes most of his cues from Aliester, and Aliester is interested in your wellbeing."

A knock sounds at the door, and a servant pokes in long enough to apologize for intruding, and lay out suits for those who don't already have them.  Once they're all parceled out, the servant adds, "His Majesty will be expecting you at the next bell."

Holmes checks a pocketwatch at this; assuming that traditions like 'minutes' and 'hours' persists, even if they don't call them that ... there's about fifteen minutes to the hour.

[Dracos]

"Well, one thing at a time.  We need to know the king's intent more properly.  We almost assuredly need to support him and be supported in turn.  Let us handle that as our goal for now."

 Dracos stepped aside, changing into one of the provided suits  and awaiting the bell.

[Brian]

Other than being woefully anachronistic by current standards, the suits are pretty nice.  Tim's even came with a monacle, which is nothing compared to the feats of getting both Tom and Bjorn into suits that fit them.  Bjorn's has some insignia over the breast pocket that likely relates to Windhurst; a circle of green blades around a field the color of grass.

Quincy doesn't get a suit, per se; he's got the formal clothes that priests of this world wear.  Phil recognizes it by the almost identical set he's got stashed away (Phil is higher rank than Quincy, though).

[Carthrat]

"D'ya think they'd care much if I left my shirt unbuttoned?" asks Tom, chafing at an evidently tight fit.

[Rezantis]

"Yes," Nathan says, "We're meeting a King.  Being presentable is important."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn is a bit torn.  On one hand, being put in a suit detracts from the "crazy genius" image he is trying to put forth.  On the other hand, loincloth.

In the end, he compromises by keeping the spear with him.  If it becomes obvious that people don't think he's crazy enough, there is confidence he can compensate.

"So," he asks, "who leads off with the talking?"

[Dracos]

"His 'cousin', of course.  Or more likely, the leader of that expedition.  It'd be idea to let him speak if to watch the reactions of the others in the court before we truly start discussing the future."

Dracos