Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep

[Halbarad]

"I think I can manage as long as they don't expect to keep me going on about it for very long," Tim replies, shaking his head. "I think I'll be okay, though."

[Brian]

"Maybe you'll be lucky, and there will be a distraction," she says, shaking her head.  Still."  She drops her voice after a cautious glance around.  "Wouldn't it be nice to dress in your own clothes, with your own last name?  Personally, I can't abide simply being 'Madeline', when I don't have to be 'Catherine', or...."  She sighs.  "I'm tired of hiding," she mutters petulantly.

[Halbarad]

"It definitely would," Tim replies ruefully, although it's not the suit in his trunk back at the apprentice quarters on his mind. "It won't be forever, though, I'm sure of it - there'll be a time before too long when we won't have to hide anymore."

What exactly AM I hiding, though? Aside from a name and a fancy suit? he wonders.

[Brian]

"Well, we shouldn't dally too much longer," the girl sighs.  Which of those names was really hers, if any of them were, anyway?  "But thank you for spending time with me.  It's reassuring to know that at least I'm not alone."  She finishes packing up the remains of the meal, except for what Tim keeps.

"I'll post a note to the Inspector as you suggested; in the meantime, I'll see you at the agreed place after you're released.  Otherwise, I'll mail you ... or the Inspector himself will come to see you, I suppose.  If anything goes wrong, I'll find my way to you, as I always have."  She gives a weak smile.

[Halbarad]

"I'm sure nothing will go wrong," Tim says, putting on a smile for the girl. "I'll see you later, then - and thanks for the scones."

Polishing off the last of his drink, he gets to his feet, helping her up before dusting the crumbs off his lap.

[Brian]

"Of course," she says with a smirk.  "Now, take care of yourself, Brother."  And after that, she packs up the picnic and leaves, tossing a smile back over her shoulder before vanishing into the streets.

Nearby, it looks like a parade is going through.  A marching band, followed by a number of smartly dressed (though, unarmed) men in military-looking garb.  The military colors look to be blue and white, with dashes of yellow thrown in for the knots at their shoulders and their insignia.

[Halbarad]

Tim slips into the crowd, deciding to enjoy the fair until it's time to reassemble at the tower.

[Brian]

Tim does wander the fair enjoying the sights.  The marvels of the age -- a box that plays music when wound (pinging strips of tin), jugglers, acrobats, sidewalk chalk artists....  It's all pretty mellow and amiable, and there's a good deal of food being carted around at ungood prices.  Rather a lot of alcohol, too.  About half of it is red wine, and the other half is cheaper lager.

Wandering towards what is obviously a poorer section of town (a bit more run down, houses are smaller, more crowded together), the revel seems to increase, with more people flooding the streets, and the occasional woman of the oldest profession offering a price to male passers-by.  It's looking into one of these districts where Tim finds a flushed but satisfied looking Nemo headed back towards the tower -- though the other apprentice gets eyes the size of saucers when he makes eye-contact.

"Eep!" he manages, before the nearest clock chimes that it's fifteen minutes (if Tim understands their timepieces correctly -- judging by the clock they actually have thirty hour days) before the meeting.  Then Nemo begins beelining back towards the tower.

[Halbarad]

Tim doesn't say anything, just raises an eyebrow and heads back to the tower in Nemo's wake - although less hurriedly, assuming he can make it back in time.

[Brian]

Tim is able to make it back in time.  And Nemo's rush leads to naught; he ends up sharing the elevator with Tim back up to their dorm.

His face is bright red, and he tries to act nonchalant as he says, "Lovely weather today, isn't it?"  It was, mild breezes and no clouds ... or sun.

[Halbarad]

"Oh, it's fine," Tim replies with a half-smile. "Enjoyed the time off, I take it?"

[Brian]

Nemo coughs quietly, and nods in embarrassment.  "Please don't let anyone know?" he asks in a squeak.  "It'd mean my apprenticeship ... you know we're not supposed to...."  He trails off with a weak smile.

[Halbarad]

"I won't say anything," Tim agrees. "But just keep in mind that if I saw you, someone else could, too. Better not to risk it next time, maybe."

[Brian]

Nemo looks appropriately chastised, and nods.  "Well," he says quietly.  "Best get to the auditorium, then."

The room that Nemo goes to next is a larger one -- the ceiling is raised here, too, though it's still on the outer edge of the tower.  About a dozen rows of seats (backs to the windows, so to take advantage of the tower's circular shape) face a stage where there's a handful of other seats, and a podium.

Nemo and Tim appear to be a bit early; the seats are only half filled.  Notes on the seats in the front row instruct certain people on where to sit.  While Angus is here, and Nemo, no one else Tim recognizes is around.  Though, Tim doesn't know any women that work in the tower, and there are three of them sitting (though not together) in the seats behind the first row.

[Halbarad]

Tim takes a few minutes to look over the names on the front row - if he's speaking, he may be up front just so he doesn't have to walk over people to get to the podium.

Angus gets a somewhat weak smile - the imminent speech is weighing on Tim's mind, and he's never liked speaking in front of large groups of people like this.