Bleater
02-11-07, 12:43 AM
Closed to Fenris and Iain
"I'm glad you decided to come around," the dark elf says "I was beginning to wonder if I had made a mistake in approaching you. Thought perhaps you didn't have the stomach for it."
And this, dear chums, is how it feels like to wake up and find you're in your enemy's bed.
The Herzog's personal office is much different than the barren room he had questioned Steinbock in during their last encounter. (http://www.althanas.com/world/showpost.php?p=53726&postcount=7) Two days had passed before the engineer finally decided he would have no choice but to go along with the offer. Rich, dark linen tapestries drape the windows, blanketing out most of the sun, making the room very dim despite it being almost noon. Several small lamps adorn the walls to illuminate the surroundings, floor-to-ceiling bookcases full of ledgers, legal texts, records...
If this is how a Herzog's office looks, I can't begin to fathom what some of the higher-up blokes have for surroundings.
"Well, you made me think a lot with the words you had said. Opened my eyes and made me see Alerar in a way I hadn't since I first got here." The goat eases himself into a large chair across from Kresk's desk.
Oh, posh. I was hoping I would avoid that, not go make a total cock-up and step right into it.
"Yes... I had been meaning to ask you about that..."
The dark elf walks over to a cabinet built in the wall, pushing open the dark spruce panel and opening a storage compartment behind. He is busy rooting around in the cabinet with his back to William, the tail of his grey overcoat swaying behind him as there is a faint sound of glass clinking.
"Brandy?"
William smiles broadly. Even dispite the butterflies twittering in his stomachs and his bowels weighing heavy with nervousness, the thought sounds marvelous to him, and he is more than happy to oblige.
"I do say, it's a bit early in the day... but I suppose a little nip won't hurt. I do so very much enjoy a good brandy."
There is a gurgling sound as liquid pours from a bottle into a small glass, the drow turning and crossing the room with a clever grin.
"I know." His grin flashes of deception as he hands the glass over to the goat, who turns his hoof up flat to balance it on. The dark elf crosses the room again towards his desk, sliding around it and easing into his own seat, clasping his hands and setting them in his lap.
"I know a lot about you, Steinbock. More than you would think. But one thing bothers me... see, as much as I know, you never told me where it was you were from. I do know that you came to Alerar just a few months back. At least, that's when our people first started seeing you. I'm assuming a gentleman like yourself didn't get such fine grooming in a cave somewhere."
Oh, he's good. Trying to appeal to the proper gent in me. Pity for him, because I'm better at this.
"Fallien." The goat said. "Never much fancied the place, even a chap like me who was raised there couldn't get on well with the humans out there. I guess when you look like I do, you are considered as much of an outsider as someone not from the nation. I had always sought to emigrate, but when the dirty bit with the Harpies rose up, I took it as the final cue that it was time to get out of there while I could."
William had been ready for this question since yesterday, and had thought long about it. He definitiely couldn't tell the truth about being from Raiaera. Corone wasn't exactly the best answer to give, with the troubles there and the rumors of the Queen's loyals fleeing in that direction. Salvar would be too risky to say; being allies meant Kresk could easily check the story and find out it was fake. But Fallien was perfect; the Alerarans were generally ambivalent about them and there was a snowballs chance in hell that any inquiries made about him would even be answered.
The drow looks thoughtful over the answer, eyeing the goat cautiously for a moment before pursing his lips and nodding. "Fair enough. Had to ask, you know. Now... you've come to me because you want something of... substance. A way to put your skills to use for his majesty's great nation. And I have just the right 'project' for you."
William sighs with relief. The drow bought into it, so he's still safe for the moment. The dark elf pushes back his plush chair, rising from behind his dark red-brown desk. He motions with his hand for the engineer to follow, and William takes a hard last gulp, emptying the rest of the amber liquor into his throat. He'll need it.
"Come with me."
~~~
The two had left the building in the heart of Ettermire, returning to the machining sounds and the urban sprawl outside the doors. Now they walk down a neatly cleaned road, only traces of soot at the eaves and gutters of the grey stone street. Ahead of them not two blocks, a large ornate building stands, one that William had seen several times but never stepped inside of. Their destination. Ankhas.
"I have some plans I want you to look at for me. See if you can work on the design and specifics of them."
The engineer raises a curious eyebrow, tilting his horned head to the side to look at the drow as they strode down the road.
"A design for what?"
The dark elf looks out of the corner of his eye, not turning his head, but snorting as he quips back quickly.
"Does it matter?"
"Well, if you're going get my expertise on it, it would most certainly help."
The dark elf looks like he wants to either sigh with dejection or grumble with disdain. Either way, his face shows that he obviously dislikes someone questioning him. Still, he nods as if to acknowledge the point, looking ahead at the large library towering at the end of the street, not making eye contact as he speaks.
"Armor plating and mounting. We are trying to fit one of our trains with armor that could resist travels into Raiaera. While our steam trains are good now, they are not particularly suited for battle."
Why is it that as much as I want to ask if the train is meant to carry a weapon or soldiers, I would not get a proper answer in either case?
"With this design, we would have a train that could withstand attacks from the High Elves without being destroyed. However, the design is flawed, and we need to rework it. So far we haven't been able to turn this idea into reality, and that's where your 'expertise' comes into play."
His hooves clomping loudly on the steps leading up into the east entrance of the grand library, William looks up, leaning way back to take in the entirety of the building.
"Oh, right then. So I just pop in, look at these plans a bit, and let you know the part that's dodgy? Well, that certainly sounds like something I could handle."
The drow looks at him and shakes his head, gesturing that is not the case. For a second, the engineer thinks he sees a grin on Kresk's face as the dark elf continues walking up and into the building.
"It's not that simple."
"I'm glad you decided to come around," the dark elf says "I was beginning to wonder if I had made a mistake in approaching you. Thought perhaps you didn't have the stomach for it."
And this, dear chums, is how it feels like to wake up and find you're in your enemy's bed.
The Herzog's personal office is much different than the barren room he had questioned Steinbock in during their last encounter. (http://www.althanas.com/world/showpost.php?p=53726&postcount=7) Two days had passed before the engineer finally decided he would have no choice but to go along with the offer. Rich, dark linen tapestries drape the windows, blanketing out most of the sun, making the room very dim despite it being almost noon. Several small lamps adorn the walls to illuminate the surroundings, floor-to-ceiling bookcases full of ledgers, legal texts, records...
If this is how a Herzog's office looks, I can't begin to fathom what some of the higher-up blokes have for surroundings.
"Well, you made me think a lot with the words you had said. Opened my eyes and made me see Alerar in a way I hadn't since I first got here." The goat eases himself into a large chair across from Kresk's desk.
Oh, posh. I was hoping I would avoid that, not go make a total cock-up and step right into it.
"Yes... I had been meaning to ask you about that..."
The dark elf walks over to a cabinet built in the wall, pushing open the dark spruce panel and opening a storage compartment behind. He is busy rooting around in the cabinet with his back to William, the tail of his grey overcoat swaying behind him as there is a faint sound of glass clinking.
"Brandy?"
William smiles broadly. Even dispite the butterflies twittering in his stomachs and his bowels weighing heavy with nervousness, the thought sounds marvelous to him, and he is more than happy to oblige.
"I do say, it's a bit early in the day... but I suppose a little nip won't hurt. I do so very much enjoy a good brandy."
There is a gurgling sound as liquid pours from a bottle into a small glass, the drow turning and crossing the room with a clever grin.
"I know." His grin flashes of deception as he hands the glass over to the goat, who turns his hoof up flat to balance it on. The dark elf crosses the room again towards his desk, sliding around it and easing into his own seat, clasping his hands and setting them in his lap.
"I know a lot about you, Steinbock. More than you would think. But one thing bothers me... see, as much as I know, you never told me where it was you were from. I do know that you came to Alerar just a few months back. At least, that's when our people first started seeing you. I'm assuming a gentleman like yourself didn't get such fine grooming in a cave somewhere."
Oh, he's good. Trying to appeal to the proper gent in me. Pity for him, because I'm better at this.
"Fallien." The goat said. "Never much fancied the place, even a chap like me who was raised there couldn't get on well with the humans out there. I guess when you look like I do, you are considered as much of an outsider as someone not from the nation. I had always sought to emigrate, but when the dirty bit with the Harpies rose up, I took it as the final cue that it was time to get out of there while I could."
William had been ready for this question since yesterday, and had thought long about it. He definitiely couldn't tell the truth about being from Raiaera. Corone wasn't exactly the best answer to give, with the troubles there and the rumors of the Queen's loyals fleeing in that direction. Salvar would be too risky to say; being allies meant Kresk could easily check the story and find out it was fake. But Fallien was perfect; the Alerarans were generally ambivalent about them and there was a snowballs chance in hell that any inquiries made about him would even be answered.
The drow looks thoughtful over the answer, eyeing the goat cautiously for a moment before pursing his lips and nodding. "Fair enough. Had to ask, you know. Now... you've come to me because you want something of... substance. A way to put your skills to use for his majesty's great nation. And I have just the right 'project' for you."
William sighs with relief. The drow bought into it, so he's still safe for the moment. The dark elf pushes back his plush chair, rising from behind his dark red-brown desk. He motions with his hand for the engineer to follow, and William takes a hard last gulp, emptying the rest of the amber liquor into his throat. He'll need it.
"Come with me."
~~~
The two had left the building in the heart of Ettermire, returning to the machining sounds and the urban sprawl outside the doors. Now they walk down a neatly cleaned road, only traces of soot at the eaves and gutters of the grey stone street. Ahead of them not two blocks, a large ornate building stands, one that William had seen several times but never stepped inside of. Their destination. Ankhas.
"I have some plans I want you to look at for me. See if you can work on the design and specifics of them."
The engineer raises a curious eyebrow, tilting his horned head to the side to look at the drow as they strode down the road.
"A design for what?"
The dark elf looks out of the corner of his eye, not turning his head, but snorting as he quips back quickly.
"Does it matter?"
"Well, if you're going get my expertise on it, it would most certainly help."
The dark elf looks like he wants to either sigh with dejection or grumble with disdain. Either way, his face shows that he obviously dislikes someone questioning him. Still, he nods as if to acknowledge the point, looking ahead at the large library towering at the end of the street, not making eye contact as he speaks.
"Armor plating and mounting. We are trying to fit one of our trains with armor that could resist travels into Raiaera. While our steam trains are good now, they are not particularly suited for battle."
Why is it that as much as I want to ask if the train is meant to carry a weapon or soldiers, I would not get a proper answer in either case?
"With this design, we would have a train that could withstand attacks from the High Elves without being destroyed. However, the design is flawed, and we need to rework it. So far we haven't been able to turn this idea into reality, and that's where your 'expertise' comes into play."
His hooves clomping loudly on the steps leading up into the east entrance of the grand library, William looks up, leaning way back to take in the entirety of the building.
"Oh, right then. So I just pop in, look at these plans a bit, and let you know the part that's dodgy? Well, that certainly sounds like something I could handle."
The drow looks at him and shakes his head, gesturing that is not the case. For a second, the engineer thinks he sees a grin on Kresk's face as the dark elf continues walking up and into the building.
"It's not that simple."