As is typical of their trade, the maître d'hôtel snuck into the mess hall precisely thirty seconds after Vertiga was done. He piled the cutlery on top of each slate, picked them up and disappeared with an acceptable compromise between hurriedness and professional elegance. Chanteloup had not even noticed him, intensely focused on Vertiga as she was.
"Yes..." She said wearily. "The Council is a source of some discomfort. They're like a stain on an otherwise impeccable tuxedo. No matter how classy, you can't help but notice the stain, and only the stain. Their cause is no longer limited to shadowy cabinets and conspiracy theorists. They are self-styled freedom fighters, out in the open, desperate to turn Gallia into another Liberty. You can see how that could be a problem for those of us who enjoy Gallia the way it is... Admittedly, not perfect, but not Liberty, either."
She mentally insulted herself. Not perfect ?! It was true, of course, but this was a Sirian. She was getting a little too relaxed, and the feeling was unusual. Thankfully, the maître d'hôtel returned with two charming white porcelain plates with salmon wrapped in greaseproof paper. Underneath the salmon stood a colourful array of various vegetables... And a few snails here and there, cooked in garlic and butter. Papillote cooking tended to give a buttery taste to salmon, as well as making it melt in the mouth. The maître d'hôtel had also produced a basket of fresh, very fragrant bread. Chanteloup had to fight hard to avoid digging in at once.
"You have nothing to fear from them. Admittedly, they are a cut above your usual brigand, rogue or what have you. They have an actual ideology, followers, and means at their disposal. But according to the legions of overpaid military analysts tasked to support me, they are merely agitators and demonstrators... "She sighed. "Either way, do not let them concern you. The problem is on its way to a decisive solution, one way or another, and they do make a point of not targetting non combatants. I don't think they'd greet you with more than curiosity but... I'd still stay away, for everyone's interests. I trust I make myself clear ?"
There was a lot she wasn't saying. A lot she knew, and a lot that she felt, too. And feared. But he wouldn't need to know most of that, for now at the least...
(06-14-2019, 12:25 PM)Sombra Hookier Wrote: If everyone was a bit more like Lanakov, the entire world would be more positive. Including pregnancy tests.
