Vorian smiles, turning to the Baron and returning the bow.
"All kinds, good Baron. Though I must say, I have been taking a fancy to fossils as of late. Such is the reason I came here - there may yet be preserved specimens amidst Ryuko's buried black gold. A gamble perhaps, but seeing as the land is just being handed out, it seemed like a prime opportunity."
"Indeed? I have some small interest in fossils myself; to be fair, though, my main passion is reserved for herpetology and entomology. Specifically, I am most fascinated by butterflies; one as ugly as I often finds things of beauty to be of the utmost importance. Oh, to be visited by a butterfly! It would be of the most glorious assistance in relieving the tension of our…party."
Those observing the alcove can see Rashida sit up from her near-faint a few scant moments after the Serv-Bots bring food and drink, which Taraz administers to her, along with the warming towels. She sits for a moment, chatting with Taraz, until he leans very close. There's a sharp CRACK as she strikes him across the face and rises from her seat. He grabs her arm, then her, pulling her into an unwilling kiss. She struggles and another CRACK is audible through the music before she pulls free of his loosening grasp.
Rashida storms from the alcove, sending tray, food, and drink flying, tearing down the curtain when it gets in her way and punting a hapless Serv-Bot across the room. "Yah! Regul! Ah!" she shrieks as she grabs her foot and hops about in pain, obviously having forgotten that she is barefoot and the Serv-Bot unyielding metal.
She whirls to glare at Taraz, then scans the room hotly, daring anyone to laugh. Spying the Wastrel's abandoned boots, she limps over and snatches them up, hurling them one at a time to the Baron's balcony with the form and arm of an all-star outfielder.
She stands panting a moment, then draws herself up to a semblance of dignity. Limping nonchalantly to the chair nearest her shoes, she snaps her fingers for a waiter, grabs a goblet of red wine, slams it onto the table, and holds her hands over the cup. "Drink, pets," she croons, as the two snakes slip from her wrists to clink into the goblet, where they swim about. Face flaming, she turns to Von Zombi. "Did I miss anything, Baron?" she asks pleasantly, still breathing hard.
Taraz, red-faced from the twin slaps, watches the divine tantrum with a greasy leer. He licks his lips with relish, and seems to be chuckling.
Standing up, Taraz nonchalantly strolls back to the group, his hosed feet lightly avoiding the spilled food and water that a few Serv-Bots were already cleaning up.
Retrieving his hooded cape from the table where he left it, Taraz swirls it around his shoulders. He picks up his goblet, refills it and carries it to where the other are standing.
"And so we live! Here's to the man upstairs!" Taraz raises his goblet in the direction of Baron Von Ryuko. "I, for one, appreciate your thoroughness in determining who is amongst us. I imagine this information will go a long way in helping the conspiracy theories we are all aware exist. Even if no one but I is willing to admit it." Taraz looks pointedly at Ms. DuSollier.
The Baron watches the snakes with interest, pointedly not mentioning the recent…difficulties with Taraz.
"Miss anything, Most Holy? No, I dare say you have not."
Bors leaps up and red-faced with anger asks Rashida"My lord, whatever has happened?," He doesn't wait for an answer and murmers to himself clearly upset. "I should kill that boar. How dare he have anything to do with an unwilling woman." Then he calls to Taraz, "You sir are an complete arse, and if I every find reason to believe something like this happened again, you will be in a very uncomfortable situation." Bors then stiffly walks back to Rashida, [b]"My good lady, are you fine? Is there anything I can do for you?"
Rashida fishes the tiny snakes from the goblet, patting them dry with a linen napkin before they twine themselves once again about her wrists. "Lord Zadaa, I am fine, thank you," she replies through gritted teeth, "Lord Rorenson may need some ice... I hope. Don't worry about him. A man of so little... courage.. is hardly a threat, even to a woman," she grates with some difficulty.
"Please, let us talk of more pleasant things and speak no more of... him, if you please." The napkin used to blot the serpents lies abandoned on the table, bright red stains marring its gleaming whiteness.
As Bors calls his taunt, Taraz rolls his eyes. "Finally, a sign of life from the so-called 'Fireshadow'."
Taraz puts his hand up to one side of his face and says in a loud stage whisper, "With his immobile statue routine in that chair, I was beginning to think he was just another Serv-Bot I had forgotten I packed."
To Bors, Taraz says with a smirk, "They're only unwilling if they say they are. Nine times out of ten, you feel the moment, you go for the kiss, and you're right. She does want to be kissed." Taraz shrugs. "This time I misjudged. But there's plenty more wine, and I already know, the Holy One here is still thinking about that kiss even if it came a little too early this time."
"Please, let us keep civil behavior towards one another." Ingilstadt fixes a stare on Taraz. "I myself have been guilty of rude behavior, little Meowselsworth, I scooped you up and dropped you on another person's shoulders without so much as a how-do-you-do, it was crass of me and I apologize. Might I show my repentance by offering you a formal dance?" Ingilstadt bows low and reaches a hand out to the paw of the helmeted one.
"Ah, Baron, wasn't it good of our host to arrange a show? It's always entertaining when the fool takes the stage."
Rashida coaxes one serpent from a wrist and dangles it before Baron Von Zombi between her thumb and forefinger. "Care to examine my little 'pet?' It is but a personal protection device carried by the women of my family and could do no real harm. However, if you examine Lord Rorenson's face there.. and there... you will note the serpents can produce considerable redness and swelling. A strike in the eye can be temporarily disabling. A strike in... other places can be as well." She points out the serpent bites on Taraz's face coldly and clinically.
"Laordy Ingilstadt; once again, I take note of your uncommon good sense."
The Baron then turns his attention back to Massri.
"Tell me of your little friends, Most Holy. Some breed of asp, I expect? I am quite partial to kingsnakes myself. Gentle, shy creatures they are, but very resistant to the venom of other snakes and adept at seeking out the vipers."
"Of course, Mr Taraz you would not mind people looking through your intimate apparel. Some of us occasionally have more decorum?" Cassie's words respond to the implied slight. "I would expect a killer not to leave too much incriminating evidence."
"Well said M. Ingilstadt."
Taraz shrugs his shoulders sheepishly. "When one attempts to woo, there's always the chance you bite off more than you can swallow." Taraz rubs his cheeks, wincing slightly. "Or that you get bit yourself."
Taraz sips from his goblet and gestures towards Cassie in a concilliatory fashion. "Forgive me. I find that concern for one's lingerie is a tad...trite under the circumstances."
"Be that as it may, I would like to now call to the floor of public forum, the High Puba Diva of Tantrums herself, Alessandra Devries. Surely it is about time we heard from the League o'Masons and get an update on the Grand Plan."
At Taraz' words, Von Zombi turns his attention from the tiny snakes and the Divine Massri.
"Another interesting play, Lord Taraz…I wonder what you might accomplish were you able to stop softening your brains with every manner of vile debauchery."
His expressionless blue-eyed half-mask turns towards the Lady DuSollier.
"Would you not agree, Mademoiselle?"
"Aha, thank you, M. Ingilstadt, I will gladly take your dance. However, there are a few things I would like to address you all with first." Duchess Kittington von Meowselsworth II hops up trying to seek the highest place she can to stand. As she looks down she comments, "I am afraid I am having a dreadful sense of deja vu, but no matter."
"I would like to address those among us. Many of you have received a private message from me, and I do apologize for being deceptive, but to what ends have I been deceptive? My goal was twofold: Firstly, naturally I wanted to draw out assassins and gain the upper hand against this threat. Second, I wanted to create the impossibility of trusting the Devil should he or she come forward to try and form an alliance with these assassins. As I have said, my goal is that as many of us as possible leave this mad party alive."
"I have collected information, that I would like to share with someone who I trust. At this moment, speaking all that I know would be detrimental until we have weighed the consequences: If Professor Devries would please please contact me at her earliest convenience through private meowmail so we may discuss this, I would appreciate it greatly. And those who had contacted me before... well, I hope you were not deceiving me in order to try and manipulate the Devil, which I am not. If everyone would check their timestaps on their Meowmails, they will find that they should have been issued approximately the same moment. The reason I come forward now so quickly after my messages were issued is that I do not want chaos to dominate. Once again, I am a firm believer of keeping things orderly. I now have some supported suspicions, but my information is not guaranteed to be accurate." There is a brief pause as Meowselsworth finds that she has climbed perhaps too high.
"Does anyone... does anyone have a ladder? I would like to claim my dance now..."
"Especially since he has made a play for every lady of beauty out there and my dance card is empty." Cassie thinks for a while.
"But Dame Devries, did the Investigator or both the Protectors come forward?" She tilts her head wondering if there will be an answer.
After Meowselsworth's revelation, the baron laughs hugely.
"Oh, good show, my dear Duchess! Quite the dragonfly, you are!"
The zombie falls back in his chair, fanning himself as he chortles.
"My dear Meowselsworth I would love to dance with someone as enchanting as you." she puts out her leg for the cat to climb up.
Taraz roars with laughter at the feline's announcement. "It is as I suspected then. I was one who sought to manipulate the devil's ability to scrye to try and look for 'other'," this word is accompanied by air quotes, "assassins. It would have been a good trick, too." Taraz continues to chuckle at Meowselsworth's deception. "Of course, I knew you were playing a game when I was informed by several others they had received a similar MeowMail. I warned some of them you were one clever cat."
Taraz places his goblet down and moves underneath the Duchess' location. "Here then. Jump into my arms. I promise, I have never let a lady fall who does so." Taraz winks.
"And don't think I am unwilling to dance with you Ms. DuSollier. After all, don't we have it on good authority you left your undergarments in your luggage? Surely, we wouldn't want to miss the chance to twirl you and your skirts!"
"Aha," says Meowselsworth, "Unfortunately not clever enough! I will have to consider my information. However, I think so far some of my suggestions have helped. We are presently accessing the aid of our masons, banners and investigators to their potential. And now, the Devil shall find him or herself crippled by the doubts of assassins. Professor Devries will be the best person to sift through my information, though she has not replied to any Meowmails. Does she not have access to the Meowmail system, Professor? Anyhow, I am stalling, because that is a long way down, but here we are." Meowselsworth finally hops down from the high place to jump into Taraz's arms.
Striding purposefully towards the wastrel Cassie arches a brow; "Sir you have the improper tongue of an Italian." her words have just a hint of in-credulousness at the gall of the man. "I do not think you could take one of my slaps, so you had better watch your hands."
"I should like to take this time to note that neither am I wearing undergarments," says Duchess Meowselsworth II, rather seriously.
"Perhaps both of you ladies would like to dance?" Taraz says to Cassie with an armful of Duchess. "Then you will have four sets of eyes to watch my hands. It will be chaste and for merriment only."
"That would be for the best, if you behave yourself, maybe you will get a individual dance later. Rather than a ménage." Cassie smiles putting a hand on his shoulder and moving onto the dance-floor, her split legged dress shimmering in the candle-light of the crystal chandelier.
"I am always up for a nice dance," replies the Duchess, cheerily.
Still chuckling at the antics of the Duchess, the big zombie stands up and gingerly claps his wasted hands together.
"As our Duchess has revealed her plot," and here the zombie bows to her, "I should do her the honor of revealing part of mine. I cannot reveal it in its entirety, but I can at least set some minds at ease. After all, I believe as she does; chaos and confusion are our enemy even more so than the assassins."
"I began the first hour of our adventure here in a gambit to determine whether or not I could identify trustworthy people. I have no special powers, so I must rely purely on my skills as an orator and my own intellect."
"I first informed Lady DuSollier that I suspected her, but that I would not act against her yet. I then informed the Most Holy Rashida Massri of that mistrust. I also told them of my suspicion that the Lady Devries' network is compromised; a suspicion which I still most certainly harbor."
"Next, I attempted to approach Laordy Ingilstadt, this time with my suspicions of Taraz. Of all that I have spoken to, Ingilstadt is the most beyond suspicion, for he ( or she) did not rise to my bait."
"Since Ingilstadt refused to take part in my ploy, I re-approached DuSollier and Massri. I also at this time informed Taraz that I suspected him, insinuating that my contact who knew I distrusted him was a man to protect DuSollier and Massri."
"During my dance with the Duchess, I also imparted these suspicions to her. Like Ingilstadt, Meowselsworth did not rise to the bait. I continue to trust her."
"The rest I am not ready to divulge at this time, but my simple survival weighs in the favor of those I have spoken of."
"As the Duchess knows, I believe I have divined the pattern of the assassins' movements last night. I believe the target of their assassination was The Lady Mason, but that she was protected. Furthermore, I believe that her protector was also a target, but
was the subject of a defense-in-detail that prevented that person's death as well."
"I cannot imagine how a dance with you would be anything except nice... or .... cute ....super cute." Cassies' words slow down as the Duchess climbs upon her leg to her shoulder and dances her sweet dance between the pair of them.
Cassie strokes the helmet-cat artfully as they swirl around the floor eliciting a purr. Cassie hooks her leg around the the wastrel and spins around him as the kittie bops between them.
"I do not say that I can make such assumptions, but I hope that some things discussed remain more private, of course." Taraz smiles.
Turning to Cassie and placing Meowselsworth in a more apporpriate location for dancing, he bows to them to begin the next dance as the music starts up.
"As I expected, you both dance like tigresses. You are making me work to keep up." Taraz laughs as he sweats to the tune of a fast salsa.
"You do not seem like a private man Taraz, but rather your 'conquests' may wish them to remain private." Cassie bows whilst looking up as she meets his eyes. Obviously he was not looking for her eyes.
Jin's mind is a whirl. He has tried to remain off the dancefloor as much as possible -- it seems that most of the partygoers are more interested in slapping, being slapped, or just conspiring...
"I recieved one of the Duchess's Meowmails and was shocked. I just now replied to her that I do not like the game she's playing. I don't think that it helps us by making the Devil seem less trustworthy, I just think it makes *her* look less trustworthy. She may be an adorable dancer -- but cats are notoriously deceptive. 'Guess, I'm just a dog person."
Jin orders up a water from the nearest ServeBot -- I'm not going to sit here and drink all night while someone's out to kill us all - stay perceptive Jin, stay perceptive! Jin takes a moment to refocus.
"As for the walking-dead over there." Jin nods at Baron Von Zombie. "His gossip-a-thon seems to have given him some insight into the nobles in the room. I'm intrigued... and maybe a bit down-hearted that I wasn't included." Jin lets out a little chuckle and then turns to the Professor and calls out.
His smile grows at her obvious beauty (), "Honourable Mason, are we any closer this hour to finding an assassin to lynch? I don't think we should vote carelessly. BUT, if the Baron is right, we were lucky once with you being the target last night and one of the Baners protecting you, I wonder how long we can stay that lucky though..."
He then grows quiet trying to remember if there was anything embarrassing in his luggage.
"Mr. Jin, I have done what I have done for two reasons, as I had explained in private communication in reply to you..." says Meowselsworth, stopping her dance to look towards Jin. "I am an aristocrat, and I must use the resources I have, less than those of us with special connections or abilities, in order to try and further our goals. I think in general, my suggestions have been nothing short of helpful. I had asked Professor Devries if it would be a good strategy to employ, but she did not respond to me, so I attempted it anyways: it was at that moment or not at all."
"But Lady Kittington, how do you know which replies were trying to manipulate the Devil and which were genuine attempts to work with the Devil? ... How does your plan *not* create more mistrust and deception? I agree those of us without extra resources don't have many options at this crazy party, and as I mentioned in my private reply to you, I can applaud you for trying to be proactive in your efforts this last hour, but I still question your ploy." Jin sets down his water and offers half a smile to the cat. "Let's just agree to disagree: you feel you had a wonderful plan that may yet yield something helpful (you haven't said) -and- I'm not a fan of gross deception... Ah well." He shrugs. Jin doesn't have any anger in his voice, he is honest when he says, 'agree to disagree'.
"Lord Jin, I actually believe Duchess Meowselsworth's gambit worthwhile, if it has given her some insight into who may possibly be an assassin. Of course, she may very well be allied with the assassins and playing an even deeper game, or she may draw a false conclusion and accuse the wrong person. Time will tell. Unfortunately, time is what we no longer have. This hour will not be bloodless."
"By the way, I considered using you in my ploy, but chose not to. I did not have another suspect to blind you against before the hour struck, and now, of course, those games have pretty much run their course."
The big zombie grins sardonically.
"My apologies for not gambling with you, my lord."
"Gambling, my good Lord Baron, now that is something I *do* enjoy... provided this night ends well for the two of us, we could play a game of Mahjong - if we could find a 3rd and 4th."
"I would not mind an activity that involves sitting, since my foot still objects to its rash encounter with the Serv-Bot. I do not know Mahjong but am certainly willing to learn," Rashida says somberly, "I do love a good game of Senet, except when one is forced to play."
She nods pleasantly to Jin. "I trust you are feeling better now, Lord Jin. Gods grant that continue."
Her pace quickens as the cute kitten bows out of the dance to refute the accusations. Cassie tries to pick up the slack, "Let's kick this up a notch, follow me if you can..." she gently taunts.
Her thoughts unconcerned by appearance or propriety, the French abandons herself to the music. A spinning beauty as her skirts and limbs flare, the movements crisp and flowing as the mountain stream. Breathlessly she lightly laughs as she and the wastrel dance around the wooden floor.
As he spins her one final time, Cassie spins off the floor raising her hands. "Very good..." she says whilst gently applauding the band. Taking deep breathes her torso heaves gently and a sheen of sweat appears on her. "A moment, please..." and she walks out of the room.
Rashida smiles. "Men say we women always visit the ladies room in flocks. I will feed your egos by letting you think you are right."
She attempts to slip on her shoes, but her injured foot seems to protest when she tries to stand. Shrugging, she limps after Cassie barefoot.
Or pm me/us ;¬)
"In the meantime I'll have you know my servants have gone through your luggage."
Alessandra's face pales at the throught of rough hands going through her carefully packed garments... silks, satins, velvets, linens... oh, and the furs! The woolens would probably be alright, unless Ryuko's servants were complete oafs. Her merino, cashmere, vicuna, and- her thoughts of the safety of her clothing are abruptly replaced by a glow of glee. It had worked! The hour was over and both she and the cat had lived through it.
She clears her throat to make an announcement when a small communication device on her wrist releases a mad series of beeps and clicks. She frowns at it for a moment then taps a few buttons. The device projects a narrow beam of light into her eyes and she frowns in dismay at the message traffic that she had somehow missed. This "meowmail" must be having some difficulty communicating with her system... she'd always preferred personal communications to electronic; she takes the duchess aside and privately brings her up to speed on the progress that she has had in building her little consortium.
"Be that as it may, I would like to now call to the floor of public forum, the High Puba Diva of Tantrums herself, Alessandra Devries. Surely it is about time we heard from the League o'Masons and get an update on the Grand Plan."
Dame Devries meets Taraz's gaze coolly and informs him, "We are all alive, and those who actually have something to contribute to our common welfare are are employing themselves productively. Go crawl back into your bottle and leave me to work!"
"But Dame Devries, did the Investigator or both the Protectors come forward?" She tilts her head wondering if there will be an answer."
"I have been contacted those with the power to improve our situation. I think you'll understand if I decline to say who or how many. I have also assembled a strong block of those who pledge to follow my recommendations when our investigation bears fruit. My fellow masons are apprised of the identities of those who have contacted me, and should I be targeted for assassination they will step in to continue coordinating the investigation in a less public light."
"I first informed Lady DuSollier that I suspected her, but that I would not act against her yet. I then informed the Most Holy Rashida Massri of that mistrust. I also told them of my suspicion that the Lady Devries' network is compromised; a suspicion which I still most certainly harbor."
Dame Devries gives the Baron a stern look when he voices his suspicions. "One does not spend time amongst the French royal court without developing a sixth-sense for gossip and the deadly importance of controlling the flow of information. I share the information I receive with my fellow Masons, whom I trust completely. The others I assisted by asking whom they planned to investigate and steering them away from wasting their energies if they intended on investigating my masonic allies. I am fully aware that I may have been contacted by the Devil, and for that reason I am not making any hasty accusations based on a single lead. Keep in mind that a thorough, deliberate investigation may take two hours but rest assured that when I accuse someone it will be with the weight of a reasoned argument and not a tantrum." At the last word she gives a significant look at Taraz.
His smile grows at her obvious beauty (NOT in a lurid-Taraz-sort of way! lol), "Honorable Mason, are we any closer this hour to finding an assassin to lynch? I don't think we should vote carelessly. BUT, if the Baron is right, we were lucky once with you being the target last night and one of the Baners protecting you, I wonder how long we can stay that lucky though..."
While she is almost intent on keeping in a dour mood to match their circumstances, Jin's infectious smile does cheer her up somewhat. "I assure you, we are closer than we were before. I have a lead, but it would be premature to announce it just yet. I'd hate to have the blood of an innocent on my hands so again, for this hour, I'm recommending that we not lynch anyone."
The baron bows to Alessandra.
"I mean no offense to you with my suspicions, of course, and I am glad to hear that you are taking precautions against the vipers nesting under your porch."
"I must ask, and please understand that I want no names or in-depth detail for all of our sakes, if my summary of your network's defensive plans last hour was accurate. I only ask this because I am attempting to determine whether the assassins have located each other, and knowing whether you or persons in your network were targeted means that they may not have all been brought to the same nest."
"Unfortunately, if your guardians did NOT block any assassins last night, then we must assume they all know each other, and in that scenario, we have no time to lose."
"While I would certainly like to take your question at face value, I can't help but note that publicly announcing that information would tell the assassins whether our baners were conducting investigations or offering protection. The stalker and the other assassins could then use that information to their benefit, while it would offer very little advantage to the rest of us. What's your real reason for wanting to know...?" Alessandra lets the question hang in the air, one eyebrow raised in inquiry.
"No matter, I'm sure you have a perfectly benevolent reason for asking. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to take the opportunity to freshen up. This past hour has been quite stressful!" So saying, Alessandra takes her leave of the intriguing (but slightly unsettling) Baron and departs for the washroom.
"Of course, my lady. I completely understand."
The baron bows again and returns to his seat.
Cassie walks back into the room looking refreshed, with a tap of her nose. "I couldn't help hear your words Baron, very interesting assumption. It does bring one point I was thinking of. If the assassins contacted each other then they should know they cannot trust each other."
Cassie smiles as if the revelation will be earth-shattering, it isn't "There is a 57% chance that one of the pair is in Love with one of us Aristocrats, and who can blame them." Cassie twirls. "Thus the Lover assassin will betray them so their partner can survive. The less time before the betrayal the better for the Lover, as the assassins couldn't get too great an advantage."
The baron's stitched fingers toy with a thin gold bracelet under his tattered sleeve as the false blue eyes in his half-mask turn to DuSollier.
"I do not think it a bad thing that the assassins suffer from some small measure of the distrust that we all must labor under. Unfortunately, it is equally likely that an aristocrat in love with an assassin will betray us.
"I believe the lovers will switch sides as necessary, attempting to ensure that both sides wage a war of attrition against one another, leaving them standing amidst ruins."
"I am sure you and whoever else you have adopted into your fold in your attempt to identify the lovers have already figured that out though, of course?"
The zombie smiles widely.
Cassie smiles; "You are forgetting there are more of us than of the assassins. I wish those in Love the best and if they can play us all off against each other....well fair play to them. However we just need to find all the assassins and stop them."
Cassie looks innocent, a look she has obviously taken time to cultivate at the French court. "My fold?!? Oh you wound me? Yes, I love to talk nearly as much as to dance."
Rashida finishes a ginger walk from the ladies room to the table in time to catch the end of the conversation, not limping nearly as much now with a pair of low slippers on her feet. She gives Cassie a nod and smile of thanks and retakes her seat with a sigh.
"Love. I greatly fear love. It causes people to do what they would normally never do. There is no test for love, either, except for actions or intuition. A blood test would be helpful, but alas! There is nothing. Love can wreak havoc and bring chaos and death to us all."
"But to feel it exquisite. Ah..." she sighs softly; "how I long to feel it's sweet sting again."
Cassie turns to Taraz; "No I am not talking about your kind of love, five minutes behind a table? I guess?"
"Speaking of dancing, my dear lady DuSollier, I have been remiss and not offered to partner you yet. My sincerest apologies! If you are not spoken for, may I claim the next spot on your card?"
"Obviously, you do not need to worry about my romantic intentions!"
The big zombie, laughing happily, stands and holds out a hand.