Nathanial entered the Avalon, garbed in his usual attire. His long labcoat did little to slow his brisk pace as he descended into the undercourt, his usual bored countenance clearly manifest on his face.

The matter he had come to discuss was a serious one for the Malocusian, taking precedence over all other concerns. Some fundamental part of him needed an estate, his interim housing was hardly sufficient for his needs let alone his wants. He had thoroughly investigated the property market before arriving in Sacramento, and earmarked several sites for potential expansion locations. The cheerfully suspicious Mekhet he was soon to meet could prove key to this integral facet of the Spider's requiem, holding the power to grant or deny leave to settle in several of his desired locations.

Moving over towards his host, Nathan stopped several paces short of the Herald, bowing slightly at the waist. "Herald Villiers, your looking well this evening." A rather bland icebreaker to be sure, but he knew he could not appear overly anxious. He did not think to question the near-silent echo of a voice strangely similar to his own, rebounding around his consciousness. It gave some small direction in such matters. But was it the echo of a man who was once a Lord in more than just name, or perhaps simply the rumblings of his beast? At the end of the day, it made little difference.

Where the lights are low the atmosphere is one of calm. Recessed lamps cast a soft glow and the scent of lavender fills the air.

Tiny Martha sits awaiting those she arranged to meet here. Sitting on a sofa in the Commons area of the Court which allows her a fine field of view to cast a watchful gaze over The Stairs. But for the moment she is quietly reading from a well thumbed copy of "Strategy and Diplomacy 1870-1945" by Dr Paul Kennedy. The small lady sits meek and sweetly attired in her usual English school uniform: a neat straw boater, a black blazer...a pair of scholarly spectacles are perched on the end of her nose, she wears a long gymslip which shows her crossed legs to mid calf...her blond hair is tied into neat twin tails, each with the red ribbon bows.

A swift glance would reveal that her left leg is obviously a new prosthetic...one of the robotic style C-Leg designs. She wears a white kneesock on her flesh leg and a pair of carefully polished Oxford pattern shoes, a crisp white blouse is obvious where the gymslip reveals it, as is her red necktie tucked neatly into her gymslip. A satchel and a simple metal walking cane rest at her side, propped on the couch. She is youthful, pretty in an English Rose sort of way and seems to shun cosmetics.

Once more, her Beast is silent to Nathaniel, but her presence seems almost palpably sweet and innocent.

Pausing in her reading, tiny Martha looks carefully over the pages of her book. Lowering the book to investigate the noise of the descent at The Stairs, she peers over the rims of her spectacles and shares a shy glance to Dillon as he briefly shows himself to be making himself useful in one of the nearby Meeting Chambers. For the most part, Martha and Nathaniel shall be alone.

Smiling, she chirps; "Ah, thank you sir! So are you! A good evening to you also, sir! A delight to see you again! Please..." she invites him to sit as she rests her book in her lap, "please sit, sir. How can I be of help? I hope you are settling in well!"

Nathanial takes the offered seat, before replying in his usual drawl "Thank you, Herald Villiers. If you have the time, I was rather hoping to discuss the matter of Tenancy with you this evening."
He paused, taking stock of his environment before continuing "I'm afraid my current Haven is rather cramped for my needs, and there is little room for expansion within the communal zone. I have earmarked several promising land parcels for development, one of which is situated within the regency of Rosemont-Mather." He formed his hands into a steeple as he awaited the Mekhets reply.

Martha listens and watches and listens again. Nodding. "I see. Or rather...I think I see. Ordinarily the provision of Tenancy is awarded only for those who have contributed to the service and wellbeing of the Domain...or at the discretion of His Grace. To be awarded Tenancy because your needs exceed compact living space could be regarded as falling outside those criteria." she offers a small and genuinely sympathetic smile, "However, sir, I shall not be so thoughtless or careless as to prevent you from outlining your case. Those are the usual criteria. What can you offer, sir?" she asks. Clearly in a genuine, and far from lofty or superior, spirit of inquiry.

The Spider bowed his head slightly "That is gracious of you Herald, you have my thanks." He had expected this. While he was unsure of exactly how much value this domain placed on this Tenancy, he had lived long enough to know that nothing was given freely in the Danse Macabre. Pulling a small and well-worn notepad out of his coat pocket, the Malocusian cleared his throat. The whispers of the Lord moved directly from his ear to his mouth, for in this situation the Scientist was all but useless. His features seemed to sharpen, the usual bored countenance and drawl disappeared entirely, replaced with something far more alert, perhaps even predatory.

"My case is multifaceted in nature, for I believe my presence could be of considerable tangible benefit to this domain. But, allow me to begin with the most simple of benefits first. For over a millennium the nobility, both kine and kindred, have granted patronage to those at the forefront of science. I'm sure the reasons for sure a trade would be evident to one as learned as yourself" he gestured to the copy of 'Strategy and Diplomacy 1870-1945' "but I shall list them regardless." His smile was filled for once without contempt, but with unbridled enthusiasm. "Any noble, but in particular one our condition, receives a considerable dividend on the investment of patronage. Knowledge is power, and knowing ahead of time of scientific advancements that may end up shaping the course of modern industry? Such foresight allows for the calculated redirectment of investments to best capitalize."

"There are other benefits if course, but few as tangible as the one I have just mentioned. Even tonight there is a certain element of prestige in being able to lay claim to a renowned scientist. Furthermore, having ready access to one on the forefront of technology and advancement ensures that the patron and those others in his service are not left behind the times in terms of personal understanding."

"However, I am not so arrogant as to suggest that my mere existence alone is deserving of such a honor" While he might have been unsure of the exact worth of the 'honor', it never hurt to dramatise ones understanding of its significance "As a prime silent stockholder, I am in control of an up-and-coming pharmaceutical firm, one which has grown considerably over the last financial term." He smiled at the Mekhet for a moment, before continuing "I must admit that I prefer to centralize my resources, and given leave to settle it is my desire to reconstitute the firms headquarters here, in Sacramento. Such a move would greatly influence the economical stability and growth of the local financial sector. This is by far the most tangible benefit I can offer this domain. From my calculations, such a move would initially create roughly 300 jobs locally, with considerable room for expansion. The majority of these vacancies would be open to unskilled labor, which when combined with local youth outreach programs should decrease not only unemployment, but also the local crime rate. Overall, this move would stimulate the local economy considerably, decreasing unemployment and encouraging others to invest within the Sacramento region."

"To reiterate, what I have come here to offer you this evening is potential. Granting me tenancy is nothing short of an investment, and one with low risks and high dividends."

Martha is attentive. Very attentive. Genuinely interested in the suggestion, she nods as the clauses of his argument are laid out and set forward. As his presentation closes, Martha nods once more. Rubs briefly at the knee joint of her C-Leg and says, with gentility, "Fascinating! Fascinating! I must say that there are parts of your argument which are very persuasive. There is value to be seen in the suggestion as you set it forward. However, it would be unwise of me to hasten to an instant reply. Whilst I consider the argument, I should wish to study a more detailed business plan...which should ideally include an assessment of the legal framework and legal hurdles your plan must leap. 300 jobs, though! Goodness...that would be a considerable improvement! In moving the company here, are you potentially able to receive some Federal or State funding to encourage and enable the move of your HQ? Would you receive taxation benefits or refunds?" a happy, almost excited, nod. "I am also compelled to ask a few more questions. The first of which, sir, is: what is your opinion and assessment on the Peak Oil problem? Do you believe in it and what do you understand to be adequate or sensible solutions or mitigations?" she smiles. Clearly her questions are not intended to be vexatious.

The Heralds enthusiasm served to swell his own. Part of him was enjoying this exchange far more than he would care to admit. "My apologies, Herald Villiers, But I fear I tend to delegate the day-to-day running of the corporation to those better suited to the position than I. Having said that, I do believe my current understanding of our position may prove sufficient for those questions." He took a moment to thumb through the notebook he had prepared for this exact purpose, familiarising himself with the knowledge requested. However, he had not expected the question on the Peak Oil crisis. Luckily, the Lord knew he could phone-a-friend for this one.

"I have been informed that exact extent of federal and state funding would depend on exactly how willing we are to integrate within the local youth outreach programs. While it is our intent to harvest potential employees from the lower social stratum, I personally believe that it would be better to do so without significant Government oversight. As I am a silent shareholder, it would be near impossible to trace anything back to kindred society, but my Sire always found it preferable to avoid tempting fate in such a manner." he flicked a page in his notebook, pausing for a moment before continuing "While we will certainly accept some measure of financial assistance in moving the headquarters, I would prefer to avoid overt interaction in such a manner for the time being. Once I am certain that any potential security risks are purged, I will then seek civil assistance in expanding our presence on the local level. Accepting only the most basic of grants and tax exemptions in the short term provides for continued development of the local economy over a long period, allowing for regional stability. The downside of this is rather clear, but I do not feel overly substantial. While this would mean a lower profit margin within the next financial term due to the additional expenses, it allows for sustained and supported growth over a matter of years. I do believe that prudence in such matters returns higher dividends for both the company and the community, provided one is not caught flat-footed."

"I have already had the company fulfill a means-test as to the potential movement. I am informed that the legal issues are tedious, but manageable. Again, it is something I prefer to delegate to those more better suited to the task. From the reports I have received, the size of the movement and the relative value to the local economy would ensure that the petition is pushed through the local government and planing authorities rather more swiftly than one would expect, but it will still take sometime before everything is approved. And even then, having the facilities constructed and employees sourced...It will be a rather lengthy process, as I sure you can appreciate."

His expression remained attentive, energetic even, but his tone shifted back into his usual drawl as the Scientist took centre stage

"A good question, Herald. The Peak Oil crisis is something I have indeed investigated extensively within the bounds of my research. It is, I would say, one of the most pressing issues faced by western civilization to date. Is it not fitting that the great bane of capitalist society is its greed?" He let out a short but rather mirthless chuckle, before continuing "Mitigating it is rather simple, almost too simple. Phase out petroleum usage a decade or two before the peak, supplementing it with sustainable resources. I wrote a thesis on the matter not too long ago, never bothered to publish it though. Solar is easy enough, provided we can increase the efficiency rating substantially. Wind has little potential for growth, Water is inefficient for considerable returns. Nuclear, now nuclear has considerable potential as a short term investment." he scratched his chin for a moment, and when he spoke again his voice changed ever so slightly once more, returning to its previous tone.

"But, what I believe you are asking me is how I plan to deal with this as a company, not just my personnel thoughts on the matter. The answer there is rather simple, after the foundations and groundwork have been completed we will begin a public policy on using sustainable energy to power our corporation, accepting government grants to become somewhat of a demonstration model for the concept. Large scale integration of Solar panels would be key to the scheme, but it would have considerable tangible benefits. It would be an excellent source of publicity for the company, and would allow both state and federal agencies to justify continued grants and investments for our future development. It's an idea that is largely immaterial for the moment, and will only move on from such a stage should public opinion remain static in the interim between now and then.

Nathanial anxiously awaits the Mekhet's reply, hoping that any further questions would be as easily answered

Nodding as the detailed reply came. Martha smiles and falls quiet as she thinks over the response. Playing with a twin tail, she asks, "I see! Thank you for a very fascinating reply! Forgive my ignorance, please. I have my own understanding of the industry...which may well be flawed, so I look to you know to build my education in the area...but: how reliant upon petroleum is the pharmaceutical industry, sir? Would local wind turbines provide sufficient power needs for a local HQ and augment by reliance upon electricity from other suppliers? Beyond the obvious power needs for manufacturing, IT use and transportation of the goods to the points of storage and retail, sir?"

Nathanial nodded, a smile still hovering over his face "The industry has a multitude of uses for petroleum, or to be more exact its extracts, such as C5H12 for example. But it would be easy to overstate its reliance on crude oil. Other substitutes are known, just marginally more expensive to use. But as we move closer to the Peak this will without a doubt change. The Peak Oil crisis is of little direct worry to this corporation, it is its indirect consequences that I fear."
"It is certainly possible to harness wind turbines to that effect, but I dislike the things myself. Inefficient and high maintenance. It is Solar that I intend to utilize in the effort to reduce our reliance on the local energy grid. Easy, efficient and low maintenance, and with government subsidies far cheaper than setting up or even using leasing existing turbines."

Hands clasped in her lap, Martha leaned forward to listen with obvious interest and nodded often. With great excitement she seems to brighten up even more at mention of solar power. "Goodness me! Quite so, sir! I agree...solar energy systems are ever increasing in effective and efficient designs! We must do what we can to ensure we do not lose control over the key minerals and components involved in the manufacture of those systems though! Ah!" she seems to be almost wistful at the thought of solar power. She rubs briefly at the knee joint of her C-Leg. Smiles to Nathaniel and adds;

"Your case is very compelling, sir. I am eager to hear more! Now...these youth outreach groups...what will that involve, sir...in more detail, I mean. The development and encouraging the improvement and talent of the youth is something I am personally eager to witness and help with if I can. I should be interested to hear your thoughts on that dimension of your project, sir." busy hands now begin to play with one of her twin tails as she watches Nathaniel with growing interest. She was clearly increasingly impressed by him.

"I am glad you find it interesting, Herlad Villiers, and any help you could provide would be highly appreciated. I must admit that it took some...convinicing on my part before the board seemed to take interest in that part of the scheme. I find it all comes back to the notion of Investment. Recruiting en masse from the troubled and impoverished does little to off-set the considerable costs of funding the movement myself, we are then responsible for the continued and extensive employment training required before work can begin in earnest. However, the benefits are mani..."he blinked, realising he had not answered the question itself "Ahh, I shall return to that point in a moment. You asked how I intend to integrate within the local youth outreach and development programs? My plan for that area is rather simple. Open job vacancies at a 20/80% ratio, with only 20% of core jobs being offered to the wider public. This allows us to start work sooner with a skeleton crew, with roughly 80% of all new jobs coming from those society has deemed unsuitable. But the 80% is not only aimed at troubled youth, but also at those unable to get back on there feet, vagrants and such. We will work with the local charities and government initiatives to ensure that any problems are rehabilitated while employment training is ongoing."

"When opening the positions to the lower social stratum, it is not my objective to use them solely for unskilled labor. The 80% will include almost all core jobs, with clear capacity for advancement. The core company board will be retained for the time, mainly to facilitate ease of management in such difficult conditions. On-site training and rehabilitation will, over time, provide us with a capable and more importantly, loyal workforce. But getting back to my previous point now, the potential benefit of investing in those who have slipped through the cracks are manifold. I can assure you that I did not conceive this portion on the plan solely out of benevolence, I am hardly a...'bleeding heart', per say. Harvesting and developing employees in such a manner firstly gives the company a stellar communreputationtion. The chances of such employees leaving the company for greener pastures are far more limited than were we to simply recruit from the general public. And indeed, if they do leave the corporation it only serves to increase our reputation. Every ex-patriot serves only to spread the word of our system further abroad."

"But the benefits do not end there. Investing in the city in such a manner increases its potential several fold. It invites further development, raises modernisation and greatly improves the general aesthetics of the domain."

"I must admit, I am quite pleased that you are finding the overall concept interesting at least" he flicked a few pages in the notebook, studying the page he ended on for a moment before continuing "While it would be impossible to give you a direct timeline, it is my belief that, were work to begin immediately in both recruitment and construction of the facility itself..." he turned another page, looking over it before concluding with "It may be rather optimistic, but I hope to have the corporation reconstituted before the end of this year."

"Oh, and I forgot to mention, regarding the Oil Peek. I do have a small film on the topic that you might find interesting, do you have an address I may mail it too?" He was not sure if offering the Herald a copy of "The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil" counted as an act of blackmail, but there was only one way to find out.

Martha sat there, playing with a twin tail, but was wrapped in the information. Smiling and attentive. She was clearly impressed and nodded at the offer of the film. "Oh, yes, thank you! I should wish to see the motion picture. I am always keen to improve my knowledge." a happy smile. She stopped playing with her twin tail and smiled once more. Resting her hands in her lap. "That seems most thorough, sir. If only all ideas I have heard were so carefully argued! You can rest assured, sir, that the relevant authorities...aside from myself of course...shall hear of this interesting and engaging proposal! If they ask for my assessment upon, it shall be a favorable one. However, I am aware that there may be pitfalls you and I have not foreseen and that others in the Domain may be attentive to. With that in mind I can argue for a positive hearing, but can make no promises to a positive outcome." her words and energy about the project seem sincere. "I wonder, sir, do you have any questions for me now?"

Nathanial's smile had yet to leave his face, but the tone shifted once more to the usual drawl of the scientist. "I am flattered by such praise. I have considerable cause to thank you, Herald Villiers, for taking the time to listen to my case this evening. It is greatly appreciated" he rose from his seat, offering the notepad to the Mekhet "Perhaps you will find these notes useful in relaying the scheme to the relevant authorities. I await the results with baited breath. Should you wish to contact me, via telephone or mail if you would rather, you may find my current contact details on the last page."

"But I fear that I have no further questions for you, this evening."

The Malocusian took a single step back, before bowing at the waist. He briefly considered ending with a keyphrase regarding the value of investment, but decided against it. He had made his case, and between his capacity as a scientist and the value of his corporation he felt it was a strong one. All he could do now was await the verdict. He could not help but wonder if the Herald wished to add anything further before concluding this nights activities.

Martha accepts the notebook with a grateful nod and a smile. Her mind is busy with a hundred ways this scheme could go and the care Nathaniel had taken to be persuasive. There was a clear argument to be made for his case. Another happy nod. Her smile suggested a meeting of minds on this project. "Very well. Thank you, sir...these notes will be most useful. You have been very clear though. Thank you again for your time and effort in this matter, sir!" she enthuses, glancing again to the notebook, as if she genuinely would find this useful. Then back to Nathaniel. "If that is all...shall I see you to The Stairs, sir?" she asks with sweet politeness.

Nathaniel had shown her not only a possible industrial investment: he'd shown himself capable of much more. His value to the Domain could be great.

The Spider nodded "Certainly. It has been a pleasure, Herald Villiers. Good evening. He said in an earnest tone of voice, bowing his head slightly as he did.