(After Market) Heated Debriefing

[Moonfang]

The late night streets of Sacramento carried a somber silence about them, as if in mourning over the passing of the Sun. Late winter and early spring mingle in the air giving an odd feeling of chill and warmth as the moon hangs above and basks the world with it's faint glow. This was all lost to Roderick however. His Beast raging against it's chains in concert with the raging storm inside of him. It took all of his mental discipline to not lash out at everything in sight. If one excuses the walk signal switch that was beaten into submission.

In the old soldier's mind, the woman's words kept playing out.

"I am certain dear Martha would love to have one of these."

That blind kindred with that smug confidence about her.

"I am most certain dear Martha would find the information highly useful."

The bitch who spoke Martha's name in such a casual and dismissive tone.

"I am certain we shall meet again."

I'll put that woman's head on a stake!

His bloodlust would have to wait as he rounded the corner to the Nox Populi. He gripped all of his emotions and balled them up as tightly as he could and pushed them deep down inside, doing his best to present a calm exterior. The words of his sire ring in his ear, The Sotoha are peace and calm. The sword that bends and trashes is the one that breaks. But the calm and still sword slices without a sound.

Easier said than done. Like always.. Miyako.

Though the doors and down the stairs, the bouncers don't even give him a second look. Around the corner and past the meeting rooms. He softened his steps when passing the Prince's door and came to a halt at the door to the office of the Herald. After insuring he was presentable, he rapped his knuckles on the door three times. "Roderick Pearson, requesting permission to enter."

[Martha Villiers]

Martha was working hard. Studying reports from City Hall and ponder the maps of the next patrols.

Then there was a series of knocks at the door.

"Do please enter!" she chirped.

The door was unlocked.

Once Roderick enters hell find Martha sitting at a sofa in her Chamber. Wearing clothes of almost full black: a long velvet hooded cloak, her cane is resting across her lap. As she sits, her gown is open to show she's wearing a pair of thigh boots. Her sturdy leather gloves are just as obvious.



The Chamber is large and packed with books and maps and all manner of paperwork.

There is cleanliness and order. But there is the usual mass of information all about.

On one wall there are three modern, if large, stark and dramatic framed photo prints of ballerinas in tutus holding a ballet poses against a dark background. Another print hangs on another wall: a large framed copy of John Waterhouse's 'Lady of Shalot.'

Between these are three large maps of Sacramento are pinned to walls. They seem to detail various aspects of the Kindred domain annotated superimposed over that of the mortal map.

Erected to conceal a quarter of her Chamber from view is a tall Chinese screen. A fire extinguisher is obvious as is an office desk. Her main desk is piled high with neatly stacked notes, college textbooks and dozens of school style notebooks. All look well used. Five bookcases are against the walls. Each is brimming and over-filled with pre-owned books. They look, at first glance, to be entirely textbooks and non-fiction. There's a cheap looking laptop and printer on the desk too.

There are also few comfortable chairs and a couch. A coat rack and a seat are opposite her busy looking desk. The place, though busy with clutter, is clean and also has the aroma of fresh lemons.

[Moonfang]

When permission is given, Roderick opened the door and quickly strode in, closing the door behind him with a quick movement. He makes his way to the desk only to catch himself short to not find Martha there. A quick glance, he found her at the sofa. A reminder that he wasn't in the military solid enough to make him abandon the regulation trained into him.

He approached the sofa and took a place several feet in front of Martha, his stance firm and straight yet relaxed. "Forgive me for the intrusion, Herald Villers," Roderick said respectfully, "but I come baring news of a possible grave threat to the domain." After some thought, he added in a somber voice, "And I believe directly threatening to you."

[Martha Villiers]

Martha's eyes widened. She nodded and stopped in her metaphoric tracks.

"I see, sir...can you please supply a fuller brief on the possible nature and character of this threat, sir?"

She sounded more perplexed than alarmed.

[Moonfang]

Roderick nodded and took a moment to focus his thoughts before going on to full debriefing mode.

"Earlier this evening, I entered a black market car trunk market that had opened up in town. I went there to try and acquire a cheap firearm but found the contents to be far more in the occult nitch of the market. It was there that I encountered a Kindred I have never seen before. A female who appeared completely blind. She wore a cloth over her eyes and had a dog guiding her. It appeared that she had arrived there to pick up a specific item.

"After calling in Mr Teodor Racula for his expertise on the occult items, prompting him to make his way to the market personally, I confronted the Kindred." He needed a moment then to calm himself as his entire body tensed up, "What she said was troubling. I brought up your name, mostly to see if she was an Acknowledged Kindred but instead, he spoke of you in strange detail. Repeatedly, she referred to you as 'dear Martha' and seemed to know a lot of information concerning resources at your hands. It is this that lead me to believe that she had a negative interest in you.

"The plant that she went to lengths to acquire, she called it a 'Doleful Lilly'. And she named herself as Dirge."

The information conveyed, he awaited Martha's response.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha listens...very attentively indeed. But, her anxiety reduced step by step as Roderick explained matters.

"Ohh....I see! Miss Dirge! Goodness me! I am so glad she's still in her Requiem! This is fascinating, sir! I think you most kindly for your attentiveness! Did she seems in good health, sir? I don't believe she and I have a quarrel...at least, I hope not. I always held her in high regard." she added with great eagerness.

[Moonfang]

If Roderick wasn't someone of a stronger disposition, he would have most likely have fallen over when Martha spoke, almost fondly, of the Kindred he had meet. He stammered a bit in an attempt to respond, "Uh.. well, yes she seemed to, uh, be in good health. Found herself around quite well in spite of her lack of eyesight." He cleared his throat and asked, "You are friends with the," he cleared his throat and went on, "With miss Dirge?"

[Martha Villiers]

"Well, I certainly felt she and I got along. I always tried to help her and hoped to show her kindness and graciousness. She's very strong and very clever." she added with a nod of respectfulness. Clearly she holds Dirge in high regard.

"Miss Dirge is also very brave. She has undertaken some highly risky projects on behalf of this Domain."

"Did...did she say something to alarm you, sir? Anything specific? Or was it just the mystery of her insight that captured your attentions?" Martha seems to be asking from genuine interest. "This Doleful lily sounds interesting...as does the whole market place itself! Please, sir, tell me more! Oh...and do please be seated too, sir...you need not stand now your initial report is given!"

[Moonfang]

Roderick nodded and took a seat, resting his palms on his thighs. "Mr Racula and a young lad named.. Korvin I believe. They would be able to offer much more in the way of information about the market. All I saw was junk and plants. The lad himself seemed rather interested in a skull with some doodlings on it." Roderick offered a dismissive shrug, finding the entire thing rather silly.

Roderick rolled his head a bit as he thought about the exchange from earlier, "Perhaps I was seeing too much into things. An unfamiliar face that knew a bit too much and spoke in a way that was much too at ease. Things like that tend to put soldiers on edge. Had I known that she was a friend, I would have not put up such a front." Closing his eyes and hanging his head a bit, he added "I will have to offer my apologies when I can."

[Martha Villiers]

Martha smiled reassuringly and patted her gloved hand gently on the nearest of Roderick's. "Ah, fear not, sir...you meant no harm and I am sure an apology from a gent like yourself won't go amiss! Please convey to Miss Dirge my sincere best wishes!" a happy smile.

"I would love to speak with her."

"This skull...what other items were there? It sounds a most exotic market!" she giggled. "Almost as if from the pages of the Grimm Brothers!"