Brokering Faith

[Pepper]

Pepper sat in an oversize plush chair in the Front lobby of the Bismark, waiting for Truse's arrival. She'd gotten a room for the day, just to insure privacy without the need to rent a conference table, and it was time to see what Truce was about.

The more the Acanthus considered him, the more she recognized similarities to her Sister in the Moros - perhaps fitting considering Mace's Path - but no, that's stereotyping. Still, it was good to see someone who contemplated matters and played peacekeeper.

She did, however, wonder how far that contemplation went. After all... Ermon, Faye, and herself? There were some things she knew they talked about, but she hadn't heard a peep of Faith from them... and Pepper was atheist. She better not put her hopes up though. Best to just talk to Truce. Answer his questions.

[Truce]

Truce arrives punctually to the Bismark, driving his Impala to the hotel and parking, doing his usual Mage Sight castings before leaving the vehicle. It is a habit, but he thinks it best to be aware of his surroundings and the resonance in people and places. He finds his way to the entrance and enters the lobby, taking a moment to look around before his eyes settle on Pepper. He smiles softly and raises a hand in a wave as he approaches.

She can see that he's dressed in a dark suit coat navy blue button up shirt. It might seem formal to some, but not to Truce who makes a habit of dressing nicely, especially if he's going to a four-star hotel.

"Hello, Pepper," he says to her when they are within earshot. "Thank you again for agreeing to meet with me. I'm sure you're quite busy with work and everything, so I appreciate your taking time away from that to help me out." Since she's sitting he doesn't yet offer a hand to shake, expecting that she would initiate the gesture if she so chose.

He thinks back to his initial meeting with the woman. Besides being an Acanthus Provost and Silver Ladder member, he remembers she is also a Hearthmaster for her Cabal, meaning that she aught to have characteristics for leading or providing the glue that unites her Cabalmates together. It is much reason to admire her without knowing her very well. But their encounter at the library also spoke much about her interests and occupation.

[Pepper]

Pepper stood and offered a handshake once she was on her feet, pausing just a moment to give an approving nod to Truce's suit. "Not as much as I could be, annoyingly. I don't handle free time well." Especially not when free time involved bemoaning the distance between her and Jono, or worrying about the fallout from the last Consilium. There was only so much she could do to influence the outcomes of that.

"I'm just glad our schedules finally clicked. I've got a room for us to talk in, this way, if that's good with you?" She stepped away to lead him, glancing back to see if he'd follow.

[Truce]

"Absolutely," agrees Truce after their handshake, following behind Pepper to stay in step with her. "I'm sorry to hear that you're having difficulty," Truce continues as they walk. "Is it that you don't feel you're getting enough accomplished or that..." What could the other alternative be? "Or that you're not sure how to relax when you're able to?" he offers.

[Pepper]

Pepper winced, then shook her head, as she headed down a hallway. "My Significant Other is out of the country dealing with family matters. Normally I'd spend time reading things I'm not providing edits or facts for, but I've been having a hard time getting into anything I'm reading for fun." She still talked to him, hell, she was getting together a Valentine's gift for him.

Still, it would be nice if she could manage not to get sucked into that too much. "But it's also true that I like accomplishing things." She stopped at a door and fished her keycard out. The Door swung open, and Pepper held it to let Truce in.

[Truce]

"Ah yes. The funeral. I remember," says Truce, a sympathetic edge to his voice. He supposed the man in her life might have returned by now and that pain of loss would have begun to subside. But her separation from her loved one reminds him of his own loss. At least she has a significant other, not some shadow of their former self...

His brow knits together in a conflict of emotion as he holds his tongue from saying those jaded words.

"Well...I suppose I should be pleased to assist in keeping you busy," he says, his voice still a little distant, having lost some of its cheer. Truce enters into the room as she holds the door open with silent thanks.

[Pepper]

Pepper glanced at the young man when his tone of voice grew duller. Was he remembering his own losses? She gestured to the room's armchair, offering it to the morow, before sitting at the desk herself.

"So. Zoey recommended you to the Silver Ladder. Any questions, or would you like to hear a bit first?

[Truce]

"Thank you," says Truce taking the offered seat and flattening his shirt and coat and then smoothing out his pant legs before facing her.

"Oh, umm, please. If you have some information prepared for prospective candidates I'd be most interested to hear it. Zoey, or Zodiac, she was kind in recommending me. Though I wish I had made a better first impression considering the circumstances. Actually, I heard you've already met with Gyges, so I'm sure one of them told you what happened. He offered to come with me today for our meeting, but I thought it might be best to approach you one-on-one."

[Pepper]

"Only thing I was told for certain was that Gyges started discussing Lube - and knowing Zoey I can safely assume he was referencing her tendency to get a stick up her butt about things." She paused, then gave a shrugged and said reassuringly, "I can also guarantee that your first impression was no worse than mine."

The Info about the Ladder though? That was harder. "Well, I don't want to assume you're completely clueless on the Order, So tell me what you know first, so I'm not doing that condescending crap or repeating what you already know."

[Truce]

Truce sighs deeply, obviously embarrassed for his Cabalmate for the comment he shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

"Right... Well..." He decides it's best just to move on and hopefully allow the previous incident to be forgotten. "Ehem. From what I'm aware of, the Silver Ladder is a bold attempt to pursue the Atlantean ideals of government and structure in Mage Society. In essence, it's an attempt to reach for order and repair the mistakes of those that came before and build anew. But...I must admit I've only ever heard hearsay regarding their role. I might have a skewed perspective on it, so please correct me if I'm wrong."