(Noir) What Kahn We Do

[Josephine Sterling]

Josephine arrived not long after Vivian, dressed once more in her favored vestments: the black jacket with satin lapels, the silver shirt with silver clasps, black slacks, and black flats. However, though her appearance was quite ordinary, her demeanor was quite different from the somber attitude she often possessed. No, tonight stride was not just confident, it was bold and a light smile curved the edges of her black painted lips. The smile only grew larger when she came to sit opposite of Vivian, a hint of fang showing.

"Ms. York, good evening. I'm very pleased to see you, particularly after how poorly our ambush went. I trust you have been well?"

[Cayce]

"Truly?" the Lady asked. "Then it is a truly an auspicious night, for I happen to have acquired a strategy which shall see to the enfeeblement of our Domain's enemies. No doubt, with the two combined, we shall be able to avoid the fate of our last strategy."

Bump! Dark Passenger

[Chris Wooding]

It is perhaps a bit strange to arrive latest a meeting you called, and especially when it's being held in a room opposite of your own office. For Chris, the only explanation is that he thought he would make it after quickly reorganizing his desk, but that took one minute longer than expected. It's good that Erika Brady is not here.

Good evening,' he says upon entering the room, 'Priscus Sterling, Vivian.' He gives them both a respectful nod. The Shadow is wearing a suit, but he had left the jacket in his office.

'Priscus Ducard and Julian Durand could not make it tonight, however, they seem willing to cooperate with whatever plan we come up with.'

He sits down somewhere, putting a laptop that he had been carrying in front of him. But he keeps it closed for now.

'Thank you for coming tonight. Have any of you been contacted by Khan or any of her follorwers?'

[Josephine Sterling]

"She has not. But, that said, it is my intention to contact her very soon. I have, with the assistance of Priscus Regan, come up with a strategy to use against Khan and the only way to put it into motion is through speaking with her. But, before I get into the particulars of that, perhaps you could share with us the information that you were able to gather?" Josephine suggested, dipping her head in acknowledgement of Vivian.

[Chris Wooding]

As a reply to Vivian, Chris simply nods. He already knew about her contact with the man. He's just curious about the exact details of her encounter.

However, it takes him a second to get the full meaning of what Josephine implies. Is she taking the lead on this, suddenly? Priscus Regan is involved again? It doesn't really matter, but he'd like to know things.

'Wonderful, this transparency when it comes to Domain safety.' He remarks in a light-hearted manner, while shrugging. Sarcasm is only a subtle undertone.

'Please, do tell.' He says that looking from one woman to another, eager to hear both their stories.

[Josephine Sterling]

"Yes," Josephine replied simply, her thoughts filtering briefly to the severe annoyance of Brady, "but those are not our concern for the moment. What is our concern is how to destabilize Khan and her apparatus before she is able to obtain enough of a foothold to truly threaten the occult pathways of the city. Thankfully, your informant has given us a possible means of doing such. However, I do not believe that it is the plan we should put into action. Not yet, at least. There are too many things which we are ignorant of to be sure of success, and any action we take in that direction will be quite transparent. Quite like the recently failed assassination attempt. Such should be proof that we cannot defeat this enemy through sheer brawn alone. No, rather, let us outmaneuver Khan. Let us strip away her strength before we step forward to slit her throat. Thus we might be assured of our victory.

"As for how we shall do this, the answer is simply. We shall pit Khan against another of her enemies. A mutual enemy as it were, and we shall inflame the conflict between the two until it consumes them both and leaves them vulnerable. This enemy of which I speak is the Society of Penelope, an occult society interested in relics. It is fronted by a fake archaeological institution, but it is in truth lead by an enigmatic man named Ehtar. This Ehtar has struck against the domain in the past, and against Khan's people, and thus it will not be odd to claim that they have recently struck against us once again. Priscus Regan has created the myth of an object of power, an amulet of Sekhmet, one that he is giving to the Society. I shall claim that this was an artifact we had intended to gift to Khan, to thank her for her patronage and protection, but one that was stolen before we could do such. I have no doubt that she will pit her apparatus against that of the Society, for she has promised us protection, after all."

The Ventrue lapsed into silence, her outline done, and simply regarded the other two Kindred.