(Gangland) The War Room II

[Garrett Prosper]

What the fuck is going on?

  3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-06-20 23:10:37		Garrett Prosper rolls 6 to Read Arturo (Wits + Empathy) (10 Again)		9, 1, 6, 7, 1, 10, 9		3 successes

  2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-06-20 23:09:01		Garrett Prosper rolls 6 to Read Derek (Wits + Empathy) (10 Again)		5, 6, 2, 1, 8, 8		2 successes

Prosper blinks rapidly as his student ghosts and the Lord lapses into usual behaviour patterns. Honestly at this point, the barbs are just part of the package. Derek on the other hand was stammering, and his eyes snap towards the display of weakness as instinct kicks in to dig. The Savage gives himself a shake, with the Deputy's quiet Beast, it is easier than normal.

"Do either of you have a report? I think better when I have things in writing," Curse-enforced blonde moments was a bitch, and Lina's white boards were a Godsend. The gregarious Kindred stops himself from smiling in the disarming gesture, getting the feeling that Mitnick's melancholic personality would take it as mockery. "Do we know they are a poacher? Are we gathering evidence, or Toporing?"

[Derek Menzies]

  Conceal, 2suxx, Defender succeeds

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-06-23 11:42:42		Derek Menzies rolls 5 to conceal his motives/emotions [MAN+Sub] (10 Again)		2, 5, 9, 9, 7		2 successes

Pulling himself together, Derek hangs on the hope that as a fellow Deputy, Garrett would back him up in this scenario. He attempts to push out the tightness in his throat and find his voice to answer.

"Hrm, mhm , I do not have a written report. It was a verbal request made to myself and Mr. Garcia once it was discovered that Her Majesty's subordinate was submitted to the Vinculum. Harpy Simmons extracted information pertaining to an 'Accountant' figure using the alias, Diego Martinez, and his subordinates. We simply need to identify The Accountant and learn all we can about them. The Prince requested discretion in this."

He keeps the information simple and straightforward, though he suppresses his urge to voice complaints about Arturo and Madcap. But such bickering would only make him look weaker than he already appeared. No, to salvage this debacle, he would need to avoid such direct confrontations.

[Garrett Prosper]

Garrett Prosper listens to the Deputy quietly, noticeably flinching at the mention of Simmons torturing the Kine. His attention flicks to Arturo in confusion at his venom, reading the familiar Beast's fear and intense frustration. The money was either an insult or his last gesture of support, likely both. He doesn't react to the touch of the more dangerous predator, eyes remaining on the door for a moment before they were back on the Mekhet.

"Ah. Yes, this would be the Kine that started the entire scandal in Court? The one where the Ordo Dracul was stripped of their regency and subsequently the Dragons starved for signalling concern of the Harpy's joyous indulgence in chemical experimentation."

As he spoke calmly, his eyes pinned, nearly slits. "That is why? That was the 'defense of the Domain' in which the Prince supported treatment of Kine akin to war crimes addressed at the Nuremberg Trials?" Was the Savage's hands shaking?

"This is the Prince taking personal offense at another Kindred taking her assets. She can sick her Ghouls the Accountant? This is an Invictus concern of honour," he pinches the brow of his nose, thinking as his other familiar allies vanish and trigger the Taifa's anxiety.

"I am going to level with you, Mitnick, because you have shown me to be intelligent and resourceful. I am not asking you to get political, as you are clearly just looking to establish yourself for protection with value among more powerful Kindred," He was doing good so far, chatting easily with the Seneschal and on good terms with Lina and the Crone. He had the passive temperament that would put his cousin at ease with her thin hold on the Praxis.

"April marked a distinct shift. Such moments do not deeply affect me, as I have been doing this for a century, but it has rattled my covenant and also my Clan. After my personal disgust in Simmons due to my experience with the Holocaust shifted into an educated concern with my fellow students who study the Beast for our respective requiems, the Dragons have been attempting to contact Alessandra since.

These reports were left ignored, and Lina was not saying anything to keep faith. We were informed that a Major Boon had been exchanged in purchase of Florin, which makes the Prince of the Invictus a Boon Breaker of their own sacred practice. I have met with Simmons, and she paid me her own Major to secure an alliance and enforce the practice of prestation and report the events of Court. The Prince's own Voice and subsequently the Ventrue's Whip openly rejected this model that the Harpy wished to use as a basis of negotiating peace while rapport was restored in time. I wrote to Simmons at the beginning of this month about her Prince being a Boon Breaker, and in respect of our alliance gave her until the end of June to correct such measures. Two months is more graceful than what I would give in other Domains, Mitnick," he sounded tired. "I have been met with silence. The echo of my humanity tells my instincts that when officials who fight against a Fascist regime start conveniently going silent, it is time to leave, yes?"

He sat back in his chair, looking at the ceiling, blinking as memories shuffled from being buried alive to watching his country torn to pieces because those in power valued their own ideals over the rights of man. "I even brought up the events of Court with the Gangrel, so I could select and effective Whip that could track social issues, and Alessandra could address the concern of the Crone and Dragons in an environment that would hear and support her. This questioning was met with her flipping her support for me as Priscus, not that it matters, and a public statement that I am unworthy of our blood. The entire Clan was concerned about her erratic reasoning.

The last was Folsom? I suggested a daytime strike due to my ability to accomplish such measures, as the innate secrets the Dragons bear in order to trigger an ancient into Frenzy, and use my mastery over beasts to ensure no Kindred lives would be placed in danger. Arturo and Lina agreed to this measure, and Alessandra's response was wishing to attack Arturo for the suggestion that hounds were a good exchange while speaking with her Hell Hound," a small shrug, blinking again as he looked at the other Deputy.

"So tell me, Mitnick, why I should be helping Alessandra take vengeance on a Kindred who used one of her assets, when she has shown me nothing but disrespect to the entire core of my morals and experience?"

[Krakenbox]

Vassagon I have had it pointed out to me that my memory is flawed with a post in the past. I am not sure how this happened, as I outlined it line-by-line when crafting my response in that thread in a Drive document? Chalk it up to human error, but I apologize. Moving forward, if you wish to throw Empathy I can narrate that Prosper doesn't have a perfect memory or something. I am retiring this PC once my Scenes are wrapped

[Derek Menzies]

As Arturo stands, so does Derek, anticipating the possible threat of violence. The bills as tossed and Derek watches the Lord depart.

Arturo's exit is more a relief than a slight for Derek as the bullying had taken its toll on the skittish Mekhet. But the absence is filled with Garrett's presence and verbage.

Derek turns and listens, a look of some confusion as then a focused and stern stare. No doubt this is a matter Garrett has agonized over as of late.

At Garrett's lingering question, Derek is quite for a long moment, his gaze dropping to the table top as he considers his response.

"Arturo had invited Madcap to join this task. He expressed similar views. Similar dissatisfaction before he too refused to take part. I'll admit, until recently I was unaware of such disdain for Her...The Prince's actions. But I had no idea that it had progressed this far, to outright insubordination."

"However, I do not fault you for your resentment over these grievances. I think I now have a better understanding of the affairs at hand. And you are quite correct in your assumption of my motives. It was my wish to establish myself and contribute to the stability of the Domain that Sheriff Moretti has worked hard to maintain. But it seems that so long as these grievances continue, that stability cannot endure."

He begins returning his laptop to his bag, knowing he won't be using it. "I should tell you, I spoke with the Grand Wyrm. I have plans to join the Ordo Dracul, though an announcement has yet to be made. She also warned me that I may be entering a dangerous political landscape in doing so. So some of these matters may affect me directly. But to answer your question. Why should you be helping the Prince? I told Madcap that it is by Her grace that any of us are allowed to reside here and that we ought to pay our due. That may have been naive of me."

He is still for a moment before looking back to Garrett. "Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. As we stand here in Elysium, even saying it aloud may bring some risk to you. I myself would never dare challenge The Prince's authority, even if her actions seem unfair. But at least I won't have an disillusions about what my Title awards me. I won't ask for your help in this. I believe I can manage alone. And you have my word I will remain silent about what we've discussed. I won't even report Mr. Garcia or Madcap for their refusal to take part."

"But what comes next for you? Will you really leave?"

[Garrett Prosper]

Garrett blinks a few times as the other pieces are put together. "Madcap? If you need another hitter, Mable would be happy to assist. If this a situation where going alone will put you in danger we can at least be smart about it. Unless you are confident," he gives a small shrug, "I have not seen you in the field, but maybe that is exactly what you intend."

He taps his hand along the edge of the table, considering the motion, "Oh, no I was not looking for you to act against the Prince," he chuckles, "You want to stake your claim here, and working for her is exactly how that success happens. For myself this is...a very small moment in time. I have accomplished a lot here and have advanced in the Ordo Dracul more than I had with the Palantine Rite, at least. The chaos forced change, and that is precisely my business. I congratulate you in your courage to pursue conquering your destiny over mundane fulfillment with your Oath." He rocks his head to an invisible tune as he thinks to himself.

"I would not worry about Madcap, he has a temperament that is similar to Garcia, and you likely received the brunt of their anxiety with the condition of the Domain. They are not easy Kindred to work with, if you do not know how to work with the attitude." He gestured as if to move his hand across a board, "I think in terms of scale. It has not even been a year, so most of the good will that I have been asked to consider does not exactly stick, if you can understand that. What is a ten minute conversation across a century? The flux here is better suited for Neonates." He grins at Derek's promise, eyes flashing with excitement,

"If I stayed here and things continued as they are, I would be pulling my Major Boon on Rebecca Simmons, if she did not volunteer first, to submit a letter to an authority of the First Estate in regards to the breaking of a prestation with the purchase of Florin. In my experience that would result in an audit, of sorts, not a good look for the Invictus. No if that did not change anything, I could very easily add to the catalog of tracking where everyone's havens are with the thousands of eyes I command. Other devastating tricks can be pulled via proxies. Can you imagine the amount of damage the Archon could do just because a sparrow in the bush caused her Beast to tear itself free?"

He shrugged, "But I am not at war with this Domain. Nor do I ever wish to be. This is not Germany, and I am not in the position of keeping my chapter house from assault. I think Alessandra is just nervous and will get back to her normal self once the aggressive personalities are out of her hair. So yes, I am looking at moving on with the gains I have procured to put myself to a more peaceful practice. I have done my time when it comes to such ugliness. Some of the Dragons may choose to come as well, who knows," he smiles, in good humour, and apparently unaware of the horrific nature of the tactics he was outlining to the other Deputy. Sacramento had brought out his Beast, and he was proactively nipping it in the bud. A simple vent, if anything.

Noting Derek packing up, he mirrored the movement. "Forgive me, I am rambling. Uh- to simply put it I am going to do the Gangrel thing and seek a new territory. I may finish my Change first since that is an extremely dangerous undertaking on the road. I will reach out to the Sablesworn and see where I can be of use to the Great Work."

[Derek Menzies]

Derek expels a short breath of air from his dormant lungs. Courage. As if. It seems like empty praise, but Garrett seems genuine in this moment, if still harboring some arrogance with his unfiltered hypothetical scheming. But then a Major Boon is nothing to sneeze at, except that the Boon's validation came from the Harpy and a boon-breaking Prince.

"It's alright. At least some good came of this meeting. I may yet request the Keeper's assistance. We shall see. And you, see to your affairs. And...um..." he trails off, looking a little embarrassed. "Good luck to you, I suppose, Mr. Prosper. Perhaps we shall meet again."

Still unknowing of the scope of his accomplishments among the Ordo, Derek wonders if he may yet come to admire Garrett more in his absence than having worked alongside him. But as he has said, what is a ten minute conversation across a century.

[Garrett Prosper]

Prosper snaps a thumbs up. Normally in times like these, Kine would start opening up and doing polite and empathetic things such as asking about how the other is feeling, or maybe a snippet of Derek's own stressful position. However, the Kindred did not have the rapport, and he got the feeling that pressing his personality on the Mekhet would cause defensive verbal cutting, like in Court (fun as it was).

"Well, if I do not die somewhere weird, or get blasted into Topor," the Savage laughs as he gets up. "Keep being resourceful, Mitnick, maybe punch someone at some point for fucking with you."

Unless stopped, Garrett leaves the Scene!