Conspiracy and Fries

[Anatole]

Anatole was going to say something.

He really was.

And then Titania opened her mouth... and left him speechless.

"Hmmm. Yes. Well - indeed!"

He knuckled his moustaches.

"Gah! Eh... Well... We were think of reaching out to Gerrit and Ram. I've been working with them, trying to build up report before we make an approach*. Also Cassandra Reading. We have had some very interesting chats and I definitely get the impression she would be interested in this project."

He actually found himself turning to Titania, as if he needed the Fairest's permission.

I'm not having Anatole resist :P

[James Turner]

Anatole may have remained quiet but John didn't, he wouldn't sit quiet either. His principals were his own and what often brought him into opposition. "You don't, I never said you had to. I said I did. Then you talk about transparency while telling me to do the opposite. You're asking for transparency and I offered it to you, so which is it?

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-03-20 13:50:12	James Turner rolls 6 to Resist: (Res + Comp) (10 Again)	1, 8, 2, 8, 5, 6	2 successes

"Honestly. I'm all for standing in opposition to obstruction at the top. But we're talking new and future employees here. I want to help the most people, that's it. It stops there." He put it there simply, that was where he stood. She continued and he sighed, her energy alone could have beaten his down.


"Listen. You want transparency, I do too. So I am going to tell them because I want to help facilitate that. My vision was that this was for the new employees so we'd have buy in from everyone. The Board, any new projects that start under our company. You know, really bring us together. Help people find their way in the company, where they might best fit. But, we might be able to keep it privately owned. Maybe the new employee can elect their own representative that could work. We can make something work. At least to start."


He took a sigh as she continued, her lip quivering and he frowned too. Sitting the cup of coffee back on the table as she asked if his conflicts were too many. He shook his head and looked at the both of them. Remaining Silent as Anatole spoke of fellow people to bring into the project. "I thought this was going to be longer than one project at least. And this was before I got appointed to the board. I think we're still in agreement but I am who I am and my principals have not changed, for better and for worse. I will not be without conflicts now. We will all still have outside conflicts with our own families alone. It just happens to be that I now have people who's jobs I care about very much. Is that a deal breaker for you?"

[Titania]

"I don't hold any official title, and neither does Anatole. The level of disclosure we ought to give is way smaller than that owed by those who sit on the board", she listens in religious silence, "James, I think there has been a misunderstanding. As far as I can tell, though I can't speak for Anatole", she bends forward, taking a conspiratorial tone, "we're not looking to create the company's help desk. For that, the board can just hire a couple of receptionists. We're here because we want a mutually benefiting binding agreement between us. The best word to describe it starts with M and ends with ley", she speaks intensely, "the purpose of the board is to give our arrangements a more formal structure and rise to the task of defending the company. The Board isn't the company. And quite frankly, they hold no power over how we conduct our private business. This project was supposed to be independent"

[Anatole]

Anatole shook his head, clearing it of the fog Titania's words had woven around him.

"Yes. Our venture! A separate endeavour. But also a place for any new employee's - a means to secure safe accommodation for them. We all know how precarious it can be in a new town with a new company. It is a gap with the board's existing arrangements that keeps coming up."

He licked his lips carefully.

"But Titania is right. All of this plan is meant as a dry run for a more... beneficial arrangement... between us. If we can make it work for the company so much the better but it is not the main objective. This is to see if we can work together."

[James Turner]

"I agree and I'm hoping to try and help with that. " Then she continues and Anatole picked it up. His face scrunched up in confusion and pinched the bridge of his nose. taking another sip of coffee with a scowl painted to his face, starring at the mug as if it betrayed him personally. "I thought, sorry. I've got so many irons in the fire it's getting hard to keep what's what straight. I need a better organizational system in here." He tapped at the temple and then rubbed it. "I thought we were talking about the community center and not office space for ourselves. I apologize, well, my cards are on the table. If I have to have egg on my face for caring about people that's a price I'm willing to pay." He offered with a smile.


"Though my new place on the board was worth bringing up. If you're not comfortable with that I'll understand and it won't change our friendship at all." He gave another shrug as he looked between the two, hoping that wasn't the case but he'd understand if it was. The King of Winter was used to bad news, mostly delivering it. "Then yea I don't disagree with your assessment.


"Offering space to newer employees is more than fine and within the purview of any private enterprise. I was more concerned with setting up something a bit more official. If you don't find my conflicts to be too numerous I'm fine returning to the previous topic about the future of the arrangement, but if you;d rather have privacy I can leave too, just let me finish my bacon." The dour Darkling expecting the worst as he normally does, eating at him inside as he wondered if he'd made too big a faux pas and starting to go over where he got his wires so crossed.

[Titania]

She shakes her head. The Freehold already had its fair share of people with abundant conflicts of interests. She wasn't going to bring another home.
"I'm afraid we aren't operating on the same frequency"

[Anatole]

Anatole sighed and reached for the fries; he took a handful and piled them into his mouth, trying to buy time.

"I was hoping we'd be discussing the personal side venture and it's possible expansion."

He scowled at no one in particular, disappointment hanging in his voice. Abruptly his visage became focussed and a shot a look of sheer venom at his surroundings and away from the table.

"There were many things to discuss and unpack..."

He tried to find a way to rebuild the bridges which had appeared so strong at the beginning of the year. Why did everything come down to the cursed theme park and either Rhodes' domain of Edna's or the blasted Tavern. They were the only places secure enough for them to talk openly about things that affected them all. And they were not exactly private.

"I am sorry. The space we are thinking of could become a bone of contention for the Board. If we went ahead, we would not be handing it over to the supervision of the community centre."

[James Turner]

James listened as Titania spoke and he nodded, chewing on his bacon as Anatole continued. He frowned and took a deep breath, he was disappointed as well but he understood that he represented a conflict of interest now. "Problems with the board haven't stopped me in the past, but I understand. All minds must be in agreement for this to work and one party objects. So that's it. I still consider you friends and if you want to unpack things you know how to reach me. Just, later next time." He offered a half hearted chuckle that was entirely forced.


He wiped his hands off on his napkin. "It's under supervision one way or another, but I've already laid everything out there." He shrugged, still frowning as he slid out out of the booth. "I wish you both the best of luck in this endeavor. I'm going to go take a nap now." He offered a weak smile as he left waving to them as he walked by the window and kept walking. The sun's oppressive ray's never burned hotter before. He could feel the searing heat over every inch of his body now. Pulling out his phone he knew at least one person that could cheer him up.

[Titania]

She watches as he disappears from the window, perplexed by his dramatic departure. Then she turns back to Anatole. "For some reason he still believes we'll be under the board's supervision, or that their jurisdiction will extend to our private property", she gives a deliciously malicious smile, "I suppose the first priority will be to get the best security system money can buy, right?", she winks, bringing the cup to her lips.
"You think we should start scouting for properties already?"

[Anatole]

Anatole watched the Whisperwisp depart with a sullen sadness. He sighed, puffing out his cheeks to do so, and cracked his neck. He made another scowl, this time directing his ire directly into the ceiling above their heads.

"Shame. Real shame. I thought we all wanted to shake things up a little. Yes, he did. Why would we want to the ... Board to dictate our business venture? The point of it is to provide a secure place where we can vent, away from the community centre. And where we can look after our own, of course."

He stared at the bowl of chips and grabbed another hand full to fill the sudden void in his stomach.

"If you have the resources set aside already? I'm building towards it but I'm not quite ready yet. Or do you have something in mind already?"

He caught the Fairest's wink and smiled back - the ghost of a financial predator somehow forcing itself through his rough features for the first time in her presence.