Waking the Dead 2.0 || August 6, 2063 || Saturday

[takeitinstride]

[Here's an official memorandum from your beloved Kaiser, in your inbox.]

SENT: 11:04 AM
Greetings, War Hounds. There are several matters that I need to bring to your attention, as a blade.

First: congratulations on the successful completion of your two most recent engagements. Keep up the good work.

Second: in light of recent events, effective August 6 until August 31, the Malice Kings of Netsach have decreed that your blade will be placed on a forced leave of absence from major engagements within the Vigil. You will only be allowed to participate in minor engagements.

Bostova, Marisigan, Zobel de Ayala and Stevenson: I have spoken to the leaders of the conspiracies that you possess additional licenses with (i.e. Magistrate Kalika Shinta of Zangyaku, Cardinal Paolo Inojosa of the Brotherhood of Violence, Senior Operative Jessiah Vice of the Methuselah, and Lord Thomas Regardi of the Thrones). They are happy to inform you that they share the sentiments of the Malice Kings, and have subsequently placed the lot of you on shore leave. The aforementioned dates still apply.

Third: Netsach's contingent will return to the Falner Estate at 00:12:00 hours tomorrow. All blades who participated in accompanying President Catherine Stone are under orders to remain grounded at Naufragio until call time.

Fourth: I would like to personally extend my gratitude for watching over the Blade King. He is beyond a comrade to me - he is family. In as much as his participation during President Stone's diplomatic mission was unplanned, his presence prevented 99% of the casualties, and your subsequent actions prevented him from overstretching himself. I understand that having him come in the first place was a call that your team, particularly your blade leader, decided to make, and it was a wise one.

If you have questions on any of these matters, you are free to approach me. I will make myself available for you at your convenience.

OOC Notes:
+ Liandrin actually sends this text after idling around with Jessie, Hikaru, Kaz, Josh, Taning, and Yulia. She'll be going around Cape Town all the way until departure time the next day: August 7, in-game.
+ Brianna and Brigade are free to react to this accordingly, and decide on the time that they wake up. So that there's no time paradox, though, make sure to pick any hour after 12 PM, in-game.
+ Josh, Kaz, Yulia and Taning: you're pretty much free to do whatever in Naufragio and Cape Town until August 7, so that gives you guys a day and a half, plus one evening.

Comments

[bostova]

SENT 11:05 AM
Is the forced leave really necessary?

[takeitinstride]

SENT: 11:06 AM
Yes. The lot of you have been through several notable ordeals. It's high time that you have a few weeks to calibrate.

[bostova]

SENT 11:07 AM
A leave for the rest of August is excessive.

[takeitinstride]

SENT: 11:08 AM
Perhaps it may be for you, but can you say the same, with full confidence, for the rest of your blade mates in light of everything that has happened?

[bostova]

SENT 11:10 AM
I don't see how the entire blade should be benched.

[ :T ]

[therealbrianna]

SENT: 01:14 PM
Thank you ma'am, but if we did such a good job, why are you sending us away? :(

[takeitinstride]

SENT: 1:15 PM
It's a temporary situation. As things stand, I'm doing this for your own good - it can't always be about staying on the field and fighting.

[therealbrianna]

SENT: 01:16 PM
Definitely won't argue with that! Seems like a sound decision. Thanks again ma'am. :) We're still on for training?

[takeitinstride]

SENT: 1:18 PM
Of course, although I don't think you really need it anymore. You can just come to me whenever you need advice, or whatever else. :)

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig wakes up from his autonomic control-induced sleep to both messages from Kaiser Liandrin and Magistrate Kalika. He's a bit surprised. And a bit confused. He replies similarly to both as he's not sure what else to say. ]

SENT: 12:03 PM
Did we do something wrong, Ma'am?

[takeitinstride]

SENT: 12:05 PM
Beyond leaving close to nothing for the rest of the operatives under my command?

No, I suppose not. But I am not overturning my decision.:)

[Yeah, she rarely uses smileys. Only for times like this.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ The smiley catches Brig by surprise. ]

SENT: 12:06 PM
Acknowledged, Ma'am. No participation in major engagements till you order otherwise.:)

I'll stay on stand-by for if ever there's a change of orders. And if there are any minor assignments you may want done, Ma'am, please just ask. I'll be at the ready.

[ He throws out a smiley as well, in response to hers. ]

[takeitinstride]

[Has she told you how much she likes this new and improved Brigade with feelings?

No, she hasn't, and she won't for a while. Maybe it'll come out in other ways.]

SENT: 12:08 PM
Keep an eye on the Boards then. There's always work to do in the Vigil, and not all of it as nearly as traumatic as the work that you lot have insisted on taking for yourselves.

[larue]

[ He receives the text just as he's about to head towards his room and then quickly backtracks to look for the Kaiser. It's not that getting benched after the number of engagements they've participated in bothers him, particularly given just how... badly, this last one could have gone.

But -- a whole month?? ]

[takeitinstride]

[Thankfully, Liandrin just happens to be on her way out. She lifts an eyebrow the moment she spots Josh coming her way.]

I suppose you are here, as well, to rant and rail at me for the leave?

[You'll note that her phone is floating beside her, typing out messages on her behalf all on its own.]

[larue]

[ He slows his pace at the sight of his superior and takes a moment to calibrate before he replies because the phrase 'rant and rail' is actually... the last thing he had in mind.

Softly -- and deferently -- he starts: ] Actually... no, ma'am.

[ It's been a crazy couple of weeks, matched well enough with blows on the flipside of being a hunter. The body can heal and rest up, everything else takes a little longer. ]

A leave is good. I'm just... a little stunned at the length. [ He hasn't really gotten the chance to speak to anyone about what happened out there. Kaz died and came back a Card, and it's at least a good thing that Jessie's taken the kid under his wing. Brianna had to watch a blademate fall, Yulia had to face an 'almost', and this so soon after South America and Tohru for all of them. ]

Is this about Kaz getting killed, ma'am?

[ Oh his watch. When the initial agreement was that they would buddy up to keep an eye on the President; a call he'd changed because he thought his blademate would be okay since an Inquisitor and member of the Searing Wind, of Methuselah's Erinyes, was with him. ]

[takeitinstride]

It isn't, actually, but I am somehow left with the impression that you wish to discuss that.

[Turning away now, and canting her head towards the exit.]

Walk with me.

[bladeweaver]

[Le sigh. Now he'll have to distract himself even harder.]

SENT: 11:06 AM
I suppose the War Hounds are due for some R&R. Thank you, ma'am.

... Though isn't that rather a long time to be benched, ma'am?

[takeitinstride]

SENT: 11:07 AM
Is it really?

[Yes, Taning. Explain why it is long to your Kaiser.]

[bladeweaver]

[Oh man, Lia pls.]

SENT: 11:15 AM
Several reasons, ma'am. First is that it seems to be an arbitrary length of time, though I will readily grant that there are factors that we cannot see from our position. Second, the possibility of a major engagement occurring during our enforced leave is... I'd put it around 50-50, depending on whether Grendal decides to take advantage of the situation or decides to let us develop a sense of control over the situation. I am not saying that we are indispensable, please do not misunderstand. All I'm saying is, if I know my blade (including, of course, our very unofficial seventh), they would not want to be sitting back for whatever comes.

Please know, also, that I say this out of my duty as the third of our blade and thus someone with some measure of responsibility. Personally, I would very much rather kick back, train a lot, smoke weed a lot, and eat a lot. :)

[Of course that isn't true. But this one will not open up to the Kaiser. Not just yet. It's less that she scares him (she definitely does though), and more that he isn't quite looking for a cold, objective assessment of his situation. She IS first on the list for that sort of thing, however.]

[takeitinstride]

SENT: TIME GOES HERE
First: it is not an arbitrary length of time. It has been calculated based on the amount of time that all of you have collectively spent on the field versus the time that the lot of you have spent recuperating.

On a related note, the conspiracy as a whole cannot advance with regard to our latest discoveries until Inquisitor Clayce's return. He is due to return by the end of August.

Second: to be frank, Netsach has been too lenient with letting your blade participate in several of them due to your personal connections. If another one occurs during your leave, then another one occurs. On that note, shall I walk you through a lecture on statistics and probability with regard to the rate of occurrence of major engagements that absolutely, positively require your particular presence on the field? It may be enlightening.

Third: perhaps you may want to speak to the Blade King himself regarding his sentiments on the leave.

Fourth: I am actually of the opinion that you are not being entirely truthful with regard to your sentiments on this matter, but I suppose that is a matter that we can discuss at another time.

[She's just going to call it as she sees it, Marisigan.]

[ktotheatothez]

[It's later when he gets the text. Benched for a month? After his day with Jessie and the schedule that The Hanged Man just gave him... Being benched was actually a godsend.

So it's late in the day when he's scarfed down some food, that he decides to send Lia a text, fully aware that he might actually be the last to talk to her.]

SENT: 04:22 PM
Message received, Kaiser. Could I, ah... Have a moment of your time to talk? I don't plan on contesting the leave, but I have a few questions.

[No way is he contesting it. Uncle Pao's one of the most chill people in the world, and when he says sit the fuck down, you listen.]

[takeitinstride]

[She's not too surprised at the delayed response. Jessie's the one handling Kaz now, so.]

SENT: 4:23 PM
Of course. I am in Naufragio's branch of the Arcanum - feel free to come and see me.

[She will resist the urge to have Words that compare your ideal behavior to the whining of your elders and supposed betters. For now.]

[ktotheatothez]

[Kaz meanders into the Arcanum of Naufragio, and asks for the section on Cards. He figures hitting two birds with one stone is a good idea, because knowing that he's come back a little differently (yeah, no shit) means that there's a lot he has to learn, and fast.

So when he does make it to Lia, he's got three files and four books with him, looking every bit like a college student.]

Hello, Kasier. Sorry if it took me a while. [He sets down the books to the side as he sits.]

I realize that a lot's happened. Um... To be honest, I'm kind of glad for the break. I have a lot of explaining and possibly placating to do back home. I take it everyone else has weighed in?

[He's totally looking at his hands because that whole being-able-to-see-which-Arcana-people-belong-to thing? Yeah, he's been creeping out other Hunters with it all day.]

[takeitinstride]

[Once Kaz's presence pings on her radar, she's setting her own work aside, clearing the table, and setting the ashtray between her seat and the one he is sure to occupy. Hence, by the time he does appear, she's already inclining her head in his direction, watching his approach.

She knows those books. At least the boy is studying.]

It's all right, and I am happy to hear that you have no complaints... I am sure that Godhand Inojosa shares my sentiments on this matter. As for your question...

[A small almost-smirk. More like a derisive twist to her lips.]

If you are referring to your blade mates. Yes, they have.