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

[therealbrianna]

SENT: 01:28 PM
I'll be there in a while, then! :)

[ And that touches Brianna. While she has a high degree of respect for Lia that soars through the roof, she's not as... scared? as some people are. Probably because they did spend a lot of time together training.

Sure enough, she arrives 5 minutes later, head peering in. ]

[takeitinstride]

[Oh, good: she's just finishing up with some senior operatives of Naufragio.

Stepping away from them now the moment she spots you, and smiling.]

Hello, Brianna.

[therealbrianna]

He...llo ma'am? I hope I'm not interrupting anything!

[ She steps inside now. Smiling back at Liandrin while her gaze falls to the senior ops and back to Liandrin. She really hopes they don't overhear anything she has to say. ]

[takeitinstride]

No, you're not. We just finished.

[And from the smiles sent in your direction just before they're taking they're leave, you can probably tell that Lia's right.]

You wanted to ask me about Zangyaku, correct?

[therealbrianna]

Oh well, yeah.

[ That, and other stuff. But first things first. ]

I wanted to ask whether or not you think it's a wise decision for me to dual license with Zangyaku.

[takeitinstride]

I think it's the ideal choice for you, actually, and I'm not just talking about your connections to Hikaru. It's a great conspiracy.

[And she's speaking from experience. She was, after all, a member of the Searing Wind in the past.]

[therealbrianna]

[ She nods and smiles at Lia. ]

I'm glad I have your support. [ She doesn't budge though. Her eyes are idling around the place, indicative of how she's not planning to leave just yet. ]

[takeitinstride]

[Watching that a moment.]

What's on your mind?

[therealbrianna]

[ Nibbling her lip before answering. ]

It's... this Kaz thing.

[takeitinstride]

[Hmm.]

Come. Let's find a place to sit down.

[They're close to the Arcanum as it is. That's as good a place as any.]

[therealbrianna]

[ She follows Lia. She doesn't have to hide the fact that something's bothering her, at least not with Lia. ]

[takeitinstride]

[She doesn't speak until they're both settled at a round table just for the two of them by one of the windows in the Arcanum. She first asks one of the wandering librarians for some tea and an ashtray before lighting up.]

All right. What about this Kaz thing?

[therealbrianna]

[ She thanks the librarian with a nod. ]

Well to begin with, I would think death is a difficult thing to bounce back from.

[takeitinstride]

[Making a noise of agreement at that.]

It ought to be. People who simply take it for what it is tend to be damaged in ways that they cannot begin to describe. [And eyeing you again.] Granted, Kaz's situation is... peculiar. You did not actually have to lose him.

[therealbrianna]

For a moment there, I thought we really did. What do you mean by peculiar, though?

[ Is there something she doesn't know or... o_o ]

[takeitinstride]

All of us remember his death, and he remembers his own death as well. That is not how it is supposed to go with Cards.

[She'll have to tell Aidan about it upon his return.]

[therealbrianna]

Oh, right. I'm just concerned that maybe it'll come back to shock him. I mean if I died and came back, of course I'd be happy at first but sometimes the mind does this thing where it remembers the exact moment, that feeling of dread.

[ She sighs. ]

I trust that he'll be fine but... it's inevitable, isn't it?

[takeitinstride]

It is. Have you tried asking him how he is? It's entirely possible that he's already had a breakdown.

[As things stood, if Lia had been in his position, she probably would have.]

Had to check the timeline for this! c:

[therealbrianna]

[ She nods sadly. ]

He sort of...already did. It's not something that's gone once it's done though, and that's what I really fear.

ou!

[takeitinstride]

That's very true.

[Taking a drag from her cigarette.]

You're worried about what you can do for him, then?

[therealbrianna]

[ She nods. ]

Yes. That and... well, I want to be emotionally available for when it does happen again.

[takeitinstride]

Emotionally available, mm?

[Tilting head at.]

So you feel as though you were not?

[therealbrianna]

To be honest? It freaked me out a lot. And even that is an understatement.

[ Brianna sighs deeply. ]

At first I felt really really bad, and angry, and sad. Then Kaz came back then I was... happy? At least we got him back but speaking just for myself, it's not like there was a lot of time for me to get over it.

[ There's a small furrow in her brow. ] It's kinda confusing.

[takeitinstride]

[Making a thoughtful noise.]

I actually think that you don't have to "get over it" quickly, nor, if ever, reign in your emotions or hold yourself back from saying what you want tor say.

[And now lifting an eyebrow at her student.]

Do you want to say anything to any of them? Kaz, especially?

IC-ly, Brig has checked up on Bri re:Kaz but thread is not yet done!

[therealbrianna]

I don't really know.

[ She pauses for a while, wringing her hands. ]

No one I know has ever died on me before. If anything though, I want them to know that's it's okay to talk about it.