Canidae Rising

[Pi dArtois]

The Discovery

Setting the Scene:

Location starts in The Training Room, beside the pool, it is at the installation of the pool that the construction crew finds the tunnel, heading ‘somewhere’

In entering the tunnel they traverse an abandoned tunnel system.

<Pi>
One of the main things Pi learned as a vampire is that life was not a static thing.

Change was an ever evolving beast with unpredictable turns of temper. Like a child raging at the vagaries of a disciplinary parent you could expect all things at any time from the effects of transformative ideas. There would be some who would embrace the idea of change because they embraced all things in that way. These people would throw themselves into the fray and enjoy the challenge of an as yet unknown world. They were the evocative orators and brave adventurers. Invariably they were also the daredevil free thinkers in need of sensible parameters and loosely held reins to pull back their more unpredictable inclinations.

And then there were the others; the slow deliberators and assessors. These were the ones who watched and listened. They took notes and let the concept percolate until they were ready to consume the desired state in small, carefully elucidated pieces. They were no more valuable than the others, but different. They were intentional and considered and when they committed it was forever.

Pi lay on her belly on the floor of the training room. She was beside the pool, a constructed access way to the pool pump open and her head was ducked into the floor. She held a flashlight in her hand and she swung it to the left and right muttering to herself.

It probably had a lot to do with her upbringing but Pi was the sort who jumped into new ideas like they were wild mustangs she needed to wrangle into submission. Fear of what she didn’t yet know had never stopped her before and with eternity stretching out before her like a long unravelling highway, she had less reason to be cautious. There was no fear of the unknown or an immediate adverse reaction. When she had been shown what they suspected was a tunnel system her gaze lit with eagerness.

Her curiosity was that of a cat, her agility that of the wolf she changed into from time to time. There was a tunnel below her training room, a very large, and very cavernous tunnel and she really really, wanted to know where it led.

The construction crew had found these tunnels during the renovation of the Undersecretary Office. Below the four walled shop with its innocuous office desks and overflowing metal trash bins had laid dormant a part of the city’s history. She didn’t know where it led, what it meant or how it could be used but she wanted to investigate. She wanted to investigate it very very badly.
She had sent the text to the family, asking if anyone was available for a short mission to search some tunnels they’d found under the Training Room, now she just waited for people to arrive before hauling herself into the dark pit that was the hidden tunnel.

~.~

<Doc>

After receiving the text from Pi about the tunnel underneath the Undersecretary’s Office, he knew he wanted to be a part of the group that headed down to explore it. He wasn’t one for nature usually, but exploration, especially exploration of something manmade, that had lain undisturbed for a number of years, that interested him. It interested him greatly. In no time he had used the tome to bring himself to the portal room and it was just a quick step to the training room.

Doc found Pi, on her belly with a flashlight trying to see what she could without actually crawling down there. He could tell she was itching jump in, as was he. “Have an extra flashlight anywhere handy?” He squatted and followed the beam of her flashlight as she moved it about. It looked deep, and it was difficult to see how even or uneven the floor below was. He glanced around the training room and noticed the small generator that the work crew had been using while doing renovations.

“What say we lower this thing down there and set up a up some lights. Get a better view of what we are dealing with before setting off into the dark?”

As anxious as he was to have a look around, Doc wanted things done correctly. No sense harrying off half cocked, and risking someone getting hurt, or someone unintentionally opening a doorway into the Quarantine Zone that couldn't be shut up again. The Undersecretary’s Office was dangerously close to the Quarantine Zone, so movements in that direction would need to be doubly cautious. “The QZ is just a few hundreds yards to the east.. yea? Having some lighting so we can see what’s actually down there is a priority.”

<Pi>

“Hrmmm?” she mumbled absently, still swinging her torch back and forth into the crawl space. She did know he’d arrived and she had a moment of relief someone had, and hoped more would come, because she suspected the job that awaited them was a big one. Pi was now a supernatural being but she wasn’t that keen on dark spaces and what they had below them seemed like a very big, very cavernous black hole of a place.

Pushing herself up to her knees she relaxed back on her haunches to stare at the generator Doc pointed at, to nod her head.

He’d come to surprise her, Doctor Charles Neilsen. They had a rocky history but between them they had managed to set their past aside, maybe not forever, maybe not all the time but it had become a regular non-entity and she had to appreciate what that meant. It meant that he was here, the first to come here and he was willing to help drop down into this urban crevice.

“Oui. Good idea” she replied, seeing the sense in his words about using the generator for light.. “We’re going to need light. I think.. there are more torches (flashlights) in that tool box over there.. might need those too.”
She stood then, moving over to the generator. It was a gas job, and by the look of the tank, it was full. It would be noisy but it would give them what they needed and maybe, they could leave it up here, and run the cords down so the racket wouldn’t deafen them. Kicking the heavy piece of machinery gently with the toe of her boot she moved past it to pick up one of three drop cords left by the crew. It was yellow, as if drop cords needed to be a bright colour in order to remind people that power ran through the thing. Crouching she tied the cord into a loose knot, then connected the pronged end to its receptacle as she’d been taught. One to connect the power, the knot to ensure any pull wouldn’t disconnect the two ends. A trick of any carpenter, to ensure power wasn’t cut short by a short sharp yank.

“You want to make your way down first? I’ll give you the cord and I’ll swing the rest down to you... I expect others will come along soon enough. They can follow the power cord to find us.”

Crouching she picked up the long carefully wound power cord, then the other before making her way back to the manhole.
“Whatever is down there, it’s big and God knows, if there are paladins, hunters or ferals,we’ll want to see them coming.”

[Lancaster]

<Elliot d’Artois>

Elliot was late to receive the text. He’d almost gone back to his roots in the last few weeks; he’d reached an attitude of near pure zen. Although Asteria had offered to help with his anger issues--had offered herself up as a guinea pig--he’d not had a reason to take her up on it. If there was drama in the family, he was not made aware of it. And deep down, he knew he preferred it that way. Not that he wouldn’t attend to any drama if it were required--not that he wouldn’t try to throw cold water on fiery situations, if he was made aware of them. But he preferred that there were no such situations to take care of, recently.

Instead, he seemed to have regained a lost part of himself. All brooding moroseness was replaced with good-humour. He tended bar, he sold musical instruments, and he played his music. He played in private, for private ears, or he played it on street corners, or he played it on stage. And that’s where he was - he was up on the stage at Lancaster’s, and the world may as well have been made up only of himself, the microphone, and the beat-up old accoustic in his hands.

He was happy, and had returned to his former self, except for the fact that he was restless. He was always restless. It was habit, he supposed. So used to a life of moving around, of exploration, that staying in the one city for this long was somewhat of a miracle. But there was still so much to explore, here. Maybe not physically, in the landscape, but mentally. He seemed to be growing, and changing, every day - both in mind and spirit. Whatever it was that he could call that vampiric part of himself.

It was when he jumped down from the stage to take a ‘break’ (he didn’t need one, but he took one for the benefit of the people watching him) that he found his phone with the waiting text message. A new place to explore? Hell, yes. Without a second thought he made sure that there was somebody ready to take care of the music, before he slipped into the office and through to the portal room. He made sure to get out of his ‘good’ clothes first, ducking into his apartment to get changed into an old pair of jeans and a plain white, v-neck t-shirt. It didn’t matter if these clothes got ruined.

When he arrived at the training room, there was no-one there, but he could hear voices emanating from a hole in the ground near the pool. With a sense of childish glee he immediately approached the man hole, folded himself up like a happy little insect with all his long limbs, and dropped down inside. He didn’t hesitate, not once. Why would he?

He joined Doc and Pi, hands shoved into his pockets, gaze taking in the cavernous space appreciatively. He let out a low whistle.

“Who’d have known?” he questioned, as if he’d been there the entire time.

~.~

<Aidan>
The music blared in her headphones and Aidan jumped all about the QZ, blinking from spot to spot while she dispatched the zombies and collected their ears. Ast had given her another list and like a good collector she sought to fill the list and fill it quickly. It gave her something to do with her time, allowed her to have something to do. This restlessness, this lack of a goal continued to eat at her. The bit of tinkering that she had done, was fun and it kept her focused for a time. When she was done, when the components were gone she was left again with this hole in her life.

Another zombie ambled toward her, without even a thought she blinked behind it and with one slash removed its head from its body. She watched with a bored expression as it tumbled and rolled across the grass of the graveyard, briefly her mind wondered just who tended the grounds of the place. The grass was not overgrown to the point of being a bother to those who hunted there. So, that meant that someone was in charge of it, but who? Perhaps that would be her new found adventure? To find the grave digger whose job it was to mind this place.

Just as another zombie shambled over, her phone went off. “Hold that thought,” she remarked to the zombie with a smirk before she put it into a headlock and held it there to struggle while she read the text. “So...it's time for an adventure, huh? And me without my backpack and map to make sure I get there safe,” she chuckled then worked on her own text.

*Hey, sexy. Time for some Sex, Danger and Adventure! Ok....the sex part is for later tonight, but I'm sure you got the text from Pi, so come on the adventure with me and have some fun. I promise to wear those cut off shorts you like so much ;-) Love you! *

That done she slipped the phone back into her pocket and just looked at the zombie that struggled in her grip. A predatory grin took hold of her lips and she held the thing for a while, before she adjusted her grip on her sword, then in one fluid motion severed its head from its body while she still held it in her hand. She lifted the head so that she could stare into its eyes, her head cocked first from one side then to the other. What she saw there must have satisfied her for she dropped the head and kicked it into an open grave. As she sheathed her blade she blinked away and appeared at their apartment building. Given she promised Ast a certain look she decided to pop over there and change before she tomed to meet the others.

Not ten minutes later she stepped in the training room, her nose and ears guided her to the hole and she wasted no time in dropping down to meet the others. The dark dampness made the lion purr and Aidan had to stop herself before she purred aloud. “What’s up Gang? We going to find out why old man Jenkins is haunting the ski lodge?” she chuckled.

~.~

<Pi>
Pi looked up quickly, smiling widely as she saw Elliot, casually passing him the rolled up drop cord before moving back to the base of the hole to get another, deciding to pick up the two that remained. She probably looked a bit odd, as small as she was hefting the rolled up power cords as if they weighed nothing at all, handling them as easily as she would a purse or clutch. Superhuman strength sure did come in handy.

“Yes, who knew. ” She replied. “I think we’ll need as much of this as we can if we want to light up what we find down there. Plan B will be what flashlights are in that tool box over there.” she said, nodding towards the box with the padlocked lid and logo on the side that read. ‘Crew Tools - Do Not Touch’.

She wondered briefly if the construction crew thought to consider for a moment how redundant such a lock was against those of her kind. She wondered, on the second breath how much Velveteen told her human workers about what it was they were at all. It didn’t seem possible that she’d tell the whole crew anything at all and would leave the more.. unusual parts of the construction process of their buildings to only those who need know.

“Bonjour Aidan. You want one of these?” Pi offered. She could carry one, Elliot, then Aidan and leave Doc to, turning she looked at the older man, silently arching her brow.

Picking up her flash light again she turned it on. They’d need a light, and sadly for them the construction crew hadn’t supplied them with options in lighting, just one, lonely spot on a stand they could move along as they moved but it would only light where they were. It was limited, but it was all they had.

Staring back up at the manhole Pi wondered if she should leave anything to mark their passage but figured, well, anyone that came could follow the power cord they’d string along behind them.

“Okay, who wants to take point?” she offered, opting to take the rear.

[Doc]

<Doc>

Doc had collected a flashlight and shed his suit jacket, during the time that Elliot and Aidan had joined them. “I’ll take point.” He picked several bits of broken rubble and tossed one into the hole and waited for it to hit bottom. “Sounds like about... a forty foot drop, give or take. Give me a few minutes to get down there and get my bearings. Then Elliot, if you would send down the generator..?”

Doc tossed a coil of rope over the edge. He could jump in the darkness, but he had no idea what the landing would be like, so caution was called for. He disappeared over edge, carefully looking for a foothold, but finding none, so he had to climb down the rope; a skill he wasn’t that used to. Reaching the end of the twenty foot rope, He paused and used the flashlight to see how much further down, and if there was a foothold. He dropped another piece of rubble and it hit almost immediately. He was going to have to drop to the floor below.

When he landed on the ground, he was surprised at how smooth and level it was. It was a man made floor. He pulled the flashlight out once more and started with a slow circular sweep from where he stood. He called up Elliot. “It’s a man made tunnel, there are tracks, I think it’s an abandoned train tunnel. You will have about 15 foot drop when you get to the end of the rope. Plenty of room for the generator.. send it when ready..”

~.~

<Pi>

Pi heard Doc lower himself down and couldn’t quite contain the excitement of what was happening. There were endless possibilities in finding a place like this one. But first they had to figure out what they had on their hands and she was so glad the other three were here to be a part of it.

Turning she looked back up through the manhole and the watery light that filtered down to them. The generator had graduated from a ‘good idea’ to a ‘necessity. If Doc was right they would need all the light they could get to be able to navigate the tunnel system below. And she feared, they were too close to the QZ or the sewers where hunters and Paladins roamed not to be cautious about what they would find when they started to explore the caverns below.

Not that it would stop them. Climbing back up the manhole Pi dragged the generator over, wrapped a length of rope onto one of the roll bars built around the heavy duty piece of machinery and lowered it down where Aidan and Elliot still stood. She might be bringing up the rear, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be handy.

Clambering down after Pi righted their power source, hooked in the cord again and got it ready to go.

“Alright, the generator is ready to go.” she stated, then nod at Elliot and Aidan.

~.~

<Aidan>

“Need help with the generator, Stretch? Or think you can handle it by yourself?” she teased Lan while she looked down the hole which Doc just disappeared down. Already she could feel the lion purr and claw with the desire to come out and play; to roam the darkness, to explore. Perhaps she would do that, once they got the generator down and she climbed down there herself, she would strip and go lion. Excellent night vision and a keen sense of smell could come in handy, plus it would be fun.

Before she could let the thought of such a freeing experience get to her, she went back to the generator, hefted it up and carried it over to the hole. “I can lower it down, if you will hold onto the rope there, Lan and we can get this down there to the old man before he forgets where he is and wanders off,” she chuckled. “Don’t want him thinking he is doing one of those bombshelter drills,” she said louder for Doc’s benefit.

~.~

<Elliot d’Artois>

This was why Elliot liked Aidan so much. The way she teased and joked it made it easier for him to hide any disdain that he might have for Doc. He recalled the conversation that he’d had with Aidan, not so long ago. No, it was definitely true that he didn’t love everyone exactly the same in this eclectic family of theirs. Of course, that was subject to change - always would be, and wouldn’t be a proper ‘family’ if it wasn’t the case.

It didn’t take long for them to manoeuvre the generator into place, to coordinate the set-up of the spotlights, to distribute torches, and to finally flick the power on. The sound of the generator enveloped them, almost deafening - if there were any monsters lurking in this here tunnell, they’d definitely know someone was coming. Someone was there. Someone was about to stumble right across them.

The bright flood of light illuminated the tunnel in front of them; it was vast and wide, and the light did not penetrate all the way to the end. It instead blended into complete darkness. Elliot’s shoes scuffed against the dirt, the beam of the torch in his hand bouncing around as he moved. There was an insatiable grin settled upon his lips. One might nearly be able to see the glee rolling from him in waves; he was tensed like a child on a leash, wanting only the freedom to explore a new playground. All that restlessness that had built up inside of him was finally being given some attention.

Doc was right. It looked like some abandoned train tracks. It could be just as boring as that - leading to nowhere in particular, just a straight line with no secret passages. But Elliot was optimistic.

He rolled his shoulders and began a long, loping stride into the unknown. Doc had said he’d take point, but goddamnit, Elliot could hardly keep control of his enthusiasm.

“Catch me if you can!” he called over his shoulder - teasing, really, because this wasn’t a game of hide and seek. Not with each other, anyway. He didn’t run from them - he kept within their sight. But he couldn’t help but cackle.

~.~
<Pi>
“Thank you for the help Aidan.” Pi said, shaking her head with a smile at Elliot’s playful dig. “Go on if you want.” she offered. “I’m going to hang back...”

Pi didn’t run after Elliot, because she’d said she’d bring up the end of the line and she did. Instead, she walked slowly in the direction Elliot had taken off. She shone her flashlight at the walls, where the beam of the generator lights didn’t reach. It was obviously an old subway tunnel. The tracks were still there, although they were broken and abandoned. She didn’t know if the crew who closed the tunnel tried to lift the tracks and realised how impossible the task and the broken, missing parts of what was once a train guide track was all that remained.

“This place is huge.” she said as she walked. To no one in particular, knowing all of them heard, just by virtue of what they were.

“Look at this, there are old air vents and I’m amazed we haven’t come across any … creatures down here.”

Pi picked her way carefully across the tracks. Heavy sleepers dogged her steps, the planks of wood stretching out like an aged yellow brick road, leading them into an inky darkness broken now by the glare of the generator driven light. Ahead, loomed an open space and she searched the distance, trying to make out what it was.

“Is that an open area up there?” She asked, nodding in the direction Elliot had gone. She squinted, curiosity piqued, and her step picked up. “Doc, Elliot... what do you guys see?”


<Kleiner>

Hiding quietly in a corner, Kleiner patiently waited for the guards to pass him by so he could finish the short trip to the exit and be done gathering items from yet another building. It was routine at this point and a routine that he enjoyed. That routine was broken when, just as the young man began to walk away, his phone made the ringalingaling that signalled one of those damned text based messages had been sent to him.

Sighing, he pulled his gun and fired at the guard and hastily moved to the exit. Only a few people knew his number and he supposed it was necessary that he check and respond in a timely manner. Breathing the cool night air, he blinked a few times and cleaned his glasses before fumbling the phone out of one of his pockets. It was from Miss d’Artois, informing him of an expedition and inviting him along. The old man was surprised that she had thought of him for this particular mission but, based upon his interaction with the rest of the ‘family’ he thought that it might be good to make an appearance, to show that he was willing to “pitch in” and “be part of the team.”

Replacing the phone and removing the tome that had been gifted to him, he performed the necessary steps to transport himself to the Portal Room. Confronted with a small crowd that he had little connection with, he cleared his throat to announce his presence. “What exactly is going on here?”

~.~

<Doc>

‘What the hell?’ Doc thought as Elliot strode past him. “Fine! Take point.. “ He called after him. Doc didn’t care who was on point and who wasn’t, he just didn't want to waste time as people tended to debate, debate, and then debate some ******* more, before anything got done.

To say Doc was surprised to see Elliot be proactive, was an understatement. Elliot was typically one of the ‘debate, debate.. and debate some ******* more people; so to see him doing anything without having first discussed and digested it to the inth degree was surprising. However, Doc would much prefer to see where he was going, rather than find out the hard way that there was a pit he was about to fall into. He figured, if Elliot’s torch suddenly disappeared, Doc should be wary.

Doc pulled his phone and tested his signal. Intermittent. He shrugged, it could be worse it could have been non existent. Intermittent meant that there a way for the signal to reach the surface, that was a good thing. It could be boosted, if they decided to utilize this space. He could tell they were headed down. There was old debris and rubble about the tracks, and when his foot dislodged it, the rubble rolled considerably farther than had there been no slope.

Elliot was an easy 100 yards ahead of him, when his phone lost all connection. Dammit. There was something about having the security of the phone that Doc liked, and when it ceased to work, his pessimism tended to go into high gear. “What do you see Elliot?”

[Messer Kleiner (DELETED 4129)]

Setting the Scene:
They are now in the tunnel, buried beneath the Training Room and running a long distance in a slope downward. It is dark, lit only by the lights strung by Elliot, powered by the generator and what flashlights people had brought themselves.

Ahead there is a cavernous area, an abandoned end station, two tracks lead in. Moss covered shops, aged public toilets and the litter of a once thriving terminal lay before them. They walk up the tracks that stop at a T-Junction, surrounded on both sides by a U shaped platform. It is as if life had ceased in a moment of time, leaving the place frozen, abandoned and useless. Shop signs dangle off aged store fronts with broken glass. A platform with benches with broken legs and old newspapers lay rotting into the concrete.

<Doc>
As Doc closed the distance between himself and Elliot, he was taken aback. “Wow.. “ He uttered under his breath, “When do you supposed they abandoned this? 20.. maybe 30 years ago?” He said louder to Elliot. “Wonder what happened to cause them to shut it down?” He headed off to peruse one of the abandoned shops.

There was a layer of dirt and debris over almost everything, but the place had serious potential. No one knew it was there.. No one knew how to get to it. They could reinforce the entrance, protect it, disguise it even. And it would be a secure zone for sure. It would take some work to get it that way.. but should there ever be another holocaust, could be a possible ‘fall out shelter’.

<Aidan>
Down in the hole, the generator was set up and Lan ran off like a kid in the candy store. Doc behind him with Pi behind. Aidan shrugged and began to strip. The lion wanted out, she wanted to play, wanted to explore. Plus, Aidan figured she could smell better, not to mention see better in her lion form.

The jeans were slipped down, past her hips to bunch at the floor while she stepped out of her sneakers. Next the shirt and bra were removed before Aidan stretched a bit to loosen up. The shifting, it was never truly very pleasant for her. Each time she shifted it got easier. But, it still...hurt. The other old man was there, just looking old and out of place. Because she could not help herself she winked at him and then focused on the lion.

From within herself, she felt the large cat. Felt her pace back and forth, anxious to be free and allowed to roam about in the darkness. First, it was the sensation of her whole body burning, heating up to the point that beads of sweat began to form. Then it became what could only be described as an itching sensation, all across her skin before a fuzz of fur began to form. Air. The sensation as it once again was needed, rushed into her lungs, the foreign but familiar sensation welcomed. It gave her something to focus on as another sensation began.

Thump.....Thump.....Thump...Thump....Thump

Her heart. It began to hammer in her chest, race in response to the pain and adrenaline that coursed through her body at this point. By the time her fangs had begun to elongate and grow, Aidan was already on her hands and knees, the change in full swing. Bones popped and shifted, her spine elongated into a tail that flicked from side to side. When her eyes opened next, gone were the startling blues, but now large golden orbs that drank in the darkness without any concern or difficulty. The exhilaration of the shift caused her to throw back her head and roar, both woman and lion loved how it reverberated and carried through the tunnel.

With the same enthusiasm that Lan showed she bounded down the tunnel, though she spared a moment to brush up against Doc when she passed him. It was not hard to catch up to Lan whom she brushed up against as well. When the abandoned train car came into view she was quick to climb it. Her sleek and powerful form jumped from one spot to another until she stood atop it. Another roar poured from her lips from atop it while she gazed down at the others.

Both woman and Lion enjoyed this place. It felt safe. Comforting. Like a den.....

[Aidan (DELETED 3366)]

<Elliot d’Artois>

Elliot couldn’t help but recall his time in Paris; Irene had been there, yes, but it wasn’t Irene that he recalled. Instead, he recalled his adventures through the abandoned catacombs beneath the Parisian city. He’d done that before he’d met Irene--before he’d met her properly, anyway. Of course he’d done the ordinary tours, keeping away from the places blocked off to tourists. He was far too restless and curious to leave it at that, however. Someone at the commune knew a guy who knew a guy that could give a blackmarket tour of the catacombs--and illegal tour, as it were. Elliot, frothing for some real adventure, tracked the guy down.

There were places under Paris where you’d wade through water that reached up to your chest. There were dark crevices down which you could fall, if you didn’t know the way. There were tunnels that you had to crawl through, head first like a worm. And Elliot had dived in, enthusiastic and a little afraid, but it was all totally worth it.

Down there, it was like another world. Back then, he didn’t have a phone. Not really--he had a beat up old Nokia that he left at the commune. He used it to contact home, to check in every now and again. But that was it. It was far too old a piece of technology for anyone to want to steal. And he liked it, that way of travelling--he had no tethers to anyone or anything. He supposed the only item he was attached to was his guitar. Everything else he could lose, and would laugh it off as a small hurdle--a log to step over, even, rather than a hurdle.

Doc continued to ask curious questions which Elliot failed to answer. He was lost in his own curiosity, and the desire to discover something that was lost. There was a mystery, here--Doc seemed concerned about uncovering the mystery. Elliot was happy to just revel in it; to allow the history of the place to affect him in ways that nothing else could. His mouth was agape as he stared at the abandoned platform. He wasn’t ignoring Doc or his questions. Not really. He’d be absolutely thrilled to have a conversation about this place and why it had been abandoned. He’d love to toss back and forth all kinds of conspiracy theories. But in those first few moments of discovery, he was lost to the notion of the unknown. His attention was scattered and unfocused; at least until the large, golden animal brushed against his thigh. He couldn’t help the initial reaction--the shout of shock and the way he jumped back, as if he expected some new kind of horror down here in the depths of the unknown. He did not expect a large lion. No, that would have been one of the last things he’d have expected.

A cursory glance over his shoulder assured him that the whole party was there. All but Aidan. This time, when his gaze swept the group, he wanted to make absolutely sure--and then he grinned. Of course. The lion was Aidan. The lion tore his attention away once again as she roared from atop the abandoned train car.

“Oh, I like that idea,” he said. It was a mumble, and maybe not everyone would catch it. “I like that idea a lot,” he added, with a wink in Pi’s direction. It had been a very long time since he’d taken the form of the Dingo; in fact, it was way before Christmas, when he’d been spending time with Pi, she completely oblivious, at the time, that the pet she’d claimed was actually her childe. Elliot put down his torch and peeled away the white shirt. He didn’t care if these clothes got ruined, no. But better that they remain in one piece so that he could walk out of this place fully clothed. It was only when he was down to his boxer-briefs that he summoned the power of transformation; it was easy for him, even now after months of disuse. For a while, every single day he turned into the dingo. He’d a lot of damned practice.

Bones cracked and shrunk, white skin sprouted red fur. Within seconds, the tall, lanky man had shrunk to the size of a domestic dog. A domestic dog with loping limbs and wiry fur, tongue lolling from its mouth as it darted forward, weaving in and out of the ruins as if it were on crack, nose to the ground as it sniffed out possible dangers, and daintily side-stepping structures that looked ready to crumble.


<Pi>
Pi had met the Lion before, not under great circumstances but she recognised the animal and so did the Wolf inside her. The white wolf growled, a wuff of a sound and none of it discernable, just a feeling in Pi’s chest, a thump and acknowledgment of beast to beast, canine to feline.

They say that canines were an uncomfortable fit for a feline, but Pi had learned it wasn’t always the case. In hers it was a certain intuition that this large graceful animal that loped past her was also one of theirs and Pi gave it a name, her name and whispered it as Aidan passed by.

Her Wolf wanted out too, it wanted to run like Aidan’s lion and it wanted to be a part of what unfolded. Pi suspected there was more the Wolf wasn’t telling her, something she was missing in this whole equation but she listened when the wolf spoke, and let it have its way.

It wanted to lope through this long tunnel and seek out the secrets it held. There was an excitement building and Pi heeded the request. Pi knew her wolf, she spoke to it, in her way each and every night. Since her discovery of this other part of her nature Pi had let the wolf out and had let it takes its form each and every night, since that day. They had learned together, her two selves. Over the months they had meld into one being, and one sense and one mind. Pi’s lack of experience in having a family had learned from the Wolf whose sense of pack was instinctual.

And the wolf had learned control, human emotion and a sense of abstract thinking from her human influence. They were no longer two beings that inhabited a space in lieu of the other, but a unified sharing of the same mind. The wolf trusted the human Pi, as much as it trusted its own instincts and the human, who found it hard to trust at all, gave her full unadulterated trust to the wolf.

Pi didn’t care for her clothes. She let it happen, feeling the flow of the magic, the realignment of her musculature and the birth of the wolf into her minds eye. It came first with a sense of de ja vu and a darkness, as if she’d come from noon day light into a dark room and the assimilation from one to the other required a closing of the eyes, the opening of the iris before full sight could be returned. The Wolf’s world was a monochromatic one, a grayscale world where the only distinction she could discern was blue and then an endless sense of shadows. Light, dark, and the gamut in between.

Then she ran, a lope at first, dodging pulled up tracks, skipping over one side then the next and back again, a playful swirl of fur and wagging tail. Her nose scanned the ground, then lifted her muzzle, her tongue hanging out. She huffed for real this time, speaking in a language none understood by herself, in a language wolves through the centuries to talk to one another. . It was a call, and a statement. She tasted the air, taking in the metallic rust of the place. Her canine nose wrinkled at the stale air and she lifted her nose, feeling the draft of fresh air and followed it with a distance eating lope. She passed Kleiner, nipping at him and growling a greeting and then past Doc, doing the same.
She sensed Lan’s Dingo and howled a greeting to him and then another for the Lion, not sure if the other animal would understand such a thing but the necessity to communicate between those present a keen need to connect with her ‘pack’. It took speed to make the platform, speed and the tensing of muscles in her flank and pushing off with her hind paw and her small white furred form leapt up and onto the concrete platform. Then she prowled. Her head low and leading with her nose, tension sitting at her neck and her withers standing on end. Her tail flicked as she found the current of fresh air and wolf eyes looked up at the ancient vent in the ceiling cavity, hidden by the inky darkness. The animal saw what the woman could not, saw the potential immediately what the woman might have taken weeks of recognise and it chuffed; a sound deep in her throat. In the world of wolves it was the equivalent to a whoop of excitement.

The human side of the wolf wished she could speak the words the wolf told her in pictures in her mind. Of cubs in a warm safe den, of the pack surrounding the exits to keep it safe. One entrance point, one security access and their pack safe from harm. Here in this space, dark and foreboding though it seemed now, held the promise of the safety d’Artois had been searching for all along. With her nose she nudged opened the doors of abandoned shop and did so to each, growling good naturedly at both the Dingo and the Lion.

She had no words to speak and didn’t really feel like getting naked in order to vocalise what the wolf had revealed to her. Instead the wolf stepped out onto the edge of the platform, lifted her muzzle to the moon she couldn’t see but knew was there and she howled.

It was a statement, a call, and a coming home. d’Artois have found their home.

[Lancaster]

SETTING THE SCENE: We are located in d'Artois complex, inside the meeting room, with the boardroom table. There are old city plans strewn across the table, with highlighted portions indicating where in the plans the tunnels and which portions are habitable.


Lancaster wanders into the boardroom, a long, drawn-out groan rumbling in his throat as he stretches; the movement tugs at the remaining wounds in his gut, and simply walking nudges and shifts the bullet still lodged in his leg - the one that he can't get out, and which he assumes will either remain where it is or be rejected by his body. Something that he'll <c>
Lancaster deal with later. He rolls the sleeves of his plaid shirt up to his elbows, and settles into one of the many comfortable leather chairs near the head of the boardroom table, beside all the plans. His hair is still wet from the shower he took moments ago, and he pushes it out of his eyes. <e>


PidArtois looks up from the plans, highlighter in her hand at arches her eyebrow at Elliot, her smile small and she shook her head at him. "I hope the other guys looks worse. Do you need.. me?" she asked.


_Doc_ opens the door and and motions Jac to precede him into the Room. He then entered behind her and follows her a few feet behind. He wanted to see how she carried herself in agroup setting.


Lancaster does look a little pale and peaky around the edges, but a warm smile spreads over his lips at Pi's offer of help. He opens his mouth, only to glance toward the new arrivals - his head tilts to the side, gaze flicking back to Pi momentarily. "Later," he said, the rumble in his tone indicative of the fun they might have. <c>
Lancaster lifts a hand in greeting at Doc, and who he assumes to be Jacquiline. <e>


Jacquiline walking inside she glanced around those who were there. She wore a black button up with the top few undone and a white under shirt. Along with a black pair of slacks and a black pair of heels. She wasn't big on color. Looking back to Doc she shrugs and gives her best smile. "Hello I'm Jacquiline." She took the imitative she wasn't a patient person.


_Doc_ nods briefly at Elliot, then gives his attention to Jac, though he spares a glance at the door. Cat said she would meet them there. She was late. As Jac spoke up Doc lifted an eyebrow in silent approval.


<Lancaster>: "Hey, Jacquiline," he greets her, accent thick and smile welcoming. "Or can we call you Jack? Is that a thing? Anyway. I'm Elliot. This is Pi," he said, gesturing to the women beside him. He and Pi, though a couple, were rarely overly affectionate in a group setting. It seemed an unspoken agreement that there's a time and place for that kind of affection.


<PidArtois>: "Bonjour Jacquiline." Pi greeted and waved her forward, sliding her warm gaze from Elliot to the people who just arrived. "Welcome, take a seat, we're waiting on a couple others before we get started. Shouldn't be too long. Doc. " She acknowledged with one word and a quick smile. "I see, you have been busy non?" she joked good naturedly at his siring spree.


Asteria had already been in the portal room when she noticed the time with a slight frown. A meeting. Yet another family meeting where someone would say something that resulted in being spoken to like children in kindergarten class room. She would have been lying if she said she was looking forward to it, regardless of whatever the subject matter was. <c>
Asteria A quick finger-combing of her hair and she slipped through the portal into the complex, and then through to the boardroom, eyeing those present, noticing one she'd not recognized. Pegging it for either the one who couldn't write English, or the newest, she meandered in, plopping into a seat, only then to notice Lan. He looked...worse for wear <c>


<_Doc_>: Doc waited a moment and saw Elliot was already making her welcome. The one thing he could say about Elliot, he didnt hold anyone's parentage against them. He nodded a silent thank you Elliot for accepting her readily.


Asteria which left her wondering if it was another bought of “emo,” making a mental note to ask him later. "Kalispera," she said to no one in particular, taking her gun out of its holster and plopping it on the table so it no longer jabbed her in the back.


_Doc_ glanced at Pi. "I see potential.. I exploit it."


Jacquiline she them both a nod and her best kind smile. She didn't do that often. "I'd prefer Jacq but whatever works." She used to go by Jack that was her old partners nickname and needless to say he still didn't leave her alone so that was a sore spot for her.


<PidArtois>: "Bonjour Asteria.." Smiling at the woman she swished a copy of the plans across to the woman. Then again to Doc, Elliot, Jacquiline. "These are the plans to the area we found below the training room... .. and what we're going to talk about tonight. See what we can do about making our portal room more secure."


_Doc_ says in an aside to Jac, "That is Asteria" as he nods toward Asteria, "She is our Ritualist.. if you have a desire..perhaps she could mentor you.."


Lancaster perks a brow as Asteria enters; his grin is happy enough, the expression one of genuine content, regardless of perhaps looking a little worse for wear. "Ast. How's things? This is ...." he started, before Jacquiline interjected. "... this is Jacq, Doc's....newest. Jacq, this is Asteria, resident ritualist." He said, happy to make introductions.


Aidan had been int he midst of trying rummaging through her bags of crap and organizing it all for hanging off later. Today she had spent a couple of hours in the QZ taunting the zombies and other such beasts before dispatching them to remove body parts. Noting the time she tome to the complex and had just enough time to see Ast disappear for the meeting. <c>
Aidan kicked her bag of crap under a table out of the way then proceeded to follow Ast into the meeting room, "What's up bitches?" she said with a smile as she entered, while she made her way over to sit with Ast. "Gramps, looking old as ever," she said to Doc before she took her seat.


Lancaster grins more broadly as Doc beats him to it. He then turns his attention to Pi, who seems eager to get the meeting under way.

[Pi dArtois]

_Doc_ gives another aside to Jac, "that is Aidan.. quick witted. But will kill you as soon as look at you.. You two are very much alike."


Jacquiline nods to Doc before taking an empty seat at the table as she looks over the plans.


<_Doc_>: And feeling every day of it.. You should massage me...


Jacquiline cant help but to laugh as she hears Doc called Gramps.


<PidArtois>: Pi let Elliot and Doc make all the introductions, sitting back, crossing her legs. "How are you doing Aster.... " pausing she grinned at Aidan. "Hello Aidan... "


<Asteria>: "She'd break your bones if she tried," Ast interjected while she slipped a small smile over at Aidan before allowing herself to focus on the plans before her.


<_Doc_>: Indeed.. but what a way to have them broken... *smirks*


<Asteria>: "As for how I am," she started to reply to Lan and Pi. "I'm good...well...oxi? Whichever it is. I got more rituals done earlier, so I feel good! You got my message, Pi, nai?"


<Aidan>: "Mmm...Gramps, don't get me all worked up in here," she winked and reclined back in her seat, though her hand under the table rested for a moment on Ast's lap.


<Lancaster>: "Yes! So. As the majority of you know, Robert Pratt keeps getting in to the portal room and generally making a nuisance of himself. We discovered this area beneath the training room and we reckon we can put it to good use. So we're opening up the table to suggestions - how do you think we should make it more secure?" he asked,leaning forward with only a small wince to push the pieces of paper around, for those present to have a look at

<PidArtois>: "Oui... merci beaucoup... you, are much more efficient at rituals than myself... I am not a good student."
.
<PidArtois>: ((These are the plans being handed around: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... uSWc#gid=3 )))


<_Doc_>: And, help me here, the entrance is where.. ? I need a visual key in my brain...


PidArtois leans forward and taps her finger on the map. "There, we can access through the wall of the Training Room."


<Aidan>: "Basically, Gramps is old and needs you to talk in old man language for him to understand. You know like slowly or with cave drawings," she grinned.


Jacquiline looks down at the document before her as she tries to visualize it in her mind.


<PidArtois>: "The place... is huge."


<Asteria>: "Make sure to yell or else his aid of hearing may not pick it up," she added, though she was admittedly more focused on the plans and figuring out how secure the building itself.


<Lancaster>: "At the moment, we have entrances into the portal room from all over the city. I think, maybe, for the purpose of safety and a little more secrecy. The one entrance, right?" he turns inquisitively to Pi, "And the only other way in is the homebound tome."


<_Doc_>: *gives an aside to Jac* You see how they treat me?


Jacquiline looks at Doc and smirks before looking back to the document.


_Doc_ knows she will fit in well. Dammit.


<Asteria>: "So all the other entrances will be gone, oxi?"


<_Doc_>: Hope so.. they were all compromised by Ezequiel.


Asteria made a face, knowing exactly how compromised they were, and remembering when she got trapped trying to use one. A tongue curled 'round a fang as she "hmmmm..."-d beneath her breath, but said nothing else.


<Aidan>: "So, who is going to have access to this place?"


PidArtois nods


<Lancaster>: "Generally, we called you all here to ask for your suggestions. What we've already got here can be changed. I assume... it's only going to be us. Only d'Artois who have access. And anyone else who tries to get in will be... well, it won't be pretty." he says, leaning forward on the table but otherwise keeping quite still.


<_Doc_>: Robert still access it


<_Doc_>: and Sara Cox accessed it.. still hunting her ***.. thats how I found ... Jac


<PidArtois>: "Yes, I think one entrance... and we need to get rid of all of the different entrances like the portal room has." She answered Asteria and Elliot both... "And I think.... access needs to be discussed here too. For now.. I'm leaning towards only Canidae."


<Lancaster>: "We know, Doc. This is why we're here. To organise how this place will prevent other people from accessing it."


<Aidan>: "I have to agree there, as there are some who share our blood that I don't really trust anymore."


Jacquiline remaining silent she listens closely to the conversation.


<_Doc_>: Yes. I understand this. But how do our fledglings get there... if they have not proved their worth to the faction?


Lancaster glances between all those present - there's only one person in the room who's not Canidae. From Jacq, he glances to Doc - he assumes the guy has filled Jacq in on the specifics of Canidae.


_Doc_ has not. As Pi said it would be discussed.


Lancaster perks a brow. "For once, I have to agree with Doc over there. Sure, we can assume that given time, the new...that they'll work toward becoming members of Canidae. We just going to leave them out in the cold until they do?"


PidArtois leaning over the map she points to the narrow maintenance tunnels. "This is the only way in... and the only access point anyone can get in.... and if we ... put a Faction run elevator, keyed only to Canidae... then... we only need to secure the maintenance tunnel


_Doc_ remained silent. He was ******* shocked Elliot agreed with him.


PidArtois sits back in her chair and looks around the table. "Yes, that is why I thought we needed to talk about giving out access to the portal room... in its current incarnation. That's fine. But when we move down, and we tighten security. Their access, any new dArtois' access... is uncertain. Thoughts?" "


Lancaster is a reasonable man who doesn't let disagreement or dislike get in the way of a good point.


<Aidan>: "I get that would suck, but I am sure there is a way we can figure this out. Perhaps an entry level area, that would protect new members but not grant them access to the main area?"


PidArtois nods "That's a good idea... maybe even, a place... that is secure for our newly turned?"


Lancaster nods "Right. Keep a whole chunk of it only accessible to Canidae. But I think also, tighten up the entry level security, too. We've agreed that this is necessary because it's not safe. Can't just leave the new guys in the unsafe area. We need to work on that, too."

[Doc]

"--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--"

Jacquiline glanced at the papers then up to everyone giving a nod.

PidArtois smiles in Jacquiline's direction then refocuses on the discussion at hand.

<_Doc_>: Doc mulled over the issue. ON the one hand high ranking members needed safety, the younger ones, yes they needed it too, but there was also consequences of their actions. if they fucked up .. they needed to reap it.. not be hidden.


<PidArtois>: "Doc, what are your thoughts? Since you are the one with our newest fledgling?"


<PidArtois>: "If we do what we're talking about... Jacquiline won't have access to the portal room until she has proved herself for Canidae."


<_Doc_>: Doc was actually of the mindset to leave the younger ones out. That meant they had to keep their nose clean.. before they got accepted. That was a good way to prove they were ready for the faction.


Jacquiline Looked over to Doc giving a shrug. "I've been on my own for years I can deal with that... Till I get accepted into whatever Canidae is."


<_Doc_>: "I think she is up to the task. If she can't keep herself safe before then,... maybe she needs that lesson to learn the hard way. She's not a child. She knows there repercussions for her actions. "

Jacquiline gave Doc a look. "Yeah your proof of that." She mumbled to him.

PidArtois nods in agreement, gnawing on her lower lip as she did when she was in deep thought. "Aidan?"

_Doc_ paused. then continued, "Going forward, we.. the older ..*looks at Aidan* the ancient ones.. know to teach them well so that they are aware. And if they last.. good. If not.. sucks to be them.

Lancaster 's brows furrow as Doc seems to have done a complete one-eighty. He was the one to bring up the safety of the newest turned, and now he's turned around to say that no, instead, he thinks they ought to learn to survive on their own. He leans back, crossing his arms over his chest. Waits to hear what Aidan has to say, first.

_Doc_ sees Elliots face, and notes his concern.

<Aidan>: "Basically how it was with my family, you had to earn your stripes before you could run with the big dogs, as it were. Making mistakes and not having a place to hide from them would be a good lesson," she looked to Doc and smirked. "Besides they might be safer if Gramps could not get his hands on them..."

_Doc_ points at Aidan
<_Doc_>: That's what I was thinking.


PidArtois looks towards Asteria too "Sounds like we're mostly on the same page... how about you Asteria? Elliot?" she asked, calling on the two who have yet to speak on the subject.

<_Doc_>: Being dispatched to the Shadow realm.. as a youth.. may actually be easier and tell them faster .. than anything else.. Youth have tenacity.. they have that will to survive.. as we get age on us.. we feel out mortality.. the Shadow realm.. its a hated thing for the older ones..

PidArtois slides Doc a look and studiously waits for Elliot to respond before commenting further.

Asteria wasn't quite sure how to articulate how she felt about it, instead looking up from her papers with a sort of serious expression, holding a finger up as though to indicate she needed a moment to figure it out in English, hoping Lancaster's response would buy her that time.

<_Doc_>: Its not pleasant down there. But it is weathered better by the youth, than the old. I don't want my spawn killed. But if they deserve it.. it needs to happen.

Lancaster shrugs his shoulders, resignedly. "I don't think leaving them out in the cold is any kind of welcome to the family. We'll just stop calling it a family, huh? We'll be more... some kind of military faction that looks at people - living people who do have emotions and reactions rather than just YOUTH - and not welcome them at all until they've proven <c>
<Lancaster>: they're useful to us?" he asked, looking at each person in turn. He shakes his head. "If that's what you all want...."

Asteria leaned over to Aidan, whispering in her ear to ask what a "spawn" was.

_Doc_ nods "I get that. That just means to me.. I.. *I* have to keep them safe. Not you."

PidArtois waits for Asteria's input, listening intently as each person spoke.

<_Doc_>: I have to teach them,.. Jac.. Cat.. well enough that it doesn't happen. It is my responsibility.. not the factions. Or even the families
It would be .. a detriment you all .. for me to expect You to keep my spawn safe.

<Lancaster>: "Still seems a bit cold to me. To turn someone - to bring them into the chaos and violence of this existence, only to say 'Hey, I'm going to protect you, but all the other people in this bloodline won't until you prove yourself to them'." Elliot said, passion gaining momentum even though, sometimes, he feels he's the only one with a moral, empathetic outlook.

<_Doc_>: No.. I am not saying that.

<Aidan>: "Easy there Lan. We are talking about the Faction, not the family. There could be those who don't want to be in the faction, but that does not mean that as a family we would not still help them and protect them."

<_Doc_>: I am saying.. until they are worthy of the faction.. I need to supply their safe home. I need to educate them. I need to make sure they have the information they need.

Jacquiline no longer looking at any of the documents she pays attention to the conversation looking at each person as the speak.

<_Doc_>: The family will support them.. I know this.
Cat told me how you helped her. Thank you.
She learned a lot from you. Things I did not know.
But she is still my responsibility.. as is Jac. Who I need to spend some ..quality time with.. *said like it was a death sentence*

PidArtois leaning forward Pi steeples her fingers, listening to the feedback, her gaze sliding to Asteria then to Elliot. The urge was strong to reach out a hand to soothe its way across his arm but she refrained, instead letting them circle the discussion around the room. Each made a good point and each point had to find a home in what they planned moving forward

<Asteria>: "I'm...conflicted. Conflicted is the word, I think..." she started. "On the one finger, I agree with Doc and Aidan, that that is how it should be handled...However...On another, I agree with Lan. If we have an area for just the faction, will we have an area for just the family, that's as fixed as the faction will be?”

[Asteria]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<_Doc_>: I will go with whatever is decided.


Lancaster bites his tongue and nods in Asteria's direction, acknowledging her words. "Yes, okay. Let's bring it back to the topic at hand ..." he started, before turning back to Doc. He assumed that by Cat, he's referring to Spike. Elliot nodded--there's nothing he would have done. He would always help those who looked like they needed it.


<_Doc_>: I am not roadblocking anything .
<_Doc_>: I just wanted to state my opinion. If it is decided otherwise.. I am good.


<PidArtois>: Pi spoke then, answering Asteria. "Logistically... an area for all family is a good idea. It just.. might not be the same location as the secure space we can make below the Training Room."


Lancaster 's attention again shifts to Asteria. "Exactly. I know that any new d'Artois will have to prove themselves to be a part of Canidae. I'm not saying they ought to get free entrance. But yes! That, exactly - if there's an area for Canidae, I think there should also be an area for d'Artois. I know we can all look after our own the best that we can..."


Lancaster slides his gaze back to Doc, acknowledging that singular point, too, "But as you said. Spike learned things from me you didn't know. We can keep them to ourselves, but that would hinder their learning. Yeah?"


<_Doc_>: "Yea.. but.." he glances about, "I know you all would come to their aid, if needed. safe spot or not.. "


Jacquiline looking around at everyone she decided to speak up. "I have a question... What is it that is a danger to .... us to have such a secure location?"


<Lancaster>: "Doc there thinks you shouldn't be able to have somewhere to hide should you **** up," Elliot said, though he perked an inquiring brow in Doc's direction. That's what he said, right?


_Doc_ looks at JAc, "In the recent past.. a man led a group against us.. he attacked Aidan and ELliot in our home.."


<PidArtois>: She knew Elliot wouldn't like the call she just made, and it wasn't an outright statement but she knew where she preferred. "It's not that they wouldn't support the fledglings, but we will need to ... rethink it. Usually other vampires Jacquiline... we sit at the top of the food chain, we are, more dangerous to ourselves." she answered the woman.


_Doc_ looked at Elliot. "Incorrect."


Jacquiline nodding she thought about that for a while. "So is there a way for us new comers to fly under the radar and not pull their attention?"


<_Doc_>: I clearly said it was my responsibility to keep them safe. And I have such a place.
_Doc_ has several in fact. Which is why he is always ******* broke.


PidArtois purposely speaks up before the conversation veers off


Asteria lifted a hand to rub her temple, already feeling tired from trying to follow the conversation as it stood.


Lancaster does his best to keep calm and discuss things without getting too irritated. "But that doesn't answer Jacq's question. Why is it a danger to have a place - maybe less secure than the Canidae Den beneath the training room - an entry level place just for the 'fledglings'?"


<_Doc_>: I never said it was.


<PidArtois>: "I think we are agreed, that we need to make our portal room secure. And agree that something needs to be done. This place, Aidan, Doc, Elliot and I... all saw it and the potential it gives us. Cant be ignored."


<_Doc_>: I said.. for hearing challenged.. that it was -my- responsibility.


<Aidan>: "I think it has to do with trust and loyalty. Not for nothing I want to be able to trust completely those in the faction and not have to worry about who might stab me in the back."


<Lancaster>: "I heard you, Doc. I just don't think it needs to only be your responsibility. What happens next time someone like... Aidan comes along? She may have made amends with her sire, but for a while he wasn't around. Should we punish Aidan and not protect her because her sire's not around to do it?" he asked, calmly, sliding his gaze over to Pi.


<PidArtois>: "I think we can Elliot. Have that place. Just need to figure out where.


<Lancaster>: "What I'm suggesting - what Asteria suggested - is just to have a separate entry room. Somewhere the non-Canidae can be safe. Just in case," he said.


<Aidan>: "Hell, even now I don't trust everyone in the faction as it stands, but that has to do with recent behavior, so that does not even play in to the newly sired."


<_Doc_>: And I said I wasn't road blocking anything.
_Doc_ has tried. ******* tried hard to just state his ******* opinion. Not ram it down anyone's ******* throat. But no. It goes like it always goes. Every fuicking thing he says is twisted.


<PidArtois>: Leaning forward Pi stares at the map an points along an abandoned maintenance tunnel "Maybe here." she said, drawing an imaginary circle around a place just to the side. "That will accomplish both .... safety net for the newly turned, they still won't have access to the portal room, but they'll have a place... and then, there...:"
Lancaster can see that Doc's not happy. He takes a breath. "Look, I can see your point. I know you want to keep your own safe, protect them. So do I. I won't take responsibility for yours and I won't expect you to take responsibility for mine. But looking at the big picture, I think new people should feel welcomed by d'Artois, not just by their sire. You know?"
<PidArtois>: (Please see addition to map for where Pi is putting it Ground Floor - I just added it)


Jacquiline paid attention to the conversation as she pulled out a straw from her pocket and began chewing on it.


<_Doc_>: Pi.. I think we all need to just think about things.. mull it over..
<_Doc_>: no rash hurried decision..
<_Doc_>: I ... *pauses* I need a few days to absorb.. is that too much to ask?


PidArtois nods "I agree and I think I need to get some updated plans. See where we can put it properly... talk to the construction guys about reinforcing some of the walls. This is exactly what we needed to do.. because, there were good ideas. Let me... go contact the construction project manager now... get the ball rolling and then we can talk about it more later"


<_Doc_>: I am good with that.. Elliot?


Asteria frowned. "...Is the meeting over then?:

[Aidan (DELETED 3366)]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--


Lancaster sighs, but doesn't say anything. He doesn't think it's a great idea to wander away and think about things when not everything has been discussed. Perks a brow, lamenting the fact that others don't seem to have as great a stamina for debate.


Jacquiline sat back in her chair looking at everyone curiously.


Lancaster gestures to Asteria following her question. "Poor *** needs time to think. I'm going to stay here, though, if you want to stick around."


PidArtois stands leaving the maps where they lay and pulling her phone. "Thank you... everyone, for coming, your input was needed. And I think so.. Asteria... at least my part of it. I can go make some calls." Pi smiles at all and especially Jacquiline. "Nice to meet you Jacq... and thank you Doc, Asteria & Aidan." 


<_Doc_>: Whose is a ******* ***?


<Aidan>: "So...nothing has been accomplished tonight?' 


PidArtois had slipped out before Elliot had spoken 


Jacquiline gives Pi a smile. "It was nice to meet you as well Pi.


Lancaster shrugs, stands with another low rumble of a groan due to the fact his wounds aren't quite healing as fast as he'd like them to. He moves to sit near Asteria and Aidan. "Sure we've accomplished something," he said, ignoring Doc's question. It was an inside joke. "I think? I think... Pi's going to go talk to contractors now to see if it's possible to <c>
<Lancaster>: get another area. To see if it's possible, because if it's not the discussion is moot anyway," he said.


<_Doc_>: '****.' Why does he even ******* try? Did no one understand that rashly made decision were repented in leisure? Of course not. Lets just be ******* brash and make decisions willy nilly and **** over everyone it hurts in the process. He needed to distance himself. 


Jacquiline siting there she looked between those that were still there. 


<_Doc_>: Jac.. I am gonna head out.. need to see a Gypsy about a crystal ball...you can stay or come with me.. up to you


Lancaster eyes Doc. "Got something on your mind over there? I ceded your point," he said. And then he asked, genuinely, without accusations. "What's the problem? You really don't think a separate area for new d'Artois is a good idea? Somewhere separate from the Canidae fort?"


Jacquiline her eyes bounced around the room. She didn't want to be in the middle of anything and now she felt like she was in the center of a hornets nest. 


Asteria perked a brow, though remained silent for the time being.


<_Doc_>: Elliot.. I stated my preference. I also stated that I needed time to mull it over. YOU maybe able to make snap judgements about any given item.. But I cannot. I need time to think about it. It run the iterations. To run the scenarios. The run the ;if -then' variables. If you can do that in a snap.. you are better than me."


<Lancaster>: "You're talking like it's some massive thing that's going to have horrible consequences. Isn't it better to discuss these things rather than to walk away and think about it on our own? I can see that a place for new d'Artois will be beneficial because it will make them feel more welcome. Make them feel more loyal - more easy to trust, if they feel like <c>
<Lancaster>: they belong, right? If you think it's going to lead to something bad, then please let me know. Honestly, I want to know. If it's separate, if they can't access the Canidae Den, then why is it a danger?"


MissSpike A young woman enters the room quietly with her head down. She gives a somewhat paranoid glance at the other vampires, then stands with her back to a wall. She has a faded gang tattoo on the back of her neck which is covered by long tendrils of strawberry blond hair. Her suspicious blue eyes are reminiscent of her sire's.


Asteria allowed her eyes to slip to the newest to enter the room, however late they were, green eyes curious as she surmised this had to be the other of Doc's "spawn". With nothing said, she glanced back between Lan and Doc, just trying to follow the convo.


Lancaster perks a brow and glances up at Spike, offering her a greeting smile if she should catch his eye. 


<_Doc_>: Elliot, when we needed this, that time is long, long gone. We are not under attack. We are not actively being hunted. It was April and May when this happened.. its August.. why should we rush to s decision now? What harm is going to come from allowing us to mull it over?


_Doc_ moves to Cat, Kisses her forehead and says, "You were right. ******* torture."


<Lancaster>: "I'm not saying any harm is going to come to us for taking our time. I'm just saying I think it's better to discuss things than mull on our own because a good debate is always beneficial. Means we can be persuaded to other points of view. People can suggest things that we might not have thought of on our own. Yeah?"


MissSpike recognized Asteria as that lady who never said thanks after she gave her some of the crap she'd stolen that could be used for crafting. She gave her a somewhat surly nod that seemed out of place on a nineteen year old girl, then smiled a tight-lipped smile at Elliot. 
Jacquiline sitting there she glanced over to Spike giving her a nod before trying to keep up with the conversation.


MissSpike rubs her forehead with the back of her hand and whisper-talks "Where's Cyth?"
_Doc_ sighs and says more for Cat than anyone else, "I dont ******* know.. but **** her for being smart enough to ditch this.. " he looked at Elliot. "


<_Doc_>: You made your point.. unless you have anything new to add.. NO.. it doesnt make sense to rehash the ****.. cause it just ******* makes ppl dig in their heels. 


Asteria didn't recognize her in the slightest. The surly nod was met with nothing more than a higher raised brow and a mental note, leaning back over to whisper to Aidan.


MissSpike walks to Jaquiline and stands by her side. 


Jacquiline looking up to Spike she gave her a grin. "Hey Spike."


<MissSpike>: Hey. 
MissSpike whispers an awkward question to Jacquiline.


<_Doc_>: For those that haven't met Catherine.. *motions to Spike* My First.. 


MissSpike snaps to attention "H-hi."


<Aidan>: "Seriously, Gramps you are working your way into a harem. Going to break all of your bones, grind them to dust."


MissSpike narrows her eyes and clenches her fists.


Jacquiline perking a brow at Spikes question she shook her head in response.