--- Kat ---
There wasn’t anything they could say to convince her the node would be safe... and it seed they knew it as well. "I’m perfectly happy to activate it whenever and wherever you want. Nobody can steal or disrupt it once its in place. At least, not directly," said Kat after a few monts of silence.
It was clear though, that quite a few people weren’t happy with that truth, especially Malory. "Is it not enough that the King is asking you to do this?"
Kat very obviously did a slow look around the room, making sure to really stick her neck out as she visibly gawked at the room. "What King is asking? I don’t see him anywhere," Kat said. Apparently Malory liked repeating herself because Kat had already gone over this point just before.
"We, as the advisors, can act in the King’s stead. He need not make specific, individual demands upon the citizens! It would be ridiculous," insisted Malory.
"Right but... counterpoint, I’m not even a citizen yet. That was part of why I’ve been helping Steel out rember? I’ve been sticking to the laws and being as polite as I can about things, and just been generally helpful where I can. Still though, I was tasked with delivering the node and seeing it set up SOWHERE. It doesn’t have to be here. I can set it up, or I can leave," stated Kat firmly.
There seed to be a lot of glaring after her statent with not a lot being said. Perhaps if she was more familiar with any of these people, or Steel wore a helt less often she’d be able to work out what they were ’saying’ but alas neither was the case. Instead she just got to stand quietly while the glares were exchanged. She could at least see the shifting facial expressions, implying they were different glares... but this wasn’t like Lily where even before the ntal link she had a good guess at what her girlfriend was thinking. Most of the ti anyway. Didn’t realise she was in love with ... so maybe I’m just bad at facial expressions?
Eventually, Malory said, "It is, technically, a restricted item as it is sothing allowing for access to the outside world. Steel could demand it turned over to the guards for safekeeping,"
"I could do that. In theory," agreed Steel with the rather blunt and unsaid "But I won’t" hanging on the end of the sentence.
"I could order you to do it?" tried Malory but everyone could hear the question in that.
"Technically the COUNCIL could... but not you specifically. Though I am noticing that said council has been suspiciously quite. Would anyone like to make additional comnts? Frankly, I think the tunnel needs to be opened sooner rather than later to help bleed off the tension that’s definitely building. We’re probably going to have a riot on our hands soon."
"And is it not your job to stop that?" asked Malory.
"Gee, I think so. It’s almost as if I’ve been trying yet the council has been blocking my best attempts. Strange that," countered Steel almost conversationally. "So, why was this even allowed?" Steel deliberately looked past Malory at everyone else.
Weth shrugged, "h, it was easier to let her get it out of her system."
Stad nodded, "If it worked I wouldn’t have minded. I do think it’s a bit odd we allowed her to leave with the node in the first place considering its power and the potential for using it to create an unknown tunnel out of the city. I don’t want to force the issue, and I wasn’t going to bring it up either... but if soone else wanted to?" Stad shrugged.
Charles sighed "I’m just here as a guard for an important eting. Even if I end up guarding it as part of my duties, that’s a separate matter. Ignore ."
All eyes turned to the last figure in the room. They were an elf with a considerable amount of makeup. Kat wasn’t sure if they were ant to be a jester or if one of their kids decided to paint their face and the elf wasn’t concerned enough to wash it off. Kat also couldn’t guess at their gender. They might’ve had boobs? It was hard to say as they were leaning forward and had a flowy shirt. The feminine looking facial features were pretty common on elves as well.
"Malory is a friend, and she was passionate about this so I was happy to push it along. Especially as I’ve never t you, Kat, and have no idea what the right call is here. Na is Taylor by the way," added Taylor, whose na did not clarify their gender in the slightest.
Kat waited for the follow up. "So... what that’s it?"
Taylor shrugged, Weth shrugged, Malory and Stad notably didn’t but they had the sa sort of look on their face. Eventually, Steel added, "It seems so. With not willing to take the orb from you without direct request from the King, or a proper council vote... there’s nothing more they can do really. I’d love to know why things are still delayed though..."
Malory grumbled, "I still think it’s entirely a bad idea..." So what just delay it as long as you can then?
Stad shrugged, "I think, while I understand Steel’s desire to rush into this, securing the sight is more important. Making sure that leaving isn’t easy and that returning is harder will be a challenge. One Steel hasn’t properly addressed, at least in my opinion."
Steel glared, "My plans were shot down, I’m running on basically no sleep, and you all wanted it in the castle, or at least on the grounds so Charles needs to be consulted on them all. Sothing I haven’t had a chance to do because of everything else."
Stad shrugged again, "Seems like a reason not to rush to ..."
"I was on board with moving forward," adds Weth. "I thought Steel’s first plan was actually quite robust... it would just take a few days to implent. Still, I voted for it."
"I’m still catching up, but with Malory against it and Stad wanting to keep things moving slower I was willing to follow along. Technically I voted with them, but I was basically just abstaining from voting and going with whoever had more support," explained Taylor.
Not sure why they all felt the need to explain it like that. I’m going to say there are so script shenanigans. I feel like ’I don’t need to explain myself to you’ was the expected response. But whatever.
"I suppose with that out of the way, it’s ti to leave. Please do inform of when you’re ready to actually go through with opening the tunnel," said Steel with so annoyance in his tone. "I’m off to rest."
Steel perford a heel turn and marched out of the room, Kat following behind him a bit later. Once they got out of the castle Steel added, "I’m off to sleep but I’ll be staying at the spare room in Ramor’s house to be closer to the action. That, plus I know Hedera is staying at my house."
"I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t mind," offered Kat.
Steel shrugged. "True but while I perhaps wouldn’t have considered a change in resting location normally... it’s at the point where seconds and minutes matter. I want to stay close to the action."
"Alright then," agreed Kat. "Anything I should be doing?"
"Whatever you want really. I’m too tired to think up sothing useful. Go rest, or explore or whatever. You’re currently off the clock," said Steel before walking away.
Kat nodded and began to wander around, planning to see a bit more of the city and perhaps pick out another date spot, however before long she was approached by soone. A small woman with vibrant red hair and a sowhat recognisable face. She was short, with a cute dress but she seed to ooze power. "Ah, Kat, just the person I wanted to see. Would you mind joining for a bit to eat? Perhaps a walk around so nearby gardens?"
Kat ran through a ntal checklist of the people she’d t recently and none of them matched with this woman. *So why does she seem familiar?* Kat expanded her ntal search to anyone she’d t while here in this dinsion but was still coming up short. It was only when she was re-reviewing ’recent’ people that she realised why she was familiar. Her hair, her face... not so much her stature. She was clearly related to Jen. This was soone from the Halebloom family.
From the amount of power and authority she seed to project in such a small form it was likely this was the matriarch of the clan, or sothing similar. Bother. *This is going to be a massive pain in my ass I just know it. Still... the street is fairly crowded. Best not to have a brawl here if that’s what it cos down it.* "Sure, I’m fine with whatever you have in mind," agreed Kat.
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