hazlogs | "You're mediating?" (Reply)

It is currently 08:36 Pacific Time on Thu Dec 18 2003.

Currently the moon is in the waning Crescent Moon phase (35% full).

Weather: Fair, 30 degrees F and feels like 24.

Dominion Estate

The Dominion estate spreads out over a small hill, giving the mansion built at the peak a view of the surrounding suburban countryside. The snow-covered lawn is dotted with statuary and encircled by hedges grown up to hide the stone wall which surrounds the estate. A gravel driveway snakes elliptically up from the front gate northward to the house, east from there to the garage, then back towards the front gate. Preparations for some sort of garden have been made on the western slope of the hill.

The house itself is old and appears to have had had work done it over the years. The original, main part of the house is made of gray stone and reaches four stories high with the tower. The east and west wings appear newer and are made of brick and wood. The previous decay and disrepair can still be seen, but there also seems to have been some effort put into fixing the place up.

The old black pickup with a camper shell on the back that pulls up to the mansion is, to say the least, somewhat out of place. Nor does the rather casually dressed young man that gets out of it really look like he's at home here as he makes his way up to the door.

Out of place it may be, it's a vehicle that Salem recognizes, and the black metal gate slid open even as the truck was approaching it. Next to the Yugo, of course, Luke's pickup looks less outcast and lonely.

Salem's been working outside for some time, it seems, doing some winter maintenence on the Dominion grounds. He meets Luke at the door, his expression bland.

Luke studies the man, perhaps a little surprised to find that he's up and moving. After what he heard... "Salem. We need to talk. Privately."

Salem's left arm is being held rather stiffly, it's true; Renee's bullet took him in that shoulder. Otherwise he seems hale enough, if rather haggard around the eyes. His mouth thins, but he nods curtly and leads the Fianna inside.

Cockroach Mansion -- Elder's Office

Luke waits until Salem has situated himself in the office before he speaks, eyeing the desk briefly before returning his attention to the man. "I was originally going to come here and talk to you about the Alphaship. To point out to you that three tenets of the Litany can support the position I held; only one Megan's. But after talking to Alicia, I'm starting to think that may not matter, anymore." There's no triumph in his voice at this, so whatever he means by that, he likely views it as necessity, not pleasure. "I want to hear what happened, from your view. Between you and Yi, and between you and Renee."

Salem, settled behind the desk sans coat and zippered sweatshirt, had of course gestured Luke toward one of the chairs in front. His eyebrows rise at Luke's statement that the alphaship may not matter, then furrow as the Fianna goes on. He frowns, eyes slightly narrowed, then writes two words down on the legal pad in front of him. "You're mediating?"

Luke's eyes go to the pad, but his expression remains schooled despite Salem's avoidance of speech. "Not in the way you're expecting. They don't know I'm here. But my duty is first and foremost to this sept, and I have an idea. But I need to know your side of what happened to know whether it's one that has any prayer of success."

Salem taps the pad with his pen a few times, thoughtfully. Then, his face bland, he spells it out in precise, angular handwriting. "Yi thinks she owes GWs. Only one thing I want from her. She's dead to me. BUT" -- the word is underlined -- "I don't care if she truly dies. Told Renee this when she came here. Yi lives, she owes GWs nothing." He pauses, then adds, stressing the point perhaps, "There is nothing I want from her."

Luke says "As I heard it, you told her to commit suicide, and she's inclined to try it, whether to repay some perceived debt or to ease her own conscience I don't know, and Renee went berserk when she found out. Is that also true?"

Salem wrinkles his nose and snorts. "I was angry," he writes. "For that, alone, I might have been willing to apologize to Renee. Why I told Renee that Yi could live and owe us nothing. Renee demanded I come to the Zoo to tell Yi in person. I refused. She pulled a gun on me w/o warning and shot me with silver." His jaw tightens. "She aimed for my heart."

Luke sighs. "Then there's probably nothing I can do for Renee. If you press the issue, she'll be dead or ostracized for what she did, and I can't ask you not to. But Alicia knows what Yi is going through. She can feel it herself, in the back of her head. I've had that bond before, I know how strong it is. And you're in a unique position. This sept needs the strength of every last one of us, and it needs us united, not tearing ourselves apart. If Yi dies, it'll create a rift between the Bone Gnawers and the Glass Walkers that might never be mended. This sept needs unity, both in the city and at the highest levels. I'm willing to retract my challenge, despite not having any change in my views on the entire matter, because the sept needs to be whole, not divided. I'm asking you to do the same thing -- make it clear to Yi that you think she should live and continue to serve the sept and to fight the Wyrm. I'm not asking you to like her or to trust her. You can begin to mend the damage that's been done, or you can let it spiral even further. The decision is yours."

Salem considers this, pen tapping the pad. His eyes are narrowed. After a moment or so, however, he nods, unsmiling. "For the Sept," he writes, "I'll tell Yi."

Luke lets out a breath he wasn't fully aware he was holding as Salem writes his answer. "Thank you." Reaching into his pocket for his car keys, a nod of his head to the man, obviously preparing to go, now that his business here is done.

Salem gets up and sees the Fianna out, then returns to his work.

It is currently 15:21 Pacific Time on Thu Dec 18 2003.

Currently the moon is in the waning Crescent Moon phase (33% full).

You paged Cari with 'OK. It's mid-afternoon of today and -- Rina's resting upstairs and he comes up to see her, or she comes down to the office to see him?'.
Cari pages: Probably the former. Broken bones not conducive to going up and down stairs, much. She's napping. Maybe she's nightmaring, and he hears something.

Salem slips upstairs to the bedroom he'd fixed up for Rina. It's on the second floor, with a window that faces the gently sloping backyard. He expects her to be sleeping, and he carries a laptray with a sandwich and some tea. Next to the plate and napkin is a notepad and pen.

He does not find her sleeping, but sitting up on the edge of the bed, her back to the door, shoulders shaking as she cries quietly.

Salem pauses in the doorway, frowning worriedly. His throat works as he swallows her name unspoken and, still mute, walks over to the bed with the tray. He moves around into her field of vision.

Rina wipes the tears from her cheeks with her right hand, sniffling a little. "Sorry," she whispers. "Sorry. It's--I had a dream, again. There's-- there's something wrong, with him. He's-- changed." Swallowing, she lifts her head, looks up to him. "You gotta help me, Jack. Help me find him."

Salem nods and takes a seat on the edge of the bed, setting the tray down next to him and easily within her reach. For a moment, he just looks at her, his expression difficult to read. Judging by the haggard look in his eyes, though, he hasn't been sleeping much, if at all.

Shamed, she looks away. "Sorry," she says roughly. "I'm sorry. Your shoulder OK?" Luckily the bedside table is within arms' reach; she takes a Kleenex and sniffles into it.

Salem exhales softly and nods. He rubs the side of his neck with his right hand, then takes up the pad and pen -- gesturing invitingly at the sandwich and tea as he does so. Flipping the pad open, he writes briefly. "Luke came by. About Renee & Yi."

When she glances to the writing, her jaw tightens a little. "So?" She lowers her eyes, and picks up the mug to drink.

Salem's mouth thins as he writes, hesitating once or twice. Finally, he shows it to her. "I drop charges on Renee, instead of her getting what she deserves -- ostracism or death. Give Yi another task, or release her from debt. Luke drops his challenge for alphaship to Megan. For the good o/the Sept."

By then she has taken a bite of the sandwich. She reads, and glances up to him, considering. "I'll deal with Yi," she says quietly. "And if you agree with the suggestion, I'll consider not killing the other Gnawer bitch." She lifts her shoulder and drops it, glancing down with a faint, wry moue. "And Luke couldn't beat that judge anyway, so. If you're aright with that, fine by me."

He looks consideringly at her, then shrugs. "OK," he writes. "You deal w/Yi's debt. I'll deal with Renee. Part of this -- go to the Zoo and tell them. I'm preparing a statement. Will you come w/me?"

Rina looks up to him, the dark eyes thoughtful. "Yeah. Will you stay the night with me, up there, while Raul has a look at the dreaming stuff?"

Salem lifts eyebrows and nods unhesitatingly.

Rina lowers her eyes, and takes up the mug to sip at her tea again. "Okay," she says quietly.