It is currently 09:35 Pacific Time on Thu Mar 11 2004.
Currently in Saint Claire, it's a sunny day. The temperature is 40 degrees
Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the
north at 3 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.30 and falling, and
the relative humidity is 93 percent. The dewpoint is 38 degrees
Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius.)
Currently the moon is in the waning Gibbous Moon phase (66% full).
Cockroach Mansion -- Elder's Office
Salem's office is an extension of the same elegant display of wealth which
characterizes the rest of the mansion. Most noticeable, from the doorway
in the southern wall, is the large black-veined white marble fireplace
taking up half of the northern part of the room, contrasting sharply with
the ebony-paneled walls. A rug of forest green carpets the floor from
wall to wall, while red velvet frames the wall of windows to the west.
The other decor is typical of the private office of a wealthy, old-world
businessmen, from the ponderous mahogany desk along the eastern wall and
the equally heavy chairs set before them, to the brass and glass
chandelier dangling from the ceiling. A reproduction of Van Gogh's
_Starry Night_ hangs above the fireplace, and the bookshelves behind the
desk are, so far, nearly empty.
A door at the far end of the office leads into an adjoining bedroom and
bathroom. This door is usually kept closed.
Salem knocks a couple of times on the office door.
Natalie's pacing up and down, back and forth - first along the side wall, then
taking a sharp right to traverse the fireplace. At the nod she looks up,
calling a, "Come in." As the door opens she's standing in front of the
fireplace, hands balled behind her back, and watching the door
expectantly.
Salem enters, closing the door behind him. Unsmiling, he looks at her for a
moment, than says flatly, "I got your message."
Natalie takes in a breath. "Good." She nods him to one of the chairs in front
of the desk, remaining standing herself. "Any idea of what that message
was about?"
"No, actually." His tone is still flat, and he remains standing. "I'm not a
mind-reader."
Natalie smiles thinly. "One of your only flaws, if you believe Alicia." She
paces the length of the fireplace before stopping to watch him again.
"Joshua."
Salem grunts, but otherwise makes no comment on Alicia. "What's he done this
time?"
"This isn't about what Joshua's done. This is about me finding out -from-
Joshua that you'd been counseling him to leave the tribe." Up and back
she goes once more. "Frankly, I don't mind that. What I -do- mind is
finding out that one of my... well, one of my most trusted tribemates was
talking to the little beast and I didn't know about it. If you'd asked me
I would have told you to go ahead. But this... this feels like sneaking
around behind my back." She turns to face him now, feet shoulder width
apart and hands clasped behind her. "Convince me I'm wrong."
Salem blinks, but the look of surprise soon gives way to irritation. "I wasn't
aware that I needed your _permission_ to offer advice _or_ counsel. I
told him, and rightly I believe, that a Glass Walker that doesn't love
the city is no true Glass Walker. I told him that if he did not leave the
tribe voluntarily he would eventually be ejected from it." He wrinkles
his nose. "I _also_ had to instruct him on not digging holes in the caern
and bleeding himself stupid into them without knowing the actual rite or
even getting permission from the damned Ritemaster."
Natalie hears him out with a nod at the end. "...All right. I wish I -had-
known about it, though. As I said, I would have told you to go right
ahead. As it is..." She takes two steps forward, eyes fixed thoughtfully
on the carpet. "He announced, before the Ritemaster and without any
encouragement from me, that he wanted to leave the tribe." The Philodox
gets a considering look. "So now what? You've changed your tribe; what
steps does he - do I - need to go through? Megan was /quite firm/ in
pointing out that I couldn't throw him out if he didn't want to go. Well,
he does. So now what?"
Salem frowns, then shakes his head slightly. "I was Ronin before I joined the
Glass Walkers, and I hadn't left the Shadow Lords by choice." He says
this curtly. "As for Joshua, if the Rite of the Lone Wolf isn't
performed, he's a Glass Walker until he can convince another tribe to
accept him. Then... I honestly don't know. The Rite of Renunciation
speaks only to auspice, and the rite of Breaking with the Past speaks to
name."
Natalie sighs. "Well, if he doesn't shape up, he's going to have the Rite of
the Dead Wolf performed on him, and damn soon. He came by the other
night, absolutely stinking drunk, and was yelling at Tony to give him his
laptop. Alicia called just then, and I found out that he'd dug a hole on
the bawn and buried Gaia only knows how many beer bottles." She gestures
again toward a chair, but this time takes a seat as well. "He's a damn
nutcase, Salem."
Salem grimaces. "One step forward, two steps back. Shit!" One hand tightens
into a fist before he clamps down, jaw tight, on his temper. "I should
have culled him when I had the chance."
Natalie says "Hindsight. So. As the two ranking members of the Glass Walkers,
what the hell do we do now? /Do/ we... oh." That 'oh' is the light
dawning, an idea made flesh. "Here's an idea. I'm still trying to decide
on that damn challenge for Leala. Megan says it has to be finished in a
few hours. So what if I give -this- to her as her Challenge? I know she's
not a Philodox, but it would show her leadership style, that's for damn
sure."
Salem grunts. "That it would. Make her decide something about Joshua, then?"
"I think so. Oh hell, Salem," she shoves her chair back, waves a hand at him,
"sit down. You're not on trial. Help me work this out? Who does she have
to convince? I'd have it be you, but then again I told her I wouldn't
offer terms until after you'd left. Megan? Some other Philodox? Two-three
other tribe elders?"
Salem rolls his shoulder in shrug and moves over to take a seat. "Megan, for a
start, since she's the one who seems to think that a tribe can't eject an
unsuitable member." His frown deepens. "She'll also know more of the
appropriate rites."
Natalie says "Megan, an Elder of my choosing and an Elder of hers. At least,
that's what I'd like. I should run this past Layne, as well." A memory
twitches her mouth. "Heh. That moot of Elders turned into a lovely
evening of 'let's grill Natalie as to why Salem is leaving, examine her
every thought about the city and its problems, and then criticize her for
breathing', you know. They all like that, or did I just get lucky?"
Salem smiles humorlessly. "You're new. They don't know you."
Natalie purses her lips. "Lucky me, then. How about you? How is your... trip
coming along? The planning for it, I should say?"
The smile fades. He nods. "I'll be postponed until the, mm, surprise party,"
Salem seems reluctant to say more.
"Surprise pa-," Nat begins, only to have the clue phone ring. "Oh. Yes. Well.
If there's anything I can do? --You and, um, Rina..." she's poking, and
knows it, but presses delicately onward despite that. "...got things
settled?"
Salem nods slightly. "We did," he says, but doesn't seem apt to add anything
more. "We've been friends a long time."
Natalie says "Good." It sounds like she means it, too. "I haven't... seen her
at all, and little enough of you since then. If I were more paranoid, I'd
say people were avoiding me."
Salem's lips thin. "I've been... preoccupied, I admit. I don't think that
anyone is deliberately avoiding you, however. I know I haven't."
Natalie waves off the proto-apology. "If I were -more- paranoid. I'm not. I
figure you've been... busy. You want some coffee, or something? I wanted
to ask you about those semi-mythical dead Walkers. If Alicia and Jeremy
are to be believed, they'll be added to the Silver Record any day now."
Salem's mouth twists a bit. He shakes his head at the offer of coffee and
settles more comfortably into his chair. "Truthfully, if I had a nickel
for every time that Alicia has used her association with Roger, John, and
the Synthesis pack as evidence as to how she's the be-all and end-all of
urban Garou, I would be able to buy this mansion from Leala, with enough
left over for a decent car."
Natalie snerks. "Yeah, she does go on about them, doesn't she? You'd almost
think she was a Walker, instead of a Gaian gotten lost. So. I know bare
facts about those two - John was Ahroun, Roger a Galliard. Roger made
things go boom, and left all his toys to Jeremy. John died on his
Challenge to Fostern, out in Seattle. What else, though?"
Salem mms. "Roger Cohen, called Howls-While-Dreaming, was a Metis Galliard.
Alicia may like to go on about how wonderful he was, but what she doesn't
remember is that he was... unbalanced. Touched in the head. He _was_
highly intelligent and very good with his... toys... but it took John
Smith to actually make him a useful member of the tribe." He pauses a
moment before continuing.
While he talks Nat settles back in her own chair, listening intently.
"...Not as much of a head case as Joshua, I take it? Or different sort of
unbalanced?"
Salem cocks his head, then grunts. "Roger was _sane_ compared to Joshua.
Sometimes I wonder what Smith -- John, that is -- would have made of our
young headcase." He exhales a breath. "John was good at using people,
though in a good way. He did bring the tribe up from almost nothing...
and like you, when he came into town he had no intention of becoming
elder. Or even staying." He raises an eyebrow. "He was a damned good
fighter, had numerous useful skills, and was an effective leader. He was
also a womanizer. He sired a child on another woman and then turned
around and got angry and jealous at Rina, his fiance then, for affairs
long past. He could be arrogant, thought he understood things that he
knew nothing about. We fought once. Almost killed each other." He shrugs,
looking wry. "It was a damned shame that he died, but if he was in front
of me now, I'd probably put a fist in his face."
Natalie smiles or frowns in the appropriate places - this is, after all, her
auspice's bread and butter. "Sounds normal to me. Normal, that is, and
nothing to idolize."
Salem smiles thinly. "Yes." He cocks his head. "Quentin's still in town, isn't
he? Get him to tell you about John. Ask him about the time I almost
culled him over something John had said that he took wrong."
Natalie says "I believe so - at least, I haven't heard that he's left yet. Then
again, I didn't hear that he was in town, either. But I met him out on
the front steps. Nice. /Normal/. I hope he decides to stick around."
Salem nods slowly. "Yes..." He rubs his chin. "Speaking of which... Cat. Try
not to be hard on him. He doesn't respond well to, mm, force."
Natalie nods after a moment. "I'll keep it in mind. We talked a bit, the other
day. He's got a good head on his shoulders. I think I might almost be
'people' now in his eyes, instead of 'brain-sucking monster'. Which is a
nice change, thanks. Brains are slimy."
Salem chuckles briefly. "He doesn't like women, generally... except for Rina,
who he sees as a mother-figure. You know, though... it's ironic. Cat came
to us by accident, literally. One of our kin ran into him with her SUV.
He'd already had his change, but there was no kinfetch. Naturally, I
adopted him... and despite the Black Fury ancestor in his head, I still
feel justified for doing so. He's always had an affinity with city
spirits. When I showed him the Umbra for the first time, he thought the
webs and the Pattern Spiders were pretty. Whatever his blood, he's always
been a Glass Walker in spirit. Joshua, on the other hand, who _did_ have
a Cockroach 'fetch..." The halfmoon grimaces, then shrugs.
Natalie snorts again, rolling her eyes. "Just goes to show that Tribe isn't
everything. --You should probably talk to Cat, by the way. He's convinced
that you're coming back. I tried to tell him that it didn't sound like
you were, but..." Her own shrug suggests how successful she was in
convincing the Theurge.
Salem makes a non-commital 'mm' noise. "I don't know. I truly don't. Knowing
how this place is... I probably will return, eventually. But I doubt
it'll be soon."
A rueful grimace flashes over the Galliard's face. "Yes. Well. If you'd tell
him that, please? I'd rather he weren't moping about waiting for your
any-day-now return. I'd still like - I still /need/ - a tour of the
City's hotspots too, as well as what - and who - to deal with. I'm sure
Leala knows already, but if she doesn't succeed in her Challenge I'd like
to know enough that I don't blunder into things. Even if she does.
There's too much history here for me to to be able to just waltz in and
take over without there being some sort of fubar. --Besides Joshua, I
mean."
Salem nods slowly. "Yes... before the, uh, surprise party." He shifts his
weight and glances at his pocketwatch. "Soon. And I'll tell you more
about the other elders and suchlike."
Natalie purses her lips at the not-subtle fidgeting, but waves a hand in
dismissal. "Yes. Soon. You have my phone number." It's her own not-subtle
hint.
Salem puts the watch away. "That I do." He gets up and, with a nod, heads out.
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