By Necessity: Strain
By TerraMGP
Rumination. That's what the Doctor had called it. A fixation. An unhealthy fixation. It was supposed to be unhealthy. He knew it s unhealthy. Sean had spent weeks now feeling his stomach churning and gnashing into itself to remind him jut how ad everything was. His failure had caused everything to backslide again. Now he sat in the passengers seat of his car. Stuck under the crush of traffic with nothing to distract him from that one simple word. Something Dr. Naomi had said the last time he came to pick up Bri. He was fixating. Much like the car, he was stuck.
Nothing was moving still. Not that it mattered. Raw pitch blackness from the tunnel bathed over them though the sickly yellowed diodes which offered an odd sort of comfort there in the sea of metal and plastic and souls seeking an uneventful evening commute. He watched the ark ceiling with a wistful smile spreading over his muzzle. Some faint buzzing of a (Singer mentioned in little crush) song slipping into the cars speaker system and flooding the air with the thrumming whisper of low volume lyrics.
The man turned his big, bright blue eyes over to Sita. The smile only growing a bit as he basked in the strange stillness. She looked back down at hi from behind the wheel. Her knee pushed up under the controls to keep them stay when the few cars flowed out into the Class 2 ring. She spared him a few glances, little more. Those shining violet eyes fixated on the road ahead.
``So how was your turn with Bri?'' He muttered hazily.
``Fine, Master.'' A soft venom rested on her tongue.
``She didn't make you sit though one of those documentaries, right? The one about old metal working techniques narrated by whats his face? You know. The guy. From the troupe. That... Gods I should know this. Not the Courting Jesters. The other one.''
``I can't say I rally know off the top of my head, Master.'' Sita muttered ``But no. The girl and I simply spoke a bit. I do not believe she is in any real mood to indulge in hobbyist documentaries t this point.''
``Well so long as you two had fun.'' The man shifted back into his seat. The hard tug of gravity was always the strongest at about this point. He could feel himself sinking into the plush leather pleasingly. His eyes slowly slipping open and shut. ``We should go planetside.'' He murred.
``Take the new girl down to see rocks first hand, Master?'' The serpent looked over him and titled her head. Her body barely moving as she guided the spotscar up a half car length with a quick nudge of the acceleration button.
``Yeah. That'd be good. Plus hanging out under the stars. Fresh air. No crowds.'' Sean smiled happily as he let himself drift in that though. His eyes closed, then slowly parted just enough to look at Sita.
``They have any idea who hired the gang to capture Brinna?''
``No, Master.'' Sita sighed ``But I'm sure once we know CorpSec will be able to deal with them in short order. The last I knew they were running investigations on what they found down there. There are evidence of a few other members who were not present at the capture. I can get you the detail if you wish.''
``No. It's fine. At least for now. May as well wait and see what the investigation brings up. Just make sure they don't move unless they have to. I want to know who was pulling the strings.''
Sita glanced back at her owner and hissed gently. Even with the fine tuned magnetically augmented suspension her anxiously twitching leg made the whole car rock and vibrate. She gripped the controls and ground her palms into them firmly while her eyes traced over the slowly lurching line of vehicles before them.
``You can speak freely if you want.'' Sean muttered.
``I don't know. I just. You really think someone was behind this, Master? Some greater scheme? I know what the girl said her old boss was up to. But her prints were on that gun as well. And it's the only link we have so far to anyone in New Avalon contacting this gang. For all we know, she is simply covering her tracks.''
That wasn't it. Not really. They both knew it. Her twitching only got worse as Sean made himself sit once more and glanced over to the mottled snake girl ready to burst in frustration. He smiled, and did his best not to laugh as that smile dug the knife in just a bit deeper. ``If she's a sleeper for a rival corp then someone has developed Gods-damned clairvoyance. Plus if she'd turned on Brinna I'm pretty sure she could have pulled this off way easier.''
``She could have had a change of heart.'' Sita shrugged. ``Turned back when she realized what they were doing?''
``If so the burden of proof is on you, isn't it Sita?'' Sean sighed. `` If I find evidence to the contrary I'll ask her about it then. But I haven't. More to the point none of the forensic investigators have yet. I don't know. I just can't see any situation where it makes more sense that she tried a double cross or had her own schemes. Gods if she was going to try that I'd at least hope she could have gotten better kit than a few flash bangs and the most conspicuous energy weapon one could reasonably imagine a Class 3 had access to.''
``And yet you still think something is off, Master?'' Sita hissed softly. A moment later the traffic began to lurch forwards once more. The narrow tunnel struggling to keep pace as onboard computers and manual controls all conflicted with each other. Screaming back thousands of contradictory orders that clogged up the traffic grid and left them jerking slowly towards the end.
Sean nodded softly. ``We both know something is up. I just don't think the girl who nearly got her head blown off is the one behind it. Not yet, anyway. Someone had to figure out who Bri was, first off. Which I guess isn't too hard considering she's registered. But if it's someone outside the company they'd have to know to look. I mean it's not like a slaves ID will just blare out the owner to any random person on the street.''
``Unless they had cause to.'' The snake muttered it more to herself than him. At this point just desperate to have something to say as she shuddered in the seat.
Another hard jerk jolted the car as traffic twisted once more. Sita's frustration slowly twisting in her throat to a murderous growl.
``Hey, want me to drive?'' Sean sat up and flicked his finger in the air. An AR control rig much akin to the physical one at the other side of the car popping in to existence.
``No, Sir. That wouldn't be proper.'' She sighed. ``Besides you've had a rough enough time, and it's important you focus on work.''
``Oh that I had kept to the lap of luxury like some people and just stayed the hell out of business.'' Sean laughed. ``You know I'm starting to wish I could just go back and slug twenty-year-old me in the face for trying to prove myself like this. A pampered life of leisure without some self imposed corporate Gaes might not be so bad.''
``You'd drive us all crazy, Master. Yourself in particular.'' Sita finally broke into a smile as her frustration evaporated into amusement. ``And I am afraid I have to put my foot down on time travel and ruining your pretty face, Master.'' She rolled her shoulders a touch and returned her attention to the road ahead. The two slipping past some of the traffic as they twisted along towards home.
--------------------
Distraction. It seemed like an odd way to put it. All of the scattered messages that had hit him since the morning discussing how `distracted' he was. Addressing his `distraction'. All sorts of subtle digs by people who likely saw Brinna as just another slave, and who didn't understand just how devastating this all was. Or more likely they didn't care. They just wanted results.
Sean leaned back into the big fancy overstuffed office chair his mothers Seneschal had bought for him. Another sidelong dig at his demeanor no doubt. He let his eyes shut tight and ran the course hair of his fingertips stroke and glide along the leather. It was nice, at least. If there was one thing the bear could really say he appreciated about his status, one thing he couldn't give up, it was probably the feel of real leather.
The soft metallic blue of his HUD framework slowly faded into the background, bathing the bear in that precious satin darkness. He allowed himself to feel the entirety of his body. The weight of his cloths hanging off of him. The hovering weight of the balance point of his chair. Huge, rolling knots of stress twitching though his shoulders and arms as he rolled his head back and side to side.
The chair responded predictably. Small bundles of artificial, fluid filled muscles shifting and contouring to fit the shape of his back and neck. Each one tensing and releasing, warming and cooling, seeking to work out the stress in the most mechanically optimized way possible. The sensation was easy, familiar and oh so impossible to dislike. That may be why he hated it so much. As much as he loved technology in all its forms, Sean couldn't help but feel a small winge at the unnatural perfection and artificiality of it all. Some burning quiver that ran though his body too softly for even the tailored suit to move and seemed to tickle at the base of his jack.
A small, hovering fairy of blue light finally drifted before his eyes. Faye-thin arms tugging and pulling at the . The bear letting those shimmering blue orbs open half way to see the new message clearly, or at least as clearly as he could given the haze in his own mind. A small mental impulse causing the wisp to vanish and a small Holo box appearing in its place.
``Master.'' The image was all too familiar. Brinna on her knees. Shifting and grinding the rough material of her knee socks into her cheap sheets. Thick strands of her shadow black hair falling haphazardly before her face even as she tried to loop them behind her ear or into the arm of her glasses. She knelt there, quietly. An image all but burned into Sean's memory now after all of the messages she'd sent in their time together. The fragile mouse shivering where she knelt and glancing off to the side with only a few quick twists of her eye to catch the camera now and then.
``Ok Bri. Gotta edit that part out.'' She whispered as she took another breath. Then a second, and a third, before finally speaking. ``Master, I wanted to apologize. My behavior the other day was unacceptable. It was, wrong.'' The word was spat. Coming to bitter no matter how he tried. Bri heaved in another breath and reached one arm behind her back, gripping the opposite elbow and letting it dig into the small of her back in a pose she so often took. Yet which now seemed somehow uncomfortable in its vulnerability.
``Maser, I know you are looking out for me. What happened before, well, This isn't' the same. At all. I know that.'' The recording broke rather abruptly. Bri in roughly the same spot she was before. The strands now having fallen before her face again leaving her downcast eyes all the more somber looking to the bear. ``I don't know what those meant wanted. When the officers... when those people attacked me, before. It was scary. B-but it was something normal. It was something they teach us to be careful of even at a young age. R-really it was my fault for forgetting my place and wandering around there. L-looking like I was up to no good.''
There was a small sob as she looked away. When the next cut resolved Bri was looking up into the camera again. Tearstains darkened her fur all the way down to her neck and her eyes now puffy and bloodshot. The first few half spoken words warbled out and died in her throat as she attempted to regain her composure. ``I don't want to dwell on something we already fixed, and... and I get why you didn't tell me about Kanina. It's not your fault that I was captured. A-and you wanted to wait until I was feeling better. Until I could take the shock. I can understand that. I know you wouldn't lie to me again.''
Sean couldn't help but feel his own heart sinking down into the pit o his stomach. The accusatory tone was there. Maybe from Bri. Maybe he just imagined it. He watched her fidget and twist on her bed. Slipping herself into a more comfortable position, then quickly thinking better and returning to some well practiced formal one likely gotten from some entertainment node and an amateur how-to or something similar. Only to sip back to her normal and 'natural' pose. None of it seemed to settle her, and for his own part Sean couldn't help but feel himself twist in the wind just as hard.
Another cut saw her in a more 'proper' slave position once more. Wrists crossed behind her, head bowed, chest heaving with her hair falling heavily over her face. Still looking so adorably unnatural and gawky. Still looking o hurt. ``I was mad, and I was scared. But, but it's not my place.'' Brinna sighed. ``Its not my place to be mad, e-especially when you're trying to look out for me. You made sure Kanina was safe, and you both held back while I recovered. You both knew I was hurt. I am just. I'm sorry I'm such a burden.'' She sighed the words and bit back a sob once more. Hand quickly flying up from her kneeling position to turn off the camera again.
Sean wasn't a particularly observant man, even by his own admission. But he could see from the open doorway that the rest of the apartment was dark. Even without looking at the time stamp. Bri's words were flatter now. More controlled. More rehearsed. Her eyes fixed on the camera showing a level of discomfort and nervousness that he would have found delectable at any other time. Under almost any other conditions.
``I hope you can forgive me, and naturally I will take whatever punishment you deem fit for the crime of forgetting my place. I am a possession and nothing more. I do not deserve the great care and consideration you show me, and I am grateful, Master. I hope that in the future, should I lose myself again, you will bee gracious enough to correct me and remind me of my place.''
The young mouse doe took one last breath and forced the biggest most plastic smile she could. ``With love and devotion, your little gem''
It was almost impossible for Sean to hear words without breaking own himself. Poor Bri had been though so much. Not that he was helping. Gods the whole thing just felt like one fuck-up after the other. The man let himself sink back into that calming darkness for who knew how long. Pulled from it pleasingly by the sound of a shoe sole stopping short on t he polished marble floor of his office.
``Tabby?'' He let his eye split open to see the young fox. A sweet, curveless thing in the tail end of youth. Bottle-black hair curling over a pretty face and blushing cheeks topping a sharp business suit.
``Master.'' Tabby muttered softly.
``Now now, Tabby. We keep going over this. It's not `Master' anymore.''
``Y-yes, Lord Thaneson, Sir.'' The fox muttered the words with a quiet bitterness. Looking up at him with the same youthful adoration that had always been there. ``Forgive me, it's still hard to get used to being... free.''
``If it helps, you may think of it as a very long leash.'' He sighed. ``So, what's wrong?''
Tabby whimpered and looked back into the hallway, gripping the opposite shoulder tight. Fingers digging into that bare orange fur. ``You have someone to see you, Sir. He is, very insistent. I told him that you didn't wish to be disturbed, but...''
``Send him in.'' Sean sighed. It was bad enough that he had to see one of his former toys struggling to adapt to freedom. He wasn't about to let the poor boy try to manage whatever fresh nightmare had found its way into his office.
The fox stepped aside, allowing a sharply dressed young seal to stride his way in past the stunned secretary. The smooth, buzzed young executive paid little attention to Tabby, nearly causing the plaid print pencil skirt the feminine fox boy wore to take him down in a heap, not that the confident seal bull noticed.
Sean instantly stiffened. His jaw setting and eyes turning to dangerous pools of arctic ice. ``Tabby.'' He muttered. The words flowing with a tense unease though his sneer. ``Take the rest of the day off. Maybe go see that boy you were telling me about the other day.''
``Y-yesir, Lord Thaneson.'' The fox spared only the smallest glances at the seal before dashing off quickly. Heavy servos sliding the office door hard shut behind him.
``I must admit, Jarl Thaneson, I wasn't expecting to be kept waiting this long. I'm guessing you have had quite a busy time of it as of late.'' The man laughed ever so softly and gave the bear a firm salute. His face quickly melted into a mask of repose, leaving only a pair of red rimmed green eyes to flash his own comfortable glee.
Stone-silence filled the room. Sean shifted his weight forwards on to the large slab of ebony that was his desk. Fingertips pursing against each other. He leaned back slowly and looked the man over. He hadn't asked who the man was with yet. Really he didn't need to. It was written all over, The matte blue-grey suit. The short cropped hair and glossy, almost mirror like sheen on his coat. A simple white strip-tie and glossy shoes likely made from real leather. The whole getup was practically an unofficial uniform at this point. Even if that hadn't been the case, though. The smug smile and look of untouchable confidence spoke louder than anything else. As far as the bear was concerned that was the first mark against his visitor.
``Forgive me for my manners, sir. My name is Tobias. I am-''
``From Oversight. Yes.'' Sean muttered..''
``I was that obvious, sir?'' The seal laughed. He slowly paced a few steps along the immaculate marble floor slab towards one of the rich leather chairs sat opposite the massive desk. His eyes wandered to a few of the curios littered around the Spartan room. An elaborate holoprojection of Yggdrasil space held within a glass sphere that was itself held in an old style globe stand. A few fixtures of modern art. Bits of shaped metal and natural materials that sat in the room more from expectation and the name of the creator than any sort of personal aesthetic choice. Old fashioned paintings of ships from the fleet, including the Asimov in the orbital dock of Faroese. All the while Tobias kept his chipper expression. Even with the crushing gaze of the bear upon him.
``You will have to forgive me, sir. I know one of our senior members had dealings with you not too long ago.''
``It's surprising, if I'm honest.'' Sean laughed. ``I expected your organization to be sending the same person when I started falling `out of step` again. Set up a more personal relationship. You're the fourth one to visit me in less than two years. Now let's see. First was that Blakcwell guy, yes?''
Tobias smirked proudly and perked up a bit. ``Actually I'm still subordinate to Mr. Blackwell, Sir.''
The icy silence filled the room once more. Not that it seemed to phase the unwanted visitor. ``And then.'' Sean continued ``There was that Matheson woman. And that little Sycophant Smith. Though now I'm curious. Were they working for Blackwell as well?''
``Yes sir.'' Tobias nodded confidently. ``It seems that my predecessors were a bit, intimidated I suppose would be the correct word. Mr. Blackwell himself feeling that it was important to find someone you may not take as an adversary in your dealings with us. After all, we only seek to do what is best for the company and please the board. Your mother in particular.''
The bear couldn't help but bellow a bit at that. Times like this he almost wished he smoked. Just so he could have a nice big cigar to twirl. ``So you're telling me he's too afraid to come himself, and your peers are afraid to meet with me a second time? I'm almost hurt. I didn't think I was that big of a monster.''
``It`s ultimately just a matter of delegation and fine tuning, Jarl Thaneson.'' The young man beamed. A smile no doubt rehearsed in a mirror a million times. ``Mr. Blackwell is seeking to do what is best for the company and uphold the wishes of the Thane. Considering your rather, unique situation, he was wary of keeping anyone on assignment who didn't seem to understand what the job entails. Due to the failures of my predecessors, and other recent events. The job of handling this case has fallen on to me.''
A soft throaty growl slipped though the mask of calm Sean had worked so hard to control. His body beginning to tremble and shake. A few small twitches that only the most observant would be able to pick up on. Unsurprisingly for someone in his position, the Seal seemed all too aware.
``First, Jarl Thaneson, we need to address the recent events involving your slaves and a low tier data gang that apparently attempted a kidnapping?''
``I was unaware that Oversight was tied to CorpSec.'' Sean grumbled.
``When our concerns intermesh, naturally. Which is more often than you may think, sir.'' The seal churred smugly. ``The investigation is naturally CorpSec's concern. Though there are a few details that we still have yet to clear up. The first one being the matter of this new probationary slave. One... Kanina Kunitdottir.''
``Is there something wrong with Kani, Mr. Tobias?'' By this point Sean made little effort to hide the iron in his words. Or the exasperation for that matter. Sean was suddenly aware of just how tense his muscles had become once more. The local Kenna system was prepping the massage components of the chair ready to spring in the second he was alone. The pivot that held the chair in place groaned and squealed under his body weight. In the tight confines of his hateful, pointed dress shoes the bear was all but sure he could feel blood ready to burst from his clenched toes and pour out into the frustratingly overpriced socks Sita had carefully chosen for him that morning.
Tobias for his part fell back into a more traditionally pliant posture. The predictable look of a man who knew he had to feign weakness for the sake of the social dance. Worse, the look of a man who was more than comfortable playing the part. ``Naturally your property is beyond reproach. After all you are one of the Jarls, and the injured party in all of this. I am sure, however, that Corpsec will bring up any questions they may have about her or indeed about the situation. That said.'' A small wave of the hand brought up an AR display between the two. A heavily stylized gunmetal framework showing a similarly stylized outline of the familiar purple bunny with all of her various physical characteristics. ``It seems that right before the incident, she had quite a bit of black market hardware installed, on a cred stick you gave her, based on the authorization codes, I may add.''
``You backtracked a burner stick.'' Sean muttered contemptuously.
``We do have our role to fill, sir.'' Tobias chuckled happily. ``She seemed to have recovered from the surgery just in time to deal with the Tarot gang. The one you have said she was infiltrating. But after the fact.'' The seal flipped his finger and the display shifted to the current medical readouts. ``Many of the combat augments are already illegal for someone not registered to a mercenary company. Never mind that the dubious nature of what she had installed frankly visits at least half a dozen serious crimes on your household for such dangerously unregulated tech. But naturally that aspect of it is not my place. It's more about these.''
Another small tap lit up the various new systems implanted into Kanina. The simplified graphic lighting up with each part, flitting out long lines of estimated statistics and information Sean already knew all too well. Cycling though the list with all the grace and tact of some accusatory, tattling child.
``So you came to me about her new augs, then?'' Sean muttered. ``What of them?''
``For one, they aren't registered, sir.'' Tobias was all too quick to slip that `sir' in. Even as his grin widened. ``Considering the experimental nature of integrating the systems you didn't remove in a more stable form, I suppose I could understand that some. However I have already had both members of the Yggdrasil military and the Accel program asking me to get some basic information as to the designs since they don't seem to show up on our database.''
``They wouldn't.'' Sean said coldly. ``They were upgrades intended for her. This isn't the first time I've given my slaves special treatment with my own designs. In fact, I think you'll be hard pressed to find any of my property, current or otherwise, without a few of my pet projects.''
``Oh indeed. They all seem to have a few bits of prototype hardware in them. Which is your right, naturally. They are your belongings to do with as you wish. However.'' Tobias cleared his throat and shifted forwards. Meeting the bears gaze with a calm, almost aloof confidence. ``If we are going to lay all the cards on the table, none of them have been augmented like this before. New jack architecture for data security is one thing. But this girl is clearly upgraded for combat duty. Maybe not a high end soldier. But she has the foundation of, as I think they'd call it in the outer rings, a `Battle Glitch'. A serious threat, and entirely unregistered.''
``And?'' Sean's reply hung thick in the air, barely a formality to punctuate his contempt. He leaned back in his chair and smirked.
``Well it is the main reason I am here, Jarl Thaneson. The Great Tree thrives only when all branches give life to the trunk. Even if it only comes after an official requisition.''
There it was. All laid out. Or at least as close as someone like this was going to get. Sean leaned back and took one last look over the specifications. His sneer worsened, then cooled, then began to turn up into a soft grin. ``So that's why you're here? I put a few new toys into my new toy, and suddenly everyone is champing at the bit to have me show my work? My, what must have I done in order to make them hate me so.'' he bellowed. ``Here I thought dear Mr. Blackwell was seeking to bring the righteous Wrath of the Thane down on me again for some perceived infraction. Some slight against my mother by virtue of not living up to her ideals. I admit, Tobias, I'm almost a bit disappointed. But if that's all, then you can take my reply back to Oversight now. No.''
``No, Jarl Thaneson?'' The seal tilted his head softly.
``No. Kanina is mine. My slave, my property. I gave her that equipment in order to help fill her role. To protect. Which, as I'm sure you've noticed, she's done already. Not only was she instrumental in thwarting the attempted kidnapping and inevitable blackmail by this gang. But managed to eliminate or incapacitate all of them before the authorities even arrived. Now, I may not be in line for the big chair. But as Jarl I still have a right to protect what is mine as I see fit. If people want me to make them some new hardware, they are free to put in a requisition like anything else. I established Thaneson Designs the same way every other company under the Yggdrasil Umbrella is established. I don't plan to give up my rights simply because a few family name generals and milksop mercenaries see something they can't have.''
It was as telling a blow as Sean could hope for, given the short notice. Softer than he was on the last two. But the look on the inexperienced seal bull's face as it all sank in assured Sean that it had been sufficient. Tobias stood, turned, and took a few steps around the chair he'd been sitting in. He then paused, and turned again. A wicked smile slowly growing on his face.
``I can appreciate that, sir. I really an. After all it is your right, and any questions at this point are matters for the authorities. Not Oversight. That said, a combat slave, even a bodyguard, needs to be registered with one of the guilds. Or a member of the standing military. Same as it would be for anyone else.''
``Funny. I don't remember Oversight making a big deal of it before.'' Sean growled. ``This wouldn't happen to have any bearing on my sisters little outing, would it? That little pet project of hers?''
Tobias shook his head softly and sighed. ``I would like to say it does not. However she still has yet to register the girl she's been training. Not to mention there was the... incident... in her chambers.''
Sean's blood ran cold. All of the bravado. The posturing. The little digs to toy with this messenger. All of it flushing out of his veins with a slurry of slush and ice water. He could feel the room now. Large, hollow, seeming to loom over him as a small pit knotted into his stomach. ``What happened in her chambers?'' He muttered.
``It would likely be best if you ask her, Jarl Thaneson. Though considering it seems to have some connection to New Avalon, I figured it was worth bringing up.''
``Why?'' Sean whispered.
``Well, because of what we have been told by CorpSec so far. That the weapon used by your slave to attack the gang was of New Avalon make, and we have the camera records of her taking it from one of the members. Meaning they were given access to the weapon before hand. Also. A woman suspected of having affiliation with the Tarot apparently used funds from a New Avalon issued Credstick to buy a slave. The brother of the man your slave finished, to be exact.''
``What are you saying?'' Sean growled. He pushed himself up out of the chair. His suit straining at his muscles now as he tensed. Claws slowly biting into the hardened ebony wood. He could feel small shavings curling free under his fingers making his whole body hunger for something. Something dark and all together unpleasant.
``I am simply informing you of the current circumstances, sir. Between the incident with your sister and the connections your slaves targets had to New Avalon, it apparently poses a real security risk. Showing both the lack of viability in our own main-issue data-processing hardware for combat, and some rather concerning ties to NA.'' Tobias leaned in slowly and smiled. A hatefully smug smile that clearly had been waiting all day to slip free. His teeth showing like gleaming little daggers and the red laced into his iris rims flashing brightly. ``Naturally you are under no obligation to provide us with any technology you feel is not yet properly tested. But as your own body guard seems to prove it is more than functional on a small scale, It would help to mend some fences, as it were, if you were to provide an iteration for the other branches of the tree to use. When you have the time, naturally.''
That said it all. It was all anyone needed to say. Sean slowly let himself slump back into his seat and doused his rage with the now growing fear. His thoughts shifting to Runa, and his body tensing once more. He barely noticed as Tobias turned, sauntering confidently towards the doorway. The heavy oak frame sliding open once more to let the man though.
He then stopped, and turned. The smile returning to his lips. Yet somehow without the loathsome, superior venom. ``Oh, I almost forgot the other reason I was sent down here. You will have to forgive me, Jarl Thaneson.'' Tobias leaned in a bit and gripped the doorframe to ensure it wouldn't close on him too soon. ``It seems that someone has finally finished work examining the Formia project. My superiors felt that your long wait required someone to inform you in person. Congratulations.''
Sean slipped back into his seat and shivered. Another meeting, another sadistic narcissist. Yet this time ,for the first time in ages, the bear could do nothing more than sit. Too confused and far too overwhelmed to do more.
