Scene #9735: Playing Ball at the Table

Owner	Pose
Timekeeper	The St. Pavlov Foundation's School for the Primary Defense of Mankind has been occasionally talked about-- more often recently than before-- but never visited. Its grounds are tucked away in an unobtrusive corner of the Foundation campus, out far enough away to almost seem like untamed wilderness compared to the rest of the curated lawn, because of being surrounded by the meagre patch of 'woods' that's within its territory. The school is enclosed by walls and fences, merging with the corner walls of the very outskirts of the 'safe zone' created around the Foundation. There's a dozen buildings within the subsectioned walls, enough to house a hundred students and staff, but compared to the five digits of people that swarm the rest of the organizational hive, it seems quaint and quiet. As much as the Foundation feels like a tiny world isolated unto itself, stepping past the gates and security towers into the SPDM feels like entering a Matryoshka-nested even smaller world separate from that. The forest and walls muffle the sounds of people and vehicles moving that are nearly constant throughout the main campus, and you can imagine that none of the noise made here would reach them in return. Madam Z isn't accompanying you herself today, but she gave you the rundown and Sonetto is here to lead you through the unfamiliar grounds. Chairman Katz of the alliance between the Justice Commission and the Arcanist Youth Committee happens to be at the SPDM today, and with the deadline for the bill closing in, Z wants to seize this chance to corner her for a negotiation. Theoretically, the concern she represents is 'an inability to trust Vertin personally with the responsibility and political power that Team Timekeeper would afford her', so Sonetto, as well as you as offworlders who work in the field with Vertin, should have some convincing leverage. In some ways, the SPDM campus looks like you would expect a small school would, albeit with the architectural trappings of the Foundation. To the right past the guarded towers is a lake and trees, with a set of outdoors seating distantly visible for students to sit at. To the left is a wide grassy field with some sports equipment, and several buildings for facilities. Matilda's library is merged with the administrative building, there's dorms near the opposite walls, and several educational buildings too. They're all harsh grey concrete with slitted windows and an omnipresent shade of-- more 'pure white' than the typical white and grey, but the overall atmosphere is like a college campus in miniature. Except for the tall stone walls surrounding it, and the panopticon watchtower that looms in the dead center, emblazoned with the golden crest of the Foundation, the Pax House, and a third that must be the SPDM's symbol. At its feet is a stage, with a depressed ampitheater of stadium seating where the entire student body could all sit and watch. You're going to one of the teaching buildings, but Sonetto becomes weird and contemplative the moment she's past the gate. She watches the handful of students visible-- ranging from maybe six or seven to young teens, all in the white uniform-- with a complicated expression. "Ah... I do not have much reason to come this way often." The symbols on the watchtower are given a habitual salute across her chest and a murmured 'may the peace be with us' as she leads the Elites past it.
Timekeeper	The classrooms look exactly as you could have expected them to. Class isn't in session right now, and several of the stone desks are pushed together for a professionally dressed woman not in uniform to talk with a pair of men wearing the Foundation grey. Chairwoman Katz is sitting at the very back of the room in the teacher's desk, making notes of her own about something. She has long blonde hair, currently slicked back into a partial bun, with reading glasses that seem out of place for how young she seems. Little golden stud earrings glitter past the fragments of hair that fall out of her bun, and she looks up at your arrival with a small, polite smile. "Oh, hello. I was hoping to get a chance to talk with you all; feel free to grab a chair from anywhere. You can call me Katz, or Miss Katz, by the way."
Flamel Parsons	Why is Flamel getting involved here? What could make him possibly be a good, normal part of this political effort? Well, the fact that he's nearest to normal and good about this topic is when it has something to do with the counselor role. He's got fresh sunglasses after a big event yesterday, and he looks only slightly bruised up. Still, he's presentable -- he's swapped out the jacket he had with the blue lining for something more foundation-aligned, his usualy black-tie look but with a black-and-grey chessboard pattern on the tie and jacket lining. Hands clasped behind him, he walks with Sonetto. "Too familiar or not familiar enough?" He asks, tilting his head curiously. "Just wondering, no need to get into the details." As they enter, he nods to the Chairwoman, whose first offer is, of course, chairs. He retrieves one, careful to focus on using only his physical hands rather than his telekinesis, and sets it near her, in front of her. He's already speaking before he starts sitting down. "Flamel Parsons, agent of a vague yet ominous organization. I've been taking part in this investigation, and working... in the vicinity of my colleague, the Timekeeper, for some time! I'd like to discuss all of our concerns, most of all hearing yours out." He beams cheerfully. "Given you're a colleague in the field of protecting and nurturing young minds, I've got a particular interest in your perspective."
James Bond	Bond arrives in a three piece suit, carefully matched to the Foundation grey, with a red tie and gold-ebony cufflinks serving as the splash of color for the ensemble. "Miss Katz," Bond says, returning the smile and more. He offers a hand to shake, taking hers into both of his. There's not an ounce of coldness in his blue eyes, and yet, Tamamo and Lilian both are aware that this is a completely different character than the one who showed up to meet with Pedra. "Chevalier James Bond, Commonwealth Paladins." "Do we have your leadership to thank for Sonetto and Matilda Bouanich? They've been fantastic assets to our work, and I'm hoping our organizations can continue to work closely together." There's a slight emphasis on those last three words--but not enough to raise an alarm. He does indeed pull up a chair, taking a seat and crossing one leg over the other, hands clasped in his lap and still smiling, only slightly less brightly. "We've also been looking forward to a meeting, so this has worked out perfectly for us." Despite that warmth on display for Katz, Flamel receives none of it. His eyes don't so much as swivel towards him, but Flamel gets the idea from Bond's surface thoughts, expressed loudly enough to be intentional, that If you ruin this for us, they'll never find your body. "Yes," he says, nodding. "Your perspective. I think that would be a good place do start. Have you had a chance to review Madam Z's proposal?"
Lilian Rook	For all that she's heard of the SPDM, and for all that the tone and emphasis of it has shifted towards the troubled and unnerving with such auspicious timing, Lilian didn't think that this would be 'the time' for it. Not while Vertin is asleep. Not before the bill is resolved. Before anything is done. She voices the thought all of once, struggles to explain that 'it just feels as if' with a few mentions of 'out of sequence' or 'off-rhythm' until she starts feeling mildly bewildered herself, and then refuses to go back to it again. Her inarticulable unease doesn't do much to subdue the curiosity that she's built up over all these months, however. A little touristy, a little voyeuristic, somewhat practical, somewhat parasocial, and very wrapped up in the idea that if she absorbs the environment well enough it'll tell her something she wouldn't otherwise ever know about the SPDM girls, Lilian allows herself to soak in that particular feeling, like a fuzzy-edged glow of secondhand nostalgia, without reservation. She imagines the children in the field, swimming at the lake, the movement between class and dorm at morning and evening bell, and in trying to imagine Matilda still amidst it all, Lilian suddenly says, 'Ah... I do not have much reason to come this way often.' "You know, it's funny, actually. I could swear that Elites have been to my school half a dozen times already, but I can't even name which ones they've gone to; besides one right now, I suppose. I suppose it's understandable in this one case, but school is meant to be one of those things you can talk about with anyone, you know? It's so common to socialize about those days, regardless of class, that you hardly ever think about it." The habitual salute draws her eye. "I want to say something about your peity, but that's not the right word." Lilian says, a tiny bit probing. "Patriotism, perhaps?" 'Just wondering' "I could hardly think of less trustworthy words from you." Dressed and equipped as usual, the continuing trend keeps Lilian in the mindset that this is a workplace of hers, even if Flamel Parsons ruins the illusion that this could be just like going in for an Elite corps meeting at Aegis Astray or an affiliate office. The resemblance is close enough to come upon the Chairwoman with less instant hostility than she felt for Pedra; and thus hope that she doesn't have the opposite arc of growing to hate her for no other reason than symmetry. 'Oh, hello. I was hoping to get a chance to talk with you all; feel free to grab a chair from anywhere.' "Really now? That's surprising, I'll admit." Lilian says, pausing to blink and gather her thoughts. She spares a second glance for the two men in the room, but sees no opening nor immediate need to engage them. "Ah, well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Katz." she says, adapting immediately away from the 'Chairwoman' on her lips. Silent math is completed in the blink of an eye. "Lilian Rook. I suppose you must know who I am, then?" And yet, still, the first thing she does is find a chair that is implicitly for Tamamo before fetching her own. "My plan was to see if I could convince you to spare a few minutes of your time to discuss the Storm Reformation Bill, naturally, as well as perhaps one or two small matters, but you've got me curious."
Tamamo	Though it failed to deliver the distinct impression of being a fellow rear-echelon type in her meeting with the chairman of the Mankind Caucus, Tamamo has kept to her mostly-greyscale office attire for this meeting, too, accented cyan against her pinkish-red hair. It's that hair -- and the ears and tails, which remain present in ghostly fashion -- that mark her, within the Foundation's culture, as enlisted by default. She's made few adjustments. 'Ah... I do not have much reason to come this way often.' "I would imagine that few seek to return, if they are not of the faculty, as well. It is a bit of shame, now that I think of it. Would it not be better for those who have had some experience in applying their lessons to go and speak to those who have yet to do so? They carry different perspectives from teachers, including those who have gone to teaching after retirement from the profession they were first taught." She's not quite sure what to think about Flamel's presence and recent mentions of his evil deeds, so Tamamo's reaction to his presence is a more subdued version of Bond's. That's not what they're here about, anyway. "Ms. Katz, then. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." She's never been one to insist on other than preferred address, and is apparently happy to shake hands. "I am Mizukume Rook and, as it happens, likewise a Chevalier of the Commonwealth Paladins." To the other two, she gives each a nod and a slight smile, not shaking any hands unless additionally offered. "Mr. Paisley. Mr. Doyle." After sitting down on the chair Lilian pulls for her, with the visible ease of one expecting it, she continues. "If you would like to first speak upon those matters bringing you concern, I have no reason to refuse." She glances about, a bit performatively in taking in the classroom setting. "After interacting with a few of its graduates, I had some interest in this school, as well, though that can surely wait. I understand the matter of the bill to be more pressing for most of it, while matters of education continue indefinitely, so long as anything that can be called 'civilization' continues."
Timekeeper	"Too familiar or not familiar enough?" Sonetto has no idea how to answer this question, and she visibly thinks on it for long silent seconds. She gets distracted watching a student running around on the field, to the point that it seems like she's forgotten to answer at all, and then suddenly she does, with her head tilted. "... I don't know. It still feels like home." "I could swear that Elites have been to my school half a dozen times already, but I can't even name which ones they've gone to;" "Maybe they did not attend school," Sonetto reasons, in her weird little way. "I believe Regulus has said she did not." Contemplative again, the topic of 'how frequently school is brought up' sends Sonetto into another strange lapse of attention. "Besides myself, Mesmer Jr. seems to bring up our time at the SPDM most often. Matilda works in the library, I believe, but even still...." "Patriotism, perhaps?" "It is not... diligence?" "Would it not be better for those who have had some experience in applying their lessons to go and speak to those who have yet to do so?" "Maybe Matilda does?" This marks a new record for how many times Sonetto has brought up Matilda when she isn't around, but she doesn't seem entirely certain as to the nature of Matilda's job. "Ah, and sometimes the students are brought out to witness ceremonies or speeches which I am a part of." . . . Katz pleasantly accepts each person's greeting, handshake or otherwise, with no particularly pressing haste or stress in her motions. The papers in front of her, left neatly forgotten in favor of her visitors, seem to be some kind of dense rubric or checklist that she's filling out, at least on the top page. As you're all getting seated, she confirms, "As you guessed, I'm familiar with your names already from the Timekeeper's reports, and Chief Investigator Sonetto's as well." Sonetto, likewise, didn't need to introduce herself besides a simple greeting. "I hope you'll forgive the asymmetry, but what I've read is exactly why I'd hoped to talk to you." "I have read Madam Z's Storm Reformation Bill; I've voted on it twice now, if you didn't know. I think it might take a bit of circular expositing to explain why I oppose it, so I hope you're not too rushed. I'll ring my aide to bring you all beverages if this seems like it'll drag on too long." She already has one of her own, an iced coffee that seems like it's been sitting for some time, despite still being half-full. She takes a sip from it slowly to formulate her words. "We're in agreement that the Storm Reformation bill adds a lot of extra responsibility for the Timekeeper, right? It's been framed, on and off, like that's something of a punishment with all the extra work and liability it creates, but we have to remember that responsibility's a privilege, too."
Timekeeper	"Mr. Paisley. Mr. Doyle." The other two Council members are in the midst of chattering with each other, and with the (presumably?) teacher they're speaking to, when Tamamo greets them. They both jump a bit, not expecting to be included at all, and awkwardly nod at her in acknowledgement. One of them, a man with a mop of poorly-tended short brown hair, returns with a "Miss Rook," so that probably means they didn't know anything about her until now. "So I'd like to ask you all, multiversals as well as the Timekeeper's assistant, about your assessment of their ability to handle that gracefully. My own assessment isn't exactly glowing, not enough to associate the Foundation's recruitment of arcanists with their name, management, and oversight." Katz drums her nails on the side of her insulated cup, a bit annoyed at the melted ice in her warming coffee. She incants quietly, "Glacies Glow," and a swirl of chill air rolls off of her fingertips to envelop the coffee cup in a brief fog, and then she takes another small sip to test it. "They're quite notorious for their ability to cause trouble with leadership, you know."
Flamel Parsons	It still feels like home? "I know the feeling." Flamel had said to Sonetto, smiling wide. "I still feel that way about Whispering Rock, sometimes. Or about Maslow Peak." Untrustworthy words? Flamel shakes his head at Lilian. "I could say things way more untrustworthy. Come on." Settling into his seat, Flamel scratches his cheek and several thought bubbles drift out of his head. A few drift further in as they get closer to things. His telepathy kicks in just a little bit, and in one's mind's eye, it's easy to see him start walking down a hallway, passing by the containment cell for the anomaly called 'Vertin'. A computer, the kind you roll around on a big cart or struggle to push through a jungle, displays a first person perspective of the Timekeeper drawing a gun on the viewer. Warnings on the window of the containment cell show her under a spotlight in a crowd, and then the crowd dissolving in rain. "I suppose I see it like giving any young person any responsibility, personally." The cell opens and a dozen technicians file in, brandishing tools to scan, tools to test, tools to feed and sustain. To see what happens, in many ways. "It's the responsibility of the people who've already finished up their growing, you know? That is, the responsibility is to make sure that you can give other responsibility to younger people who're motivated by some kind of love or kindness, to nurture that. And, it's the responsibility of the people who've done all their growing, that if those young people mess up, it won't be the end of the world for them. Because either we're supposed to be making the world a better one, or we're wrong and they're right with their new way of seeing things." He gestures around, and up, as if at the sky. "There's already been some stumbles on that. Now, you can't give kids responsibilities like going outside without there being the chance that the world will end. So you're running out of the young, growing people, and you're running out of the safe responsibilities. This is the best anyone's going to get for a long time, isn't it?" He turns away from the cell, and that sense for the mind's eye ends as he adjusts his sunglasses, still sitting in the classroom. "And so far, I can say pretty confidently that she's willing to stick to the Foundation's ideals, even in the dark and in the stress. So any mistakes she makes will be mistakes of absent skill or unrealized talent. That's why you should give her that responsibility, I would say."
Tamamo	'As you guessed, I'm familiar with your names already from the Timekeeper's reports...' 'Miss Rook.' Tamamo looks between the two of them with her eyes just slightly widening, and a hand raised to cover her mouth -- her left, with her rings in place. "It is 'missus,' in fact." Mysteriously, "I suppose multiversal channels are a bit difficult to receive, here... or is it that weddings are not terribly popular?" 'So I'd like to ask you all, multiversals as well as the Timekeeper's assistant, about your assessment...' 'They're quite notorious for their ability to cause trouble with leadership, you know.' "Oh, yes, be sure that we are well aware. Certain mistakes were made, in the past, including those of the sort that cannot be undone. I am certain that no one involved is like to forget these facts, the Timekeeper least of all." Vertin and, maybe, others of the same cohort. Though Tamamo can't recall any but Mesmer Jr. making allusions to it. "One might even guess -- rightly, in my own estimation -- that the Timekeeper's present motivations are born from such events." Taking that as a prelude to... still not answering the question directly, but instead getting into her own framing of the issue, "As we all know," purposefully ignoring potential disagreement with this point, "it was this most recent Storm that prompted the Storm Reformation Bill. A great deal that need not have gone wrong did go wrong, including -- as you may yet be unaware, the investigation having only just concluded -- acts of corruption by the Foundation's Chicago office. It is no exaggeration to say that the entirety of our efforts in accomplishing anything against the Manus Vindictae were delayed entirely by the failure of those officers to recruit an arcanist who had, quite literally, walked into their office and asked for help, of just the sort they were obliged to provide. And yet, they did not, because they were not sufficiently bribed." She'd given that first chance to lay out concerns, but now that she's talking, there isn't much friendly 'tell me how I can convince you' in her tone or bearing. She's pushing. "If the current system were enough -- no, if the current system were even working as it is intended to work, then there would be no need for a 'reformation.' The motive for this is one of those few things of great enough import to consider giving the Timekeeper this opportunity to seek the atonement for which she so wishes. People have died, and will die, in greater or lesser number, while we make our decisions as to what might best ease the rate." Distantly, "Given that I must approach the matter from this standpoint, please forgive me if my words or methods seem overly harsh. I assure you that our goals will align, even if our paths are different. We all value a prosperous peace, just as we would all like to see those prioritizing unjust enrichment of themselves and their friends, at the expense of the organization, the mission, and the world itself, to be found and judged." That sounded less harsh for at least a few seconds, before veering back into politely aggressive intensity. "Certainly, people do make mistakes, children even more so. There should be a chance for forgiveness, and for atonement, if only in those cases where one can find the resolve to act openly, to respect their obligations, and support others." Switching targets without missing a beat, "Would you not agree, Mr. Paisley? That even a terrible mistake, of disrespect to one's obligations, deserves another chance? So long as it is not repeated."
James Bond	So I'd like to ask you all, multiversals as well as the Timekeeper's assistant, about your assessment of their ability to handle that gracefully. His warmth fades into a stern disappointment. "If you're familiar with my name," says Bond, "Then you'll know that my report was also less than glowing. I have extensive experience in field operations not unlike the Foundations, with limited operational resources and strict exfiltration requirements. In short, I've been doing this sort of work since I was the Timekeeper's age, so I won't mince my words." "Vertin has, in the past, put the individual over the mission, which is an admirable trait in an individual and a bothersome one in an asset. It nearly cost us everything in our most recent mission, in fact," he says. "That being said, I had a chance to speak with the Timekeeper after that mission, before we returned to base. Vertin herself understands that it's untenable to continue taking mission objectives into her own hands," which is a creative interpretation of something she said to him, "Or to continue the antagonistic relationship she has with Foundation leadership." And that part is a complete lie, but Bond says it as confidently and unbothered as one would explain the precipitation cycle. He nods towards Flamel and Tamamo in agreement. "I saw a willingness to take accountability, in that conversation. This was a much-needed wakeup call for her--proof that structure isn't the same as confinement, and that her leadership has well-grounded, extensively researched reasons for giving orders. I think they're ready for the responsibility."
Lilian Rook	'Maybe they did not attend school' Lilian sighs, which means that the subject has put her in a better mood than before. "Of course they haven't." she mutters, shaking her head. "That'd be too pro-social to expect." She somehow doesn't notice who that sounds like either. "But they can read and write, add and subtract and perform maths, they know which countries are on the map, they can name at least a handful of philosophers and leaders, they throw around 'democracy' and 'capitalism' with a layman's understanding, they can shop and budget, they can drive a car . . ." She makes an inscrutable gesture to suggest the end of her sentence. "You know? It's absurd to claim that's all 'you pick it up from talking to people'. No you don't! If I ask someone who really skipped school completely, they give me a blank expression when I say 'water cycle'." 'It is not... diligence?' "You're not still bound by the rules to salute that, you know." Lilian says, either coaxing or curious-- or both. "It seems to me like a sort of fondness at least." What she's thinking is 'well-trained'. 'Maybe Matilda does?' Her mood must really be better, because she's able to think about Matilda's negligible chances here, and choose to believe. "She actually put in a request to see my school, you know." Lilian says, conversationally. "I make quarterly appearances to do a little review, a little public speaking, lodge a few suggestions, approve of this that and the other, and just do what the PR darling star alumna is meant to do, so it'd be easy enough for me to indulge her curiosity about a university that teaches arcanum." . . . . . . . . 'As you guessed, I'm familiar with your names already from the Timekeeper's reports, and Chief Investigator Sonetto's as well.' Honestly, Lilian was not, in fact, guessing that anyone important enough to vote on this bill kept abreast of field reports. She nods politely anyways. 'I have read Madam Z's Storm Reformation Bill; I've voted on it twice now, if you didn't know.' "I'm afraid I do." Lilian says, seating herself with a half-apologetic smile, as if to say 'That's precisely the problem'. She pats her bag on the side as she lets it settle, signaling that she's fine on beverages; as much as she'd like to make the humans run around and-- 'Glacies Glow' Ah. Hm. Maybe it isn't good that Lilian adjusts her posture so obviously. Eyes a bit wider, back straighter, leaned forward, hands clasped together. "I'm afraid you're asking me to tell you the truth, Miss Katz." Lilian says, already thinking back to what she told Z in confidence with nonzero chagrin. "And the truth is that the Foundation is having the Timekeeper do exactly what's in the bill already, and just keeping ambiguously quiet about whether or not she's supposed to." Lilian says. "Whether or not anyone ordered it, her workload since the formation of the FDMO--" meaning the Foundation's alliance with the Paladins, "--amounts to sourcing and coordinating with outside contractors under her own direction to accomplish objectives that should fall under the responsibilities of the Field Investigation division. Though some of those contractors are Paladins, she isn't given the authority to coordinate with our organization." Oddly, once she gets going, Lilian's tone veers oddly . . . familiar? Conversational. A little lean sneaks into her posture. One leg goes up over the other knee.
Lilian Rook	"However you see it, privilege or punishment, outsiders will continue to be attracted to, and cross paths with, the Foundation's business in the field, many of them will be arcanists. What the Timekeeper stands to mishandle under the Bill isn't authority; it's budget. What they lose is the complete free reign to ask forgiveness instead of permission that the Foundation has given them by maintaining no real oversight over her actions." She even lets go of her hands, though just to press down on each fingertip for tallying emphasis. "Retrieving the philosopher's stone, rescuing Foundation personnel on multiple occasions, suppressing the riot at the Sotheby's, preventing two massacres, the identification and treatment of the Storm Syndrome, the infiltration into the Walden, both times, the intelligence on the leader of Manus Vindictae, and what little we know of the Storm Immunity Ritual, were all accomplished at her personal discretion; while securing the cooperation of the Concord and the Watch across battle lines too, not to mention the deployment of Paladins assets despite being kept from official channels to do so." Lilian stops and catches her breath, but the pause itself is really to decide whether she wants to belabour the point a little bit more. "I admit to a sense of growing fatigue with certain Foundation decisionmakers still being so coy about all of this. These aren't wild, spur-of-the-moment whims she's indulged in; these are assignments given to her with a nearly empty intel folder and a cheque that isn't blank so much as it is wholly absent. Whether or not you agree with this practice, no one in this room is actually qualified to make it stop." Lilian gathers her thoughts while Flamel finishes up. Her eyes are unsubtly on the two men, though she doesn't draw attention. With her hands on her knee, the tip of her shoe bounces as she mentally dots her 'i's and crosses her 't's, only to look right back to Katz as if no one had said anything. "So my assessment is that the Foundation, lacking manpower, intelligence, and materiel, forced to navigate around 'uncooperative' local branches native to the era, is finding a way to fulfill this obvious strategic need whether it recognizes it or not, and the fact that it's fallen to the Timekeeper position should tell us all plenty of just how little position we're in to be choosy." Lilian says, drifting grim. "And in that capacity, she's given excellent directions, organized well enough, handled pressure better than anyone could ask, and acted exclusively in accordance with the humanitarian ideals of the Foundation . . ." One finger goes up. A concessional tone, now. ". . . as best as could be hoped while the only thing guiding these temporary outside contractors is her 'personal charisma'." Lilian says the two words as if the term is slightly distasteful; as if it beggars belief that it's allowed to be true. "No chain of command. No departmental structuring. No official duties. No set headquarters. No terms, no negotiating, no budget, and no liability. I don't know if the reports capture it, but--" Lilian intentionally thinks of Regulus on the night of the Storm of 1929 to make herself evince the correct expression of irritation-disgust. "I'm not much of a fan." She corrects her gaze to Katz from the side. "If she's going to keep being assigned missions like this . . . No, I suppose that it's inevitable that people are going to be drawn to her either way. And if they aren't in a real position until the Foundation has found a desk for them, they're not beholden to anything but what they think is best for Vertin." Finally using her name, too, is intentional. "Which tends to be-- if you'll pardon my language-- a shitshow. The people she meets want her to be some sort of revolutionary firebrand; so they push for it, put themselves at issue, and occasionally force things off the rails."
Lilian Rook	"And we currently live in the world where, instead of saying 'You're hired. These are your responsibilities. This is your dorm. I'll discuss your contract with my employer.', all the Timekeeper can say is 'I believe in you. Won't you please help me?'." It takes effort to keep her thoughts off her face. Even summarizing it as tritely as she can, it makes Lilian glancingly think about how much power Vertin casually wields with that one, simple sentiment. "From my experience in the field with her, seeing her leadership style in-person, and having my professional background to compare it to, the Storm Reformation Bill strikes me as telling Vertin to get a job." The laugh she punctuates her thesis with isn't entirely ungenuine. It is sort of funny to her. "Reviewing her reports and punishing her at-discretion every time it seems as though she's crossed a line . . . I can't name an organization that would consider it efficient. Even if I took her as the type to mess around with her duties by their letter rather than their spirit, there's undeniable inertia to a mass of people who know what they're supposed to be doing."
Timekeeper	"And, it's the responsibility of the people who've done all their growing, that if those young people mess up, it won't be the end of the world for them." Katz makes a small thin smile at Flamel, almost sympathetic. It makes her look, all of a sudden, significantly older than the late-twenties/early-thirties that she appears to be. "I hate to end your speech this way, but you've preempted a lot of my arguments already. But I can't say we've come to quite the same conclusions." She sighs, thumb sliding in a circle on her cup, and the condensation trail left behind freezes in snowflake patterns, absentmindedly from residual arcanum. "It'd be nice if it wasn't the end of the world. But it is, on a large scale; and more personally, it's the end of any individual's world if they're mismanaged at just the wrong time. The Storm creates a lot of bad timing, if you catch my drift. The Timekeeper's record with it has never been stellar." "Certain mistakes were made, in the past, including those of the sort that cannot be undone." Sonetto's eyes widen a bit, connecting the dots between Tamamo and Katz's veiled words. She can't keep herself from saying, though she doesn't complete the thought, "The events of back then...." Katz's gaze wanders past the Elites arrayed in front of her, staring through the far wall of the classroom at nothing in particular. The lower half of her face stays shielded behind her cup, classy pink nails framed against the plastic. "I graduated from my internship at this school the year the Storm came for the very first time. I was at the forefront of the organizational restructuring we had to do to adapt to it, the first generation of arcanists dealing with the Storm, when we barely knew anything at all, and were scrambling to not fall apart." "Four years later, the third Storm came," And Sonetto braces, "And a group of students were led by a certain individual to a string of rebellious behavior that only one of them seemed to be immune to the repercussions of, culminating in those children being led out to die in the Storm. That was what created the 'Timekeeper', misbehavior, escalated by personal charisma, that resulted in total catastrophe. I'd call that the second generation, where we managed to get ground, but always with some heavy cost." Sonetto reacts surprisingly little, for how much she's been grimacing in preparation for the topic. Her voice is quiet, her hands are in her lap, and her eyes don't meet anyone's, but she seemed more tense before. "Timekeeper spent days in the guardhouse, as well as recovering in the clinic after the gassing incident. They were not immune to the consequences of their actions." "Besides that one." After Katz's quick retort, her expression softens, slanting pitying towards Sonetto, who won't look at her. "Sorry. But you see what I mean, right? In all her stint as the Timekeeper, she's... I don't have the numbers on hand right now, but she's accumulated something around fifty to sixty disciplinary infractions in and off the field; a number that's surprisingly close to the number of personnel she's guided to the organization over the years." "So, to put it frankly, it doesn't seem like the deaths of her classmates changed the trajectory of her behavior very much. She's never stopped leading people into danger when she has the chance to take a leadership role." Katz leans back in her chair. It creaks, more cushioned than any of the students' chairs, but still uncomfortably thin and hard. "I'd like to believe that we're in an era where we can rely on the Timekeeper less, not more."
Timekeeper	". . . it was this most recent Storm that prompted the Storm Reformation Bill." "I suggested to Madam Z, on account of the mmmoderate success that 1929 turned out to be, that a collaboration between arcanist field agents and multiversals might be necessary as a new department. Just not under the Timekeeper's leadership." "-- as you may yet be unaware, the investigation having only just concluded -- acts of corruption by the Foundation's Chicago office." "I wasn't." Katz laughs shortly and sourly, though not directed at Tamamo. Listening to the rest, she quietly reaches into the pocket of her pants, retrieving a tin of gum that she twists open. Popping one into her mouth, there's the sharp smell of spearmint, as well as the bitter tang of nicotine. "Then you'll know that my report was also less than glowing." "I haven't," Katz asides to Bond, not as touchy about admitting that she doesn't know things as Pedra is. "Read your report, that is. So I appreciate the summary. I believe it's only the higher-ups of the Field Agent Administration who have access to multiversal field reports." "I saw a willingness to take accountability, in that conversation." "I'd like to believe that," Katz sighs, and it sounds a little bit like 'it'd be about time'. "If anything, though, that makes me somewhat more comfortable with letting her continue as the Timekeeper. Otherwise I might join the people calling for her removal. Two months of mental health rehabilitation after a stressful mission isn't healthy, and that's with the responsibility she already has." "What they lose is the complete free reign to ask forgiveness instead of permission that the Foundation has given them by maintaining no real oversight over her actions." Katz raises up a finger, silent for a second with her fist up to her mouth while she chews. Then, "You're right. It's untenable that the Timekeeper is doing this, but there's no reason that the Timekeeper should." "I've advocated instead that we expand the SPDM's capabilities and its relationship with the Field Agent Administration, to focus more heavily on recruitment and education. There should be more people with the express authority to recruit arcanists, and they should have an existing system to direct them to, that isn't just one person's individual beliefs. The SPDM is the result of centuries of honed training in arcanum and discipline, and the Timekeeper is-- and let me be clear that I do respect them-- pretty much the least reliable of its alumni. I've drafted a proposal for that very thing, but it won't go anywhere without Z's approval, so we're at a bit of an impasse." ". . . as best as could be hoped while the only thing guiding these temporary outside contractors is her 'personal charisma'." Katz looks dubiously hopeful through Lilian's lead up, listing Vertin's positive qualities as a leader in the field, only to exhale and nod in a conceding, chagrined way at that conclusion. Meanwhile, 'Paisley' and his pal have slowly gravitated to leaning against their chairs and listening in on the gossip, rather than keeping up talking with the teacher, and he startles like he's been caught doing something bad when Tamamo suddenly calls him out.
Timekeeper	"Would you not agree, Mr. Paisley? That even a terrible mistake, of disrespect to one's obligations, deserves another chance? So long as it is not repeated." Paisley clears his throat and sits up straighter, adjusting his Foundation-patterned tie. The tone of Tamamo's voice suggests implication, but he doesn't know what the fuck she's talking about or even who the fuck she is, and she sauntered in here with a set of glowing ears and tails, so she's clearly got some bone to pick. "Actually, ma'am, I'd have to disagree. We live in a world where none of us can be, let's say, lackadaisical about our obligations, without dire consequences. Vertin, the Timekeeper, has gotten more chances and do-overs for her mistakes than anyone ought to have; and I'd say those among us who deserve authority are those who haven't needed any second chances." "... all the Timekeeper can say is 'I believe in you. Won't you please help me?'." She definitely understands exactly what it is that keeps drawing people to Vertin. The flicker of her expression, only slightly less suppressed than Lilian's thoughts, might be imperceptible if Lilian wasn't so keyed in to look for it. Katz pops another stick of gum into her mouth, chewing while she reflects on Lilian's words. "... Now, I did ask for your opinions as multiversal field assistance, so I won't dismiss them out of hand. But I'd really like to know, is your defense of Vertin for any reason, any real, irreplicable reason, besides theirs being the face that you saw in the field?" "Right now, there's... about four, arcanists, who are loyal to the Timekeeper specifically, staging that protest on campus. I don't believe that's enough to justify an entire new political entity, entrusted to someone who requires as many qualifications when talking about their character as you've all given the Timekeeper. 'Pretty confident', 'less than glowing', 'learning from mistakes', 'as best as they could'. I think we, as an organization, can try for better than that in our authority."
James Bond	But I'd really like to know, is your defense of Vertin for any reason, any real, irreplicable reason, besides theirs being the face that you saw in the field? Bond pauses, uncrossing his leg and leaning forward with a sigh. "While I haven't been as present on this campus as Dame Commander Rook, it's very easy for me to find my way. That's because, again, I'm used to this sort of work. That means that I'm also used to what it demands of people and what it does to them." "You say 'we can do better.'" He steeples his fingers in his lap. "Are you sure? Who is it you have in mind? Sonetto is a fantastic field agent, but she has no command experience. Matilda is an analyst. I've reviewed a number of alternative options I'm sure you've noticed as well. Dikke has experience, but only Mesmer Jr. has her beat in terms of her winning personality. That Richards fellow, from the Board of Reformation, is personable enough, and doesn't share Vertin's disciplinary record in the slightest, but he's got no field experience whatsoever. I suppose you'd also reviewed Zeno Academy for prospects and came across Igor. He's got childcare experience, he's done some recruiting, and as a career soldier he's certainly not going to crack under pressure--but he's got no training experience to speak of." "There are people who have charisma, people who have a strong work ethic, people who can be team players, people who have field experience, and yes, people with charisma," he says almost begrudgingly, after Katz's reaction to the word, "None of them have all of those things, and the emotional resilience that this line of work demands, except the Timekeeper." "You said yourself that they've brought in as many new assets as they've had disciplinary actions. And all of that was before the conversation where they told me that it was time for arcanists to stop talking to the world and start talking to each other. In occupations like ours, we put our lives into dozens of hands on every mission. Analysts, handlers, contacts, quartermasters..." He pauses. "Leadership." "So, I hope you'll understand that I'm not 'defending' Vertin at all. I'm endorsing her."
Tamamo	'She's never stopped leading people into danger when she has the chance to take a leadership role.' "That is, respectfully, a bit of an odd counterpoint to make, Ms. Katz, considering the duties the Timekeeper has been given. Were they substantially different before Unification? I admit to not having seen the entire history. The Foundation's field work since then, however, appears to be nothing but danger, from the matters of the Storm, to the Manus, to riot suppression. Perhaps you could be more specific about actions taken that should have been otherwise, and the resulting casualties." She didn't miss that skip from 'deaths' to 'disciplinary infractions.' '...all the Timekeeper can say is "I believe in you. Won't you please help me?"' "And no one else did... or they believed it to be so, and in Chicago, they were correct." Tamamo sounds frustrated about it, as she's sounded frustrated about Chicago since walking into this room. 'Two months of mental health rehabilitation after a stressful mission isn't healthy, and that's with the responsibility she already has.' Tamamo exchanges a glance with Lilian, and decides this isn't the time to get into the state of mental health treatment on 20th century Earth. This is neither a receptive nor knowledgeable audience. Instead, "The duration that she has stayed under has been concerning for myself, as well." '...and I'd say those among us who deserve authority are those who haven't needed any second chances.' "Oh, truly, Mr. Paisley? I would have thought you, of all people, would be strongly in support. I wonder just where that comes from... does Mrs. Paisley agree with you?" She pauses just long enough to let someone leap to a guess why she'd say that. "Oh, I know you have not read my file, but I may summarize a good deal of it with this -- 'matters of love' are quite important to me. I cannot help but take an interest in such things." She lets the idea of 'arcanist fixation' percolate for a moment before, now holding direct eye contact. "That said, I should rather hope your wife more forgiving of a 'single' indiscretion, were I you. I can speak from experience on this matter, that a change in outlook would be good for the health of your marriage. The reed either bends or it breaks, you understand." 'But I'd really like to know, is your defense of Vertin for any reason, any real, irreplicable reason, besides theirs being the face that you saw in the field?' Tamamo pauses at this, and then gives a small sigh before gesturing toward James. "It is as Mr. Bond says. If there were a specific replacement available, and they were better, or even as well suited to the role, then your alternative proposal would be something we could feasibly support. We are all suffering for a lack of perfect options and perfect people."
Flamel Parsons	Recruitment and education... Flamel's eyes flick under the sunglasses, and his expression purses tensely. "You know, honestly? The worst alumni of post-1999 is at least raised knowing what counts as kindness in 1999." He rubs the bridge of his nose between two fingers. "I don't know what she did to those kids, but if we disqualified every possible Psychonaut from responsibility just because when they were a six-year-old spoonbender they accidentally gave someone the Scanners treatment, then we wouldn't have had any adults around who could handle the Deluge of Grulovia." A quick aside, "And I know that one didn't fly over your head, Scanners, 1981, David Cronenberg, and it's good." Back on topic. "Is the SPDM planning to handle field activities itself now? You're stretched thin as-is, are you saying you're going to vote this down because you want to commit to doing it yourself?" He massages his temples, ESPerly. "Why not take advantage of the situation? If you insert the SPDM as the primary way rules and standards are set for Timekeeper recruitments, then an outside party with strong histories of recruit advocacy is going to feed you a steady stream of arcanists to address the manpower issues. Madam Z's proposal is about operational autonomy, not personnel training," He gear-shifts towards the helpful rather than critical. "Is there something I could do to put you in the position to take advantage of things instead? To focus on what you actually want to do, rather than all that fieldwork."
Lilian Rook	Lilian listens to Katz, patiently, attentively, without dividing her attention between the history and how she can make use of it as emotional material very very quickly. One of the things which the Foundation has shared very, very little of with her, is history. She and the others had walked into the middle of 'the Storm' already at the state of 'business as usual', and the attentive among them, at least, have been guessing at the shape of things unsaid and watching the shadows that follow its members around ever since. Or at least Lilian believes, and even shows. It isn't often that she listens to someone exposit without thinking about anything else at the same time. Up until-- 'Timekeeper spent days in the guardhouse, as well as recovering in the clinic after the gassing incident.' "For fuck's sake." Lilian whispers, too loud to be polite. Raising a hand to try and ward off a reaction, she murmurs "My apologies." and rubs her face with the other one. "So she's been, what?" Unable to help herself, Lilian starts counting off on her fingers again, emphasized as the same way as last time. "Gassed, beaten, shot, imprisoned, coerced, tortured, subject to interrogation, isolation, mass death, and traumatic arcanum, that I know of?" There's an apologetic edge to her hissing sigh, at least, but it's not louder than tightly controlled vitriol. 'Sorry. But you see what I mean, right?' "What I see, Miss Katz," Lilian says, leaving a space just long enough to have potentially been 'chairwoman' and an effortful switch. "Is someone my organization would reassign to intelligence, specifically asset monitoring and communication, for being an incurable people-oriented obsessive who would have gained a reputation for near-invincibility." She tries to think of something exonerating, or at least moderating, fails, and blows out the rest of her breath from the corner of her mouth. "Perhaps it's easy to see that as only a persistent string of shrugging off corrective experiences, but my commanding officer would pay to take her off your hands. We're talking about deploying about, in a very meaningful sense, deploying her against Manus Vindictae. Plasticity isn't an asset in investigators." Straightening up again, as if in apology for her half-hearted outburst, Lilian fusses with her cuffs, which is really just a stopgap before fidgeting with the blue ribbon tied around her belt ring. She at least keeps it one-handed. "With my apologies, Miss Katz, it's against my personal code to speculate on someone's character based off of secondhand stories about their childhood trauma." she says. Politely, albeit, but phrasing it so nakedly for effect. "Much less for matters of political policy, and much less in a field of work where everyone comes from strife." She keeps her glance to James Bond brief. 'I suggested to Madam Z, on account of the mmmoderate success that 1929 turned out to be, that a collaboration between arcanist field agents and multiversals might be necessary as a new department.' Lilian eases herself into a more relaxed position, refreshing herself with a fond look at Tamamo and a few pleasant thoughts. "I'm glad to hear we're on the same page about the overall matter." she says. "I've no end of notes as to how a 'moderate success' could be a decisive victory next time, given the Foundation's brand new access to personnel and assets." She tries to keep a pleasant smile in place on purpose. "And let's not beat around the bush; what we're talking about is how to make use of them better than Manus Vindictae. It shouldn't come as a surprise that they've already shown an abundance of willingness to cooperate with Multiversal assets to gain an edge over the Foundation; and they don't bear the burden of administration like we do."
Lilian Rook	'I wasn't.' 'I haven't' Without a mirror, Lilian is left only to hope that her eyes aren't letting on too hard how much she thinks 'God, if only you were a human. You'd be so stupid and nosy and easy to manipulate into thinking exactly what I want.' 'You're right. It's untenable that the Timekeeper is doing this, but there's no reason that the Timekeeper should.' "I'm afraid there is." Lilian says. "Whether we like it or not." For once, she doesn't either. "I don't deny that your concerns are valid, but I'd like us not to lose sight of the inconvenient facts. The Timekeeper is immune to the Storm, immune to the Storm syndrome, and is the only people capable of making the use of the Suitcase. The first two qualify her for high-stakes field operations automatically; especially as our enemies can operate with almost total impunity while the Foundation's assets are in the midst of emergency evacuation. The third is the single most decisive asset at the Foundation's disposal in the same line of work; even in coordination with the Paladins." "Until we can reproduce whatever makes Vertin special, she remains the only candidate for a leadership role whose directions cannot be compromised by Storm conditions, and the only one who can organize and deploy expert contractors and Paladins allies to such an extent without backbreaking expense. And I hate to say so, but attaching her to a field investigation unit as anything other than the leader is a waste of time; the moment the Storm arrives, anyone with a pulse will see her as the safest voice to follow, more and more by the hour, and even before it does, they'll see right away who they actually have to keep happy." "We're not electing the best person for the job, Miss Katz. We're talking about how to most efficiently utilize the Foundation's unique strategic asset. You can reorganize and recruit and train all you like-- and dear god would I like to see it happen-- but the Timekeeper distorts traditional authority by existing. You can assimilate it as an intended part of the Foundation, or you can disavow it as breaching protocol, but there's nothing you or I can do to put an end to it." 'Actually, ma'am, I'd have to disagree. We live in a world where none of us can be, let's say, lackadaisical about our obligations, without dire consequences.' Lilian glances at Tamamo out of the corner of her eye. Then she looks at the unfortunate man in a way that drips so thickly with 'Oh you're in deep. I know what you are.' that her lips twitch trying not to laugh in anticipation of a spectacle. 'But I'd really like to know, is your defense of Vertin for any reason, any real, irreplicable reason, besides theirs being the face that you saw in the field?' "I'm glad you asked." Lilian stops just to hear her own words come back to her, absorbing them in the entirety of their meaning.
Lilian Rook	"I don't want to defend Vertin. I want the Foundation to realize that if it can't grasp the hilt of the sword named 'Timekeeper' then it has no business fighting at all." Lilian taps the side of her face twice in thought; the right side, below the eye, not by coincidence. "Vertin, as an asset, is a miraculous stroke of luck that the Foundation can't hope to have twice. As a person, her incurable motives are saving lives, keeping peace, and ending the Storm; that's it. She risks life and limb, before any discipline the Foundation can throw at her, to deny the enemy everything she can, and bring back to the Foundation everything it can use." She looks up to make eye contact. "Manus Vindictae can summon the Storm. Better isn't a question anymore; you don't have time. You're going to have to adapt to use what you have or that's it. And if that girl-- someone who loves arcanists and humanity, who ran from the enemy's embrace and came back to lay her neck under the axe-- is capable of breaking the Foundation, then there's not much point to any of this voting is there?" "My real, irreplicable reason, is that I don't think the Foundation can win without using her. 'Charisma' and all."
Timekeeper	"Are you sure? Who is it you have in mind?" Katz starts by saying, "Ideally, no single person would have singular authority,")] but someone has to have the most, and Bond's done his research. She curls a finger in front of her mouth to half-hide a smile at his assessments of Dikke and Mesmer, then straightens out her expression again by the time he gives his thesis. "So, I hope you'll understand that I'm not 'defending' Vertin at all. I'm endorsing her." "And I'll keep that in mind. I will." It doesn't come across like she's lying, but she's clearly saying it as a prelude to 'but', and it shows on her face. "But we have to remember that, in the same way that field agents rely on staff from every corner of the organization, all those staff have to rely on each other too." "There's no getting past the fact that the Timekeeper has a reputation, and to a lot of people off the field, it isn't a glowing one. Even you all had to apologize in advance for endorsing her, and you have the benefit of joining her in the field. If this new department had Investigator Dikke as its head, everyone would trust that it's fairly ran and effective; if it was General Igor, they'd understand that it's a legitimate military corps with every arcanist in it vetted and trained." "What does the Timekeeper's name associate the department with? High-profile rebelliousness and fast and loose decisionmaking?" "And no one else did... or they believed it to be so, and in Chicago, they were correct." "Apparently, yeah." Katz sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. This isn't her business really at all, so it's both the first time she's hearing about it, and all she can do about it is take the Elites' word for it. Either noticing the same weakness in Katz, or genuinely supplying necessary information, Sonetto pipes up to explain part of the case. "During our field operations in the Chicago of 1929, Timekeeper and I asked for seventeen instances of aid or assistance from the Chicago branch within the standard guidelines for scale and forewarning for branch facilities. Only four of these were followed through on in a timely manner: I have found in my investigations that this is improved compared to average. Incidents of... more severe matters of negligence created the circumstances for the Manus Vindictae to achieve as much ground in the city as they did." Katz frowns. "That unambiguously, huh?" "Yes. As an individual operative unsupported by the local branch, Timekeeper's efforts in coordinating with local arcanists and offworld assistance were reasonable and effective; the failures of the day of the Storm could have been avoided with a more transparent and defined support structure." "You're stretched thin as-is, are you saying you're going to vote this down because you want to commit to doing it yourself?" "I'm not employed with the SPDM, to be clear. I'm just an alum." Katz holds up a finger, and swirls it in a circle pointed towards the ceiling of the classroom. "The AYC conducts reviews of new staff hired on as-needed, and annual schoolwide reviews. I just believe that we can't start hiring on arcanists for interpersonal connections under the Timekeeper without any training or education, which the SPDM is equipped to provide." "So she's been, what?" "Ah...." Sonetto halfheartedly interrupts Lilian, raising her hand politely. "The gassing incident was accidental."
Timekeeper	". . . the moment the Storm arrives, anyone with a pulse will see her as the safest voice to follow, more and more by the hour, and even before it does, they'll see right away who they actually have to keep happy." Katz's lips twist, but it's more reflective than unhappy. She resettles in her chair, leaning forwards to plant her elbows on the desk with her chin resting on her laced fingers. "It's been a long while since I went on field missions, but I remember the principle. Discipline exists to override the breakdown of training that happens in high risk scenarios, but a leader that can't command attention during emergencies on their own is a liability." "You can assimilate it as an intended part of the Foundation, or you can disavow it as breaching protocol, but there's nothing you or I can do to put an end to it." Sonetto adds on to Lilian's point before Katz responds-- the discussion of Vertin as a symbol and vague concept, with political ramifications and social baggage, struggles to get any purchase in her mind, but when she has the chance to cup the physical concept of the Timekeeper in her palms and offer her as proof, she takes it. "And Timekeeper has proven in actions and statements that she would rather be assimilated more thoroughly into the Foundation, rather than stand in contest." Katz raises an eyebrow at her, not totally disbelieving. "Is that what the occupying protest broadcasting her name over the projector system is meant to communicate?" Sonetto hesitates, but gathers herself to double down. "Yes. Those arcanists believe they are fighting for their lives and their freedom. Having worked with Regulus on several occasions through our mutual association with the Timekeeper, I am certain that her restraint and relative cooperativity of the rebellion is due to respect for Timekeeper and their unwillingness to harm the Foundation." "I want the Foundation to realize that if it can't grasp the hilt of the sword named 'Timekeeper' then it has no business fighting at all." Katz covers her mouth with a hand, chewing on her lip in deep thought. Her eyes probe Lilian, attention grabbed by the particular incommunicable energy behind the sentence, and she falls silent for nearly the first time since you walked in. Eventually, she exhales and leans all the way back, nearly tilting the chair over. "Alright. We don't have the luxury, you're right. But I don't think my begrudging support is going to be doing much convincing for the other... what, fifteen votes Madam Z needs?" After gasping with relief, Sonetto shakes her head. "Ah, no. We have already gathered a significant fraction of the missing votes."
Timekeeper	"I wonder just where that comes from... does Mrs. Paisley agree with you?" Paisley still has no clue what Tamamo is talking about by this point, but he's getting increasingly irritated with the tone she's taking. Abandoning any pretence of talking to the teacher or his companion, he turns his chair towards Tamamo and scoffs. "Are you done talking nonsense? If you're more interested in talking about my wife than politics, then maybe you should leave the work to people who can actually hold their attention to it." "I can speak from experience on this matter, that a change in outlook would be good for the health of your marriage." Paisley goes quiet, and beads of sweat pop out on his forehead, glueing his thin strands of hair down. Katz purses her lips at him curiously, not entirely clueless as to what Tamamo's implying, and the combination of stares makes Paisley immediately try and pivot the topic to get the heat off of him. "A-ah-- Chairman, don't you think we have the leverage to suggest a compromise? Mr., er, Flamel Parsons, wasn't it? He had a very good point. We could both secure some control over a bill we'd rather not pass as-is, and gather support from the other Councilors who are on the fence, in one motion. Why not insist that the Timekeeper's people all report to the SPDM for education on practical and ideological matters before she's let off her leash with them?" Katz considers whether to accept a plainly under-duress suggestion like that for a moment, but she can't actually find any fault in it. With a big stretch noise, she flexes her hands in front of her, and then plants them on the edge of the desk with the intention of pushing herself to her feet. "Well, there it is. I'll get going and try and draft up the amendment to have to Madam Z by tomorrow. Thank you all; I really appreciated the talk and your perspectives, and everything. ... And Sonetto, when Vertin wakes up, wish her luck for what she'll be walking into."