NationStates Jolt Archive

Carl wasn't especially perturbed by this, more relieved that Novikas wouldn't be charged with assault if she slept with Curtis. "Well, that's good, as that's generally how Callisdrunian women are, especially the Moroii, which is what Clara Novikas is."

OOC: out for dinner


The officer smiled, "Yes, and if you wanted to go sleep with Curtis, well he's busy "talking" with another woman now, but he's never been one to shy away from the idea of "talking" with two women at once..."


The way he said "talking" made it clear what he really meant.

"So, you don't like our nation eh? Well at least you're nice enough to be polite about it..."

"Oh I don't know about that, the scenery here has been quite amazing in itself. We just don't have these kinds of buildings in Iuthia... heavy set concrete with no frills has always been the Iuthian way." Mark smiled at his complement, it was probably the closest he would get.

"Anyways, it's not my place to like or dislike the nation I'm working it at any given time. I'm here on business, not pleasure as I'm sure you'll understand. I bet you have better places you could be were it not for duty."

She laughed herself. “It’s fine, really, and you are very good at your job. Anyway, I think I’ll just have a glass of water, the wine here doesn’t agree with me very well.”

"Oh I don't know about that, the scenery here has been quite amazing in itself. We just don't have these kinds of buildings in Iuthia... heavy set concrete with no frills has always been the Iuthian way." Mark smiled at his complement, it was probably the closest he would get.

"Anyways, it's not my place to like or dislike the nation I'm working it at any given time. I'm here on business, not pleasure as I'm sure you'll understand. I bet you have better places you could be were it not for duty."


He nodded as he lit up a pipe, "Yes, I have a wife and seven children, they live in northern Mississippi, near the border with Tennessee, I haven't seen them in about four months, but after this conference, I get three months of leave, I'm really looking forward to it. What about you, have you a family back in Iuthia?"

Mark finished his beer, looking at the bottle. Clearly it was beer they made themselves, though he was surprised that it wasn't actually too bad. Of course, they had some interesting beers in Knootoss, but they knew Iuthian tastes over in Knootoss, otherwise they wouldn't be doing so well with their Tourism.

"Fair enough, though the beer was refreshing. Be back in a moment." politely he got up and took the empty glasses to the bar to be helpful, he then ordered himself a glass of orange juice and requested a glass of water for the High Lady.

A moment later he returned with two glasses in his hand.

"Here we are, well it's nice to hear you're willing to concider an embassy, of course, the details will have to sorted out when we return to our nations and get debriefed, though I'm sure it shouldn't be much of a problem. So tell me, whats your country like around this time of the year?"

What about you, have you a family back in Iuthia?"

Listening politely, they came to the question, to which Mark shook his head. "They've had me down in intensive training for a few years which has kept me from forming any lasting relationships, afterwhich I was given assignments in various nations, including some rather unfortunate incident in Ottoman Khaif involving our embassy... it's hard to settle down in this job, it's better to be an Ambassador and stay in one place. Still... there is the future."

She chuckled. “Snowy. And cold. But very beautiful.”

Listening politely, they came to the question, to which Mark shook his head. "They've had me down in intensive training for a few years which has kept me from forming any lasting relationships, afterwhich I was given assignments in various nations, including some rather unfortunate incident in Ottoman Khaif involving our embassy... it's hard to settle down in this job, it's better to be an Ambassador and stay in one place. Still... there is the future."


The man frowned, "That's too bad, but hey, don't get down about it, you're right, there is always the future... Say, I know some ladies that might be interested in meeting a gentleman such as yourself..."

She chuckled. “Snowy. And cold. But very beautiful.”



The guard frowned, "So, you think snow is great eh? Well hell, there is over thirty-two feet of snow in parts of this island, is that great?"

She shrugged. "I've never had a problem with snow."

Mark smiled. "Most Iuthian's have never really seen real snow, we have a warm nation and the closest they can get would be on top of the mountains in our region. Though there is a big attraction to go to Knootoss over the Winter holidays, they sometimes see snow there. Myself, I've travelled around a bit and I've even attended some survival training in bits of Zvarinograd... so I've seen it, though it's still quite a sight to see everything under a sheet of snow. Mark sighed and thought of home for a moment, gazing into space before returning to look at the High Lady.

"Nor have I, though the high winds usually ensure that we don't have very deep snow in most parts." Callisdrunian winters were just brutal, and were part of the reason no invasion of Callisdrun had ever succeeded. Prince Carl pondered this for a moment.

"Well, I enjoy the snow. Some of us in court will occasionally go out and hurl snowballs back and forth for a few hours. Not necessarily proper behavior, but it's fun."

Carl laughed. "That sounds like fun. When we were small, my older sister Bente, who, frightening as the prospect is, will be queen someday, somehow talked me into filling bags with snowballs and then walking into parliament and furiously pelting all the members with her. Luckily, she got in more trouble than I did. Ah, those were the days."

About and hour later, Curtis came walking back downstairs in a bathrobe, he walked into the bar and snapped his fingers at the bar tender, "A bottle of wine please... Send it up to my room, the phones don't seem to be working, I think the snow and ice brought the lines down..."

He stopped quickly when a girl of 17 had a 1911 45 caliber pistol in her hands, standing in front of him, she said, "Mr. Fabus, sir, I can't seem to aim right, it's a little low and to the left, could you help me..."

Curtis nodded and helped her steady the gun with one hand, aiming at a bottle sitting about 50 feet away at the bar counter, he then let one hand slide down to her butt and he eased her into the right shooting stance. She smiled as he touched her butt and she said, "Am I doing this right?" He nodded, saying, "Yes, here, get ready to fire..." He helped her steady the gun and take aim, "Now just ease the trigger, don't pull it, ease it, don't be too hard on it, you have to get it just right..." She eased back on it and the bottle blew into dozens of pieces.

She smiled, "Thank you Mr. Fabus..."

He shook his head and patted her on the butt, "No, thank you..."

She blushed and winked at him, he then went to shake her hand, palming him his room keycard and whispering his room number to her.

He then promptly headed for the elevator, but not before a dozen or so of the 16 and 17 year old girls from the school trip jumped in front of him asking for autographs. He gave each one an autograph and a quick kiss on the lips; some of them fainted after kissing him, overwhelmed by excitement. When he finished kissing all the girls and signing copies of his various books, he walked back into the elevator and went back to his floor and to his room.

A few minutes after he left, the girl who he had given his room keycard to started to walk towards the elevator.


Frick, sitting at the bar, exhaled a large cloud of cigar smoke and then put his feet up on the bar counter and then let out a loud yawn as he said, "Ahhhh... What a day, eh? What an eventful day... Everything is on me now! It's all on me!"


People sighed as they were already quite drunk but some staggered forward to take him up on his offer for free drinks.

Mark simply ignored the display, it probably wasn't orchestrated for their viewing though it did seem to set out to offend the various delegates around who would be more from liberal societies.

Of course, in Iuthia the social stigma on sexual interactions for pleasure were often less then they were in other nations, regardless of sex or race. So ulimately it wasn't so much the activities themselves, just how they were conducted, with women being degraded most likely on purpose to keep them "in their place".

Still, such things wouldn't affect his demeanor much. He had known about it prior to seeing it and it was a different culture, it wasn't really up to him to worry about it. His place here was as both an observer and a representative.

Mark decided to start to finish his conversation with the High Lady.

"Proper behaviour is relative to the situation, High Lady Órecalo. I heard rumours of members of the senior Iuthian government using the war room to play poker while talking about various concerns, and I've conducted business a number of times over a game of tennis, golf or even on the rare occasion, fencing. Ultimately it's down to the comfort you would like to have during such affairs and how you would like to impress yourself on others."

"Proper behaviour is relative to the situation, High Lady Órecalo. I heard rumours of members of the senior Iuthian government using the war room to play poker while talking about various concerns, and I've conducted business a number of times over a game of tennis, golf or even on the rare occasion, fencing. Ultimately it's down to the comfort you would like to have during such affairs and how you would like to impress yourself on others."


Franz eyed the Iuthian with a bit of suspicion, "You don't consider Dr. Fabuses behavior proper? In what way?"


He then nearly erupted with laughter at the next remarks, "Oh my, poker in a war room? We've played paintball at the Strategic Air Command HQ, you Iuthians don't know how to live."

Franz then struck a match against a nearby wall and lit a cigarette with it, he took a deep drag and then exhaled it, "For instance, does your national tobacco even make it into other markets?"

Baroness Bennigsen shivered as they finally arrived at the hotel. They had been snowed in and had required a forced landing of the plane, and then the officials at the airport had managed to get them a snowplough and vehicles to move the little delegation to a rail station where a train had been able to get them to the conference at last.
She did not so much shiver from cold as at how cold it looked...it reminded her far too much of southern Lavenrunz and its dreadful proximity to Antarctica.
Still in her coat of white fox fur, the lovely dark haired lady, former Ambassador to the UN (when Lavenrunz was a UN nation) and recently delegate to the International Mediation Council sank with some relief into her chair, delighted that she was at last safely at the conference.
Deferentially, an aide came in and bowed, clicking his heels. "Excellency, I have announced our arrival."
"Good. And now..." she rose and doffed her coat, which the aide caught deftly. "I will make my appearance."
Waiting for her were General der Horst and von Kessler, who was representing the Foreign Office directly.
Regal in her slightly off the shoulder gown, she led the way to the reception area.

Mark smiled. "The High Lady was refering to the proper behaviour in her courts and how it may not be proper to have snowball fights. I was mearly pointing out that we ourselves have been known to do business in the same atmostphere." Mark shrugged.

"It's odd that you should respond in such a way, I've already stated it's not my place to judge and I was clearly talking to the High Lady when replying to her comments. So no, I'm not suggesting in the slightest that Dr. Fabus is acting improper."

Mark simply dismissed the rest. The man was clearly a paranoid. However, he may as well clear up the matter of the tobacco. "I'm sure you are aware that Decisive Action has been on the Iuthian Blacklist for sometime, so we wouldn't be selling you our tobacco. I sincerly doubt it could enter your markets legally."

Baroness Bennigsen shivered as they finally arrived at the hotel. They had been snowed in and had required a forced landing of the plane, and then the officials at the airport had managed to get them a snowplough and vehicles to move the little delegation to a rail station where a train had been able to get them to the conference at last.
She did not so much shiver from cold as at how cold it looked...it reminded her far too much of southern Lavenrunz and its dreadful proximity to Antarctica.
Still in her coat of white fox fur, the lovely dark haired lady, former Ambassador to the UN (when Lavenrunz was a UN nation) and recently delegate to the International Mediation Council sank with some relief into her chair, delighted that she was at last safely at the conference.
Deferentially, an aide came in and bowed, clicking his heels. "Excellency, I have announced our arrival."
"Good. And now..." she rose and doffed her coat, which the aide caught deftly. "I will make my appearance."
Waiting for her were General der Horst and von Kessler, who was representing the Foreign Office directly.
Regal in her slightly off the shoulder gown, she led the way to the reception area.


She walked by two SRG soldiers who couldn't stop staring at her, one of them said to her, "Ma'am... Dr. Fabus is definitely going to want to meet with you in private, to, well, uh, talk about private matters... Do you want to meet with him?"

Mark smiled. "The High Lady was refering to the proper behaviour in her courts and how it may not be proper to have snowball fights. I was mearly pointing out that we ourselves have been known to do business in the same atmostphere." Mark shrugged.

"It's odd that you should respond in such a way, I've already stated it's not my place to judge and I was clearly talking to the High Lady when replying to her comments. So no, I'm not suggesting in the slightest that Dr. Fabus is acting improper."

Mark simply dismissed the rest. The man was clearly a paranoid. However, he may as well clear up the matter of the tobacco. "I'm sure you are aware that Decisive Action has been on the Iuthian Blacklist for sometime, so we wouldn't be selling you our tobacco. I sincerly doubt it could enter your markets legally."

Franz smiled, "No, no, our tobacco is better, we'd not buy yours anyway, besides, anything we do that our leader allows us to do, is legal and ethical... Thus if the Czar allowed us to smoke smuggled tobacco, it'd be fine and legal under our laws, we are after all, the chosen people of God. And just you wait, one day we'll assume our rightful place as the leaders of the world."

Resebelle came back down the stairs from her room. She was still in her military uniform. She sat down at the bar and began to go over the wine list, she viewed it VERY carefully and then ordered a glass of of fine Italian Wine.

A Chronosian delegate watched; amused and rapt from the back of conference, clad in his black armor, seeping corruption.
"Gods chosen?" he smiled wryly; stepping forward "And which god would that be? For who is to be the mouth of God; except one who has seen their faces? Who shall speak as God on Earth when blood most divine does not run in his veins. I have sat and watched this show for too long; and your race truly are an amusement..."
He sat again.
"The Chosen of God? I doubt if you were chosen of the mother that bore you; or the earth that cradled you. You would not know what it is to serve a God, as we do"

Resebelle came back down the stairs from her room. She was still in her military uniform. She sat down at the bar and began to go over the wine list, she viewed it VERY carefully and then ordered a glass of of fine Italian Wine.



Suddenly a man walked down into the bar, he had been staying at the hotel a day or so before the conference started. All the SRG immediately snapped to attention and threw their left arms into the air, shouting, "Hail Fabus!" the man returned the salute by casually tossing his left hand back towards his shoulder, "Hail Fabus"...

He walked forward, his marshal's baton resting in his gloved right hand, his officer's cap slightly titled.

He walked up to Resebelle and motioned at the seat next to her, "Ma'am, is this seat taken?"

She recognized him as General Fritz Witt, of the first RG Fabus Youth Armored Division, he was only 23 and has just recently been promoted to field marshal, so recently that it didn't really make the news anywhere yet.

Baroness Bennigsen gave a splendid smile to the two soldiers--not bad uniforms she thought, "Certainly, it would be my pleasure to meet with Doctor Fabus...come on, boys." she said, giving a little inclination of her head to General der Horst and von Kessler. Der Horst, who was wearing the full dress of the Empress' Own Hussars, looked like someone from the Charge of the Light Brigade and had a bristling moustache to boot, while von Kessler was neat, spare, sleek headed and had pale Teutonic eyes like a weimaraner. They said nothing--they were not talkative men--and followed her automatically.

Mark simply dismissed the mans rude comments. Clearly it was designed as bait and in anycase he had rudely interupted his conversation. Iuthian tobacco may have been inferior, it was certain anything smuggled would have been, though it didn't matter. The man had already proven himself a poor soldier through his lack of disipline.

Resebelle smiled wryly. "No... it isnt. you are General Fritz, are you not?"

Baroness Bennigsen gave a splendid smile to the two soldiers--not bad uniforms she thought, "Certainly, it would be my pleasure to meet with Doctor Fabus...come on, boys." she said, giving a little inclination of her head to General der Horst and von Kessler. Der Horst, who was wearing the full dress of the Empress' Own Hussars, looked like someone from the Charge of the Light Brigade and had a bristling moustache to boot, while von Kessler was neat, spare, sleek headed and had pale Teutonic eyes like a weimaraner. They said nothing--they were not talkative men--and followed her automatically.


The guard handed her a room keycard to Curtis's room and then told her which room it was, he smiled as he said, "I'm sure you'll have a very memorably time..."

Mark simply dismissed the mans rude comments. Clearly it was designed as bait and in anycase he had rudely interupted his conversation. Iuthian tobacco may have been inferior, it was certain anything smuggled would have been, though it didn't matter. The man had already proven himself a poor soldier through his lack of disipline.


Franz smiled, "Ah, you don't like me, do you? That's okay, you can be honest about it... I bet you might even want to take a swipe at me, would you like to take a swipe at me... Go on, hit me, if you can..."

Resebelle smiled wryly. "No... it isnt. you are General Fritz, are you not?"


He shook his head as he sat down, "Thank you for allowing me to sit next to one so lovely as yourself. But no, I am not a general, not anymore..." He smiled at this part, "I was very recently promoted to field marshal."

Baroness Bennigsen was puzzled by all this,taking the key and saying, "Pardon me, but I should greatly prefer it if I were announced in some fashion, since I don't want to simply barge in on the gentleman in question." General der Horst cleared his throat and adjusted his sabretache.

Baroness Bennigsen was puzzled by all this,taking the key and saying, "Pardon me, but I should greatly prefer it if I were announced in some fashion, since I don't want to simply barge in on the gentleman in question." General der Horst cleared his throat and adjusted his sabretache.


The guard smiled, "Oh believe me, he won't mind, I'll call up and tell him you're on the way, okay?"

The Baroness regarded him gravely. "Thank you, soldier. Tell him that Baroness Bennigsen, the Envoy of Lavenrunz, is on her way." Along with her small entourage she headed up towards the room of Dr. Fabus, gracefully gliding as she went.
Der Horst said one thing: "Excellency, I don't think this is a good idea."
Baroness Bennigsen was surprised. "Whyever not?"
"I have heard that this Curtis Fabus is a lecherous...man." the General muttered.
"Well, we all need our hobbies, especially people of importance." smiled the Baroness as they arrived near the Doctor's suite.

The Baroness regarded him gravely. "Thank you, soldier. Tell him that Baroness Bennigsen, the Envoy of Lavenrunz, is on her way." Along with her small entourage she headed up towards the room of Dr. Fabus, gracefully gliding as she went.
Der Horst said one thing: "Excellency, I don't think this is a good idea."
Baroness Bennigsen was surprised. "Whyever not?"
"I have heard that this Curtis Fabus is a lecherous...man." the General muttered.
"Well, we all need our hobbies, especially people of importance." smiled the Baroness as they arrived near the Doctor's suite.


The guard had called Curtis to inform him that a noblewoman from Lavenrunz was on her way up to his room. Thus Curtis had politely asked the other two women he'd already slept with, the young teacher from the school fieldtrip, and one of her older students, to stay in the bedrooms in the penthouse that they were already in (The penthouse suite he's in has about 6 bedrooms)... Neither of them minded much, they were both exhausted and promptly fell asleep.

Curtis answered the door in a silk robe and gently guided the baroness into through the door by putting his hand around her back, he casually shut the door before the men had a chance to even say a word or attempt to enter.

He smiled at her, "Ah, Baroness Bennigsen is it? It's an honor to meet with you, it's not everyday I get to meet such lovely and such high ranking noblewomen."

"I'm not here to waste my time, or start international incidents. So I think I'll pass, I'm here on business and business alone." he replied calmly.

The surprised general and the under secretary had time to blink before they were looking at a closed door. Hearing no cries of alarm...they decided to wait a discreet distance away.

The Baroness was surprised as well, but she was not only an experienced diplomat but too well bred to show it, even at the fact that he was in a robe. "Yes, it is a pleasure to meet so famous a man as yourself as well! As you doubtless know, I am here to represent Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Aurora of Lavenrunz." with a dazzling smile she extended her hand to him.

"I'm not here to waste my time, or start international incidents. So I think I'll pass, I'm here on business and business alone." he replied calmly.


Franz chuckled, "Ah come on, take a swipe at me, go ahead, I know you want to... Otherwise, I suggest we both just get along, or try to, if for no other reason, for the sake of national relations... Oh and one more thing, if you hit me, nobody in my government would care because I wouldn't report it, I'm not a cry baby... Perhaps we might have a boxing match in the hotel's gymnasium?"

The surprised general and the under secretary had time to blink before they were looking at a closed door. Hearing no cries of alarm...they decided to wait a discreet distance away.

The Baroness was surprised as well, but she was not only an experienced diplomat but too well bred to show it, even at the fact that he was in a robe. "Yes, it is a pleasure to meet so famous a man as yourself as well! As you doubtless know, I am here to represent Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Aurora of Lavenrunz." with a dazzling smile she extended her hand to him.



Curtis smiled and in a gentlemanly fashion, softly kissed her hand, "The pleasure is all mine, I assure you, Baroness... Also, I am most honored to meet you... So tell me, do you think our weather here is, well I guess I mean to ask, you think it is awful too, yes?"

He paused for a few seconds, "Oh, how rude of me, would you care for something to eat or drink?"

"No thanks, my government dosn't trust your people not to shoot me for such and I'm on strict orders to follow protocol." Mark shugged. "Anyways I'm not having any trouble getting along, I feel I've been very civil, given the circumstances."

"No thanks, my government dosn't trust your people not to shoot me for such and I'm on strict orders to follow protocol." Mark shugged. "Anyways I'm not having any trouble getting along, I feel I've been very civil, given the circumstances."


Franz shook his head and blew a large cloud of smoke into his face, "I feel you've been an arrogant little fuck, with your fancy suits and your "I'm so great" attitude, thinking because you can sit there with a smug smile while I'm trying to call you out to a fight, you think you're all that, well I have news for you, you're no better than anybody else here, as a matter of fact, you're probably less. You're not an officer, or a gentleman, or a noble. Indeed, I am not acting very much like a gentleman today, you'll have to forgive me, I'm a bit upset at two things, one, all my medication is in my house which is snowed in, two, all my stocks in farming are ruined... So if I yell at you too much, it's not really me, I probably don't mean it..."

The Baroness brightened, thinking, aha! He said the D word!
"Why yes, I'd love a drink--in fact I've been dying for a martini. Do you know, Herr Fabus," she said in her throaty Teutonic purr, "That this weather has reminded me of the proximity of the unhappy continent of Antarctica to our own land...our southern provinces are so often cold and dreary, and often subject to terrible storms. But this one was shockingly bad--my dear, one was glad, simply glad to arrive in safety!"

Outside, der Horst cleared his throat.
Von Kessler glanced at his pocket watch and made a fussy tsk.

Curtis nodded and snapped his fingers at the only guard in the room, who quickly made the woman her martini, and then handed it to her. Curtis then looked to the guard and said, "Dismissed lieutenant, you may retire for the rest of the night if you wish... Be back at zero eight hundred tomorrow..."

The lieutenant nodded and walked off to the rear exit from the room.


Curtis smiled as he sat down on a couch with a glass of brandy he'd just poured for himself in his hand, "Ah, Baroness, this couch is quite comfortable..." he tapped the space next to him, "Perhaps you'd like to sit with me?"

"Then if you don't mean what you say then why are you saying it? I would suggest you find someone less arrogant to talk to if you lack the disipline leave a conversation you cannot control yourself in. Medical reasons or otherwise. Now if you don't mind I was having a polite conversation with the High Lady." Mark then simply turned his back on the manner, clearly ending the conversation.

"Then if you don't mean what you say then why are you saying it? I would suggest you find someone less arrogant to talk to if you lack the disipline leave a conversation you cannot control yourself in. Medical reasons or otherwise. Now if you don't mind I was having a polite conversation with the High Lady." Mark then simply turned his back on the manner, clearly ending the conversation.



Franz gave him a sharp poke with his finger right on the man's shoulder, "Hey, well what if I do mind, eh? What if I do mind... What are you going to do about it... I think your polite conversation was just spouting hate against my nation, was it?"

"Thank you very much." Baroness Bennigsen beamed at him and sat down, smoothing the dark red silk of her dress under her as she did. Tasting the martini, she said, "Mm...very nice!" Lying just a little bit, but she didn't want to hurt their feelings; after all they were doing their best. "Now: isn't this interesting...the representatives of two nations which believe in racial purity sitting side by side. I take it you have never been to Lavenrunz, but we have I suspect much in common: a respect for tradition, admiration of military virtues and so on." In spite of the unusual situation, the Baroness was perfectly at ease, as if in her own drawing room, her lovely smile inviting him to conversation and her merry violet eyes meeting his with warmth.

"Thank you very much." Baroness Bennigsen beamed at him and sat down, smoothing the dark red silk of her dress under her as she did. Tasting the martini, she said, "Mm...very nice!" Lying just a little bit, but she didn't want to hurt their feelings; after all they were doing their best. "Now: isn't this interesting...the representatives of two nations which believe in racial purity sitting side by side. I take it you have never been to Lavenrunz, but we have I suspect much in common: a respect for tradition, admiration of military virtues and so on." In spite of the unusual situation, the Baroness was perfectly at ease, as if in her own drawing room, her lovely smile inviting him to conversation and her merry violet eyes meeting his with warmth.


He chuckled a bit, "Oh, you can be honest about the drink, it was made by an SRG officer, they're not well-known for prowess in making drinks, but they are excellent on the battlefield in making victories..."

Curtis stood up and called the front desk on his cell phone, which had just started working as the snow let up, "Yes, this is Dr. Fabus, I want you to get your best bar tender, what? I don't care if he's dead, wake him up, there's ten thousand dollars in it for you and him, and I want him to make his best martini and bring it up to my room, thank you."

He set the phone down and sat back down next to the baroness, smiling, "Well, I think you'll be much happier with something not made by a combat officer, eh? So tell me, do you like Mississippi thus far? And no, I've never been to Lavenrunz..."

He grinned a bit, "At least not yet, but maybe if I found the right person to take me on a tour there, I'd consider going..."

Mark hadn't changed his tone at all, his training was better then that. Though it was clear the officer had long lost his cool, they didn't bother with teaching oratory skills in this nation, clearly. He turned around once more to see a rather anoyed Franz, probably on the verge of hitting him.

"Spreading hate against your nation? I fail to see how anything I have said could be construed as such. However I feel it would be a good moment to remind you that Dr. Fabus himself assured my government of my safety and we trust him to be a man of his word. Such as the gentleman that he is."

Mark hadn't changed his tone at all, his training was better then that. Though it was clear the officer had long lost his cool, they didn't bother with teaching oratory skills in this nation, clearly. He turned around once more to see a rather anoyed Franz, probably on the verge of hitting him.

"Spreading hate against your nation? I fail to see how anything I have said could be construed as such. However I feel it would be a good moment to remind you that Dr. Fabus himself assured my government of my safety and we trust him to be a man of his word. Such as the gentleman that he is."


Franz smiled, "You know something you're right... But you are safe, from everybody except yourself, your own big mouth is your worst enemy... I'm going to give you ten seconds to apologize for insulting my nation and myself, and if you don't apologize, I'm going to kick the ever loving shit out of you..."

"I can't apologise for what I haven't done. So I would suggest you don't go through with your threats. Afterall, there are witnesses to who will at the very least be able to confirm to others that my words are not twisted." Marks tone still hadn't changed. He had clearly flipped this mans switches, he may very well strike him down, he may even attempt to kill him, though ulimately Mark wasn't going to be intimidated by this ignorant idiot.

Baroness Bennigsen laughed. "I was foolish to try to put the wool over your eyes, Herr Fabus." she looked at him with merrily twinkling eyes. "I do appreciate it, and...what I have seen of your country so far has been cold and hard to see clearly but certainly I can see that its heart is warm, and it is led by people of great and rare perception."

Franz smiled as he nodded his head, "You know, I've more degrees in various fields than probably you and your ten best friends have combined... Anyway, you come here acting towards us in a manner which shows you consider us all ignorant country bumpkins, and now you have the nerve to say you didn't do anything disrespectful to us... Stand up, now, or I'll stand you up..."

He didn't wait for the man to reply, Franz lifted him up out of his seat and dealt a swift punch to his head, hitting him in the temple and knocking him out cold with just one punch.

Franz let him fall to the floor and then walked away, "Well, I think he got what he deserved..."

He tossed a few thousand dollar bills on the man, because he had gotten his suit dirty when he hit the floor.

Baroness Bennigsen laughed. "I was foolish to try to put the wool over your eyes, Herr Fabus." she looked at him with merrily twinkling eyes. "I do appreciate it, and...what I have seen of your country so far has been cold and hard to see clearly but certainly I can see that its heart is warm, and it is led by people of great and rare perception."


Curtis gave her a little sly smile, "So tell me, what is it like to be not only a noble, but a gorgeously beautiful one..."

As he was talking, a servant knocked at the door, he stood up, unlocked it, and let him in, then he shut the door and locked it.

The servant handed her the good martini, it actually not only tasted like a martini should, but it was a great one.

The servant then left out the back and Curtis sat down again next to the Baroness. He yawned a bit and put his arm on the couch behind her, not too close to her though yet.

He then asked her as she started to drink the martini, "I trust it is it to your liking, yes?"

The Baroness held up a finger, for the first time grave. After all, this was a serious moment...indeed...she took a sip, and it was like a clear velvet on her tongue, heady and smooth, delicious hints of the subtle mingling of flavours. She nodded slowly.
"This, Herr Fabus...is a martini. I have only had a few its equal--the very best are served at the lounge in the Klefburg Hotel which is in our capital--and I should have to have both bartenders compete to truly know which is better..." she took another sip and closed her eyes, her face angelic with rapture. After a bit she registered his other question--for how could she hear the voice of mere mortals when nectar of the gods was touching her lips, slipping over her tongue and down her throat--and replied, "Beautiful?" she smiled. "Ah, Herr Fabus, the ladies of Lavenrunz are remarkable for this as well as intelligence, courage, and good taste...you would see how unremarkable I am were you to attend Her Majesty's court at the Autumn Palace." she laughed softly, knowing this was but a game of flattery.

OOC: I'm ignoring the unconsiousness because you presume my man isn't hardened and you claimed damages, which you are not allowed to do.

Having been hit by Franz in the head, without making any real effort to dodge or counter attack, Mark fell to the ground and lay there for a moment, not making the effort to get up. The blow stung like hell and the cowardly attack left him phased as he spent a moment to recover as the 'victorous' man walked away.

Mark smiled inwordly, having all the information he needed. After a minute he got up slowly and finished his drink before returning to his seet for a moment. He left the money on the floor, it wouldn't be any good anyways. He wouldn't be returning to the conference, that much was clear. Instead he said his goodbyes and met up with one of his Iuthia 'security' personnel to spend the rest of his time in the warmth of his hotel room.

Obvicously the others will have seen the incident and will remember it. It would be interesting to hear of their reactions to it though personally Mark had enough of these shambles and opted to spend the rest of his time relaxing before the storm blew over.

The Baroness held up a finger, for the first time grave. After all, this was a serious moment...indeed...she took a sip, and it was like a clear velvet on her tongue, heady and smooth, delicious hints of the subtle mingling of flavours. She nodded slowly.
"This, Herr Fabus...is a martini. I have only had a few its equal--the very best are served at the lounge in the Klefburg Hotel which is in our capital--and I should have to have both bartenders compete to truly know which is better..." she took another sip and closed her eyes, her face angelic with rapture. After a bit she registered his other question--for how could she hear the voice of mere mortals when nectar of the gods was touching her lips, slipping over her tongue and down her throat--and replied, "Beautiful?" she smiled. "Ah, Herr Fabus, the ladies of Lavenrunz are remarkable for this as well as intelligence, courage, and good taste...you would see how unremarkable I am were you to attend Her Majesty's court at the Autumn Palace." she laughed softly, knowing this was but a game of flattery.


Curtis smiled as his hand he had on the back of the couch slowly slid down and came to rest on her shoulder... He then said, "Ah, you're far too modest, you're a lovely lady... So you do like it here yes"

He grinned a bit, "What I like best about this conference is the company..."

]OOC: I'm ignoring the unconsiousness because you presume my man isn't hardened and you claimed damages, which you are not allowed to do.

Having been hit by Franz in the head, without making any real effort to dodge or counter attack, Mark fell to the ground and lay there for a moment, not making the effort to get up. The blow stung like hell and the cowardly attack left him phased as he spent a moment to recover as the 'victorous' man walked away.

Mark smiled inwordly, having all the information he needed. After a minute he got up slowly and finished his drink before returning to his seet for a moment. He wouldn't be returning to the conference, that much was clear. Instead he said his goodbyes and met up with one of his Iuthia 'security' personnel to spend the rest of his time in the warmth of his hotel room.

Obvicously the others will have seen the incident and will remember it. It would be interesting to hear of their reactions to it though personally Mark had enough of these shambles and opted to spend the rest of his time relaxing before the storm blew over.


Ooc- Fair enough, you make a good point.


Ic- Baldur rushed over to his brother, and guided him out of the room, apologizing to everybody for his behavior. He said, "Franz really really needs his medication, or failing that, some rest and proper diet... He's had neither today, he just isn't himself, I am so sorry..."

General der Horst sighed and walked down the hall.
"Where are you going?" exclaimed von Kessler. "The Baroness--"
"--will be fine. Remember when we were in Columbia and she walked out of a shop during a firefight and got into the car with her shopping without turning a hair?" the General snorted. "I however need some schnapps."
Von Kessler did not sputter or fuss, he simply creased his fair brow and sighed, finding der Horst not understanding at all. "What if he takes liberties?"
Der Horst gave him a cynical glance. "The Baroness was not born yesterday." he looked round the room, and at the bar, and brightened and made his way towards it.

OOC: I need to get going for the day...perhaps we can draw a veil over what occurs or discuss it via pm?

General der Horst sighed and walked down the hall.
"Where are you going?" exclaimed von Kessler. "The Baroness--"
"--will be fine. Remember when we were in Columbia and she walked out of a shop during a firefight and got into the car with her shopping without turning a hair?" the General snorted. "I however need some schnapps."
Von Kessler did not sputter or fuss, he simply creased his fair brow and sighed, finding der Horst not understanding at all. "What if he takes liberties?"
Der Horst gave him a cynical glance. "The Baroness was not born yesterday." he looked round the room, and at the bar, and brightened and made his way towards it.

When they got down to the bar, they noticed Arthur Frick was sitting at the bar, with his feet resting on the counter. He turned and smiled, "Ah, gentlemen, welcome, welcome, come in and have a drink, it's on me... Ah, where is the baroness? Is she still with Curtis?"

OOC: I need to get going for the day...perhaps we can draw a veil over what occurs or discuss it via pm?


Ooc- Check TG

He shook his head as he sat down, "Thank you for allowing me to sit next to one so lovely as yourself. But no, I am not a general, not anymore..." He smiled at this part, "I was very recently promoted to field marshal."
"Well... That is good to hear. Grand General for Army Resebelle." She introduced herself "What did you do to get promoted? I hope you didnt kill anyone I know." She said with mild humor.

"Well... That is good to hear. Grand General for Army Resebelle." She introduced herself "What did you do to get promoted? I hope you didnt kill anyone I know." She said with mild humor.


He smiled, "I, and my personal staff, got seperated from the company assigned to guard our divisional command, which I was the head of as division general... Well, we had four tanks with us, and we blundered our way into an entire enemy armored brigade... We might not have made it out alive, but my quick thinking saved us, we destroyed eighty-seven enemy tanks after we hastily deployed and lured them into our guns.

"What kind of tanks were they using?"

"What kind of tanks were they using?"


He immediately replied, "About half were T-90s, a fourth were T-72s, the other fourth were T-80s..."

"Good tactics and superior technology... always a great combination. So... how exactly high in the Mississipian Military is Field Marshel?"

"Good tactics and superior technology... always a great combination. So... how exactly high in the Mississipian Military is Field Marshel?"


He smiled, "Very high, the highest position a field commander can be..."

Carl was somewhat shocked at the scuffle. Foreign dignatories would never be assaulted in Callisdrun. His raised eyebrows indicated that he was quite unamused, though he did not lose is composure in the slightest. Afterwards, he went back to his drink, and faced the High Lady of Eldanor. "Well, that was interesting."

A little while later, R-Adm. Novikas sat down by them. She had been talking to some of the guards at first and then had been writing her official report on the conference.

Carl was somewhat shocked at the scuffle. Foreign dignatories would never be assaulted in Callisdrun. His raised eyebrows indicated that he was quite unamused, though he did not lose is composure in the slightest. Afterwards, he went back to his drink, and faced the High Lady of Eldanor. "Well, that was interesting."

A little while later, R-Adm. Novikas sat down by them. She had been talking to some of the guards at first and then had been writing her official report on the conference.



One of the SRG men, a captain, walked up and sat down next to the admiral, he smiled at her and then started to talk.

"You know, I don't have a problem with the idea of taking orders from a lady, want to go upstairs and let me prove it?"

Alasse, having observed the entire incident with Franz, heaved a sigh, annoyed that people here couldn’t be treated with the least bit of respect. She took a long sip of her wine and replied to the Prince, “I must say. But they did ruin a perfectly good conversation I was having.”

Baldur Von Schacht walked back into the bar after he walked Franz to his room and helped him get settled in (so drunk he fell right asleep so he couldn't go cause more trouble).

He looked around and walked up to the Iuthian and Eldanorian, he sighed as he said, "Again, forgive my brother's behavior, he suffered a nervous breakdown after he heard that not only did the bottom drop out of the farming stock, but his oil stock isn't doing very well at all either..."

OOC: I've already RPed my man taking to his room to wait out the rest of the storm so he can go home. Part of it will be simply going away to rest of the slightly concussing effects off being punched in the head, even if it didn't knock him out it's given him a mild headache. I'll assume that he heard the apology, generally accepted it to a degree and simply went off to his room.

“I accept your apology on behalf of your brother. Obviously he needs to lay back on the liquor a little bit, yes?”

“I accept your apology on behalf of your brother. Obviously he needs to lay back on the liquor a little bit, yes?”


Baldur shook his head, "No, no, my brother hardly drinks, and hadn't been drinking today, he just had a nervous breakdown."

One of the SRG men, a captain, walked up and sat down next to the admiral, he smiled at her and then started to talk.

"You know, I don't have a problem with the idea of taking orders from a lady, want to go upstairs and let me prove it?"

Clara smiled. "Sounds nice, but I'm afraid you'll have to try a bit harder than that, though I'm by no means discounting the possibility."

He smiled, "Very high, the highest position a field commander can be..."

"That is good... Grand General is usually a dual role,both field and theatre commanders, It can be very straining at times... but Red Tide usually only gets into foriegn civil wars... supports whichever side willing to pay the highest for our weaponry.... At least thats the way the Supreme Commander does it." She leaned in and whispered, "He is a very money-hungry man."

Clara smiled. "Sounds nice, but I'm afraid you'll have to try a bit harder than that, though I'm by no means discounting the possibility."

The captain smiled, "Well perhaps you'd let me buy you dinner?"

"That is good... Grand General is usually a dual role,both field and theatre commanders, It can be very straining at times... but Red Tide usually only gets into foriegn civil wars... supports whichever side willing to pay the highest for our weaponry.... At least thats the way the Supreme Commander does it." She leaned in and whispered, "He is a very money-hungry man."



Witt nodded, "Yes, most of our nobles aren't money-hungry as they are all wealthy enough, if they lose a few billion here and there, it doesn't mean anything to them. Our Czar has over five trillion in liquid assets alone..."

When they got down to the bar, they noticed Arthur Frick was sitting at the bar, with his feet resting on the counter. He turned and smiled, "Ah, gentlemen, welcome, welcome, come in and have a drink, it's on me... Ah, where is the baroness? Is she still with Curtis?"

General der Horst said, "Yes, I believe so. I'm afraid I haven't had the honor of being introduced--Major-General der Horst, and my colleague here is Under-Secretary von Kessler."
Von Kessler nodded; he was ordering the general's customary whiskey and soda while he himself ordered cognac.

General der Horst said, "Yes, I believe so. I'm afraid I haven't had the honor of being introduced--Major-General der Horst, and my colleague here is Under-Secretary von Kessler."
Von Kessler nodded; he was ordering the general's customary whiskey and soda while he himself ordered cognac.


Frick smiled, "I am Arthur Frick, the Minister of the Interior, so tell me, what did you gentlemen think of Dr. Fabus?"

General der Horst said, "Well..he seems very popular. However I did not see enough of him to gain a true impression." he took a sip of his whiskey.
Von Kessler said, "Herr Minister, perhaps you could clear up a bit of confusion on my part." he had a slow almost pedantic manner, his courtesy laboured by this. "How does your government work, vis a vis what appears to be a vast coalition of different people?"

Witt nodded, "Yes, most of our nobles aren't money-hungry as they are all wealthy enough, if they lose a few billion here and there, it doesn't mean anything to them. Our Czar has over five trillion in liquid assets alone..."

"When I say he is money hungry, I dont mean he NEEDS more money, he WANTS more money. He already has around a trillion from his salary ALONE! He is a very corrupt man. Us Grand Generals however, we only rely on our salaries. We arnt in it for the money, we are in it to serve our country and crush the communist scum."

General der Horst said, "Well..he seems very popular. However I did not see enough of him to gain a true impression." he took a sip of his whiskey.
Von Kessler said, "Herr Minister, perhaps you could clear up a bit of confusion on my part." he had a slow almost pedantic manner, his courtesy laboured by this. "How does your government work, vis a vis what appears to be a vast coalition of different people?"


Frick smiled, "Ah, but the baroness is still up there with Curtis... I think I know why he chased you out so soon, eh?" Anyway, our government, what do you mean different people, we're all white caucasoids."

"When I say he is money hungry, I dont mean he NEEDS more money, he WANTS more money. He already has around a trillion from his salary ALONE! He is a very corrupt man. Us Grand Generals however, we only rely on our salaries. We arnt in it for the money, we are in it to serve our country and crush the communist scum."



Witt nodded, "Yes... Hmm, maybe somebody should kill him then, eh? Corruption is just wrong."

"We cant, none of the Grand Generals or Grand Admirals have country running experience. And the ministers are just as corrupt as he is... although they make a bit less money. Besides... Everybody below the rank of Colonel in the Red Tide Military would come after us. They have a special feature that make them completely loyal to the Supreme Commander. There has never been a single coup ever since he took power. Besides, we are happy at our jobs."

"We cant, none of the Grand Generals or Grand Admirals have country running experience. And the ministers are just as corrupt as he is... although they make a bit less money. Besides... Everybody below the rank of Colonel in the Red Tide Military would come after us. They have a special feature that make them completely loyal to the Supreme Commander. There has never been a single coup ever since he took power. Besides, we are happy at our jobs."


Witt smiled, "So tell me, would you like to run your country? I could arrange for that, if you'd like..."

He grinned a bit, "Perhaps we could talk about this in a move private location, eh?"

"No... No thank you. I have no experience or expertise in country running. Just strategic and tactical military campaigning. Besides, we already know about the majority of your intelligence operatives inside our nation. We let them mill around, but if they stumble upon something incriminating... we would act. As you MUST understand there are things about our nation that we would rather not reveal to the world."

"No... No thank you. I have no experience or expertise in country running. Just strategic and tactical military campaigning. Besides, we already know about the majority of your intelligence operatives inside our nation. We let them mill around, but if they stumble upon something incriminating... we would act. As you MUST understand there are things about our nation that we would rather not reveal to the world."



Witt nodded, "Yes, I see...." He grinned a bit, "You didn't answer my second question, would you like to go somewhere private? Perhaps my room?"

She blushed a bit. "Yes... Might as well. I am waiting for the storm to blow over so I can make the offer for the REAL reason I am here."

She blushed a bit. "Yes... Might as well. I am waiting for the storm to blow over so I can make the offer for the REAL reason I am here."



Witt smiled, "Okay then, let's go, I guarantee, you'll be glad you got snowed in here..."

Baldur shook his head, "No, no, my brother hardly drinks, and hadn't been drinking today, he just had a nervous breakdown."

“Ah, my mistake then, I was under the impression he had been drinking. Well, I hope he feels better soon, then. You’ve never had snow like this, correct?”

She smiled and got up and began follow Witt, pausing to tell the two consortium agents to do whatever. The Consortium Agents looked at each other, shrugged, and then began to wander aimlessly around the lobby.

The captain smiled, "Well perhaps you'd let me buy you dinner?"

Clara smiled "Yes, that would be splendid." After a momentary pause, she said "I'm sorry, did I catch your name before?"

“Ah, my mistake then, I was under the impression he had been drinking. Well, I hope he feels better soon, then. You’ve never had snow like this, correct?”


Baldur smiled, "Oh no, never like this before... Anyway, I've got to go, I'm going to call the wife and make sure she is well."

Clara smiled "Yes, that would be splendid." After a momentary pause, she said "I'm sorry, did I catch your name before?"


The man smiled, "Captain Jean Marie Navarre, perhaps you've heard of my father, Field Marshal Bertrand Navarre, he is considered the most brillian strategist in our nation, he is also our Imperial Wizard."

She smiled and got up and began follow Witt, pausing to tell the two consortium agents to do whatever. The Consortium Agents looked at each other, shrugged, and then began to wander aimlessly around the lobby.


Witt led her up to his room and opened the door, he grinned as he said in a sly and smug voice, "So, here we are... Now what?"

Ooc- Between Lavenrunz and DA. Might deal with adult situations, not appropriate for prudes, or those who don’t want to be shouting, “This post has warped my fragile little mind”. Anyway, if you don’t want to read this, just skip this post. It’s nothing too awful, just deals with Curtis’s favorite hobby, seducing women.


Continuing from where the storyline with Curtis and the baroness left off.

Curtis was sitting next to the baroness, he had just slid his hand down onto her shoulder and casually slid a bit closer to her, and he smiled and asked, "Comfortable?"

"Yes." she smiled at him and said nothing further. Her violet eyes looked into his, and her body was relaxed, languid.

Curtis looked back into her eyes, not sure what to say, he'd make a bit of conversation for a while perhaps, "Baroness, tell me, what happened to... Well, the baron, what became of him?"

Baroness Bennigsen felt a touch of the old sadness. She took another sip of her martini. "During our war with Iesus Christi, he was killed. He was flying his plane against their fleet, leading a squadron of long range attack fighters. The attack was successful but we were facing such huge odds..." tears swelled in her eyes. "God rest his soul."

Curtis gently wrapped his arms around her and patted her back in a soothing manner, as he let her rest her head on his shoulder, "Sorry I asked about a topic that depresses you so... Will you be okay?"

She was touched by this, almost overwhelmed as he took her in his arms--in spite of her awareness of the situation it felt so good to be comforted by a man again, and she said softly, "Yes, I believe so..it was a few years ago, I have made my peace. It is just that I miss him sometimes. But life moves on..."

Curtis nodded his head a bit, "Yes, I know what you mean, in 1990 my wife Julia died, well sort of... Somehow just a few months ago, my good friend Baldur Von Schacht, cloned her a new body, it was, wow, he had secretly preserved her brain, it just shocked me... But the fourteen years without her, it was hell... By 1994 though, I think I had finally moved on."

Baroness Bennigsen was shocked. "Cloned...her brain? That's very strange."

Curtis smiled, "Yes, I hardly believed it myself until I saw it, he had cloned her a new body for her brain, her brain was what he had preserved for fourteen years... It was amazing..."

The Baroness took a sip of her martini. "Well." she said, and cleared her throat.

Curtis nodded and smiled, "I'm curious, you're not seeing anybody right now, are you?" As he asked that, he let his left hand slowly slid down her body and come to rest on her left leg.

Finding herself blushing, she said quietly, "No, I've been very busy with my diplomatic duties." she felt she should be more outraged, but she also knew that would be fooling herself. She looked up at him and said in her soft voice, "Herr Fabus, I think...I think you are mistaking me for a woman of easy virtue."

Curtis quickly moved his hands back and folded them, nervously saying, "Oh no, no, surely not... I believe you to be a woman of the utmost highest of virture... I was... Well, shall we say, hoping to get to know you better."

The Baroness smiled. "I should like that as well." she hoped she was acting within a universal language by smiling but not by inclining her body or putting out her hand. "Tell me...is it not very difficult, for your men to have so many wives when they reach higher office?"

Curtis chuckled a bit, "First of all, about ninety-eight percent of men don't want more than one wife, and only those who are very focused on having lots of children will take more than one wife... But those who do have more than one wife, they've not much difficulty in doing so as the public realizes nobles have good genes and ought to pass them on and have lots of kids."

"And how many children do you have, Herr Doctor?" she asked curiously.

Curtis smiled, "Oh, the ones from Julia, well there is George, Eleanor, Henry, Roger, Victoria, and William... From Christine, there is thus far Rudolf, and from the various other women I've been with, there are too many to name in one evening... About eight hundred or so, of which I take care of all of them, making sure they've enough of anything they might ever need..."

Bennigsen found herself blushing deeply, she couldn't help it. "Well, you are like one of the patriarchs of old...but how do you reconcile such activity with your morals?"

Curtis grinned, "Be fruitful and multiply... I've never not taken care of one of my children, or for that matter, a woman I've been with... I take good care of my women, and my kids... My son Roger though, he's probably the most ethical man I've ever known, he has only ever had sex with his wife, Alice, and he is overall just a great man, I'm very proud of him... He lives up to what I wish I could.”

The Baroness said understandingly, "I know that sometimes great men must struggle...my father was such a man, you know. He was Lavenrunz' Foreign Minister. He was a man of great understanding, wisdom, strength and courage, and his appetites were great."

Curtis nodded a bit but didn't say anything, he gently brushed some of her hair out from in front of her eyes as he leaned in, suddenly and gently put both of his arms around her, and then kissed her.

Bennigsen moaned softly into the kiss..she felt so ready for it, it had been so long since she had felt such that she found herself melting into his arms, the sweetness of the kiss, of the intermingling of breathing and the soft caress of lips intoxicating her.

Curtis leaned back out of the kiss, but still holding her in his arms, he then whispered, "Do you want to go to my room?"

With a fluttering smile she nodded, enjoying the feeling of the soft curves of her body pressed against the hard planes of his.

He gently lifted her up into his arms and smiled at her the entire time he walked towards his room.

A while later, Curtis and the baroness were lying in bed together, he was smoking a cigar, he looked over and asked her, "Oh, this isn't bothering you, is it?"

The Baroness raises herself up to one elbow, the glory of her midnight hair falling down, her pale and lovely body barely hidden by the sheet. "No...though I wish you had offered me a cigar as well." she said with a teasing smile.

He smiled and took out another cigar, he cut it, and gently put it in her mouth, lighting it for her, "There you are, like it?”

She inhaled and breathed the smoke with an air of practice, and remarked, "One thing our Minister of Foreign Trade wanted was to discuss your tobacco...mmmm...."

Curtis nodded as he held the cigar in one hand, running his hand softly through her hair, "Yes, what about our tobacco?"

With another puff she said, "Our Chancellor smokes them, for instance, but we were thinking of the general market..." she sighed and drew in another lungful of aromatic smoke. "But must we discuss such things...now?"

Curtis shook his head, "No, of course not... So, what do you want to do now?"

The Baroness put a searching, caressing hand under the sheet and smiled at him. "I should like to test your reputation further, Herr Fabus."

Curtis grinned a bit as he set down his cigar in an ashtray on the nightstand near his side of the bed. He raised a brow a bit and asked, "Again?"

With a lift of her elegant brow and a twist of her pretty mouth, she sat up, letting the sheet fall away to show her breathtaking body, smooth and inviting, her caressing hand not leaving him. "No?" she inquired softly.

Curtis shook his head, "If you're game, I am..."

As he was almost done with the second time, Curtis thought he heard a gentle knocking on the front door. He looked down at her, still continuing though, "Did you hear that? Was that the door?"

"Yes, I believe so." the Baroness gasped.

Curtis sighed, "Do you want me to go get the door or let them wait a few minutes?"

"Oh don't stop, it's lovely, please go on..." she cried.

Curtis obliged, when he finally finished a few minutes later, he stood up, quickly threw a robe on and walked towards the door... He whispered through it, "Who is there?"

General der Horst cleared his throat. "We just wondered, Sir, if the Baroness' interview is at an end." Von Kessler sighed and looked at his watch.

Curtis opened the door and shook his head, "No, she's busy..."

The General reddened, glimpsing the man in his robe, clearly touseled and sweaty, and said, "Baroness?" trying to do his duty in spite of his embarrassment.

The Baroness' voice lilted out, "Busy, General darling! I'll send for you when I'm ready to go back to my room."

The General flushed and bowed, clicking his heels, in the direction of the voice. "As your Excellency wishes..." he said, before beating a hasty retreat.

Curtis shut the door and walked back to his room, he sat down on the edge of the bed, not wanting to admit it, but he was somewhat tired, he looked over to her, "Are you sufficiently satisfied for the night?"

The Baroness was in fact rising and regal as she was, naked as she was, said, "I need to retire, in fact, and I am going to refresh myself first." she moved with swaying grace on her bare feet to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Curtis smiled, content that he'd done a good job, happy with himself... He collapsed onto the bed and lit up another cigar... He then called into the bathroom she was in, "Will you be staying here tonight or returning to your room?"

The Baroness said something cheerfully but he couldn't hear over the splashing of water.

He laid back and kept smoking the cigar, deciding to wait for her to come out to talk further.

Returning, quite unselfconscious, she said, "I think I should enjoy staying but ought to go." she smiled at him.

Curtis smiled, "Ah, come on, you could stay a while longer, we can have breakfast in the morning if you'd like..."

Shaking her head, she began to dress. "Herr Fabus, I have duties, as I am sure do you."

Curtis seemed a bit put off by that, as though something was wrong, he inquired, "Are you okay? You're in a hurry to leave it seems..."

She shook her head. "I...well to be honest I am simply taking the initiative, as I know that you can have any woman you wish..." she felt a bit saddened but had to admit she had enjoyed the experience...

Curtis nodded his head, it was true, "Yes, I can pretty much have any woman I wish... but what if I wished to have you?"

She paused, as she was pulling her dress up. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Curtis smiled, "What if I decided I'd like to be with you on a longer basis than just tonight?"

She said softly, "I'm sure you have enough mistresses." her eyes searching his.

He shook his head, standing up and walking to her side, taking her hands gently in his, gazing into her eyes, "Perhaps, but there are only two women I've made wife to me in my entire life... Perhaps you might be number three..."

Baroness Bennigsen said, "This is rather sudden...and I am then all the more determined, because I am...very flattered, and honored, and I must consider it and what it would mean to me."

Curtis nodded, gave her a passionate kiss on the lips, and then let loose his soft hold on her hands, "Yes, take your time, think it over... I'll be here, I don't plan on leaving the Mississippian Federation anytime soon..."

The Baroness was amused by this remark. "I don't imagine you would be." she gently squeezed his hands and said, "But regardless I need the Imperial permission to marry anyway."

Curtis smiled, "I can hardly believe you need imperial permission to marry, why is that may I ask?"

"Well, that is because any person of nobility may become heir or heiress to lands in Lavenrunz." she explained. "It is an act of treason to marry without the permission of the Monarch."

Curtis knew exactly what she meant and understood the reasons behind the law, "Ah, I see, makes sense... Well anyway, consider it and I'll be around here for a few days, well as long as the snow storm is still going, or afterwards you can find me at Stalingrad estate, you know where, yes?"

"I am sure that I can be informed." she replied. Her violet eyes danced merrily, looking up into his. "Do I understand you to enjoy the hunt?"

Curtis grinned a bit, "Do you mean hunting game in say the forests and jungles or hunting more elusive and dangerous game?"

The Baroness' eyebrows soared. "More elusive? I'm afraid I don't understand that..." she hide her smile. "But I was referring to forests and...well, there are no jungles in Lavenrunz so there it would be plains and mountains but the same idea, yes."

Curtis nodded a bit as he raised his right brow and his smile moved a bit to the side, "Ah, more elusive as in potentially more deadly than say wild game, but much more fun, to say... Mount..."

He then added, "And often requiring much more work to move in for the kill..."

With a soft laugh, she said, "it sounds most intriguing...but now, I must take my leave, auf wiedersehen...." she blew a kiss and began to withdraw.

Curtis smiled and nodded, saying only, "I hope to see you again soon..."

With a gracious nod, a warm gaze and a wink the Baroness departed.

As she was returning to her room, one of the other men from the conference, Dr. Baldur Von Schacht ran into her in the hallway, he extended his hand to shake, "Dr. Baldur Von Schacht, originally from South Africa, and you are from Lavenrunz, yes?"

"Yes, I'm the Lavenrunzian Ambassador to the International Mediation Council, Baroness Bennigsen." she replied, smiling warmly, extending a slender hand.

Baldur shook her hand and then asked, "So, you were speaking with Curtis privately, yes?"

"Yes, I was." she exclaimed, as if delighted to find they had a mutual acquaintance.

Baldur smiled, having to stifle a laugh, "Ah Curtis, is he up to his old tricks again? I don't think I need to ask what you two were doing, eh?"

The Baroness raised an eyebrow and gave him a cool glance. "No, a gentleman would not." she said quietly.

Baldur shook his head, knowing the truth, "I've known Curtis since we were kids, we went to junior high and high school together, we served in the paratroopers together, we fought in the civil war together... I know him, very well."

Baldur smiled, "Ah, but I'm sure Curtis still knows how to treat a lady, yes? That much you could tell me, I want to make sure he isn't slipping into mental delirium."

Baroness Bennigsen saw General der Horst approaching. She sighed and said, "Herr Doctor, I assure you he was the very epitome of courtesy."

Baldur grinned, satisfied, "Ah, then he is doing fine... Well then, I won't keep you any longer, you probably have matters to tend to, yes?"

She found herself blushing furiously, and for a moment was so in a confusion of embarrassment, anger and astonishment she couldn't speak.

"Yes, I am sure that you have many other conversations of this sort to attend to, Herr Doctor." she replied, managing to hide the tremble in her voice.

Schacht smiled, "Sorry to make you so nervous, good night Baroness..." He then walked off.

As der Horst walked up, she muttered to herself, "That pig...that utter utter pig..." not sure which one she meant.

Baldur smiled, "Oh no, never like this before... Anyway, I've got to go, I'm going to call the wife and make sure she is well."

"You can go do that then, I'll probably still be here when get back. It hasn't turned out to be a conference of much interest to me yet."

The man smiled, "Captain Jean Marie Navarre, perhaps you've heard of my father, Field Marshal Bertrand Navarre, he is considered the most brilliant strategist in our nation, he is also our Imperial Wizard."

"Pleased to meet you," she said, extending her hand warmly. "I'm Rear-Admiral Clara Novikas." Thinking about the name of the captain's father for a minute, she said "Land commander?"

"Pleased to meet you," she said, extending her hand warmly. "I'm Rear-Admiral Clara Novikas." Thinking about the name of the captain's father for a minute, she said "Land commander?"


Jean smiled and then in the fashion his father had taught him, gently took her hand and lightly kissed it, "A pleasure to meet you, admiral. Yes, yes, my father, he is the Field Marshal of the 1st RG Army, he commands over 400,000 soldiers and 5,000 tanks."

Clara raised her eyebrows. "Impressive. A colleague of mine, General Farkas, probably has heard a great deal more about him than I have. I usually command a portion of the battle fleet, but it's sitting in port right now so they decided to send me here. Anyway, I digress." She said this with a bit of a half smile. "So about lunch... er... dinner I mean." The mistake was common for Callisdrunians in foreign countries, as their native lunch-time was very late in the day.

Clara raised her eyebrows. "Impressive. A colleague of mine, General Farkas, probably has heard a great deal more about him than I have. I usually command a portion of the battle fleet, but it's sitting in port right now so they decided to send me here. Anyway, I digress." She said this with a bit of a half smile. "So about lunch... er... dinner I mean." The mistake was common for Callisdrunians in foreign countries, as their native lunch-time was very late in the day.


Navarre nodded his head and smiled, "Would you like to go get something to eat then, dinner would be great... What do you want? Any ideas?"

OOC: Seeing as I'm probably not going to have much in the way of time to really put the effort into this thread anymore, and seeing as I don't really intend to do anything more In Character for the rest of the event with the exception of leaving, I would like to basically get permission to assume that my man has his rest for the period, which is required for the snow-storm to clear up enough to take his plane home, and effectively conclude the thread as far as I'm concerned, leaving the rest of you to conclude your business without me.

Normally I wouldn't ask but IC circumstances prevent me from just having the character leave and OOC I don't know if you intend to allow them to leave in the first place. So it's basically a question of "Will my guy be able to leave or will I get him back in a small box?"

So can I assume he'll get home safely or is there something sinister in store for him which will prevent this. If there is some event which needs to be done we can RP it, but generally I'm looking to free the character up for other events.

OOC: Seeing as I'm probably not going to have much in the way of time to really put the effort into this thread anymore, and seeing as I don't really intend to do anything more In Character for the rest of the event with the exception of leaving, I would like to basically get permission to assume that my man has his rest for the period, which is required for the snow-storm to clear up enough to take his plane home, and effectively conclude the thread as far as I'm concerned, leaving the rest of you to conclude your business without me.

Normally I wouldn't ask but IC circumstances prevent me from just having the character leave and OOC I don't know if you intend to allow them to leave in for him which will prevent this. If there is some event which needs to be done the first place. So it's basically a question of "Will my guy be able to leave or will I get him back in a small box?"

So can I assume he'll get home safely or is there something sinister in store we can RP it, but generally I'm looking to free the character up for other events.


Certainly, he can get back a-okay, and with a new car (Cadillac Eldorado 1981, of course) and 10,000,000 dollars in small, untraceable bills, Curtis's way of saying "Sorry that you got your butt kicked at the conference."

Navarre nodded his head and smiled, "Would you like to go get something to eat then, dinner would be great... What do you want? Any ideas?"

Clara looked off in thought "Hmmm... I honestly have no idea. What's a good place around here?" Suddenly getting an idea, she asked "Do they serve a good steak anywhere around here? You know, one made from a cow? I've never had a cow-steak or whatever you call them."

OOC: They don't have cows in Callisdrun, they have deer, caribou, moose, elk and wild boars, so wild pork and venison are the most common meat dishes.

OOC: None of which would be accepted. The man is part of the lasted IDC training program, which to be simple, is equal in spending and training to a nation funding Super Soldiers, I've already RPed the continuation of the program several months ago. Needless to say, the man woundn't take such a bribe.

I'll RP any other additional effects which occur after the mans return when I'm finished with something important I'm working on for today.

OOC: out for the night

Clara looked off in thought "Hmmm... I honestly have no idea. What's a good place around here?" Suddenly getting an idea, she asked "Do they serve a good steak anywhere around here? You know, one made from a cow? I've never had a cow-steak or whatever you call them."

OOC: They don't have cows in Callisdrun, they have deer, caribou, moose, elk and wild boars, so wild pork and venison are the most common meat dishes.


He smiled a bit, "Well, we could go over to the hotel restaurant, a very fine one might I add, they're closed now, but I have a feeling they'd not mind opening up if I ask nicely."


Jean knew for certain they'd open up, he was the son of Bertrand Navarre, who was not only the Duke of Neshoba County, but was also the best friend of Curtis Fabus.

Clara chuckled. Obviously, this man was well connected. "Well, shall we depart then?" She got up from her seat.

OOC: Unless I'm mistaken, they're in some sort of pub, right?

Jean stood up and walked with her towards the restaurant.



Ooc- He is very well connected, and you are very mistaken. They are in the finest Hotel on Fabus Island. Curtis basically booked the entire Hotel for a few days, for the conference, at great cost to himself.

Ooc- Anybody here can feel free to RP their characters moving out and about, bumping into random guards, which I will then RP what the guards do, etc... Anyway, Eldanor, your character is welcome to go talk with some of th SRG officers if you wish.

Alasse, having finished her water, got up and stretched. Bored, she went and took a seat at the bar again.

Franz Von Schacht was at the bar, he hadn't taken his medication, but his brother had gotten him drunk. The affects of alcohol were almost like his medicine was to him, it soothed him and made him a pleasant person to be around.


He smiled at Alasse and extended his hand to shake, "I'm so sorry about earlier, I don't know what got into me... My brother says I need to take my pills, but they were at home, and home is snowed in... I'm sorry sorry, I just wasn't feeling myself earlier... May I buy you a drink?"

She shook his hand and politely refused his offer to by her a drink. "It's quite all right, but I don't want a drink, as nice as it is for you to ask."

Franz yawned a bit, "Want something to eat? I'll buy you dinner if you'd be willing to let me do so."

"Fine. I haven't eaten anything in hours, anyway."

Franz nodded, "Shall we go over to the restaurant then, or would you like me to have them bring you something right over here?"

She shrugged. "I don't mind either way."

Franz smiled and then whispered, "Perhaps we could have the food delivered upstairs, to my room? If you'd care to join me up there, the view from the balcony is spectacular, the trees are painted with snow, it's lovely."

Jean stood up and walked with her towards the restaurant.



Ooc- He is very well connected, and you are very mistaken. They are in the finest Hotel on Fabus Island. Curtis basically booked the entire Hotel for a few days, for the conference, at great cost to himself.

OOC: Oops, oh well. Sorry about that.

IC: Clara walked with Captain Navarre into the restaurant. He was probably younger than she, but that mattered little to her. "So, what is your job usually like? Unless of course it's classified, of course. Are you regular army? Guards? Special Operations or are you in some other area?"

OOC: Oops, oh well. Sorry about that.

IC: Clara walked with Captain Navarre into the restaurant. He was probably younger than she, but that mattered little to her. "So, what is your job usually like? Unless of course it's classified, of course. Are you regular army? Guards? Special Operations or are you in some other area?"




IC: He answered her, "I am in the Republican Guard Special Forces, a combat diver to be precise... I fought in Angola in July of 2004, I wrote the book "Through Hell For Fabus" perhaps you read it? It was brutal stuff, I am writing another book currently, about recently declassified operations that took place during the Angolan War."

"Sounds interesting. I have a colleague who might have read the book, but I have not read it." Clara was not lying. It did sound interesting to her, and there was a chance that General Farkas had read the book. "I've not done anything that intriguing. Mostly I just blow stuff up, or, more accurately, order people to blow stuff up."

Franz smiled and then whispered, "Perhaps we could have the food delivered upstairs, to my room? If you'd care to join me up there, the view from the balcony is spectacular, the trees are painted with snow, it's lovely."

She scowled and stood up. “In that case, perhaps I will take my dinner by my myself, then,” she said, walking off.

"Sounds interesting. I have a colleague who might have read the book, but I have not read it." Clara was not lying. It did sound interesting to her, and there was a chance that General Farkas had read the book. "I've not done anything that intriguing. Mostly I just blow stuff up, or, more accurately, order people to blow stuff up."




Jean smiled, "Ah, well I'll get you a signed copy of my book later if you'd like... But for now..." he said as he picked up a menu at the table they'd just been led to by the manager whom Jean had a guard tell to open up the restaurant, "We need to decide what we'll have, yes?"

She scowled and stood up. “In that case, perhaps I will take my dinner by my myself, then,” she said, walking off.


Franz fell out of his seat, having passed out from drinking too much. That was what happened when he drank too much, he was much friendlier, but much too much friendlier.

bump

Jean smiled, "Ah, well I'll get you a signed copy of my book later if you'd like... But for now..." he said as he picked up a menu at the table they'd just been led to by the manager whom Jean had a guard tell to open up the restaurant, "We need to decide what we'll have, yes?"

"Hmmm... I think I'll have this..." she said, inspecting the description of one of the steaks on the menu "London Broil..." she said, looking up at him to check if she'd pronounced it correctly, English being her fourth language, after all.

He nodded his head, "Yes, that is a great choice... I myself will have Mississippian Pheasant, I just love it..."


The waiter smiled, "Excellent choices... I will put those orders in right away..."



As soon as the waiter left, Jean smiled at her and then asked her, "So, after dinner, do you have any plans?"

bump

He nodded his head, "Yes, that is a great choice... I myself will have Mississippian Pheasant, I just love it..."


The waiter smiled, "Excellent choices... I will put those orders in right away..."



As soon as the waiter left, Jean smiled at her and then asked her, "So, after dinner, do you have any plans?"

Clara was in a slightly better mood now. "No, I do not have anything planned. Do you have any interesting ideas?" She spoke calmly, and pleasantly, and gave Jean the warmest smile she had put on all evening. Her voice lacked the subtle hissing sound that was a distinguishing characteristic of some of her vampiric peers, and if she had been a singer, would have been in between the soprano and alto range.

Jean shook his head and smiled, "Perhaps we might go back up to my room and we can drink a bottle of fine wine and whatever else you might have in mind... But what we do, I'll leave that as ladies choice."

Jean shook his head and smiled, "Perhaps we might go back up to my room and we can drink a bottle of fine wine and whatever else you might have in mind... But what we do, I'll leave that as ladies choice."

"That sounds like a splendid thing to do after dinner," Clara said. "Provided that the wine is red, of course," she added with a slight laugh. "So, tell me, is military service mandatory in Mississippi as it is where I come from? Or do you actually have to convince people to join?"

He chuckled a bit, "So many people try to join each year, we have to turn away a lot of folks, or stick them in reserves, or form paramilitary units for them... We reserve the right to draft those with required professional skills, such as doctors, you know what I mean, skills that might not see a person gravitating towards a career in the service."

"Well, it's good that your system seems to work well for you," Clara said pleasantly. "We have mandatory service that everyone is required to do. Many stay on after their service is completed, and most people at least join the national guard after the service if they don't stay on in it as a career. It's a system we have had, well, in its current for about eight hundred years now. Everyone accepts that they'll be in the military at some point, and that's fine. It's part of becoming an adult in Callisdrun." She paused for a moment. "In my family, and most families like mine, most people choose the military as their career and stay on to become officers." Pausing again, she became aware of the length at which she had spoken. "Sorry for the ramble," Clara remarked rather sheepishly.

He shook his head, "No, not rambling at all. Very interesting..." He continued to eat and they made light conversation throughout dinner.


After they had finished eating, he covered his mouth as he yawned, "What a meal, eh? Would you care to go upstairs and see the view from my room, perhaps share a bottle of wine?"

Clara nodded her assent. "Yes, it was quite a meal. I find that I rather like steak. And yes, some good wine would be quite enjoyable right now. What manner of wine would shall we drink while enjoying the view?"

Jean smiled a bit, "Oh, your choice of wine, I'm sure you'll make a good choice, yes?"

Clara laughed "You flatter me. I am unfortunately not familiar with Mississippian wines, and we do not have very much wine at home, as you probably already guessed, what with the climate and all. Do you have any recommendations?" It was true that she didn't know what to choose. She didn't want to choose something and have it turn out to be bad wine. At home, most of the time she drank vodka, so this was somewhat unfamiliar.

Jean smiled, "Well then, I'll select one... Shall we go then?"


He led her up to his room and then shut the door after putting the "Do not disturb" sign on it.


Jean opened up a bottle of wine after he used a corkscrew on it, he poured two glasses. Handing one to her, "Here you are, I hope you like it, it's quite old and one of my favorites."


He took a sip from his glass, he indeed did like this, he wondered if she would as well.

Clara sipped from her class, after doing so her eyebrows went up. It was quite good, in fact, though naturally a different sort of drink than what she was used to. "It's exquisite," she said quietly. "How old is it?"

Jean smiled at her, "Oh, about eighty or ninety years old... I'm glad you like it."

Clara thought a moment about the age of the wine. It pre-dated her country's Great War, which meant it was made before the destruction of the neighboring nation of Altar Rang. She liked to gauge age against events like this, it made it seem more real somehow.

"Is the vinyard of its origin still in business?" she asked, drinking a little more of it. It was very hard to drink it slowly.

He shook his head, "No, sadly it was destroyed by artillery fire in a battle a while back.... So, what now? Any ideas on what you might like to do now?"

"That's too bad, about the vinyard," she said between sips. Clara lifted an eyebrow at Jean's comment. "Good question," she said, visibly licking her fangs.

He grinned at her, "Hmmm... Fangs eh?"

He then slowly traced a finger along his neck, "Want something other than wine to drink? Don't worry, I've genetic modifications, it's quite impossible for me to bleed to death, my body has a habit of rapidly replenishing the blood."

Bumped for Callisdrunian reply.

She grinned mischeviously right back at him. "Why, how kind of you to offer..." Almost laughing, she continued "I was about to suggest going at the shoulder, as we normally do, not at the neck, so as to avoid your untimely death, but I suppose that won't be necessary. I hope you don't scar easily." Clara then took off her uniform coat and looked back up at Jean. "Wouldn't want to get it dirty."

He smiled and tilted his head to the side for her, exposing his pale, very white, neck. (The upper classes make every effort not to tan)

OOC: Damn, you reply fast

IC:
Clara was somewhat shocked by his boldness. In her home country, most donors (for a system had long ago set up to avoid random attacks), were extremely nervous the first time, for it was quite painful to be bitten in such a manner. "Well, if you really want to do this..." she whispered. She got quite close to him, and took hold of his neck, licking the the intended spot before touching her razor sharp fangs to it. She paused short of pressing them into his flesh, for a second, to say something. "You do realize this is going to hurt like Hel, right?"

He let out a slight moan of pleasure as she licked his neck, "Oh, I'm ready... Go ahead..."

She clamped her jaw down, suddenly tearing into Jean's neck. Hot blood spurted into Clara's mouth as she tightly embraced him. Rapture. She swallowed to allow more of the liquid nourishment in. His skin felt delightfully warm against her mouth. Some of the blood escaped her mouth and got on her face, not much, though. She was in too much pleasure to care, and ignored it.

He moaned deeply in pleasure, he was enjoying it, "Hmmm... You didn't tell me it'd be this fun..." He softly whispered. He wanted her to keep going, and she very well could as well, almost immediately his body began to replenish the blood it was losing.

Clara removed herself from his neck just long enough to nod at his remark and give him a small kiss, after which she pushed him over onto his back and pressed her lips against his neck again to drink, which she did... deeply.

He moaned again and then said, "Clara... I want you... When you've had your fill, could we, well you know..."

[tag]

She lifted her head to meet his eyes. "Oh... we need not wait until then... I don't need to be finished for us to engage what you seem to be suggesting," she said with a devilish smile, giving him a long kiss.

Jean immediately relieved himself of all his clothing in about ten seconds, fifteen at the most. They were tossed in a helter-skelter fashion across the room as he didn't seem to care about how he got them off or where they landed. She saw he had a very well-toned chest and abdominal muscles, and he had shaved legs, he had said he was a combat diver in the RG Special Forces.


He then smiled at her, "Shall we then?"

Though wasting no time in undressing, Clara nonetheless did so with a bit more care as to her garments than Jean had, tossing them gently onto a nearby chair.

Like all the moroii, her skin was ghostly pale, contrasting notably with her black eyes and hair. She had several tattoos, including the Novikas family coat of arms, the seal of the Navy, and a decorative band around her arm, though her skin was not ridiculously crisscrossed with dark ink as was that of some of her younger peers. She had light creamish/tannish freckles in some places.

Though Clara was in her thirties, the fact that she held herself to a strict exercise regimen was obvious, and she looked quite a bit younger because of it. She gently pushed Jean onto the bed whilst kissing him, licking the cut again once there.

Jean smiled and let her get on top of him, he pulled the sheets over the both of them and let her start.



When they finished a good while later, he looked at her, smiled, gave her a long kiss, and then whispered, "Thank you... That was wonderful..."

"It was my pleasure, really," Clara answered. She rolled over onto her back with a happy sigh. "Ohhh... I'm so full." She laughed a little, and contemplated the strange situation, putting her hands under her head. This young man was pleasant enough, though his politics would probably horrify her. However, during her briefing in her new role as a diplomat, she had been told to "do business amorally."

He smiled and then asked, "So, what are your plans for later? Any idea what you're up to tomorrow?"


He then took out out a cigar, "Mind if I smoke?"

"I have no idea what my schedule is tomorrow. If the conference is still going on, I suppose I'll be in there, but I don't know." She looked at him funny when he mentioned smoking. "I thought cannabis was illegal in this country?"

He chuckled a bit, "Oh, this is just tobacco..." He then whispered, "Although if you wanted some of that other stuff you mentioned, I could get it..."

"No, thank you, I don't smoke myself," she said, waving her hand to kindly decline the offer. "What is tobacco? I have heard the word before but I must admit, I don't know what it is. Is that a really dumb sounding question to ask around here?" she looked sheepishly at him, slightly embarrassed.

He smiled, "Ah, tobacco is, well it's a stimulant that relaxes you and at the same time increases the heart rate and heightens the senses... It has a soothing feeling to it, it puts a drug called nicotine, into the blood, too much can be fatal though, but no amount of cigars could kill you, you couldn't smoke them fast enough to do that... Basically you'd have to swallow whole tobacco plants to get sick, or eat tobacco, you can chew it though, but you have to spit out the juices... I prefer to smoke it though, in cigar form, although a good chaw every now and then is a nice thing... Would you care to have a drag off this cigar and try it out?"

Clara viewed the cigar thing with interest. "Sure, I'll try it." She took hold of the cigar gingerly, and after pausing said "Um... do I just put it to my mouth and breathe in?"

Jean nodded his head, "Yes, that is how you do it, but be warned, it might burn going down your throat, just inhale, swallow the smoke, and exhale."

Doing as he instructed, she drew a sizable breath, though not too large, down. She gave the slightest cough when she exhaled and then handed the cigar back to him. "I find it does not suit my tastes. Just not the thing for me. Oh well."

He smiled and accepted the cigar back. As he smoked it, he said, "Maybe you want a bit more blood before turning in for the night? Well wait, if you don't mind my asking... What time is it that you typically go to sleep at?"

She groaned slightly and smiled. "Oh no, I drank well earlier." Clara paused before answering his question about bedtimes. "I usually go to sleep at 4:00 AM, though sometimes an hour earlier or an hour later." She yawned. "However, I think I have some serious... what do you call it... jet lag I think is the term."

He smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "Well, I usually go to sleep around two or three, but I'll stay up and talk with you if you'd like... Or if you don't mind, I'd be up for turning in early, of course if you need me for anything, like wanting to talk..." He grinned a bit, "Or if you get thirsty again... Just wake me up? So, do you want to me to stay up and talk with you? You could ask me anything you'd like to know about my nation, my job, anything at all... I'll answer any questions."

"I'll probably fall asleep in a few minutes. We can talk until then, though." She looked outside, through the window. "What sort of animal do you use as a sort of national symbol, if you use one, and... are there any wolves here?" Clara asked, though it sounded rather like she was thinking out loud.

He smiled, "Ah yes, there are wolves here, we hunt them for sport and their furs, and to keep them from killing our cattle, most large estates have sections devoted to ranching, nobles make money renting the land to serfs... But we have millions of wolves around, so we have to keep their population in check or they'd starve. Our national animal is the alligator."

"Interesting," she said with a slight frown, still looking out the window. "Very different places we come from. The local variant of the wolf is our national animal, and the winters keep their numbers down, just as they used to keep ours down. We have no real 'ranches' as you call them. Several people have tried to raise cattle, but the beasts all died. Some forests are used somewhat similarly to raise boar and deer."

He nodded his head, "Ah, we have many deer here too, in the tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions... Speaking of hunting, I once went wolf hunting with just a combat knife, two to be exact, each nine inches long, I got three wolves that trip, all within ten minutes of each other, I was rushed by a pack of them... I was sixteen then, and a bit crazier than I am today, so I've been told anyway..."

"Your wolves must be very aggressive. Ours generally ignore humans in the wild, though they are very dangerous if provoked. They're not too hard to tame, and the Sorviks actually keep a couple as pets." She chuckled, before continuing. "Everyone was crazier at 16. I sure was."

He then yawned a bit, he was starting to feel tired, "So, just out of curiosity, you don't have to answer if you don't want... How old are you exactly? Do vampires, I mean, can you live to be a lot older than humans?"

"Well, we can live to be old, but not that much older than humans. We don't show our age very much, as my great grandfather, who died at 110, looked about the same when he was 100 as he did when he was 60. We don't really get senile and weak either. One week we'll be up and about and doing normal things and the next week we'll get sick and die." Answering the question about her age, she said "I'm 32. They actually don't usually promote people to my rank at this age, but a lot of old officers retired at the same time, and we got involved in a war soon after. Why do you ask?"

He shook his head, "No particular reason, just wondering how old you were, I was just curious, myself, I am seventeen years old, I'll be eighteen in a while, not quite there yet."

Her eyes, which had been black around the time she fed, finally turned back to their icy blue color while she gaped at him. She hadn't known in the slightest that she had been consorting with a minor. Do business amorally Clara remembered, but was this really business? Taking control of her expression, she managed to close her mouth and wipe the look of surprise from her face. Regaining her composure, she said "You look quite a bit older than 17. Maybe people in our nations mature at different rates, as though one can join the military at 16 in Callisdrun, our troops of that age still look like kids. I had no idea."

He smiled, proudly saying, "I joined the officer training program at age seven, I was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant at age 14, and I spent my first two years operating as a counter-diver, protecting our ships against enemy combat divers and such, and as a naval recon commando. The age of majority for males here is sixteen, so I'm an adult under Mississippian law, I have my own estate, and I pay taxes."

"Impressive, and relieving," she said with sigh. "In the military at age 7? I bet you're pretty knowledgable by now." She reflected on her own memories for a second. "I entered the naval acadamy to become an officer when I was 15, and graduated at 18. I was a navigator before I got first command, which was a destroyer, and my second ship was a heavy cruiser. Doesn't sound quite as exciting as your past."

He smiled and gave her a light kiss on the cheek, then he said, "I'm sure you have some good stories to tell though? For instance, when I was fifteen I had to swim in just my shorts, into an enemy harbor, plant four charges on the hull of a battleship, and swim out, all without any gear, I held my breath for twelve minutes... I love genetic enhancements. So, what is the most exciting thing you remember about your time in the service thus far?"

"Oh, nothing quite that exciting. I was 17 when I first killed a man. It was actually on one of the training missions. We intercepted an Altar Rangian armed merchantman, and boarded it. They faked their surrender and killed my room mate, so we killed them all. That was the last time I was this full, actually. Kind of shameful, in a way. There have been operations in the war, of course. Our foe had this behemoth battleship, that he had out in the ocean, so we decided to go after it. I commanded a battleship squadron in that battle. Losses were incredibly heavy." Clara looked a bit sad after saying the last sentence.

He frowned when he detected she was sad, "Are you okay? What is wrong? Do you want to talk about it? Are you upset about the losses? I'm sure you did everything you could to keep losses to a minimum..."

She looked down. It was a bad memory, and a vivid one, but Clara quickly recovered. "I'm ok. Just give me a minute..." Looking back up at him, with her now very light blue eyes, she continued to speak. "Callisdrun had not been to war for seventy years before this one. We have always had extremely brutal training, 'live training,' we call it, but that surprised all but Grand Admiral Andersen in its awesome scale and its horror. And his calm in the battle served our cause well, but all his experience didn't save him when his battleship exploded. And his wasn't the only one. However, it was deemed to be a victory, as we accomplished our objective." Clara sat, seemingly in contemplation after finishing.

He nodded his head, "We've lost a few million soldiers in various wars and campaigns since the rise of the Curtis Fabus regime in 1984, but the regime endures, that is what really matters, isn't it? That nation, the people, the ideals live on. All soldiers join up knowing they might fall in battle, it's a risk of the job, I've nearly died a few times..."

Jean lightly kissed her on the forehead, "Don't worry too much about things like that, it'll just distract your mind from what you need to think about to win, the battle as it develops is what should be on your mind, don't let fear or anxiety cloud your mind."

"I know, perhaps it was necessary. It didn't distract me at the time, not to say that the catastrophic way some of our ships were sunk didn't make an impression, but it really only hit me afterwards. I don't think there was a word of conversation on the bridge the whole voyage back." Clara stopped for a moment. "That whole thing was unreal for everyone involved, but subsequent operations were a lot easier. And it created a real bond with all of us, everyone who was there." After saying this, she smiled again. "I remember, the helmsman made a comment about our ship 'shaking her ass' when we were struck with a glancing hit by a 30" shell."

Jean nodded his head, he understood what she meant, he'd experienced identical things before, he'd had entire units around him blown to pieces, shot up, and a few times witnessed comrades striken down by sniper fire, unable to help them lest he too get killed. "I know what you mean, I was in Angola, it was literally hell there..."

"I bet the smell must have gotten horrible there... butchered human flesh smells bad enough in the cold sea air." She wrinkled her nose to emphasize her point. "One more thing to make a soldier's life difficult."

He nodded his head and then yawned, about to say something but he fell asleep, exhausted from the days events.

Clara stayed awake for a while, thinking over the day's events. It had been a rather exciting day, to say the least. The memories of that fateful day still haunted her, but Jean had a point, she had done her duty, as had everyone involved. And those who had died in battle were assured a place in Valhalla for their bravery, she thought. After snuggling up to Jean, she, too fell asleep.

Jean woke up at about 9 am in the morning, she had her head on his chest and he had his arm around her, holding her close against his body. He smiled and looked outside, snow still all the way up to the windows, at least sixty feet of snow had buried Fabus Island by this point in what would shortly be called simply, "The Great Blizzard."


He watched her sleep, not moving as he didn't want to disturb her.




Ooc- I know the snow storm is over, but this is all occurring during the storm. :)

It was a bit past 11:00 AM when Clara woke up. She looked up at Jean and said simply "Good morning," before kissing him.

Jean smiled, said, "Good morning", back to her, and then kissed her as well.


After they had said good morning and kissed, he asked her, "So, what do you wish to do today?"

She smiled and thought for a second. "Well, first things first, what do you usually have for breakfast in this country?" She sat up and yawned.

He didn't know how to word the answer, "Well it varies by class, being in the upper class, you will enjoy steak, eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice..."

"Is that what you'll have? It sounds very good." Clara brushed some of her hair out of her eyes. They sure know how to eat well, she thought.

Jean smiled as he placed the order over the phone for the breakfast to be brought up, even though breakfast had been over for two hours, nobody dared argue with him.


After he hung up the phone, he tapped his neck, "Perhaps you'd like something to drink before breakfast?" he offered.

"Thanks for the offer, however, I'll probably won't be able to drink anymore until lunchtime." She kissed him, before saying "You're the first donor I've had to be so eager." Clara got out of bed. "Excuse me, I must use the facilities," and with that she went into the bathroom, returning in little time.

When she got back, he smiled at her, "It was fun to "donate", you made it a lot funner than I had originally anticipated... Hmmm... It was... Just, wonderful, you're welcome to some anytime you want."


He glanced over at the clock, "Breakfast should be here by now..." Just before he finished his sentence, there was knock on the door, it was their food.


About twenty minutes later, after they'd finished eating, he yawned a bit, and excused himself to go shower, "I'm going to go shower, be back in a bit."


He then walked off to one of the several bathrooms.

Clara sat back in her chair and relaxed when Jean went to take his shower. She needed to shower as well, but she waited a bit. Feeling mischevious, she knocked on the door of the bathroom Jean had gone into and entered without waiting him to answer.

Jean smiled as she entered, "Ah... Wanting to save water by sharing a shower I see... Come right on in..."

She stepped carefully in, and said "Yes, to save water of course," kissing him on the cheek. She quickly did her normal shower routine, washing her long hair, which somehow seemed even darker when it was wet, though it was already jet black, and washing the rest of her body. "Do you enjoy travel much? I mean, besides being sent somewhere on military duty?"

He nodded his head, "Yes, I've been here and there... Mostly here, sometimes there..." He said that last part with a chuckle, then continued, "I do like to get away every now and then and see the world, I try to see a different country each time, my goal is to go to every country in the world and collect a dirt sample from each, so I can say I have a piece of land from all the world, thus far I have seventy-eight dirt samples."

"Interesting," Clara said. Dirt samples? she thought. Well, to each their own. "In your travels here and there, you wouldn't have happened to have come to my country, have you?" She put a hand on his shoulder.

He turned around and faced her, shaking his head, while smiling, "No.... But I have a feeling I'm about get an invitation? If so... My answer is yes..." He then put his arms gently around her and kissed her.

"Yes, your feeling is correct," she said before tightly embracing him and kissing him again. "I hope you see well in the dark." Clara reasoned Jean would get on well in her home country, as he seemed to be very well mannered. "The sun won't come up there until next month," she mumbled between kisses.

He smiled, and kept kissing her, and then paused for a second, smiling still while nodding his head, "I see wonderfully in the dark..." He then resumed kissing her.

"That's good," Clara softly moaned. "You should have no trouble then." After kissing for a bit longer, she pulled her head away. "When would you like to leave? Can you come and go as you please?"

He smiled, "Yes, I am free to go where I like... It must be very cold in your nation though, if the sun is hardly ever up, yes?"

"We think of it as normal, but yes, it is frigid. There is no sun in the winter. In the summer, the sun is almost constantly obscured by dark rain clouds." She gave him a kiss and then a wink. "Of course, this does ensure hard nipples." Her response was very typical of a Callisdrunian. Humor that would be considered odd elsewhere was normal in her country.

He smiled, not sure what to say at her (In his typical Mississippian opinion) odd sense of humor, only nodding his head and saying, "Yes... Hmmm..." before quickly changing the topic, "So, shall we go get dressed then?"

Clara answered his question with another question. "Are we going somewhere immediately?" In Callisdrun, had never been viewed in a negative light, not even around children. Public nudity was legal, but of course, due to the weather, very rarely practiced. In private, people sometimes did not get dressed until they had to go somewhere, or expected company.

He was a bit surprised, "Well... Here people are always dressed, unless showering, or having sex, and sometimes people might sleep naked, I guess there is no law against sleeping naked... But nobody is ever nude in public, ever."

"Well, if that's how things are done here, then let's get dressed." Remembering that her luggage was not with her, Clara made a phone call to have it brought to the room. When it came, she opened the door, and took the suitcase from the bellboy, who seemed quite surprised at the view. With a smile, she thanked him for carrying her luggage and gave him a tip. While she was getting into a clean uniform, she said something that had been on her mind to Jean. "Before coming here, I heard about some dress code or something like that. What is it?"

Jean shook his head, "No, they got rid of the dresscode, nobody really knows why we got rid of it, or for that matter, why we had it to begin with, our women here were always modest and we really didn't need it written into law... The code was all women in public had to be covered from neck to ankle in a garment, usually black, that was loose so as not to reveal their figure..."

Clara raised her eyebrows. "How interesting... Surely that would be most uncomfortable on hot days? How hot does it get here in the summer? Back home, anything over about 55 is a hot day." By now she was pretty much finished donning her uniform, and sat down to put on her boots. "People look less exciting in the winter in Callisdrun, because heavy overcoats are necessary, but designers attempt to make even these look somewhat elegant."

He gave her question a quick reply, "In the summer, it can get up to 110º here, usually not much more than that..."


He finished dressing as he was talking, and then suddenly the luggage boy started knocking at the door.

Having finished putting her boots on, Clara stood up. "Shall I answer the door?" she asked, as she was closer than Jean was. While waiting for him to respond, she grabbed her coat and put it on. The weather conditions had not been expected, and so she got somewhat chilly in the uniforms that had been provided.

Official Communiqué to Attorney-General Fabus

"The Republic of JRV requests permission to have its Foreign Minister attend."

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade



Ooc- The conference is well under way, and Curtis Fabus is no longer in MS, he was in a MiG-41 with a foreign noblewoman, their plane was shot down by Brazilians (Brazilians hate Mississippi ever since the Mississippian-Brazilian war back in the late 80s and then into the 90s again, basically series of wars, but at any rate, they never really did forgive 500,000 MS soldiers sacking their capital and going on an orgy of rape and pillage). It had been a long and brutal war and the MS soldiers were fed up with Brazilians using guerilla tactics and butchering captured MS soldiers, so they gave no quarter. Anyway, the conference is too far underway for others to arrive, sorry. But fear not, I always have another conference just around the corner.

Having finished putting her boots on, Clara stood up. "Shall I answer the door?" she asked, as she was closer than Jean was. While waiting for him to respond, she grabbed her coat and put it on. The weather conditions had not been expected, and so she got somewhat chilly in the uniforms that had been provided.



He nodded his head, "Yeah, if you would, thanks."

OOC: Very good. I had a feeling it'd be too late, but no matter.

Clara went over to the door and opened it, her boots sounding somewhat clunky on the floor. "Yes?" she asked simply to the person standing outside.

The man replied, "Ma'am, I am here to get your bags, you called, yes?"

She nodded and handed him her luggage. She had already packed her uniform from yesterday. After handing the boy her bags, she pushed back her still wet hair and said to Jean "Do you want him to take your bags, too?"

He nodded his head a bit, "Yeah, that'd be fine."

Jean snapped his fingers at the young man and said, "Boy, get the rest of the bags when you're done with those, okay? Do a good job and I'll see you get a good reward."

He palmed the man a 1000 dollar bill and told him, "Boy, there's another one of those where that came from... Get these bags up to the roof and in my helicopter, okay?"


The young man smiled and said, "Yes sir, right away, sir." before he turned and ran out with as many bags as he could carry, heading to the roof.

Clara looked at Jean with one eyebrow raised. "That's a pretty hefty tip you gave him. Is it normal to give such large tips? And to address them simply as 'boy'? Just wondering, of course."

Jean smiled, nodding his head, "Yes, I'm a noble, he isn't... We tip large because we like to show we can take care of our peasants, but we certainly don't call them sir, that would be backwards and wrong."

"Nobles? Peasants? My goodness... all these foreign concepts." She sat back down. "Back home, I suppose, in history, we, the Moroii have in a way fulfilled the traditional place that nobles would. We were never that rich, save for a couple families, but we were always mostly career military, and usually talented in that field. We also built a lot of the early castles, and most of the major families are still centered in their old castle. Maybe I'll show you the Novikas castle when we go to Drun. However, historically we've also had less political and sometimes civil rights, though our full equality was achieved under Queen Bente the Great. No one's really a noble or peasant, now though. Generally, the word peasant is used to describe what you would call a... a.. yeoman farmer I think is term. Sorry for rambling. Is there rigid or tiered class system here? And are there large gaps in between classes?" Clara was intrigued, the word "noble" really didn't describe anyone in Callisdrun, except the royal family.

Jean thought for a few seconds and then started to answer her, "Well, if by class system you mean do our peasants know their place? Well yes, yes, they do. As for class disparity, the wealthiest forty individuals, have more wealth than ten times are GDP for last year. I myself have nearly five trillion dollars."

"That's kind of the opposite of Callisdrun then, as our highest income earners make about maybe twenty times the average citizen at most. Different I suppose." Considering this last statement, Clara added "I suppose you don't have to worry about money often. Will we be going soon?"

He smiled, "Nope, I never worry about money... We can leave as soon as you'd like."

"Well, since I appear to have no more business with the conference and all, we could leave immediately." Clara thought for a moment. "Where in Callisdrun would you like to go? Callisdrin is the capital city and has all the government stuff, well, most of it, but Drun, where I live, is really more impressive, though my opinion may be slanted." She said the last bit with a grin. "Drun is a bit colder and darker, as it's farther north."

Jean smiled a bit, and said, "Yes, I think the conference has largely died down... As to where we should go, I'll let you decide, you know your land better than I do."

"Drun, then. Though it will probably require a transfer." Clara asked "Could we leave today?"

Jean nodded his head, "Yes, but first we must get a ride from a helicopter, which will be waiting for us on the roof, and then fly into Tennessee or Kentucky since Mississippi is still largely buried by snow."




Ooc- Remember, the snow storm was still raging during the conference.

"That sounds fine," she said with a smile. "After all, I'm in the navy, so I'm used to being ferried around in helicopters through bad weather. How long will it take by helicopter?"

He checked his watch, "Hmmm... We should be in Tennessee in two hours, well before noon."

"This is assuming we leave now? Let me make a phone call." She took out her cell phone, which she had only gotten grudgingly, she hated the damn things, and called Prince Carl. "Hello? I'm going to be returning home a bit early. Yes. All right. No, I haven't talked to Erzsebet. All right, bye." Looking back to Jean, Clara said "Shall we go then?"

He nodded his head, "Yes let's..."


He led the way out of the room and up to the roof, where a helicopter was waiting to land just as soon as the roof had been de-iced, which five SRG men were presently doing with flamethrowers.


Jean chuckled a bit and remained in the doorway of the stairwell, "Perhaps we'd best wait here a few more minutes, eh?"

"Yes. No point in standing around in the cold." Clara sat down on the steps. They were cold, but tolerable.

A few minutes later, the men with flamethrowers turned and walked towards the stairwell, saying, "It's all clear..."


Jean nodded, handed each a few 1000 dollar bills, told them, "Have a nice weekend" and then he helped Clara up and to the helicopter that had just landed.


They both got in and then it headed for Mississippian controlled Georgia, the nearest place with ready runways that weren't snowed in.

Clara looked out the window at the terrain below them. Though the trees were very different, the snow had the effect of reminding her greatly of home. "Picturesque," she said softly. She was used to riding helicopters, as most navy ships had them and they were now used almost as much as motor launches for quickly reaching the shore

Turning to Jean, she said "We'll have to take a flight to Callisdrin, and then transfer there for a flight to Drun, as the law prohibits foreign pilots from flying that far north this time of year."

As the helicopter got over open sea, leaving Fabus Island and land behind, Jean looked out, a bit startled, "Wow, look at all that snow coming down... It's like this in Callisdrun eh?"

He then made a more important comment, "So we can't just go right to Drun, that's a bit of an odd law, isn't it?"

She laughed. "Yes, except most all our trees are evergreen, as you call them. Pines, firs, a subspecies of redwoods. However, the landscape does look strikingly similar about now, except I had never realized snow was so bright before I travelled abroad. It's never this light in winter back home."

Clara paused a moment before addressing Jean's comment about the law. "All laws, no matter how strange, are passed for a reason. Even in the summer, that area is very difficult to fly in. You'll know why the law was passed when we make that flight."

He nodded his head, "Yes, snow reflects light, is this much snow, we really ought to wear sunglasses to avoid snow-blindness."

He put on a pair that had been stashed in the helicopter and then handed her another pair.


At the mention of the laws on flying, he seemed a bit interested, "Ah, so it's one of those laws, the sort nobody can explain... But I guess you're right, I'll see for myself soon enough, eh?"

Clara gladly accepted the sunglasses and, opening them with a flick of her wrist, put them on. The light had been most uncomfortable to her eyes previously. Sunglasses were virtually a must have to Moroii and to many human Callisdrunians as well because of the sensitivity of their eyes. "Thank you," she said after putting them on.

"Well, you'll feel the reason the law was passed more than see it. You don't get airsick, do you?"

He shook his head, nearly laughing, "Air sick, no, in the commandos you can't get sick like that, you must be ready to deploy in any number of ways, one being by air..."

"That's good. Because of your backround in special forces, I didn't think you would, but it's best not to assume anything. Lots of people get really sick on that flight." The helicopter was quite fast, and they had gone a long way, Clara could tell from looking out the window. "I don't get airsick, but Rear-Admiral Erzsebet Sorvik, the head of diplomacy and a family friend, does. She always takes the train for this reason, which can be an inconvenience."

Jean seemed to be quite interested by that, "Ah, tell me, the trains in your nation, are they numerous and do they run often? Is it a scenic route? I just love to take a train ride through the countryside and get a good view of the land, you know?"