Re: A Light in the Darkness
Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 7:34 pm
D'Aubignier seemed to be the one with the most technical know-how, while Holden was the required politician. The Guildmate went over their blueprints with the sort of speed centuries spent studying documents under pressure could provide, making it seem like he was glancing across the pages when he honestly was taking everything into account.
"Well, this is only after some twenty minutes spent with these," he said, briefly glancing at his watch, "but I'd say this is mostly above-board. I've seen a few inconsistencies in your planned lot structures, but it's my understanding, Nereus, that you've never really had to take to urban development studies before.
- That's correct," admitted Nereus. "I've established myself as an architect as of the past year, but this is after centuries spent wandering across the surface. The less is said of the years I spent as a Spiritualist guru, the better... Prior to all this, I was the Augur of Dalarath. Houses were built within walking distance to the slave pens and the docks, each neighbourhood had its Word House and its Arbiter barracks, and-"
Matthias was still looking at the documents and stopped the Void Weaver with a small gesture. "-and your palace overlooked the city while facing the opposite hill the Lord Houses occupied. I've studied those documents the Rothchilds managed to transliterate from the Black Speech. Their breakdown of your old social structures was surprisingly thorough.
- But this still is my first urban development project," finished the Squid.
Matthias tsked. "I can see that, you've placed factory campuses close to the inner beachfronts. I would have worked while keeping a more consistent eye on potential land values; but you've obviously made efforts on the environmental level. I trust this can still be revised?
- I've mobilized funds and working crews, but nothing's begun except for base survey operations."
Holden took a moment to lightly tap on his tablet with a stylus. "I've looked over the project's finances. Mister Kuhn and the Rothchilds are providing you with the starting basis of two billion dollars, the lot of which's been split between NPO's in order to finance both the construction and the structural and environmental surveys. In regards to the construction, however, I see you've snubbed a number of proposals made by a number of eminent firms that have prestigious projects on record. Dubai, several contracts in Antarctica, Sector 4 in Paradise..."
Nereus nodded. "That's because Void Weavers will ply their gifts to raise the Earth's crust with their will alone. This should cut back on carbon monoxide emissions and reduce the project's ETA from several decades to a few years."
Forsythe grunted. "I'm not sure Greece's Ministry of Finance will appreciate knowing that you're willing to deprive local workers of a sizable employment opportunity...
- But they'll all have ample opportunity to work in New Dalarath as soon as we'll need to focus on landscaping and fine-tuning!" protested the former Augur.
"Be that as it may," added the mouse, "will your crews work fast enough to prevent potential tensions from rising?"
Nereus' tentacles were twitching in annoyance. "The only expenses I've set for the Terraformation crew involves temporary lodgings on barges and enough food to last for the construction phase. If you're under the impression that we'll change air molecules into gold and wave insolently easy wealth in the face of the locals, you're mistaken."
The mouse's look didn't change. In response, Nereus gestured with a hand and his tendrils, the air shimmering atop the conference table, until golden motes came into being. These grew closer, forming into clumps of the same golden hue - until a fist-sized lump of gold lightly fell to the table's surface with a little clunk.
"There," said Nereus. "That is the only chunk of gold you'll see me or anyone of my species conjure into being during this project. If you'll make the effort to read a little deeper into the accompanying documents, you'll find that I've outsourced Security and that I've planned for the potential eventuality of one of my people choosing to ride a gravy train while the rest of us will be doing our best to keep what's eventually going to be an abortive volcano behaving the way we need it to.
For God's sake, man - I've spent centuries pining for this selkie," he said, pointing to Meris. "I've married her! I'm not superior to her, I'm simply different. My people should have the right to work as would come naturally to them, while agreeing to give the surrounding mortal populaces as many opportunities to profit from our own endeavors as possible!"
The mouse merely looked at Nereus, while the Squid was staring daggers at the mouse.
"Good," then added Forsythe. "I suspect Aldergard probed your convictions before we came in, but I needed to see for myself."
Anger gave way to confusion on the Squid's face. "I'm sorry... What?!
- I've spent centuries making others angry," explained Forsythe, "because anger lets someone's honest causes and convictions shine through. Honest enemies are of more use to me than duplicitous friends. In some cases, casual claims and deep convictions align. That seems to have been the case."
The ghost of a smile played behind the moustache. "I needed to see the man behind the dragon, vampire and selkie fanboy."
Anger flashed in Nereus' eyes again, but he forced a smile on his face and gripped Meris' hand for support. In the meantime, Matthias looked somewhat confused and unsure on how to process what had just happened, while Aldergard hadn't shifted from his pensive looks. If he'd disapproved of Holden's approach, he didn't mention it.
"Well, this is only after some twenty minutes spent with these," he said, briefly glancing at his watch, "but I'd say this is mostly above-board. I've seen a few inconsistencies in your planned lot structures, but it's my understanding, Nereus, that you've never really had to take to urban development studies before.
- That's correct," admitted Nereus. "I've established myself as an architect as of the past year, but this is after centuries spent wandering across the surface. The less is said of the years I spent as a Spiritualist guru, the better... Prior to all this, I was the Augur of Dalarath. Houses were built within walking distance to the slave pens and the docks, each neighbourhood had its Word House and its Arbiter barracks, and-"
Matthias was still looking at the documents and stopped the Void Weaver with a small gesture. "-and your palace overlooked the city while facing the opposite hill the Lord Houses occupied. I've studied those documents the Rothchilds managed to transliterate from the Black Speech. Their breakdown of your old social structures was surprisingly thorough.
- But this still is my first urban development project," finished the Squid.
Matthias tsked. "I can see that, you've placed factory campuses close to the inner beachfronts. I would have worked while keeping a more consistent eye on potential land values; but you've obviously made efforts on the environmental level. I trust this can still be revised?
- I've mobilized funds and working crews, but nothing's begun except for base survey operations."
Holden took a moment to lightly tap on his tablet with a stylus. "I've looked over the project's finances. Mister Kuhn and the Rothchilds are providing you with the starting basis of two billion dollars, the lot of which's been split between NPO's in order to finance both the construction and the structural and environmental surveys. In regards to the construction, however, I see you've snubbed a number of proposals made by a number of eminent firms that have prestigious projects on record. Dubai, several contracts in Antarctica, Sector 4 in Paradise..."
Nereus nodded. "That's because Void Weavers will ply their gifts to raise the Earth's crust with their will alone. This should cut back on carbon monoxide emissions and reduce the project's ETA from several decades to a few years."
Forsythe grunted. "I'm not sure Greece's Ministry of Finance will appreciate knowing that you're willing to deprive local workers of a sizable employment opportunity...
- But they'll all have ample opportunity to work in New Dalarath as soon as we'll need to focus on landscaping and fine-tuning!" protested the former Augur.
"Be that as it may," added the mouse, "will your crews work fast enough to prevent potential tensions from rising?"
Nereus' tentacles were twitching in annoyance. "The only expenses I've set for the Terraformation crew involves temporary lodgings on barges and enough food to last for the construction phase. If you're under the impression that we'll change air molecules into gold and wave insolently easy wealth in the face of the locals, you're mistaken."
The mouse's look didn't change. In response, Nereus gestured with a hand and his tendrils, the air shimmering atop the conference table, until golden motes came into being. These grew closer, forming into clumps of the same golden hue - until a fist-sized lump of gold lightly fell to the table's surface with a little clunk.
"There," said Nereus. "That is the only chunk of gold you'll see me or anyone of my species conjure into being during this project. If you'll make the effort to read a little deeper into the accompanying documents, you'll find that I've outsourced Security and that I've planned for the potential eventuality of one of my people choosing to ride a gravy train while the rest of us will be doing our best to keep what's eventually going to be an abortive volcano behaving the way we need it to.
For God's sake, man - I've spent centuries pining for this selkie," he said, pointing to Meris. "I've married her! I'm not superior to her, I'm simply different. My people should have the right to work as would come naturally to them, while agreeing to give the surrounding mortal populaces as many opportunities to profit from our own endeavors as possible!"
The mouse merely looked at Nereus, while the Squid was staring daggers at the mouse.
"Good," then added Forsythe. "I suspect Aldergard probed your convictions before we came in, but I needed to see for myself."
Anger gave way to confusion on the Squid's face. "I'm sorry... What?!
- I've spent centuries making others angry," explained Forsythe, "because anger lets someone's honest causes and convictions shine through. Honest enemies are of more use to me than duplicitous friends. In some cases, casual claims and deep convictions align. That seems to have been the case."
The ghost of a smile played behind the moustache. "I needed to see the man behind the dragon, vampire and selkie fanboy."
Anger flashed in Nereus' eyes again, but he forced a smile on his face and gripped Meris' hand for support. In the meantime, Matthias looked somewhat confused and unsure on how to process what had just happened, while Aldergard hadn't shifted from his pensive looks. If he'd disapproved of Holden's approach, he didn't mention it.