072814merrowcondesce

-- aspiringArchon [AA]  began trolling languidLachesis [LL]  at 20:50 --

[08:53] AA: Merrow hurries along to see what's up.

[08:54] LL: Merrow arrives at his mother's new office, and is ushered in immediately. She looks angry.

[08:54] AA: "IS SOMETHING THE MATTER, MOTHER?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:55] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: She slams the folder down on her desk. "Are you so intent on ruining this betrothal that you're pailing with her FATHER?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:55] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow turns completely tyrian.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:56] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "WE ARE QUITE HAPPY WITH THE BETROTHAL, IN FACT."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:56] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "Then explain these." She passes a different folder across the desk.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:56] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow grimaces and looks at the folder.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:57] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: It is filled with love letters from Rilset, referencing a desire to "relive those passionate minutes."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:57] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "My officers have picked up no less than six of them. In the past 24 hours."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:57] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow stares at them in shock.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:58] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Merrow looks angry.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[08:59] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "I've already contacted Miss Etrors. She insists that as Acenia's legal mother, any and all betrothals entered into without her consent are void. She is also insisting that her daughter be immediately removed from the base, due to her pardon, we cannot legally detain her, apparently."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:00] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "DO ACENIA'S DESIRES MEAN NOTHING TO THEM?!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:00] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow blinks for a moment. "UH....OR THE DEAL WITH SCARLET, OF COURSE."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:01] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: He looks sheepish at the fact that his duty to make good on the deal didn't occur to him first.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:02] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "I have no idea. But maybe if the girl spoke up a bit, they might listen." She flips through another folder. "Her brother is due for pick up in two weeks. We can stall till then. I suggest you convince the girl she needs to either stand up for herself, or pack her things, by then. I can only do so much, when apparently they are all citizens of Earth."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:03] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: She growls in frustration.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:03] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow looks helpless and pathetic for a moment. "SURELY THEY CAN BE REASONED WITH? ACENIA IS SOMEWHAT TIMID, SHE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO STAND UP TO THEM!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:03] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "When I approached Beau and Tlaloc about this, can you believe they suggested letting Acenia go and betrothing you to Rubi?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:04] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow's eyes widen. His voice comes out shrill and strained, and a bit too fast. "THIS WOULD NOT RESOLVE THE SITUATION WITH SCARLET."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:05] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "You think I don't know that? Sadly, another one of Scarlet's species has contacted Beau. He claims he can provide much more assistance than Scarlet, so long as Acenia does not survive to enter the game."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:05] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "BESIDES, LEYERS SURELY MUST KNOW BY NOW THAT ACENIA IS DOOMED IF SHE DOESN'T STAY AND PARTICIPATE IN THE GAME, DOESN'T HE? EVEN IF HE IS TRYING TO BREAK THE BETROTHAL, TAKING HER AWAY WOULD BE LIKE A DEATH SENTENCE!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:05] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "WHAT? WHO?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:06] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "WHO CONTACTED HER?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:06] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "He refers to himself as 'crackerJack1337'."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:06] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "FOR A SUPPOSEDLY EXTINCT SPECIES THERE CERTAINLY ARE A LOT OF THESE CREATURES MEDDLING IN OUR AFFAIRS!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:07] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "PLEASE, MOTHER, FIND A WAY TO CONVINCE QUEEN BEAU NOT TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER. WE WILL FIND A WAY TO DEAL WITH ETRORS AND LEYERS." His voice is pleading, practically begging.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:07] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "Regardless, his offer has made Beau and Tlaloc reconsider the treaty. They haven't yet moved against us, because they are on Alternia, and I've told them any action that harms Acenia will be taken as an attack on a member of the Imperial Family.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:08] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: I am speaking to Rilset to have him calm Nullar, but you should speak to Acenia as well."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:08] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "WE WILL. ANYTHING IT TAKES."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:09] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "Thankfully, Colonel Heston thinks hurting a child is the worst kind of evil, and she assures us she will defect, in exchange for custody of Darmok."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:09] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "I would prefer this not turn into an INTERPLANETARY INCIDENT, all right?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:09] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "THE HORNTAKER WOULD DO THAT?" Merrow sounds touched. "SHE HAS REALLY SURPRISED US IN THE SHORT TIME WE'VE KNOWN HER."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:09] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "We may not survive this one."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:10] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "AGREED. WE WILL SPEAK TO ACENIA. SHELL, WE WILL SPEAK TO MILOKO AND RUBI. PERHAPS THEY CAN CONVINCE THE QUEEN NOT TO ACCEPT SUCH A HEINOUS OFFER."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:11] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "Good. I just wanted to warn you. The entire base knows about your feelings for the girl. So if you're trying to keep that private, the cat's out of the bag."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:11] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "WE SEE." Merrow accepts this.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:11] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "IT WAS NOT OUR WISH FOR OUR EMOTIONS TO BE SO EVIDENT. WE APOLOGIZE IF WE HAVE BEEN INDISCREET."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:12] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "It's not unexpected. We've gathered nearly two-dozen hormonal teenagers in one building. And they live here too, 24/7. This was somewhat expected, and planned for."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:12] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow sighs.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:12] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "SPEAKING OF HORMONES, WE FEEL WE SHOULD WARN YOU, THOUGH WE DOUBT YOU ARE UNAWARE..."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:13] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: She places her chin in her hand and listens.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:14] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "THERE IS A REASONABLY GOOD POSSIBILITY THIS IS A PLOY ON THE PART OF LEYERS TO TAKE YOU AS A KISMESIS. THINGS HE SAID WHEN HE PLAYED HIS LITTLE 'PRANK' ON US THE OTHER DAY MORE OR LESS CONFIRMED SUCH A THING TO BE ON HIS AGENDA. PERHAPS IT WAS A LONG CON TO SET UP THIS SCENARIO WITH ETRORS, BUT YOU MAY WISH TO BE ON YOUR GUARD."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:15] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: It appears it is the Condesce's turn to flush Tyrian.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:15] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow's flushing a bit too, and not making eye contact. He would prefer not to imagine this of his mother.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:16] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: He sighs. "OH. AND THERE WAS ANOTHER MATTER. WE SHOULD HAVE LEAD WITH IT FIRST, PERHAPS, AS IT IS QUITE IMPORTANT, BUT THE BUSINESS WITH ACENIA IS....HARD NOT TO PRIORITIZE."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:16] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "Leyers has been a thorn in our side for some time. We are aware of his advances, and rejecting them. Definitely not because we want him flushed. That would be absurd."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:16] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow groans, not wanting to hear THIS from the Condesce either.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:18] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: She coughs. "You have no official duties here other than preparing to play the game. If you choose to spend that time building a powerful team of allies, and cementing your relationship with the girl to ensure Scarlet sees progress in that regard when you enter the game, I would not see it as amiss. Otherwise, you are free to do as you like, provided you remember your station."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:18] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: He clears his throat, changing the subject. "WHILE WE WERE NOT PERSONALLY PRIVY TO IT DUE TO....TROUBLE SLEEPING, THE OTHER PLAYERS HAVE REPORTED ON SHARED DREAMS. WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT IT WAS TRULY SHARED AND NOT JUST COINCIDENCE. AND THIS DREAM WAS SHARED WITH PLAYERS WHO ARE NOT YET ON THE BASE."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:18] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "OBVIOUSLY THIS REPRESENTS A POTENTIAL SECURITY BREACH, AS WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO CENSOR COMMUNICATIONS HAD IN DREAMS."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:19] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "YOU HAVE ALREADY HAD A HIGH RATE OF BRINGING IN NEW PLAYERS, BUT IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO SPEED IT UP EVEN MORE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:19] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "We will do what we can. Regardless, if that information is not confirmed in any way, those new players will be more likely to pass it off as a dream."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:20] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "WE CAN ONLY HOPE." He nods. "SO....YOU WOULD NOT CONSIDER IT TO BE TIME WASTED, IF WE JUST SPEND TIME WITH OUR BETROTHED?" He is trying to sound disinterested, but the enthusiasm in his voice is unmistakable.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:21] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "AFTER WE DEAL WITH THE ISSUE WITH ETRORS AND LEYERS, OBVIOUSLY."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:22] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: She grins. "Mayhaps spending time with her will help deal with the issue of Etrors and Leyers. If her daughter is happy, Etrors might back off."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:23] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "Of course, since you seem so worried about it, I can go ahead and give you a large number of tedious and menial tasks."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:23] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "NO, NO, THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY." He says hurriedly.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:25] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "are you sure? I am more than capable of putting you to work with tax code while Acenia works in here as my secretary. Then she can learn to be an empress, and you can avoid her." She chuckles, almost Teasing.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:26] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow looks shocked as he realizes what's going on. "ARE YOU....TEASING US?!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:27] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: "Of course not. We are the Imperial Condescension. Why would We ever tease you?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:27] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "OH. WE THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT..." He blushes and turns away. "NOTHING. IT IS NOT IMPORTANT."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:32] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: She chuckles. "Well, Unless you'd like me to give you some job, you're free to go, for now."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:33] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: "VERY WELL. THANK YOU FOR INFORMING US, MOTHER. WE WILL SPEAK TO ACENIA."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:34] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#b11262;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">AA: Merrow bows to his mother, then heads back the way he came.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">[09:36] <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#00aa00;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">LL: You hear her chuckling as you close the door.