Part three: agenda
By Richard LeBlanc
Early in the following night - the new prince had called together his council for a meeting in his luxurious tower complex. Some were impressed by the lay of the place - others were less than amused.
"Nice digs," Glare commented.
"Oh - that's right. Many of you have never been here before. Please - make yourself at home - what's mine is yours as they say," Esamuel stated as he sat down at his table. The representatives of Gangrel - Brujah - Nosforatu and Malkavian - chose to remain standing - the others sat down. "No? Suit yourself. The reason I called this meeting - is to deal with - old business. Business that needs to be dealt with - now," he began as one of his minions handed him a folder.
"As you blue bloods say - time is money - and you are wasting ours. Get to the point," Man basher interrupted. Esamuel calmly looked over at the untrusting Brujah Primogen and smiled.
"I shall. The concern is with the actions of the rogue - known as Skamms. On several occasions he has flaunted his disrespect for order - both to the Traditions that bind us as a society - and to the old prince. Our old prince Axis might have been unwilling to deal with the menace - I will not be so lax. I put before the council - a motion for a blood hunt. Any objections?" he asked - looking at the standing kindred.
"The whole list - or just the key points?" Man Basher retorted.
"As time is money - just the key points," he replied.
"Lunatic that he is - whatever trouble he might have caused - time and time again - his actions have saved Eco and - most likely all of us. Remember when that Baali sect tried to raised their demon master?" she stated seriously. Esamuel nodded and turned a piece of paper over.
"I do - I was there. He openly used vampiric powers without regard for the Masquerade - or would you have me believe that lightning striking ten or more times in one place is discretion?" he asked.
"Two hundred years ago - odd storms occurred. Questions were asked - but nothing happened. The house of Tremere have used more force than he - when the city was in peril - would you blood hunt all of them too?" a Gangrel asked.
"Touching story - lacking any tangible proof of course. Can you tell me that the gathering of anarchs that were assembled - can you tell me that - all of them - are bound by the rules of tradition? Or that all of them were kindred for that matter?" he retorted.
"I see - where this is going - and the madness - is not in my head. It is in yours," Slap Happy stated seriously. The tone surprised most. Usually he was placid and comedic.
"You - have something to say?" Esamuel asked curiously.
"Chamberlan - in the time of Jest - was the sanctuary for my brothers and sisters. He was - a bit touched - more so than most. But he scared you all. He was murdered - and his people were hunted down. There are two Malkavians in that city to date - two - where once stood twenty. That - will not happen here," Slap Happy stated - pointing a finger at the prince.
"Interesting story - but what does one have to do with the other?" he retorted.
"Tell me who was the most talked about - most influential Malkavian in Chamberlan - and tell me what happened after he was gone?" the madman asked.
"That would be Dr. Jest - and they fell into the cracks of society. Some perished some moved on," he stated calmly.
"Some? Fell? All - were pushed hard - and those that weren't paid the price. Tell me now - who the most talked about Malkavian - in Eco?" he demanded.
"Skamms?" he answered curiously. Slap Happy nodded. "Interesting theory - but no. Good business is not unbalancing something that already works. It is about order - maintenance - structure - and the removal - of things that could undo all of it," he justified. Slap Happy snorted and shook his head.
"Funny - that is what the prince of Chamberlan said," he commented.
"Remember the Iron Fist - when they tried to rock the city - who took them down and probably saved all our lives? Or was that not good business?" Toenail asked curtly. Esamuel quietly groaned and looked over at the defiant kindred.
"Axis - had he used better judgement - that situation could have been dealt with before it reached the boiling point. But - while we are on the subject - the Archon - the man that warned us of that peril - who killed him? Oh yes - the savior himself," he stated.
"Had he not - the point would be moot - because the city would be under the thrall of Sir. You know - I find it funny - that a Ventrue came out of that situation - smelling like a rose - where the rest of us suffered losses - imagine that?" Man Basher pointed out.
"Are you - implying - that I was acting against the prince? Tread carefully Brujah - this is not a free state anymore," he warned. She took a step forward. Instantly every Ventrue minion and agent had a weapon aimed at her.
"Eco - was never a free state. It was Brujah city," she pointed out.
"A - usually equals B. I have heard your grievances - but the vote shall still be passed - Glare," he stated as he leaned back on his chair.
"The motion to pass the Blood hunt on the kindred Skamms is before the council. The charges - breach of the Masquerade - eight counts. Violation of Domain - twelve counts. Violation of Hospitality - oh dear - twenty-seven counts. Violation of Destruction - upwards of fifty counts. Interesting numbers. Tremere?" Glare began.
"Abstain," the Primogen stated. The answer surprised all present.
"Please - explain," Esamuel requested in modest disbelief.
"Clan reasons - nothing more," he replied.
"Okay - Toreador?" Glare commented and asked.
"His chaos - his anarchy - it can't be allowed to go on," he replied. He held out a fist and turned his thumb down.
"Formality deems I ask - clan Ventrue?" Glare asked. The new Primogen stepped forward and bowed to the new prince. "Noted. One abstain - two for. Now the friendly side of the table. Brujah?" he asked curiously.
"Your humor doesn't go over well with me snake. Brujah honor pacts made - and he has one - with the anarchs. You want him - do so without Brujah," she answered decisively. Glare nodded and walked over to where a large growling Gangrel was towering.
"Your vote?" he asked.
"Politics - blood hunt. Gangrels hunt who and what we please. Abstain," he stated coldly.
"Oh - this has a familiar feel to it. Slap Happy - of Malkavians?" Glare asked.
"No," he replied seriously.
"Two abstain - two for - two against - last vote's yours Toenail," Glare commented.
"There is madness in this - this is not about traditions - there is more to this and the Nosforatu - can not be a party to this," he replied calmly. Esamuel looked over at the Tremere Primogen that had messed up his plan.
"The council says," Glare began.
"The hunt - stands," the prince interrupted.
"Overruling the vote? So be it. Vote is passed by order of the prince," Glare commented.
"If you planned on doing that - why call the vote in the first place?" Man Basher asked.
"Formality - nothing more," Toenail replied.
"The prince might have been unable to bring that - arrogant little bug to justice - but that won't be said about me," the prince began. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Man basher snorted and shook her head.
"Idiot. Axis tried summoning the boy - it never worked," she stated.
"Axis - lacked focus. Tremere - Toreador - keep alert - he is coming. If he tries to sneak passed - I want to know," he stated.
"We - are talking about Skamms right? Does he sound like the sneak in sort of person?" Man Basher sarcastically asked.
"Perhaps - perhaps not. He is no ordinary madman," the prince retorted.
Two hours later...
"Anything?" the prince asked. The Toreador and Tremere Primogen shook their heads.
"Scouts? Anything?" he asked into a radio.
"Nothing yet sir," a voice replied.
Four hours later...
"This is getting boring," Slap Happy commented.
"Tell that to the prince - he knows what he is doing after all," Man Basher added.
Six more hours later...
"This is getting weak! You expect us to sit here in your little castle? The Gangrel have more important matters to deal with," one grumbled as he walked towards the door. Two Ventrue stepped forward and blocked the door.
"Leave - and I will strip you of status," Esamuel warned. The Gangrel looked over at the prince and quietly laughed. In a savage motion he knocked the frail looking Ventrue aside and opened the door.
"Do whatever you want - highness. But do so without the aid of Gangrel," he retorted as he stormed out of the room.
"Remove all his status," Esamuel stated.
"Noted," Glare commented.
"Hey - as fun as this hasn't been - I have business - infinitely more important than this farce. Oh - and to save you the effort of some menacing would be threat - fuck status - and fuck you. You thought Eco was a free state before - you ain't seen nothing yet," she stated coldly as she and the Brujah with her stepped on the still twitching Ventrue that had been knocked down.
"Glare," Esamuel began.
"On it," he replied.
"You have no need of us - highness - you have your pets to do your bidding. You will do as you please - traditions be damned. So do so - without me," Slap Happy stated curtly as he turned and left the room.
"Hold on - let me guess - his status is down the drain too?" Glare asked.
"Bingo," he replied.
"This - is madness. You think that by removing status you will control the city? Perhaps if you make some of your ghouls the new Primogens of the dissident clans? You can pretend that you have order - but we both know - that without the clans backing - the hunt will never work," Toenail stated calmly as he walked over and politely bowed to the prince.
"You too?" he asked.
"His blood - will be on your hands - not ours. Do as you feel you must - as you most likely will anyway. Perhaps with the Toreador - and Tremere - and your clan - you will be able to find him wherever he hides - what do you think?" he asked curiously.
"I think - you have lost your status as well - unless you - and your clan enforce this hunt," he replied seriously. Toenail shook his head and calmly left the room. Esamuel clenched his fist and slammed it into the table. "They think they can take this city from me?" he muttered in disgust.
"The house of Tremere - will follow the decree of the prince - but our influence in where this fugitive might hide - is not great," the Primogen commented.
"Same here," the Toreador added.
"It matters not - find him at all costs - to the victor - will go a major boon - owed - by me," he replied seriously.
"Do you want us to wait here longer?" The Tremere Primogen asked.
"No - if he was on route - my people would have spotted him. He may be good - but he isn?t that good. Go - and keep me informed," he replied. The two Primogens got up and left the room.
"Highness - some might question the reasoning behind the totalitarian edicts you passed today. I mean - you have single handedly removed - five - ten - almost thirty status from five kindred over a blood hunt vote they challenged?" Glare asked.
"Your point?" he rebutted.
"No point. Just an observation. Running a city - is different from running a business - or a even a clan - not that I would know anything about any of that. For all of his faults - and the old prince did have many of them - he knew the balance and tried to maintain it - but - I am positive that this will work out - things usually do where you are concerned," Glare commented with a friendly smile. "Unless I am needed?" he asked.
"Go," he replied. Glare bowed to the prince and calmly left.
"You want him followed?" one of his minions asked.
"No. Tighten security. I'm not convinced that my summon didn't work," he replied and ordered. Several Ventrue filtered out of the room to carry out his orders.
At that moment - in the sewers below the city - Toenail and Grater entered Grater's haven.
"But why do you want to talk here?" Grater asked.
"Security," Toenail replied.
"Your place isn't secure?" he asked in disbelief.
"Found devices - planted there. It was compromised. You hear about what went down today?" he asked.
"That bogus blood hunt? He'll have a fun time trying to find Skamms with three clans - even more luck with the rest opposing the hunt or obstructing it - oh - I heard about your loss of status - sorry about that," Grater stated. Toenail sat down on a broken in swivel chair and looked up at the sewer roof.
"If you want it - go for it. The prince is looking for a pawn to use - if you don't mind that - its all yours," he replied.
"Never had the stomach for politics - not like you," he replied. Toenail turned the chair around so that his back was to him.
"I have a problem Grater," he began.
"What?" he asked.
"Things are a mess - everywhere. I don't know who to trust anymore. I don't know what's real and what's not. But the one thing I do know - is that the only person - I know I can trust," he began. The chair turned around. In the place of Toenail - sat Snapps! "Is you," he concluded.
To be continued...
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