trans_9 | "Listening to others, considering well what they say" (Part 3: Maingate Hotel)

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"Listening to others, considering well what they say" (Part 3: Maingate Hotel)

The Maingate Hotel was pretty extravagant, and an entire section of it had been eked out for the crew's use during their stay. They had several suites, three communal areas, a conference room, their own kitchen with a chef on call if they required her.

They were all teleported from the main teleport pad of the hotel into the conference room, which was a large enough room to be able to hold a group their size and had plenty of chairs arranged in a circular pattern so they could mostly all face each other or whoever was in the middle of the room.

Everyone had to settle down so they were all able to talk, and the meeting itself would have to be carefully controlled so they wouldn't all talk over each other. But they were up for the task, right?

[ooc: Guardian Setup, General Mingling, Clone Checkup, Newbie Briefing, General Briefing, More Mingling, Back to the Meeting, and The Idea Guy sections are open. Backup characters introduced to the plot can join in the mingling subthreads if they want. The opening of new subthreads will be announced here and the ooc. Please read the linked OOC post for a plot timeline.]

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Kang's wings rustled, and he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down a bit. He didn't want to snap at Sakura when she was attempting to help him. "I don't remember feeling anything when it happened. I was too busy trying to get out of the damn restraints. There's no pain now, either."

He hated to ask it, let alone even consider it, but he knew that if he wanted to be able to leave the hotel, he couldn't do it alone.

"We were told that we could decide on our own 'Guardians'." The last word was said with a bitter tone.

After a moment her hands came away, green glow cutting out entirely. She'd hummed in the back of her throat as acknowledgment when he'd answered her questions, holding off her opinion on what might be able to be done with what she'd felt in his forehead for now. As far as she could tell, the things responsible for generating the brand weren't interacting with his system in any way outside of a general 'do not attack' that appeared to keep his immune system from responding. Not quite like a tattoo, in the end.

"Did you have anyone in mind?" It was ridiculous that anyone had thought branding was acceptable; equally ridiculous that the turnover to 'Guardians' -- for all intents and purposes, owners in the eyes of the Galileean society -- would be left to those violated. You'd think they could have recognized freedom of choice long before forcing the biggest decision on them in the first place.

"I have a few in mind I'd rather not deal with," Kang said dryly, crossing his arms over his chest. The next part was said in a somewhat bitter tone. "I'm pretty sure I can trust you to not take advantage of it, though."

She regarded Kang seriously. "I'd be honored to do absolutely nothing as a Guardian," she commented mildly.

One corner of Kang's mouth went up in a wry smile. "What did you find out about the brand?"

"It's not interacting with your system on anything more than a superficial level. I'm guessing that what's causing the projection is also keeping the pieces in formation and broadcasting some signal to the body so your system doesn't try fighting it off. They're not registering as foreign bodies."

Thinking over what she'd felt, reasoning through it, Sakura had a feeling there was something she could do about the brand. Given enough time. "I believe I can remove the brand itself, if it's not something I want to test right now. Not without knowing more behind how this particular technology works."

She did what she could to keep the edge of frustration out of her voice.

"Let me know as soon as you are, because I want this damn thing off," Kang snorted, biting back a growl. "I wouldn't be surprised if they were able to track us through it. Though, that makes me wonder how the clones who are fighting against them might be blocking the signal so they aren't found, if that's the case."

"Which is why I wonder if it has a built in tracking ability, or if it trips sensors and tracks that way. Or if it tracks at all. If the people fighting the government aren't able to be tracked by the government, and aren't standing out for a lack of that ability..." not that she could know they were or weren't.

It was part of the damned without the information circle they were currently sitting in. Looking back down at the restraints on the table -- the muzzle -- she found herself asking one of the few things that came to mind. "So what was this all about?" she asked, gesturing to the muzzle. "Not that your smile isn't impressive, but it seems a little over the top."

So why had it been there?

"I hate having a lack of information." Kang cursed. He glanced down at the muzzle when Sakura brought it up, unable to hold back a slight hiss. "I almost fried that Councilor with lightning. Unfortunately, I missed him, but if things happen in a way that I get another opportunity, he won't be so lucky again."

Her eyebrows quirked up. "Lightning? Don't tell me you have a fire affiliation too." She had to school herself into looking neutral after the brief (caustic) amusement at imagining Kanner dodging lightning. It's brief based on her own experience.

No comment on his final statement. She'd remember, but far be it from her to comment on retribution sought against others. Let alone to a male.

Kang's wings rustled, and he glanced to the side. "No. I'm related to bronzes, not golds. The damn muzzle was useless, anyways; I can't do it more than once a day. Before you ask, it's not something I've ever heard of other draconians being able to do."

Then the metallics had different elemental affiliations. She wondered what the full range of elements were on Krynn, and if it varied all that much from the basic five and the countless permutations of her own.

At his heading off her next line of thought, she smiled. If she felt at all sheepish, she managed to hide it well. (For her. It was still there to read, for a moment.) "If it's learned, at least it's one thing we won't have to wor..."

Sakura trailed off, shutting herself up as her mouth caught up with where her brain had been taking her. "Councilor, it was mentioned that this Kanner implied that branding was allowable based on consent granted by, what, being here?" She looked to his face, quietly serious. "What else might be implied as consented to by merit of us being hosted here on Galilee itself?"

Kang's head tilted to one side slightly, confused as to what Sakura was getting at. Then, it hit him.

"You think they didn't get our DNA for health reasons."

"I think it's highly possible they didn't obtain samples of our DNA just for health reasons." She was willing to grant them that much.

If the implications were unsettling -- and unsubstantiated.

"Did anyone receive copies of the laws of Galilee?" Kang asked, a very serious look on his face.

Sakura shook her head. "Nothing detailed with the information from the ship. Maybe one of the people being 'officially' debriefed was able to request a copy."

Kang nodded, "I'll have to ask. There's no telling what else we may have unknowingly agreed to by setting foot on this planet."

Sakura nodded in return. "And how that should inform any decisions being made."

"Speaking of decisions, if any of the others try to discount my words, they're going to regret it," Kang growled. "I'm still one of their Councilors, and I'm not stupid."

Sakura liked to believe no one would be that stupid. All those who had been branded were still here; they hadn't charged out to enact retribution on the councilors who were ultimately responsible. "I'd like to think everyone isn't a complete idiot."

... Oh. She might have wanted to use a different word. Sakura looked briefly away. No, she had not just said she hoped everyone wasn't a complete idiot. No, that was certainly not her.

"You can be honest with me, Sakura. I know there are a few that already are wanting to discount me." Kang had a feeling Ildraniath and Zetta would, from their comments on the omnicomms, and wouldn't put it past Zedd.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "The final call comes down to Grayson?"

Kang nodded. "It does."

"He's still listening. For the ones who aren't..." she didn't finish that statement. She'd told Rory she'd walk that line of neutrality, if it was damn next to impossible in he face of what had gone on, and the implications of what else might. Not to mention would could, in the future. "I don't envy him his position."

"I saw his face earlier. He looked nearly as pissed about this as we are," Kang snorted.

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encourage - 2011-07-01 01:00 (UTC) - Expand

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