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Post by Virianus Devinian on Nov 19, 2014 18:02:48 GMT -5
Virianus Devinian felt the arrival of the final, vagrant counselor more than it was heard; Ishmaél’s steps, heavy and awkward, echoed through the council chamber in more than just the sound they made, and thus as the construction took his esteemed seat among the other four counselors, the Magistrate carefully moved the seemingly-ancient papers he had been reading into a drawer of his desk before crossing the expanse of his office floor and stepping into the central chamber. Alpha closed the door behind himself, sealing the great semicircular room once more into a definable, contained shape before moving to stand aside his own seat of power, one gloved hand clasping at the high back of the throne-like seat as though its weight supported him in more ways than just those belonging to the physical realm.
The perpetual grin of the jester on the Magistrate’s mask betrayed none of its bearer’s thoughts of feelings as he looked out upon the assembled Counselors – was it pride Alpha felt at the assembled cast of city leaders, or was it shame? The crux of Virianus’ authority often seemed to rest in the unknowable nature of his thoughts, desires, and designs, and while much speculation was done by each member assembled as to what motives rested behind the red and grey mask of office, none here assembled could claim predictive power over the Magistrate’s actions. Virianus would wait the scant few seconds required for each of the Counselors to fall into silence, expectant of the meetings commencement, and once the deafening quiet had echoed within the room for a trio of heartbeats, Alpha would indeed begin to speak.
Stepping to the center floor rather than taking his seat, Virianus Devinian projected his voice as he gazed at each of the Counselors in-turn, ensuring that his words would echo throughout the chamber and clearly reach even those members he was not immediately facing. ”Greetings to you, esteemed Counselors of Vascxious Sigma, and welcome. I am most grateful for the presence of each and every one of you here today, especially given the immediate nature of the call. In most days, you Counselors know that I am not oft to impose so heavily upon each of your valuable time; however, what we will discuss this hour is of great importance, and as such requires swift action.”
“As I gaze around this chamber, I am heartened to see so many capable leaders sitting among us. Each of you are extraordinary in your own right, with each of you carrying your own special talents and missions with you into this collective body of governance. It makes me glad to see such ability and promise representing our city, and I thank each of you for your contributions individually.“
“Yet, as I gaze around this chamber, I am also disheartened; too many seats stand empty, devoid of the life and talent required to protect and guide their respective districts to prosperity. Too many of your comrades have left this circle for too many reasons, and it is their absence that leaves this chain broken, this powerful body weak and disrupted. It is this matter, Counselors, that I bring to you this day, with great urgency at its feet: three seats stand void and empty, and while they remain so, our power, and therefore the city itself, is vulnerable.”
The Magistrate turned as he spoke, ensuring that each of the assembled beings felt the full weight of his words and his gaze.
”We approach a critical time – the city is expanding, putting more weight on the shoulders of each of you as you ensure the well being of our citizens. The world beyond our mountainous home has become full of strife and uncertainty, driving more men, women and children to come settle among us in the hopes of finding prosperity. To ensure they shall be able to, and in addition to ensure the safety and security of our beloved home, we must be strong and prepared. With such a large wound in our ranks, we invite calamity: therefore, it is my most sincere belief that returning this Council to its full capacity and strength should be our most important priority.”
Alpha let his words hang in the air for a long moment, letting the implications of his proposition sink in to each of the assembled. Done with his initial address, the Magistrate strode slowly to his seat and carefully lowered himself into it, rearranging his robe-like vestments in order to sit straight and rest his gloved hands upon the throne-like rests.
”Now, I know that each o you is aware of the bylaws of this Council, but I would be in violation of my duties as Magistrate were I not to remind you of them clearly. Nominees to sit on this ruling body can be brought to order at any time a seat is vacant. To be considered for a vote, the nominee must be seconded by one other standing Council member, and then, upon next adjournment, must receive a majority of Counselor votes in order to be elected. Now, as I have said, nominees may be brought at any time a seat is vacant, and yet the positions of Councilor for the Seventh and Eighth districts of the city have stood empty for some time. With the departure of Essarhaddon, now too does Fourth District stand empty, and yet none have been brought forward to stand before us and make their case as to their eligibility for one of these esteemed positions.”
Alpha’s raised hand indicated each of the vacant seats among them as he spoke of them, his words taking on a heavier tone as he continued.
”All of you have a great deal to occupy your time, and many duties which you must fufill, and in that, I understand that putting forth others to potentially stand among you has not been among your highest priorities. However, today I argue that doing so should be your highest priority, and to each of you I offer the full weight of the Tower’s resources in ensuring your duties leave you free enough to dedicate the time and attention that this matter deserves. Those of you lacking the time to devote must only speak to me privately, and I will assign whatever assistance is needed to free you of enough of a burden to address this matter personally.”
At this point, the Magistrate let his voice fall to silence as he gazed at each Counselor, waiting for any objections before he proceeded, though he expected none.
”In five days, I will call this Council to order again for one purpose: to nominate successors to the Councilors from the three districts that now stand vacant. I ask that each of you take these days to find and vet your candidates, considering carefully the merits of each person you would put before us, and prepare them to stand among us at the given time. Since there are three districts without leadership, each of you can nominate as many as three prospective Counselors, though I would hope each of you can bring forth at least one prospective comrade within the time I have given you. After the nomination process, we shall reconvene after three more days in order to take a final vote on each nominee who passes; I assume this shall be ample time for you each to consider who would best serve the city and then vote accordingly.”
As Magistrate, Alpha was given the ability to set the legislative Agenda, which meant that his timetable would be binding unless one of the Counselors made a good enough argument to change it that the change would win a super-majority vote. Alpha carefully peered at each of the Counselors in turn before finally laying his speech to rest.
”Now, let us please discuss any questions we might have as to this important issue, and the way in which we mean to solve it.”
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Post by Søren Kiirkegré on Nov 20, 2014 20:14:19 GMT -5
Søren smirked across the room at Aeorex. So, the CEO had chosen to assent to her terms: while the former Guardian had been partially expecting him to stamp his foot against her proposition like a spoiled child, Aeorex had managed to surprise her slightly by being so agreeable. That could mean only one thing – he needs something. That was fine – as long as Aeorex played by her rules, the female Counselor would be more than willing to hear him out. Søren wasn’t against compromise or collaboration with other members of the Council on principle, and in her current precarious position she wasn’t about to turn down a potential opportunity. However, by the same token Søren’s pride wouldn’t let her assent to the younger Councilor’s terms without establishing a power base of her own. Aeorex had allowed that, and therefore would enjoy a small berth of acceptance from the diminutive female so long as he didn’t try to throw his weight at her in some way.
The former Guardian’s red eyes locked on the smooth, opaque surface of Aeorex’s visor as she responded to his request. ”I’ll have the meeting location sent over when I return to Spec Ops tonight. Just don’t bring a detachment of your fancy hired guards – I’m not expecting you to see combat, and if by some miracle you did, I’ll make sure you aren’t in danger.” Oddly, Søren offer seemed relatively sincere, though the woman was obviously laughing internally at the thought of poor Aeorex being put in harm’s way. Leaning forward in her chair intently, the woman’s lips curled upward just on the right side, her gaze intense. ”I’m looking forward to it, darling.”
As Ishmael entered, the former Guardian settled herself back into her seat, leaving Aeorex to finish his conversation with Floraelia. Søren shot Callixta a sidelong glance that seemed oddly meaningful as Ishmaél’s gruff response sought to shut down the normally bodily-bisected beauty’s question before it gained ground. The Vagrant’s tone and temperament were never a surprise to Søren – she had learned to mostly ignore Ishmaél. He did his job well and he didn’t seem to harbor any designs at thwarting her, and that made him a piece of furniture in Søren’s book. The woman opened her mouth to respond to Callixta, but closed it promptly again as Virianus chose that moment to wander in, clearly intent on addressing the now-complete governing body.
Søren settled her back flat against her seat and relaxed her body, crossing one leg over the other and absently picking at the corner of her chair’s right armrest as Alpha began his introductions. As he spoke, the tone of his address began to take shape – they were here to begin the process of refilling the Council. The former Guardian shot another significant look in Callixta’s direction. The timing of this announcement was suspect, considering the task Søren had just been given by the Magistrate, but it also meant that Alpha was likely unwilling to sever those few functioning Counselors he had left until the new three had been elected, indoctrinated, and had begun their work. That fact gave Søren a limited amount of time in which to be proactive.
The former Guardian’s eyes flicked to Aeorex as Alpha laid down the nomination process they were all completely aware of. It was possible that the CEO’s sudden interest in collaboration of some kind had to do with his drive for more status among the Counselors . . . that fact could very easily work to the woman’s advantage, assuming she played her cards right.
As Alpha laid his speech to rest, Søren considered the implications. The Magistrate was setting an expectation that each of them nominate at least one person – with five potential nominees, there was a much greater chance of agreeing upon three actual Counselors. Yet, those who were well-connected and proactive could offer more choices, which gave them a greater chance of spreading their influence within the Council. Suddenly, Søren had a very clear idea of what she intended to do next. The woman kept silent as Alpha prompted the assembled members for questions – the former Guardian had none to ask. Søren was just waiting for the Council meeting to end: she suddenly had one important stop to make before heading back to Spec Ops. With any luck, she caught the gaze of Callixta one more time: We need to talk.
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Post by Floraelia Devinian on Nov 24, 2014 15:52:32 GMT -5
Floraelia had to work to keep her mouth from twitching when Aeorex playfully joked about being riddled full of holes. Gemstone green eyes narrowed subtly when the Mithrian passed a weighted sidelong glance in Søren's direction. Not that she didn't trust the CEO to look after himself, but if he turned up injured after a meeting with Søren Floraelia would find a way to make the Councilwoman's life remarkably challenging.
If it were possible, Floraelia's already-impeccable posture straightened when Aeorex responded, not daring to voice her thoughts on the matter─ at least not here where it was basically public forum. But, she was free to think about how she'd consider no night with Aeorex wasted in any context. . . She contented herself with offering a light laugh that was pleasant to the ear─ interrupted only by Callixta's re-entry. Her gaze flickered over to Fifth District's representative, but she made no move to answer her question: that Aeorex was going to say something else was far more attention-worthy and Callixta was probably only looking for an answer from Søren anyway. A furrow appeared in her brow when Aeorex apparently changed his mind, but the reason for it became clear when Ishmaél's voice rang out into the room. Floraelia missed Aeorex's mildly disappointed expression in favor of offering a welcoming smile in her other favorite Council-Elect's direction.
”Ishmaél!” There was a palpable difference in the way she greeted him versus how she'd met Søren or Callixta, but who was really keeping track of these things? ”It's good to see you. I hope things are well with your Districts,” her chin dipped easily as she watched him take his seat, apparently oblivious to the way his features were still forming. She added quickly, “If you have a moment after this, I have some things I'd like to run by you about the housing developments I've been working on for Second District. Otherwise, could I schedule a meeting with you for later in the week?” There wasn't much time for a response before the Magistrate stepped into the Council Chamber and stood next to his chair.
Floraelia watched Ishmaél for another moment before shooting Aeorex a quick glance and then directing her attention to where her father stood. There was no lingering color in her cheeks: the Diplomat refocused and watched him expectantly. Her features settled into pleasant neutrality when he began to speak, offering greeting and setting the tone for the assembly. The lines of her mouth hardened almost imperceptibly when the Magistrate finally brought them to the point of the meeting. She'd been correct in her conclusion: Fourth District's now-empty seat proved to be a catalyst and now they would have to answer for the empty seats of Seventh and Eighth Districts. The Mithrian moved to lean forward and adjust her seated position before she remembered her limited mobility and paused. Virianus continued, reiterating the nomination process before pressing forward into the timetable he expected. The Mithrian's countenance remained a clear picture of composure while internally she experienced the cold pressure of anxiety. Five days? The Magistrate was giving them only five days to pull together at least one candidate worthy of the Council. Ignoring the preferences and possible suggestions from the others, Floraelia focused solely on her own list of possible nominees and wanted to scream in frustration. It was completely out of the question that five days would be enough to truly vet anyone for the level of commitment and responsibility being part of the Council required. When Virianus opened up the floor her mind raced, but she let a few moments tick by and took the slowest, deepest breath the binding nature of the dress allowed before parting her lips.
”Magistrate,” she began with her father's title, using it to compartmentalize their professional and personal relationships, and offering a shallow incline of her chin in acknowledgment.
”I do feel it to be a disservice to the Council that two seats have been vacant for an extended period of time, but I believe it would be even more a disservice, not just to the Council, but also to the City, to fill any seat for the sake of an appearance of unity. I cannot speak for all of us, but I, personally, do not feel that five days is enough time─ even if relieved from all other duties─ to properly filter an appropriate candidate. It would predicate on the assumption that we all already had someone in mind and, if that were the case, we'd already be deliberating nominations.”
She paused long enough to let anyone else second or counter her raised point, before she continued.
”If presenting a united front is crucial and time-sensitive, then perhaps we should consider a true consolidation of some of the Districts rather than risk placing anyone in a seat that isn't ready or qualified enough for it.”
Floraelia watched the Magistrate intently before allowing herself to survey the room and gauge the reactions of the other Council-Elects.
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Post by Callixta Trëguere on Nov 24, 2014 23:30:15 GMT -5
Callixta caught Søren's glance just as Ishmaél finally decided to show up to Alpha's assembly, and bared teeth with the effort it took not to sneer in the Vagrant's direction.
”Ah, Ishmaél. Pleased you could make it in such a timely manner.”
Fifth District's Councilor stared evenly at the hulk of a construct as he moved to claim his seat directly across from her. He claimed the Magistrate's right hand, and she his left. It was an entirely appropriate arrangement considering the nature of both of their specific ties to Virianus. Callixta couldn't quite stop herself from grazing the edge of the beautifully crafted but highly restrictive collar of worked silver covering her throat with her index finger. The Vagrant was like her, chained to Alpha in ways that were irrevocable without dire consequences. Unlike her, however, Ishmaél seemed to experience no chafing from his bonds─ a fact that had always kept her from truly respecting the construct on any level beyond his general competence and uncanny ability to remain unobtrusive.
Her thoughts were interrupted and the rapidly darkening expression on her ageless features cleared instantly when Alpha closed the door behind him and moved to stand beside his throne. Callixta paid no mind to his flowery opening, having an inherent understanding that it was just emotionally manipulative fluff designed to capture their attention and provoke them into basking in the Magistrate's approval before the unspoken but was followed by the soft-spoken castigation that would produce throat-clearing and awkward silences. To his credit, Virianus didn't leave room for awkward silences in his Council Chamber: that he was always masked kept a certain level of intensity that would become intolerable if he allowed the quiet to stretch too long. Case in point: she allowed her ambered gaze slide over to the anow-haired wench and had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from snickering. Oh, to be sure Callixta's features were fairly neutral, but she could read Alpha's pet Mithrian's discomfort like it was a favored book. She was completely taken in by Daddy's appraising words and subsequently crushed when it turned to mild disapproval and just the smallest insinuation that they─ but she'd internalize it more personally─ were failing in their sacred duty as the Guardians of Vascxious Sigma's best interests. Certainly she hid her reactions quite well, but Callixta caught her most minute tells─ it helped that her vantage point was truly spectacular. A sidelong glance was proffered in Søren's direction as Virianus opened up the floor, and it was all of half a second before Alpha's most prized possession filled the silence, right on cue. Callixta let her gaze linger on the dark-haired Council-Elect pointedly before turning her attention back to Floraelia. The fact that she was so earnest and so unfathomably reasonable was truly endearing: if she hadn't the unfortunate status of Daddy's precious exotic Callixta would actually respect her. The Mithrian was not without her merits─ especially when she wasn't mooning over their resident CEO. Finally Floraelia paused for breath.
”An extension would be wise. Even those of us who can immediately offer nominees need more time to make appropriate arrangements,” Callixta cut in smoothly, assuming no one else did.
Her mind was already working, and, if she played her cards right, she had a very strong candidate to present.
Søren didn't need to work terribly hard to catch Callixta's eye: her sentiments were echoed precisely in the pointed stare of those amber eyes. Soon.
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Post by Ishmaél Mirr on Nov 25, 2014 15:54:31 GMT -5
So many chose to speak to the Vagrant as he arrived, and yet seemingly, the creature called Ishmaél cared little for any of it. There were appearances, of course, that must be maintained, a human façade, once constructed, must remain as a facsimile of live consciousness, and in that respect, the Vagrant chose to respond from his taken seat to each in turn.
To Aeorex first he turned, and with a nod of his head Ishmaél returned the man’s acknowledgement. There was more, perhaps, to say to Aeorex considering the nature of the city-state’s current dynamics, but the Vagrant would hold such words to a more appropriate time. His lingering, penetrating gaze, dull and lifeless though it might have been, could indicate to the CEO that there was more to be later said, but the transmission of messages through subtle cues were hardly a concern that the Counselor suffered from. Floraelia then was next to speak, with warm tones and excited tenors – the child had always taken such a tact with him, honest and warm in a manner most would reserve for family. Among any other in that chamber, the tact would ring false, but from the Mithrian it was genuine, and therefore Ishmaél made a particular point not to discourage it, and in so doing play a part in diminishing the innocent honesty of this one pearl amidst the black tar of the Council. The Vagrant nodded, and responded in kinder words than he had thus far offered any other.
”The export backup is growing, which is causing several issues. Between Alpha and I alone I fear an inability to keep our goods flowing out of the city with regularity. Besides this, the districts survive well enough.”
The words were truth - the lack of administration of Seventh and Eighth Districts had long-since begun to take its toll, and while Ishmaél acted as First District’s Council-Elect, Virianus had also tasked him with picking up the administrative slack from Eighth District as well. With the docks in Seventh undermanaged, the Vagrant had begun to take command there as well in order to assist in keeping the infrastructure of the city afloat. Were Ishmaél in need of such things as rest or sustenance the creature would feel grossly overworked in his strange, stretched capacity, yet as he was, an incorporeal thing given physical form and mandate, Ishmaél simply recognized where the end of his literal capacity lay, and it had been reached some time prior.
The creature’s hope was that such issues were the very meaning of why they had been called together, but he chose not to take the time to detail such thoughts to Callixta when asked. Conjecture, while helpful for planning, was foolishly discussed on the eve of action – it was only after the dust of motion had settled that such thoughts could be planted and, possibly, bear useful fruit. Yet, even had such talk been worthwhile, it would never have been a discourse that the Vagrant would seek with the unified Callixta – her feelings regarding his place were well known and understood by Ishmaél, and her lack for foresight and understanding lowered her worthiness of the vagrant’s esteem considerably. To her, with her snipe at his late arrival, a fact she knew was far from the norm, Ishmaél might respond cruelly were he human – the urge to lash out, it seemed, resided just above their emotionally-dense, seemingly-nonsensical behavior patterns, and as Callixta and Søren both regularly demonstrated, could often apparently not be denied. Yet, Ishmaél suffered from no such maladies of non-comprehension, and therefore simply let his dead eyes meet Callixta’s in quiet response even as he continued speaking to Floraelia.
”I have little time, but once the meeting is done we can speak of it. Given the backlog, it would be wise to reallocate some of our production resources back into the city, after all.”
Leaning slowly back in his seat, Ishmaél fell into deafening silence as the Magistrate arrived and began addressing those assembled. Quickly enough, the Vagrant realized that, as he had hoped, the purpose for the struck within the exact bounds of Ishmaél’s pressing resource problem: good. He had spoken with the Magistrate enough of this, he knew action would be taken. As Virianus set forth the rules of the new game to be played and laid forth their priorities, the Vagrant nodded and stayed silent, but sat up straighter as Floraelia began to speak in opposition, fixing the Mithrian in his steady gaze as she spoke.
Ishmaél understood why the woman objected, but the Vagrant also knew that her opinion was under-informed. If she knew, as he did, the severity of the issue that those open seats created for the City, she would push the Councilors to move faster, not slower. As Floraelia finished, with Callixta quietly seconding the idea of extension, Ishmaél himself would speak as well.
”While each of us may not possess the requisite nominees the Magistrate is asking for, myself included, I would be surprised if none here were bereft of qualified persons to recommend. To fill all seats, the time should be taken to select from a wide berth of candidates: in this I agree. However, the crisis of Seventh District’s lack of management must be addressed immediately. Therefore, I move that all initial nominations brought forth, accessible now or within scant days, be voted on solely for the seat of Seventh District. For the others, time can be taken in earnest, as Floraelia suggests. But, without oversight of Port Authority and the Commerce Divisions, the backlog will quickly worsen, leading to economic calamity that the city cannot afford.”
Ishmaél took a moment to scan his gaze past each of the assembled Counselors. He knew that many of them would use this opportunity to try and increase their own power within the Council chamber, and therefore they would take as much extra time was given gladly to assist them in their schemes. The Vagrant, however cared not for such matters – his concern was the city itself, as was Alpha’s.
”If none have candidates to put forward within the next five days, perhaps the Magistrate should also be allowed to put forward a nominee.”
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Aeorex Khestralicht
Initiated
Posts: 19
Title: Council-Elect for Third District, CEO of Ouroboros
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Post by Aeorex Khestralicht on Nov 26, 2014 21:47:13 GMT -5
Soren wasn't the only one to find some amusement regarding his safety in any impending participation in the raid she'd mentioned. Had he time, when the floor wasn't so obviously dedicated to other matters entirely, he would have expressed some mock offense at her comment of his 'fancy' hired guards. Surely he didn't need to remind the woman of small, isolated incidents in which his forces, far better equipped that the majority of the standard Peacekeeper operatives, had been called in to handle a difficult situation. Perhaps that was very much the woman's point, but all the same, the CEO was protective of those in his service.
Concluding the interaction for the time being with a smile and a nod, he did make note of an internal recoil at the woman's act of addressing him as 'darling.' Mocking, surely, but it didn't stop him from considering the implication for a second's time, and resisting the urge to shiver. Then again, conflict did tend to create interesting sparks, no? Speaking of sparks, by some unknown urge, his attention transitioned to momentarily focus on Floraelia at his side. Opaque concealment of his gaze remained steady on her and, with the heightened level of senses available to him, he smiled at what he presumed to be the white-haired Councilwoman's defensiveness. She was just too charming, no?
With things settling down, he paused long enough to note the Vagrant Counncilman's prolonged gaze as something of importance. Whereas he actually did want to meet with the other fellow in any case, there seemed to be something the elder fellow was leaving unsaid. That, or his near-complete lack of human characteristics despite his presumably human shell still did wonders at leaving the CEO guessing. In any case, Virianus had finally decided to enter the center of the Council's attention, and commenced with addressing the matter for which they'd all been summoned.
While it was by no means required a great deal of effort on Aeorex's part to maintain a visage of bemused, distant confidence, his features shifted to focused neutrality as the Magistrate expressed his point. Relatively still beyond the occasional flex of his intertwined fingers, his hidden eyes watched Virianus with every ounce of critical observation he could muster, straying only as the man paused, in order to just as acutely gauge the silent responses of his fellow Council Members down to the faintest muscle twitch and difference in breathing. He had to commend the Magistrate, really. While the CEO had for the most part sought to avoid the majority of public observation as a politician, Virianus knew how to present himself and his argument effectively; Aeorex watched the different tones and pieces of the presentation progress as if they floated tangible through the air, shifting from welcoming greeting to stern insistence. The dropping of a phrase or word here and there to serve as euphemism for a point that, the CEO speculated, none of the company present would miss.
Aeorex considered the topic at hand while it was being addressed, even as Virianus slowed to stop and open the floor to questions, counters, and suggestions. The Magistrate had a point in that the filling of seats perhaps hadn't been as high on the CEO's priority list as it should, but all the same, he had not been entirely unprepared for this. The major disruption regarding the matter actually rested in the now removed Esarhaddon's position; as frustratingly uncooperative and undisciplined as the woman had been, her position had been a vital one in regards to Aeorex's concern as a private owner and businessman. Not only had certain plans and...possibilities been forced to accelerate, but the possibility for their application had also shifted.
Turning his attention to Florealia, he remained withdrawn and quiet as she put forth her own argument. Just as neutral as he would have been with any other member of the Council's words, he mulled over her suggestion in his mind. While an extension wasn't something that he suspected Virianus would be keen on allowing, her second point did give him a great deal of pause. In regards to this meeting's purpose, he was probably at an advantage over some of the others in that he wasn't entirely unprepared to put forth at least one suggestion, even if it was far ahead of the time table he had originally laid out. The consolidation of districts, however, while technically acting as an answer to the problem expressed so intricately by Viranus, wasn't something he saw as being terribly effective. Ishmael had effectively been running two districts for some time now, and did so with the use of capabilities beyond what most of the other Council Members could perform. Even if the process were streamlined, however, he couldn't see the long-term effects of the proposed consolidation as being entirely beneficial. While he considered this, he glanced to Callixta at her support of the extension, and then to Ishmael as he expressed his own counter-argument, and in a way more long-winded that Aeorex was used to hearing from the purposefully blunt, short-spoken man.
"Seconded, Ishmael." It was time to make his own point, considering the vagrant Councilman's topic being so closely interwoven with Aeorex's own obligations and private interests. "While all of the currently vacant seats hold equal importance in the city's effective operation, the Seventh District's lack of a Council Member inflicts a very real and time-sensitive problem regarding our financial agreements with external powers." Beyond the revenue brought in by imports and exports by trade agreements with other nations, the dilemma was holistic enough to trickle down to individual businesses; despite Ouroboros's power within the city, even he had been forced to, on more than one occasion, jump through the extra hoops of excessive amounts of red tape to see that things kept running as smoothly as they could.
While the dilemma of the Seventh District did not override Floraelia's point regarding the quality of nominees chosen, if the entire Council's attention were put toward addressing that specific conflict first, he had some faith that the matter would be addressed with the proper thoroughness it required. It did mean, however, that there was more chance for variability in an outcome that Aeorex did not personally want to leave entirely unpredictable, considering how intricately involved with Seventh District a majority of his concerns were. Speaking of unpredictability, his attention then visibly turned to Floraelia for a scant moment and, if she were careful enough to note, the corners of his lips turned down the smallest bit apologetically.
"The consolidation of Districts, however, is not something I can wholly support." He paused just long enough to let his disagreement settle in before continuing. "As it stands, each Council Member is already preoccupied with enough tasks that see them stretched thin. Even were the process to be streamlined and additional staff made available for delegation, the widening of attentions allows not only a greater room for error in small processes, but a greater chance for manipulation from individuals throughout the chain of command." His implication actually targeted middlemen and lower-ranked players hungry for power, but those he had in mind current sat in the room with him. While he didn't doubt that Virianus would see that the balance of power remained just that--balanced--the way in which each of the Council Members interacted would be changed in a way that Aeorex couldn't realistically predict.
As an indicator that he had expressed all of his points for the moment, intertwined fingers parted long enough to wave the conversation on before he continued considering possible implications. He hadn't expressly spoken out against the five day time limit proposed by Virianus, if only because he wanted to see how the other members would react, and whether or not the Magistrate would tolerate it. Whereas it would surely put a great deal of pressure on all of them, himself included, to fill the vacant seats, he pondered at how prepared each of them had been to do so before this point. As state, he already had one solution in mind and, aside from accounting for doing so far ahead of schedule, was already considering how best to implement it.
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Post by Virianus Devinian on Nov 26, 2014 23:01:55 GMT -5
The reason that the these Counselors had been chosen fell to their ability to act, and in such regard Alpha was in no way disappointed by the feedback he immediately received. The Magistrate eyed Floraelia carefully as she voiced her objection, and waited patiently for his daughter to finish, and to listen carefully to comments from the other councilors before addressing the points to the Council as a whole.
”Floraelia, as always, raises a fair point, but allow me to raise another – while I understand that, even given the length of time we have had vacancies on this Council, it has not been a top priority for each of you to select potential leaders for this city, nonetheless, you all are the leaders of diverse, efficient organizations that serve tens of millions of our citizens every day. Given what I know of each and every one of your capacities for stellar and inspiring leadership, I would expect that each of you have been carefully inspiring and cultivating the leadership qualities of the best within your respective organizations throughout the length of your tenure, as any leader should while orchestrating such massive organizational might. Therefore, it would be my expectation that, for the majority of you, the difficulty should be to pare down your list of well-groomed and vetted candidates rather than being without a single one to potentially elevate to the highest position of authority within the city.”
Virianus carefully timed his words, and the pauses that followed them, to let his words sink in. The meaning was clear – if you have no one, you may well be in dereliction of your oath of office. The Magistrate let the implication hang for a moment before allowing some leeway within its harsh boundaries.
”However, I must too consider that not all organizations, due to their specific function, are created equal with regards to the type of leadership it can easily craft within those serving it. Too, some of you have a much more hands on-“ Alpha nodded to Aeorex, ”involvement with your organizations than others, due to your capacity.” Now the nod was in Floraelia’s direction, a silent recognition of her purpose, and the fact that it made her less in touch with those who worked beneath her than perhaps any other Counselor.
“As to the point of consolidation - in a way such has already been done, considering that Ishmaél is currently managing the responsibilities of Eighth and First Districts, while I have been stepping in to ensure the smoothest possible operation of both Seventh and Fourth, in addition to my own duties. Such a consolidation is to our detriment – nothing is done well, and everything lacks the full attention it rightfully deserves. However, Floraelia, I am certain what you suggest is a more even distribution of these un-helmed districts, to which I must insist that any simple consolidation would act to the detriment of some Counselors and the advantage of others, with some suddenly harboring significantly more responsibility than their counterparts. No, to evenly distribute our districts under such a plan, I would have to move for full redistricting, by which new maps are drawn, new seats created, and each and every member of this Counsel would have to run to fill these newly-created seats, or otherwise be appointed by the Magistrate. Either method is more costly and confusing, I believe, than filling the vacancies as they now stand, though I am open to the point of debate, if the Council so wishes.”
Virianus hardly considered such a proposition to be within the bounds of any of the Counselors desires – all of them were too established in the prospective districts to chance the loss of all they had built on the chance of expanding their district control, and none would be keen to give any others among them a second District to command, along with the resources and power such would afford them.
The Magistrate carefully looked among the assembled and weighed their contributions carefully before continuing. First, he turned back to Floraelia, clasping his hands together in front of him as he began to speak in a gesture she, and she alone, would likely recognize, and somewhat apologetic.
”Floraelia, your business has kept you out of the city for a great deal of time recently, and therefore I would imagine you are not aware of the day-to-day issues the Districts are facing due to their lack of designated leadership. As Ishmaél has so eloquently stated, the situation in Seventh District is becoming increasingly dire and in need of immediate attention, a fact that, had I been more complete in my explanation, would have been conveyed to you prior to our meeting.” Virianus then addressed the Council as a whole, opening his arms to gesture in the vagrant’s direction for emphasis. ”Let me then impress on all of you the gravity of this situation: the Seventh District backlog could, as Aeorex also indicated, have dire consequences for the city’s trade franchise, an organization which is almost solely responsible for this city’s success, as you are all aware. Therefore, it is my hope that you will all understand the urgency with which this issue is brought to you all.”
“However, I see now that there is a thought among you to be more deliberative with your choices, and that point certainly shall not be ignored. What Ishmaél has proposed is to move immediately on Seventh District’s seat, but to leave the rest with a more open timetable as to their nominations, as Floraelia has asked: considering the dire nature of the Seventh District predicament, and in contrast the much less pressing needs of the remaining two empty seats in comparison, limiting the proposed timetable to only Seventh District’s seat, for now, is a reasonable and efficient compromise. To this, I suggest that all currently-present nominees be put forward as quickly as possible for the Seventh District seat alone, with confirmation to be voted on in our next meeting. All requisite information on any nominees can be personally sent to each Council member within the next two days, allowing them time to consider their vote. If no nominees are available, I ask humbly to submit a candidate of my own, with whom I shall be meeting this very day, for consideration. Then, at our next meeting we shall reconsider a plausible timetable for filling the remaining seats. Is this acceptable?”
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Post by Søren Kiirkegré on Nov 27, 2014 14:38:36 GMT -5
Søren thought carefully on what had just taken place in the Council chambers. As it often was among their discussions, things had progressed very rapidly from the Magistrate’s initial proposal to a very different set of circumstances, and the former Guardian knew that she was going to need to tread lightly in order to navigate the potential minefield that had just been laid out before all of them.
The woman had stared at Ishmaél as he spoke, here ire for the situation he was creating weighing heavily in her gaze – most of them were aware of what was going on with Seventh District, as was Virianus. The fact that the vagrant shell had brought it up instead of Alpha himself seemed, to Søren, somewhat orchestrated, though she knew that the Magistrate hadn’t intentionally asked Ishmaél to say what he did. Alpha, as always, had simply played on what he knew of the Council member’s priority, and he had played well. Alpha had started with a five day nomination before a five day confirmation, giving them a total of ten days to decide on three Council seats. Now, after going around the room, two of those seats had at least fifteen days, while the time for one had shortened to five.
Alpha has already picked someone for Seventh. Well played, Magistrate.
Søren could see what Virianus was doing – it irritated her, but at the same time the Guardian wasn’t about to try and do battle with Alpha over this point. If the Magistrate’s candidate was the first one placed, that meant no one else on the Council would be able to expand their power base either, which was acceptable enough to Søren that she would leave well enough alone. The woman marked Seventh District of as a nomination possibility in her mind: she would concentrate on lining up the other two districts. Given the time extension, it seemed all the more plausible that she would be able to do so.
Søren considered the implications of what Alpha proposed, and how it would effect the other members of the Council before she spoke up. Callixta would likely not care about the Seventh any more than the Guardian herself did, leaving them both time to work on securing the other two seas before the final vote. Aeorex, however, might, and the rush on Seventh might distract him, causing him to scramble and therefore be less capable of fighting against Søren’s nominations in the long run. Since Ishmaél wasn’t really a factor and Floraelia was enough of a wild card that Søren wasn’t going to bother with predicting her behavior, that meant that Alpha’s proposition, while annoying beneficial for Alpha himself, also could be a net positive gain for both Søren and Callixta.
”It’s acceptable to me. Redistricting would only make matters much, much worse, because it would pile on issues of efficiency in all the districts as lines were moved and agencies changed hands. We don’t want to disrupt the stability we already have in place. As long as the full information on any nominees for Seventh District are made available to the Council as soon as possible then I see no issue with voting for confirmation in five days. I’ll second the motion.”
Søren glanced towards Alpha in order to gauge his reaction to the Guardian’s out-of-character, easy support. She could never tell if the man was surprised by anything, of course, but she would like to think that he hadn’t totally expected it. After all, Søren was usually contrary by design: having her agree so easily to a community suggestion would seem out of place in its entirety. However, the Guardian knew what kind of position she was in: she would have to play smarter if she were going to make it through the next few rounds.
With Søren’s vote, the resolution would be mostly clinched for Virianus already – the Guardian considered the landscape briefly before setting on that assessment, but considering it was exactly what Ishmaél wanted and that Floraelia would, in the end, ‘see reason’ and not vote against her father, that made three of five Council votes in favor. Even if Callixta disagreed, which Søren couldn’t imagine happening, the majority had it, and more than likely Aeorex could be left the lone dissenter, a position he would not likely put himself in. With a sense of finality, Søren let a small smile spread on her lips as she set back in her seat. Already she was looking forward to what would happen next . . .
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Post by Floraelia Devinian on Dec 9, 2014 20:55:10 GMT -5
By the time the Mithrian had reached the point of taking stock of the other Councilors she'd settled into the hallmark evenness and poise that defined her as Second District's representative. Whatever emotional attachments she might have were allowed to slip quietly away, stored in a place that was more appropriate than on the open floor of the Council. Perhaps it was this very quality she possessed─ the ability to let go of all but the bonds of logic and dedication to the City of Vascxious Sigma─ that made her precisely the 'wildcard' Søren made no effort to predict.
Ishmaél spoke first and most firmly, offering a clear and concise argument as to why an extended timetable would not work in the case of Seventh District. The Mithrian leaned forward slightly, fixing gemstone green eyes on the Councilor to her left. As the Magistrate would soon point out, Floraelia really had no way of knowing just how dire things had become and it was only now, hearing him speak on it, that she realized how hard it must be on him to bear so much responsibility. It wasn't that Floraelia internally made light of running two separate Districts: it was that when she'd seen him last Ishmaél was functioning so well that she didn't entertain the idea that anything could have changed. It didn't surprise her that Ishmaél put forth the suggestion that the Magistrate be allowed to offer up a nomination under such pressure. The Mithrian could find no fault in those terms. Already she regretted suggesting consolidating the Districts in light of all this new information: if Ishmaél, one of the best of them, could not run more than a single District for an extended period of time then it was probably safe to theorize that none of them could.
Aeorex spoke up shortly after, unsurprisingly seconding Ishmaél. Her focus slid from Ishmaél, satisfied that he'd spoken his piece and briefly settled on the CEO as he elaborated his thoughts on Seventh. His private interest made him agreeable to expediting a nomination for Seventh, but it wasn't a bias Floraelia would hold against him: the interest benefited the City as a whole and the Mithrian couldn't, in good faith, disagree with him. She did happen to catch the slight change in expression before he voiced dissent at the idea of redrawing the Districts. Was he being apologetic for disagreeing with her? Were she not on the floor of the Council perhaps she would have chided him albeit gently for not trusting that she was not so committed to any of her ideas that she thought herself above peer review. As it was, she'd already decided not to pursue her own suggestion in light of the state of the City. Her features were impossible to read, glowing nature aside, and that verdant gaze wouldn't linger on the CEO when the Magistrate began to speak.
The Mithrian couldn't quite stave off the creeping sense of cold that filled her veins at Alpha's very direct admonishment. Fortunately, she wouldn't be too uncomfortable for very long: the Magistrate almost as quickly released some of the pressure he'd applied to the room as a whole and openly in the case of Floraelia. Her head tipped in acknowledgment when the Magistrate admitted his part in her inadequate briefing and, as far as she was concerned, absolved her. As everyone else, which really meant Søren, spoke their piece and offered assent or modification, Floraelia considered how the board had changed. They'd gone from discussing the open seats to having a nomination right away from the Magistrate for Seventh District─ which had the most dire need─ and, it seemed, the rest of the Councilors were in agreement that the remaining two seats be allotted more than a mere five days for the supplication of other nominees. It would be a disservice to Floraelia's perceptiveness if she didn't mull over the fact that the Magistrate was already meeting with a potential nominee this very day. It made her wonder if it was the arranged meeting that sparked his interest in filling the seats, or if the meeting was one of opportunity because he already had intentions to make the Council whole again. Whatever the case, Floraelia trusted her father's ability to screen for a new Councilor, and would waste no more time speculating even if her curiosity was great.
”Redrawing the Districts is obviously not an option, given the current circumstances of Seventh District. I withdraw the inquiry.” Not that it was necessary, but Floraelia disliked leaving any impression she was still considering an idea that wouldn't actually work.
”I will third the motion and move for final vote. The compromise is acceptable. Seventh needs a Council-Elect.”
Floraelia's features showed no strain. She was putting off the stress until after the meeting, when she could retreat to her office in the Tower. It was as good an excuse as any to avoid going home to Second District.
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Post by Callixta Trëguere on Dec 9, 2014 21:49:14 GMT -5
It didn't take long for Callixta to see exactly where this was all going. In truth, she'd only favored Floraelia's suggestion for an extension because she wasn't perfectly certain how much time it would take to track down her prospective nominee. That Alpha apparently already had a nomination in hand made her want to grind her teeth. Was that why he'd supplied such a speedy timetable in the first place? So his wretched 'progeny' could realize she'd never come up with a suitable candidate in time? Even he admitted to not supplying the flaxen-haired Diplomat with all the information─ could that have been his way of ensuring someone would protest the restrictive timeline? Which, of course, would draw the Vagrant to put his proverbial foot down on any extensions. Did that mean Alpha's candidate had been explicitly intended for Seventh District, then? It was impossible to tell how much was orchestrated and decided behind closed doors in these meetings and how much was actually just demonstrative of Alpha's ability to read his people. Even Callixta could concede that Alpha was truly a master of puppets and that, for the most part, they were all dancing even when they couldn't hear the chords he struck. The Councilor, like everyone else in the room, kept her thoughts off her face. It would have been bad form to break neutrality now.
Altogether, it wasn't a real setback: if Alpha had plans then they wouldn't be interrupted. If any of them nominated someone now, in the first round, it would almost certainly be a wasted nomination. Callixta knew how these things worked: there was no working against Alpha when he decided he wanted a change on the Council. Esarhaddon had learned that the hard way, and really, so had she in her long, illustrious career under the thumb of the Magistrate. She'd acquired the skill to pick her battles wisely and maneuver around what Virianus thought to implement rather than invest in unraveling his designs: just because the man didn't outright punish anyone for disagreeing didn't mean there weren't consequences that could be lasting. . .
It did catch her ear that Søren was being terribly agreeable. The other woman was no fool─ even she looked to let it all shake out and see where the chips landed. As for Fifth District's Councilor? That was exactly what she intended to do as well. It was more worthwhile anyway to place an iron hold on one of the remaining seats than to contend with Alpha's recommendation for Seventh.
Amber eyes settled on the Vagrant as she reconsidered just how much of this night's dance was choreographed. . .
Floraelia called for the vote. All that was left was for Virianus to enact his duties as Judge and bind them all to the resolution.
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Post by Ishmaél Mirr on Dec 25, 2014 20:49:12 GMT -5
Ishmaél watched each of the gathered with a careful eye, his blank stare searching through each of their words af if they had been lain out on the page instead of spoken. Each breath contained footnotes and jotted meanings in the margins, and though the Vagrant was as removed from the trappings of humanity as any being assembled could hope to be, the nuances of their interactions in no way escaped his watchful eye.
Søren’s agreement, so quick and joyful in its support of the Magistrate’s proposal, told a tale of a woman nervous over her position. The former Guardian knew she was standing on the edge of a high precipice with the wind at her back, and rather than spread her arms in frustration and tempt the gust to blow her into the chasm, she had carefully crouched against the gale’s force and sought to ride out the storm, possibly building herself a set of wings as she did so. A smart move, though one that would gain her no recognition, only a modicum of momentary safety. Ishmaél in no way underestimated the woman’s resolve, however: Søren, for all her impulsive, human faults, had survived the wrath of creatures more terrible than even inhuman minds could easily imagine, and had subsequently lived to rise again from her own ashes like a phoenix of legend. Even should Alpha choose to cast her off the edge, somehow the Vagrant knew she would dodge the rocks and swim to other beaches. If thrown clear of the Tower’s heights, however, at least Ishmaél would no longer be subject to her incessant whining.
Aeorex’s assent to the Vagrant’s assessment of the current situation warranted a nod from Ishmaél, though little more, as did Floraelia’s pressing for a vote. AS with the others, Ishmaél would wait patiently for Alpha to bind the resolution, sitting back in his throne-like seat without further comment. The proposal suited the Vagrant well enough, and once the vote had been taken on the Seventh District seat, Ishmaél would be able to devote the necessary time and attention to selecting a valid candidate of his own to put forth for the broader elections. For now, his part was done, and the Vagrant was already preparing his mind for the massive lists of tasks that awaited him once he left the City Seat, with Floraelia’s request and a now ore-urgent meeting with Aeorex adding two more items to a seemingly infinite list. It boded well for the city that Ishmaél did not require sleep, for if he had, many a man, woman, and child of Vascxious Sigma would find themselves in more dire straights than they could have predicted.
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Aeorex Khestralicht
Initiated
Posts: 19
Title: Council-Elect for Third District, CEO of Ouroboros
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Post by Aeorex Khestralicht on Jan 5, 2015 18:27:14 GMT -5
Quiet and reserved, the young Council member leaned forward to slowly rest his weight on his elbows, his intertwined fingers now supporting his chin. He might appear to be in deep consideration of the matter, or fretting at the Magistrate's current topic of what was a poorly veiled scolding for any whom had not at least, as Virianus put it, 'groomed and vetted' candidates. Featureless expression made all the more unreadable by that visor, his physical posture was open to wild interpretation, if the imagination cared to speculate at all. In truth, it was likely more than obvious to some, if not most of the Council that Aeorex had one particularly groomed and vetted candidate, to which his dissenters would often accuse the CEO of being out-performed by his subordinate. The matter was simple, really. He had at least one candidate, and he had always held advancing her as far as she wanted to go in mind. The question was where she might fit best, and how that lined up with or differentiated from what Aeorex needed of her.
His momentarily reflective mindset was just that; a careful consideration of where Aidan would best serve her own purposes while still meeting his needs of her. To place her in direct control of the larger importing and exporting of goods was something that, despite Ishmael's obvious ire at performing the duties alongside his own, he had no doubt she could handle. Her loss prevention strategies and efforts came to mind immediately, suggesting how she might perform in regards to customs in both the legal light of the task and the benefit of her overlooking those products from the Underground. Her task management was second to none, and he honestly thought that what he saw of her mind was almost made for such a logistics occupation as this. The question was if she wanted it, and, as it would soon turn out, if Virianus didn't have schemes of his own for the position instead.
Lifting out of the internal haze after only after sparing a few real-time seconds for it, his visible attention directed to Viranus at his mention of a hands on approach to leadership--just as he, in turn, looked upon the CEO. Was it a jab? Until very recently, Aeorex thought that he had the Magistrate's full approval on his management skills and priorities regarding his political and 'private' affairs, given that both ultimately served the city in equal regard. After all, the sole reason for the delegation of leadership was to streamline the process of macro and micromanagement, creating an efficiency in the system that Aeorex was openly supportive of, especially among his bickering fellow Council members. Yet...Virianus had expressed interest in seeing more of the CEO, which in turn meant less focus solely for the concerns of Ouroboros. It was a difficult situation, surely, but pressure was not a sensation he felt a great deal of. Instead, it was simply something that took time to process and evaluate, with plenty of unknown variables.
And there it was; Virianus already had a candidate in mind and, as far as Aeorex could gander, if they'd reached that stage of consideration, it was almost a definite implication that he wanted them in the position. Were he the telepathic sort, he'd be of mind to agree with Soren that flat-out opposing Virianus in this wouldn't be the wisest of moves, especially considering he'd likely be the only one to do so, but she would be incorrect in the reasoning of it. Even losing a battle willingly sends its own message. Fortunately, it was something that helped with the decision on which he was most immediately torn. Rather than nominate Aidan without telling her beforehand, in a position that she might not even want, it might be better to let the Magistrate have his way and collect Aidan's input on the matter, provided that the current concession was not followed by two losses later.
Leaning back in his seat as the consideration for Aiden's potential as the Seventh District's nominee slipped from the forefront of his mind, his attention turned to each of his peers as they responded in turn, either elaborately or silently, with the most interesting response, of course, being Soren's ready agreement. Pierced lips curved just a hair in amusement, but it wasn't all too snide. Even if she was only doing so for the sake of watching her ass, it was far from banging a hammer outright on the system. On the chains they all wore, and not just hers. As the vote came to his seat, rather than nodding in approval, he lifted a single digit into the air for pausefrom their interlocked position before him.
"I'll agree with the motion, but I'm curious if the Magistrate will inform of us of whom he has chosen to nominate for the position, before we decide whether or not to do the same with those from amongst our own stock?" Oh, look at that. He wasn't disagreeing on the prioritization of the vote by any means, but he certainly did feel a civic duty that at least one Council member should contest the open seat he propositioned his own nominee for, to legitimize the political process amongst them if nothing else. And if he isn't grinning now, to boot.
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Post by Virianus Devinian on Jan 6, 2015 9:43:41 GMT -5
Virianus Devinian seemed impassive as the Council expressed their individual opinions on the motion presented. The Magistrate allowed each their full turn to speak before adjucating the final decision: perhaps surprisingly, each member expressed their assent, either through silence or through verbal confirmation in a manner more cohesive than was usually found within the darkened chamber. Søren especially acted in an uncharacteristic manner with her quick agreement, especially considering that it was often her voice that rang the loudest in opposition to moving the will of the majority forward. Her assent more than any other displayed the structure of the Council’s thoughts on the matter – each was eager to adjourn and deal with the new circumstances in which they now found themselves, save perhaps Ishmaél, who cared little for the politics of the Council’s decisions.
First, the Magistrate nodded to Floraelia, addressing her withdrawal of the motion to redistrict. Alpha had been confident that his daughter would play party to his perspective once the facts of the situation had been laid out for her – she and the First District Counselor acted often as the base logic of the governing body’s motions, and therefore her reaction was no surprise. Neither was the silent affirmation of Callixta – The Fifth District Counselor chose her battlefields carefully and was not liable to risk showing her hand unless the situation was particularly dire, or in some way advantageous to her.
That left Aeorex as the lone potential dissenter, and his agreement, even with the offered stipulation, played well within the bounds of Alpha’s expectations. He was given the Magistrate’s attention next, and Alpha gestured in the Ouroboros CEO’s direction as he addressed his addendum.
”I shall withhold the identity of my candidate only until I have yet obtained their official consent for nomination. I shall be meeting with them once our business here is done, and now plan to discuss this very matter posthaste. Barring any unforeseen complications, you all may expect a dossier on my candidate to arrive via the secure server before dawn, and I will additionally work to ensure that each of you will have the chance of meeting this nominee before we are reconvened for a vote in five days time. With that said, I strongly encourage any and all who may have a viable candidate for the Seventh District Seat to quickly speak to their nominee and send their information to each of the Counselors as soon as possible – with this limited timetable, the more quickly each of you has the requisite information the more informed and deliberate your choices will become.”
The Magistrate waited a few patient breaths before continuing, allowing any who might have comment about what he had proposed to speak up before he moved on to the matter of officiating the Council’s decision.
”I feel that the will of the Council has been expressed clearly on this matter, and therefore if there are no objections, I shall close the vote and consider the resolution binding. Any opposed, please speak now. If there are none, then we will adjourn for the evening at this time – I am sure you all have much to do, and I shall endeavor not to keep you from your other duties any longer.”
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Post by Søren Kiirkegré on Jan 6, 2015 10:03:22 GMT -5
Søren watched the exchange carefully, but internally the Guardian was already thinking ahead to the laundry list of tasks she had in front of her before her morning operation, and simultaneous meeting with Aeorex, arrived. Søren was rarely without a full plate of duties and responsibilities given her position as head of operations, and besides finalizing the plans for the early AM raid, there were several other ongoing operations that the Sixth District head had to check in on before her evening business would be done. Luckily, the Guardian was an avid multitasker – she strayed a look to her side, where Callixta rested easily in her seat, and shared a significant look with the woman, indicating wordlessly that the two of them would be conferring on these matters quite soon, especially since Søren was aware that Callixta wouldn’t waste time in returning to her current priority in Tamryn Holdings. A small smile played at the woman’s lips, but she managed to suppress it as she prepared to stand and leave the chambers.
The woman would wait carefully to ensure that any dissenters were put on record, and then she would nod to Alpha before setting her sights on Aeorex. Meeting the CEO’s visored gaze, the Operations Chief would treat him to a suggestive smirk, the mirth of which uncharacteristically penetrating her deep red eyes.
”See you in the morning, love.”
Assuming nothing else held her attention back, Søren would carefully acknowledge Ishmaél and Alpha one more time and then stand, striding easily from her Council seat toward the lift. Soon enough she would be back in her offices in Sixth District, in which she could send the requisite information to Aeorex, finalize her plans for the morning, and generally get back to work while she waited for a visit from the Fifth District Counselor-Elect.
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Post by Floraelia Devinian on Jan 6, 2015 15:51:37 GMT -5
That there was no real dissent wasn't surprising to Floraelia: the Magistrate's proposal was reasonable. Aeorex's question provoked the Mithrian to glance in his direction. Either he wanted a reason to ask about the Magistrate's nominee or he had an actual candidate that he was potentially looking to place in Seventh District. Her gaze lingered on him for another moment or two after Virianus had begun addressing him. If nothing else, he was the only one of them that had asked about her father's nominee: Floraelia had simply trusted that if the candidate was unworthy then the Magistrate would not be looking to add them to their number. Which brought her to another realization: he'd not used any gender indicator to reference his candidate. It was interesting to note, that he would protect the identity of his candidate─ potential candidate rather─ so closely. She had no stake in it other than to cast her vote as to whether or not she believed the candidate was an appropriate one to take over Seventh District from Ishmaél.
When the Magistrate closed the vote and began to adjourn the meeting the Mithrian straightened, collecting her thoughts and formulating her plan for the night. She hadn't set any expectations about when she'd return home and, truthfully, she had quite a bit of work that needed to be done. Floraelia hated staying in the Tower, but it looked like if she was going to get anything accomplished that was exactly where she was headed. Ryst would certainly enjoy the company and her father would probably find her presence in the Tower to be a pleasant surprise. The only thing that broke her concentration was Søren's little quip in Aeorex's direction, but the Mithrian kept her thoughts off her face about it.
If Floraelia was slow to rise then her ascent was more fluid for it. Yards of silk and the heft of fur settled against her form before she directed a brief smile in Aeorex's direction before he left and pressed a quick aside to Ishmaél next to her.
”What I wanted to talk to you about isn't important enough to take up any of your time right now, Ishmaél.” Floraelia's head tilted to the side as her smile reached her eyes. ”I'll contact your office for what I need instead. . .” The Mithrian hesitated for a moment before she continued, ”I'm sorry I didn't understand the breadth of your workload, and that it took this meeting to finally recognize it. If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know. . .”
She waited expectantly for a response, but wouldn't be looking to linger too long in the Council Chambers. If her gaze wandered in a certain CEO's direction, assuming he hadn't made a speedy departure, then it wouldn't be too pointed: her sentiments toward Ishmaél were genuine and she'd never want him to feel like she was being disingenuous. . .
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