project update;

[sarcophage]

FORM: crystal
SENDER: Leander
RECIPIENT: all
NOTES: concerning the faux deaths of our friends and loved ones and revenge therefor

Hello, all. This is Leander, speaking on behalf of Project Jeshavis.

As most of you will remember, back in Bloomingtide there was an incident of abduction and falsely-reported death involving more than a few of our personnel. Well, I've an update for you:

The Baron Deshaies was indeed responsible for the disappearance and delivery of our people to the Venatori. Appropriate measures have been taken. There'll be no further details there, [because no one really needs to know in what condition the baron was left after their group encounter,] but, perhaps those of us who were stricken by the affair will nevertheless find some much-needed consolation in this news.

[Altogether an impressively neutral delivery, considering how he himself reacted after certain persons were named among the dead.]

Also, while our dear project leader is away on business for a number of weeks, any reports or inquiries meant for Jeshavis should be directed to me. As of today, I've moved completely out of the archives and may be found in the project office during hours.

[Which hours? Whichever he wants, he's in charge.]

That's all, thank you.

Comments

[chainlightning]

So... where can we find further details?

[ she was fake!dead, she wants to know :v ]

[sarcophage]

In private, once the report's finalized. There'll be sensitive information within—naturally, as a project leader you'll be given access.

[The perpetrator's name alone might've been considered sensitive by some; he argued for its release.]

[chainlightning]

Oh, excellent!

[ Sweet. Saccharine. She hopes he got what was coming to him. ]

Thank you very much for letting us all know.

[sarcophage]

You're quite welcome.

I heard you've just returned from— [Somewhere she doesn't even know?] —elsewhere? Was it a pleasant excursion?

[chainlightning]

Oh, it was- [ dusty ] -pleasant enough, I think! I mean, I was able to come back, after all.

private

[bouchonne]

And who decided what counts as appropriate?

private forever;

[sarcophage]

[Ah, Leander thinks, so this is how he's decided to cope: by policing. Fair enough, it's a popular option.]

The five of us made a preliminary call on site—Duc de Coucy was most helpful in that regard and I'm sure he'll be interested in continuing to advise.

There'll be room for further discussion, of course. After the report.

[bouchonne]

And who was us.

[sarcophage]

Athessa Sulahnan, Mhavos, Isaac, the duke, and myself. It's there in the log—to which you've full access, naturally, as a department head.

[bouchonne]

I'd so prefer to hear the story from your lips.

[indissection]

That is quite the relief. [ Primly and gently. ] Is it safe for you to be out of the archives, darling?

[ Teasing, of course. ]

[sarcophage]

[But of course. Leander, however, is lacking some of his past... let's call it warmth.]

Should be. It's been a long journey, but I think I'm finally accustomed to sunlight.

[indissection]

[ Interesting. That removes some of the softness from her tone; just a touch sharper, a little less gentle, intimate. ]

No creatures of the night to join the Inquisition this week, then.

[sarcophage]

That you know of. I might be a disguise.

[indissection]

That would be most alarming. How should one recognise the signs?

crystal

[writteninblood]

Oh good, that's perfect.

[He's so brisk and businesslike. You can only barely sense his sense of satisfaction.]

Please send the full report, or a copy, round the Felandaris office when you're finished? Thank you, Leander.

[sarcophage]

[I'm not your clerk, he wants to say, but patiently holds his tongue.]

You may certainly request access to the report once it's complete. Actually... come to think of it, telling Merrill that all project leaders will be free to see it may have been premature on my part. That'll be up to our division heads. Sensitive content—you understand.

[writteninblood]

Seeing as Merril and I were both among the people kidnapped, and we're both Project Leads, and that it's good manners, I'll be having access to that report if it's not for some reason more than the content being sensitive. I'm not a child.

[While by no means official, Sorrel feels that there was some silent agreement that he would not take anything into his own hands, nor allow others to do so, on the proviso that someone else be asked to go arrange Deshais' internal organs into a more pleasing, and less living, state. Ideally one full of holes.]

You don't have to actually come 'round and hand it to me, if that's the problem. I noticed you've got at least the one lackey, these days. That's nice, isn't it? It's good to come up in the world; better you than most.

[sarcophage]

[Lea's happy to ignore the first part; in his view, there's no arguing against what he's decided. But the rest—]

Begging your pardon? I was unaware I had any lackeys in custody.

[writteninblood]

Oh.

[Oh so it's to be like that.]

Assistants, then. People who work for or under you. I apologize, didn't realize we were being all that formal.

private.

[hornswoggle]

Can we request further detail on what "appropriate measures" might have included?

private forever;

[sarcophage]

You may request anything you want.

[Gnarly blood mages get a pass to mitigate his unfriendly mood. But just a little one.]

[hornswoggle]

[ internal screech rising ]

I don't need specifics. I'd just like to know whether he sincerely regretted double crossing us by the end of your visit.

[sarcophage]

He did. And he will continue to do so until his last day.

[hornswoggle]

Promising. I think that should about balance the time spent on our miserable return trip.

[ so long as the perpetrator is miserable john's appeased. he can be conflicted about that later. ]

Thank you for the assurance.