Snippet #1553313

The Nexus

"Mr. Taylor. You seem livelier than usual." A voice called. A member of Parliament- an agreeable man by the name of Sakai.

Taylor stopped jogging, turning around with his arms occupied with a stack of paperwork. "Yes. though I usually am not aware of these changes." He replied smoothly. "Mr. Sakai, what brings you down to the Nexus?"

"I was doing some work myself. Tell me, what are those papers you hold?" He asked, looking curiously at them.

"It's another legislation." Taylor replied, reddening slightly. He knew what was to come, and pushed down his annoyance. Sakai gave Taylor a mediated stare, before smiling slightly.

"It's not another attempt to push a reform through, is it? Taylor, I know you're smarter than the rest here- I know that you know that there's no way this can go through." He said reasonably. They all said it so damned reasonably. Of course, that wasn't Taylor's true motive.

In the past, Taylor had been pushing for these legislations, new reform calls that would maneuver the trade system so that slaving would play right into the hands of the businesses- and thus slowly do away with the accursed highway. However, it would be voted down immediately and constantly. Sometimes Taylor tried putting just two front pages and then a stack of blank papers, and not a single comment would be made before the documents would be shot down. It was rather amusing. But amusement was not what Taylor was looking for- It was distraction. While he kept most of Parliament busy with documents- as law dictated that proposals must be read through before voting (something that they only half-heartedly do), they had some time before Gilgamesh could move. A small fraction of time, but good time nonetheless.

He also nursed the weak hope that one of these might go through. "Yes. I understand that, but it doesn't hurt to try- these reforms can change Revelation for the better." He replied, and Sakai looked visibly disgruntled. He didn't want to read through a stack of papers either. That was the thing- if change came to slowly, the things needed to change would increase in number to the point where they just abandoned change altogether. It was a cycle of laziness that Taylor abhorred. After Eos' life story told years ago, Taylor decided to look into the matter of slavery. It had very well encroached on all branches of trade, even his chemical factory had bought a few slaves to lift chemicals under his nose. They suffered terrible burns and Taylor felt so guilty he saw to it that the slaves were given optimal medical aid. He could give them their freedom- not yet. No man was willing to take the dangerous jobs of transferring chemicals. In a way, he was just as bad as the slavers.

Caelin and Sakai exchanged a few more words, before both of them bade farewell. The young nobleman submitted the legislation, sealing it in a bag to avoid tampering and grabbing his stamp and marking the envelope with his sign. He had come here without a bodyguard, as the Nexus was a finicky building. It could concoct a reputation and destroy it. If he were seen here with armed guards, the other members that happen to see him would immediately assume something had happened- and rumors would fly. Loki and his own staff probably wouldn't approve of this personally, despite these reasons. That alone forced a tender smile from his facade.

---

The Assassin's Guild

"It is as they say, Master Gabriel." Etzel confirmed softly. He bowed once. "I'm afraid I'm a little less important when it comes to these matters, and I must see to it that my apprentice reaches you safely. I will see you tomorrow, to pay and receive my equipment. Then we may speak more in depth." The masked doctor bade farewell to the motley group assembled in the archives, and moved to the safehouse. He helped his apprentice pack her things, which wasn't much seeing as Victoria had packed most of it already.

"You know what to do in your free time?" Etzel asked.

"Yes. Studying and practicing." She replied.

"Your suitcase?"

"Set with all necessary chemicals and herbs, Master."

"Very good. Stay safe girl, I cannot have years of work kill you when I'm not looking." Etzel said, something that might have been humor poking about in the second sentence. Victoria rolled her eyes, hefting the suitcase up. Time had flown while they packed and chatted, it was night already and Victoria was already out the door. Etzel looked about the safehouse, completely sure it was clean. He laid a single hair near the door, as a measure against intruders. If he came back and the hair was missing, somebody had broken in and he was to abandon the safehouse immediately.

He went back to the Guild, where he found a spare room to sleep in. One would ask where all the mad Doctor's chemicals and equipment was stored, and how he accessed them so quickly, but that was a secret Etzel himself would take to the grave.

So, as the next morning came he was awakened by a Assassin apprentice, noting that Amon had a note for him. Beta was in an uproar- Mages from Delta had stormed over and began attacking the military barracks. Amon had ordered him to come and dispel the riot by stopping the fighting. If mages had the guts to come and assault Beta, Etzel highly doubted there would be some sort of cease-fire. Nevertheless, he obeyed orders and set out for Beta.

He reached a battlefield, mages slinging fire and soldier shooting or stabbing with their own weapons. Etzel didn't see any other assassins, but he knew assassins would be discreetly disguised- while he in his brown waxed robes certainly made quite an appearance. Few doctors got involved in a streetfight mid-way through, after all. Etzel wasn't one for diplomacy, and most men who have been hit by magefire were already burning all over. He patched a wounded mage up as best he could, noting that after being hurt the fire had died from his eyes somewhat. He was able to convince him that he should back out.

Suddenly, the Barracks exploded into fire, beginning to lick at the Blacksmith guild next to it. The masked doctor's eyes glinted once. "Steins!" He roared, barreling straight into the guild even as the fire began to eat away at the structure.