[Danicka Musil] [OOC: Post yourselves in on the assumption that they’ve been buzzed in and gone up to Danicka’s apartment already. Since the Gallery is currently down, I don’t have a floorplan for you, but the living room has a couch, large wooden coffee table, two leather armchairs, and two barstools for seating. There’s light snacks, beer, water, and soda. This time there is no easel and oversized pad of paper.]
[Danicka Musil] [FYI: If you have multiple Kinfolk, log them both in!]
[Gina McClaren] *She’d been at the Brotherhood once more, but this time it had been business rather than pleasure. People had been scurrying about in the hall, talk of a “kin meeting” filtering from under the Fenrir’s door. There had been one before, but she’d been tangled in someone else’s sheets at the time, and unwilling to crawl out for all the planning in the world. Today however, she’s roused herself, twisted tangled hair into a braid, collected her clothes off the floor and drug herself to Danicka’s apartment. She’s settled in the corner of the couch, curled up with her dirty bare feet under her. Long green skirt crinkled, sweater pilled, bangles clinking as she offers a warm smile to anyone who looks like they might need one.*
[Ethan Yates] It’s a little past noon when the elevator spits a pair of kinsmen out into a hallway that is decidedly nicer than the one that either of them are coming from. When he enters the apartment, the hostess and those who were at the first meeting may very well mistake him for Aaron, who had not had much to say other than to volunteer his twin for one of the committees. He is quick yet polite as he points out that he’s Aaron’s brother, that Aaron couldn’t make it today, and then he moves into the apartment further to wait for the rest of the summoned to arrive.
He does not keep Adrian close by. Occasionally he glances at him, but that’s it.
As he waits for the meeting to start Ethan stands behind the couch, drinking a beer with one hand and keeping the other pushed into the pocket of his jeans.
[Izzy Montoya] She debated whether or not she would come or not. Only the fact that she’s on partial incarceration instead of total currently allows that she can make it at all. In the end, it is simple curiosity that has her taking a place in the living room, her back against a wall where she can see everyone, her arms crossed, her eyes searching the room and missing nothing.
She is, after all, on duty – so says the badge in her pocket, and the gun at the small of her back.
Her face still holds the mottled color of bruising, though she is in much better shape than she was two weeks ago. In fact, by Sunday, all effects of her beating will be gone – but for the very long memory of the Chicago Police Department – and, of course, her own.
[Liadan Whelan] Lee arrives a little later than most. Unlike last time she does not have a gift for the hostess, no bottle of wine or offering of food. She enters the once familiar apartment, offers a wave to Ethan before taking a seat on the couch.
[Little Vinnie] Vinnie grunted as he made his way inside, escorting a woman half his age. He was not keen on surprises, even more about coming to something he didn’t really care about after his first attendance. More so when he has to attend with cops. But he almost felt like he was being shanghaied into this as he glanced down at Rosa…
[Moira Murray] It was another scheduled meeting. Moira arrives on time as she had last time. She assumes a chair in the back, near anyone that she may know or is associated to her via tribe. Which likely places her next Izzy Montoya. Her coat lain across her lap as she folds her hands together and simply waits the presentation.
[Fabienne Bartelle] *If the kinfolk she’d met so far were any indication of the general populous, this meeting was going to begin with slander and end in bloodshed. Fabienne had very nearly skipped it altogether, but for the knowledge that Danicka Musil was Lukas’s mate, and Lukas had been most appropriate and pleasant. Despite ruining a $1800 jacket. She announces herself at the buzzer and makes her way up. Danicka greeted with crisp decorum, before the silverfang kin folds herself gracefully into the chair near Moira. White slacks pinstriped with pink and silver, white blouse, matching jacket, diamond pendant. Put together and crisp. A subtle nod of recognition to the Get kin.*
[Rosanna Kardos] Vinnie was shanghaied into making an appearance. The tall brunette that was clearly half Vinnie’s age and walked beside him, nudges him gently towards one side of the room and near the back. She shares a brief glance with him, her arm looped through his which she squeezed lightly and patted his shoulder in a quiet “It’ll be alright…” expression.
[Izzy Montoya] She glances at Moira as she settles near her, and offers her a brief smirk – which as Moira well knows, is her normal expression and likely as close to a smile as anyone will ever get from the Fenrir Detective.
In public, anyway.
A flick of her gaze toward Fabienne, and then back to the room at large.
[Adrian Sandenberg]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Moira Murray] Moira resettles herself in the chair, glancing towards Fabienne with a nod of recognition, smiling at the pretty Fang. To Izzy, a wiggle of her eyebrows and a small smirk greets the Fenrir kin.
[Adrian Sandenberg] It had taken convincing to get Adrian to come out. When Ethan’d come over earlier, Adrian had still been shaken, had been pale. Since, he’s showered, brushed his hair, scrubbed his face, and looks nearly like his usual self – not as if nothing happened, but as if it hadn’t dug in deep under all his layers of protection. Only two people here know him well enough to take a stab at him being anything other than he seems – a tired graduate student at a meeting of kinfolk.
Moira gets greeting, a hand on her shoulder, brief.
Ethan doesn’t keep Adrian nearby, and so the Child of Gaia kin finds a comfortable wall to lean on. He drinks water. And he watches and listens.
[Danicka Musil] There’s no roommate to be worked around now, as there was last time. Danicka is dressed just as simply as before: jeans, a sweater, her hair up in a ponytail, her feet in green socks. She doesn’t stand near a column, and there is no easel for her to hang out beside. So she greets people as they come in, smiling, offering them drinks and snacks. In due time, however, they’re all in the living room, grabbing seats or holding up walls, and she — in a barstool, rather than standing this time — straightens up a little.
The first thing she does is explain, for those who weren’t here last time, a shortened version of everything she said at the first meeting. A pad of paper and a pen goes around the room with the same Venn diagram as before, smaller, with names listed in Danicka’s tidy handwriting. Everyone who signed up at the last meeting is on there, right where they put themselves. Alexander Vaughn has been crossed out. He left town.
[For those of you who weren’t here at the first meeting, the log is here: http://danicka.easyjournal.com/entry.aspx?eid=4407410]
“For those of you who didn’t get the message, or weren’t at the first meeting, we’re mostly just going to talk about leadership today. We can’t get the ball really rolling until we know who is in charge of each team and who is heading the Coalition at large.
“A really good idea that came up last time were requiring something like ‘primary’ membership in one team, even if you’re on a second team or all three. I think that’s probably for the best, personally, since each team is going to have to find a way to choose its own leader and the leader is going to have to manage a sizable group of people with multiple other interests.
“But since we don’t have set leaders yet, I’m thinking it might be best to choose the first team leaders and coalition chairperson by nomination, seconding, and popular vote. Does anyone violently oppose doing it this way, to start?”
[Aaron Yates] Whatever engagement kept Aaron from saying he’d be coming along to the meeting — let’s face it, it was probably curvaceous and in his bed still — he seems to have extracted himself in decent enough time to wander along for the meeting, after all. He slides into the apartment with a hood drawn over his head, a leather jacket framing his athletic build. He pushes the hood down as he steps inside, scruffing a hand back through grown out locks.
His eyes pin-point his twin, and he wordlessly nods at him with a little smirk playing his lips, Aaron Yates finds a spot on the wall and settles in to listen.
[Will Talbot] Will arrives late. There’s no excuse for it. Still: the meeting was called for noon on a Friday; a busy Friday at that. He is working as he exits the dark Lexus provided by his car service, and working as he enters and is buzzed up into the appointed apartment, blackberry either in hand or attached to his ear. The Silver Fang is older than most of the assembled kinfolk – somewhere in his mid-thirties – and looks every inch the successful businessman. It’s winter, but his devotion to golfers if not golf itself keeps a tan on his otherwise pale skin. His blonde hair is close-cropped, and despite his otherwise excellent grooming, the kinsman has a faint bristle of growth shadowing the strong line of his jaw. Other than that, it does not look as if he has been up for hours upon hours, monitoring the currency markets, and reassuring jittery clients as news changes hourly on the Greek bailout.
Just before entering the apartment proper, Will turns the blackberry to silent, stands up straight, adjusts his suit and cinches his tie. There’s a mirror in the hallway, and he pauses long enough to give himself a once over, then enters Danicka’s apartment in time to hear something about coalition chairperson and team leaders. He nods – brief and polite – to Danicka as he enters. The blackberry is still in hand, and he answers another e-mail as he finds a place against the wall.
[Ethan Yates] Ethan glances over at his brother, his spitting image, when he finds him settled against the wall. Anyone looking at them wouldn’t be able to tell that just a week ago they were avoiding each other after getting into a fistfight in an alleyway. Wherever he’d said he was going to be, he decides he doesn’t need to be anymore.
Does anyone violently oppose doing it this way, to start?
“No,” he says, rather than mutely shaking his head.
[Danicka Musil] [Also! If your character gets the pad of paper and signs up for any of the teams or multiple teams, please note it in your post or send me a PM!]
[Liadan Whelan] Lee, sitting properly in the couch and not slouched against the arm or lounging back but upright, hands resting lightly in her lap, flicks a glance at the latecomers. She looks at Aaron with recognition only in her dark eyes. Her eyes don’t stay on the elder Yates twin long enough for silent greetings, her attention is back on Danicka.
Reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear, Lee just shakes her head. No.
[Izzy Montoya] ((I think Izzy and John both signed up under training or something. *LOL* if I remember right, anyway.))
to Danicka Musil
[Little Vinnie] Vinnie says nothing, just crossing his arms and listening.
[Danicka Musil] [*L* I meant for the people who weren’t at the other meeting or didn’t sign up. I already have everyone from the first meeting written down.]
to Izzy Montoya
[Izzy Montoya] (Well you didn’t SAY THAT. Harumph. See if I try to be HELPFUL anymore. *runs away, kris* :) )
to Danicka Musil
[Izzy Montoya] Izzy is violently opposed to a lot of things. However, this is not one of them, so she says nothing to oppose the moving forward with the meeting.
[Gina McClaren] *The pikey smells of spices and sounds like tiny bells, shifting beside Liadan and considering the notepad as it comes round. Training? No one likely wanted to belly dance, or seduce anyone. Training was out. Information? Well, as it took her weeks to find out about deaths, not likely. Support.. well… that perhaps she could do. Chicken scratch marks her name on the list as she waits for Danicka to continue, passing the notepad on.*
[Rosanna Kardos] Rosanna untangles her arm from Vinnie’s and curls her arm on his shoulder, leaning on the older Sicilian as he remains quiet. She looks on at Danicka with a raised eyebrow and closed mouth.
[Adrian Sandenberg] Adrian is not opposed, and when the notebook makes its way towards him, he considers it with the same thoghtful weight he considers so much else. Training gets his name, and then at the bottom of the list, in parentheses [if needed], support. Then, the notebook gets passed on.
[Fabienne Bartelle] *Fabienne considers the notepad for a long moment. Training. For the miscreant kin of this sept? Her voice raises above the murmuring din. Chin lifted, grey eyes meet Danicka’s briefly.*
In order that I might make a more informed decision as to my contribution, I must ask – will one be expected to train whomever requests it, and how do you propose to address the will and preferences of kinfolk’s garou warden?
[Moira Murray] Moira had signed up for the support group at the first meeting. She remembers when Danicka approached her in the street and spoke to her about leading. She has no issues continuing the meeting, just listens now in silence.
[Danicka Musil] Danicka lifts an eyebrow at Fabienne’s question. “Like I said when I explained how things went at the first meeting: all of us need to have the awareness and support of our guardians. No one should be involved in the coalition until they have that.
“However, to answer your other question: simply put, yes. The only requirements for membership in the coalition are really willingness to be involved and some measure of loyalty to the group. We aren’t here solely for our own benefit. There isn’t much point to getting organized and working with each other if we’re going to be all that picky about which members of the coalition we help. That said: if there’s serious, valid reasoning behind refusing to teach someone something, there’s ways to deal with that. But we need team leaders and a chairperson to make those decisions.”
Danicka pauses a moment. “If you’re not sure, go ahead and sign up anyway for whatever you’re interested in. It’s not a binding contract, and you can change your mind later.”
[Izzy Montoya] There’s a flicker of some expression across Izzy’s face at Fabienne’s question as well as Danicka’s reply – briefly there, than gone. It’s probably a damn good bet that she never bothered to bring up this little meeting – or the last – to anyone, despite her current situation.
Nor will she.
[Danicka Musil] [5 minutes for your char to voice opposition to nomination and voting for leaders or we’re moving on with it!]
[Will Talbot] At some point, the notebook arrives at Will’s spot against the wall. He deposits the blackberry into an inner pocket of his tailored coat before accepting the tablet from and pen from Adrian – and then frowns over the Venn diagram. Briefly, his pale blue eyes flicker up around, take in the room, and then land again on Danicka. In the end, he writes nothing down. He does not place himself on any of the proposed teams, and does not write his name down anywhere on the sheet. Instead, he retrieves a small metal box from the same inner pocket into which his blackberry disappeared produces a pair of business cards, both of which he tucks into the notebook.
He signs up for nothing, and voices no opposition.
[Fabienne Bartelle] *A thin blonde brow archs delicately upward. An inter-tribal coalition based on trust and mutual responsibility and respect. What she’d seen so far would indicate little capability of either. She passes the paper on, hands folded just so on her knee.*
[Danicka Musil] When nobody speaks up to oppose the idea of choosing initial leaders by way of nomination and voting, Danicka finishes her scan of the room and then lifts her eyebrows, seeming both surprised and pleased. “All right, then!” she says brightly, glancing down at the pad of paper that has made its way back into her hands. She looks up.
“Those of you who have chosen not to sign up for anything, please abstain from the process of nomination and voting. If you decide to join later, feel free to address any changes you want to make with your team leader. We’ll start with the support team.”
A beat. “I nominate Moira Murray. All in favor?”
She lifts her hand.
[Moira Murray] Moira clears her throat, lowering her head as she sucks in a quick breath, and then looks up again and around the room.
[Izzy Montoya] A brow quirks upwards, and she looks down at Moira, seated near where she’s standing. She catches her gaze, and then with that same lil smirk, raises her hand in favor, before tucking it back with the other, folded across her chest.
[Adrian Sandenberg] Moira and Ethan are the only two people in the room Adrian knows, though he’s met Fabienne once. He watches the room briefly, shrugs, and raises his hand long enough to be counted before pulling it back down. He is aloof, he is distant, he is cool, but he’s here and particpating. It’s something, considering he hadn’t been willing to leave his flat at all only a couple hours ago.
[Gina McClaren] *Gina nibbles her lip. Much as she liked to help, she was no longer the jingling ray of sunshine she’d been when she first blew into the windy city. She barely knew Moira, after all. Finally she shrugs. What the hell. No harm in trying a thing. Her hand raises with a clink of bangles.*
[Will Talbot] Will’s face is a mask of polite interest, one he has perfected over the years and found appropriate for most such situations. Still, he studies the room, watching Danicka’s reaction as her notebook returns to her hands, glancing at Moira when she breathes in – once, sharply – as he name is entered into nomination, carefully applying the mnemonic by which he associates names and faces. His attention flicks to Izzy and Adrian, and finally Gina as she raises her bangle-clad arm, then he retrieves the blackberry again, scanning his latest e-mails.
[Moira Murray] Her cheeks puff out as she holds her breath, head turning to look over her shoulder towards the people that had raised a hand. She grins a little at Adrian and Gina and then to Izzy, she nods her head.
[Liadan Whelan] Even as Gina is raising her hand, Lee is glancing at the small Pikey beside her. She doesn’t know Moira, hasn’t had the pleasure.
“Wait. Can we nominate someone else?”
[Ethan Yates] All he knows about Moira is what he has been told by the young man he had come with. That said… he knows more about her than he knows about anyone else in the room, than he knows about anyone else whose name appeared beneath the Support portion of the Venn diagram, and so without ado or comment, the cleaner-shaven of the two Yates twins pulls his hand out of his pocket, lowering the one holding the beer, and raises it.
[Aaron Yates] Aaron directs his easy, lazy play-boy smile Moira’s way and, when at some point he catches her eye, winks at her and raises his hand to suggest he too, backs this play.
[Fabienne Bartelle] *Fabienne remains perfectly polite and silent. Observing with just the right amount of idle interest. Attentive but non-committal. Her right ear tilted towards whoever is speaking from one moment to the next. This in itself takes up most of her attentive in a group this large.*
[Danicka Musil] “Oh.”
Danicka frowns slightly when Lee speaks up and says Wait. She looks mildly frustrated, but not with Lee. The expression is turned inward. She looks briefly full of consternation, and then flicks her eyes over at the twins before turning back to the redhead.
“I should have waited for other nominations. Or seconding, before calling for a vote. I’m sorry.”
It’s not just consternation. It’s embarrassment.
“However, Moira now has six votes out of nine members currently present. We could cast those votes out and start over, opening leadership of the support team to other nominations, or call it.”
[Gina McClaren] *Kohl rimmed eyes slip to Liadan, pikey’s head tilting in question before she looks back to Danicka. Even the woman’s damn earrings make noise, tinkling quietly against themselves as she moves. Least Silent Strider ever.*
[Liadan Whelan] Danicka looks embarrassed, and Lee’s stomach sinks into the couch.
“Well, I think that depends.” She turns to Gina, brows faintly furrowed and mouth quirked. “I want to nominate Gina McClaren. But, since she voted for Moira already, I think, maybe it should be up to her if we recast votes.” And then of course there needs to be a seconding, but one thing at a time.
[Moira Murray] “Who else did you have in mind?”
Moira asks, she doesn’t look upset, more curious than anything at Liadan as she speaks up to ask for another nomination. When Gina’s name is brought up, the Fenrir turns her eyes upon the Strider kin. One corner of her mouth tilting up slightly.
“In all honesty, I think Gina and I could bring a lot to table. Despite the fact that she did vote for me. I would be willing to make it more fair and accept a revote if Ms. McClaren wishes. Perhaps, there is something to her influence that I lack that will benefit the support team with her guidance.”
[Danicka Musil] Danicka turns her eyes to Gina. “Do you have any interest in heading up the support team, Gina? Or maybe working as co-leader?”
[Gina McClaren] *Gina’s blinking. They wanted the woman branded as the sept welcome wagon (the grudge match between her and Lonna would be next kin meeting) to lead something? Well.. she supposed that was support of a kind. And if it was, she was something of a pro. Well not a pro but a- the pretty pikey begins to turn coral under caramel skin, clearing her throat and speaking in a voice thats distractingly pleasant.*
Well… Och.. Ah’ll help best ah can. Effen Lee thenks ah’m oop fer tha task, reckon ah’ll gi’ et a try.
*Distractingly pleasant. Entirely incomprehensible.*
[Danicka Musil] Danicka keeps watching her. “So was that a yes? I wouldn’t push for a more direct answer, Gina, but we need to know if we’re re-voting so we can move on with the rest of the meeting.” She laughs, lightly.
[Gina McClaren] Och. Ah..
*A glance to Moira, then a sheepish grin and a shrug.*
Aye. “Yes” loves.
[Danicka Musil] “Alright, then,” Danicka says, seeming amused now, her brief embarrassment passing. She seems like she’s enjoying this, ultimately. But she pauses, and looks at a few of those taking up space in her living room. She glances at her notebook again, lifts her eyes.
“Ms. Bartelle, Rosanna, and…” she looks at Will, “you,” since if she got his name she doesn’t recall it now, “I’ve noticed that you haven’t signed up for anything. Since this meeting is about determining leadership for the coalition and its teams, and since I’ve already gone over all the information that was offered in the first meeting…”
She gives a small shrug. “If you’re not interested in being involved at this point, thank you for coming by, but you’re free to go at any time. All we’re going to be doing from here on out is voting, which will likely just bore you since you aren’t currently planning on being a part of the coalition.”
[Rosanna Kardos] Rosanna smirks, nudging Vinnie with her elbow as she pulls away from him. “Tell me how it ends.” She hadn’t signed up for anything, not much of it really held her interests at this particular time. She gestures to the front door, “I’ll wait outside, Vinnie.” And promptly goes.
[Little Vinnie] Vinnie blinked and gave a grimace…almost a glare as Rosanna excuses herself…swearing under his breath.
[Fabienne Bartelle] *Fabienne rises from her seat, hand bag gathered along with her jacket. Voting was not of interest to her. The coalition was something of a novel – if foolishly optimistic idea. She pauses near Danicka to give her thanks at being allowed to observe, and offers quietly.*
While I’m unwilling to offer my skills indiscriminately to your coalition members, I may available in a financial capacity should you find your organization in need of a donation. Good Evening Ms. Musil. A pleasure.
*A small rose card offered to the Shadowlord kin before the blonde excuses herself.*
[Will Talbot] “Will Talbot, Ms. Musil – ” Will glances up from his blackberry and supplies his name with a brief, short laugh as Danicka addresses him as you. She has one of his business cards, tucked into the notebook with her Venn diagram. He is half-seated on a window ledge somewhere, and favors the Shadow Lord kinswoman with his most charming smile. “And I’ll stay, thank you. You’ve explained your team concepts and the coalition, but I’d like to hear more – your methods, your specific goals, and observe the group dynamics before I commit myself to anything. And of course, I can always offer your team leaders – ” there are quotes around the words, light and brief, etched into his tone. Here, he shoots a charming glance toward Moira and Gina.” – my services directly, once your group has made its decisions.”
[Danicka Musil] Fabienne and Rosanna make their exits, Will opts to stay, and what he says makes Danicka lift an eyebrow. She inclines her head once. “As you wish.”
Turning back to the others as one Shadow Lord kinswoman and one Silver Fang kinswoman excuse themselves, she address the group once more: “Moira and Gina have been nominated for leadership of the support team. All in favor of Moira?”
This time, she does not immediately raise her own hand.
[Izzy Montoya] Once again, she raises her hand in support of Moira – nothing against Gina, of course, but she knows the young Fenrir kin.
[Aaron Yates] In all honestly — Aaron doesn’t really know either of the nominated females that well at all, faces, names, he can place them if he must, but his nomination winds up being based on which of them he’s actually heard speak the most, and well, one can only assume there’s a physical element to it, too.
What a dick.
“I’ll keep my nomination in favor of Ms. Murray, I believe,” drawls the appealing accented voice.
[Gina McClaren] *Gina shakes her head. She had to vote for herself now, curvy strider kin laughing warm and wanton, face brightening in embarrassment and good cheer. That done she grins and offers Moira a wink, shoulders bouncing in an impressive shrug.*
[Adrian Sandenberg] And Adrian, too, only knows Moira. The look he shoots Gina is almost apologetic, and he clears his throat before he speaks in a clear voice somewhere between tenor and baritone – not a good range, not a singer’s (or speaker’s) voice. “I’ll stay with Moira too, thank you.” London is there, but his accent is still thickened, brought back to his roots. Mostly, it speaks of South Africa, of rural areas outside of Johanessburg.
[Will Talbot] Fabienne receives a small, more familiar dip of his head than he has given to anyone else in the room as she takes her leave. The nominations continue then. Will, of course, has no voice in the vote. He observes from his perch at the window, his attention turning from Izzy to Aaron to Gina to Adrian as the first vote continues, glancing up from the blackberry whenever someone speaks up. Once, he pauses to study the view from Danicka’s window, pale eyes hooded, thoughtful. Otherwise, the older kinsman maintains an impressive mask of polite and patient interest in the proceedings.
[Ethan Yates] For reasons wholly unrelated to his brother’s, Ethan raises his hand to keep his vote for Moira.
[Little Vinnie] Vinnie seems to abstain, or maybe he’s nodded off…oh wait, no, he’s glaring at the door.
[Liadan Whelan] Lee keeps her hands in her lap.
[Danicka Musil] Danicka, in the end, raises her hand for Moira. “Out of nine present members, that’s six votes for Moira. Congratulations, Ms. Murray. Currently those interested in coalition membership who are signed up for the support team are yourself, Gina McClaren, Trent Bumby, Lenya Stidolph, Adrian Sandenberg, Lee Whelan, and myself. I’ll get you all our necessary contact information before you leave.”
She glances down at her list again. “On to the Information team. Vinnie Morretti, Aaron Yates, Lee Whelan and myself are all signed up at least in part for this.” She lifts her head. “Are there any nominations?”
[Gina McClaren] *Gina’s not entirely sure as to everyone’s professions and capabilities, looking from person to person in curiosity. Lee was a… photographer? Danicka was Lukas’s mate and.. a computer nerd? Maybe? She had no idea. Not enough to nominate anyone on. A hand drags through her hair as she shakes her head. *
[Adrian Sandenberg] “I think,” he says softly, not quite shyly, “that this might work best if we had some idea of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I realize that I’m new and missed the last meeting, but I only know two people in this room, and I’m not the only one who has a blank look on my face. So perhaps some discussion in that vein before we go about voting for people we don’t know anything out might be a wise idea?”
[Moira Murray] Moira looked a bit surprised at the faces that lifted a hand, most of them she didn’t know. She looks to Gina offering her a small smile. They move on to the next category, she looks around at the names mentioned, her eyes flicking over to Adrian.
“He brings up a good point.”
[Danicka Musil] “Absolutely not,” Danicka says mildly, when Adrian suggests a round-robin of strengths and weaknesses. “Having an idea of who can do what is obviously a good thing, so I’ll explain why I’m shutting it down: like you said, you weren’t at the first meeting. If we spend time every time we meet going over introductions and résumés, we won’t ever get anything else done.
“By signing up for one team or another, or two or even all three, you’re saying that you have at least some ability or interest, there. Anyone can turn down a nomination for themselves if they feel they’re not equipped to lead. You can also abstain from voting if you do not feel comfortable doing so. Leadership will not be eternal, if only to maintain fairness and avoid burnout. If a team leader proves to be a failure in that role, the team will, in a matter of months, have a chance to choose a new one.”
A small smile. “I hope as we go forward you get to know other members better so you can make more informed decisions, but at this point, the goal is to get the ball rolling, and we need some kind of hierarchy to make that happen.”
[Moira Murray] “Very well… Ms. Musil, Lee Whelan would be good for information team lead perhaps?”
[Danicka Musil] “Seconded,” Danicka says, nodding to Moira’s nomination. She looks at Lee, to see whether or not the photographer and world traveler accepts.
[Adrian Sandenberg] “Strengths and weaknesses in an arena so broad as ‘training’, ‘support’ or ‘information’ do not indicate a strength in leadership or communication,” he says with a shrug. “Because I can shoot a gun and teach others to do so does not mean that I can lead a large team meant to cover a lot more fields than mine.”
But from there, he falls quiet, and listens. His will be an abstention, obviously.
[Gina McClaren] Sounds fine by me.
*Crows the pikey. She shifts a little uncomfortably on the couch, working out an ache with a stretch and a sigh. Jewelry clinking.*
[Izzy Montoya] She’d been lost in thought – and belatedly realized another vote is going on. “Huh? Oh. Yah, sure. She’s fine by me.” Of course, she has no idea who the woman is – but she trusts Moira’s nomination.
[Little Vinnie] “….”
Vinnie glanced to the girl and then looked back to the door again, once more abstaining from a vent.
[Little Vinnie] (abstaining from a vote)
[Gina McClaren] *Was that a bruise? Fingers slip along the back of her neck idly, expression darkening. Was that a BITEMARK?! Oh that leering little ghoul. Werewolves. A girl couldn’t have anything nice. She sniffs at her braid and quirks her lips further. Great. Sex, Curry and Sweat. The trifecta of “what I’d rather not smell like at a meeting of my peers”. A hand drags across her shoulders, plucking at her sweater as she looks down her shirt into more than abundant cleavage. No tag. At least she’d thrown it on right way round.*
[Liadan Whelan] Lee had been momentarily lost in thought. Listening to Adrian’s commentary, thinking it over, and suddenly she’s being nominated, and seconded, and voted for leader of the communication group.
Startled, she glances up and around the room. Almost frantic. “What? Oh, no, no I couldn’t. Aaron would make a much better nominee, I’m sure?” she says, ending on a questioning note.
[Danicka Musil] Danicka lifts an eyebrow at Lee’s automatic backing down. She shrugs slightly, looking around the room. “Lee Whelan and Aaron Yates have been nominated for leadership of the information team. All in favor of Lee?”
[Moira Murray] Moira raises her hand.
[Izzy Montoya] Once again, she trusts Moira’s word, though she’s watching Aaron. For obvious reasons. But she raises her hand for Lee, alongside Moira.
[Ethan Yates] Ethan’s eyebrows rise when Lee nominates his brother to lead the Information committee, though it’s hard to tell if it’s out of amusement or out of shock. He takes a slug of beer, and when Danicka asks for those in favor of Lee, he doesn’t pause: he raises his right hand.
[Adrian Sandenberg] Adrian, quiet, studious, watches Lee. That she’s surprised is obvious, but is that discomfort?
[Per + Emp]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 3, 6, 7, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Aaron Yates] Aaron looks up, arms still crossed over his chest, a small measure of surprise crossing his features at the nomination. He clears his throat and says, in his clear, modulated voice. “As much as I appreciate the vote of confidence from Ms Whelan, I have to say I believe she’s far better equipped to lead.”
[Adrian Sandenberg] “Feel free to stop me if I’m speaking out of line,” he says, and quiet is not to be mistaken for soft now – he is, in fact, rather firm, “But I do believe Lee has already declined. Voting for her is an exercise in futility, and as Aaron also declines, you may have to table your vote for head of the information committee, I’m afraid. It’s fine and well to vote quickly when your nominees are willing, but right now, they are not.”
[Danicka Musil] Danicka notes what Adrian says, and turns to Lee. “Are you, in fact, declining the nomination, or simply nominating another member?”
[Gina McClaren] *Gina looks to Lee, then around the room. A moment later shes standing, charms clinking and jingling with the movement, percussion to the sway of her hips and the swish of her skirts, the melody of her voice as she sings an an abrupt goodbye, expression sheepish.*
Aulrecht. Ah abstain frem the rest, on account o’ ah dinnae kain anythen about most o ye tae vote for ye oor nae. Ah’ve tae dash now darlins. Pissy Ahroun at home, an ets a full on assassin’s moon! Best time tae have a long comin talk.
Ye’ve me number on tha lest. Good luck.
*With that, the pikey slips out.*
[Little Vinnie] Vinnie finally grunted as he moved for the door himself…so far not having said a word for most of the meeting.
[Liadan Whelan] Lee drops her eyes to the fingers now twined together in her lap. Ethan is behind her, and so she doesn’t see his hand move into the air in support of her nomination. The others don’t even know her.
She swallows, and says, “Both, actually. But, if Aaron declines,” she glances up as Vinnie rises to go, “and he’s not interested enough to stay, that only leaves you, V.”
[Danicka Musil] She’s quiet a moment, watching Lee closely — if a bit flatly. “I accept the nomination,” she says simply. “Show of hands?”
[Izzy Montoya] And again. Hand up. Who knew this was gonna be a workout?
[Will Talbot] William watches as Gina takes her leave, tracking the little kinswoman’s path through Danicka’s apartment with his pale gaze, never really turning his head. Then Vinnie grunts and stands; he too draws Will’s attention from his blackberry, although again, the Silver Fang kinswoman does not track the man’s path with his head, but rather with his pale eyes. The interchange between Liadan, Aaron and Danicka grabs him more directly; the older man looks up, shooting a glance from one kin to the other, his expression still a perfect mask of politeness as Danicka – at last – accepts the nomination and voting begins anew.
[Ethan Yates] Both Lee and Aaron turn down their nominations. The police officer turns his attention from the redhead to the blonde, watching the latter watch the former, and when she asks for a show of hands, Ethan suppresses a smile and raises his hand.
[Little Vinnie] Out he goes.
[Liadan Whelan] Lee, her face turned to her lap, raises her hand.
[Adrian Sandenberg] Adrian abstains.
[Aaron Yates] Aaron, looking at Lee with a vaguely confused frown, raises his fingers briefly to show he’s fine with the nomination of Danicka.
[Danicka Musil] Her currently dark green eyes skim over the group as Gina and Vinnie make their way out and Adrian keeps his hand down. She meets Mr. Talbot’s eyes for a moment, but mostly: she’s counting votes. She’s keeping track. Her gaze glances over Moira, but after Aaron raises his hand, that seals it: “Out of seven currently present members, I’ve received four votes, five if you include my own, which effectively settles the matter. Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
There’s nothing more on that minor catastrophe. She glances at her notebook and back up again. “Ethan Yates, Izzy Montoya, Adrian Sandenberg, Aaron Yates, Lee Whelan and myself are all signed up for the training team and present tonight. As leader of the Information team I am unable to be nominated this term for leadership of another team.
“The person I would nominate for leadership of the Training team is not present tonight, so I open it to the rest of you to make suggestions.”
She looks at Adrian, her expression and her tone mild. “May I assume you’ll be continuing to abstain?”
[Aaron Yates] “I put my nomination forward for my brother, Ethan.” Aaron’s eyes slide to meet an exact mirror of them in his twin.
[Liadan Whelan] “I second,” says Lee. Which could be looked on as comical, given the events that will transpire later this evening.
[Izzy Montoya] She arches a brow, slightly – curious. “Who would you have nominated?”
And then, with a steady look at Ethan, she nods. She opens her mouth to second, but Lee beat her there. He’s a cop – and that’s something that the bonds of the Nation can’t break. Either way. He also has her vote.
[Adrian Sandenberg] “Assumptions are a dangerous thing, Ms. Musil,” he says with a shrug. “You may assume what you like. If the nominees are people who are willing, and that I know to be capable of not only organizing but taking both the criticisms and praises that come with this sort of job without burning out, I will not abstain. However, I will not vote for someone I do not know, and thus have the lack of confidence that goes with such a state, I will abstain, yes.”
He almost manages a smirk. Is almost wry. But mostly, he’s unreadable, well hidden behind his walls and barriers.
And then there is a nomination for Ethan, and it’s his turn to catch Adrian’s study – this is not something foreign or unfamiliar to Ethan. He knows well enough what’s going on when Adrian looks at him that way.
[Liadan Whelan] [That was a dare, right? percept + emp on Adrian!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 7, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Adrian Sandenberg] [Manip + Sub (again! People are paying attention!)]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6) [WP]
[Adrian Sandenberg] [Per + Emp on Ethan!]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Danicka Musil] Adrian gets to what you like.
The Shadow Lord Kinswoman fixes him with a level stare. “You may leave my apartment immediately, Mr. Sandenberg. If you choose, you may cast a vote before you do, as you are still signed up for the Training team. Otherwise, I find you rude and argumentative, and I will no longer tolerate you in the walls of the place I live.”
[Adrian Sandenberg] A brow raises, and it’s the most expression that’s come to his face since he arrived; obviously, he is unaware of when calm and reasonable voicing of opinions in a coalition meeting became rude and argumentative. But he looks Ethan’s way, watches as he had Lee, and says – just as calm, quiet and reasonable as he’s been since he started speaking, “I will vote for Ethan, yes.”
And then it’s time to leave – he pauses by the older kin and murmurs, quieter still. “I’ll catch a cab home. Thank you for bringing me.” And he’s gone.
[Danicka Musil] As Adrian makes his way out, pausing by Ethan, Danicka turns to Izzy. “John Thornton,” she says quietly. She looks over at Ethan. “I take it you have no issues with accepting the nomination? You have the majority.”
[Izzy Montoya] That brow arches higher, and there’s something of a smile that she quickly fashions into a more familiar smirk.
She pulls out her phone from a pocket, and within seconds, a text message is sent, the phone folded, and tucked back into her pocket.
[Ethan Yates] This entire time, the tall Gnawer kinsman has been standing behind the couch, keeping himself out of several people’s lines of sight unless they turn around to look at him. He hasn’t leaned against the tall or propped his weight against any of the furniture, yet when Danicka and Adrian begin to exchange words, he starts to look around for a place to sit down.
Aaron, Lee, then Izzy vote for him, and then Adrian murmurs something to him as he leaves. “Alright,” is all he has to say to that, and then he’s pushing his hand back into his pocket. A question as to whether he has issues with accepting the nomination, and Ethan appears to think for a moment before shaking his head.
“No,” he says. “Aaron’s filled me in on the specifics of what’s expected of the Training committee; I’d be happy to fill the position.”
[Danicka Musil] Not for the first time tonight, but for the first time in perhaps the last ten minutes, Danicka gives a small, warm smile. “Congratulations, Mr. Yates.
“Now,” she goes on, a moment later. “We need a Coalition chairperson. I’d be much happier if we had all voices of members accounted for, but frankly: everyone who was here before got an invite, and several others, besides. I received no responses from those who are absent, and a few have left of their own accord. I say we go forward and choose a chairperson for a term of six months — double that of a team leader’s term. All of this, in the end, is trial by fire.”
She shrugs.
[Izzy Montoya] She checks her messages, and again is forced to hide a smile behind the conscious smirk she shows the world. She looks up then, and clears her throat. “I think perhaps we should wait until more of our number are here to choose a grand poombah. Perhaps in the interim Ms Musil can keep things rolling.”
[Liadan Whelan] For the past several minutes, Lee’s face has been turned toward her lap.
Strange, that. She’s a fashion photographer, works with skinny, uppity model types who are sometimes cranky from whatever shock diets they’re trying. She knows how to pull people in line. There are rumors that she’s been seen about the city, and that she’s made people cry. She’s known to the Garou, and to the Nation, for her bravery in battle, for her wisdom and her honor.
And yet she sits on Danicka Musil’s living room couch, looking for all the world like she would like very much to disappear or crawl beneath a rock. Certainly no leadership potential there.
She’s quiet for now, as Izzy suggests they wait to determine the chairperson.
[Will Talbot] Will, of course, has no opinion on the matter. He has no right to an opinion on the matter, and knows this well too. Still, he remains where he has stayed all night, half-leaning, half-sitting on the window ledge – or something close to the window ledge, periodically checking his blackberry, monitoring the fluctuations in the currency markets as casually as he monitors the changes in tone and temper of those in the room. When Danicka meets his eyes, her crinkles a smile back at her, a perfectly respectable one, too. Otherwise, he listens, his attention shifting between each of the other kinfolk in the room as the shift or sigh or smirk or stalk out the door, his mien easy and appropriate: interested, but not too interested. Considered, but not too considered.
[Aaron Yates] Aaron clears his throat, then and pipes up. “I don’t know everyone here, and frankly, most of you are probably glad that you don’t know me better, but if we’re going to put our hands up for a chairperson then I do have a question,” he waits for a beat, glancing in passing at Lee, and his brother.
“Do we want the Chairperson to be one of the established team leaders, or someone who isn’t directly leading, because if we decide we want to elect one of the just established leaders that would narrow down nominations dramatically.”
[Danicka Musil] The east wall of the apartment is, in fact, an outwardly curving wall of windows, floor to ceiling, every one of them uncurtained. It’s these, or a nearby column, that Will has to lean against as he checks his Blackberry and observes the dwindling proceedings. He could look to his left, too, and see Chicago spreading out before him from the twenty-third floor. Danicka is in her mid-twenties. Danicka apparently does not have a job that keeps her well into the evenings on a Friday. Danicka has an apartment that costs upward of three grand a month.
Curious, that.
“I think any member of the coalition who is actively involved and willing to lead should be an option for nomination,” she says to Aaron, after a few moments of consideration. “However, right now even members who show an interest have left — or been asked to leave,” she acknowledges, “and others have not shown up at all. Personally, I’m not opposed to waiting until a broader consensus can be reached.”
[Izzy Montoya] She nods, slightly, and pushes away from the wall. “If we’re not going to have another vote then – I need to return to work. I’ve put them off as long as I can.”
[Danicka Musil] She rises to her feet, sliding off the barstool, and nods to Izzy, smiling. “I really appreciate how invested you’ve been in all this, Detective. I can’t wait to see what you and Ethan and the others get started.”
No more voting, tonight. Not with maybe a half-dozen members, a fraction of the people who are honest options for overall leadership. Danicka talks idly with them if they stay to do so, lingering, but she doubts anyone will. Soon enough the twins, the detective, the lawyer and the photographer have left the premises, and it’s time to clean up again.
There isn’t much to do.
[Izzy Montoya] Perhaps she wouldn’t be so appreciative to know that Izzy is not there with “permission”, that she refused to even seek such a thing from a bunch of children nearly half her age, no matter the amount of rage he possesses. Perhaps she’d feel differently were she to know the circumstances that led to the bruises fading acrossher cheekbones, under her eyes.
But since Izzy does not offer such things – she simply nods, and makes her way back out the way she arrived, phone already open and pressed to her ear as she listens to the ever growing list of messages.
[Will Talbot] It’s the column, then. He’s framed against the floor-to-ceiling windows with the endless view of the Chicago skyline, broad shoulders squared against the column, one foot propped against it, casual and comfortable above all. Izzy pushes away from her portion of the wall, drawing his attention once more. He studies her briefly – a glance at her face, his eyes dropping away to her badge on display, then rising again to meet her eyes briefly should she return the look.
After the meeting has evaporated to the dregs, but before the rest of the attendees have filtered out, Will approaches Danicka, introduces himself, offers her – again – his card, his assistant’s card, and a brief, personal, ” – if I can be of any assistance.” He travels extensively, he demurs, if asked about joining a team, but can always be reached at those numbers. And his assistant, too, is kinfolk. Urgent family business can be routed through her. Again, he offers his apologies, admires her view, favors her with a wholly appropriate smile, all before taking his leave at last.