Aaryanna_Mom

[CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/catherinesaraavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/maceyellen-chronicle.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Catherine, when she returned to Rosengard, was exhausted. The past week was starting to take it's toll and more than anything she wished to simply head to her private rooms and call it a night. She was beyond tired and the events of the day had not helped. It wasn't that teaching was all that demanding, in truth it was not. It was more of things that only served to remind her of how much things had changed. When Daedalus had stopped by briefly, it had reminded her of when Leonhart would stop by, and his own look had been rather grim. Something she had not fully understood until later when she was talking to Jessica at dinner. It was positively amazing just how much Jessica picked up. The news about the King being dead, the news about the Underdogs creating a stir in New Czenoble, along with the rumor that the RPG gunship the Vigilant had been shot down. All of it just reminded her of how things had changed for good. She closed the doors to Rosengard behind her only to halt at another sad sight. The rumors about New Czenoble could only be true as someone has already ordered that Ronsengard be packed up. In preparation for the possibility that they would actually need to leave High Czenoble. With a sigh she started to head for her rooms only to halt when she realized that someone was in the lady's parlor. It was Macey and seeing that she had already gotten up to come and greet her she stopped and waited. "[B]Aunt Catherine, do you have a moment to talk?[/B]" Macey asked as she motioned for her to join her. "[B]Only a moment Macey dear. I do not wish to be rude, but I am afraid that I am too weary to be good company at the moment.[/B]" "[B]Have you heard about Vincent?[/B]" Macey continued when Catherine shook her head, with a sad look she handed the letter to her and then took it back once she was done, noting how much effort it took for Catherine to not break down and cry right then and there. "[B]I'm so sorry dear.[/B]" She finally said. "[B]Aunt Catherine, I'm thinking of heading to Anova with Gustave when he leaves. I wanted to know how you feel about that.[/B]" Catherine smiled sadly, she knew why Macey was asking, with Leonhart gone and the fact that her and Bavaria had never learned to like one another, it was clear she was asking for her approval on some level. Since there was no one else she could ask. "[B]Macey dear, if you wish to go to Anova and take the time to get to know Gustave, then by all means do so. Do what's best for you dear.[/B]" She stepped forward and hugged her tightly. "[B]Good night dear.[/B]" Catherine turned and left for her own rooms, as much as she loved all of the family, even she needed time alone and right now was one of those times.

The fleet was due to arrive in sector four shortly and though Daniel was hoping that William would have managed to persuaded them to break off, he wasn?t counting on it. He would carry out his orders to secure the sector by whatever means possible though. With that in mind he already had a battle plan set out and the last detail would be handled by Kreid. He needed Kreid and a group from the task forces and the security forces to lead the assault ships which were designed for sweeping a sector and taking out the automated defenses. He on the other hand would be dealing with the fleet and securing the main home world. It was essential that the automated defenses were taken out since the small stations would fire on any ship in the sector that did not have the necessary codes to indicate that they had the clearance to be in a sector. Each sector had approximately fifty of them, evenly spaced so that it?s was next to impossible to get through a sector without running into one of them. They were designed to deal with smugglers and pirates not the military. So they weren't really a threat to the fleet. But Daniel had a number of transport ships waiting on the border between sector four and ten. The New Alliance didn?t have enough military transports and though civilian ones would do the trick, they couldn?t get past the automated defenses. If sector four wasn?t secured, it would take far too long to hack into their system to disable them, it would be quicker and safer to simply destroy them. In the end when they dropped out of hyperspace on full alert and he was challenged by the fleet there and ordered to halt, he knew at that point that the issue was not resolved. That William had not convinced them to break off. He had enough manpower to deal with the forces there, but it would be a shame to engage in battle and lose the chance to add the fleet there to their numbers. Since the fact that the forces there were holding their ground between his fleet and the home world in sector four was an indication that at least they were willing to talk. After all they could have attacked immediately. He issued the order to bring the fleet to a halt facing the smaller force before them. ?[B]Your orders sir?[/B]? His Sub-Commander asked. ?[B]They?re demanding that we leave the sector.[/B]? ?[B]Open a channel,[/B]? Daniel wasn?t going to attack without at least attempting to talk to whoever was in charge, not when there was a chance he could avoid it. ?[B]Commander Landers,[/B]? the commander of the fleet facing them spoke the moment the channel was open. ?[B]I am Commander Peterson. I?ll get straight to the point, you are to leave sector four at once.[/B]? ?[B]That?s not possible, I wish to speak to the Representatives immediately.[/B]? ?[B]I can?t do that,[/B]? Peterson replied. ?[B]I have my orders.[/B]? ?[B]I see, and there?s no way you?ll re-consider?[/B]? Daniel stood up. ?[B]I?d like to avoid any unnecessary engagements here.[/B]? ?[B]No, you have thirty minutes to leave this sector before we open fire.[/B]? Peterson ended the communication. Daniel sat down with a sigh. ?[B]Well that was a bust. Bring the fleet to full Amber Alert.[/B]? He opened a channel to Kreid. ?[B]Get ready Mr. Kreid, you?re group launches in thirty minutes.[/B]? ?[B]Understood sir.[/B]? He ended the transmission and then watched the countdown, if only they could have avoided a confrontation. Though after what William had told him when he was in sector eleven, until he tracked down whoever was sabotaging their efforts, it was unlikely that they would be able to get either sector without using force and as a Commander, he agreed with William?s assessment of their situation. They couldn?t afford to sit by and do nothing or they really would lose the war.

[quote name='Malkav']Bottom line is Bavaria was well within her rights to kick Anna out. I mean, how come she gets run out of the house and the local whore gets to stay? I argue injustice.[/QUOTE]What are you talking about? Dame Anna is staying with Alecia and Alexander, who have their own home separate from Rosengard. And Lady Bavaria may not be welcome, but she has not been run out of the house.

[quote name='James'][font=franklin gothic medium]Although everyone hates her, she does have some legitimate points.[/font][/QUOTE]Truthfully, I wouldn't say that Catherine hates her, it's more like she's disappointed in her. Though initially she was quite angry, she is now simply waiting for things to calm back down. But in the end, the only problem she has is one: she considers Dame Anna a close friend and two: she feels like Bavaria is allowing her sense of family honor to override what Leonhart would have wished for. Her disapproval is really more like a teacher seeing a promising student failing and being disappointed in that failure. Oh and she will do as Daedalus asked, she will not be agreeable to selling Magitech.

[quote name='are i;805379][SIZE="1"]It seems to me that people are far too willing to insult politicians. I know that might sound insane, but considering all the stupid things I say, I wouldn't look very good on tv either--particularly when no one wants you to. [/SIZE][/QUOTE]Seems I should have been specific here since unless you?re quite a bit older, I?ve been voting in elections since before you were born. ;) I?m not talking about looking good on TV or saying something that isn?t all that bright. I?m talking about fundamental contractions to the very heart of a candidates stance or belief on different issues. Which is part of why I dislike a lot of politicians.[quote name='are i'][SIZE="1"']The government is full of checks and balances, so it's not as though the pres is the final factor in everything that sidles out of the white house anyway. (Though, for some reason, the President is blamed for all the evils plaguing the world at large.) In the end, I don't care how many stupid things the guy's said behind a podium or how many times he's been filmed drunk (they're humans, remember?). I just want someone who will make the best possible decisions his position allows, which most likely won't conform to any idealistic dogma that most people want the world of politics to fit into.[/SIZE][/quote]You should be thinking about those stupid things and being human has nothing to do with it. I?m not talking about perfection here, or getting drunk. Nor did I say the President is responsible for all the evils plaguing the world at large, that?s besides the point. Now since you seem to have mistakenly assumed that I?m just insulting the candidates, I?ll go into depth on Romney here since I object to him more than the others. Early in his presidential bid, Romney was asked what he thought about polygamy. Now for someone who is LDS, it is something that was done based on what was considered a divine revelation. So for him, a member of the LDS/Mormon church to outright say he couldn?t imagine anything more awful than polygamy, well many Mormons were taken aback. It was in it?s time considered a commandment from God. His own great-grandfather had five wives. Polygamy was discontinued since it was a condition for the state of Utah to gain statehood, not because of revelation from God. It?s one thing to tolerate the stereotypes and jokes by outsiders, but for someone like that? It?s unsettling, since many people are proud of their ancestry. I've grown up without it and would not accept it, but I don't consider it one of the most awful things ever. Another example is how It?s puzzling to hear Romney say he reads the Gideon Bible, a version popular with evangelicals when Mormons uniformly study the King James version, in a special Salt Lake edition that is cross-referenced to all other Mormon scripture. It was him playing safe to appeal to the others instead of sticking to what is considered the only acceptable version to read. And I mean that quite literally. We do not study other versions unless one is a historian or curious. In a speech on religion and politics, he said that if he was elected, that his oath to the office/position would become his highest promise to God. Members of the Mormon church are suppose to regard their temple covenants as their highest promise to God. And nothing is suppose to come between that, absolutely nothing. When asked about the possibility of divine revelation conflicting with his duties as president he responded by saying? I don?t recall God speaking to me. I don?t know that he?s spoken to anyone since Moses in the burning bush. Uh, right. After all members believe that the church was restored to Joseph Smith after not only a spoken revelation but an actual visitation from God and Jesus Christ. And one of Mormonism?s core beliefs is that everyone, not just the current prophet, is entitled to receive personal revelation from God. I find it troubling that he?s willing to outright lie in order to woo evangelical voters and to blur the differences between the two groups. Mormonism is not some sort of idiosyncratic brand of Protestantism and I hate it when people pander in an attempt to gain votes. It smacks of dishonesty on a level that I am not comfortable with. So please, don't assume I'm just hating on the candidates or insulting them. I do have reasons as to why I don't like some of them and it is the honest truth that this time around, it's disappointing really. I haven't found a single one that I can really identify with enough to want to actually vote for them.

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Oh what an interest election, it's like the one we have now in the Primaries. I wonder which candidate screams about CHANGE! the most and which one has an annoying spouse that likes to mouth off all the time and sabotage things. But seriously. I can't imagine Lector Moebius having the total authority to punish Catharine for her competence. If he thinks everything is bad now, my goodness. What will he ever do when she's not there to discourage the children from setting his robes on fire.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]Oh definitely, my daughter was saying it's like choosing which method of execution you want. There just isn't a good choice. As for Lector Moebius, he's a fool and I imagine he's saying such things more out of spite than anything else. He simply refuses to see that being familiar with history doesn't make one qualified for anything other than perhaps reading. I don't plan on having him actually carry out the threat, it's just him blowing hot air out of his... I'm sure I don't need to say where. :p

[quote name='ZeitGeist']Dude, Romney is [I]the man[/I]. America has lost an incredible opportunity.[/QUOTE]Romney is a liar actually. Willing to say things to win instead of holding fast to the religious beliefs he claims to follow. Some of us in the same religion are willing to overlook it but others, like myself, find it sad to see him pandering in order to give the impression that he fits in. Once I realized he was doing this sort of thing, saying things that contradict LDS doctrine, I lost all interest in him ever becoming president. In fact, I'm not too interested in any of the candidates really, maybe I'm becoming jaded, but all of them seem to have too many problems. It's how it's always been I'm sure, but for some reason, this election just seems to embody that stupidity even more than usual.

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]What I wanna know is, why all y'all single emo people wanna be hatin' on the Valentine's Day festivities and what? Jays, it's like you all got this deep-rooted grudge against it just 'cause you ain't got that "special someone". For cryin' out loud, people, what'd we do in first grade? We made little construction paper hearts ? or sometimes things that were [I]supposed[/I] to be hearts ? and we gave 'em to all our friends, our parents, our teachers, the hobos on the street.... Seriously. And then some addlepated fuzzbrain came up with this tripe called "Single's Awareness Day", [I]conveniently[/I] abbreviated SAD :rolleyes:, and turns the day into one inordinately gigantic pity party. My gosh. :p The way I see it, us single people can do one of two things. We can make it so we have fun just passin' out valentines to people, like we used to do back when we didn't know what emo was; or we can have fun watchin' people have fun. Enough o' this self-centered "I ain't got nobody to call my own" rubbish. Go find a Labrador. Or a kitten. Glomp somebody for no reason at all. Chances are if they're walkin' around alone, they need it just as much as you. [SIZE="1"]And yes, it is [I]Valentine's[/I] Day. Possessive. Not plural. :animesmil It's named in honor of people (martyrs, I think; check Wiki), and has since evolved (or devolved; whatever). It wasn't to my knowledge named because everybody passes around candy and chocolate and cards and money and flowers and paper heart-shaped crap. :p[/SIZE] [/good-humored rant][/FONT][/QUOTE]That puts things so perfectly so I'll not bother to repeat it since I've never understood the negative slant people try to give to the holiday. Silly kids. The only thing I miss about the holiday is that I no longer have small children in grade school. I enjoyed being one of the homeroom mothers who helped out with the actual day when it came up. I don't know what they do now, but making batches of cupcakes for the entire class was always fun. Now It's fun to get cute little cards along with a little something to give my kids even though they're all older now. They usually give me something in return like some flowers or a video to watch. Just some simple fun for the day. :catgirl:

[CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/catherinesaraavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/lector-avatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Instead of heading home once school was let out for the day, Catherine was instead standing at the windows of her office overlooking the city, watching the fading light as the sun set. She was going out with one of her friends for dinner in a bit and it seemed pointless to head for Rosengard only to turn around and come back to the same area where the school was located. Her friend, Jessica, was going to meet her at the front gates to Chaos so they could enjoy a leisurely stroll over to the restaurant in question. Even if Jessica was a bit of a gossip, Catherine still enjoyed getting together with her from time to time. A sigh escaped her lips as she sat down and continued to gaze outwards, how many times had Leonhart managed to sneak in a visit to her office over the years? Not very often, but he always did, when he had a chance. Checking on how she was doing, chatting a bit over what was going on in both their lives. She was going to miss those random visits, as well as the evenings when they got a chance to discuss the different fields of magi technology. Even if she never specialized in one of the different fields of magi technology, she understood all that he talked about and more. It was part of why she became a teacher, not because of grief over her fiancé?s death. She smiled sadly, how could she focus on only one aspect when all of them were so interesting? Even as a teacher, she was always keeping up with new developments, her office was a mini library with two of the walls housing all the books she owned, many of them given to her by Leonhart over the years. And her own personal room back in Rosengard was a small library on it?s own. Catherine often spent a portion of her evenings reading up on things. It was fun to work with the children, to see them learn and grasp the fundamentals of whatever field they decided to study in. No, it had been her intention all along, to become a teacher. A knock at her door interrupted her thoughts and she moved to answer it, thinking it was Jessica, to her surprise it was the Head Master, Lector Moebius. She hadn?t realized that he was still there since he had always taken off immediately once the students were gone, showing no interest in keeping up with some of the more mundane duties of a Head Master. It was with great reluctance that she allowed him in when he indicated that he needed to talk to her. There was something off about his behavior, something that became clear once they were both seated at the little table over by the window. ?[B]I?m truly sorry to bother you Lady Almagest, but I fear I simply must.[/B]? He started out hesitantly. ?[B]Whatever do you mean?[/B]? ?[B]It?s the children and the lack of discipline here at Chaos. Now I know you?ve been a teacher for over twenty five years, but it?s clear to me that you?re protecting them instead of disciplining them.[/B]? He stood up and started walking back and forth, missing Catherine?s sigh of disappointment. ?[B]Head Master Moebius,[/B]? She stood up as well. ?[B]The only one with a problem here is you and your utter lack of experience when it comes to dealing with children.[/B]? He turned to face her, a look of irritation on his face. ?[B]Don?t try to pin your inability to keep the children in line on me.[/B]? Catherine?s eyebrow just raised in disbelief, ?[B]My inability? Don?t force me to point out how being a historian is not an indication that one is qualified for leading an institution such as Chaos.[/B]? ?[B]I hardly think I would have been appointed if I was not capable of doing the job.[/B]? Lector said haughtily. ?[B]And you call yourself a historian,[/B]? Catherine said with genuine irritation, ignoring his indignant gasp. ?[B]Just as I am more than well versed in all of the forms of magi technology that we teach or students, I am also well versed in history. You are not the first person to have been given a position based on political power instead of actual talent or ability, and you most certainly won?t be the last.[/B]? She cut him off before he could object. ?[B]You have been neglecting your duties as Head Master and you haven?t even been here that long! Instead you waste your time bothering the teachers while they are on their breaks and ignore the important reports like the upgrades to the classrooms and the need for security for the new supplies being sent to replace the ones that were stolen.[/B]? ?[B]I am doing no such thing,[/B]? Lector said angrily. ?[B]Gathering information is always important.[/B]? ?[B]On your own time Head Master! Your duty to the school comes first![/B]? Catherine moved to head for the door. ?[B]I don?t have the time or the patience to explain your incompetence to you.[/B]? ?[B]And I have no time for teachers who fail at maintaining discipline! I assure you, anyone not following through with their responsibilities have no place here at Chaos.[/B]? Lector shot back, causing Catherine to halt at the door. She shook her head and turned back to face him. ?[B]If this is your way of saying you intend to dismiss me?[I] don?t[/I]. I care about each and every child here and I will not stand by and allow you to interfere with their education.[/B]? ?[B]Then I suggest you start doing your job so I won?t have to [I]dismiss[/I] you.[/B]? Lector said nastily as he brushed past her to leave, nearly running into Catherine?s friend Jessica who was raising her hand to knock on the door when Moebius opened it. ?[B]I?m sorry, I don?t mean to intrude, but I?m here for?[/B]? She stopped when she saw Catherine standing further back in the room. ?[B]It?s quite alright,[/B]? Lector had regained his composure. ?[B]Lady Almagest and I are finished.[/B]? He nodded graciously to Jessica and then gave Catherine a short glare before leaving. Catherine sighed once he was gone and Jessica had closed the door behind her. ?[B]Is that who I think it is? The idiot that was promoted to Head Master?[/B]? ?[B]Jessica,[/B]? Catherine said in a reproachful tone of voice. ?[B]Don?t worry I'll drop it. Besides, I?ve got better things to tell you anyway. You?ll never guess what?s happened![/B]? ?[B]Then tell me.[/B]? ?[B]Aww.[/B]? Jessica pouted a bit. ?[B]You?re no fun. But I?ll tell you just the same, not only have the Underdogs started taking over New Czenoble but King Mideus has passed on![/B]? ?[B]What?[/B]? Catherine asked incredulously. ?[B]Lets go! I?ll tell you everything I know over dinner![/B]? Catherine was too startled by the news to even notice the sound of someone hastily taking off down the corridor from just outside the door to her office. She did not pay attention when she saw Lector Moebius further down the hallway heading for the stairs leading down to the first level of the school, clearly in a great hurry.

All right, I have placed my vote. This whole thing is rather close so it will be interesting to see who finally gets choosen. Also, I agree with Aaryanna... poor Vincent. I think Gual just might find himself in a bad position when other guard members learn about that. First the order to use lethal force immediately and executing his second in command for sympathizing with the Underdogs. Those were very foolish moves on his part.

[CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/catherinesaraavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/damegrimalkinavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] It was a little on the early side for lunch for Catherine, but considering how chaotic the morning had been for Chaos she had felt it was for the best. With the supplies gone, the few hours preceding lunch could not be used for the application side of the students study. So instead of having them study she gave them a rare free period to do as they wished, something that was necessary while someone dealt with the angry wasps that had been discovered in Lector Moebius’ office. He had been so surprised that he had allowed most of the insects to escape into the school grounds since instead of slamming the door shut he had tried to escape into another classroom. Catherine sighed, as much as she had tried to keep an open mind in regards to the new Head Master, it was clear that the only way he could have gotten the position was through some sort of favor or political connection. Even if she didn’t know exactly what it was. Historian or not, his appalling lack of knowledge when it came to teaching was staggering. In all of their conversations, it had become quite clear to her that he refused or simply could not see that knowing about teaching via history, didn’t make you capable of doing it. And instead of trying to learn, he was instead demanding respect, something that never went over well. “[B]You’ve been sighing a lot lately Catherine,[/B]” Dame Anna said from where she was sitting at the small little table for a private lunch in Catherine’s office at Chaos. Catherine turned from looking out the window they were seated next to and smiled wanly. “[B]I suppose it’s unavoidable. As much as I want to believe that Lector Moebius is somehow qualified to serve as Head Master, it’s painfully clear that he is not.[/B]” “[B]There’s no surprise there really,[/B]” Dame Anna replied as she set her tea cup down on the small little table. “[B]The man, until now, has never entered a classroom since his own education was finished so long ago. He may be good at gathering information and writing it up for history purposes, but it’s quite clear from the stuffy nature of his writing style and inflated ego that he believes himself to be more capable than he really is.[/B]” Catherine smile at the thought of Moebius’ writing style being stuffy, since it was exactly what she had thought when she had read the publications he had out. Just as she smiled at Dame Anna being more like her usual self, open and honest instead of withdrawing into herself. Catherine had so few people that she could talk to about anything without the need to carefully guard what was said. She and Dame Anna had been close friends for a very long time, it was something she hoped would never change. “[B]Besides,[/B]” Dame Anna continued. “[B]The students parents were expecting you to be appointed as the new Head Master and regardless of who appointed that fool, they see him for what he really is. Someone who is not suited for being the Head Master of Chaos.[/B]” “[B]That’s not what bothers me, I have no interest in the position itself and would much rather teach. But what I do care about is how he spends his time wasting the teacher’s breaks with prying questions about the wealthiest students attending the school.[/B]” Catherine shook her head in disgust. “[B]He pays no attention to more pressing matters, like making security arrangements to ensure that the new supplies aren’t stolen when they arrive. Or to see to the current upgrades to some of the classrooms that are used as laboratories. Both parents and teachers are coming to me with complaints over the things that he has done nothing about in the past week.[/B]” “[B]Have you considered lodging a formal complaint?[/B]” Dame Anna asked. "[B]I'd rather not since the press would have a field day with that, turning it into a scandal as if I was after his position. They won't see it as a true case of his incompetence.[/B]" She looked away again. "[B]It would be better if the parents were to lodge such a complaint.[/B]" "[B]What do you intend to do about the pranks the students are pulling?[/B]" Catherine laughed. "[B]Not much really. I know I should, but at the same time, if he can't even deal with that sort of thing.[/B]" She laughed some more, shaking her head. "[B]If it gets too out of hand I'll step in, but for now?[/B]" She just smiled and the two went back to discussing other things.

Oh that Victoria Ann and the children! lol It seems that things are going to get slightly chaotic when the Head Master opens the door to his office. Those naughty children! I suspect that Catherine is going to need to get things back in order. Also... sooner or later I need to work in what Catherine thinks of Lector Moebius. I've certainly hinted that she is not pleased with him at all.

I'm curious to know how the [I]Intrepid[/I] was taken out, the trap that Erica spoke of. I'm assuming that the details will be forthcoming in a future post, though if not, I hope you'll post that here since I'd really like to know how they took down a flagship. Also I agree, that has to sting and as the expression goes, oh to be a fly on the wall when it hits. To see their utterly shocked reaction upon receiving the news. I bet some of those High Council members will be about ready to pull their hair out over that aspect. Fun! :catgirl:

[CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/catherinesaraavatar.jpg[/IMG] [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/victoriaann-chronicle.jpg[/img] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/lector-avatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Catherine, with Victoria Ann in tow was heading for Chaos after having gotten off the train stop closest to the school in question. Both of them coming a little later than usual on account of the fact that the train had run into a slight difficulty along the way. Though both of them would still arrive in time for the first classes. But as they approached the main gates a loud chatter could be heard, as if there was an assembly being held on the front lawn of the school. "[B]What's going on Auntie Catherine?[/B]" "[B]I don't know.[/B]" Catherine responded as she unconsciously hastened her gait, wondering what in the world could be going on, something that formed into a serious concern once she got close enough to see that there steamcars from the Royal Police Guard parked just inside the gates. A moment later, Victoria Ann's hand held firmly in her's and she was inside the gates where she could clearly see what the commotion was about. There were members of the Guard near the entrance of the school discussing something among themselves and the students were all scattered across the expansive lawns in front of the school. Chatting in groups while some of the younger students were running around playing silly games of tag. Among this chaos was the Head Master Lector Moebius, who was trying, without success to restore order among the students. But his efforts were ignored since as soon as he got one group of students to behave, the moment he moved on to the next they broke up and went back to doing what they had been doing before the Head Master had come along. "[B]Wow![/B]" Victoria Ann pipped up. "[B]I wonder what happened![/B]" "[B]I'm sure I have no idea.[/B]" Catherine said with a tiny sigh as she suppressed the desire to laugh a bit. Not at the Royal Police Guard since she was sure they had a good reason to be there, but rather at the comical attempts of the Head Master to get the children to settle down. It was painfully clear he had no idea what he was doing. [I]This is what comes from assigning someone who has no real experience.[/I] And though it was amusing, she needed to put an end to it. Catherine took a few more steps towards the school until she was standing on the walkway leading to the front doors. With a smile at Victoria Ann she let go of her hand and took her walking stick and struck the ground several times in succession. "[B]Children![/B]" She said in a ringing tone, one that caught the attention of those closest to her who had turned when she struck the ground to see what was going on. In less than a minute utter silence descended as the children turned to look at Catherine. [I]Where are the teachers?[/I] "[B]Form ranks![/B]" She barked, something that the children did immediately, lining up by class and grade. Something that was drilled into all students in case of a fire or other disaster that might require an orderly evacuation. She nodded with approval once they were done. "[B]Now stay put while I find out what happened.[/B]" Catherine ignored Lector Moebius who was heading towards her as she moved to speak to the Guard member who was in charge of whatever was going on. "[B]Lady Almagest,[/B]" He said once he was in range. "[B]Chaos was robbed of all of it's alchemy supplies, we believe this happened yesterday during the Chimera Cup.[/B]" "[B]Where are the teachers?[/B]" "[B]They're inside, helping the others determine what was taken.[/B]" "[B]I see, is there any reason why school can't be held today?[/B]" "[B]None Lady Almagest, we're finishing up right now, you can send the students in now if you like.[/B]" He turned as one of the other guard members called to him. "[B]If you'll excuse me.[/B]" He turned and went back to the others. "[B]Lady Almagest![/B]" Catherine turned to see Lector Moebius. "[B]We really need to do something about how unruly the students are." [/B] Catherine just arched an eyebrow at that statement. "[B]Head Master, it's not the children's fault that you have no experience with teaching. They're not the only ones who need to learn something here.[/B]" Catherine ignored how his face turned red at the implication that he was lacking and turned to face the students. She smiled in approval at how the students were still standing at attention and then she pitched her voice to carry so that all the students could hear what she was saying, explaining that though the school had been robbed classes would still be held. Then, still ignoring the Head Master who was sputtering over the fact that they were listening to her and not him, she gave the order for everyone to get to class, something that all of them did with out fuss. Then with an inward sigh she turned to face the irate Head Master and the Royal Police Guard as one of them was heading towards where she was standing again. [I]This is going to be an interesting day.[/I] She thought. Somehow, she could feel it like an aura of mischief that was about to be set loose.

[quote name='Shy'][size=1]CHAOS Kids (Aaryanna, Mom, Indi): Make sure to note that CHAOS was robbed the previous night. Is CHAOS in session 'today?' Did we ever have a clear answer on that?[/size][/QUOTE]Chaos will be in session and I will posting to that effect soon. I've been understandably distracted by something else that literally required quite a bit of writing. I can't recall the last time when I've done so much writing in such a short time frame. Anyway, I will be back a little later with a post since this a perfect opportunity to show how it is Catherine who is taken seriously by the students and not the Head Master. I have a very specific idea in mind that I intend to do here.

[quote name='Aaryanna'][COLOR="goldenrod"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]What I really want to see is that Dr Mikhail Phantaxian getting clobbered! :D[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]It seems that he got away instead... poor Colin. ;) Anyway, it was rather fun to use him in my post even if it was only my character wishing he could put an end to those horrible experiments that he does. Those poor children, that was a rather dark post on your part Shy, one that neatly ties into how the Versilan Empire is quite corrupt. Anyway, it's a pity that Daniel fails to see the more immediate and very real danger in Kreid, but then he has no reason to really suspect him. I think he's going to be quite shocked when he finds out.

Commander Daniel Landers was taking a moment to finish looking through the reports before giving the order to head for sector four. The repairs were finished, the supplies were on board and their numbers had been strengthened by the arrival of new battleships to take the place of those that had been lost in the previous battles. Even Greydon Kreid had sent him a message along with the details of the investigation in regards to the missing personnel on Gallana. Something that had even him grimacing a bit with distaste. It was a pity that the report indicated that they hadn't caught the real Dr Mikhail Phantaxian, but only one of his many copycats. It was one thing he would never understand, why anyone would do such horrible things to another person, slave or not.[I] Once we get this Civil War taken care off, I'm going to make sure priority is given to dealing with scum like that.[/I] Landers looked up when the door to the side observation room off the bridge of the [I]Liberator[/I] opened to admit Kreid. With a small smile he stood up, grasping his hand held computer. It would only take a short time to do a brief check of some of the heavily damaged areas for the [I]Liberator[/I]. It was formality really since all repairs had been completed. "[B]Right on time Kreid,[/B]" Daniel said warmly as he moved to head for where they would check first, Kreid automatically falling in line as the security normally with Daniel stayed put. Which was fine with Daniel after all, he had taken a few minutes to observe Kreid working with some of the newer recruits and he understood why Franklin had referred to him as being better. It was the truth, he was easily far better than the rest of them. It was a pity really, if not for the Civil War and the mess with the High Council, Kreid could have risen to the rank of Elite Task Forces. Daniel just sighed inwardly, so many people messed up by the High Council, he was sure Kreid would not be the last. "[B]Any concerns Kreid? Anything that needs to be addressed before we leave for sector four?[/B]" Daniel watched him out of the corner of his eye as he frowned slightly before responding. "[B]Only one sir, and that would be Tarika Zaidin. I don't like having someone assigned to your security when I don't know if they are truly qualified or not.[/B]" "[B]Why would you say that?[/B]" "[B]Well it's just that she hasn't done any security work for over twenty years and even then, no disrespect to the Internal security sir, but they don't get extensive training like the military does.[/B]" He looked directly and Landers, catching his gaze, his expression intent. "[B]And Special Investigations agents get even less training since they rely in the local law or the military when it comes time to move in on someone like Dr Mikhail Phantaxian.[/B]" Daniel broke eye contact, looking back towards where they were going. "[B]And that's why I like you Kreid, you look into things instead of blindly relying on others, even if they tell you you're wrong.[/B]" "[B]Sir?[/B]" Kreid sounded puzzled. "[B]Never mind Kreid. Ironically you touched on something I was going to bring up once we were done with the inspections, but since you have I'll just tell you now. Even though Tarika Zaidin answers only to me, I have told her that I intend to have you run her though a basic rundown as if she were applying to work for security, like any recruit.[/B]" Daniel paused for a moment as they approached one of the sections they were headed for, talking to the crew there as he and Kreid looked things over before leaving to check the next area. "[B]Anyway, as I was saying, run Tarika Zaidin though the required tests, all of them and don't go easy on her, I'll be relying on her to keep me safe after all.[/B]" Daniel continued down one of the expansive corridors of the Liberator, occasionally acknowledging the salutes from the crew as they passed the pair. "[B]Of course sir. She'll get nothing less than my full consideration, even if she was assigned to you by the New Alliance, if she's not fit I'll say so.[/B]" Daniel smiled. "[B]Excellent and Kreid.[/B]" "[B]Yes sir?[/B]" "[B]Good work on dealing with the copycat killer on Gallana that was targeting the crew on leave, it's only a shame you didn't catch the true killer, Dr Mikhail Phantaxian.[/B]" Daniel continued in a cold voice. "[B]Anyone who would do that to children is scum that should be dealt with.[/B]" "[B]I agree sir, and to be honest, just between the two of us... If I had caught him, I'm not sure if I could have brought him in alive.[/B]" Kreid's own voice turned hard. "[B]I would have killed him on the spot.[/B]" Daniel sighed, "[B]You and me both Kreid.[/B]" The two continued on in silence for a bit. [I]We could use more men like Kreid,[/I] he thought as they came to the next area they were going to inspect. Then a few hours later once they were done, Daniel was back on the bridge, giving the order for the fleet to make the jump to hyper space. William had talked to him about how his attempts to get sector four and three had been meeting with resistance.[I] If we're lucky, when we show up in sector four, they'll fold instead of fighting.[/I] A moment later and the fleet was on it's way, leaving Gallana and sector eleven behind.

[quote name='Heaven's Cloud'][color=indigo]James, I posted here because I thought that other members could weigh in. I am not criticizing a moderator for a single issue, but rather a trying to point out a fault that I have been noticing with moderation in general. If I was to PM you or Desk and you replied “I am not noticing this trend” regardless of your intentions I would interpret your response as dismissive. Afterall, this isn’t an issue that directly affects you. However, if other members say “hey Charlie, quit being such a cry baby” I’ll understand that it is just my perception of the issue and I can apologize for being a whiny little…well you know. [/color][/QUOTE]I wouldn't tell you to quit being a cry baby or anything like that, but I can't say that I agree really. Not that I don't think moderators don't come across as too strict on occasion but rather that like anyone else, sometimes they do. And as SunfallE already pointed out, it's going to happen from time to time since intent is hard to gauge online. I really do not see a site wide issue of people being clamped down on. I do have one issue with your statement though, why would you dismiss James' response? If you sent him actual examples of what you were talking about I find it hard to believe that he would 'dismiss' your concerns. In the end, other than to say, hey, I think you guys are a little too proactive a times, I think there's nothing going on. No they are not crossing a line [I'm going to disagree with you Shy] I think like anyone else on the site, they're working hard to do a good job and the idea that moderators are somehow perfect is a bit silly really. I know that's not what you mean Shy, but sometimes I feel like people expect that. And that's kind of silly, especially when you can pm or talk to them if you feel they are being too strict. I do find the topic amusing in that the one trend I have noticed since I became a member is that the complaint goes back and forth. From [I]you're not strict enough[/I], to [I]you are being too strict[/I]. [B]o_O[/B] I kind of feel sorry for the staff at times since no matter what they do, someone is always unhappy. And it doesn't help that other members can't see when someone works it out with a moderator via pm so they assume that someone is being 'silenced' when that's probably not accurate.

[quote name='Shy'][size=1]Since we don't need to read every character's personal reaction to Morphia's accident, I'd like to ask the group if it's alright that we move the story forward in time. I would suggest placing things later in the evening, where we get to see some of the fallout from the accident. That way some of the characters who were brought along for the races have a chance to wander off and do their own thing. If you guys want to move things even further (onto the next day or whatever) that's fine by me. In reality, only a handful of the characters knew Morphia very well, and I imagine accidents at the races are fairly common. -Shy[/size][/QUOTE]You're quite the little sneak. ;) Or rather we were simply thinking the same thing, since that's exactly what I was thinking. Accidents are probably common and that most of us don't really know Morphia.

Well I had planned on doing more, but most of what I wanted to nominate got covered, however, I do want to add these: [B]What is it?[/B] RPG?s that finish [B]Why is it Nifty?[/B] Because it seems like there are so few of them so it?s fun to see it when they happen. From the death card series to the first Silver One, Survivor 4 and even short events like the Stones of Power - Dirge spar. It?s definitely nifty to see people work together to weave the various stories in the Theater, taking them to their conclusion. And though I'm sure it will perhaps surprise all of you I'm going to say yes to this though I think it needs a different reason as to why it would be considered nifty.[quote name='indifference'][COLOR="Indigo"][B]What is it?[/B] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58120"]Views on self pleasure[/URL] [/COLOR][/QUOTE][B]Why is it Nifty?[/B] Because it shows that OtakuBoards is open enough that you can have silly threads like that without someone immediately getting offended and locking them down. I may not like them, but I applaud the more open minded nature of the staff that allows them. Anyway, I think that wraps it up for me, even if I nominated something I never would, but seriously guys... lighten up! That kind of utter nonsense keeps the boards from being stale, even if I did shake my head. :p

I was going to ask what Chocobo creatures are, but I just googled it. I'm for having both, creatures like that and creatures that run on four legs. It would give things more variety in my opinion.

[quote name='Sandy']Oh, and y'all should be thankful that I haven't gone graphical with the intimacy between Gadget and Vincent. ;P I'm just trying to catch the vibe of "forbidden love" - and that includes doing it in the strangest places, just out of a spur of the moment. ;P And Kathy, this turned into a soap opera looong time ago. ;D EDIT: You have to remember, Kathy, that Henry is an [I]illegitimate[/I] son of Leonhart, thus he has no legal rights to any of the Almagest fortune, unfortunately.[/QUOTE][CENTER][SIZE="6"][B]SOAP OPERA[/B] [/SIZE][/CENTER] And Sandy... Don't tell us we should be [I]thankful [/I]you didn't do more. :rolleyes: Honestly child, you make me tired at times. I've read more than my share of romance novels, I even have a distant cousin who writes them. We don't need to know that the two of them are [I]screwing[/I] one another... you made that clear the first time. The only one turning it into a soap opera is you hun. It's tacky and tasteless and unnecessary since we already know that the two like each other. The only thing you are capturing here is my irritation over you focusing on that when you don't need to spell it out for us. Focus on the damn plot instead looking for ways to insert sex into the rpg. As for Henry... Sandy... Catherine knows he's illegitimate, this isn't about legal rights, this is about her carrying out what she would perceive as Leonharts wishes. And illegitimate son or not, there's nothing stopping her from seeing that he is taken care of. She has quite a bit of her own wealth after all. [B]EDIT:[/B] Seems Raiha beat me to the last part while I was writing up this post

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]I imagine that Catherine and her brother aren't looking at a controlling share between them. They'll need to convince Leonhart's kids to make the right decision. On that thought, exactly how is Magitech being divided up Josh/Sandy ?[/SIZE][/QUOTE]You are correct, she will be making sure everyone is taken care of instead of it being sold off and someone walking off with most of the profits. Catherine will do everything in her power to see that all of the children are cared for, including Henry.

Just a couple of things I'd like to comment on:[quote name='Sandy;804331]Okay, so now Gadget and Vincent did it in Macey's lab. XD[/QUOTE] [CENTER][IMG]http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4182/picardheadeskch8.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER][quote name='Neuvoxraiha;804335][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Because you might've noticed that Macey keeps the key to her 'secret' lab on her person and all that. I mean it's not the kind of thing she wants people going in and out of, sleeping with each other in... You know, that's just a bit....non...classy.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]Agreed. And Sandy, no getting miffed either. I'm just saying it's pretty clear the two like one another. :rolleyes: I feel like we're moving into a soap opera instead of advancing the story with those two.[QUOTE=Gavin'][SIZE="1"][[b]Edit[/b]'] Interesting plot twist Josh, it seems the Almagests may be in an even more dire position than before. That said, all you've done is reaffirm my desire to eventually have Daedalus execute Bavaria personally.[/SIZE][/quote]All things considered, once Catherine learns about how the bomb was smuggled in because Bavaria dismissed the security... she will not be amused. After all, that kind of carelessness is what resulted in her finance getting killed so many years ago. She's been indifferent towards Bavaria for what she perceives as an utter lack of maturity at this point, but she will not be forgiving of an act that nearly killed everyone, especially since that put the children at risk. Lady Bavaria had better hope she ends up re-married up higher or Catherine's own social network will see that absolutely no one will take her seriously again. Also, should an attempt be made to sell Magitech... Catherine will back Daedalus since in her opinion, he had an interest in it long before Leonhart re-married. So if he says sell, she'll agree, if he says no, then she too will say no.

[quote name='Neuvoxraiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]How do I put this nicely? No.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]And I thank you for that dear. I realize these are just for fun, but that's something I would rather not see, much like that horrid signature you had up for a while 2008DigitalBoy. :animesigh Sometimes I wonder about you.