The image came to life, showing the chairwoman of the party - senator Jei T'rasan. "You landed? Good. Meet me at my office, so you can explain some things to me." She said, and just moments later the call was ended. The shuttle's hatch opened. "We are at the place, senator." The pilot answered.
Symania nodded. "I will have a list of potential weapons prepared." She declared just as the vehicle stopped in front of the facility. Blake could see the director of the facility waiting outside, to greet them...
"This is likely to take some time. You are free to go off-duty until I call you." With her final instructions given to Kaylessa, Tylani disengaged herself from the soft folds of her seat and stepped out onto hard surface of the landing pad. From there she made her way inside and headed straight for Chairwoman T'rasen's office. It was now showtime...
Tylani made her way through the complex until she arrived at Jei's apartment. She knocked and entered when invited. As always, the beauty of the room was somewhat stunning. She found the chairwoman sitting in her comfy chair, wearing her bathrobe. She must have had a shower not long ago. There was only one chair, leaving Tylani forced to stand - a not so subtle powerplay. "Care to explain, why you are calling a meeting of the party, without informing me first?" She says with an edge in her voice.
"Because I am here to give you one last chance, T'rasen." Tylani replied, tone equally cold. "The party is fractured, and despite all the time you have been given at the helm, you have done nothing about it. If we are to have any real chance of advancing the interests of our constituents, then the League must be unified under new leadership." Pausing, the Asari allowed her gaze to drift away from Jei to instead focus upon the beautiful cityscape beyond the windows. The unspoken message was clear. You are not worth my time. "Out of professional courtesy to you, I am giving you the opportunity to step down now, and save yourself the embarrassment. If you won't, I will simply call for a vote of no confidence at the upcoming meeting. The choice now is whether you wish for this to end up in the evening news or not."
Spoiler: Tylani's oratory skills 34 - success Jei recoiled as if struck at Tylani's words. "What-?" She asked, her voice slightly trembling, her eyes wide. "You-u don't have the support-" She shook her head and swallowed. "Why are you trying to do this - you are going to break our party into two - maybe three. What's the-" She paused, then sighed. "I see... very well, you made your point about your conviction." She said calmly. "Now, tell what you want, so we can reach an agreement." She continued, now calm. It seemed that she perceived a threat as an opening for negotiations... and she was ready to negotiate.
"I'm not asking for much, I assure you." Tylani's placating words are laced with a hint of sarcasm. "I simply ask that you step down, we decide upon a worthy replacement..." And from her tone it was clear who Tylani considered as the only suitable candidate. "And from now on, while we may disagree and squabble all we wish behind closed doors, when in public or the senate we act as a single, unified block. That means voting in lockstep, and not discussing potential deals unless it is with a majority of our senators present. The concessions that can be gained this way, from other parties seeking our votes, will be far greater than anything individual representatives or party cliques could dream of."
Jei frowned, then shook her head. "You lack the strength to push to a new election in the party." She said - but Tylani could see that she was not sure of her own statement. "That plan will not work! There was never a discipline in our party!" She said as she got up, no more sure of herself. That was something with which she could fight against Tylani and possibly block her. She could still try debate... her charm might help her convince the woman. She could also try to deceive the woman, that might work. The brutal force would be short-sighted, and short term, but it could work. Finally, she could try her luck during the gathering...
Oh, she had every intention of continue to encourage that voice of doubt lurking in the back of Jei's mind with her wonderful charm. "Do I?" Tylani chuckles. While she might not have the majority just yet, the dear chairwoman didn't need to know that. "Can you hear yourself? This is why the League has never been as successful as we should have been." She shoots Jei a glare before returning to her citygazing. "If there is no discipline then we obviously must create it. Do you truly believe our constituents will care about our approach to senatorial voting when the Homelanders gain a majority in the legislature and move to restrict their freedoms and rights? If you have not noticed, there are processions in the streets celebrating the atrocities conducted by the Dictatoriat, and I can certainly guarantee almost all of those attendees will be voting for the RHP the moment the JL loses their majority." Pausing for a moment, Tylani shifted her full attention to the chairwoman. "The League needs to reform, or we will be crushed underfoot by those in the senate who have already gone down this path."
"If these protests turn into a riot, hundreds could die!" Jacob addresses his pilot, calmly but passionately. "I have to do something to stop this, my life be damned. Now set us down, and hover above at a safe distance. I don't want you being put at risk."
"This is not how democracy works!" the woman answered hotly. Spoiler: Charm 49 +20 (mastery) - 20 (not really charming monologue then the glaring also not to charming ) - minor success Jei walked up to Tylani, the two stood facing each other, their chests almost touching "Look, I realise your points, and you are right about many things - but this is not how democracy works!" She said with heat - but at least she started admitting some points. "We discuss, we talk and we reach consensus. Then, we act, not before. We are not Dictatoriat! We cannot become a leader's party! This is a road to oligarchy and leader's parties - where only a few people will control the government! This - this is how liberty dies!" Jei was still opposing Tylani, but at least she started accepting some of her points.
The pilot gritted her teeth, considering Jacob's words. Spoiler: Jacob's passion 25 + 20 (master orator) - success For a moment it looked like she was about to fly up, but then she cursed. "Damm it!" The shuttle slowly started descending. Finally, the shuttle landed on the street, between the two groups - they had maybe ten minutes before they arrived here. The pilot - Cloe, Jacob remembered her name, unstrapped herself and walked to the one of the lockers. "Okay... okay..." She said, her voice wavering slightly. "What's the plan?" She asked as she took a teaser gun from the locker.
(Whoops. In my head it sounded better, but something must have gotten lost along the way while writing. Sorry, English isn't my native language.) Stopping herself from immediately retaliating and continuing the shouting match, Tylani closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. "Yes, you are correct on that at least." She reluctantly admitted, before continuing. "But you cannot deny the fact that the League needs new leadership. I feel you do too little with the power you have been given, and you obviously think I will exercise it too heavily and overstep my bounds, so let's leave the matter of your successor to the party meeting. Does that compromise better soothe your conscience?" With a irritated huff, the Asari senator crossed her arms beneath her chest, still obviously frustrated but not willing to take it out on Jei.
"No guns, except to defend yourself. I shouldn't need them, and with so many people, they wouldn't help much anyway." He puts a hand on her shoulder, and records his words with his datapad. "Cloe, if things go wrong, I want you to forget about me. Turn and head for the shuttle, and fly away. That's an official order from a member of the senate." He breathes in, before exhaling. "Alright. Time to get to work." He uploads the recording so that Cloe will have a defence if things go bad, and heads out. He starts by approaching the anti-alien protestors. "Easy, now!" He raises his arms to show he's not armed. "I'm here in peace."
{Don't worry about it (the post was quite easy to understand) and no problem(it was fun to see the form of 'charming' former military when she was frustrated)! That's why the penalties } Jei sighted, as she relaxed a little, now a little more at ease, as Tylani seemed to be more reasonable. "You are still going to push for new leadership...?" She asked, tiredness evident in her voice. Tylani noticed that there were droplets of sweat forming on the woman's cleavage and her temples.
Chloe removed her helmet and holstered her gun under her jacket. "Yeah, right." The sarcasm in her voice was heavy... as was her nervousness. It didn't look like she would be following that order. "Like that's going to help." She said as she took a few sound grenades, then took a teaser rifle and hung it over her shoulder. The duo made their way to the crowd. Cloe kept back, allowing Jacob to take a lead, her weapons were mostly hidden. As Jacob called to the crowd - they did not stop, but there were a few who started moving forward, faster. They were holding sticks, bats and make-shift weapons...
Tylani, with a quick glance, caught the small beads as they made their appearance. She has no right to look that good in a bathrobe... Blinking suddenly and looking away to hide the emerging deep purple of a embarrassed blush, the Asari senator let out a tired sigh of her own. 'Goddess above, why did my mind have to wander to her of all people?' The thoughts continued to swirl for a few more awkward moments before Tylani finally made up her mind. She needed to calm down, and she knew how to do just that. "Honestly I am not sure anymore. The Senate was heated, as per usual, and for once it must have gotten to me." The Asari reluctantly replied, before looking about the room. "Now, I say we leave any debates about that for the meeting, and instead get something to take the edge off us both. Do you still have that bottle of Thessian Blue hidden somewhere in here?"
Jacob smiles at the woman, admiring for the first just how attractive she is, before tearing his eyes away. This isn't the time, or the place. Making sure he has enough space to get his words out before they reach him, he addresses the crowd. "Sons of Sanctum Mesa! What are you doing! You claim to be patriots, to be honoring the name of your founder, but what are you doing? You're going to destroy both our city and your own movement in the name of bloodshed!" He decides to play to their racism, and the tendency racists have towards conspiracy theories. "Do you know why the aliens are out marching tonight? They want you to attack them! They want you to be the first to strike, to be labelled by your people as troublemakers and terrorists, because then your movement will be destroyed!" He cries out passionately. "If you love your homeland, truly love it, then stay your hand tonight!"
Jie frowned. "Didn't you set a meeting in what- two hours?" She asked but despite her words, she started walking to the bar. The Asari's short robe did little to hide the shape of her rear... or her thighs. The glasses clinked as she knelt and started searching the cabinet. After a moment, she turned back with two glasses and a bottle.
Spoiler: Oratory 4 +20 (master orator) - 10 (angry crowd) - great success As Jacob started screaming, speaking to the crowd, they stopped. First uncertainly, looking at each other... then more and more surely. It looked like he managed to calm the crowd... sometimes, the words were stronger then Spoiler: luck 95 - grat failure "That's that bastard senator from JL Elf lovers!" Someone screamed from the crowd, making Jacob wince. The mood was shifting again, changing from calm to angry, betrayed...
