It's not much, really. The beginnings of what might someday be a fantastic metropolis spiral around a strange column at the center of four similar columns equidistant at many miles. Already it's supported by an aircar system of public tranportation, and its different eventual zones are obvious too. The entire area is owned by Adelisa Omeaux.

---

Okarthel
Julen City
Tarantella

---

The car finally rolls to a stop outside of an impressive looking monorail-esque terminal. A day and a half on the road, with plenty of well-supervised rest stops and 'it's on me' meals for the passengers, has left even the dragons tired and a little cranky. The shadow dragon looks back from the passenger's seat, and gives a spacing-or-sleeping Yin a nudge.

"Hey. We're here. Are you okay?"

Sleeping, but lightly. She awakens easily and completely at his touch. Hasn't gotten much sleep for just that reason, actually.

Yin yawns, closing her eyes against the light a moment and sitting up from where she'd been leaning on Revilier. "Yeah." Looks out the window. Huh...ritzy, to be so relatively close to Okarthel.

"There's one more ride you have to take, but don't worry." The shadow smiles. He'd be handsome if he'd lose the Mick Mars beard and eyeliner. "You'll have a more fun companion than us." He opens his door, unlocking Yin and Revilier's doors as he gets out.

Oh, joy. Torture, experimentation, or a vain attempt to make them feel at home for later use? She does like the shadow dragon, though. Steps out of the car, expecting her arm to be taken as soon as she does, of course, as has become the norm. "Feels good to unbend, anyway."

Of course the thunder moves to, but stops when the shadow shakes his head. "Not this time. I'll accompany you two into the terminal and show you your ride, and then I'm off. I'll be taking the violent one here with me when I go." He heads for the glass doors of the terminal, leaving his glaring buddy to watch the car. Revilier reluctantly goes along, knowing Yin will do the same; after all, it's not like they can run at this point.

Aircar seven is already parked in the terminal Unlike buses, the aircars always run more or less on time. People are milling about as people do in stations, and it smells like humanity, but there's something cheerful about the whole proceeding.

"Oh my God," Revilier blurts out, looking inside when his eyes catch just a glimpse of Prata waving to get their attention at the token counter.

Yin's face brightens faintly despite herself. She's glad to see Prata okay...but mostly, she's happy for Revilier. Has to smile a bit at the usually stoic wyvern's expression. "Day's looking up, anyway."

"And that's the fun part." The shadow tosses a purseful of aircar fare tokens at them, and turns to depart. "See you." And he means to.

Revilier isn't listening. He's moving, running, shoving past people who don't move fast enough to get to his daughter.

"Nice meeting you. Kind of." Yin catches the tokens. Looks up after the wyvern...can't help but smile. D'awwww.... She takes the distance at her own pace...mostly so that she gives them plenty of time to hug and cling, a moment alone before she intrudes. It's a warm and fuzzy moment.

And it is, right up until Prata headbutts him during the course of a too-enthusiastic hug.

"It's okay," he's saying as Yin gets to them, "I needed more mobility in my septum anyway."

The vampiress smirks a little. "At least we know who to call to provide it. Hello, Prata."

"Yin," the silver greets her, eyes as calm as ever despite the smile on her face. "I heard things went badly for you, too. I wanted to help, but... well. Adelisa had me in jail. I was so angry..."

Revilier blink, and breathes through his nose. "And why are you here, then?"

"She," Prata points out, "was protecting me until she could convince the mediators to leave me alone. Now I'm here."

"Where is here, exactly?" Yin inquires. "I know the location exists, but I've never had time and reason to look into it personally."

"Here is the future. Here is safety, Yin." The aircar doors open with a pressurized hiss and a boarding call.

All passengers bound for sector three, city center, please collect your baggage and board at gate seven. Repeat...

Prata looks to the door. "Millarca will explain everything to you when we get to the church."

Yin raises an eyebrow. "Millarca, church...right." Shakes her head. There's a lot she needs explained, to be sure. "This is our train, then?" Takes some tokens out of the bag Shadow had given her, and holds them out to Revilier.

Who takes one. Looks at Prata almost as though he's accusing her of something, and then smiles, accepts her under his arm, and moves for the car.

Inside is a posh suite-style set of rooms with futon style benches and carpeting. After many years it will no doubt look more pragmatic, but for now, it's quite ritzy. The silvers sit together, but Revilier looks at Yin, clearly expecting her to sit on his other side. Smiles a bit.

The dragoon returns the smile in the same, understated way...grateful to have that particular judgement call made. She'd been debating...and has been quite hands-off since they got here, keeping distance to allow the wyverns time together. She's happy to sit beside him, folding her legs. "So, Prata...how long have you been here?"

"Just a few days. Adelisa came to see me. She explained everything to me." Prata speaks with a half purr that's much more characteristic of her sister, but Revilier pays it no mind. She does that sometimes when she's relieved. "So you two... why are you here together?"

Yin's now officially categorized Prata under "non-ally." She seems to recall an overwhelming naivety that someone like Adelisa can capitalize on all day. Still...has to grin at this question. "Gunpoint is always a solid impetus."

"No, no," she waves that off. "Why were you together at all? It seems a little odd."

Adelisa did tell you she tried to permanently make your dad into a zombie after trying to shoot him, right? No. She'll save that trump for later.

"After Adelisa took over the Tower, your dad got to Okarthel for safety. Since we'd met previously, he and I have been working together on some projects since then." The vampiress smiles and examines her nails. Neglects to mention that his role was "test subject."

"I see. I've been worried about both of you. I know things went wrong, and all." Prata leans against her father's chest, and he just holds her there. No speaking, no voice. Just holding. 

And he extends a secret hand for Yin. They might be walking into hell.

A faint smile wanders across her eyes. Not her lips, but...she's deeply grateful, and reminded of why she's so quickly come to like him. Isolated from her friends, worried about Spider-types, headed into an undertain fate...and very nearly jealous of the touch Prata's deservedly getting...she'd needed it. Cooler fingers thread into his, and squeeze gently. They'll look out for each other.

Damned skippy they will.

"So Prata... what's going on here? Why all this setup?" Revilier looks out a window as they roll past a zoned city with raised roads, carefully kept gardens, a grid system... everything for a perfect, planned city.

"Millarca knows more than me," she admits, "but it's a vision. A beautiful city, you know? It's something."

"A beautiful city for who?" Yin muses.

"Many people. Dragons, spiders, humans, wyverns, everyone. She's been building it for years, quietly. She bought the land from Kurds. Like anyone thought there were Kurds anymore. Anyway." She looks around, leans back. "Welcome to Pakistan."

Hmm...they'd come a long way these last couple days. Those dragons could drive. "So...this city is Adelisa's brainchild, then?"

"Sure. She's been at it for... well. You can imagine how long it would take to build this stuff. Funneled the materials through the mountains, the same way certain materials got out of Iraq and into India a few years ago." Prata closes her eyes. There are traces of old bruises on her face, so faint that revilier only notices them when the light hits her a certain way. 

"Interesting." The backs of Yin's fingernails trace idly along the window's glass as she watches the scenery go by. "You know, I'd think someone of your breeding could have easily established a new community and gotten proper support for it, even a very expensive one, without staging a coup."

Prata's eyes close. "Father always said his priorities were elsewhere," she admits. "Adelisa kept asking even while she was building it."

"At the time our focus was on keeping the tension between dragons and wyverns from becoming a war. We didn't have the extra funds for all this." Revilier almost sounds regretful. "If I'd turned my attention that way, something could have happened."

Prata doesn't say what she's thinking. That when he turned his attention to Yin, something did happen.

This is precisely what goes through the vampire's thoughts, to a twinge of something like guilt. Shakes it off. She didn't cause this. And something, sometime, would have eventually distracted Revilier. "Were things handled any differently in that Antarctic situation a decade or so back," she notes, a touch quietly, "I can tell you positively that it would have."

"It's nobody's fault," Prata quickly assures them, "nobody's." She speaks as one who desperately wants to believe what she's saying. "We're almost there. Are you two comfortable? Hungry, or anything?"

"I'm fine." Yin nods. "Just acclimating to the climate." It's much warmer here than at home, and she's carrying her jacket.

"It's not so bad once you're here a while. This close to the mountains, anyway. West is hotter." Prata lets the sound of the tram dominate for a bit, as it rolls into the next station.

Yin waits quietly, too. Doesn't really want to rush forward...part of her doesn't want to move forward at all, considering what may await them. But life never does consent to wait...and she knows better than to pretend otherwise. Gives the deposed general's hand a final squeeze, offering a slight smile, and releases it to stand up when the doors open.

Prata and her father rise as well. "We'll walk to the church. There aren't many cabs yet. Is that okay?"

"No complaints here." Not much other comment, either. Yin looks out over the city as they exit, pausing just a moment. Interesting. It is that.

The path to the church is just as uneventful as the tram ride. Revilier's a little shocked... so far, nothing impossibly tragic or ridiculous has happened here. The structure itself is grand, three stories with a full belfry, and marked with a crest in the shape of a fork edged Swastika. Full stone, but modern and well lit.

"The gates aren't even guarded," Prata laughs as she pushes open the glass entry doors. "There are no guns here.  Everyone feels safe."

"Of course." This is almost sighed. Yin would believe this more if she hadn't seen so many times how Mediators operate, if she hadn't been forced here at gunpoint and been promised a friend's murder. And if she weren't a career deceiver, there's that too. She follows along quietly, gathering her thoughts and mindset.

Inside, it's extremely Catholic. The endless pews are empty, though. The pulpit, too. The only person inside the cathedral is a deeply tanned human, sitting on the stairs before the altar, dressed in... little. He's mostly wearing decorative chains, and much of his skin is covered with tattooes... hundreds of them, the flags of dozens and dozens of nations burnt into his skin. He has the same lean muscle that Revilier does, a soldier's frame, and cunning, deep set eyes without a hint of color to the iris.

"That's him," Prata unnecessarily announces. "He's waiting for you two."

Yin glances sidelong to Revilier. She's ready. Is he?

He nods, not really looking at her. He's never wanted to kill so badly in his entire life, and Millarca, a human, a god forsaken human, has the gall to sit so calmly in front of them.

"Leave us, Prata." His voice echoes through the dull and empty rafters, a slow, meticulous articulation carrying its depth throughout. The silver wyvern nods, smiles at her father, and does what she's told. Millarca hasn't looked up yet. In his hand there is a wavy kris, and his attention seems more on the dagger than anything else. "I should say that it is my honor to meet the two of you in person. You who have caused so much difficulty and yet paved the way for the success of this Xanadu."

"And how did we accomplish the latter, indisposed half the time?" Yin inquires.

"In his case," Millarca points the dagger at Revilier, but doesn't look at him, "that was a large part of it. You gave me Troix twice."

Her expression darkens at this. "And where is Troix now?"

"Safe. She is a spirited child. I apologize about your doctor friend, though." Sets the knife on the altar. "He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Yin's eyes harden. "I find it amazing that, purportedly, 'everyone feels so safe here,' considering how temporal a foundation blood tends to be."

"He's not dead," Millarca quickly explains. "He just has no place here for his attempt to subvert our efforts."

"Excuse me if I'm leery, but what's our place here? Engraved invitations are friendlier than drugs, bombs, force, and snipers. Also, in more etiquette texts."

"Your contributions have been great. Especially those committed without your knowledge. General Omeaux's financial contributions have been vast, behind his back. His Golden power has helped keep our workers working longer without harm to themselves, despite the addiction Adelisa's spell causes. We rotated workers to prevent ill effects from the magic from mounting." At last he looks at them, eyes hard but thoughtful, analyzing, dissecting. "There are for more Golden than you have seen, and far more conspiracies yet to unravel for you. And you, Yin... a solid third of the jobs you've done in the last few years have been to the direct or indirect benefit of this project."

This, of course, irks her deeply. It's not really a surprise, though...the Tower bombing had been set up meticulously, including her being the exact dragoon there, she's sure of that. It would be silly to think that the manipulation had started there. "Your orchestration?" Her own icy eyes are just calm, and meet his steadily. Deep, but also deeply masked and layered.

"Yes. The manipulation of Tuleau and Kaz and Revilier and Matthias MacInerny were all my doing. You judge because you are ignorant, and you have not yet learned to ask the right questions." He gazes steadily at her, neither magnanimous in victory or fearful. "When you learn, you will know much more."

Yin glares at him a moment. Although she's used to it by this point in her life, being a dragoon, she hates being patronized and having her skill undermined...true or not. "What is it that you're hoping to accomplish with all this, anyway? A simple new community, even a manicured one, is hardly worth the trouble."

"What do you know about nuclear shelters, Yin?" The question is quick, and sharp. He hasn't even looked at Revilier yet, and it's plain that in so doing the Wyvern has not been acknowledged.

She stiffens. Now he has her attention. "I know that most modern nations, even non-human ones, don't have enough for more than high officials and military since the end of the Cold War, when many were dismantled as a 'waste of resources,' largely for the necessary stockpile of comestibles." Okarthel itself is a nuclear shelter by the nature of its magic shields...but the vast majority of dragons don't live there. Even high Draconic officials don't; dragons are too solitary by nature.

"The very nature of this city is as such. It is being built to the highest standards of moderate living. Not survivalist living where billions scrounge for food or hedonistic living where thousands live in the lap of luxury, but moderate, where millions can live comfortably." Millarca stands from the alter, drawing up to a height a couple of inches above Revilier. "Among humans, no one fears nuclear power anymore. It's all biological threats. Disease. Anthrax. But that fear is what kept the ultimate military achievement at bay. The stalemate is broken. In days past nukes were aimed at everyone publically; it kept one person from firing for fear of reprisal. Now it is not so. Some will fire. And soon. When that happens, retaliation will be swift, and instant, from all corners."

"And who," the albinoesque vampiress inquires after a moment, voice steady on will alone, "is going to play the puppetmaster who nudges the first nation to fire?"

"You think too much of me," Millarca drones, "if you believe I am capable of damning billions to death. I could give you my freedom fighter speech but I am certain you've heard one before. The reason the coup had to happen is that production must be stepped up. Dominoes are already falling and zero hour is inevitable."

"Why is it inevitable, that our national security isn't even up? Who's going to fire?"

"There are fifteen sleeper cells active. One in Paris. One in Minsk. Two in the United States, in Oregon and Texas. Two in China, both in Beijing. One in Iraq. One in India. One in Australia, one in Japan. One in Argentina. Two in Africa, in Sudan and Ethiopia. One in Greenland. Another in Norway. Two backup cells are stationed, one in Mexico, the other in Siberia. One will be caught, perhaps two, intentionally. The Mediators do not know the specifics on where or even who the sleepers are-- that is part of their job description, to blend in so perfectly that even their countrymen cannot tell who they are." 

"If you know all this, why haven' you cut the head off the group yet?" Revilier demands this, eyes cold and steely.

"We have," Millarca responds with his slow patience. "The cells are autonomous units. The materials were in place before they were even formed, probably in mobile units. Trucks, or mobile homes."

"So put the information out to competent militaries, the ones who know to not set off a chain reaction. Just because Mediators can't stop it doesn't mean a cooperative world effort couldn't."

Even Revilier gives her a cross look at that. Millarca just smiles a little bit.

"What do you know about sleeper cells, Yin?"

"I know," she snaps, cheeks warming, "that what's already been tried hasn't worked."

"Do you? How do you suppose I got so deep into Draconian influence?" Millarca takes the knife again, looks at it. Twirls it. "Do you honestly believe that a human walked in there and bought power from them? Or a Wyvern?" Twirls it again. "Let me ask you this before you answer. What species drove you to this city?"

"Dragons."

"Really. Those two have been living in your society, after having been tapped by me for Mediator service, for twenty-one years. Long enough to have familiarized themselves with the culture, habits, dress, enunciation, and mode of life appropriate to their area. They are, for all anyone knows, loyal Draconian citizens. Until I need something."

"Point taken," she barely manages to not snap. "But getting intelligence agencies talking about suspects would at least be useful."

"We have no leads. Nothing. We can't question every single person in Oregon, let alone sixteen other places. Trust that steps have been taken. This city is to be our last resort. The day will come eventually, even if this immediate crisis is averted."

"So this is Noah's Ark for sentients?"

"You're welcome to leave the flippancy inside your skull." Twirls the dagger. "So now that you know there is nothing wrong with my project, you should be trying to figure out why we went to such lengths to get you here. Shouldn't you."

"The thought had occurred to me, yes. Care to expound?"

"Initially, getting you here would have gotten him here." Millarca finally looks to Revilier as if he exists. "But manpower is short enough that we couldn't keep an eye on everywhere you might be at all times. So we kept a plant in the hospital. Alou was kept drugged so that he couldn't leave, and we just waited for you to get back to him."

That she can go with. It's a good enough tactic that it might not bother her, except... "We heard several claims that he's going to be killed after the fact. What purpose does that serve?"

"Alou's been a loose end for a long time now. He was supposed to die with Tuleau, take the blame, you know. He knows far too much, more than he has told you I am certain." Again, he twirls the knife. "Brandt liked to hurt people far too much. He was supposed to have done it, instead, he waited, and waited, and when Alou fell into his lap the fool tortured him instead of eliminating him."

Yin's eyes darken just a touch more than she can hide. She knows Alou's kept a lot on the matter from her, but hasn't held it against him. It's his job, adn she respects him for it. "So. What's next for us? We're either useful to you or more loose ends." Takes her pulse casually. Yep. Still there; hasn't been assassinated.

"Because the two of you have done so much for this place, Adelisa felt strongly about letting the trouble you've caused us go. Offering you a place here, even recruiting you to help make this place whole." Millarca twirls the dagger again, only this time he lets it fall to the altar where it sticks in the padded steps. "So I offer you that. Not a handout. You'll be expected to work, and contribute your insight to the project. Speaking of which." He turns fully toward them for the first time, addressing them directly. "Just how did you figure out how to undo the Golden power's effects on Revilier?"

She shrugs a little. "Creative thinking." Glances to the general for input. Isn't sure whether to tell or not...is leaning towards not, but the process would make both of them valuable to keep alive. There's no way of knowing whether Adelisa could do the same.

"Well. You could tell Adelisa. She should be here just any moment and would love to know. It wouldn't do at all to have the two of you reverting all of our efficient, powerful workers to dregs. If you have nothing else of value to say, sit wherever you like." Millarca runs a hand over his head, a thoughtful gesture. "I have business to attend."

Yin bows her head a little, glances at the wyvern and just wanders off towards a pretty distant window. It had been a clear enough "don't leave the premesis," and though she dearly wants to talk to Revilier alone, she doesn't want to mark herself as "difficult" when it would be fatal.

The human leaves his kris sticking in the steps. Revilier assumes that it's a scare tactic. Also, it could be a test. If they take the knife for whatever reason, yada yada. And so he sits quietly, wishing he could just have her alone for a few days without interruption.

It's not long before Adelisa arrives. She enters with a carefree step, ignoring Revilier's audible growl of indignation at the newly black-violet color of her hair. 

"Hello again," she purrs, "do you like my little retirement community?"

The second Adelisa sets foot in the building, Yin's headed back towards the general. Not for any tactical reason--she doesn't think he'll do anything stupid...just for moral support. "It's pretty, anyway." Her voice is tepidly neutral.

"I want us to get along now. I want to end all the hostilities, now that you two know what's been going on and why." Adelisa moves to the pew in front of them and sits, stretching out her legs. She wants them to feel at ease, if it's possible. "Do you like my hair, Yin?"

"It seems a bit dark for your complexion. Why the change?" After all...her hair is one of her most distinuishing marks as a silver wyvern.

"He asked me to," she chirps. "He's shown me things you wouldn't believe. Given me purpose. Given everyone here purpose. Even though I hate that nasty code name. Millarca."

"The vampire, right." Heh. "So how did you meet Millarca, anyway, Adelisa?"

"A long time ago I was kidnapped by Dragons." She smirks a little at Yin. "Goes both ways, as it turns out. Mediators stepped in and rescued me because someone," she looks at her father, "had planned to get me back forcefully. I met him then. He had hair then."

Yin nods a bit. She hadn't been involved with the operation, hadn't had the rank or seniority for it at the time. "So, you guys just stayed in contact?"

"Of course. Did you see his abs? For a human, the man is a god. Besides, he has a vision." Adelisa taps some painted fingernails on the pew. "Wyverns and Dragons don't. Spiders do, but it's just to better grow fat off the squabbling."

"A vision of not dying in a nuclear holocaust?" Yin smiles a bit. "Most people actually agree on that one."

"It goes further than that. Look at the order here. Everything's carefully regulated. Nothing overgrows. Nothing is out of place." She looks at her father, who is just quietly listening.

"Like the Golden," Yin notes, a touch more careful.

Adelisa nods a bit. "Yes. Just like the Golden."

Fucking lovely. Yin's quiet a moment at this. Finally sits down beside Revilier--not unduly close, but beside him--and folds her legs. It gives her a few moments to gather her temper before speaking again, and her face gives no indication. "So. How are you going to decide who populates this place, Adelisa?"

"Representatives from the races. Thinkers, writers, specialists in agriculture and livestock. Scientists, philosophers. No one famous." She smirks. "Celebrities have no worth when it comes to survival of others."

The vampiress smirks a little. "Well. At least we agree on something." Gazes at the painted ceiling thoughtfully. He wants to ask it. She wants to know it, even knowing the answer. "So. How are the kids?"

"Improving. And they'll be even better once I inject them with a serum made from Troix's blood sample." Adelisa leans back, rests against the edge of the pew. "All the power of the Golden, without that nasty lack of free will. Kind of like you, Father."

She hopes that works. Eighty-five percent.... "Let me know how that goes, huh?"

"Sure. Let me know how you cured Father."

"You have your cure figured out already." Yin looks down to the other woman. "If it doesn't work, then we'll talk."

"No.... sorry. We need to talk now. If you don't tell me, I'll have to jail you. Too much risk... you understand." Adelisa sits up.

"You'll jail me? You're out of your mind, daughter." Revilier's eyes close. "Better to wake up now before someone gets hurt."

"And if I do, Millarca will shoot me. I didn't get dragged through ten climate zones at gunpoint expecting high tea, Adelisa. Jail away."

"Why would he shoot you?" Adelisa looks up at this, a touch confused. "Why do you think that?"

Yin smiles. "Well...telling that to someone who presumably repeats everything to him isn't that good for the non-shooting, now is it?" She examines her nails. "Adelisa, the highest ideal here is order. People who haven't been reduced to pretty zombies are inherently disorderly. If I know how to reverse your spell consistently, then I am potentially a very great disruption of order. Now tell me. What has consistently happened to every disruption of order throughout this operation?"

"I made him promise not to hurt you two. He's a man of his word." Adelisa stands up and storms away, halting at the altar. A moment later Millarca is there, in the doorway, smiling benignly.

"Illisia. Are you ready to go?" he calmly asks. She smiles at him, a great smile, and nods.

"You two," she calls over her shoulder, "won't leave this cathedral until you've come to your senses." Her hand finds his.

"I always did want to be a minister." Yin sighs inwardly. Props one of her feet more comfortably on the pew, not really looking at anything.

"It's okay. We'll figure it out." Revilier moves to sit next to her, reaching for her hand again as the apparent lovebirds flee the nest.

Yin smiles faintly when his fingers touch the back of her hand, not looking up. It fades after a moment. Is quiet. Finally... "I haven't gotten half a second to tell you. But...I'm really glad you're okay."

"You told me. I saw you smile at me when you thought I wasn't looking a few times." Revilier wraps her hand in his, squeezes it. "I'm glad to be with you again. No matter what's going on."

She has to smile faintly. Turns to lean on him, picking her other foot up on the pew. He's a wonderful source of comfort. "So. What do you think? About any of this."

"This is insanity. There's got to be something else going on." He wraps an arm around her, holds her close to himself. "They wouldn't go to this much trouble for a nuclear bunker, and Mediators are supposed to keep the peace, not rewrite the world. Even though what he's doing makes sense to the creed in a way. What do you think about this code name business?"

"About him being 'Millarca', or about him calling Adelisa 'Illisia'?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with Adelisa?"

"I haven't a clue." She withholds a sigh of relief as she settles into his arms. Doesn't even know why it feels so good; they're not any safer for it. But she certainly feels that way. "She's completely sold on him. Blind adoration, almost. He told her to dye her hair, and she did. Is calling her by a proper name I don't know. Think he's trying to reinvent her as someone else?"

"Maybe. But I wonder why? He could do that with any floozy. Why my daughter?"

Yin shrugs. "Raw materials? She's rich, powerful--physically powerful, too, on top of political influence--beautiful, and nobility, all in her own right. Still. Bears investigation. I'm sure there will be many more questioning sessions."

"It all just feels too harmless after everything we've gone through." Revilier tightens his hold on her a little. As if this is meant to make Yin feel safer, and not him.

"Oddly enough, it does. Looming threats are much easier to deal with than immediate ones." She smiles a bit, looks up at him. "They leave 'here and now' intact."

She's making sense. "Then you don't mind if I savor a badly timed but still worthwhile moment?" Looks into her eyes.

Her eyes soften. "Well. Not if I'm involved."

The general's as well, just as he moves to kiss her.

She grins just a little as their faces converge. It's so out of place...such a thoroughly bad time. But then...he'd said that. Her eyes fall shut, and she kisses him softly.

It's gentle, on his end. Incredibly so, actually, as he's just content to be with her right now. 

Prata, watching on the security cameras, wonders whether the shaking is silent rage or sorrow for what that kiss cost everyone.

Yin holds it for awhile...doesn't know why she's so comfortable with him, especially under the circumstances. But it's been quite while since she's been so thoroughly taken with someone. Not since before she found out Arux was gay, really.

Finally just finds herself curled against his shoulder. Quiet, thoughtful, and more comfortable than she should be. She half-dozes for a little bit. Knows she should be talking strategy and figuring things out. But quite frankly doesn't feel it.

It's quite awhile before she turns her head just a little to look up to him. "We should probably walk around a bit and see what constitutes cathedral-prison."

"We probably should," Revilier admits, "but I don't want to move."

The vampiress has to smile a little. Ponders. Her survival instinct says "no," but...she finally lays her head back down on his shoulder, horns held aside as carefully as ever. Takes his hand again after a moment, and just stays.

It's a while. Maybe ten, fifteen minutes. He moves as if pulled by strings he wants to resist, at last admitting it's time to look around.

Yin grins at him a little. "What if I'm comfy now?" Moves a little to let him up without falling over, though. It's simply compulsory to give people she likes a hard time.

And of course, he pulls her closer at that. "We'll be comfy again, soon, I think."

She just smiles a bit at that. Doesn't say what she's thinking. Yeah. In a secure bed blanketed by warm, newly-turned earth. Brushes his cheek gently with a thumb, thoughtful. "You're so sweet. You really are." Slips out of his arms, though--grudgingly--and moves to stand up.

He stands with her, smiling distractedly. "Yes, well. That's because--"

"-- are you two ready to talk?" Prata strides into the room, looking dishevelled and a little rushed. She'd seen enough cuddling for one lifetime. She does smile, however anxiously.

Yin blinks, though her hand slips away from the ex-general. "About, Prata?"

"No," she quickly speaks up, "no, don't lose his hand. I know about you. It's okay." Pauses, eyes cold. "You need to tell the secret of healing father."

Yin folds her arms. "I meant what I said to your sister. I sincerely believe that slip comes with fatal repurcussions."

"I know you think that. I really don't. But I know what my feelings mean to you two, not that to you it should be any consequence, Yin. But Father, you..."

"-- am in no mood to cater to your wounded spirit." Revilier crosses his arms as well. "My daughters have lost their minds if they think I'm going to bend to a human."

Yin cringes inwardly. That had to hurt coming from your dad. It had been needed to help get Prata thinking. It may also drive a wedge. She hopes it won't. After a moment, more quietly... "why do you want me to spill that so much, Prata?"

"So you two can be free," she's quick to answer. "And share this with us."

"No." Yin brushes her hair back thoughtfully, pulling a utilitarian hair tie from her pocket for a low ponytail. "If Adelisa's cure works, it will be moot anyway."

"Then why don't you tell? If your cure works, hers will be moot. Right?"

"Come on, Prata." Yin finishes tying her hair. "I'm a spy, too. I know that most versions of 'why' are the next best thing to the withheld information."

The silver nods. Slowly, resignedly. "The entire world is changing. I don't like this world anymore." She gathers herself. Turns to walk away, and for once, actually goes."

Yin sighs quietly. Yeah. "Prata." Pauses. "I may not be willing to talk. But if you need an ear, I'll certainly be easy to find."

"You're a spy, Yin," the silver answers as she leaves the cathedral. "Your ears are worthless to anyone who needs a confidante."

Yin's eyes...it's hard to read, actually. Darken, sadden...something. She looks like she's been slapped. It's a fair point. Is stil a few moments...actually hugs herself, the littlest bit, closing her eyes.

When she opens them again a few seconds later, the expression's gone. Unfolds her arms, and turns a bit to look at Revilier. "You okay?"

He nods. There's almost a hint of pride in his eyes, watching his daughter walk away. "She's never had this kind of conviction, except for Brandt. God help her, but they already had her with him."

The vampiress has to smile a little. "Well. I'm glad Prata's realising just how strong she is. I really am."

"I know you are. So. Do you still want to take that jaunt around the church?" He holds out his arm.

"Absolutely." Pauses at his arm, but takes it. Is torn between shying and clinging. She smirks. "Besides. The living have this odd thing about eating, if I recall correctly, so finding a kitchen may be in your best interests."

He is a man, and so, slightly insensitive to body language. It doesn't occur to him that the arm might affront her.

"Food does sound nice. I don't really know where to look, though..." He stands tall, and sniffs the air. "Ah. Food is... outside?" He glances through the glass doors, where there is a long table set with food of all kinds being put in place and set by Golden workers. Prata is sitting at it along with some important-looking humans, supping and talking, and so deliberately avoiding looking at her father and Yin that it's painfully obvious.

The arm would usually be a wonderful thing. Besides...she's taken to restraining clinging at this point. At least, until the scene outside gets her to focus on something else.

The vampiress tilts her head. "now what do you suppose is going on out there? Everyday occurrence, special event, or device to drive you nuts?"

"The last two," Revilier nods. "They know how you can hold up to pressure. They're betting I'll break first."

Yin gives him a quirky look at that. "Pff. Of course. Because running a nation and its military that's at a constant threat for open warfare with the other most powerful nation in the world is a cakewalk." She grins a little. "Let's go track down the kitchen."

"Let's." Revilier turns with her, pleased as punch. She'll do just fine. A softer scent of food emanates from the door just left of the altar, and it is that way that he leads her. 

"What a lovely library this cathedral is," he notes. Wall to wall shelves line a hallway that seems and nearly proves to be endless en route to the food. Volumes on just about everything one could ever care to know are stored here.

"We can certainly stay busy," Yin observes. "And maybe get a better feel for things. You can really tell a tremendous amount about a place just by the titles that are stocked. And even more from what's not stocked." Blinks. "Hey, they have music books." Spiffy.

"Hey," Revilier calls, moving over towards a differently arranged shelf. "Look at this. Stockpiles of music CD's?"

"Also nice." Yin glances over the titles, looking for trends. How classical, how modern, from what cultures, any conspicuously absent genres. Still, a lithe hand retrieves an impressionistic classical CD.

"Look at this. Not a single album created by non-humans. Only halfbreeds like Beethoven." There are representatives of dozens of broad genres-- no separation of rap and hip-hop, or classic rock and oldies, or emo and cat litter. "Its like they're trying to create a time capsule in here."

"If they actually do expect a nuclear Armaggedon, it makes sense to try to collect and preserve as many pieces of the culture as possible. Goodness knows dragons and wyverns have each protected cultural achievements enough times...humans have such a habit of regression and iconoclasm that non-humans know more about their history than they do." Puts the cd back. Pauses. "Heh. Not that I can really talk. I've been living in Draconic society for so long that I sometimes forget that I'm just a demi-human, myself. Vampires just live in a human world. The vast majority are ignorant of the presence of dragons and wyverns, and other races shun us as simply 'human' most of the time."

Considers.

"Still. The scope described would endanger all races. Why only collect human memorbilia?" Looks up to him. "You know. This city is perfectly planned in every respect. But almost none of is really suitable for a full-form dragon."

"Or a Wyvern, either. We're smaller, but still need airways and roosts." God, he hates that word. "I wonder what the underworks look like for the Spiders?"

"I'll bet you dinner it's unsuitable."

"You're on, but you're right." Revilier puts down the Disturbed CD he'd been looking at. "Did you notice the cameras all over this hallway?"

Nods. "What do you suppose they're hoping to see?" Glances up at a grey spot on the wall.

"I don't know. I feel a powerful 1984 vibe here, though." It's actually required reading for military leaders in his department these days.

"Revilier." Yin takes his wrist lightly, draping it over her shoulders as she turns to walk towards the food again. "We may not be looking at reactive action. Well, I think we agree on that, but..." turns a pale blue gaze up to him as they walk. "I can see two possibilities. First, humans are the only ones not expected to survive--completely ignoring the fact that they're the most stubbornly resilient creatures on the planet--and preserving the species' relics in response. Or, second...whatever is actually going to happen, is being ochestrated for humans to literally inherit the Earth, leaving no trace."

Pauses at her own words, just preceding a dry, quiet laugh. "Coming out and saying it that ones makes it sound like trite conspiracy theory."

"Trite conspiracy theories are more often true. The complex ones don't work out." Revilier walks with her, but now he's troubled. If Millarca's protecting humans, why take Adelisa? And Prata? And himself and Yin? "It's not far now," he assures her. "What about you, though? Are you hungry?"

She shakes her head. "A little, but not much. In a few days I probably will be." Smiles. "But thank you for asking."

He stops walking, stops her too. "You can take from me whenever you want. Just keep that in mind."

Her eyes soften. "Thanks, Revilier. You don't know how rare that is, really."

"Is it?" He smiles at her. "In that case, I'll have to charge you double."

She smirks up at him. "Scalper. And what's this doubled charge?"

"You have to take when you need it instead of feeling guilty and waiting." He whistles, looks away. Catches sight of an open metal door. Food lies there.

Her expression softens and brightens at once, surprised. He will never know how grateful she is that he'd gone broken her expectations...that he hadn't kissed her, or touched her, or been suggestive just then. He is...one of a kind. Holds to his arm a little more tightly, face a touch downturneds, unable to completely suppress the genuine smile he sometimes manages to inspire.

"Maybe in a bit." Looks up at the food. "Suppose it's for you?"

"Probably poisoned, then. Yummy. Shall we?"

"And/or truth serum laced," Yin admits. "But sure, I'll be around anyway." Smiles a bit at him.

Inside the kitchen, a few green-suited stewards are hustling and bustling about. What they're cooking is unmistakably chicken and noodle soup with plenty of veggies-- nutritive, cheaply made food. They don't seem to pay attention to Yin and Revilier, except for the one in an abnormally large hat.

"You're the dignitaries from Okarthel?"

"I think so. If that's what they're calling us." Yin has to smile a bit. She's a military grunt, and he's a dignitary but foreign. But, it is probably them. "We came from Okarthel, anyway."

"Oh. Okay, pull up a chair." The steward bows his head a little bit. "There's another man coming to join us in a minute." he indicates the simplistic wooden table at one edge of the kitchen, and a snap of his fingers gets a couple of thick glass bowls full of soup set there as well.

"Oh...I can't have any, vampire. But that's very kind, thank you. It smells very good." Yin smiles at him politely for the thought, seating herself properly, and looks over to Revilier. One less thing to worry about, anyway...yay.

"Oh. My apologies." The steward slides it one place over. "I thought you looked awfully svelte for your age."

Revilier just barely suppresses a smirk. This should be good.

Yin cocks an eyebrow. "And what age would that be? I think my options as a woman include being flattered, throwing something, or both."

"Oh, I'm sorry," the steward bows low. "I thought vampiresses didn't have periods. My fault."

I want a tape recorder, Revilier snickers.

Twitch. Yin leans on her hands, suppressing a sidelong smirk at the wyvern. "It's been awhile since you've gotten laid, hasn't it?"

The steward coughs softly. "Oh God yes." He bows again. "Enjoy."

"Wow. You sure showed him, Ensign." Clap, clap, the hollow, sarcastic clapping of a blue man with wavy tendril fingertips provides the cadence to Leonide's approach. He sits at the table, favors them both with a pleasant grin. "Hiya kids."

Yin looks up quickly at the voice. Almost forgets an "I'm just messing with you" smile-smirk at the steward. Blinks. Sits up. "Leonide? How the hell...do I even want to know? Don't tell me you're a double agent, too?"

"Aren't we all?" The coraderm sips at the soup, wincing a little. "Too hot. Who do you think got to Adelisa asking for your safety, ensign? Revilier, sure. You were a maybe."

Yin sighs quietly. "Of course." Leans on her hand again. This is why they don't usually let non-dragons--yes, like her--into any branch of the draconic military. Doesn't think she take take too many more turncoats. "So. You never did seem like much of a personnel manager. What's your job here?"

"Personnel manager." He smiles at her. "I'm the one scouting out our key players for this place. And I'm doing it entirely, before you ask, for my godson Shem."

Yin just looks at Revilier at this a moment. Doesnt' say a word. Looks back to Leonide. "What about Jasne?"

"Well, I'm not her godfather, but sure. Her too, she's okay." Has some more soup. "Don't feel so upset, Yin. C'mon. This place is a good thing for everyone."

"How? From what admittedly little I've seen, it's designed for humans, Leonide, not 'everyone.' There are no proper facilities for either wyverns or dragons that I've noticed. There's no preservation of anything but human culture in this cathedral. I do dearly wish it would stop being hoisted as an all-inclusive Utopia that will admittedly probably want to tell people when to pee."

"Oh." Leonide smiles more brightly. "The ones for Wyverns and Dragons are elsewhere. Mexico and South Africa, to be accurate."

"Ah. Marginally more reassuring, anyway." Yin sighs. Considers. "So. What's next? With this, with us, with you, anything."

"Well. There is a small complication to the construction of this place." Leonide sips again. Glances at Revilier, who is eating quietly, but listening. "Five generators will power the nuclear shields. Each one requires a palm sized piece of blue diamonds. Cobalt covered, like in the book Congo. They are amazingly good conductors."

Yin raises an eyebrow just a touch. "Amazingly hard to come by." About a third of known ones are owned by dragons, but only because they're valuable. Crystalline forms rarely hold much interest for them.

"True. And that's why I want you to help us."

She blinks slowly. She does okay, but not enough to even sniff one of those. Thus... "Cat burglary?"

"You catch on fast! Your friend here won't be much use." Leonide looks at Revilier again. "Too clunky and I highly doubt his breasts will get him out of trouble."

Yin has to smirk a little. "You'd stop thinking so if you saw his shirt off." Smile fades a bit, just thinking. "It's always been a secret fantasy to infiltrate the Louvre, lift the Mona Lisa, and infiltrate it again to return it two weeks later." This is actually true. Is quiet a moment. Looks back to Leonide. "I could do it. But doesn't answer why I should. I'm still a wee bit turned off by the whole 'zombify an army and assassinate my friends' things. Minor details."

"Your friends all signed nondisclosure and no hostage agreements, I'm sure. Along with dozens of other waivers saying essentially 'no one is responsible for what happnens as a result of my job'. It was always a risk for them. For you and me, too. Besides, most of the people who are going to stay Golden are dregs. People whose lives didn't mean much even to them."

Yin's expression darkens. "We've had this discussion before. I didn't agree then, either. You're not helping your case."

"Yin, you're going to learn in a hurry that this project is going on with or without your help. Now, we can acquire the blue diamonds through stealth, meaning you, or force, meaning Millarca." Leonide pushes his bowl back. "Your choice, and either way works. If we use force, it'll be surgical. One, two casualties."

She's aware of that first bit. Which is why she's already made her decision on something. Closes her eyes, expression perfectly neutral. "If you get the termination orders on Alou and any that might be on Kaz rescinded, I'll do it."

"Alou? Kaz?" Leonide leans back in the chair. "Alou's vanished. Didn't you hear?"

Yin cringes visibly despite herself. "Ah."

"Not that way. From the hospital. He escaped."

She almost passes out from relief, really...though not much outside indication other than a solid twitch at the outside of her lips. Thank GOD. Go Alou. "I really need to keep in mind that even put at a disadvantage, he's a damnably elite agent and not an invalid friend," she murmurs. Allows a touch of the smile through. Closes her eyes a moment. Yeah. Thank god. "But the hit order is still going to be there. The point remains."

"I'll take care of it. You have my word." Leonide smiles a bit. "But I'll get in writing if you don't trust me anymore."

She winks. "Let's go with the second one and start from there."

"Fine. Prata will probably bring it to you. There's actually a stayed hit order on her, too, you know." Leonide rises, ignoring Revilier's sudden and furious gaze. "I'm not sure why."

Yin nods. Smiles a bit. "Thanks, Leonide. Appreciated."

He bows his head, and then gives a flippant hand gesture to Revilier. "Sure. I'll talk to you before you have to go, Yin."

The vampiress nods. "All right. Talk to you then, then." Sets a hand on Revilier's knee under the table.

The Wyvern just goes back to his food. Calmly, quietly, as Leonide leaves and the stewards finish up their business in the kitchen.

Yin's quiet for a bit after they're alone. Finally... "I just don't do well with double-agents. I never have. But that more or less makes me a hypocrite with what I just agreed to. It does, if they're after one in draconic possession."

"They probably are, and look. You'll do just fine with this. Dragons keep treasures around entirely because they're dragons and we both know it. They won't miss a handful of blue diamonds." The Wyvern speaks with just a touch of distaste rolling from his tongue like silt along a riverbed.

Yin smirks a little at that. Her love interest more or less, and it doesn't often occur to her that he is, in fact, a wyvern, the parallel and opposed bloodline to her adopted one. But she's just amused at the tone. "Not overwhemingly many dragons," she observes, "even like diamonds." Laughs softly.

Is still uncomfortable. Feeling guilty, though at the same time she's confident in having made the right decision.

"No, it's gold and silver. They don't admit," Revilier holds up a pointer finger, "but they do. I've seen some of the vaults. No one likes to be just like the storybook, you know, except for prince charming types and even they contend that they're straight."

She has to grin a little. "Well, yeah. A look through any shop in town will tell you that. It's not even silver or platinum so much...even people who like the colour get white gold. Hell, even I like gold after all these years." Laughs softly. "Any preferences yourself, Revilier?" Looks over at him, smiles.

The Silver Wyvern mock glares at her. "You're not serious?"

The dragonish grins at him, chin resting on the backs of her entwined fingers. "I didn't know if it was just a namesake, and 'silver' doesn't cover things like a strongly favored gemstone or such. Besides, if you're too manly for girl talk about shiny things, I'm going to start cracking jokes about your bi-curiosity."

"I don't really think about jewelry all that often, is all. Oddly enough. I hate gold." He holds up his hand. "It's just not that special. Gun to my head, though... opal. Adelisa's mother loved opal, so it was my favorite by default."

"Smart man," Yin snickers. Eyes soften a bit. "So...'Adelisa's' mother? She and Prata are half-sisters?"

"No, I just..." Never associated the youngest daughter with her mother because she never knew her? "... got in the habit of saying that. Sorry... Charmaine died just shortly after Prata was born."

"Ah..." Yin's eyes soften and cloud a bit. Is quiet a few moments, before she smiles just a little. "Well. Your daughters are beautiful. Their mother must have been, too. Tell me about her...?"

"If you really want to know, sure." He leans back a little bit. "Imagine a religious zealot, a cleric of the highest order. Now. Take that cleric and turn all her religious fervor towards military strategy and video games. That was her. Charmaine Paquin Uddin."

Yin has to grin a bit. "She sounds like a geek of the coolest order."

"She was. She loved role playing games. Tried to get me to play, but I didn't have the time or creativity. Also, she was the only Arabic wyvern I've ever met."

"Arabic," the vampiress notes, "is a truly gorgeous language, both written and spoken."

"Well. The girls got their looks from her, but only Adelisa got her confidence and grace. Mostly. They have my nose." Revilier points to it, almost comically. "Also, she spoke six languages."

"Smart, too, obviously." Yin grins. "Which ones?"

"Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Swahili, and Mandarin. I, for the record, only speak English." Revilier taps his fingertips on the table. Should he be having this conversation with the woman he's sort of seeing socially, in a twisted kind of way?

"That's a diverse mix." Yin's eyes soften after a moment. "I think," she notes, "that Charmaine sounds like a wonderful woman. And you obviously love her very much, so...getting to know her is part of getting to know you." She smiles a bit. Sits up, crosses her legs. "But if you're uncomfortable, I can change the subject to how a smudge from something or other on the right side of your forehead somehow manages to be becoming on you." Grins a bit.

He, of course, reaches up to wipe whatever it is away. "Oh, I'm all charm," he chuckles. Charmaine. Better to put that memory aside. Yin's a Dragon, after all. "I'm not uncomfortable. I just don't know if it's appropriate to talk about her right now."

Yin smiles. Nods. "No problem." Isn't sure what to say...she'd gotten an almost...not hostile vibe, exactly, but the closest she's ever gotten from the wyvern towards the end. "I wonder where they're going to send me for the first of the diamonds..." she finally muses aloud.

"There's a repository north of Okarthel. Actually, it's a couple of hours from where I assume where to there by chopper, so I assume it'll be there." Revilier smiles a bit. "Information networks, you know."

She grins just a little bit in return. "Handy things, those." Silence a moment. Heh. Awkward. "I'm interested in what happens next...I can't really intentionally botch things or otherwise get smart; they'll be watching like falcons and there are dozens of people they can threaten to keep me in line." Not the least of whom is Revilier. "But...it probably beats sitting here."

"I don't think you and I have the power to defuse this situation, Yin. And besides, we don't have enough reliable information to decide whether it should be shut down or not. Maybe it really is a good thing, and we're all screwed in a few months without it."

"Maybe." Yin leans on a hand, eyes thoughtful and far away. "It may be a good idea to try and get ahold of my family and tell them to take precautions for our clan, just in case." Smirks dryly. "Of course, if nothing happens, they'll think I'm insane. But I suspect they already do, so that's not too big a change, and it's very little risk versus potentially life-saving gain."

Revilier leans back a little further. "You've had difficulties with your family, then?"

"Nah...not serious ones, anyway." Yin smiles a bit, far away. Considering. "I'm the rightful clan leader by birthright. Grew up knowing that's what I was supposed to do, which is probably why I still feel responsible for them to an extent and do plenty behind the scenes for them. But...that was just too sedentary a lifestyle; I could hardly stand the thought. Never was able to stomach it. I left home when I was twenty-one...not a really a point of concern. Important, actually, to get more worldly experience. My dad figured that I would get travelling out of my system and be a stronger leader for it besides." Leans back. "Trick is, a couple of years later, I got wrapped up quite accidentally in a situation involving a dragon hatchling and some small-dicked dragonslayers. I became a dragoon then, and that quickly became my whole life."

Yin smile-smirks a bit. "Of course, that is very hard to explain to your family when most vampires--again, living in only a slightly higher worldly awareness than humans--aren't even aware that dragons exist, let alone as a lucid society. They thought I'd lost my mind and was actually a hooker or something. Since I was tied to Siphyxian--my Guardian--and began to manifest visible draconic traits, they're a bit less skeptical that I'm doing something interesting with my life...however, I can still only explain my life in blanket statements. I can never support anything. Everything I do and pretty much my whole world is classified--hell, even where I live is classified--so...interaction can be tricky, as much as I love seeing my dad and sister."

"I see. I wonder which of these cities are to house vampires?" The statement actually comes as something of a shock to Revilier himself for thinking of it. "Leonide didn't mention them, did he?"

She shakes her head. "No...spiders either. But I asked about dragons and wyverns, and he responded to just those two. It bears questioning." Smiles a little. "There may not be one. Most people just consider us parasitic versions of humans, and humans are terrified of us...you can see how many slayers' guilds there are. It's astounding when you considering how few mortals know we exist." Examines her pallid wrist thoughtfully. "Also, just one or two vampires in a human society can keep the species carefully alive until a better time to break away. With luck luck and lack of staking. Not that I doubt we could be totally exterminated in this sort of enclosed situation were there any kind of intelligence-based effort. Near-universal hatred of your race goes a long way."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I never met a vampire I didn't immediately want to slather in chocolate." Revilier ducks under the table, sending bowl and spoon clattering across the cloth.

Yin laughs and tries to shove his shoulder soundly with her foot. "I told you you were bi-curious."

There's no answer for a second. "Yin," the Wyvern whispers, "there's an audio recorder under this table."

"Well, yeah. You knew there had to be one somewhere. We were planted in a social setting." Yin peeks under there. Not to look at the device, but the wyvern. "I sincerely doubt that there's anywhere in this cathedral we can speak privately." She hasn't mentioned a word about her own golden spell since getting here.

"Well, yeah. But this one's not recording, and there's a tape in it." The snap of tape hails his removing of the device, a basic cassette recorder. "Any thoughts?"

Yin blinks slowly. "A casette...?" her own voice hushes. "That's very primitive for eavesdropping technology. Let's head back to the music collection...there was a player there, and we can have a listen where there's not kitchen staff nearby."

"right." Revilier takes the thing, returns the player, and glances at the door. Still open. "Let's go."

Yin takes his arm. One, if someone stops them, either of them can discretely have the tape in hand. And secondly...she likes being on his arm. Smiles at him, and starts off that way. Curiouser and curiouser.

The tape recorder is just where Yin saw it, set inside the unlocked case with the mountains and mountains of CD's and cassettes. It's a black device with gray buttons, very 1985.

The first thing the vampiress does after slipping from Revilier's arm is check it for plants or any such...doesn't find any. Doesn't mean they aren't just well-wired inside the case, but...that seems like quite a lot of trouble for very little potential gain. Looks up at the wyvern, and holds out her hand for the tape. "So. Let's see if the creep writing our lives is into plot twists."

"Let me." Revilier plugs it into the player without waiting to be asked. "Just in case it blows up." He waits, listening to the rustle and crackle of things.

After a while, muffled voices come onto the track.

... of course they won't catch us. I'm the steward. Now. Let's see if your hair is naturally black, my dear...

Yin's brow creases a touch, and she folds her arms as she listens. Talking about Adelisa, maybe? An affair...? Of course, absent predictions are just waiting to be proven wrong by what comes next.

You won't be able to tell that way.

Prove it.

Revilier stops the tape when the rustling and heavy breathing begins. Looks at Yin, almost apologetically.

She grins a little at him. "They could say something valuable. It's really creepy...but spies often listen to this stuff because guard goes down and people are loose-lipped. But I understand if you step out or just cover your ears and sing showtunes; I can flag you down when they're done."

The wyvern general pushes the play button again. Cringes. "It'll be fine. I think." Cringes again. "That's Adelisa's voice." 

"I need this. Millarca won't lay me down, and I need release. Don't think for a second this is anything more than sport fucking and we'll be fine."

"I'm not complaining."

"You'd better not, if you want to stick around."

Words spoken between kisses, rustling, but nothing apparently serious enough to stop their talking, continue in this fashion for a minute. 

"Come on. Hit me!"

Revilier covers his ears.

Yin can't help but laugh. Pats the wyvern's knee as she listens.

It's just sex. For a long time, crashing, screaming, heavy breathing and whimpering. Finally, though...

"Just rest now. Rest. Two minutes and we go again."

"God, woman, are you a robot under there?"

"Maybe. Look, this place isn't going to have many atractive guys in it soon. I want to feel things while I can, okay?"

"Yeah. Two more months, right?"

"Yeah. Now shut up and get on the floor."

A pale finger shuts off the tape, then folds over the vampiress's lips, brow creased the slightest bit. "I wonder what that was supposed to mean..." she muses as the wyvern uncovers his ears. "Adelisa: 'I want to feel things while I can.' He responded with 'two more months, right?' She confirmed."

"Feel things? I have no idea what that could mean. Unless she's planning on becoming a vegetable." The general scratches his hair.

Yin shakes her head. "The only applicable thing I can think of is her Golden spell. But even if she can cast it on herself, why would she? Unless, god forbid, she's found a way to pass it to someone else, that only leave us as far as I know who could direct the Golden, and...well. No one likes us." Holds out her hands, shrugging. "Can find some way to question towards it next time she's asking about fixing you."

"Possibly. Anyway... where are we going now?"

"Mm. Well...if memory serves...I'm now required to pester you when I'm hungry...?" Yin smiles a bit, eyes soft at the thought of that conversation.

His light up a little. "Of course, sure. I'll just bet there's a confessional booth somewhere in this cathedral where we might catch some privacy, if you need it."

She grins a touch. "I don't, just to bite...but if you want it, that's fine with me." Smiles, and holds out a hand.

"I think I do." He takes her hand surely, without hesitation. It's a good hand, not too soft, not too hard. "Up the stairs, behind the pews, and on the right, I think. Shall we?"

A momentary grin fades to a genuine smile and slight, warming blush. She's happy to situate herself on his arm again--after all, Yin had grown up almost fifty years ago in a town anachronistic in its manners even then, and occasionally, old-fashioned traits manifest--and heads off where suggested. Quietly eager--a predatory thrill is making itself known on top of...other things--and she doesn't say a word. Only savors the moment.

"Ah...! Good guess." She finally looks back up to him when they find what looks very much like a confessional booth. Smiles rather coyly, and slips away from him to step inside.

The general gives a quick scouting glance around the area before following. It wouldn't do to be interrupted, really.

The booth boasts a cushioned bench and, not surprisingly, softly cushioned walls as well. To absorb sound, the general is sure. The door to the priest's side is a sliding mechanism, and the inner door boasts a lock, which Revilier turns when he and Yin are inside. He catches himself roaming her figure with his eyes, half-wishing they could take a moment to enjoy each other again. Here is probably not the place to do that, though.

"How do you want to do this?" He smiles innocuously at her.

"Sit down." She nods. Smiles. "In case you get dizzy."

He does. "I already am."

She grins at him. Ponders how forward she's feeling...finally makes her decision, adjusts in the tiny space, and sits lightly across his lap. Yin smiles, and brushes the wyvern's hair back from his neck. "Are you ready...?"

He visibly stiffens when she sits on his lap. His entire body, that is to say. Okay, she's feeling touchy. So far, so fabulous. The wyvern wraps one arm around her, and provides a slow nod. "Do your best, lady."

Yin grins at him. Really, the vampire in her has been screaming about throwing him against a wall and biting hard, and she doesn't waste much more time. Her lips find his neck just a moment as her arms wrap around him...one hand on his hair, the other on his back. Fangs scrape harmless once, feeling until instinct and skill puts them right over the pulse beneath.

Her eyes light a little. The fangs flash in gold, and sink into his neck just as her eyes fall shut. Her grip on the Silver tightens considerably as a quiet exclamation of ecstastic release muffles against his neck.

His spell lights with hers. When she bites he unconsciously squeezes her closer to himself, lost in the sharp pain of the bite, the cool scent of her skin, her weight, her voice. Lost in her. His fingertips race around her back in rapid circles as if searching blindly for something to grab onto.

The embrace lasts quite awhile...the better part of a minute and a half. Far from stagnant, the moment's constantly changing. Relaxation against his hands, a shift to keep from hurting his leg, varying speeds of blood dry. A slow, very gradual loosening of her originally vicelike grip. Finally, her fangs slip out of his neck when she decides longer may weaken him, gasping quietly. She's drained. Spent, and also warmly, deeply content. Body relaxes nearly into falling off of him before just barely catching her balance, breath a touch quick.

Her head rests on his shoulder then for a moment, a supremely content smile set lightly across her lips. Yin leans up to kiss his lips after few moments, a drop of his own blood on her lips.

The kiss comes too soon, and none too soon. He would let her bleed him dry, if she wanted, and he knows she knows it. He supports her as well as he can as, true to form, he's rather dizzy. Still he kisses an easy, mellow, almost friendly kiss, content to be where he is.

"You," he observes once their lips part, "taste like me."

Her mouth spreads to a grin, fangs a touch soiled by blood, and she finally opens her eyes. Mostly, anyway. "And an unspeakably fantastic taste it is." Pecks his lips again and then returns her head to his shoulder, curling against it. "Are you okay...?"

"A bit dizzy. The spell helps, but I will be much better if you'll cuddle a little closer." The wyvern pets her hair methodically, every word just an excuse to keep from kissing her again.

She laughs softly. "The important medicine." Yin is more than happy to settle closer to his chest, utterly content under his touch. Whatever he does with her next is perfectly alright by her. For now, her own spell lights on the fingertips of a hand still draped over his back. Hand presses there lightly, fingers scritching idly when she remembers.

"The very best," he assures her. His arms wrap entirely around her little body, both to steady himself and keep her close. Revilier is still unsure of the core of this attraction. It's physical, yes, but there's some hidden depth to it that he can't quite identify. He squeezes her a little, hands in the safe zone around the small of her back.

Yin, for her part, knows that she likes him. She's unwilling to admit to herself just how much, though. Life is fickle--even more than usual, lately--and she doesn't want to be crushed when he excuses himself or is taken away.

Here and now...well. That's just heavenly. She relaxes awhile. Finally turns a little to kiss his jaw lightly, still thoroughly settled into his arms. Grins. "So. Svelte for my age?"

"Please. That toad has never seen a woman as fantastic as you." It occurs to him that his daughter would, therefore, fall below Yin. Doesn't think twice about it, though. He lets his hands take her measurements anyway, running down her sides and back.

She laughs softly. Just remains where she is against his chest, smiling up at him, eyes gleaming that icy-warm glint. He'd made her feel wonderful, and she wants to make him feel wonderful, to use her to make himself feel wonderful...however he wants, in an admittedly precarious situation.

But that is not high on his priority list right now. He'd offered his blood to her with no strings attached, and does not expect anything in return. Not that having her on his lap doesn't push the notion up the list.

"Do you need anything, Yin...?"

She smiles faintly. Still genuinely. Just rests right where she is. "No. Just you."

"I can do that. Provide that." Smiles for her. "Something." He's not moving, not going anywhere at all, until she wants to. Its too comfy, and rather nice after the openness of the cathedral itself.

She grins at that. It fades to a faint smile it's comfortable to wear for long periods, and she resettles just a little to stay where she is. Might have dozed. Doesn't. She just wants to be here, and enjoy him. Two fingers play lightly, idly across his body. Usually his back or side, occasionally an arm. Finally... "I hope we get a lot more chances to do this, Revilier."

"I don't doubt that we will." Still. He lets his fingers mirror hers, stroking up and down her back. They may not get more chances, after all, no matter what he doubts. "Probably not so many times in a confessional, though.'

Yin snickers quietly. "Common belief says I should be on fire right now, I think."

His fingertip find her cheek. "Aren't you?"

She blushes, grinning quietly when she looks up to him a moment later. "Rebuttle rescinded," she concedes softly, amused. Her fingers settle softly over the much warmer ones on her face.

He's content to stay right there with her. And he would, for all eternity or until he had to pee, were it not for the sound of a door and rustling on the other side of the booth.

"Children," Millarca's cold gruff begins, just audible. "Have you come to confess your sins?"

Yin sighs softly...slips nearly silently off of Revilier's lap after squeezing the general's hand once more, kissing his cheek briefly. "You want me to start with the a section, or would you rather I index chronologically?"

"I am aware of your sharp tongue, Yin Iejir. I need little excuse to have it cut out of your head."

Revilier has to fight hard to keep himself from skewering the human on the spot.

"Your transport to the repository has been prepared. You leave in one hour. Prepare yourself accordingly, and do not contact me until you have completed your assignment."

"Anything else?" This when she unclenches her teeth. She doesn't do well with being threatened.

"Just don't get killed."

This gives her pause. Still... "Check." She still hasn't answered their questions, after all.

"I'm sure I won't have to give you the 'don't betray me' spiel. All the best, Yin." Rustling, another door.

"Are you sure you're alright with this?" Revilier finds her eyes with his.

She sighs quietly. "Of course not." Looks up to his after a few moments, face somber. "But sitting here isn't going to do any good. And whatever he is or isn't, Leonide's certainly right in that they don't need me to go after those diamonds. I'm just highly convenient, so...I'm going to keep repeating 'it doesn't make a difference who retrieves them' until it makes sense to me."

"Just keep this in mind." The general brushes a little hair from her eyes. Leans close enough to whisper. "Contact me. If you change your mind, contact me and we'll get out of this and figure a way to shut it down. You and I."

She has to smile a little. Nods once. In this moment...it actually makes sense. For whatever reason...it makes sense that they could do it together. "You and I. I'll remember."

"You'd better." He doesn't really want to, but the wyvern releases the catch on the door and steps out of the confessional booth anyway. "We'd better get moving. They'll probably expect us to be prompt, right?"

"Yeah. But...wait." Yin catches his arm.

He stops, of course. Looks to her, not expectantly, but eagerly, as though thirsting for any word she might say.

She hesitates at his face. That beautiful, honest face with its abyssmally deep eyes. Had been about to say something clever. But lines that have survived a thousand military blockbusters just crack and wither. Is just still a few moments...uncharacteristically unsure of herself.

Yin steps forward, wraps her arms around his neck, and leans up to kiss him. Deeply...meaningfully, without being wrapped under her usual layers of suggestion. No matter how he reacts, she may not get another chance.

He's all but floored, for a second. He'd been expecting some comment, some smart remark with a deeper meaning. Instead, he finds himself cradling her in his arms against, floating away in a kiss that's so different from hers it could almost be another woman's. Nurtures it, tests, holds onto it as long as he can, but all things considered, he is in a very good place.

It's a few eternal seconds before Yin breaks the embrace, catching her breath softly. Eyes down, cheeks flushed. Tries to decide if that had been mutual. She thinks...maybe.

She realizes that she's still clinging to the wyvern, and her blush deepens a touch. She releases him gently. "I should go and see if I can track down any information on Leonide's promised paperwork," she notes softly.

"Alright. I'll be around here, if you need me." He lets her go, a touch reluctantly. Eyes stay on hers a little too long.

She has to smile a little. "I will." Brushes her hair back, and wanders off, gathering herself. It doesn't do for a spy to be out of sorts.