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After Action Debriefing [Rock Lady]

Started by Aeytrious, December 12, 2014, 06:47:12 PM

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Aeytrious

        Canis Rufus, the Red Wolf, sat in the room that he used as an office. It was his seat of power, the seat of power for all the Alpha's before him. There were so many secrets that this room, and the many things in it, all held. Magic items taken by each new usurper. The adjacent rooms held others, and Rufus had brought in many more. Perhaps that was how each leader grew more and more powerful. He accumulated power of his own to add to that which his predecessors had held. Some of the things in his collection still held secrets even he had been unable to discover. That meant they were likely truly powerful items.
        Rufus sat at a large partners desk, that itself had hidden many secrets. He was waiting for his next appointment to arrive. Gaze and Vent hadn't come when they were supposed to. This agitated Rufus only slightly. It was to be expected from Gaze. He was so overly paranoid that he'd never keep appointments. He could be a day late, or two hours early. One could never be sure. Zeina had just left. She didn't have much in the way of good news. She was also fairly distraught at the fact that Zahi was missing. He was not pleased to learn about that either. He was furious that that had not been the first thing he'd been told upon his arrival home. Of course it would have ruined the tiny two day vacation he'd had, but he still was not pleased. He'd let the Wolves with him in Cerenis know that Zahi was his chosen successor. That if he'd not made it back to Arca, that they were to put their support behind her. To learn that she was gone, meant that someone knew before he'd even revealed the news. Or perhaps he was being too arrogant. Perhaps it was her own loyalty to the Soot Wolves, and her dedication, that had gotten her into trouble. Whatever the reason, he'd find her if she was alive. There was no way that the rumors of her making a bid for power could be true. He chose her because she didn't want the power, she just had a strong sense of responsibility.
        Zeina had good things to say about the Blood Wolf that had been selected as her replacement. Her praise seemed a bit grudging, which he expected coming from one of the few people to call Zahi friend. The fact that Jack had picked him made Rufus skeptical of his qualifications. This meeting would go a long way in deciding whether Rufus let Arun 'Huxley' Zajac keep the position. Most often if you had to strip a Wolf of his rank, you had to also put him down. Zeina had given him some useful information where that was concerned, and his personal Shadow Wolves hidden among the Blood Wolves also had advice on that. Those same spies though had told Rufus that Huxley had been a voice of reason among the Bloods. He'd spoken of rationality, and non-violent solutions. Rufus could see the wisdom in such things, but he worried that it may veil cowardice or some other weakness. That of course wasn't supported by reports of ruthless decisions Huxley had made. Perhaps Jack had chosen well. If not, Rufus would kill Arun and appoint a new Red Jackal. Perhaps Chuck. He wondered if Blood Zajac knew that his life was on the line with this meeting.
Guild
The Soot Wolves

Characters
Ryk/Theodore/Rufus
ArjanDirkElijahGeldGulliusHiram
HerewardKheelanKurohanaLex
MalilaMelyndariaMowellesaQuinnlyn
SehrayanahTiberiusValencia
Ritousaey


kleineklementine

Oh, Arun Zajac knew full well that this meeting might be his last. Huxley, as he was known to by most of the Wolves, had even said some half-joking good byes to a few other Bloods before heading to the newly returned Red Wolf’s quarters. His attempt at lightening the mood had illicited a few dark grumblings, though. The Red Wolf’s popularity amongst the Bloods was on shaky ground. Between what seemed like increasingly personal and arbitrary assignments (one of which Huxley himself had taken for awhile), simmering feelings that the Shadows were favored by their Alpha over the Bloods, and a sense that he had mistreated their last Red Jackal all caused an undercurrent of tension in the group. There were even rumors that it was Rufus himself who was responsible for Zahi’s disappearance. Maybe as punishment for Carraway’s death [[the Red Jackal before Zahi]], or who could tell why? Huxley didn’t believe too many of the rumors - though he had to admit that he had yet to come up with a believable idea of what had happened to Akello - but he’d spent a decent amount of his time thus far as interim Red Jackal keeping them in line.

At least, up to now, Huxley assumed his position was interim. After all, he didn’t have the badge of the Red Jackal. That had disappeared with Akello. And, of course, there was the business of Jack having appointed him. In truth, Huxley had a hard time swallowing the other set of rumors that Jack wanted power for himself. The lazy, sycophantic Beta Wolf? If Jack weren’t such a smooth charmer with monied people, Huxley couldn’t even imagine him in the Wolves, much less Alpha.

Allowing himself one breath before starting the meeting, Huxley opened the door to the Red Wolf’s quarters and let himself in. Always possessed of a casual confidence - which sometimes read as glib or irreverent - Huxley took a seat across from Rufus. H leaned back and gave a nod to the Soot Wolf Alpha. “Welcome back, boss.”

Aeytrious

        Where Zahi had been dark, and all business, Huxley was light and casual. Zahi exuded confidence in a way Rufus knew few women to do. He had hoped that Owl might learn some of Zahi's strengths, before he'd learned she'd gone missing of course. Huxley entered without a knock, sat before bade to, and his confidence was different than Zahi's. It was smooth, not hard and sharp. Zeina entered and sat without permission, so really Rufus had no issue with it. He simply noticed the differences. Like himself, Zahi had been the child of a prostitute in Zantaric, and had grown up in a rough life. By comparison Arun's life had been easier, not that Rufus's reports didn't tell of some hardships. Maybe this is why he seemed so relaxed.
        "Please, call me Rufus," the Alpha said as he leaned forward. "The use of the word 'boss' always seems so contrived to me." Rufus moved an inkwell to the side and folded his hands on the desk in front of him. He watched Arun's face for any tension for just a beat before he continued. "Carraway had been Red Jackal for a long time, and I did not choose him. I chose Zahi for many reasons I will not share, but mostly for her loyalty to the Soot Wolves, before me," he was hoping that truth would elicit some reaction from Huxley as he watched him. "Every Red Wolf falls, without exception. I will not always be Alpha. I wanted someone in the position that would protect the Wolves, even from myself if need be, and especially if I fell. Zahi's boots will not be easy to fill. You will succeed, or you will die. That is our way." Rufus leaned back in his chair, showing Huxley that he was relaxed and confident in this, his seat of power.
        "Impress me, Blood Zajac."
Guild
The Soot Wolves

Characters
Ryk/Theodore/Rufus
ArjanDirkElijahGeldGulliusHiram
HerewardKheelanKurohanaLex
MalilaMelyndariaMowellesaQuinnlyn
SehrayanahTiberiusValencia
Ritousaey


kleineklementine

“If you prefer, Rufus,” Huxley agreed when the Alpha asked to be called Rufus because he found ‘boss’ too contrived. This struck Huxley as a little funny, though he didn’t show it. Boss was ‘too contrived?’ Coming from the man who insisted on only being called by his title?

Huxley didn’t dwell on it, though, and listened to the rest of what Rufus had to say. His outward demeanor remained composed, polite, and attentive throughout. The acting training Huxley had in his youth had gone a long way in teaching the Blood Wolf how to control his outward expressions. He was struck, however, by one thing Rufus said: that he believed Zahi had been loyal to the Soot Wolves before Rufus. That, he was sure, was true. But he wondered, And which one are you loyal to, Naamlose?

Rufus's brief adulation of Zahi brought to mind the rumors that it was Rufus himself who did the Red Jackal in. Did he protest too much? Zahi's boots were not only 'hard to fill,' but they were barely warm. Mere months had passed between Carraway's death and Zahi's disappearance. Huxley had to wonder if Rufus didn't want to share his reasons for promoting Zahi because those reasons were an excuse to get rid of her. He didn't necessarily believe it, but the thought crossed his mind.

And Huxley wondered what exactly Rufus was driving at with the rest of his speech. ’You will succeed, or you will die. That is our way.’ If he weren’t concerned that his life might be on the line, Huxley would find it rather trite and a bit boring. Though he never let this show on his face. Huxley folded one leg so that his boot rested on the opposite knee, still leaning back in the chair. He couldn’t help notice how Rufus leaned back when he was done, in a clear sign that He Was In Charge. As if Huxley didn’t know.

“First of all, while we’re on names, I have to insist that you call me Huxley. No one calls me Zajac, and ‘Blood Zajac’ is a touch dramatic,” he said genially. Huxley shifted slightly to sit up a little straighter. “As for the rest: you don’t need to tell me. I’ve been here longer than you, you know,” he said with an easy smile. It wasn’t said derisively or rudely. It might have been a friendly reminder, or laying the foundation that they were coming from a similar place here. “But I think we both know that you didn’t call me in here just to give me a pep talk at the start of this newest assignment. So,” Huxley opened his hands towards Rufus, “what can I do for you?”

Aeytrious

        Keeping his eyes on Huxley, Rufus watched his magic alert system in his peripheral. It would tell him if anyone approached his chamber from any of the paths, even his secret ones. A different magical rune would activate depending on the tunnel, and so Rufus would know where they came from, if not how many. A lack of activity assured Rufus that he and Huxley only had each other to worry about, and from the body language, there would be no violence from the Red Jackal.
        "I'm sure you saw Zeina leaving," Rufus began again, "her report was not pleasant, and while it was thorough, it lacked a broader point of view. She sees things in a unique way." As he spoke Rufus reached for an orange in a nearby bowl. He produced a dagger and began peeling the fruit. "Something that I value from those around me, is honesty. Frank honesty. I will not punish you for your opinion, as long as you do not challenge me where anyone can hear.
        "Now," Rufus leaned forward as he finished peeling the orange. He pulled it apart into its parts on a little plate, "I'd like your point of view on what's been happening while I was away, what we can do to fix it, and who you think is responsible. Gaze has not shown up yet, and I'm having trouble locating some of the others, including Jack and Kui. Zeina had interesting ideas, and I trust her completely, but as I said before, she sees things in a unique way." He offered the small plate to Huxley, as he popped a piece into his mouth. "Wedge?"
Guild
The Soot Wolves

Characters
Ryk/Theodore/Rufus
ArjanDirkElijahGeldGulliusHiram
HerewardKheelanKurohanaLex
MalilaMelyndariaMowellesaQuinnlyn
SehrayanahTiberiusValencia
Ritousaey


kleineklementine

OOC: Sorry this took me so super long! I double-promise I'll be quicker in the future!




Huxley watched in silence as Rufus threateningly peeled the orange with the dagger, listening to his thoughts on the other ranking Soot Wolves. But his gaze shifted up to Rufus himself when the Soot Wolf leader said that he valued, above all else, 'frank honesty.' Huxley's eyebrows raised, just slightly, as if to ask, Really?

Huxley waved a hand dismissively at the offer of the orange. "No thanks," he answered. His gaze stayed intensely on Rufus, measuring him up. The fact that it was Huxley who should be more worried about Rufus sizing him up didn't seem to trouble the new, or was it interim?, Red Jackal.

"What's gone been going on while you were away, that's a rather broad question," Huxley observed. "I would say 'what's been going on' in the Blood Wolves started rather before you went away. Discontent has been bubbling in the ranks for awhile. And not just from the loud-mouth types who complain at the drop of a hat," he added pointedly. "We try to weed those types out, but you always end up with a few bad apples. But this runs deeper than that. I thought it might be curbed by Akello becoming Red Jackal, but events - ah - seemed to have caused things to go differently."

Huxley paused there, looking over Rufus again. Frank honesty, he said?

"Well, 'what's been going on' is rather a broad question, and begs a rather broad answer. So I'll try to get more to the point. You asked me who I think is responsible. Of course, that's also a whole list of people, several of whom are dead now anyway. But if you want my honest opinion, boss- er, Rufus," Huxley started pointedly; time to roll his dice and see what came out of it, "I'd say a lot of the responsibility lies with you." He let that land for a moment, before continuing in the same casual, conversational tone he'd been using thus far. "It's a bit of a different job, being a Blood Wolf. Sure, you get paid same as everyone else, but your personal stakes are rather higher. Morale is critical, and tricky.

"There's been a feeling for awhile amongst 'the ranks,' lets say, that you've always shown a bit of favoritism towards the Shadow Wolves. That sort of thing resonantes, you know, true or not. But the growing list of rather, ah, personal seeming jobs has left a bad taste in more than a few mouths. It's one thing to risk your life for the Guild, another for your boss's paramour, or pet project." Huxley held his hands up to say he didn't necessarily think that was the case (though of course it was hard to keep anything very secret around the Den), and said, "With little reason to go on, you can't blame people for drawing their own conclusions."

He put his hands back down and folded them in his lap. "There was some feeling that the way you dealt with Akello wasn't really appropriate for someone who was Red Jackal. And felt that it reflected on the position of the Blood Wolves in general. That Torak nutter didn't help. Well, I'm sure you can understand how it would make the average Blood feel." Maybe. "I should let you know, though perhaps you do already," he added with a meaningful look, "that there are quite a few who think you arranged Akello's death yourself. Needless to say, all very bad for morale. It makes an atmosphere easy for a dissident to capitalize on."

Huxley paused a moment before continuing, "And whoever that is, I think, is probably who you mean by 'responsible.' But to that end, I can only hazard guesses," Huxley said with a shrug. "There certainly were more agitated Bloods, and agitating, more to the point. But they were, ah, purged by Akello. Made an example of. The loudest of them, anyway. I would guess that there was someone behind it, putting them up to it. Just a gut feeling."

He gave a half-smile, and said, "I know there are rumors going around that it's Jack who's been causing all this trouble. 'Perfectly poised' as Beta or some such. I suppose I should point my finger at him, since he promoted me, so I don't look like I'm part of his cadre if it were true. But I honestly have a hard time believing it. He's always struck me as rather a lazy yes-man; more interested in his own comfort than personal power. So I have a hard time believing he'd do anything quite so ballsy."

Aeytrious

        Theodore seethed inside the mind of coolly collected Rufus. If not for the years of practice, and the awareness that truth and knowledge were real power, Theo would have struck out fiercely. He hadn't felt that primal anger in a long time. Not since he'd mastered living with two identities. No matter, Rufus was in complete control, and not even a flicker of the buried emotions disturbed the surface.
        Rufus listened calmly to all that Huxley had to say. The man was daring enough to speak his mind, telling him that a lot of the trouble was his fault. He knew that to be true, but those outside of his circle rarely questioned his actions. Rufus was truly impressed. Huxley, it seemed, could prove to be very useful, if he could be trusted.
        "I must agree with everything you've said," Rufus told the Blood Wolf. Red Jackal? Perhaps. He wanted Zahi back, if she were still alive. He knew now that he shouldn't have kept her so distant. He had over compensated, not wanting to show his hand. He felt she were respected, and even liked by some, and knew that she needed time to grow into the power, but that she had the potential to lead the guild. She likely didn't see that in herself, nor would want such a task. That's what made her ideal as his choice for successor. Those that took the reigns, rarely lasted. Those that had leadership thrust upon them, would often rise high above expectations.
        "I don't think Jack is the hand that holds the blade to our throats," Rufus leaned on the desk, pushing the remnants of the orange aside. "If he had the ambition or the spine to take the guild from me, I'd have gutted him long ago. Kui perhaps, but she doesn't have the mind for it. She'd likely follow Jack's lead, but not move on her own." Rufus pondered for a moment, pressing against his cheekbone, just under the eye patch.
        "More likely Jack would be the guiding eye, that tells the hand how and where to strike, in hopes it won't turn against him." Rufus thought about the information he'd been given by Zeina. She'd been reading auras, and she didn't like what she'd seen. The fact that some peoples auras that she could normally see were hidden from her was especially troublesome.
        "The threat is probably external," Rufus said, "but I don't know who, or why. The only citizens of Arca that don't like us are the Wealthy, and those few rivals that remain." It was vexing, and Theodore's frustration was difficult to contain. "Perhaps Vent and Gaze can give us some insight. If I weren't juggling so many things, I would not have so foolishly pressed our throat against the knife."
Guild
The Soot Wolves

Characters
Ryk/Theodore/Rufus
ArjanDirkElijahGeldGulliusHiram
HerewardKheelanKurohanaLex
MalilaMelyndariaMowellesaQuinnlyn
SehrayanahTiberiusValencia
Ritousaey


kleineklementine

Huxley hid his surprise. 'I must agree with everything you've said' certainly wasn't what he was expecting to hear. Of course, the meeting hadn't drawn to a close yet. Rufus might still be playing an angle. But he had taken Huxley's words graciously, so the Blood Wolf wouldn't continue to press them now.

"Kui could have persuaded Jack to use his brains to her ambition," he suggested, though he didn't sound entirely convinced of it himself. Of course, "I certainly imagine she has ample tools of persuasion at her disposal. For the right man."

But Huxley raised his eyebrows at Rufus's suggestion that the threat might come from outside. "Perhaps it isn't a denizen of Arca. Or not one we know about."

Huxley had been one of the few with Zahi when they'd 'dealt with' the trouble makers in the Bloods, to make an example. And he remembered the strange thing that happened to Tass... The crumpled, aged, ancient body she had turned into once her life had been over.

Rather than starting with that, though, Huxley said something else instead.

"You know, that Spot has been missing since the night Akello disappeared. Not many knew - though of course I'm sure you did - but she was a Shadow for the Red Jackal. She was before Akello took the mantle, but she was much closer to Akello than Caraway. Jack sent Copper out after her - or, of course, had me send him - but he never returned. Seems like suspicious timing. Especially given Jack's interest in retrieving her."

Aeytrious

        Rufus had known about Spot's allegiance, and knew that Jack had men in her pursuit, he hadn't been told though, that Zahi had been looking for her. That was interestingly left out. Now he needed to wonder at the skill or the loyalty of his informants. The problem with trying to build a trusted spy network in a criminal organization was that it was a criminal organization, and they were spies. Of course Huxley could be lying, but it seemed he had little reason to. Just calling out his leader was enough reason for Rufus to kill him, why lie now.
        "It seems I should want her for myself then," Rufus decided, "we need to bring her in alive. Or perhaps I should go to her, if she can be located. If she's eluded capture up until now, she is either more resourceful than I would have guessed, or she has some friends." Knowing that most people liked money, and wished not to die, he chose a course to find Spot, and keep her alive.
        "I'll offer one thousand gold suns to the  person that brings Spot in alive. Five hundred for being the one that finds her so that I can go to her. Any that harm her, will suffer, and if someone is to kill her, they will beg for death." Perhaps Spot would be the key to all of this. If she was a traitor, he'd deal with her himself, if not, then she likely had information he needed.
        "I still don't know why an outside force would cause us this trouble," Rufus deliberated out loud. "Do they wish to off balance us to take control, to destroy us. There are so many reasons it could be. I need more information to narrow down the reason for this. Do they want Arca, and we stand as an obstacle or potential tool?" He itched to take action, to get out there and find the truth for himself. He had made many enemies in his quick rise to power, but he'd also made allies. Most of the threats to the Soot Wolves had been destroyed or integrated into the fold. The goblins were a new issue, too fresh and too unintelligent, to be at the center of this. Valeska had shown most of her hand, or so Rufus thought, and the Mountain Cats had been all but destroyed. He still needed to have his chat with Defalcat, but that would come later.
        He was at a total loss as to the source of this threat. He'd been spending so much time grooming and training Owl, not to mention their extra curricular bedroom activities, that he'd been neglecting his role as Red Wolf. The time he spent away, rescuing his son, had not helped matters. And now he was engaged to be married. How would he find time to be two men? They were both full time jobs. He wanted to rely on his allies, and on the other leaders within the Soot Wolves, but he couldn't show weakness. Weakness would invite attacks, but so would the guild falling apart around him. He needed to act.
        Rufus wondered how many Wolves in Arca knew about his declaration in Cerenis, knew he'd chosen Zahi as his successor. That would surely add weight to his claim that he wanted her alive. She was his "heir to the throne." This whole situation would have been avoided, had he not been so distracted, so it was time to focus. Perhaps when Huxley finished giving his report, The Red Wolf would know how to begin his hunt.
Guild
The Soot Wolves

Characters
Ryk/Theodore/Rufus
ArjanDirkElijahGeldGulliusHiram
HerewardKheelanKurohanaLex
MalilaMelyndariaMowellesaQuinnlyn
SehrayanahTiberiusValencia
Ritousaey