The FA Meeting

[Akkarin]

((Well, I know this idea was outvoted in the main thread, but it was dicussed at length ingame last night, some voters swung the other way, and all in all this is the best way to get input from everybody. Besides, since when were we a democracy?

So here's the deal, we'll Roleplay the meeting here in this thread. So, any posts in here are IC unless otherwise stated. For those who've never forum RPed before, you'll find it's simple enough.

Some ground rules first though. There should be at least two other posts between each person. For example: I make a post, I must then wait for two other people to say something before I can say anything. This way, conversations won't get bogged down and everyone will have a chance to say something. This does mean that people will have to be reasonably active if we want to get anywhere. Oh, that only applies to IC posts.

Also, people with multiple characters are welcome to use them all. No more than two in a post though, again to keep things flowing.

Lastly, dates. Last date to accept nominations is the 10th December, with voting on the 20th. These are OOC dates that will give people plenty of time to think. IC, this will be happening on Saturday 8th December.

Nominations are made IC in this thread, during the meeting. When voting takes place, it will happen in private via PM's on these forums. All of this of course is providing that it comes down to a vote on a new leader. I want to make it clear, the meeting is about the WHOLE way the FA works. Give it a think, what does your character think will work best?

IC intro post coming soon, then we can begin.))

[Shadowe]

((Only one question, current-boss-type-person - If IC this is happening on 8 December, but the voting happens on 20 December, we have a temporal discrepancy where the characters will know who their leader is 12 days before it's actually decided. This could make for slightly complex IC issues in the intervening period. If, for example, Ves is the one who gets voted as the new leader, it will be ... odd ... if no one acknowledges that fact IC in-game for another 12 days, and we'll be stuck with a retcon. Thoughts, please.))

[Kitmarch]

temporal discrepancy

*Flash of orange light and a snakelike emblem. Kit appears, holding a goldfish bowl*

I come from the future to bring news of the new FA leader! All hail Timmy!

[Akkarin]

((Your point is a good one Shads, one I hadn't thought of while I was randomly coming up with dates. The meeting then, should take place on Friday the 21st of December, at roughly 6pm))

[Akkarin]

((Very sorry for the lateness of this. I propose we move the final nomination date to the 17th, which leaves 3 days to get votes in.))

The meeting room of the Fletched Alliance base is almost full, a chair for everyone and not an empty seat. Ray Freeze is standing on his to raise himself above the others. Standing to his left is a man shrouded in black robes, to his right a formidable looking suit of black and red medieval armour. Once the chatter had died down, Ray speaks up.

"Well folks, good to see y'all. Before I say anything else, I want to take a minute to remember our former leader Akkarin and his sacrifice." He bows his head as silence fills the room. After a minute he looks up again "Thanks. Down to business then kids, I'm the official speaking type of the meeting, being independant of FA Paragon. So I'm not voting or making any decisions for you, I'm just starting things off and reporting back. Okay? Okay. So, before we start talking about the main stuff, I'll hand over to this chap in black." He steps down from his chair and the cloaked figure takes his place. He pulls back his hood to reveal a face remarkable similar to Akkarin's, but deffinately different and far more human.

"Greetings, Alliance. My name is Al Hrama, some of you know me, most do not. I will be swift in what I must say, that you may continue without too much disruption. Akkarin was a decendant of mine, one to whom I owed a great deal. It was a great shame that he died, however neccesary it was. I know that above anything, he wished to protect his friends from harm. In honour of that, I bestow upon you a gift." He montions to the suit of armour at his side "This is a Dread Knight, a being of powerful magic that I have created to serve the Alliance. It's abilities are similar to your former leader's, so I hope it can fill the gap in your combat team, if not the one in your hearts." Al Hrama bows his head and steps down from the chair and stands next to it. Ray takes his place back on the chair.

"Wasn't that nice? Well, I don't have a big speech or anything, let's just cut it short. It's pretty obvious why we're here, the boss man isn't around anymore and you lot need to decide what to do about. So, uh... ideas?" With a questioning look and a shrug he sits down again.

[Shadowe]

Sam Huntington raises her head, glancing around the room, at all the familiar - and some not-so familiar - faces. Tired, sunken eyes look at each person in turn, before she draws a deep breath and speaks.

"It's a simple question, with a difficult answer. With Akkarin gone, who should lead the Alliance? Who can offer us such a firm yet caring hand? Who can replace the man - well, vampire - that shepherded us through some difficult times? We need a leader who cares, a leader who listens, and a leader who is not afraid to lead, and to make the tough choices when they need to be made."

She pauses, and looks around once more. "We are a disparate and sometimes fractious group, but the one thing we all have is the heart and the will to be heroes. I'm not going to speak out for the person that I think should have the job, because I doubt that person would thank me for doing so. But each and every one of you knows in your hearts what you want of a leader, and there is someone in the Alliance who fits that bill. We may disagree, but we've been doing that for years. So if anyone feels strongly about someone, please, nominate them."

She leans back in her chair, eyelashes snapping furiously as she looks around once more.

[Phoenix]

((Kat-decision authorised by Kat player. No funny business here.))

Leaning forward in her chair and drumming her fingers idly on the table for a moment, the light glinting brilliantly off the ring on her fourth finger, Jane is the first to break the silence.

"Since no-one else seems inclined to talk, I suppose I should."

Her left hand wrapped tightly in Kat's right, she speaks quietly, slowly, her eyes glowing faintly.

"He will be difficult to replace, yes. It'll be difficult for anyone to live up to what he did. Maybe that's the point, maybe we shouldn't be looking for a replacement, just a new leader, completely separate, to be judged on their own merits alone... and I'm rambling. Doubt anyone cares about my musings, so I'll cut to the chase."

Her gaze sweeping quickly around the room, she pauses for a moment before speaking again.

"Sam already put it well enough, so I won't insult her by repeating. From my own experience with him, I believe there is someone who can lead us in this room. An unorthodox choice, perhaps, but I think a worthy one. I mean no offence to the rest of you by the decision, of course."

Leaning back, she allows another dramatic pause, the glow in her eyes fading again, and smiles slightly.

"He may hate me for this, but I think Ves would be the best leader."

Kat finally speaks, nodding at the name. "I agree, for my own reasons. 's'all I have to add."

Glancing at each other quickly, the pair fall back into quiet, silently inviting further comment.

[Ves]

Ves coughs, almost choking on his drink at the mention of his name, then again as Kat speaks. With a lightly raised eyebrow he glances between the pair then shakes his head "Nah, don't hate you, am a little unsure of your decision, but I'll even it out by putting your name forward Jane."

He then looks round to Al Hrama "And an explanation as to why you're still alive would be nice. I thought Rin's plan would have done for you as well"

Around the table Alita shifts in her seat, uncharacteristically nervous as she speaks, her eyes darting over to Ves, Kat and Jane while she does "Umm... I'd like to nominate Sam. I don't mean any disrespect to the older, longer serving members, but Rin promoted her to the rank of advisor in order to keep us all on the straight and narrow. What better position to do that from than the top?"

[Shadowe]

Sam blushes, clears her throat and stares at the tabletop, her whisper harsh and barely audible over the crackling flames from the fire. "Well, that was kind of unexpected. I'm honoured by your faith in me, Ali. I don't know if I'm the right person for the job, but it means a lot to me that you think so highly of me."

A quick glance over her shoulder and a glare at a blank piece of wall draws a sigh from the emptiness, and the all-too-familiar form of Richard Huntington fades into view. "I'm not here to take part, ladies and gentlemen. I'm here as an observer, for a variety of reasons, some my own, some in the interests of the City, but mainly because I want you all to know that I stand by whatever decision is made here today. You are all, to one degree or another, my friends. I know that you will choose to do what is best for the Alliance as a whole, and for the city you serve."

He pauses and his raptor gaze swings across the group before him, eyes - for once not concealed behind sunglasses - shining brilliantly. "For those of you feeling nervous about being here, and for taking part in this, I need you to know something, and I mean this from the very bottom of my heart." His finger points in turn at Kat, Jane, Cru, Ves, Kit, Lu, Joseph, Sam and Ali. "All of these people have dedicated their lives to the Alliance, and to Paragon." He sweeps his arm in an all-encompassing gesture to include everyone else in the room. "You have all done the same. There are no bad choices here. There is no one who would make a 'bad' leader for the Alliance. So you have to decide who will make the best leader for you as a group." He smiles, and one eye flickers in a wink aimed at one person.

"I'll shut up, now, and leave if you want me to." He leans back against the wall, arms folded across his chest, ignoring the second glare from his sister.

[Akkarin]

((Al Hrama left... oh hell, I'll go back and edit it for you ))

From his posistion next to Ray's chair, Al Hrama speaks up "I survived, Veskit, because I have practised magic for over two millenia, I have means of surviving. I will say no more on the matter, other than the fact that I can assure you there is no way the highblood could have survived and no way I could have saved Akkarin." He pulls his hood back up and nods to Ray.

Ray whips his hat off and runs a hand through his sky blue hair "You're welcome to stay Richard, I doubt anyone here'll want you to leave. So far then, Ves, Jane and Sam are nominated for leader. Does anyone else want to add anything, or can we move on to other issues?"

[themd]

Joseph looks around the room and at the gathering and speaks up in his slow deep voice "I nominate Lu , she is a shininng example of a real hero of Paragon , and I think she would be the best for the job."

[Kitmarch]

"Just to be contrary, I wonder if we actually need a single, autocratic person in the top seat. I mean, the FA at its most organised is getting everyone pointed in the same direction before yelling 'charge!' after all.

Just a thought. After all, I seem to recall lots of 'No way do I want to be leader' remarks."

[Ves]

Ves nods slowly "Yeah, I'm afraid so. Sooner or later, as is always the case, there'll come a time when we can't all settle on a course of action. That's when there has to be someone willing to put their reputation and possibly their neck on the line to make a decision."

Looking round the table at the others he sighs quietly "And all we have to decide now, is who's judgement we put our faith in."

[Shadowe]

Sam shrugs. "Ves is right. I say we table the voting until later on in this meeting. For now we need to think on it, and we'll sort out everything else that needs doing in the meantime." She closes her eyes and sighs.

"I know that the leadership issue is important, but while we spend a while thinking about it, does anyone else have any business they feel needs bringing up with the group as a whole? I know Dicky would like me to point out that there is still a psychopath at large somewhere who wants us all dead - he's already killed innocents at the school, and despite the fact that he seems to have gone underground for the time being, he is a threat to us all, and to everyone in this city. I'd like to ask everyone to speak to their contacts, their informants, their friends. I know that Andrew is Richard's responsibility, but he hates the Alliance almost as much. We need to find him. That's all I've got going on right now." She looks down at her hands, gently clasped as they rest on the table.

Richard clears his throat. "Thank you, Sam. And, well, I know I said I was only here to observe, but I need some advice, really. My mother should be dead. Something has happened in the past - no doubt thanks to the Ouroboros organisation - and she has returned with false memories of the last six years. Should I try to 'repair' the damage to the timestream, killing her again, or do I risk it to keep Lady Westlake alive and well?" He reaches into the inside breast pocket of his jacket and extracts his sunglasses, slipping them carefully into place.

[themd]

Joseph sighs "This is not The FA I knew 2½ years ago... So much death and angst envelopes The FA now, it's sad. You have my nomination and my vote is on the same person, I'm not needed any further." *sinks into ground*