Aresan Clan pt 85

Anders was finally able to cut in and speak, and he announced with an exasperated breathlessness, “General Alles, I do appreciate you coming, but I and this Table have heard too many times from the Aresan Clan and its representatives about the need for fortifications. I’m afraid this is not the responsibility of the Omnia. You need to petition your own leader for such assistance. We have offered legitimate help, and …”

“I’d like to request a vote on this question. As I’ve said it’s a military matter, and we shouldn’t forget that we face threats, serious threats, on our winterward frontiers, and should cooperate, the Omnia and the Aresan Clan together, to neutralize these threats.”

“This is unnecessary. We don’t need to…”

“I concur,” Bale interrupted, “Let’s vote on it.” A few other persons raised their hands, also announcing, “I concur.”

“The Table has spoken,” Bale said, turning to Anders, “I’d say we have enough voices to consider a full vote. We leave the floor to you, Premier Anders, to conduct the vote.”

Anders had leaned forward in his seat and had his hands on the table, which were clearly clenched. His face was taught as he announced, “All those in opposition to providing assistance to the Aresan Clan, in the form of funds, materials and manpower, for the creation of winterward fortifications, announce your opposition.”

Anders started it off by raising his hand and stating, “I oppose.” There were five other members of the Closed Table that invariably followed his lead, and they all, in one voice, announced, “I oppose,” as they raised their hands.

Anders then asked, “All those in favor of providing assistance to the Aresan Clan in the manner stated, announce your concurrence.”

Bale started it off by raising his hand and stating, “I concur.” The remaining six members of the Closed Table raised their hands in turn, with flurry of voices announcing, “I concur.”

Anders settled back in his chair at hearing this. He announced, “With seven votes concurring and six votes opposing, it is the will of this Table that the Omnia will provide assistance to the Aresan Clan to create winterward fortifications.”

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Anders stood from his seat and headed towards the door. As he crossed the room, he announced, “This meeting is adjourned. All other business scheduled for today is to postponed until tomorrow.”

He opened the door that led out to the sand garden and closed it behind him. Out in the sand garden, the austere emptiness calmed him. He heard the door open and close and heard the sound of Tine approaching him from behind along the boardwalk.

“It’s too bad, sir,” Tine announced.

“That it is,” Anders nodded his head, “It’s too bad.” He then looked over the sand, which was being gently carved by the wind and he noted, “Alles is daily becoming less of an asset to the Omnia. Do you not agree?”

“Not every citizen is willing to selflessly work for the benefit of the state,” Tine replied in agreement.

“An idea just came to me,” Anders said, turning to Tine, “I think I know someone who could help us. Someone surprising. The difficulty is finding him. Do you think you could help me?”

Tine nodded.


Dylan-Nantes still wore the Omnian outfit he’d been wearing the previous day, and it was now starting to aggravate him. He’d worn the outfit all night, even slept in it, and it was only growing more repellant to his nose as the day wore on. He was eager to get back into his own clothes, and hustled towards the house where he’d stowed them when he’d first arrived.

It was a small farmhouse located in the middle of a modest plot of pastureland towards the winterward edge of Sanossless Park, an isolated home that could be depended on to remain quiet and undisturbed at least for a few days while he explored the city. The house was now shuttered up, and the chimney was quiet. The walls of the home were made of baked mud, and a brick chimney stuck out of the top of the vaulted, wooden roof.

When Dylan-Nantes opened the front door, he was confronted by an even more repugnant smell than that of the overpopulated city of Lamosa and his stifling clothes. It was the smell of five rotting bodies that were strewn around the house.

<-- Go to Part 84         Go to Part 86 -->

You can see what's been written so far collected here.

Anders was finally able to cut in and speak, and he announced with an exasperated breathlessness, “General Alles, I do appreciate you coming, but I and this Table have heard too many times from the Aresan Clan and its representatives about the need for fortifications. I’m afraid this is not the responsibility of the Omnia. You need to petition your own leader for such assistance. We have offered legitimate help, and …”

“I’d like to request a vote on this question. As I’ve said it’s a military matter, and we shouldn’t forget that we face threats, serious threats, on our winterward frontiers, and should cooperate, the Omnia and the Aresan Clan together, to neutralize these threats.”

“This is unnecessary. We don’t need to…”

“I concur,” Bale interrupted, “Let’s vote on it.” A few other persons raised their hands, also announcing, “I concur.”

“The Table has spoken,” Bale said, turning to Anders, “I’d say we have enough voices to consider a full vote. We leave the floor to you, Premier Anders, to conduct the vote.”

Anders had leaned forward in his seat and had his hands on the table, which were clearly clenched. His face was taught as he announced, “All those in opposition to providing assistance to the Aresan Clan, in the form of funds, materials and manpower, for the creation of winterward fortifications, announce your opposition.”

Anders started it off by raising his hand and stating, “I oppose.” There were five other members of the Closed Table that invariably followed his lead, and they all, in one voice, announced, “I oppose,” as they raised their hands.

Anders then asked, “All those in favor of providing assistance to the Aresan Clan in the manner stated, announce your concurrence.”

Bale started it off by raising his hand and stating, “I concur.” The remaining six members of the Closed Table raised their hands in turn, with flurry of voices announcing, “I concur.”

Anders settled back in his chair at hearing this. He announced, “With seven votes concurring and six votes opposing, it is the will of this Table that the Omnia will provide assistance to the Aresan Clan to create winterward fortifications.”

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Anders stood from his seat and headed towards the door. As he crossed the room, he announced, “This meeting is adjourned. All other business scheduled for today is to postponed until tomorrow.”

He opened the door that led out to the sand garden and closed it behind him. Out in the sand garden, the austere emptiness calmed him. He heard the door open and close and heard the sound of Tine approaching him from behind along the boardwalk.

“It’s too bad, sir,” Tine announced.

“That it is,” Anders nodded his head, “It’s too bad.” He then looked over the sand, which was being gently carved by the wind and he noted, “Alles is daily becoming less of an asset to the Omnia. Do you not agree?”

“Not every citizen is willing to selflessly work for the benefit of the state,” Tine replied in agreement.

“An idea just came to me,” Anders said, turning to Tine, “I think I know someone who could help us. Someone surprising. The difficulty is finding him. Do you think you could help me?”

Tine nodded.


Dylan-Nantes still wore the Omnian outfit he’d been wearing the previous day, and it was now starting to aggravate him. He’d worn the outfit all night, even slept in it, and it was only growing more repellant to his nose as the day wore on. He was eager to get back into his own clothes, and hustled towards the house where he’d stowed them when he’d first arrived.

It was a small farmhouse located in the middle of a modest plot of pastureland towards the winterward edge of Sanossless Park, an isolated home that could be depended on to remain quiet and undisturbed at least for a few days while he explored the city. The house was now shuttered up, and the chimney was quiet. The walls of the home were made of baked mud, and a brick chimney stuck out of the top of the vaulted, wooden roof.

When Dylan-Nantes opened the front door, he was confronted by an even more repugnant smell than that of the overpopulated city of Lamosa and his stifling clothes. It was the smell of five rotting bodies that were strewn around the house.

<-- Go to Part 84         Go to Part 86 -->

You can see what's been written so far collected here.

Aresan Clan pt 85