Lunch At Headquarters

Jp with Lasersexpanther, Jaxx, Redsword and Cindy

Once Maseo left Greenwood picked up his pen again, and once again began writing. "Do you have anything to report?"

"We no longer have a case, so, no." Elizabeth responded.

"Nothing about your parents, maybe how they are arriving on Friday?" The Baron looked directly at Elizabeth. "Is there a reason why you did not tell me of their impending visit to Paris?"

Elizabeth's reason was she thought she could have her father catch the Baron off guard, so much for that idea. "It must have slipped my mind."

"Well, that will go into this report as well. Tapping the paper in front of him with the pen, to indicate it was the report.

"So, that's what you have been writing." Elizabeth wasn't expecting a response. "Well, my father never said to tell you he was arriving in Paris, so, it was not my duty to do so. You know, give my father all the reports you want. He knows better than you what I am capable of."

The Baron looked steamed, "I believe our meeting is concluded. Good day Lady Elizabeth, Mr. Sung."

Elizabeth left the office and waited for Mr. Sung to do the same.

Meanwhile Lily was enjoying her tea and biscuits (cookies) in the waiting room. She felt a bit more positive after not embarrassing Lady Elizabeth becoming an official member of her team. She wondered if she had enough time to get her things ready to leave for her father's funeral arrangements. Then she wondered who from the team would be joining them at the funeral. Then there was the matter of dealing with the inheritance and the siblings portion as well. She wondered if she could coax the good doctor to join her in case she needed a shoulder to cry on.

Elizabeth arrived back in the waiting area. "I would like to give all of you a brief tour of the facilities here. They are at your disposal, after all." She spoke to the group.

Elizabeth seemed calmed but the Baron always managed to get to her.

They left the main building and as promised Elizabeth showed them the various areas of Headquarters. That included the new airship that was still being worked on.

The tour ended at Cafe 2, and Elizabeth took a seat at one of the two tables which had a large enough chair for Nugbu to sit down, which he did. Then Elizabeth spoke again. "If your ever here, with out me, just tell the staff at any of the cafes that you are on my team, if they ask. The food here is subsidized, but not free, however I can bill it back to the Order." She paused. "If they just made it free it would be easier. In any case, order what you like." It was then a waitress came over, took their orders and left.

Tea was quickly brought out, as was some water. Elizabeth opted for tea, sipped some them spoke up. "I must say, you all did rather well in dealing with the Baron. I believe he was in a mood before we arrived.”

Lily sipped her tea and then nodded before she replied, "I must admit I was worried he might make a scene with my membership. Did he say anything after I left Lady Elizabeth?”

Masao let out a little chortle, "It will probably be the furthest thing from his mind until at least tomorrow." Masao said trying to stifle the laugh. "I'm probably going to take up a lot of his anger until he gets some wine in him." He added taking a drink of water, before giggling again. "Oh boy was he mad.”

Lily raised an eyebrow at Captain Masao as she set her teas cup down on the saucer. His not so subtle hints were clear as day as he managed to earn the wrath of the Baron on purpose. A smirk appeared on her face as she saw the silver lining in this situation. She replied with a slight bow to the Captain as she replied, "I see. Then I must give my thanks to Captain Masao for removing me from the spotlight since my qualifications are less profound compared to the other team members. I was concerned he would try to disqualify me to irk Lady Elizabeth. (clears her throat) So thank you dear Captain.”

Masao put up a hand in a gesture to wave it off "No thanks necessary." He said calmly. "I don't like his type, he doesn't like me. I just wanted to show him the score." Masao said, "He wants my half-brother in my position, I let him understand that I'm not my brother and that the only reason we are where we are with Children now is because he screwed up. A victory is a victory sure, but a victory through incompetent means makes the 'smart' man look a fool." He said not meaning to sound so poetic. "Facts are facts, his cock up to try and leverage against Lady Elizabeth bit him and her trusting of a scoundrel caused her to not fail as he expected but succeeded where even his best teams failed. Letting him know that as someone he likely thinks of as an uneducated fool, digs under the skin of people like him and that brings me joy. Just like messing with my brother.”

Lily was in awe for a moment as her jaw dropped a bit at the man's wit. Then she regained her composure as she replied, "I see. I find it curious that many of us have a complicated life in the Order. Do you think the Baron will try to get back at you Captain?”

Masao gave Lily an exaggerated shrugged "Probably." He said with a wolfish grin. "It'll be a fun game if he does.”

Lily giggled a bit as she covered her mouth and then calmed down as she replied, "Well he already lost in a battle of wits to you, so he would have to challenge you with espionage or combat. How do you see your odds in that situation?”

"If you mean a duel it's bias at play I believe in myself, call it arrogance I suppose. If you mean in regards to actions like I did getting 'The Eye', I'm sure I could do it again." Masao smiled "Believe me.”

Elizabeth just let the interaction play out before inserting. "Well, the Baron does hate being called out. Captain Maseo, your interaction with him just tipped the scales, as it was he was not pleased with me. I had made the unfortunate mistake of not informing the Baron of my parents' upcoming visit. Baron Greenwood was, shall we say, miffed due to that. I believe he was just trying to get something on the team or myself, perhaps both. Those notes he was taking was a report he plans on giving my father." Elizabeth spoke calmly regarding the matter, she clearly was not concerned.

"Grossly exaggerated and perspective biased I expect." Masao said, as he finished his water, and ate the lemon slice.

The food arrived, Elizabeth waited until after the server was finished before speaking again. "Oh, most likely. For my sake it is good that my father knows the Baron well enough to not believe all the man reports. Especially, when the Baron has something against someone." The Eldren thought for a moment. "Unfortunately, that someone is me. So, I do not believe things will ever go smoothly as when it comes to out interaction with the Baron.”

Lily listened to Lady Elizabeth and Captain Masao talk about the Baron as if he was a spoiled child and it reminded her of her past classmates from her school and the boys they met at the socials. When comparing the adults on Liz's team and the Baron there was a big difference in the way they acted and presented themselves. Lily then replied, "Is it me or does the Baron act as if he was still in Finishing school? Those boys like to put on airs when trying to impress others, especially when they were embellishing the facts of their "achievements". One boy by the name of Peter tried to convince us all that he and his father would spend their Summers on Safari hunting all manner of wild creatures, including vampires and werewolves. He made it seem as he was a great fearless hunter as he boasted nonstop. I must admit I was taken back by his words at first, when you first hear him spouting his statistics and boasting about his record, it can be quite intimidating. But over time, shadowing him, I just realized that a lot of it was rubbish; a lot of it was baloney, especially when he tripped on the dance floor and broke his little finger during his fall. He barely winced before fainting from the sight of his own blood. The Baron reminded me of Peter in a way." Lily then nibbled her food and sipped her tea.

"If our friend Miss Lagrave is any indication of what it takes to be a hunter of such creatures." Masao said gesturing vaguely with his fork, "I very much doubt he could even handle a rat of abnormal size.”

Lily looked up and rubbed her chin gently as she pondered little Peter confronting a Rodent of Unusual Size or RUS for short, before getting scared and running away from it. She smirked at the image of Peter running in fear. Then she imagined how the others on the team would handle a RUS. Miss Lagrave would use guns and knives to kill it, Lady Elizabeth would use magic on it, Captain Masao and Mr. Sung would kill it with swordsmanship, Lorem would blast it with a rather large gun, Big Red would just squash it and eat it and her mind went blank as she wondered what Mr. Vor would do. Mr. Vor mostly did research and kept to himself so he was a bit of an enigma. Then she replied, "True. Since joining Lady Elizabeth I was privy to see the vast difference in talent between the make believers and the dark reality. I can imagine poor Peter soiling himself if he tried to join the Order.”

Elizabeth nodded, "Well, the mage boarding school, that I attended, has those types as well. The full of themselves boys." She took a bite of her food.

Nugbu scratched his head, "Could boys be full of someone else?" Clearly confused by the expression 'full of themselves.’

Lily smiled at Nugbu as she politely replied, "That term is used in many cultures in different ways Mr. Nugbu. Have you ever met someone who brags that they can do things that they really can't? They lie to make themselves look important.”

Nugbu gave a nod. "Yes, Nugbu know them. Bragging." He smiled, the kind of smile that comes from finally understanding something. "So, what job for Nugbu? Do not to work here, for that full of himself man." Indicating he didn't want to work at headquarters or for the Baron and Elizabeth couldn't blame the Orc.

"That still needs to be discussed, but I will find you something." Elizabeth responded.

Masao clicked his tongue against his teeth, "Worse comes to worse if you can pick up heavy stuff and put it down nice and easy might be able to find something for him to do aboard my ship." he suggested. "Not exactly the most spacious place for an orc, not really built for it but the cargo hold is sizable, if you don't mind a little echo could easily make some space in there for you, if that's what it all come to.”

"Can your ship transport two Orcs?" Elizabeth asked Maseo, knowing if they were transporting the team, Cronk would be with them as well. With what Maseo said, it sounded like there was barely room for one.

"Yeah, it's not so much a matter of room, as it is ceiling height." he said, "And width, The Hold is plenty big." he said thinking a moment. "Oh right, forgot you haven't seen the ship yet." he chuckled. "Sung and Vor can attest its sizeable.”

Lily swallowed her food and washed it down with some tea in a lady like fashion before she wiped her mouth with her napkin. Good manners was drilled into her at an early age so it the same as breathing to her. As she listened to Lady Elizabeth and Captain Masao she had a memory flash in her mind. She remembered a sassy little red headed gnome who work for her father before she headed his airship delivery service. It had been a while since they talked due to both having a busy schedule. Then she remembered the name Riley Finley Boyle and that she ran the "Shamrock" air delivery service. She wondered if they would meet at the funeral in the near future. Then she said, "Now that you brought up airships, I believe my late father had an airship service that covered most of Europe. Perhaps it may be useful to Lady Elizabeth , should we need products delivered.”

"That may be useful, but anyone who works for me, in any capacity, has to swear to secrecy. " It was just the way things were with the Order. "I however would be willing to meet with the ship's Captain, if it can be arranged."

Nugbu, who had seemed to be in thought, responded to Maseo's offer. "Nugbu can lift and set down packages - no damage. Work on ship - sounds fun. Nugbu do not mind cargo hold.”

"Well whatever we end up choosing, I'm glad we can employ you somehow and you didn't end up a statistic of the doctor." Masao said, not meaning it in a grim way, just a slightly overly blunt manner.

Lily nodded with a sad tone. He then sadly replied, "I dread the thought of how many lives that evil doctor has taken in the past including my father's. I take solace that he can no longer hurt anyone now........, but I fear his work may be continued by someone in that cult one day." Lily sighed before she sipped her tea.

Sung had been unsully quiet during the meeting and even now. He watched everyone and everything. Sung was evaluating everything from his experience. He has led an army in his time in Japan and other organizations. There is Captain Masao another with experience. and I Lady Elizabeth was doing a bad job he would say something or walk away or both.

Sung just sipped his tea. The meeting with the Duke should be interesting. The Duke was no fool and the Baron's report will be scrutinised by him. Sung had confidence that Lady Elizabeth would come out looking good. Sure a few mistakes happen but Sung never knew any commander who did not make a few.

Elizabeth had noticed that Sung was quiet as if in contemplation. She was not concerned about whatever was in the report by the Baron, but did wish she could be at that meeting.

"Miss Lily, I agree. Let us hope that the Children are taken down soon. Then that will not be such an issue " Elizabeth doubted that would happen, and she would rather have it be her own team that dismantled the cult but anyway they no longer existed was good. "At least, I feel, they will lay low for a while." Maybe, that would give the Baron enough time to put her team back on the case.

Lily nodded as she looked at Lady Elizabeth. She then replied, "Thank you Lady Elizabeth. I hope one day I can contribute more to the team." Lily then sipped her tea as she smiled.

"Miss Lily, you are a part of this team and you contribute more than you know. With the training, Lady Elizabeth and I can give you. Miss Lily, you could even surpass me as an operative. So do not worry about the Baron I think he like to her him self talk," commented Sung with a smirk when he sipped his tea.

Elizabeth nodded, "I very much agree. You can get more specialized training with us than at the training facility. I just feel the Baron does not like that I have noone, myself included, on my team who did not undergo the training at one Order's facilities for such things." Elizabeth shrugged. "We are all learning in some capacity. You have definitely contributed.”

Lily pondered for a moment what Lady Elizabeth said then replied, "Thank you both. I understand the logic in proper training for the Order. However that is the norm for all jobs regardless. What I mean to say the head maid trains the new maids at our estates, the head engineers train the new engineers at Miss Ipsum's old job and so on. Even we received special training in our education Lady Elizabeth. The good doctor was trained in medical school as well as the Guild during his internship. I am sure the Order's training is noteworthy, however it is rather narrow minded of him to believe it is the only form of training we should have in the Order. I know I may be overstepping my position, but I find the Baron lacking in this wisdom that you have Lady Elizabeth. If I were to buy into conspiracies, I might believe the Baron wants to indoctrinate his members to be blindly obedient, but that sounds rather far fetched." Lily smirked at her joke as she sipped her tea.

"Thank you, Miss Lily. The Baron just seems to want things the way he wants them. I believe, though, the Baron would still find fault with my leadership even if I hired every member of my team straight out of the Order's academy.”

The meal seemed to be winding down and when everyone was finished eating, Elizabeth signed off on the bill.

They made their way back to the front building. Marcil arrived a short time later and drove them back to Elizabeth's home. All Elizabeth could really think on the way home, was how her father might react to the Barron's report, which made her internally smile.