Dark Bonds Forged

Dark Bonds Forged
Date of Scene:	26 November 2012
Location:	Baron - Castle
Synopsis:	At a loss at how to proceed and further the cause of Baron after the debacle that was Avira's rescue, Baigan intrudes on the recovering Morrighan and stalwart Kaydin to help assuage the Dark Knight's existential crisis. Having identified Xanatos and Manhattan's technology as their primary threat, they remain somewhat despondent about their prospects. Yet a mysterious visitor arrives, promising Ruin upon their foes...
Cast of Characters:	Baigan, LEXUS, Kaydin, Morrighan Alazne
Tinyplot:	In A New York Minute

---

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
It has been about a day since the half baked attack on Baron Castle. Heroes and villains clashed and various plots had converged on a single point...with some consequences.

Morrighan, resident leader of the white mages fell in battle to Angantyr's mighty attack. She was taken back to her own room in the castle and laid to rest in her bed. Thankfully she was not killed, but her condition was not exactly the best. No lasting wounds were left thanks to healing magic, but she still needed to rest...

By this point though, the dark elf's eyes slowly fluttered open for the first time since she fell unconscious the day before. "......."

Kaydin has posed:
Kaydin remained close by Morrighan, despite the fact his injuries were as severe as hers. He refused to leave the healer's side and when her eyes fluttered, He began to stood up. He wore his casual clothing and would move to stand, wincing as he lays a hand over her. "Easy....Your still injured."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
".....?" Blinking several times as she tried to regain her bearings, Morrighan initially paid no attention to Kaydin's words.

"...Where am I...?" She asked, sitting up despite the dark knight's urgings and wincing in pain for her effort.

Kaydin has posed:
Kaydin moves his hand with her so not to press on any injuries. "Your chambers. You were brought here after the healers treated you. I remained here so I can make sure you awakened. Before I approach Baigan to request my exile I wanted to make sure you were alright."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
"Oh..." Morrighan nodded slowly in understanding, rubbing the side of her head in pain. "...I see. The last thing I recall was...darkness...and countless claws..." Oh yes, someone attacked her. Who was it? It was another dark knight, wasn't it? Oh great, now it was all coming back to her.

"But wait..." Something wasn't quite right with his statement just now. "Exile? What do you mean by exile?" Morrighan asked, turning her attention completely to Kaydin with an incredulous look on her face.

Kaydin has posed:
"I failed my duty to Baron. I knew they were going to rescue her, the woman was known. I warned the various guards that there may be a rescue. I was prepared and in the end it was not enough. Worst still I failed to protect you and the others there. They attacked us on our own ground and I fell." Kaydin says as he stands. "I am not fit to be here let alone to serve. So I will leave, become stronger and prove myself strong enough to come back."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Morrighan stared...and stared....and stared some more...and then stared for a good while longer for good measure before finally uttering a reply. "...That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard!" She exclaimed, crossing her arms indignantly...and then wincing in pain right after. "Just what do you hope to accomplish by forcing this exile on yourself? And where exactly are you going to go? For better yet; HOW exactly are you going to determine when you have attained this so called strength you are looking for?"

It was safe to assume that she was not pleased. No, not at all.

Kaydin has posed:
"Until I have been able to defeat everyone who attacked us that day, then I will determine I am strong enough. Until then I will simply wander the land. To remain at my current level is to invite more pain onto others. I couldnt even protect one white mage, how can I be entrusted to protect Baron?" Kaydin asks.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
"I hardly think that this is a decision for you to be making by yourself now." She replied, keeping her arms crossed and narrowing her eyes at him. "...You were doing a fine job protecting me, but you hardly could be expected to defend me against an attack that had targeted the both of us at once now."

Sighing in exasperation, the healer shook her head and then added on. "Have you spoken to anyone else about this? The captain? Lord Golbez? Anyone? I am sure they would have a few words to spare for you regarding this as well." ...Well, more like Golbez would just play the organ...angrily. Or so she imagined anyway.

Baigan has posed:
The conversation is interrupted by a knock upon the door.

Within moments, Baigan emerges in his human form, his features haggard and weary. Yet as his gaze shifts to the woman in bed and the man by her side, for all his fatigue, his eyes seem clearer than they have been in a long time. Perhaps it is the aftereffect of Garland's strange magic -- or perhaps it is simply the result of recent events.

"Lady Alazne," the Captain says, voice grave and dour as always, but lacking its usual pomposity or scorn, "I am glad to see you at last recovered. I had thought you might still be sleeping." His violet eyes shift to Kaydin. "This one has been caring for you for quite some time." Upon approach, he pauses briefly.

"The Alexandrian envoy has been reassured that 'Queen Brahne' will be safe here, despite evidence to the contrary," he then says, not without a hint of wryness, "and security has been redoubled, particularly within the waterways. I have reallocated units and made some adjustments to the guards' schedules. In focusing our attention on offense, we have been unusually lax in our defense."

He crosses his arms, brow furrowing.

"And that is my responsibility," he says quietly, eyes focused on Kaydin. "Not yours. I've heard the whisper of your plans. Do you think the rest of us without failings, that you alone must bear this burden?"

He closes his eyes for a moment.

"We have lost our most talented Commanders," he then adds, speaking of Cecil and Kain without ire for the first time in a long, long while, "and our finest Engineer. Baron has need of its best people, now more than ever. Will you abandon her, to assuage your guilt?"

Kaydin has posed:
"You rather I remain under the risk that I will fail again, Captain?" Kaydin asks as he stands when the captain entered. "I became a dark knight so that by using the darkness that others will be safe. I am willing to sacrifice my very body and soul and even heart if need be if it is the price to keep one of our citizens from experiencing turmoil and sorrow. It seems though the sacrifices I have made when compared to who oppose us is little. Captain Baigan, If exile is not something I deserve then tell me what I deserve compared to what happened?" He asks as he gestures to the outside of the room. "They came onto our soil and basically said we werent any major threat. I need to find something to turn the tide."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
"......." Morrighan sighed again as Kaydin continued his self debilitating ramblings and nodded to Baigan in the meanwhile. "Yes, I will be fine. ...This is usually why I stay far away from combat now." A frown was giving at the mention of all the people that Baron had lost lately. Cecil, Kain, Cid, and even Rosa, whom she seemed to have replaced herself. Each one was apparently quite a blow to Baron's overall capabilities as well as morale.

Of course, she never met any of these people herself, but they must have been quite something if people were always mentioning how great the country was when they were here...

"Well, I hardly believe that exiling yourself is the answer to this. Nor is going out and defeating every last person to have invaded here yesterday." Shakily swinging her legs over the side of the bed to sit at the edge, Morrighan went on.

"Rather, we have bigger things to worry about, no? Manhattan for example. And those infernal detectives. We need to find out just how they operate and how the city is laid out...then we plan our operation and strike." The dark elf spoke calmly despite her pain, nodding slowly to the both of them. "...And perhaps adapting their technology would help in lieu of our missing engineer, yes?"

Baigan has posed:
"The Lady Alazne is as wise as she is cunning," Baigan says, but though, like any good courtier and king's adviser, he is an instinctive flatterer (especially because Morrighan is terrifying), his tone is thoughtful and serious. Truly, however temporarily, the Vanguard of Baron seems to have been returned to something resembling his original state, the curse within him quelled, the darkness receded. "Our upset losses at the Dias Plains and at Balamb Garden were due primarily, I am forced to continue, by the intervention of this advanced technology we have traced to this 'Manhattan' world, which is dominated by this 'Xanatos', whoever he is."

He rocketed you in the face at one point, dude.

"Young Sir Kaydin, calm yourself." Baigan's gentle chastisement is a far cry from his usual shrill haruanging. "Do not I feel just as you do? Am I not called the Shield of Baron? Though not as noble as its Sword or Lance--" Not that there have ever been any /hard feelings/ about that. "--do I not take pride in protecting our kingdom as well? Yet while my intentions were pure," highly arguably, "and strategies not improbable where it not for those /interventions/, I must concede our failed offenses have shaken the morale of our troops and not made Baron any safer."

He slowly shakes his head, and somehow, looks even more tired.

"Am I not wracked with guilt as well?" he says quietly. "Am I not ashamed? But Kaydin, I will not flee. I will not leave Baron. We must work subtly, carefully." He nods to Morrighan. "I can only think that we must seize some of this technology for ourselves, examine it, and learn to reproduce it. Baron's ingenuity will not be mocked or belittled."

Even thinking about people looking down on Baron seems to depress him again. Baigan sighs, and his hands slowly morph, too smaller-sized snake heads peeking out of his sleeves. "Do not lose heart, dear Captain," exclaims Sir Snaggletooth, monocle gleaming. "Cheer up, Boss!" exhorts the Snakesuation.

"Thanks, guys," Baigan mumbles.

The snake arms appear taken aback.

Kaydin has posed:
"You are right sir." Kaydin says as he sighs and reach into a weathered bag. "I managed to procure these, used currency from manhattan to buy these devices, should be used to converse across dimensions." He says as he pulls out the cellphones he had gotten, one for each of them. "I have also taken the liberty of aquiring these booklets that teaches us how to use them and with some study we may be able to replicate them."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
"Huh..." Taking the offered cell phone into her hand, Morrighan examined the device curiously for a moment. "...I believe I have seen some people using these here and then in the times that I have gone out to other locations. But, how exactly do these contraptions work?" Asking with a confused tone, she turned the phone over and over in her grasp as if staring would give her the answer.

"Hmn, I suppose I had better read the manual then." Adding on casually the dark elf took the booklet, flipping through it and skimming the words. "In any case, this is a good place to start. We should acquire more of their technology and see to it that our engineering department examine and break down their functions in order to allow us to better understand how they work. Once we do, Manhattan's technological edge will be lost. And we will no longer be caught off guard when they come invading our future campaigns...no?"

With that question asked, Morrighan smirked in a rather dark fashion. "And once we break down the functions of their communications devices, their weapons naturally come next~"

Baigan has posed:
Baigan fumbles with the cellphone with his snake head hands for few moments until he finally forcibly banishes them, reverting to human hands, and peers at the device. "A communications device, you say?" he murmurs, frowning before putting it to his ear. "Hello? Hello!?"

After a few moments, he begins to glower at Kaydin.

"It's broken!" he exclaims, indignant. "You have betrayed me!!"

Some things never change.

"Oh, this button turns it on. Well, in any event." Unabashed at his unjustified outburst, he instead offers the repentant Dark Knight a thin smile. "You must see, now, Sir Kaydin. Look what you have brought us! Your services are invaluable. If you leave, how will morale among the Dark Knights suffer? You remain one of our stand-out candidates, whatever you believe your failures to be. With patience, humility, and practice, you will outdo your previous mistakes. All of Baron knows you only intend what is right for the Kingdom."

Baigan, of course, assuming this means the same for both of them.

"Do not hesitate to rely on your superiors, Sir Knight."

Kaydin has posed:
"I believe these devices allow us to communicate accross the various worlds. It also displays a special messanger system where it sends written messages to those who have the phones. As long as you remember each device's unique number, you may communicate with anyone if it is possible." Kaydin explains calmly, as if still unsure but will go along with the superior officers.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Morrighan ontinued to flip through the manual, nodding along to key points as she listened to their conversation. "Apparently these devices also allow for the telling of time, automatic number calculation, taking notes, and other minor functions." Looking up from the booklet now, the healer nodded to the both of them, smiling slightly.

"Well, these devices certainly seem like they would be more than just a little useful...but we need to keep in mind that there is a range of service that these 'phones' possess. ...Though I am not exactly sure where it ends and where it begins..."

She shrugged after that, staring to hurt again, so she got back into her bed at a slow pace. "Is there anything else we need to go over now?"

Baigan has posed:
Baigan is tapping furiously away at his cell phone. It beeps in protest multiple times, and each time his brow begins to furrow further.

"What!?" he barks, looking up. "Oh." Fortunately, he swiftly calms, his boon not having quite faded. "Of course, we should allow you to rest, Lady Alazne. Even so..." He crosses his arms, now normal again, and frowns. "Kaydin, I would like to leave the task of assembling a small and elite strike force to you, to prepare to depart upon my command. Do not risk Baronian lives. Lady Alazne, wherever you feel fit, I would ask that you support him in his endeavors. As for myself..."

Here, Baigan shows unusual perplexion. Is this trust in his subordinates he is displaying. "...we must find common cause with others who this 'Xanatos' has antagonized," he mutters. "With goals more in tune with ours than the Vizier's, lest we be abandoned again. There /must/ be others, but..."

His eyes lift ceilingward.

"...how to /find/ them...?"

LEXUS has posed:
It's at this time that a courtier arrives. He bows, making sure he didn't overhear anything he wasn't supposed to hear. That shortens lives in Baron. "Pardon me, Lord Steward, but a strange man has arrived seeking an audience..."

"Strange, you say? Perhaps I am, by the measures of your people." That smooth, calculated voice comes from a man in a gray business suit, the cut impeccable. He would be a perfectly normal man if it were not for the brilliant neon lines inset into his tie, shining with none and running up the sides of his head along the jawline, terminating at the temples....

And the eyes, irises as black as night with a strange, circular violet pattern within them. His hands are folded together over a gem-topped cane in ebony that reaches to the ground. "My apologies. I am not one who stands on...." He pauses for a moment. "Ceremony."

Kaydin has posed:
"Your the being I saw before. The one who claimed to test my will." Kaydin says as the being comes in and he just nods to Baigan. "I will have the strike force set up whenever you wish us to depart Captain. I thank you once more for giving me the chance to prove myself again."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Ah yes, rest sounded like it would be just the thing to have right about now. But alas, it would seem that it would not be granted to her just. With the steward's arrival and then the strange man afterwards, it become apparent that there was much more to talk about before everything was over.

"Oh? ...And who have we here?" She asked, placing her cell phone aside. She'd figure out how exactly it worked later on. But for now, her attention was on their new arrival.

After that, the healer's eyes fell upon Baigan for his input on this newcomer. After all, he was the one with the highest rank here. It would be up to him to lead off whatever discussion was going to take place.

Baigan has posed:
Baigan whirls, brow furrowing. The courtier would not have brought this man here were not it worth the trying of his patience. Still, the Vanguard of Baron, being more the man he once was, says nothing unwise. After a thoughtful moment, the Lord Captain offers a respectful half-bow. "Sir," he says with stiff courtesy. "Welcome to Baron. You have caught us at an... uncertain moment, but we always welcome guests." Mostly inside dungeons. "I am Captain Cornelius Q. Baigan, Jr., and these are my associates, Sir Kaydin the Dark Knight, the Lady Morrighan Alazne, our chief of White Magic."

Baigan quirks a brow at Kaydin.

"...Test... your will...?"

Baigan may be a fool, but he's not stupid. Or is that the other way around? The distance and remove at which this stranger behaves suggests either very good breeding or very strange origins, and he is becoming all too aware of 'strange origins'. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Sir...?"

LEXUS has posed:
The Strange Man allows the couriter to scramble off. The less the staff are about, the better. Especially for what is to come. "My apologies. Allow me to introduce myself. You may call me LEXUS." His real designation is a bit of a mouthful. "I represent an organization that has a.... mutual disagreement with a land that you have had a problem with in the past. If I am not mistaken, the land of Manhattan, was it? And the man in charge of that place, David Xanatos?" He gestures. "I believe that we can come to an accord in this matter."

LEXUS has posed:
LEXUS also looks to Kaydin, focusing his gaze upon the Dark Knight. "Indeed. I have said I would. You claim to be strong enough to handle the Darkness, and such claims are not made lightly."

Kaydin has posed:
"This is another being which can control the Darkness and can control the heartless." Kaydin explains to Baigan. "This one however seems to research the heartless as well, if memory serves. I said like him I was trained to wield the darkness but I dont give into it as most do. He wished to test me to see if what I speak is true." He says as he watches LEXUS.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
LEXUS, huh...? Morrighan was not quite sure she could trust him. Most people who toyed with darkness never were trustworthy after all. But for now, she would not voice her thoughts. She was far too tired to anyhow. It would seem that her input on this conversation was going to be quite minimal, and relegated only to speaking if she had to.

A hand was brought to her muth as she yawned, covering her mouth and blinking away sleep. She needed to stay awake and listen...

Stay awake and.....listen...

...Stay....awake....listen....

...Stay......listen......zzzzzzz...

Whoops. So much for that.

Baigan has posed:
Baigan's eyes slowly widen as LEXUS speaks. His gaze soon darts over to Kaydin, who helps to clarify matters somewhat -- particularly given what little background knowledge the Captain is privy to. In this case, it may be enough.

"Control of the Darkness and the Heartless...? Then you..." His unblinking eyes then narrow. "...you would not happen to be one of the allies of Vizier Jafar, would you not? Despite the understandable but unfortunate events at Balamb Garden, we in Baron are well aware of the power he alone wields. Your organization must be mighty indeed, if you are who I believe you to be."

/Now/ Baigan seems to be getting a little excited.

"You mean to tell me that your fine association has matter to settle with this... /David/ Xanatos as well? And Manhattan as well?" He pauses briefly, considering how to put this delicately. "This is not... over the matter of capturing a Princess, is it? I'm afraid our goals somewhat diverge there, and I would hate to be abandoned on the battlefield again and disgrace my duty. If it is merely a question of laying waste to this Xanatos and his accursed Manhattan, /particularly/ if Baron can get its hands of some of his /weapons/..."

Baigan's smile is serpentine.

"...we may indeed find common cause."

LEXUS has posed:
"Indeed. I am a member of the organization known as the Shadow Lords. We are those who master the powers of Darkness and seek to bend it to our will. Manhattan has been designated as a... potential issue, and we wish to eliminate it. We are not concerned about Princesses within Manhattan. We seek nothing more than to bring them to heel and to drive them down."

LEXUS smiles faintly at Kaydin's description, but ignores Morrighan falling asleep where she stands. If she snores too much maybe LEXUS will make his displeasure known. Maybe not. He's inscrutable like that.

He continues speaking to Baigan. Baigan is the one in charge here. "Do you believe your armies can make use of the weapons of Manhattan? This, perhaps, could be arranged. Baron would gain even more power, and able to bring your order and peace farther abroad. Perhaps we could even discuss more firm relations at that point. We possess great knowledge and power that we are willing to share with those who are worthy."

Kaydin has posed:
"I have heard of you and your group. Basically from what I managed to discern that they are made up of the various considered /villians/ of the worlds." Kaydin says as he watches Lexus then turns back to Baigan. "That duck thing that shoots rockets and uses chainsaws I believe is one of their numbers as well." He says thoughtfully.

Baigan has posed:
"Shh, Kaydin," the Lord Captain says, eyes fixed on LEXUS, listening avidly, even he waves downward with both hands at Kaydin, suggesting he subside. "Let us use /diplomatic/ language. Matters such as heroes and villains are relative to perspective, and the writers of history."

His thin smile returns.

"Which is, of course, why the right must be strong, and write it themselves." Baigan's arms cross again, making no note of the Lady Alazne collapsing back into her bed. No doubt she has yet to fully recover from her wounds. "These Shadow Lords... your goals and ours often align, it seems," he remarks speculatively. "Lord Golbez informed me, though not in much detail--"

PREVIOUSLY

"WHAT!?" Baigan shouts, his hands over his ears as Golbez's organ shakes the room with its endless booming. "FORGIVE ME, LORD GOLBEZ, BUT I CANNOT HEAR WHAT YOU ARE--"

NOW

"--that the Crystals which in our world, and again here, we sought so as to ensure Baron's security against evildoers have the power to seek the 'Princesses' which concern your fellowship. Thus we were able to discern the location of Princess Jasmine at Balamb Garden, though, alas, due to disorganization -- and /Xanatos/ -- we were thwarted there." His smirk widens. "With Xanatos bereft of his technological advantage, the worms and rabble would be of no threat to us at all-- or to you. The Crystals would be ours, and the Princesses yours!"

A pause, and then a double-take.

"Wait, /that/ duck is a /Shadow Lord/?"

LEXUS has posed:
"How did he even survive this long?" LEXUS asks Baigan, indicating Kaydin. "Analysis indicates he is able to tap into the Darkness, but... If he quibbles about such minor things, he couldn't possibly be that powerful at using it." He smiles. "Are you sure you don't have a paladin in disguise?"

Baigan's response causes LEXUS to arch an eyebrow. "These linked worlds are a dangerous place. We must be strong and find common cause among those who do not foolishly limit themselves in order to survive." He nods, considering Baigan's words. "Those facets are very interesting. While some of the others may be concerned about the Princesses, I am not so... obsessed. Many things have to be dealt with in the here and now besides the Princesses."

Baigan is shocked at Negaduck's membership. LEXUS replies simply. "That man is a Dark Knight of Baron."

Zing.

Kaydin has posed:
"I dont quibble, I just simply am curious as to why things would dub you as such. As for my strength on the darkness, pick a spot you wished to be conquered and I will give you a demonstration personally." Kaydin says calmly, almost as emotionlessly as LEXUS before turning to look to Morrighan and then to Baigan. "With your permission of course, sir." He says calmly with a bow of his head.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Turning over to her side as she slept, Morrighan began to mumble. ".....Yes.......kneel before me....revere me....I am....queen~...Kihihi...hihi....hi~" And with that, she quieted down and slept quietly again.

Baigan has posed:
Baigan laughs.

"I assure you, Sir LEXUS," the seneschal remarks, chuckling, "no Dark Knight could ever become a Paladin. Sir Kaydin is an unwavering ally of Baron. We have all made mistakes and misjudgments in our defense of the kingdom, myself especially," he notes graciously, "but Sir Kaydin would never betray us, or leak classified information, or attempt to assist our enemies, or anything of the sort."

A pause, as Kaydin then more or less threatens LEXUS.

"Nevertheless, I see your point."

And so the matter of Negaduck is settled.

"The only conquering we will be doing is of Manhattan, my dear Sir Kaydin," Baigan says, again waving his hands soothingly, this time more rapidly. "We must be /good/ to our /guest/ who shall soon be our /most helpful ally/. As we shall be to him," he then adds smoothly, turning his thin smile to LEXUS.

"We shall have to work out the details of our alliance, and I must of course confirm it with His Majesty and Lord Golbez. I, however, can envision no obstacles to our cooperation in the name of the utter defeat of Xanatos and his accursed detective minions, and the whole filthy city they love. Perhaps we should retire to--"

Pause, as Morrighan mumbles to herself.

"She's not the Queen," he explains, just in case LEXUS gets confused. "Actually, she's... quite awful, really." He says this quietly, glancing furtively behind him. "She's a haughty and obnoxious woman!" A little louder. "And nobody likes her! ...Heh heh heh."

LEXUS has posed:
"In the matter of the Shadow Lord alliance with Baron to assault Manhattan, that will not be in question at all. However..." LEXUS eyes flash momentarily with violet light. "The matter of testing this Dark Knight is a more... personal affair. Believe me, if he impresses me it will bode well for future engagements."

LEXUS straightens faintly, his form flickering slightly as lines of... something... run through his body for a moment. He is almost... unreal for a moment. He studies Morrighan as she is mocked, The design in his eyes... rotating... for a moment. What does he see there? Whatever it is, it causes LEXUS to make a faint 'ah' sound. "There is no sin in ambition. If she wishes to be Queen, perhaps one day if she is willing to apply herself and make use of all of the tools around her, perhaps one day she will able to be a Queen... Perhaps not of Baron, but there are many worlds to conquer, and many lands who need leadership."

He nods to Baigan. "I would be most pleased to hear of your lords' acceptances of our alliance. I have prepares some supplies and intelligence for your armies in advance. Consider it an advance gift to the further glory of Baron." He smiles, as he gestures with the rod in his hand. From Darkness, a crate rises, the pool immediately vanishing as the materials stored within are made manifest. "We have recently liberated more technology from Manhattan. We have included some samples of it here for you..." He pauses. "As well as instruction manuals. Do read them, I would hate for any unfortuante accidents to occur."

Kaydin has posed:
"She just is a little abrasive. She means well." Kaydin explains before looking to Lexus and then nodding. "If you want captain, I will go retrieve the engineers and see to it this technology is studied while you and sir LEXUS discuss the plans on how to conquer Manhattan." Kaydin says with a bow to both of them. He then moves to cover Morrighan up with a blanket so she isnt cold before leaving.

Baigan has posed:
Baigan is already gazing in awe at the crate, peering inside. Though he knows not how to operate any of these devices -- let alone a cell phone -- he recognizes some of them from the Dias Plains. "This... this is... most excellent," he manages, turning, an almost fevered look in his eyes as he stares back at LEXUS, hands beginning to tremble slightly. Rein it in, Baigan. This time, he actually takes a deep breath, and his tremors subside. Remarkable! "His Majesty and his Lordship shall be most pleased, of this I am sure!"

The Shadow Lord's scanning of Morrighan is barely noticed, given Baigan's fixation on the armament arrayed before him. "Hm...? Other worlds...?" Baigan blinks in surprise, which, oddly, perhaps says more about him than anything. The thought of actual conquest or /personal/ ambition seems foreign to him, for all his efforts to control lands in the name of Baron's supposed security. His megalomania is linked to his place in the system, in his deference to a greater authority. It is from Baron that his sense of superiority derives. The thought of becoming sovereign of some other land is simply baffling at first, but he can understand why someone else might desire it. "Well, one hopes we will not lose the Lady Alazne's talents," is all he says, not very sincerely.

"A good thought, Sir Kaydin," Baigan then says, nodding to the Dark Knight. "Indeed, go forth. Once our negotiations are complete, we shall recommense. Please, /Lord/ LEXUS, if you would but remain our guest for a time..."

Whereupon Baigan, too, will move to politely usher LEXUS out the door, before leaving himself. ...Not that LEXUS necessarily needs to use doors, or whatever.

LEXUS has posed:
LEXUS doesn't need to use the doors, but he does when he's being polite.

Politeness is important.

The Dark Program move casually, moving with slow dignity with Baigan. Baigan is a man impressed by authority, and LEXUS exudes such. Not the authority of a king over his domain, but the efficient, businesslike authority of a CEO... Or the leader of an intelligence agency.

The job will get done. No matter what.