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Rufus watches Claudia drink from him, his red eyes misted over by some deeply inhuman yet long-forgotten emotion. After a moment, his eyes close and a slightly audible gasp (of pleasure or pain is uncertain) escapes his rough lips, and just as he feels his own Beast begin to softly pound at his internal walls, he gently pries Claudia away from him, turning his back slightly toward her - both to give her time to make herself presentable, as well as to hide his own expression.

He glances up at the hole in the ceiling, as though suddenly remembering, then turns back to Claudia.

"Yes, I am here for... other reasons."

His deep, gravelly voice seems almost pained at this point, but that fleeting glimpse of his own humanity is gone nearly instantly.

"There is a neonate of the Clan outside. William I believe his name is. Ly- er, uh, Regent Kersten has sent us to retrieve you. I told the whelp to await my say before he enters."

He pauses here, almost grinning.

"I told him I did not want him to startle you."

There are "curtains" in all the roof, to hide the isolation and the beams.
The young Tremere pulls back her hair from her face and taps a little on the T-shirt she wears. She sighs and shakes her head in denial, she wants to forget she has fed. She smiles an instant.
(Claudia) Startle me, uh.. At least now I won't eat him.

She forces a slight laugh and sighs. She looks and sounds surprised when he mentions a Neonate.
(Claudia) A neonate ? Fine. On the roof, I guess.. ?

She moves closer to her seat, on which she stands and moves away the fabrik that hides the isolation. She then moves away the isolation slowly with an iron bar attached to a beam, peeking a little.
(Claudia) You may come in.


Claudia wears a large modern men's t-shirt with patterns that doesn't fit her (neither in colors nor in size, as well as some jeans that do fit her but that are obviously not hers. Her auburn hair is not combed and has been placed behind her ears. Her brown eyes seem quite alive, looking carefully at every detail she catches.
She is quite tall, but also very very thin. Unnaturally thin. Her pale skin shows marks of a harsh life, with a few round scars behind her ears, on her wrists, on her ankles and toes. One can easily guess that she has similar marks on the rest of her body. Her bones are thin and light : she probably didn't go out a lot when she was a child, or didn't have a normal childhood and adolescence. 
She is wearing absolutely no make up, which is odd enough for a woman, but especially odd for kindred wishing to maintain the masquerade. 
By all means she looks like she could break down at any time.

William follows the scene as he looks at his watch, rolling his eyes as he hears the events unfold. He stands up as the girl opens the hole and asked him to enter. He Smiles as he placed the hook of his cane below the now small hole and pulled the fabric open, the cotton looking isolation easily bending aside. He held the cane using his head and shoulder and slowly lowered himself into the building. As he landed on his feet, he dusted off the cobwebs and dust and took in his surrounding. He studied the girl's appearance up and down, studying the scarred and mangled out appearance.

Auspex 4:

"Greetings! Humm... I thought you'd be taller. Now that you're done sucking the gargoyle and still have you clothes on, I'm William, the new sciencetist, occultist, historian, security guy and computer geek." He took a short bow, took Claudia's crowbar free hand, and give it a short courtesy peck, ignoring and not mentioning her appearance. "I'm your new many times removed cousin, if you know what I mean... Ah yes. Proof." William doesn't waste time, flowing from one action in the other, an excited glee. He took off his hat and grabbed Lyle's necklace and give it to Claudia. "Proof Lyle actually send me, redundant since Roofy is here, but then again, rather you have it for whatever reason. I did check it out, it has no tracking ritual, but then again Lyle's got quite a few years on me with these sort of things, just saying, but I'm still very good at those sort of things, which is why I'm here."

He regarded Rufus. "I'd offer you a bloodstone. Mortal blood of course, alas I seem to have forgotten to resupply in my haste to get ready; I was on my way to get some, alas, you don't say no to Tarcisus when he calls you aside." He quickly checked his phone. "Still no E-mail with the information. I hope he's done with the Toreador girl sometime soon."

He looked up, "Ohh right Claudia," He regarded the girl again. "You know, Worlds-worst-pilot-who-broke-my-glasses over there IS right. Feeding is essential. If not for yourself, do it for the people you might hurt if you loose control of the beast. Unless you actually wish to go crazy, have a blast, well then it's just fine with me. Warn me first tho, had a fledgeling Tremere once in my old chantry, didn't want to eat. He sire was stupid, instead of letting him feed of a kine as first meal. With the proper precautions of course, he was given blood packets for the first week or so. Did you know this kind of treatment has 25% more chance of developing drinking disorders? I did a study on it once. The vampire doesn't get used to his new nature because he just replaced his coffee and lunch with a red caparison and isn't mentally prepared to actually take blood from kine without killing them. Resulting in them not taking blood at all, and all sorts of mess stuff happens soon afterwards. Of course, the regent had no ears to my resu- ohh right. Claudia, nice to meet you, we have a job, and you're the only girl who can help us it seems. Well, I have a job, Rufus is tagging along."

Claudia's eyes widen as she hears the new apprentice speak. She opens slightly the mouth as if she wished to speak, but fights against it and lets him finish. she lets her hand be taken, before taking it back wish a contained hiss. Obviously she disliked the fact she was touched but she didn't act against it. She takes the cross-token offered to her as a proof that he is, indeed, Tremere. She observes it an instant, touching it with the tip of her fingers, as if she was analysing it. She's not sure what to do with it yet, so she keeps it in a hand. She raises an eyebrow when he mentions a Toreador, it ticked her interest, but again, she doesn't speak yet. She can't help a smile when her grandsire is mentionned. She frowns visibly when he tells a story of a troubled fledgling of another Chantry, and even tells her she should feed. She lets out a frustrated sigh, and she crosses her arms.
(Claudia) First, that's "Regent Kersten", "Lord Tarcisus", and "Rufus" for you. No matter what the Regent tells you, it's a trick to corrupt and use you. For heaven's sake, what the hell with neonates not having their eyes in front of their orbits. Second, I very well know when, how, and why I should feed, I've been doing it correctly for years and there was no reason this time would have been different. If Rufus had not made me enter frenzy, I would have hold on correctly until the right time for me would have come. She sighs slightly, speaking a little lower, disappointed, hurt. I should have been on fast tonight and tomorrow... It would have all gone perfectly if..

She uncrosses her arms and sits in her seat, asking William to move aside from it. She rests on it a moment, letting go the initial anger, thirst, fear. She shows the cross in her hand, in front of her.
(Claudia) I have nothing to do with this. And I don't plan on seeing the Regent for as long as I can, and it's an important object of his. One of you will have to take it back to him. And what "Toreador" were you speaking about ? About Rufus, I have never had a single problem with him when he takes me to the skies. What did you do to this childe, Rufus ?

Somehow, she half approves, but she knows it could go wrong, after all, William is a Tremere, and Rufus should obey him and treat him well... At least officially.
(Claudia) As for the Regent's task, I will not help you. I've gone autarkis on the clan, I do obey direct orders, I do attend the mandatory meetings, but I've done my part. Papa Tarcisus understood it well in the twenties and he never bothered me with anything. Regent Kersten has respected it so far, leaving me out of Tremere affairs as well and I don't want that to change.

'Papa' Tarcisus ? She let it pass by...

William moves aside and took the necklace again once it was offered and hang it around his neck once more. He walked to a nearby wall, took his cell out of his pocket and regarded the screen, after a few clicks, he started typing. "Autarkis? Really, that's quite interesting. And Roofy... Wait, Rufus you say, I don't know, I kind of keep forgetting his full name, then again he keeps forgetting mine."

"And about the Toreador, a small little creature, young, from they way she behaved in a room right next to the office of the prince. Must be a painter, all desperate for your location. And well, what Kersten was doing to her when I last saw her.... I really shouldn't say." He pressed once more and the phone made a short beep.

He stared at the screen for a few moments. "You hate him yet you defend his title. Then again he does stake apprentices should they have problems focussing so they get maximum encouragement to learn how to focus. Other than that, you really seem to have a liking to 'Lord Tarcisus'. What if I told you the matter at hand affects all Tremere in the area, you, me, even your Daddy Tarcisus. What, just because you had a tormented life, you should let the world go down under? Life sucks, get over it. Adapt. So what, you like, got snatched away from Malkavians, embraced by the wrong elder? Keeping a grudge against a training regime from a man who has no positive social skills at all, which I might add partly is just common training for all Tremere? You think you're the only one whose life isn't exactly perfect. Damme Queen of Drama? Century old grudge. Pfft, get over yourself. You don't even know why I'm here to request your assistance. And I mean I'm here, not Lyle, not Tarcisus, although he seems like an okay Lord."

William put the phone back into his pocket.

"You are that focussed on your pathetic bad luck, irresponsibly fasting. Yes irresponsible. You make an excuse about Rufus, while you forget, for the same chance, a mortal wonders in here with a wound, even when bandaged, and you loose it as easily as you just lost it. You are that focussed on it, that you look unhealthy, even for a vampire. You obviously don't feed enough, hoping to counter the thirst by locking yourself up in this small room, even a neonate such as myself can see this. From the look of your clothes, something did happen, for they definitely aren't yours. Borrowed maybe. I'm young, yes, maybe that alone makes you look down on me, maybe that's just who you became over the years, and I might be mostly interested in Science, and research into the supernatural, I'm not the most social creature around, but even I see this. What are you going to do for eternity, hide in your hidey hole, shunning everything until the end of times until someone is worried enough to check up on you, to put you back together again until the next time you break down? You're as far as I known, a smart self aware girl, who unlike others, had a bit more luck in the ability department, and you squander it like a Malkavian in the corner of some old room in dangerous conditions. I'm not asking you to exploit your gift like the others. Get off your high horse."

"I'm not asking you to go sweetly toes with the regent, or do some sort of training. I seek to help us all, no matter if you Autarkis or caitiff or whatever it is I don't care. There is an artefact out there, somewhere in Brujah territory. Now, you probably noticed when you weren't gloating in your own misery that those of our blood aren't very welcome there. You on the other hand, have some sort of relation with one of the Brujah which could possibly grant us temporal passage without them ripping our heads off. All Rufus and I need is to get in there, find an artefact of which I have no idea of how it looks, what it does, where it is, or that it is even still at the right location after years of kine rebuilding the city, preferably before Tarcisus has to bring in a fake artefact."

William almost damaged the wooden wall as he all but slammed his cane against the wall and took of his coat and sat down, taking off his glasses and putting it into his pocket. "You want to be a 100 year old child, fine! Let's starve until eternity together, we'll make a campfire and tell horror stories about Vienna, online games and whatnot. For I am not leaving until you do."

The Tremere started mumbling against himself. "Fasting... pff, don't be ridiculous."

Auspex 4:

Rufus watches the discussion between William and Claudia very intently. At first, he's rather amused by their discourse - at one point actually failing to stifle a giggle. Yes, you read that right: a Gargoyle giggled. But after Claudia reclaims her seat, he can tell that William is pressing his boundaries well passed what is acceptable for a neonate to do. For a while he continues to observe, but he is quite obviously growing very irritated. At the point where William begins to question Claudia's fast, he quietly and carefully positions himself slowly closer and closer to William - not caring if he's noticed, but trying not to be - though his inherently silent nature makes this far easier than it ought to be considering his size and appearance. Once William has reached the end of his diatribe toward Claudia and smacked his cane against the wall, Rufus looks to Claudia, as if for guidance. However, just as she may or may not be about to say something to him, William states that he is not leaving, and something cold, ancient, and completely inhuman snaps within Rufus. For just a moment, the Gargoyle frenzies. He snatches ahold of the insufferable whelp and slams him bodily against the wall, causing the entire room to tremble. His red eyes froth with kindred tears of rage, and just as he is about to use the whole of his vampiric power to completely annihilate William, Rufus stops. His red eyes clear and he has obviously regained control of himself. He hadn't made a single sound throughout his brief outburst, and his speed and suddeness was such that it is most likely that William finds himself very confused as to what just happened. But the neonate still has a very upset Gargoyle pinning him to the wall, staring him dead in the eye. After a long and uncomfortable pause in which Rufus ignores anything but William, the Gargoyle draws in very close to William's face, turning his snarling mouth toward the neonate's ear.

"When 300 years old you reach, perhaps then you might learn how to properly address your elders..."

The Tremere closes her eyes in a frown when she hears the cane smack the wall of her room. She bites herself, then looks up to the Gargoyle when the younger states he's not leaving. Claudia stands when she sees the Gargoyle move against him.
(Claudia) Rufus, no !

Of course she can't be heard, she gets closer and puts her hands on the Gargoyle's arm once he seems to have calmed down. She talks low, and even if she's talking in imperative mod, it can't count like an order, but rather, a beg.
(Claudia) Let him go, now.

She sighs and shakes her head in disapproval. She moves around, a little stressed. She tries and explains herself in a dittached, distant way,
(Claudia) Look, William, let's start over. I think you misunderstand the reports and my current situation. I feed well, sometimes even more so than I need, by desire or greed. I do bite, I enjoy it, and I make sure to be supplied with blood in as little time as I can. I've been fasting every week for years now, and it never caused any problem. Yesterday.. Hm. I was deprived of every little drop I had stored. Fasting tonight and tomorrow would have built me a stronger will, testing my beleifs, and.. verifying some theories as well. It failed, I had managed to medidate and be calm but.. I don't blame you Rufus, you did what you thought was right. You did well. It breaks my heart to have failed, but I'll manage the consequences of my sins some other time.

She moves around a little more, until she draws closer to a closed  bucket. She opens it a little, then closes it again. A slight sent of blood and of detergeant comes out of it. Certainly the scent Rufus had followed earlier.
(Claudia) These clothing I borrowed. I also had to take a shower. This was exactly how I looked like when Regent Kersten Embraced me, and I can't change it. Of course I dress and wear make up according to the Masquerade, in fact, most people have no idea I'm this thin. I was not sick. I was just.. immobile. You can't know how it was, at the time. Either way it doesn't matter, I've overcome both what I was and what I became long before your grand-parents were even born. Yes, I dislike my sire, but it's not because I resent him for having killed me. That I could care less, you're accusing the wrong Tremere. I could even thank him for me not being Malkavian, especially since my wanted-to-be sire turned out to be a sabbat agent.

She seems quite hateful towards the Malkavian that was supposed to embrace her. Something seems to pain her, before she waves it off with a shrug.
(Claudia) If I truly deeply hated him and the clan, I wouldn't let myself be watched like this. I'm not as dumb as you seem to think I am , and I very well know the reason of your presence, it's not hard to guess with the attacks and heir exact location. So far I've been the only Tremere that made it in and out of Theodore's territory. With his blessing, and with his trust. And this is exactly why I'm refusing to help you. Whatever that object is, we should forget about it. I don't want to have more tensions with the Brujah, we've had enough problems already.

Realising what had just happened; William felt the back of his head with his left hand; his hat had landed somewhere besides him as the sudden movement had knocked it off is head, he stared the Gargoyle straight in the eye, unblinking, retaliating the whisper with one of his own. "Hands OFF, keep your frenzy induced paws off me. I might be young and a neonate, but I am still Tremere." All sarcasm and Cheshire grins all completely gone from his face. He grabbed his cane whom laid close to his reach, it giving a soft click as it was picked up as William ran his thumb over the metal wolf's ear and pointed the cane towards Rufus's chest.

He gritted his teeth, regarded the girl and took a deep breath, calming down and took his glasses from his pocket, realising another pair had been broken and glared briefly. He placed the glasses on his nose, the right eye cracked and placed his free hand on the fist which was still grabbing his collar. He regarded Claudia once more. "You know just as well as I do, that alas I don't have the liberty of playing along your feelings. If if you will no- cannot be of assistance, I still need to find that artefact before shit hits the fan, and mister anger management over here isn't exactly helping."

William suddenly took hold on one of Rufus his fingers, and twisted his body until Rufus slid with his hand into the wall and William took a few steps back, placing enough between them in case the gargoyle decided to go on another rampage. What William lacked in physical strength, he obviously made up in agility. William's cane clicked once more as he lowered it, leaning on it as he straightened out his clothes. "I was warned you're tough as nails on you no help policy, but I didn't expect to be nailed by hotshot over there. I do warn you, that will be the first and only time you attack me. Do not underestimate me. And you now owe me 2 pair of glasses. And a new dissection tool-kit for injuring me." His usual mood seemed to have returned.

Rufus' eyes never once leave William. He is aware of Claudia's "order", and once she speaks it, he slowly releases the neonate. He takes precisely one step back (though considering his size, it would be two in comparison) from William, his fierce red eyes still on the Kindred. What the stony brute's thoughts might be, his impassive and inexpressive face fail to reveal.

Auspex 4:

The Gargoyle nearly smirks at William's attempt to bolster his confidence, but manages to keep his expression neutral.

"Yes, William: you are a Tremere. As is Claudia. Whom is of much higher standing within the clan than you shall ever be. So pardon my anger, but I do not take well to those who would so flippantly goad my betters into frenzy, as you so blatantly attempted."

He finally glances back at Claudia to guage her demeanor, and seeing her state, relents from his overpowering presence toward William.

"As for what I 'owe' you, take it up with my master, Lord Tar- Er, Regent Kersten."

Rufus adjusts his position to have both Tremere in his line of sight, but faces Claudia.

"Madam, it seems that Regent Kersten wishes you to accompany us-" here he gestures at William and himself, "to the domain of Theodore of Clan Brujah. I do not know that territory very well, and I humbly ask for your aid."

Claudia observes carefully as William is let go. She lets out a slight low sigh of relief, then shakes her head.
(Claudia) At least the others are quiet. I do hope nobody downstairs noticed anything. Look, I know the clan well enough, and I know the story. Rufus, you remember Vranken ? You know, Griffin's sire ? William, she's the one who started this whole mess back in the 19th C. She found some papers in the university telling that there is an object of some sort on Theodore's domain, and when he went out to the Revolutions, she took his domain and his influences. Because he made it back alive (many Brujah didn't, I think that was the point), he took back his domain with Princess Madeleine (I believe she was Marquise at the time ?), and worked to gain back his influences. She never gave up, and one of their confrontations, despite Theodore having warned her several times, turned sour and she got killed. Now, Papa Tarcisus was furious against the Brujah because of it, that's why his first action as a Prince was to call a blood hunt on Theodore, but it was legitimate.

She shakes her head, as she's telling a story she didn't live herself. It seems it was a discussion held quite often with her grandsire as a Regent, but then Tarcisus likes telling stories of the clan, and remembering the past. The "Vranken was killed by a Brujah because she was in her domain and we couldn't act against it because he is in his rights" basic idea was also on the logs.
(Claudia) I've been working with Theodore for a few years now.. I never got him to tell me about this, except he kept looking at my hands with suspicion for the first few nights. If I walk into his territory with a ambitious neonate and the gargoyle of the clan, the trust he has in me will be worth nothing to the clan.

Perception + empathy>5, perception + subterfuge >4 or intelligence + subterfuge >6:

The Tremere frowns visibly.
(Claudia) If you're that good with Thaumaturgy and artifacts, then create one you may give to Lyle as a "mission complete". He'll find out and laugh while he stakes you for trying to fool him. But I'm not going there with you both without Theodore's permission. I want that thing to be forgotten, or declared found, so it stops creating tentions by its mere existence. As you said, we have no idea what it is, what it does, and what it's doing here. That and the place is certainly full of police officers.

She then gives back a pitiful look towards Rufus, then looks away. She then seems to have an idea. A compromise really.
(Claudia) I'll take the blame with Regent Kersten if I must.. I called Theodore earlier, he told me he wanted to speak to me, probably about this. I'll try to pull some information out of him. I'll see if he accepts having Tremere agents in his territory. Knowing Regent Kersten, he probably lied in public, saying it didn't exist, or that someone else found it, but Theodore certainly knows it hasn't happen. He's a smart Brujah. Talk it out with him, I'm sure he wants peace as well. Does that sound acceptable to you ?

William walks up to where his hat had fallen, and picked it up, keeping the gargoyle in his vision range, not quite trusting just yet, and moved back to his original location while listening to Claudia. After she was done, William was silent for a few moments, in thought.

"Make my own artefact... I'd need a lab for that, but one cannot create a fake artefact. There are simply some things a skilled eye will always see, no matter how good one is at faking." William did smile, as if it would be an amusing challenge. "Maybe it'll fool them long enough for me to get out of Bordeaux, but being a Tremere, it wouldn't have much use."

He stroked his chin, considering his options.

"Look, the thing is, the Sabbat wants it. Werther it's interests are justified or not, we cannot take the risk. If you really want to compromise, I'll simply could use plan b. And state that the 'original' artefact that Ly-" William glanced at Rufus. "Regent Kersten and Lord Tarcisus will deliver has a secondary piece to make it complete. The more active part, as it where, which would be our real artefact, would compliment the first one. I would state the regent has sent me in first, to prevent anyone from accidentally activating it by unskilled hands (for it is unstable without the stabilising first piece), and containing it, before taking it to the prince after a check up in the chantry where we have the ability to study it in a safe environment and determine what it does to be able to attract Sabbat attention."

William scratched the now healed bumb on his head."Or well... you could say that, when you talk to him. I'll use ohh great raging bull over there in case there could be some heavy lifting; unless the object is within a very public area. And that I simply don't trust hothead Brujah. I didn't meet too many clans in Brussels, but they were the ones whom gave us the most trouble."

He gave a shrug, "Or we use plan Z, hope some close by ancient, powerful Tremere has a ritual to let us walk in the sun and we do everything during the day. But I figured the chances of that happening are nihil so, if we even managed to stay awake the idea is nonsense.... "

The Tremere nods and listens, then shrugs.
(Claudia) I know my sire. He certainly wishes to create another object, along with Papa Tarcisus and Magister Mikael, that would satisfy the court as being "it", while they, and I mean "us", look out for it in secrecy. Once we have the true one, we stay silent and let them play around with the shiny ball.

She smiles a little at the idea, then gives a look to Rufus.
(Claudia) About the rituals, and staying awake.. Some of us can manage staying awake during the day, but it's a heavy and hard work. We're working on the sun problem, though !... But Theodore is a smart Brujah, don't worry too much about him as long as you behave. Him being a Brujah doesn't define who he is, William, you have to take each kindred for who they are and not according to their clan. Yes Rufus ?

Rufus gives a slight smile to Claudia when she acknowledges him.

"I may have an idea, actually. You said that you are worried of jeopardizing your relationship with the Brujah primogen, yes? I may know someone who might be willing to help us out - and by us, I mean me and possibly you, Claudia."

The Gargoyle glances at William.

"You, I don't think he'd like."

"If he's a acquaintance of yours, the stick up my ass probably isn't long enough." William sighed, he regarded himself and dusted himself off, he straightened his clothes and buttoned up his shirt and then his coat up fully, giving off a very informal look. He took off his glasses and regarded it once more. There was a minor crack in the left piece of glass, it wasn't really noticable unless you stood right in front of the person and studied the glasses or you were wearing them, a whitish line covering your view. He placed the fame back on his nose with distaste and took off his hat. He moved his hand through his hair, straitening it, then guiding it to the side and placed the hat on a nearby cabinet. He closed his eyes, for a moment, and a mask of emotionlessness settled over his features. He straightened his back and began leaning a lot more on his cane as he straightened his left leg, feigning a minor leg stiffness.

With a look of disinterest, he regarded the pair and spoke in a monotonous voice. "I'll behave I guess. I have not always existed in frivolous environments such as Regent Kersten's 'total freedom but with respect' approach. I admit, I might have let my lingering human personality affect me too much, now that Regent Lucius Hansen reach no longer affects me. But I can play model Tremere when the situation calls for it."

Auspex 4:

The Tremere ponders as she observes with great care the other two. She listens patiently but can't help a surprised look with a "really?" face when William mentions Lyle's ruling.
(Claudia) Are you serious ? I mean are you that naive or is it just-. No you don't understand. Regent Kersten is by far the Tremere, if not the kindred, who has the most Tremere blood on his hands. Don't e gullible about his game. I do acknowledge that since he is regent, no Tremere died, but we were only four (without counting you, Rufus), two of which are not loyal Tremere in the strict sense of the term. And Corinna Ansons is certainly for him just a housekeeper. And I'm not even counting Dominique Lejeune, who's kinda "persona non grata" in the city.

She shrugs it away with a sigh, and shakes her head in denial, crossing her arms.
(Claudia) It's a waste of time, it doesn't matter... I don't want Theo to think I've been using him to find that object, it would end very badly... Rufus, who were you thinking about ?

The Gargoyle watches and listens, as he has always been best at. His face is impassive, not revealing his thoughts within.

Auspex 4:

With a slight grunt, Rufus diverges from his thoughts and turns his attention to Claudia.

"There was a younger Brujah whom I aided the night of the attacks, It is possible he may be willing to help me, to return the favor. I'm not sure, though, how much influence he may be willing to lend, if any. I believe you know of whom I speak?"

"Pff, All I care about is not working in a medieval chantry with a regent who does not dream about past times. I'm quite aware on how dangerous Lyle Kersten is. Then again, aren't you just as dangerous?" He regarded Claudia, "The way you 'talk' about your supposed Brujah friend. I did not mention it to keep the peace, but don't take me for a fool, you talk as if you do it for the good of the clan while you are autarkis. Almost as if you know it can blow up in your face at any moment, and where would you go then? The chantry, which you've always kept in a sliver of a connection, an door slightly ajar one could say, should things go sour, using your connection to the Brujah as a bargaining chip. Not difficult the way Regent Kersten seems to go well out of his way to accommodate you. Either that and I misunderstood, possibly you're dominated by him and he goes out of his way like that so that no one would notice and make sure his plans work out, we are Tremere after all. The 'Game' no matter how much I despise that part in my vampiric life, must go on. Don't label me for a fool. You're not the only one who's intelligence surpasses most of those around you."

He regarded the gargoyle, "No matter what certain hotheaded people, whose true name evades me like ones flying skill, thinks about me, anyway."

As Rufus explained his contact, emotion seeped back into Williams face. "A younger Brujah you say." He scratched his chin, in thought. "Sounds like you had quite the fun evening of the attack."

Claudia listens, giving all her attention to Rufus as he talks about a young Brujah. She can't help a smile, sometimes. She nods, understanding, and as she speaks, she puts her hand above her to mimic a height about 1m80, 1m85.
(Claudia) Duncan Oliver, that is, right ? Guy about this tall ? Yes, I saw him yesterday, I know him, Theodore asked me to test his blood to verify he was who he said he was. He was in Saint Eloi along with the young Toreador too, Miriel de Boucher, right ?.. He showed up to Mephisto's later, to ask him and the other snakes if they knew anything about Sabbat moves. About he helping us.. I'm not sure. He is Brujah, and I don't think he'd lie to his Primogen about the reasons of why we'd be there. He'd know Regent Kersten has lied about us having the artifact, and Theodore won't forgive that. And Theodore is close friends with Gosuin, whose title as a Prince is broadly respected.

She sighs with a certain sadness, as if the memories were painful.
(Claudia) I do not know what saved our clan from a blood hunt after Papa Tarcisus' Coup. They could have killed us all, and many wanted to do so, but they didn't. Lord that was an awful idea, it was just wrong.

She then gives a look to William, more curious, hesitant even, as if she had forgotten something, as if she recalled something. She makes a memory effort, touching her lips with her fingers, frowning, looking down.
(Claudia).. You did say "Hansen" ? 'Regent', now ?.. I know that name. Anyway, my apologies. Yes, I might be dominated, it is always an option, and I do know I'm under surveillance. It's one of the reasons I avoid the Regent as much as I can, I hate being his peon. Yes, I dislike my sire and my clan, but there is nothing I can do about it. I wish to stay out of Tremere businesses as much as I can, despite the affection I have for my grandsire and for Mikael. I worked all the way to fifth circle for the Chantry and quit, yes, but I don't wish to become an ennemy to the clan. This is why I'm defining my current relation with them as Autarkis, and not as Anarch. Be it that I am doing it for myself, or am serving the Regent's purposes because he dominated me, it doesn't matter. Either way, the reasons I gave myself for meeting with Theodore often are enough for me to continue, regardless if it is truly my initiative or not. I couldn't care less if my actions benefit or harm the clan, as long as I stay safe. Who knows, maybe I'm playing outsiders to use the Brujah against my sire and take his title as Regent ! Or maybe the Regent lets me act as I wish because he's letting me live my unlife as he wished he could have lived his. I don't know.


She lets out a sigh, then shows a slight smile.
(Claudia) I've played the Game for a long time, but I've stopped asking myself these questions. I just prepare myself for everything. If I considered Theodore a friend, I wouldn't openly tell the clan, she says so gesturing to both William and Rufus, to include them as "the clan", about what our relationship is, if it may be viewed as treachery ; I'm presenting the facts in a way that you'd consider it as I want you to consider it, after all. You'd think I'd tell you all my secrets, my feelings, my dreams and hopes ? I'm not that suicidal. So I just don't tell anything, after all, I am good friends with many other kindred, and nobody seems to care. With enough time, eventually, people will forget I am a Tremere to begin with.


She crosses again her arms.
(Claudia) If you want to meet Theodore, we should move.

Rufus listens intently to the conversation, though it would be hard to tell he was paying attention from his demeanor. The Gargoyle almost looks bored and half-asleep, just standing like a silent statue. As William begins analyzing Claudia's intentions with a hint of disdain, Rufus growls softly (perhaps there's a little Gangrel in there?) and keeps his red eyes on the neonate, his claws slightly twitching. As Claudia addresses William, Rufus seems to calm a little, but he is obviously keeping his hackles raised. Only at the end of it when Claudia says they should go does Rufus speak again.

"I don't know if lying to him about any of it would be a good idea. He strikes me as the type to appreciate honesty and integrity more than manipulation and deceit."

He seems to want to say more at this point, but instead is silent for a moment, as though pondering something intricate.

"If I may suggest that we simply state the facts to - Oliver, you said his name was? I'm so terrible with those. - perhaps he will be willing to aid us in removing a threat from his clan's domain."

"Why don't we try both? Time is kind of limited, Rufus and I could go speak to this Duncan Person, and Miss Voïgner with Theodore. If either succeeds, we got a way in, if both fail... well... we'd have to see what happens then."
William walked over to his hat, putting it on and gave a glance to the gargoyle and searched around for a door downstairs.
"How are we going to do this, taxi, phone or what? Do we even know where this Brujah is?"

Perception+Investigation>3:

Claudia ponders the words spoken to her by both, she smiles to the idea of honesty.
(Claudia) Rufus is right. I don't know yet much this Duncan, but playing the truth card is risky. I suppose we don't really have a choice, and Theodore certainly knows the Regent lied anyway. I'll tell him the truth as well. It's doing to give the Brujah an edge over the Tremere, somehow, but I trust the Primogen's sense of politics and tact. Duncan seems like an enlightened Brujah as well. The Regent is certainly giving us very few options, but whatever it takes...

She sighs, but somehow she doesn't seem bothered by the idea of acting "against" her sire and Regent. She does rationalize it saying that they're out of options.

Intelligence+Politics > 5:

The Tremere shrugs.
(Claudia) Regent Kersten certainly has his own plans anyway, and the Tremere clan is strong. As long as Lord Tarcisus doesn't know we're actually collaborating with the Brujah (if he finds out, we're in deep trouble, my grandsire isn't that diplomatic), we should do fine. About Mr. Oliver, well, I don't know where he might be. Theodore might know..

She approaches the mattress, sits down on it, and pulls a wood strip slowly to take out a phone. She opens it, and with a sigh, sends a text.
(Claudia) We'll know shortly.

Perception + alertness>4:

"Well, since he'd have to respond honestly, unless Lord Tarcisus or Kersten asks the right questions to Rufus, I doubt we'd be found out. And Tarcisus looks more like a 'get me results, not stories' kind of man. So we should be fine either way."
He regarded Rufus, whom had turned statue still after Claudia has praised his plan.

William took out his phone and another device with looked like an I-Touch, he touched the screen a few time and frowned.
"Regent Kersten is either still very occupied with his female toreador and is getting himself a new 'painting' or he can't get a hold of the guy whom has the information on the artefact... Rufus, you wouldn't happen to know what a cellphone number is and if this friend of your happens to have one so we can contact him?"