From: sindacollo	Date: 02/19/2007 15:50:56

*calls you from his office before you've even finished going through your to-do list*

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/19/2007 16:00:13

*answers her phone, sounding distinctly harried* Hello, Cúthalion here.

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/19/2007 16:27:03

*assumes King Tone*

Pack your bags, Beleg. You're coming with me to Hithlum on--*cringes*--a diplomatic visit.

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/19/2007 16:52:58

I... *stares at the receiver* Right. Sir. When do we leave? It's just, the place is in a mess and you know there's no one else to rely on to sort it all out.

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/19/2007 16:56:52

We leave as soon as you can get to the runway. We'll take my jet. Just get someone to cover for you; we won't be gone long. I'm sure nothing will collapse in the next day or two.

Which reminds me: Where the fuck is Mablung?! One month, I told him, and not a day longer!

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/20/2007 14:23:21

Oh. That's -- soon. I'll just throw a few things into a bag and be on my way then, sir.

Where the fuck is Mablung?!

I'm not sure, sir. I heard something about ferry strikes at Balar. Maybe he got delayed by those?

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/20/2007 14:25:57

Very good. I'll meet you there.

*snorts* That's what he'll say, I'm sure. I have half a mind to stick him on crossing-guard duty until the End T—until he withers and dies of old age. *is clearly satisfied by the notion*

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/20/2007 14:29:59

I'm not sure Mablung would ever accept old age as a possibility, sir. I've seen him eyeing the plastic surgery ads "for when the time comes".

Will there be anything else, sir, or will I just see you at the jet?

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/20/2007 14:36:30

You may have a point there. I ought to thrust it upon him early by selling him out to work in a coal mine or something.

That's all; nothing fancy. Just come as you are. The less time spent breathing Noldorin air, the better.

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/20/2007 14:38:43

*spends next to no time packing* *and then spends most of an hour trying to cajole and threaten her fellow marchwardens into behaving until she or Mablung gets back*

*duly presents herself at the airfield* *is a bit nervous about flying*

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/20/2007 14:42:14

*is just about to board* Let's go, let's go, look lively! I've got those little packets of peanuts and pretzels and everything.

*climbs the steps and makes himself comfortable in a leather chair*

*likes to travel in style, kids. style. thank the taxpayers.*

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/20/2007 14:44:44

*stows her baggage responsibly and sits down, fastening her seatbelt straight away*

*grips the armrests and stares out at the wings, wondering how on Órë they're going to get off the ground*

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/20/2007 14:48:58

*eyes you shrewdly* Have a drink. It'll be easier. Or at least save the puking for Fingon and watch the conference get interesting all of a sudden.

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/20/2007 16:35:18

*nearly smiles* Yes, sir.

*orders a whiskey, straight* *still grips the armrest with one hand* How long do we expect to be away from Delving, sir?

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/20/2007 16:37:54

*simply* That all depends on you, Cúthalion. Or on your negotiating skills, I should say.

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/20/2007 16:41:47

*cautiously* And what, sir, am I negotiating?

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/20/2007 16:49:44

*brightly* Funny story. See, I decided to build an honest-to-Eru army for a change, and I got the kid to agree to run it. But he got this ridiculous idea in his head that I should get the ex-Noldor and other such-- *airquotes* --allies, as he calls them, to set up their own base affiliates or whatever the hell they are. So I promised him not to do anything that might be construed as hostile before I talked to them, and Melly once told me that if you keep your promises on occasion, people are more likely to take your word for stuff. So here we are. Only you're doing all the talking because I can't actually stomach talking about active cooperation with those fuckwits.

*...*

So not a funny story, so much. Sort of boring even.

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/20/2007 16:53:20

*considers this* So. You're creating an army but being sporting about it by letting the other kingdoms and republics and whatnots know. *muses* So we need to ensure that they don't see it as a hostile act but rather a pre-emptive decision to defend our borders against enemies as yet unknown. Of course, they'd probably demand transparency which might mean we'd need to make provisions for embassies and consulates. *looks at you sternly

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/20/2007 16:57:43

*nods* Precisely.

transparency

That fucking word again. I'm really starting to hate that word, you know. You soldier-y types are all alike. With your "tell them about everything" and "don't nuke them out of existence"!

Oh, hang on, here we go.

*falls silent as the plane taxis and takes off, eventually reaching cruising altitude*

*sniggers as the pilot announces preparation for descent almost immediately*

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/20/2007 17:00:02

You soldier-y types are all alike. With your "tell them about everything" and "don't nuke them out of existence"!


*demurely* That's why Eru created secret services, Sir.

*sniggers as the pilot announces preparation for descent almost immediately* *looks out at the airfield of Hithlum* *is a little spooked that all the buildings seem to be above-ground*

That was ... quick.

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/20/2007 17:08:22

I don't know. It just seems like you guys want to take all the fun out of having an army in the first place. What good is it to say, "Hey, Fingon, your kid's been shtupping my daughter. This is my favorite tank! Surprise!" if they know all about my capabilities and troop movements?

*offers you a barf bag just in case* Well, it's not like Hithlum is actually that far away. Mostly it's just funny to make up purchase orders for jet fuel.

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/21/2007 14:06:25

I'm pretty sure that would be viewed as an act of aggression against people who are allegedly our allies, sir.

*takes the barf bag and systematically shreds it as they land*

	From: sindacollo	Date: 02/21/2007 16:59:17

*dryly* You think?

*waits to disembark* Are you ready for this?

*wonders if you understand that when he said "all the talking" he actually meant ALL the talking*

	From: belthronding	Date: 02/21/2007 18:52:35

Yes, sir. Quite ready.

*grabs her bag and hopes she looks suitably confidant*