fade rift. inbox.

[propulsion]

"You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark."

sending crystal
written correspondence
private scenes

Comments

[saam]

Come. To. My. Office. When you have time.

[propulsion]

Yes. Ma'am.

Better be worth the stairmaster.

[ But in a little over an hour, he materialises outside the Diplomacy offices. He raps his knuckles against the corresponding door and lets himself in. ]

I'm here for the 'yadda yadda'?

[saam]

[She's sitting at her desk, pouring over maps. As ever. She smiles when he walks in.]

Rose-Pots. I heard you complain a lot. Here, look. [And she gestures to a game, set up on a on a piece of intricately carved leather.] Happy Satinalia.

[propulsion]

Tony. And I complain a normal human amount.

[ But he approaches, coming to stand at the desk and look directly down at the game set up. His fingers go out to touch the corners.

Ah. Halloweenmas.

He only sort of remembers what he'd scribbled down during the mad whim which was signing up for this whole thing, but a game to pass the endless march of god awful fantasy time would have been in his top five of things to do. So there is the curl of a reluctantly amused smile, and he sits down. ]

Okay, Fazon. How's it go?

[saam]

[She smiles. A good gift, then.]

Sathaa. Qunari game, but it's simple. All pieces can move as many squares as they like in a straight line. White wins if they get the sathaa-- the, uh, the valuables-- to any corner of the board. Basra- attackers, the black pieces, they win if they can steal the valuables. Attackers always move first. The, uh, the defenders can kill attackers and attackers can kill defenders, but you have to do it by surrounding your enemy on both sides. Can only move one piece a turn, and the game only ends when the valuables are safely transported or stolen. Or there's no more pieces left on one side, but that almost never happens.

[She smiles up at him.] It's about strategy. You can start the game with less pieces, different formations, mix it around however you like.

[propulsion]

[ He is paying attention and everything, eyes on the board as she explains. There are a several questions for clarification, including pointing at the 'defenders' and asking for the Qunlat word she skipped over.

Once he thinks he has it-- ]

You had all day, you said? Not that it'll take me all day to kick your ass at this--