boots clatter on the ship deck, the first pair belonging to the Cardinal. Ree’s brothers follow. the admiral, eurippe, erias, keeira and kerwik stand on deck.
kymom: well? Who’s in charge here?
albatross steps forward:I command this vessel.
km: You again. Where is he? That Crow King?
mar: Inland. Hidden for the time being. Why are you here, with what seems to be, if the radar is correct, an entire fleet of soldiers?
km: to reclaim him for our country. This need not devolve into a fight if he is handed over peacefully.
[kieera to kerwik]: looks like she’s hoping it’ll devolve, to me. She let us go in the first place!
ker: sssh
mar: You agreed to allow us all to leave last we met, it is not our business if you have turned back on your decision. We are here carrying out orders, and should you choose to involve yourselves in the potential conflict tonight I will have no choice but to stop you.
km: funny, I do not recall pledging an oath to serve you, Albatross.
mar: you are in foreign territory, Cardinal. You must respect the law of this land, here. Let us discuss matters in my quarters. Do your soldiers need a perch?
KM: we have brought our own.
mar: this way then, Cardinal.
[philo turns to the others]
P: You were with them when they escaped that ball, weren’t you? Where’s our sister?
kieera: [squints] Ree, you mean? With the others still I imagine, if they made it to where they were going. You’ve come all this way just for her?
p: If she insists on being here, we will provide backup.
kie: how very committed of you. Doesn’t look like the only backup you’ve brought - where’d you get those? [nods at the rifles theyre carrying]
P: we have our sources.
kie: sources - those are Kooup guns -
erias: Where are the Ravens? I refuse to believe they let anything stop them from joining this operation.
p: With the rest. They are here solely as support and not allowed any say in schematics.
erias: But he is our King -
p: The Council has not approved this endeavour, so we’re all here on the grounds that the charming Cardinal leads us.
ker: the Council hasn’t agreed to this?! You’re all defying your own Government by being here, what are you thinking -
P: I can assure you, none of this is being done on a whim - a lot of thought went into this.
Ker: I should hope so. It’ll be fruitless though, none of us are getting to the City in time to stop anything with those defence towers activated.
kieer: not even though the tunnel at the bar?
ker: for an army? single file through a partially collapsed tunnel? They’d be sitting ducks on the other side while waiting for everyone to get through, and lose the element of surprise. I doubt the Admiral would be in favor. Aerial attacks are always preferred, but even with an army, if we can’t get in then it’ll all be for nothing.
p: What about just us? Can you get us in? [gestures to brothers]
kieer: 3 of you? The tunnel would be fine.
ker: the Admiral won’t -
kieer: What else are we doing here besides twiddling our thumbs, same as at the Academy? We might as well get in on the action. Why’ve we come all this way just to potentially sit the big climax out?
Ker: …I thought we could be of some use here, but if the Admiral’s got it covered then she might let us go if we ask -
kieer: she let us go to that stupid ball, there’s no way she’ll reject this if we’re just going back to the Resistance anyway.
Ker: fine. You two?
[erias and eurippe look at each other]
eur: I’m staying. there are things that need to be finished.
erias: If the Ravens are here then I’m staying, too.
ker: Fine. come on, the Admiral and Cardinal should be done hashing it out, let’s get this show on the road.
(the cardinal peers around a doorway where Garek lies curled up on a bed)
kymom: I was told my useless ex-husband was miraculously here. Hid away the moment you heard I was coming, did you?
G: I don’t know a man alive who would be happy to see their ex.
KM: The feeling is remarkable mutual.
G: So? Have you done it? You’ve finally found a cause worthy enough to convince your new husband to lay siege to this place like you and father always dreamed?
km: [flashbacks to reamerdad catching her leaving:
[RD: I don’t understand why you bothered to put it to a vote, when you were planning to defy us all anyway.
KM: It would have been easier for all of us if you had just decided to not be a coward for once.
RD: I’m sorry that I was forced to put this nation before our daughter, and indeed before a lost King, and that has disappointed you somehow. I would feel worse about it if I could be sure it was because you want our child back more than you want your war.
KM: Do not pretend I am the only one using family for gain - you kept your ex-wife’s bondname just to further your own political career. We are no better than each other.
RD: I did not put a child in danger to achieve it, though.
KM: but you have not rescued her either, have you?
RD: of all the -
KM: do not try to stop me. This will benefit us all, in the end.
RD: I only hope you don’t forget to save her from the mess you’ve put her through, too.
]
KM: he has seen the advantages to it. I’d say I’m surprised to hear you’ve decided to become so adamant against it, but I’m not surprised at all. You were always adverse to work.
G: I was adverse to the dirty schemes father cooked up.
KM: don’t pretend to have a conscience Garek, it does not become you. Why are you here and not drinking away your pocket money?
G: Maybe I’m here helpin’.
KM: [laughs] Please, I’ve already been told you’re here as their prisoner. Rotting away suits you, I suppose. You’re less likely to get in the way here, at the very least. Be sure it stays that way. [walks away]
G: Don’t worry. I have no plans on involving myself in this suicide mission you’re on. Take heed, wife. All the mighty fall, eventually.
[he lays there, stroking his gun that he’d kept hidden from her with his back turned].
reamer tries to sneak past breakfast room in director house but gmother catches him.
gma: You slept here, boy?
R: I - no, I just came to check on Mother this morning. (he watches charlee as she makes tea on the sideboard and hands it to gma, she doesnt look at him).
gma: That wastrel, sleeping away the days as though we don’t have preparations to finalize for tonight. If she thinks she’s missing this Event she’s said she’s putting on then she’s got another thing coming. Sit. tea?
R: No, thank you.
gma: She will be there, but she may not be fit to present, and in any case I would rather have you take on the responsibility of it.
R: I don’t think -
gma: this will be your last chance to rectify the grievous mistake you made, when you went against my orders and allowed that Dove a foot in the door. You will not get another one. And indeed, we may not see tomorrow should things go completely awry. But this is it - this is our final chance of solidifying our place here once and for all, with no more Corvids or Doves to jeopardise it.
R:...you don’t think that another group will just come along? One after another, until we do eventually fall?
gma: My dear boy, if they do, we will quash them all until we are the only ones left standing.
[reamer goes to leave, looking troubled. charlee hands him a note - its says “he’ll meet”. ]