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You walk towards the Hill Overlooking the Quarter.
Hill Overlooking the Quarter
As may be implied, this hill overlooks the Java Quarter. As it's a fairly long
hill, somewhat steep in places, it may be accessed by any number of stairways
and ramps and paths worn in the grass.
The plateau atop the hill seems to have been preserved as some sort of public park, as trees abound, flowers are meticulously planted in neat and fussy arrangements, and cobblestone-free walkways lead to several different areas. In one, a particularly flat area has been paved for various forms of skating, and is much in use. In another, tables with checkerboard tops have been bolted to the ground--so they won't go for a walk, of course. Along the center of the plateau, surrounded by another of those fussy flower-arrangements, a long reflecting pool holds the reversed-image of the Complex. Of course, as several families of ducks have taken up residence in said pool, the image is often distorted, but isn't that the way it should be? On the opposite side of the pool from the skating area, a brightly-colored playground beckons to children of all ages, shapes, and sizes. At the end of the pool, facing the Complex, is a massive sculpture. And, as the makers of the park realize that children have needs that sometimes strike suddenly, restrooms and water fountains are available at the far end of the plateau.
To set your room doing, try 'I'm <doing>'.
Contents:
Niko, at the top of the hill.
Terrence, at the top of the hill.
Obvious Exits:
Java Quarter
You walk here from the Java Quarter.
Eminently laid-back and comfortable seeming as always, Terrence is seated at
one of the checkerboards, although he's not playing a game. Well, not against
an opponent at least. He is however trying to flatter a rather pretty young
woman, and it seems unsuccessfully as she walks away. Well, you win some, you
lose some.
Niko, on skates, makes his way up one of the less-steep, more-paved paths up
the hill. Stairs are fun, sure, but he's not quite that reckless. Yet. After
a turn about the skating area, he heads over to the gaming section. Seeing
that his usual opponents are occupied, he makes his way farther down the
tables. He pauses next to your table, imagine that. "Were you looking for a
game, sir?" He pauses a beat, glancing after the woman. "That is," he
clarified, a hint of amusement in his voice, "A game that involves using the
board."
Terrence's attention is drawn as much by the familiar accent as he is by the
words, and peers up with a casually lazy grin, although with a hint of
thoughtfulness. "Sure, son. Although I'm afraid those wheels you got there
aren't quite my speed. Unless you meant chess?" He glances after the woman
nonchalently, and laughs. "Ah, she'll figure out what she's missing later,"
he supplies with easy confidence.
Niko pauses for a moment as the slight accent catches his attention, then nods.
"I was thinking more like chess, yeah. I can get pieces from Bobby, if you
like?" He gestures towards a fairly ancient man, who apparently keeps the
game pieces.
Terrence gives this young man on wheels a long look, then shakes his head, a casual grin quirking on his face as he reaches down to a briefcase at his feet, pops it open, and removes a wooden box decorated in simple carvings. He sets the box on the table and opens it, waggling bushy brows. "Allow me? I promise they're not loaded like trick dice," he adds with a laugh.
Niko chuckles as he takes the seat opposite. "Loaded chess pieces. Now that's
something that would be worth seeing, even if I wouldn't play with them.
Sure, don't mind at all, though. Black or white?"
Terrence starts pulling out the pieces, magnamanously setting up the white ones
in front of you. "Oh, I'll take black. I figure it's fair." That last
sentence is tossed out ever-so-casually in Hellenic, as if he hadn't even
thought about switching over.
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Niko, starting to place the white pieces, pauses at the Hellenic. When he
replies, in the same language, his voice is casual, though perhaps that takes
effort. "You are from Hellas as well? Perhaps with the delegation?" He nudges
a knight into place. Hey, he can hope.
Terrence lines each of the pawns up carefully, shrugging somewhat vaguely and
staying in said language. "Originally, you could say that. This is my native
language, if nothing else. I haven't been home in...oh, quite a few years
now." He glances up from the final pawn, slightly amused. "Delegation? Oh,
I'm not a diplomat..." He hesitates, glancing up at a passing pair of
giggling young women. "Although I hear some of the delegation is more than
easy on the eyes."
Niko pauses for a long moment. His voice has a slight edge as he says, "As I am
engaged to one of the delegates, I would have to agree with you, at least in
her case." He moves a pawn forward, adding lightly, "I'm Niko, by the way.
Niko Casymed."
Terrence starts to move a pawn forward in return, motion hitching partially
before he sets the piece down on the new space. "Casymed, hmm?" He doesn't
offer his own name in return just yet. "Not related to Ianessa Casymed by any
chance, are you?"
Niko considers for a long moment, gaze on the board. He advances a knight,
still not lifting his eyes. "She is my mother," he says quietly. "Do you know
her?"
"In passing," is all Terrence says, still in that maddeningly laid-back tone as
a bishop is moved out. "Like I said, it's been a few years since I was last
back in that corner of the galaxy. So you're engaged, eh? The old ball and
chain...brave man."
Niko glances up at that after a moment, with a faintly ironic smile. "Expressing love is bravery?" he inquires, moving forward a pawn. "Asking her... now that qualifies, maybe, but not marrying her."
Terrence regards the board for a long moment, half smirking. "Oh, hey, I'm all
for love. The female species is one to be admired, have attention lavished
on, and flattered shamelessly. Now living with one? -That's- bravery in my
book," he explains, shifting a knight out.
Niko moves a pawn forward to a position to take that knight, somehow finding
that particular move appropriate, if his smile is any clue. "Not one to
settle down, then, are you... Terrence?" He watches you at this last, dark
eyes intent.
Terrence unaccountably moves a far pawn forward, seemingly undismayed at the
loss of the knight. "Terrence Veruzac, that would be me, yes, anthropologist
extrordinnaire." He glances up finally with brows quirking slightly. "How'd
you know?"
Terrence unaccountably moves a far pawn forward, seemingly undismayed at the
loss of the knight. "Terrence Veruzac, that would be me, yes, anthropologist
extrordinnaire." He glances up finally with brows quirking slightly. "How'd
you know?"
Terrence shift the bishop again, not in danger, but perhaps plotting something
several moves ahead. "Arriving? I did, yes..." He pauses in his consideration
of the board to look up with a single brow lifted. "Might have been about
that, yeah. It's been a good twenty or so years since I've been home. I
haven't seen anyone from there since then, though," he adds with idle
indifference.
Niko makes a rather hasty move, his attention clearly not on the game. "You
don't even -remember- when it was?" His disbelief is unmistakable, if touched
somewhat with anger. He seems unaware of the glances from the folks at the
next table, instead focused only on you.
Terrence tilts his head in rather thinly disguised puzzlement, folding his
hands under his chin as he resumes considering the board. "Simmer down, kid,"
he suggests affably. "Twenty years is a long time, now. It's not like a man
forgets his home planet or anything." Another pawn is set forward
methodically.
Niko just stares at you for a moment, the game apparently forgotten. "You
honestly don't care about what you did to my parents, do you? Are you -that-
dishonorable?"
Terrence exhales a long breath, finally leaning back in his seat to regard you
thoughtfully. "What -I- did to your parents? Want to tell me just what you're
talking about, son? Last I hear, Ianessa married Basilius and they were
pretty darned happy. What's the problem?"
Niko, in a sudden flash of temper, says, "-Don't- call me son." He shakes his
head, then, taking a deep breath and continuing more calmly, with the
overly-patient tone that he uses with small children and some diplomats. "You
were last in Mathraki twenty-three years ago, before my parents were married.
I'm twenty-two, and was born six months after the wedding. The math isn't
that difficult, I think you can manage it."
Without changing expression for a long moment, Terrence mentally rewinds the years and inhales deeply. He tilts his head to regard your features, game utterly forgotten for now. "Ianessa..." he murmurs, slightly hurt fondness creeping into his voice before he shakes his head as if to shake it away. "It's not possible, boy. She'd have said something. Your move."
"How?" Niko demands. "How could she say anything to someone who wasn't there?"
He advances a rook in a short, impatient gestures. "You want proof, we can
get proof, but it doesn't matter."
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Terrence puffs out a slightly bemused sigh, folding his arms on the edge of the
table and peering at you thoughtfully. "Niko...it is Niko, right? Look, kid.
You really don't want to hear about this, you know? This is your mother we're
talking about. She's a grand woman, gorgeous as the day is long, and who was
I to refuse a beautiful woman?" No, he's not mentioning the ouzo he so
generously provided. "Anyway, go point fingers at Basilius if you're looking
for paternity."
Niko bristles at the mention of his mother. No, he definitely does not want to
hear this. "If the beautiful woman is to marry your friend, I'd think a
little self-control would be called for, even if Mom -would- do something
like that." He shakes his head. "Look. I don't want anything from you, but
some sort of admission of responsibility would be nice. If you're going to
sleep with anything female, you should at -least- get some sort of
contraceptive implant. You've got three kids that -I- know of; how many more
are there?"
Terrence shrugs almost dismissively, although he does look troubled. "Don't know. Depends on how many careless women there are out there. I just give them a little of the attention they need, especially if they aren't getting it elsewhere," he adds with a smooth smile, a bit of slime starting to show through the polished exterior before his eyes narrow slightly. "How'd you know I had three kids? I thought it was only two until meeting you..."
Niko shakes his head, expression one of anger held in check. "I've met the others. Talaxi is still on Mathraki. Riley," he adds, "Is here on Linnae." He gets to his feet, one hand on the table til he's sure of his balance on the skates. "I'm sorry, but I would rather not finish the game."
"Novinha's boy is -here-?" For some reason, this startles Terrence rather
significantly, and even leaves him visibly troubled. At the final comment, he
glances down at the board as if almost surprised to see it there, then sighs
and nods calmly, former smoothness oozing from him as he rises. "That's a
shame, lad. Would have been a good game, too. Give my best to your parents,
will you?"
Niko shakes his head. "No," he says flatly. "No, I don't think I'll do that.
There's no way they'd let my sisters visit if they knew you were here--and I
think they'd be right." With a scathing look, he turns to leave, tossing over
his shoulder, "And, yes, Riley's here."
Terrence's brows lift at the news of sisters, although he's wise enough not to
comment and instead just slips his hand into his pockets. "Up to you, up to
you," he offers lazily, then turns to methodically put away the chess pieces.
"Well, then. See you 'round, boy," he says without looking up, and without
mentioning Riley either.
Niko mutters, as he reaches the top of the ramp, "No, you won't."