May 27, 2003

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Gideon Club - Lounge...

Yosannah makes her way up the stairwell, small folded paper in her hand. She seems to be reading it over, a puzzled expression on her face.

Mora holds an elegant champagne flute. She is gazing toward the conservatory when Yosannah enters.

Yosannah looks up from her note, gaze falling on the woman, "Mora. Hello."

Mora gives Yosannah a small smile, "Hello." Her gaze flickers over to Yosannah's wrist.

Yosannah lifts the note eye-level, "I don't suppose you know what this is all about?" It reads:

Your presence is requested at Gideon on the twenty-seventh day of May at nine o'clock in the afternoon of that day.

S.

Mora seems slightly amused, "No, I almost thought it a joke."

Yosannah looks about the room, "Maybe you're right." She smiles, "Jokes on you and me it seems."

Mora shrugs, lifting her small shoulders, "It would not surprise me."

Yosannah moves to sit on the arm of the easy chair. She glances down at the chess board on the table, "Why do you say that?" She crosses her arms over her chest.

Mora says "It is not as if I am well liked here."

A servant wanders in from the stairwell, tray in hand and two champagne flutes thereon. He approaches the women hestitantly and mutters, "Ladies..."

Yosannah smiles at the servant and reaches for a glass, "Thank you." To Mora, "Another?"

Mora nods and replaces her glass with a fresh one. She murmurs, "Thank you."

Yosannah nods lightly to the Club servant as he takes his leave of them. She turns her gaze back to Mora, "I'm not sure I follow you. Is this based upon an impression ... or..." she shrugs.

Mora says "A combination of impressions and reactions. Ryker in particular."

Damen comes up the stairs.

Yosannah lets out a short laugh, "Ryker doesn't like anybody..." She lowers her voice as Damen enters the room.

Damen pauses at the door. "I see everyone is their usual punctual self."

Mora sips her champagne and nods to Damen.

Yosannah smiles at Damen, obviously happy to see him, "You included." She stands from her seat on the arm of the chair.

Damen moves to the bar, reaching down and behind to grab a bottle of water.

Mora looks surprised, "Just water?"

Damen shrugs nonchalantly. "Couldn't be helped. Bartholemew told the people who needed to know." Damen sips his water.

Yosannah furrows her brow, arms still crossed over her chest, flute in hand, "What do you mean?"

Damen smiles faintly, "Exactly what I said." He takes a moment to acknowledge Mora's presence with a nod.

Yosannah bites at her lower lip and exhales lightly. The smile fades from her lips and she turns back toward Mora and resumes their conversation, "I wouldn't worry so much about him, Mora. There's no winning that one over."

Damen adds, "That can be said about a lot of people." Damen moves from the bar to study a painting near the chessboard.

Mora nods and takes another sip of her champagne.

Yosannah gives a sidelong glance in Damen's direction, "You said it."

Damen nods to himself and glances at his watch.

Yosannah asks of Damen, "I don't suppose Stone spoke with you about Despil."

Damen shakes his head. "No. He hasn't. What of him?"

Yosannah offers for both of their sakes, "I think he was going to talk to you about making him a member or some such thing."

Damen raises an eyebrow. "The reclusive Despil? I am somewhat surprised he's been swayed by Stone."

Yosannah looks into her flute as she shrugs her shoulders, "He wasn't."

Mora smiles, "I quite enjoy Despil's company."

Damen says "Oh?" he offers, "Then was it you?"

Yosannah nods as if in agreement with Mora and then, to Damen, she states, "You're not the only one with the power of pursuasion, Damen."

Damen chuckles softly, "Mora...you would think a cactus was charming company if it gave you the time of day."

Yosannah furrows a brow at Damen's words, "You're an asshole."

Damen nods, "That has been confirmed more than once, my love."

Mora smiles, "Thank you for confirming something for me."

Yosannah turns her attention to Mora as she speaks.

Damen rubs the bridge of his nose.

Yosannah sets her glass on the table at the center of the room, "What's going on with you Damen. Mora didn't deserve that."

Damen regards Yosannah. "Since when have you been the champion of the little people, Yo? Turning over a new leaf ? Or has your new regard enveloped more than just our relationship?"

Yosannah blinks at him, "Champion of the -what-?"

Mora places her glass down, "Well, it has been..." Mora moves forward and vanishes, leaving behind a rapidly fading afterimage.

Yosannah crosses her arms over her chest and looks to Mora's lingering image.

Damen sips his water.

Yosannah lowers her gaze to the floor as if unable to make eye contact with him. "What's on your mind. Just say it."

Damen says "Nothing is on my mind, Yo. Absolutely nothing."

"You came here angry. Why?"

Damen raises an eyebrow. "Actually the correct term is impassive. And I think you know why....so don't play the uninformed innocent."

Yosannah shrugs, gaze looking somewhere past him, "There's no excuse for you acting this way. Certainly not to her. Especially if I'm the target." She sighs, "Is that it? Am I the target?"

Damen says "Do you feel like a target, Yo? I don't see how you can be....you made it clear to me that you wanted your space. Yet, it was that same space that seemed to put the seed of doubt in your mind, was it not? Me not being around?" His jaw twitches. "We shouldn't even have to be discussing it. You know all of this....you can't even meet me in the eyes."

Yosannah nods, "Okay." Still nodding, "Then there's no reason for the tension if we 'know all this'."

Damen shrugs and sips his water. "Well, it doesn't seem like anyone else is coming. No need for us to waste each other's time."

"You're not a waste of time, Damen." She begins to move toward the stairwell but pauses, "Things will work out. One way or the other."

Damen says "Yes. There are always two options that pretty much cover all the bases, aren't there? One way or the other."

Yosannah considers that for a moment and then chuckles lightly, "Yeah." She smiles, biting at her lip, "Yeah." She heads toward the door.

Damen nods and moves to the armchair.

Yosannah makes her way out of the Club and wanders through the ...

Cemetery of the Lost Souls...

She removes a trump from her pocket and stares at the image...until she has established contact with Merlin.

To the image of Merlin, Yosannah is standing amidst and ash strewn graveyard, "Corey. Hey, are you bus..." She squints as if in effort to ascertain his surroundings.

The image of Merlin tilts his head. "A little," he says,"And you'll never guess where I am."

To the image of Merlin, Yosannah raises a brow, "I'm almost scared to."

The image of Merlin nods his head. "I received an invite. Curious why. So I'm here."

To the image of Merlin, Yosannah says "An invite? Invite where?"

The image of Merlin says "The Spade's place in Erotic City. Should I ask Joshua about that bandage on your arm while I'm here?"

To the image of Merlin, Yosannah's jaw drops, "Erotic City? I'm gonna guess that the invite is thanks to Emily." She shakes her head and then adds, abruptly, "And no."

The image of Merlin says "You're probably right."

To the image of Merlin, Yosannah says "Damn straight I am." She bites at her lip, "How long... um... Do you think you might be tied up?"

The image of Merlin shakes his head slightly, and seems to be in the process of casually filling a plate with food. "Can't say, really," he says. "Apparently Dwight and I have some things to discuss."

The image of Merlin shrugs. "Something to do with my father."

To the image of Merlin, Yosannah says "Really." She nods, "I recall Dwight saying something in the Courts to you about wanting to talk."

The image of Merlin nods his head. "So curiosity is getting the best of me," he says. "And I want to hear what he's got to say. How about I call you later and tell you about it?"

To the image of Merlin, Yosannah lets a smirk escape the corner of her lips, "Oh, I wouldn't miss it for anything. Give Joshua a big wet kiss for me."

The image of Merlin smirks. "I'll do that."

Yosannah breaks off trump contact with Merlin.