undergrounds | HOUNSLOW TERRITORY CLAIM

Faolan's mind is all but made up but he knows better than to go behind the clan's back and make a decision for them. Especially given his relatively shaky status with them, since the reveal of his status as a Guardian in the Night Council. He needs them to understand why this is a good idea, and he needs it to be their idea too, before he can go through with it.

And so it is that Faolan calls a Hillingdon Clan Meeting together. One of the only meetings they have had in the last while. Gathering all who attend together in the dining room and setting as many chairs around the large table and about the edge of the room as he can, to give everyone the opportunity to attend that he can.

When the meeting starts, Faolan is not sitting at the head of the table but rather in the middle of a side. A deliberate move, to demonstrate that at least in his mind, he is not holding himself in as high a position as the head of the table might imply. He glances around the room at those in attendance before he takes a deep breath and begins.

"I have called you all here today because I believe that we have something to discuss. A dilemma of which I'm sure we've all been aware for some time. Possibly longer than the city itself. But I also believe the state of things has reached a point where it cannot continue. Something must be done. And though Hillingdon has long sat out of the matters of the city, we are hunters. This is what we do. If ever there were a time for us to step up and defend what is ours, then I believe it to be now." He throws another glance around the room, gauging what reactions he's receiving across their faces before turning the question onto the people themselves.

"Hillingdon cannot stand against such a power such as we are. Thus we are faced with three choices. We may turn to our neighbors in battle, to try and take from Redbright for ourselves in a way that will put us on the playing board in a way we may not want to display ourselves. We may turn to them in peace, lending our expertise against this unifying threat in negotiation for more territory. More people. Or we may do nothing. And allow the vampires to continue their path of murder and destruction."

He allows another beat of silence, to let the three ideas sink in, before sitting straighter in his chair and continuing, "All those in attendance, I would welcome your opinion and your vote on the matter." And then he sits back to listen.

Sirius is of two minds in this debate.

On the one hand, something has to be done. While he's not fond of vampires on principle, the fact that they are running rampant in the city has made things doubly dangerous for Sirius. On the other, he reintegrated himself with Hillingdon because it tended to stay out of the way in these matters, and thus could be a place of safety. And it was hard to say which route was better at this point.

"I can't say I'm fond of the first option, but what would the second option, with the negotiating, look like?"

"Striking up a conversation with Redbright," Faolan replies to the question. "If we are to gain power, we need more territory. And they have it -- the most logical areas to claim at least. In negotiating with them, while we are lacking in a lot of the regular areas they might seek, we still have resources we might bring to the table."

He glances around the table at the lot of them, before suggesting, "Manpower. We are hunters. We have a problem with vampires. They might have their own fighters in their own factions, but their people will never be as good against such odds as we will. And they will recognize that." He will make them recognize that.

"So, we offer our resources and they give us their territory," Sirius replied, contemplating. It seemed fair, but this was also a little out of his scope of knowledge. He was just generally wary of Redbright due to it's connection with the Night council. Though at the same time, he could probably trust Faolan's resolve.

"Which one are we looking at? They have a few, don't they?"

Faolan glances around the room at the others but judging by their expressions Sirius seems to be acting as something of a spokesman for all of them so he looks back at the other man.

"Hounslow is the only territory where we will not be walling ourselves into a sea of Redbright territory," Faolan notes. "It is why I would suggest that, above others. It is a better statement that we are branching out to further our own power and resources, and not surrounding ourselves with the Institute on all sides." It also means the potential for further growth, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, Faolan thinks to himself.

Why would anyone put Sirius in a position of authority, really? He's just asking questions, more to satisfy his own curiosity and peace of mind rather than fulfill any sort of agenda. Well, hopefully he's asking the right questions.

"Makes sense to me," Sirius replied, after a moment's consideration. "Are we sure they'll go for it?"

Faolan would love to say that because he knows Sylvia, because he works for her, that he's got her all figured out. But she hadn't found herself the position that she did because she was easily manipulated. Quite the opposite in fact.

So Faolan sits forward in his seat and chooses his next words carefully. "We can't be certain of anything," he replies. "But I do know that the attempt for negotiation will stand a far better chance than the attempt to try and stake a claim by less peaceful means." They might as well paint a target upon themselves, setting the rest of the city against them like that.

Sirius nodded, agreeing that that tactic had the high possibility of going badly in a number of different ways.

"When are you thinking that this might take place?"

"A few days from now, if all are in agreement with the idea of it. There will be some negotiations to make, with Sylvia. Contingency plans must be put in place, in case she asks for more than we are offering."

He glances around the room at the people there gathered. "For now, however, I am asking your permission to follow through on it then. If you're not opposed to the idea of working with Redbright towards such a negotiation, then I would welcome your support on the matter."

"Well, I can't say I oppose it, so I guess you've got my permission then," Sirius replies, with a satisfied look. "Here's hoping it all works out, yeah?"

HOUNSLOW TERRITORY CLAIM

Closed to Hillingdon; Thursday, September 1st

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject