Regrouping of the White
Travis enters the clubhouse, quickly taking note of the entryway's few occupants, giving a curt nod to the one noting his presence before striding across the room and slipping up the stairs. He pads down the hallway, barely pausing before giving a quick rap on the door.
Inside, even the lighting seems to have taken on Black's pall. << Come in. >> Emma bids him enter into a room light by firelight and the glimmer of light off the snow swirling outside the large picture window. She's seated in her customary chair, swiveled to face the window, business suit of the day still on, though shoes are lost and hair has lost a little of it's perfectly placed look. << Shut the door behind you, please. There are too many eager darklings running around here. >>
Travis slips in, closing the door softly behind him. "Four in the main hall, one acknowledged my presence, one just noted and the other two were preoccupied," he comments as he crosses the room, positioning himself patiently in front of the desk.
"Sit down, dear," Emma murmurs, waving a distracted hand at the chairs. "Or stand. Whatever," she amends tiredly, blinking her eyes and pulling her gaze away from the scene, forcing focus in her Knight. *snort* "My knight. The one piece that hasn't deserted me, and the one piece who by necessity must stay out of the Circle's dealings." She sighs and stands, leaning on steepled fingers. "Sebastian rules the Circle now. By virtue of stability and influence. Though you might like to know in case you too wish to switch allegiances?" A brow lifts sardonically.
Travis doesn't move to sit just yet, though his eyes flicker toward the chessboard as she begins to speak. "Watching people's movements of late suggested something of the sort." He makes no comment as to the switching allegiances. Or committal. "And where does that leave...us?" he asks, trailing off with the last bit as he does finally move to the chair.
Emma smiles smally at that... avoidance. "That leaves us in a royal mess, darling." she moves from behind the desk to reseat herself on the edge in frost of him, curling her hands around the carved edge and leaning forward slightly. "One person I trust to be loyal to me, if not obedient. One person I trust to align himself with me as long as it furthers his own nebulous goals. And you."
"Nebulous goals," Travis repeats, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Life. Liberty. The pursuit of happiness. Nothing more than your average true blue American," he qualifies glibbly. "So I alone have escaped this...revolution?"
"You'll escape the bloodbath to come. There's dirty work to do, my dear. Surely you don't expect me to sit idly by?"
"Hardly," Travis smirks. "Influence is more difficult, but stability can be slowly eroded. Although there's only so many 'accidents' that can occur, no matter how mundane, before coincindence is questioned. Had you a starting pin in mind?"
"I do, Knight. I do," Emma smiles, the expression conveying no mirth. "We are going to roll over." Emma lays out the broad strokes of the scheme, narrowing down to the fine brushstrokes required of him.
"A bold move, not that I'd expect any less," Travis says, letting one arm drop off the rest, hanging over the floor beneath. "And Sebastian Shaw just arrogant enough to believe it. Not that he won't be without suspicions. I'll not be able to act against him or his directly or even secondary. But I can find tertiary routes of undermining his support. Beginning with his pawns, whom he won't be as protective of."
Emma nods, slowly, eyes narrowing with judicious wariness as she straightens and releases the desk's edge, rubbing her hands together slowly.
"On the occasion I've had to play chess, Travis says, leaning forward suddenly and leveling a steady gaze on Emma. "I've discovered that the stalemate is the most fascinating occurance in the game. It takes only one move of overconfidence for a side to position themselves at an impass. And then all that is to be done is shuffle the pieces and start again on equal playing terms. But to get there, you must first eliminate the minor pieces to ensure limited options. So for now, we let the Black revel in their power, perhaps even throwing us some of their pawns out of pity. Gridlock is not as difficult to manage when that is your objective and your opponent underestimates your resources."
Emma smiles, a slow one that delights in its wickedness, and leans forward enough to place a fingertip against Travis' lips. "Well, then. We must make sure that he continues to do so then. Be careful, Knight. This is a gamble and a gambit."
Travis lifts his head, one corner of his mouth turning up into a half-smile. "I always am. And it always is. Wouldn't be worth the challenge otherwise. It always is."
Emma taps her finger and withdraws, approval lighting her eye in the darkened room. The meeting is at a close. She slides off her desk and nods at him, turning to head out of the room and into her quarters. Travis is free to follow or flee as he wishes.
Oh, tonight Travis is quite willing to be a follower. Quite willing indeed.