DATE:  Tuesday, March 24, 1998
Place:  The High Note

---- Recall start ----

Nigel walks into the dark confines of the club from the street outside, to 
   where one of the other employees waits to take his coat.
Nigel wipes his sneakers and puts his hood down, looking bedraggled.
Jayson walks into the dark confines of the club from the street outside, to 
   where one of the other employees waits to take his coat.
Rik walks into the dark confines of the club from the street outside, to where 
   one of the other employees waits to take his coat.
Nigel pauses in the act of polishing his glasses to squint-smile at Jayson. 
   "Guide books mentioned this part of the country was a little damp..."
Jayson nods. "I though _Boston_ in March was bad. At least back home, they had 
   plenty of coffee shops to keep you warm with."
Rik steps into the shiny, smooth, slick club, looking very not shiny smooth or 
   slick, and looks around the room uncomfortably.
Nigel grins. "You spot the Au Bon Pain in 'Good Will Hunting'? They had to 
   bring up extras from New York; the regulars in Harvard Square didn't look 
   'Cambridgy enough'."
Jayson laughs with a nod. "I heard that the MIT scenes were really shot at a 
   school that looked more nerdy than the real MIT campus." He shrugs off his 
   jacket and folds it neatly over a chair back, then pulls another chair over 
   and sits near Nigel.
Nigel's expression gets worried. "You heard about Mo, right? Vaughn?"
Bailey walks slowly into the club, taking in the atmosphere. He looks around, 
   and notices familiar faces. He walks over to the table, and takes a seat.
Jayson says "Yea. Well, you had to expect it. I mean, the Sox can't keep 
   anyone with talent on the rosters."
Nigel grimaces. "Damn Curse. There's suspicions, you know, that he's the 
   spirit of Babe Ruth come back. Especially after that DUI outside the Foxy 
   Lady--that's just the sort of thing Babe did." He looks up as Bailey comes 
   close.
Jayson chuckles at Nigel, which leads into a friendly 'Hey' directed at Bailey 
   as he arrives. Focusing back on the Nigel, he asks, "Hey, they ever 
   straighten out the deal with the Pats and the stadium? I'm guessing that 
   they're planning to force them to Rhode Island, what with them being 
   somewhat successful and all."
JJ Malone is settled in one of the larger booths surrounded on three-quarters 
   by higher walls. He looks up and around as people arrive, a glass of some 
   clear, iced liquid in a small tumbler on the table before him. He checks 
   his watch, then says, "So, we're here. Let's start. Introductions first."
Rik hears a familiar voice and follows it to the dark booth in the far reaches 
   of the club.
Nigel shakes his head. "Never happen. The Gio..." he trails off and focuses on 
   JJ.
Jayson moves his attention to JJ, crossing his legs and settling in for the 
   meeting.
Bailey closes his eyes, and chuckles silently for a moment. He looks up, and 
   addresses the table in a low, light tenor voice. "Hi. Bailey Jacobsen, 
   Night's-Justice. Cliath Glasswalker Gibbous Moon, and member of Cavall, 
   child of Dog."
Jayson offers a slight wave of his hand as he follows with his introduction. 
   "Jayson Carr AKA Weaver's smile. Cliath Crescent Moon and generic Computer 
   Nerd."
Nigel blinks at the mention of Dog. "Nigel McAllister, new in town. Crescent, 
   affiliated with the City Farmers. You can call me Greenclaw, or Nigel, or 
   whatever."
JJ Malone's mirroed gaze looks to Rik lastly.
Rik comes up to the table and looks around it. "Must be the place. We think 
   it's safe? Hi, I'm Rik and I'm an alcoholic."
Bailey grins, and chuckles. "Hi, Rik."
JJ Malone chides sardonically. "Come now, Rik. You know the best way to hide 
   is in plain sight. As long as we're not stupid about it." He levels brief 
   but meaningful glances at all three cliaths, then turns to Bailey. "So, old 
   business first. Have you made your decision?"
Rik moves to sit, and hopefully whoever is on the end scoots enough to make 
   room so he doesn't sit on them. He smells of baby powder and hand lotion.
Bailey nods slowly. "I know what way is my own, and it is the way of my tribe, 
   and of Roach. The Challenge still continues. I offered to leave the pack, 
   but Wilson wouldn't hear of it, and undertsands. Cavall will find a way to 
   deal with it."
JJ Malone nods. "Tell Jimmy that if Pete has problems with it, he should come 
   talk to me." He gives a quick look around. "Since Jennifer and Nadine 
   aren't here, we'll move on to new business. The floor is open."
Bailey looks over to his Elder. "I do. I was approached at the last Moot, and 
   asked to talk to you, JJ. Mark needs to get in contact with the Seattle 
   Walkers, and wants to meet with you. He's normally at the barn, but since 
   he's in Scott's pack, he might be at the city meeting tonight."
JJ Malone nods. "Soon as we're done here, we'll drive over there. If not, I'll 
   find a way to contact him somehow."
Bailey shrugs. "Cavall found some stuff at the River thats throwing banes all 
   over the City. We found some pretty bad shit shadow-side, and this effect 
   the whole city. Think we're gonna talk about it at the Meeting, and brief 
   everyone."
Nigel looks up, interested.
Jayson glances over at Bailey. "What, exactly, is 'Stuff'? Did you have a 
   crescent try to identify it?"
Bailey nods again. "There's a huge bane, probably caused by pollution shit 
   upriver. It's producing smaller banes that are causing despair, anger, and 
   hate all over. Suicides, crime, and violence have gone sky high the last 
   few weeks. We foud there's some Gaian spirits trapped in the huge bane, so 
   we can't just kick it's ass, because it will kill the good spirits."
Rik nods. "Yeah, I heard there was this big gang shoot-out at the park. 
   Wondered if that was something spirits had a hand in."
Bailey nods. "We're sure of it."
Nigel frowns. "How far upriver? Has anyone driven north to scope out the 
   extent of al this?"
Bailey hmmms. "Not sure."
Nigel taps the table, thinking. "If we could find the source, that might 
   help...I was thinking of taking a tour of the area anyhow, looking for some 
   cheap real estate...this is probably an idea for the City meeting, though."
Bailey nods, agreeing with Nigel.
JJ Malone shakes his head at Rik's speculation. "Us, from what I've heard. 
   Edge and Untouchables." He turns to Nigel, thinking. "You'll need back-up 
   if you do. I'm in, when you do it."
Rik mmf's to JJ, and nods as if this also is not unexpected. Then he studies 
   the rest of the group.
Jayson nods. "I'd like in too, when the time comes. Sitting on my duff too 
   long as it is."
Bailey nods again. "Of course."
Nigel gives JJ and Jayson a grateful look. "I'd appreciate it. Jayson, can you 
   Sense?"
Jayson shakes his head. "That's not on my resume, just yet. I can only talk to 
   them."
JJ Malone levels a look at Rik. "Could use you."
Bailey blinks. "Elan's at the meeting now. He's told me a recent oil tanker 
   spill might be the cause, and Lightseeker rescued Big Fish. It's the River 
   spirit that eats the pollution there. The bane might be the manifested rage 
   of the river."
Rik shrugs. "I don't know from spirits, kid. You know that."
JJ Malone responds somewhat sarcastically, "But you can beat the stuffing out 
   of one, and they'll need back-up if they slip sideways and there's 
   something nasty there, neh?"
Nigel gives Bailey a baffled look. "Who or what is Lightseeker?"
Bailey ohs, and smiles. "Arlen Lightseeker, a Fury Theurge in Edge."
Nigel ahhs. "I was picturing a giant stork, for some reason. Big Fish isn't 
   providing any useful information, I take it?"
Rik nods and purses his lips. "Yeah, yeah I guess I can."
Bailey shrugs. "Think they're talking about it now at the coty meeting."
Jayson raises an eyebrow. "Wait a minute, who runs the city meetings?"
Bailey turns from Nigel to Jayson. "Scott. Silver Fang, and was Elder til two 
   weeks ago. Alpha of Dawn's Fire, based out of SCCU."
Jayson lets a comment dance on his lips, but quashes it before it gets him 
   into trouble and settles for just shaking his head. "Okay, sorry to 
   interrupt."
JJ Malone breaks in drily. "Scott called this one," he corrects. "There is no 
   such beast as a 'city meeting'. That implies a central figurehead, and 
   there isn't one right now. Maybe, eventually, the Family will regain a 
   toehold enough to do that. Hopefully, when someone better than I realizes 
   what the hell is going on here." He chuckles mirthlessly, and sips from his 
   glass. "I have a few issues to put on the table. First off, in case not 
   everyone's heard, the little scuffle at Harbor Park which resulted in the 
   deaths was caught on film of some sort. I've been speaking to Kyle about 
   it, and I've offered our services if and when they have some of information 
   we can go on." He pauses for reactions.
Rik frowns in vague confusion.
Bailey nods slowly.
Nigel groans softly.
Jayson scratches his chin. "It was shown on the news or some such?"
JJ Malone shakes his head to Jayson's question. "Copies were sent to one of 
   our kin in town, who told Dillan, who then called me. He can be taught," he 
   adds in non sequiteur.
Bailey rubs his clean-shaven chin. "What's the plan?"
Jayson frowns slightly. "Well, that's something. Any ideas why it was sent 
   out? I'd imagine that the person would want something in return at some 
   point. No reason to advertise that you have such information unless you 
   plan to get something out of it."
JJ Malone shakes his head in response to Jayson, then says to Bailey, 
   "Untouchables is looking into it, last I heard. I need to catch up with 
   Kyle now that it's a bit darker at night and see if he's found any leads 
   that we'd have better skills to follow-up on." He gives a brief but 
   meaningful glance to Jayson at the latter part, then returns to looking at 
   all four.
Bailey raises an eyebrow. "Do we know who exactly was caught on film?"
JJ Malone shakes his head. "Haven't heard details. Dillan only had one of the 
   pictures."
Bailey nods slowly. "There's probably not just the one. It's a warning."
"I'm not jumping to any conclusions," J.J. says with a touch of stubborness, 
   then says, "Secondly, Nigel's offered money as chiminage. A large quantity 
   of money, which I've told him he must find something beneficial to do with. 
   I'll have final say on whether or not it's accepted, but since he's Family, 
   feel free to give him ideas if you know of something." He reaches for his 
   cigarettes and lights on. His gaze seems to be lingeringly almost too 
   pointedly on Rik a good deal of the time.
Rik looksa uncomfortably away.
Bailey smiles at Nigel. "That's cool. If something does come up, I'll bring it 
   to you."
Nigel examines the table, seeming a little embarassed.
Jayson , after perceiving a break in the discussion clears his throat. "I was 
   wondering if it might be possible, at some time, to list the assets of the 
   tribe in terms of money and capital equiptment as well as what political 
   influence we have both within the Sept and within the city. I think that in 
   order for us to do any real long term planning, as far as our Tribe's net 
   worth, we need to analyze what we have and focus on what our immediate 
   needs are."
Bailey listens quietly to the Theurge, and nods a slow agreement.
JJ Malone's mouth twitches once. "Excellent idea. You'll take care of it 
   then?" he asks with the apparent expectation that Jayson's answer will be 
   'of course'.
Rik leans back in his seat and eyes the front door.
Jayson laughs deeply, shaking his head slightly. "I don't mind coordinating 
   it, but since I'm new to both the Sept and the city, I'm not too sure it's 
   smart to have me do it alone." He chuckles a bit and adds,not at all 
   helpfully, "Maybe Nigel can help point me in the right direction."
Nigel blinks. "Um?"
Jayson slaps his arm lightly. "Yea, you can point out what I don't know about 
   the city, and I can point out what you don't know about the Sept. Together, 
   we could muster, and these are numbers off the top of my head, maybe 5 
   percent of the job."
Bailey chuckles at the exchange.
Nigel has the look of someone transfixed by headlights. "I...well, I *guess*"
Nigel scratches his head, brain starting to kick in. "There'll be variables, 
   of course--we never know for sure what other groups are competing with us 
   for resources, or what attrition might take place, so if we're aiming for a 
   one year or five year plan, there'll have to be a great deal of wiggle 
   room...but I think something could be worked out."
JJ Malone exhales a plume of smoke, then points at Rik with the cigarette. 
   "Get him for background info. He was here before I was, and might have some 
   insight."
Jayson nods, with a slight sigh. "Okay, I'll start there. If people have 
   favors owed, either Septwise or other, it'd be useful to know that 
   information too."
Bailey shrugs. "Not me."
Jayson nods at Bailey. "You can help steer Cavall for us, though, if the 
   situation should arise that we needed it, right?"
Bailey cocks his head. "I can offer a suggestion or two, but it's up to my 
   Alpha of what's done."
JJ Malone snorts, then asks with a hint of sarcasm and disdain, "Surely you 
   can apply yourself, singer?"
Jayson nods at Bailey. "Alpha's can be talked into things, though. Just make 
   sure you stay on his goodside." He turns his attention back to JJ, "You 
   have the tribal assets?"
Bailey nods slowly. "Yep."
Nigel gives Bailey a sympathetic 'been there' look.
JJ Malone flickers his fingers at Jayson. "I leave the job to you."
Jayson nods, and falls silent.
Bailey pages akk: I don't have any business.
JJ Malone looks around the club, then back to the three. "Also, it's looking 
   as if Nadine and Jennifer will need tested again." He sighs irritably. "If 
   anyone has any good ideas, I'm open to them. Better still, find someone to 
   perform the Rite."
Bailey nods again. "I can ask around."
Rik says "Rite of Passage?"
JJ Malone nods to Rik curtly, then mutters, "I hate this place sometimes, 
   nothing to *work* with here--" he cuts himself off, then downs what's left 
   of his drink without looking at any of the four cliaths, fingers wrapped 
   around the glass white-knuckled.
Salem enters the High Note with a brisk step and an undercurrent of repressed, 
   sour anger, his mood almost as black as his hair. He glances at his watch, 
   then pauses to scan the room.
Rik exhales, slow and long. "Yeah. Welcome to the big time."
Nigel glances over at the door and instinctively slides his chair back 
   slightly as he tenses. "Err...were we expecting anyone else?"
Bailey nods again, and looks to Jayson. "Oh, yeah. Elan told me to tell you 
   he's able to teach you."
JJ Malone gives Rik a sour look, then notices Salem's arrival. He simply looks 
   over at the dark-haired man for a bit until his gaze meets, makes a brief, 
   barely noticable beckoning gesture, then turns back to Rik. "You know I'm 
   not cut out for this shit."
Jayson glances over at the new arrival, then down to his feet. "I see you 
   didn't budget all that well."
Rik shakes his head to JJ. "Like anybody here is? I tried it once, just about 
   killed off the crew."
Salem nods back as his eyes briefly meet JJ's, and he heads toward the 
   gathering. The anger gets pushed down another notch, but remains, visible 
   in every nuance of body language. "Sorry I'm late," he says to Malone as he 
   comes within earshot. "Took me a moment to find the place."
Bailey looks over at the sound of the voice, face suddenly becoming 
   unreadable. He regards Salem for a moment, then turns back to the Fostern, 
   curious.
JJ Malone snorts decisively at Rik, then eyes Salem. "We pride ourselves on 
   punctuality," he says simply. If he hears Jayson's remark, he doesn't 
   comment on it either. "Gentlemen, Jack Salem. He's petitioned to be adopted 
   into the family. He's currently in the process of trying to find a task to 
   prove he's cut out for life among us. But as we are a family," he says with 
   a faint underscore of grudging bitterness, "I asked him here tonight so all 
   of you would know and with the hop that you might make yourself available 
   to him to help where you can."
Bailey sits, frozen solid, for a moment before nodding slowly. "Sure thing."
Salem accepts the rebuke with a formal, slight dip of his eyes and then takes 
   a seat. He leans back slightly, folding his arms across his chest and 
   glancing from one Walker to the next, his features carefully sketched into 
   a respectfully neutral facade.
Nigel gives Salem a thoughtful nod.
Jayson smiles at Salem. "I'm available whenever you need. Just give me a ring."
Bailey turns to Salem, anything to break the silence. "So, what Moon?"
Salem gives Jayson a slight smile, the expression twitching at the corners of 
   his mouth. "Thank you." His eyes then flick toward Bailey, giving him a 
   slightly more measuring look, though it seems -- to the perceptive -- that 
   he's taking pains to curb his more aggressively arrogant tendencies. "Full."
Bailey nods quietly, trying to shake off the nerves he now has. "Welcome 
   aboard."
"Since there's nothing else," J.J. breaks in jarringly. "I call this meeting 
   adjourned. Bailey, please ask Mark the best way to contact him directly, 
   and leave me voice mail if you see him. Jayson, we'll speak later about 
   your project. Nigel, we'll do lunch or some such foofra to talk about your 
   chiminage. Rik, I expect you to help out and not need dragged in like a 
   recalcitrant kid. Bad enough to have cubs."
Without great enthusiasm, Rik says "Yessir."
JJ Malone adds finally to Salem, "And Jack, one month."
Salem's gaze flicks toward Malone. He nods once. "Understood."
Jayson stands up and pulls his wallet out, prodiucing a small white card, 
   which he slides over to Nigel. "Hey, when you get a chance give me a call. 
   I have some business I'd like to discuss with you at some time."
Bailey nods. "Done."
Nigel smiles as he takes Jaysons's card. "Will do. And that reminds me..." he 
   reaches into his jacket pocket and takes out a handful of bunsiness cards, 
   which he passes around to everyone (including Salem). "This has my e-mail, 
   my pager number, all the fun stuff, should anyone need me to come look at a 
   plant or ask a spirit something, or whatever."
JJ Malone takes Nigel's business card carelessly, then slides out of his seat. 
   He cuffs Salem lightly on the shoulder. "You can start by giving me a hand 
   tonight."
Bailey looks over the card, and smiles, nodding, placing it in his wallet.
Jayson slips the card into his wallet with a nod, then moves his attention to 
   Bailey. "I'd like to sit down with you , sometime in the near future, too. 
   Some tribal stuff to discuss."
Nigel drops money for a tip on the table, nods once more to everyone, and 
   heads out the door.
Bailey nods to Jayson. "I'm at Silverton. apartment 101. Feel free to stop by."
Nigel walks out the door, the grinning doorman nodding suavely as he holds the 
   door for him.
Salem accepts Nigel's proffered card, glancing at it. JJ's cuff provokes a 
   sharp stiffening movement from the Ronin, quickly and forcibly squelched. 
   He nods and pushes to his feet, slipping the business card inside his coat. 
   "I'm at your disposal."
Jayson nods. "I'll look you up." He nods to the others collected. "Evening, 
   folks", then heads out the door.
JJ Malone gives a cursory motion, pulling on his coat. "Evening to you all," 
   he says with a modicum of civility. "Rik...later," he finally adds after a 
   pause, then heads for the door.
Jayson walks out the door, the grinning doorman nodding suavely as he holds 
   the door for him.
Salem falls into step with JJ Malone, following the Walker elder like a 
   Doberman in grim human guise.
Bailey nods to the table. "See all of you around. Evening," he says, and heads 
   for the door.

---- Recall end ----