...And Release (Tension, Part II)

["Lindsay Bowen" <lbowen@hotmail.com>]

Guenter leaves his seat at the bar.
Guenter walks toward the red-table, looking to Sartori, "Mind if I have a 
seat?"

Sartori tilts his head "Jeon said be polite, so please do."

Guenter takes a seat at the red table.

Etta smiles gently, her gaze resting briefly on Hasan, openly curious. It 
does not linger for long, however, and she orders another glass of wine.

At the red table, Guenter smiles, his drink in hand, he looks to the 
Sardaukar, "... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
..." He smiles, takng a drink, letting his words sit for a bit, "... ... ... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..." He extends his hand to the Colonel, 
"..."

Martin, figureing that they should need their privacy, steps away from the 
table.

Hasan drinks his raki quietly.

Martin leaves his seat at the red table.

Martin walks over to the green-table, "May I join you?"

Etta nods, "Please do."

Martin takes a seat at the green table.

Sartori tilts his head forward, narrowing his eyes "Perhaps you should 
recalculate your data....M'..lord....there is peace between us or you would 
be dead already..dont ever forget im Sardaukar.

Martin says, "Good evening, my lady. My name is Martin Rinaldi."

At the red table, Guenter smiles, "... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..." He takes another drink, "... ... ... ... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ..." He chuckles, "... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
..."

Martin takes her hand and kisses it. "An honor my lady."

Hasan pulls a notepad and sterling pen from his breast pocket.

Sartori leans back and shifts one leg free of the table" then perhaps you 
should learn to temper your wit as well as your mind in the future.

Etta follows Martin's movements with her gaze, a smile tugging at the 
corners of her lips as he kisses her hand.

Martin sitting up. "I've thought about it that way. Maybe it is just 
upbring"

At the red table, Guenter smiles broadly, not certain how to take that, "... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
... ... ... ..." He readies to leave, "... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..."

You are now watching the green-table.

Etta nods and offers a piece of candy to her new tablemate.


Martin takes the candy. "Thank you. What kind is it?"

Sartori rises "A mentats mind is never in disarray, or so you've told 
me...eh?  The weapon with legs that can't think?"  A slight edge to his 
voice.

At the green table, Etta says, "... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
..."

Sartori shakes his head, "Garamond?...Garamond!... You still have no bloody 
clue, Mentat!"

Hasan's guards take note of the situation at the red table, but do not 
change posture.

Martin eats the candy. "It has a nice flavor."

Hasan's ear pricks up at the name "Garamond."

Etta agrees softly, flicking a glance in the direction of the strained 
voices.

Hasan orders a vodka and two rakis, on a serving platter, from the bar.

Martin turns to the arguement.

Hasan takes the platter in one hand, like a waiter. Never having done this 
before, he is none too expert.

Guenter motions to Sartori with open hands, both to say 'calm down' and to 
reaffirm that he is not a threat to the warrior fanatic, "Sure, sure... 
We'll pick this up at a later date. It's apparent that you aren't quite in 
the right frame of mind currently." He smiles to the Sardaukar, a smile of 
sympathy perhaps, "Really, I didn't mean to enrage you. Only a matter of 
polite concern."

Hasan wobbles over to the green table. "My Lady, perhaps I might take you up 
on your offer of the caramels?"

Sartori bares his teeth "Polite !... I'm sick of bloody polite."

Etta looks up at Hasan in surprise, grinning a bit, "Would you care to join 
us, Sir?"

Hasan's expression indicates some urgency. "Perhaps later." He nods towards 
the other table.

Etta holds out several caramelas on her open palm, offering them to Hasan.

Hasan, the platter swaying dangerously, takes the candy.
Hasan nods his thanks.

At the green table, Etta leans close and murmurs softly, "... ... ... ... 
... ... ..."

Hasan walks over to the red table.

Guenter maintains his smile, "Really, Colonel Sartori.. I don't understand 
your rage toward me. Though if this is the way you need it to be, I guess I 
don't have a lot of choice but to just accept the fact that you don't like 
me very well." He extends his hand to the man, "In any event, it was good to 
see you again, even if the pleasure was all mine."

Sartori stands in a near ready postion

Hasan sets his platter on the table in front of the two men.

Martin quickly turns around when Sartori stands.

Hasan clears his throat. "If I may, gentlemen..."

Guenter smiles to Sartori, "Oh, quite good. I was just running dry." He 
winks, exchanging his now empty glass with a fresh one.

Hasan covers the glass before Guenter grabs it.
Hasan lifts a finger. "There is a parable here."

Etta watches the exchange, casually sipping from her wine glass.

Sartori snaps his head around at Hasan

Hasan, having their attention, offers the platter to the gentlemen at the 
red table. "Sweetness", he says, indicating the candy. "And strength," 
indicating the liquor. "We need them both in these uncertain times."

Sartori seems to gather his thougths about him.

Hasan takes a shot glass and a candy and withdraws a step.

Guenter follows suit, understanding enough to know what to do from here.

Etta nods as she speaks quietly with Martin.

Sartori nods towards the mentat, "Perhaps you should read the Book of Five 
Rings, an ancient text about strategy, perhaps then you will understand."

Hasan holds the candy in one hand, and the shot in the other.

Guenter holds a shot and a candy as well, looking to Sartori.

Sartori leaves his seat at the red table.

Sartori looks to Hasan, "What!"

Hasan looks at the items left on the tray. "These drinks and candies. The 
product of two Houses Major. A gift, to symbolize the balance that defines a 
healthy Imperium."

Hasan holds himself steady against the tension in the room. If walking the 
razor's edge between the men makes him nervous, it does not show.

Sartori looks at Hasan as if he has two heads

Etta's lips turn upward in a slow smile as she watches, then her attention 
is caught by Martin's comment and she leans in to speak softly to him.

Guenter smiles, holding the shot and the candy up toward Sartori, waiting 
for him to do the same. The candy has begun melting in his fingers in the 
time spent. He's had to smash it a little to keep it form falling to the 
floor.

Sartori shakes his head, "Not this day Mentat, not this day....I will treat 
you the respect of your station, other then that.......you will do well to 
remember that peace..and politeness may not always hold sway."

Hasan looks at the beads of moisture forming on his glass in anticipation.

Sartori says, "I do hope you are giving as much effort to Justine's health, 
as trying to ....smooth ...this out."

Hasan speaks up, "Actually the effort here is mine."

Martin smiles

Etta returns Martin's smile. She leans back in her seat and takes another 
long drink of her wine.

Sartori shakes his head, "Then you waste your effort."

Hasan shrugs, and downs his raki, then pops the caramel into his mouth.
Hasan licks the melted candy off his fingers. "As...", lick, "...you wish."
Hasan half-bows to the two men. "I bid you both a good night."

Sartori turns to Hasan, ".....the gesture was appreciated."

Hasan puts his shot glass on the tray, nods, and moves off.

Sartori nods to Guenter, "Eve to you M'lord."

Martin smiles at Etta.

Hasan walks to the green table. He half-bows to Etta. "Lady, thank you for 
the caramel. I would that all the relations beween our Houses were so 
sweet."

Sartori nods to all others in room.

Martin smiles bigger with Hasan's comment.

Guenter pops the candy, folliwng it with the shot. He goes to the table to 
grab a napkin, nodding to Hasan, "G'night." His voice is light. He looks 
back to Sartori, "And once more, Good night to you as well. One of these 
days perhaps we will sit as friends. But not today apparently. It's a shame 
really, I don't think I understand your anger, though I do respect it enough 
to know when to stop trying to impose my friendship upon you."

Sartori passes through the arch leading into the hotel lobby.
Sartori has left.

Etta offers her hand to Hasan, "As do I."

Hasan takes the hand and bends over it, but does not kiss. "Adieu."
Hasan nods to Martin, "Sir. The pleasure was mine. Good night to you all."

Martin nods to Hasan. "As was mine."

Etta smiles, saying nothing, simply gazing in silence as the gentlemen take 
their leave.

Hasan gestures to his guard and departs. The four Bajazet file out in two 
ranks, with Hasan in the middle.

You pass through the arch and enter the hotel lobby.

FINI

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