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| - Dumoulin Lecture Hall The lecture hall has room for about 275 students seated at oak desks with oak chairs. The stone of the walls would make the room very dark and heavy if it wasn't for the large windows that let in natural light. At the front of the lecture hall, there is a lectern with controls built into the face to control the holoprojectors and the lights. Cierra is sitting about halfway down the amphitheater, a padd sitting on the desk, a soda in her hand. Vampire parks his hoverchair near the front row of the amphitheater, then slings his book bag over the hood. Crouse, rather anachronistically wearing a black academic gown over his conservative dress, walks slowly down the steps to the front of the lecture hall, carrying all his books with him. Joseph takes a free desk near the entrance, setting a datapad on his desk and unclipping the stylus, jotting things down. Cierra finishes the soda and places the can into her bag at her feet. Picking up a stylus she prepares to learn. Wynter steps into the hall and stands to one side of the door, glancing around to get her bearings before moving to a seat. She absently brushes back a strand of flaxen hair. Vampire is parked in his hoverchair at the front row of the amphitheater, book bag slung across the hood. He glances around cynically, knitting his barbed-wire tattooed brow. Crouse continues his dignified descent toward the lectern. His gown is slowly slipping off his shoulders. A few steps from his goal, he places his foot on the bottom edge of the gown and loses his balance. With a muffled sound he goes sailing towards the floor, his books flying off in all directions. Wynter makes up her mind and gracefully walks to where Vampire's hoverchair is, indicating a seat beside him she asks in a gentle voice, "Mind if I sit here, or are you saving it for someone? It's the last one in front and, frankly, I like to be right up front." Cierra jumps up and runs down the few steps o start piling up the books, giving the professor a few moments to right himself, "You ok?" she asks without looking at him. Vampire unzips his book bag, takes out an opaque brown bottle, then shrugs at Wynter. "Free world and all that, right, sister?" Joseph winces and stands up, heading for the fallen Crouse. Crouse grimaces as he stands up, wincing slightly. He lifts one foot off the ground and tests his ankle gingerly. "Yes..." he says finally. "Yes, I think I'm alright." He dusts off his gown. Wynter grins and turns to place her slim bottom in the chair, "It is that... so far. Just like to be polite, right, .. brother? Thanks anyway." She shifts around getting comfortable, then crosses her long legs as she takes out her datapad. Cierra picks up the pile of books and places them on the lectern. Then without looking at the professor returns to her seat. Vampire nods, smiling grimly at Wynter, and proceeds to twist the top off the bottle. With a POP! the top comes loose. Vampire drinks straight from the bottle, pocketing the bottletop. Joseph nods to Crouse, "Alright then. I seriously hope I don't have to wear one of those." he says, and heads back to his seat. Wynter leans towards Vampire, "Wish I had thought to do that. Think this is going to be a boring lecture? You don't have cognac in that thing do you?" Joseph gives a relaxed sigh, "I'm glad my 12 years of this is over." Vampire cradles the bottle between his knees, shrugging. "Who cares? Kills time, right?" He offers the bottle to Wynter. "Zangali canal water. Tastes like something died and decomposed in your mouth, gives you a nasty headache the morning after, but the buzz is something spectacular." Crouse wanders about the front of the lecture hall, picking up his books and datapads. Yevgeni descreetly takes a seat near the back at the room. Wynter smiles at Vampire and takes the bottle, "Always willing to try something at least once..." she sniffs the contents of the bottle, the takes a quick swig, before handing the bottle back to Vampire. Her expression is one of surprise, "Wow... that's stuff is nasty." She sits in the front row next to Vampire's hoverchair. "Anything will help boring lectures." Ohji Nichibotsu is surrounded by a handful of bodyguards and lower functionaries as he makes a dignified entrance into the lecture hall, moving down the central aisle as another young Asian bodyguard moves to consult with his compatriots, having already been examining the hall. Joseph is seated in the front row right near the door, jotting notes. Cierra sits about halfway down on the asile, waiting patiently Crouse drops his books on the table at the front of the lecture hall, then approaches the lectern. He puts a datapad down in front of him, then looks up to glance at his students. His eyes stay for a long moment disapprovingly on Vampire. Vampire puts the bottle back between his knees, notes the disapproving glance from the professor. He winks, smiling winsomely. Ohji Nichibotsu suddenly changes course halfway down the aisle without warning, parting the sea of entourage to seat himself beside Cierra. The largest of the bodygaurds immediately moves to sit directly behind her, while the rest of the entourage try to sort themselves out without appearing to have been surprised, like a school of fish shuffling after a diver plows through their midst. Wynter catches the professors look and Vampire's wink and chuckles softly as she leans back in the chair, "Crush on the teacher?" she murmurs to him as she glances around at the others gathering in the hall. The winsome smile doesn't win over Crouse. He sighs loudly enough for the first row to hear, then pushes a button on the lectern. The lights begin to dim somewhat. He clears his throat. Cierra smiles at the man and looks back to the front of the classroom, "Welcome, Sir. I am glad you could make it." Vampire takes another swig from his bottle, then sits it on the hood with his bookbag and looks over at Wynter, whispering: "Take notes, right? My hands cramp." Ohji Nichibotsu inclines his head in acceptance of Cierra's greeting, a small smile briefly allowed on the carefully groomed expression. "It pleases me that you were able to be with us as well, Federova-san, given your recent...adventures. I trust all those responsible were suitably dealt with?" The tone is as even and controlled as the expression, neither raised nor whispered with the certainty of one accustomed to being listened to at all times. Crouse launches right into the lecture. "When the Nall liberated Sivad in 2806 from the Kretonian occupation, the planet found itself fractured and disorganised. Much of the technological and historical knowledge of generations before the fall of Sivad -- in fact, almost all of it -- had been lost and it fell to the remaining Sivadians to reconstruct their society." Wynter balances her datapad on her knee and nods to Vampire, whispering back, "Sure.. if you promise to keep sharing that nasty stuff with me." she winks at him and leans back, stylus posed over her datapad. Vampire shrugs, handing Wynter the bottle. "All yours, sister. Just don't get so incoherent you lose track and start writing crazy shit in your notes. I wrote a grocery list when I was whacked out on this stuff, and I swear to God I told myself to buy a giant lint ball, two ear wax candles and a rabid fox." Yevgeni takes notes from the back on a datapadd, closely watching various members as the lecture proceeds. Cierra does not look at the man but shakes her head slowly, "I do not know who did this or why or even if I did it myself. I know not who to deal with." Her voice pitched much the same as Ohji's. Her eyes on the lecturer. Crouse clears his throat at the troublemakers in the first row as he continues. "The Sivadians had managed, during the occupation, to maintain a reasonable sense of nation. They perceived themselves as one unified group of people, and although the resistance to the Kretonians internally was somewhat limited, this perception continued after the Nall liberated the planet." Wynter takes another swig and hands it back to Vampire, she whispers to him, "Look, if I write crazy shit, you're gonna love it." she promises, "It damn well will might be better than this lecture." She leans back in her chair and smiles at the professor. Joseph continues his jotting and listening. "We call the period immediately following the Nall liberation, lasting until approximately 2860 when democratic government was restored, the Sivadian Renaissance. It was characterised, primarily, by three different things," continues Crouse, scanning the rest of the lecture hall. Ohji Nichibotsu actually looks at the woman at his side, raising an eyebrow curiously. This time, his pitch does drop...though with the entourage filtering into seats around them, there shouldn't be anyone close enough to hear anyway. "If you did it yourself? Please explain. The news reports indicated the culprits were destroyed?" "The first is the rediscovery of lost knowledge," starts Crouse. "When the Kretonians first arrived, they eliminated most of the Sivadian population not in the Enaj area and enslaved the remaining Sivadians. Consequently although Enaj and the surrounding area was mostly destroyed, several islands still retained their libraries and institutions of higher learning." He pauses to glare at Ohji and Cierra, then continues. "The result was a rapid period of technological development, such that within thirty years Sivadians had sufficiently recovered spaceflight to be able to land on Morrigan." Cierra looks quickly at the Asian and then back to the lecturer, "I have no memories from Sunday noon til I awoke in the medbay on the Martian space station. They say I entered the ship on my own. I have a severe phobia of ships. I doubt I would have gone on my own, but the vid shows me doing just that." Her voice not much more than a whisper. She looks at him again, "You now know as much as I do." her voice still friendly. Then blushes at the rebuke. One of Ohji's bodyguards, seated before the elder Asian, returns the professor's glare with an icy one of his own, warning in it as he adjusts his suit to a more comfortable position. Meanwhile, a young Asian man with glasses two seats down begins a rapidfire conversation in Japanese on his commlink, voice lowered to inaudibility, but gesturing wildly at the unseen ear on the other end. Ohji Nichibotsu frowns just slightly, a controlled motion of his lips, completely ignoring the lecturer. A small nod, and he leans to murmur something quieter to her. "The second characteristic is the consolidation of Sivadian islands into a unified government," continues Crouse, leaning into the lectern. "Despite the strong feeling of nationhood that accompanied Sivad into the Renaissance, there were a number of different factions that were forming and no coherent government. King Franklin the First eventually consolidated that power under a government based upon the monarchy of Great Britain on Earth. Some of those structures remain with us today, but the trend since the Renaissance has been increasingly to abandon those traditions in favour of new, uniquely Sivadian ones." Wynter covers a yawn with the back of the hand holding the stylus for her datapad, then makes a few notes before she looks back up at the professor. Cierra looks quickly at the man and then away her breathing rate escalating her face pales noticable and pressing a hand to her mouth she runs out of the hall and to the restroom. Cierra returns slowly and walks to her seat. "forgive me" she whispers to the man. Crouse is a little taken aback as one of his students races out of the lecture hall. "The, uh, final characteristic was a more or less national desire to assert Sivad's independence through the completion of great works," says Crouse. "Independence Dome was reconstructed, a space programme was undertaken, and exploratory programmes began to chart the seas. With the discovery of polydenum on Morrigan, and the subsequent rapid development in terms of space travel, Sivadians began to leave their planet and went out into the universe. For the period of 2845 to 2860, Sivadians became the tourists of the galaxy. The excitement of the time, and of exploring new worlds and cultures was, in that era, palpable. This is also the time in which the Royal Sivadian Navy was founded, but at the time exploration, rather than defence, was the primary focus of the fledgling service." Yevgeni says something mumbled concerning the Councillor's reentry to the room. Ohji Nichibotsu nods to Cierra, a look fo genuine concern breaking the controlled look as he murmurs to her. Cierra whispers back, truly looking ill. "I will pause for a moment," says Crouse drily. "To take questions." Ohji Nichibotsu frowns, nodding thoughtfully, then whispers back. One of the young Asians raises a hand, looking curious and attentive. Vampire looks around, grimacing, then raises his own hand. Crouse points to the young Asian with his hand raised. "Yes?" Wynter nudges Vampire's chair, leaning forward "Got questions? Oh, never mind." She leans back again and gets ready to write. Joseph seems to have tired of writing by now, trying to crack his knuckles. The young Asian calls out. "What of the contributions of Sividian business to the recovery efforts? How much was government work and how much private enterprise?" "At least initially, the funds for reconstruction came mostly from taxes," replies Crouse. "Research was directly funded from the treasury of the government for the first thirty to forty years. It was not until after the end of the Renaissance that the private sector took over the government's role in funding research." Joseph is seated in the front row right near the door, jotting notes. Ohji Nichibotsu is seated beside Cierra, who looks rather ill, halfway down. An entourage of bodyguards and lackeys occupies most of the seats nearby. Crouse points to Vampire. "Yes?" he says, rather unenthusiastically. Vampire nods, scratching his bald head for a moment and crinkling his tattooed brow. "So what's so hot about England that made Sivad wanna model it, toots?" Wynter sits in the front row next to Vampire's hoverchair, taking notes on a datapad balanced on her knee. Cierra presses her fingers to her mouth, and nods in acceptance. Closing her eyes and thinking of something totally different she asks quietly, " and the illness seems to pass.how is Mr. Tanaka?" Amanda walks in the lecture and begins looking about. Spotting Joey, she heads in that direction but her eyes continue to roam. Cierra presses her fingers to her mouth, and nods in acceptance. Closing her eyes and thinking of something totally different she asks quietly, and the illness seems to pass. "How is Mr. Tanaka?" Joseph looks to Amanda, a bit confused as he packs up his datapad. Wynter looks up at professor, waiting for his answer to Vampire's question with a slight smirk on her lips. Ohji Nichibotsu nods once, a brief touch placing his hand comfortingly on the Councillor's arm before it is withdrawn, control re-establishing over the concerned look. "Tanaka-san is well, still on Nialesia. So far, the rumors of unrest have not endangered him. I would echo also his last message to you." "Mostly a book in the possession of King Franklin," answers Crouse. "Franklin believed that a monarchical system would most effectively unite the planet. It was successful because the Sivadian concept of nationhood prevalent at the time was willing to accept a leader. Individual freedoms were less important to the Sivadian around the time of the Renaissance than pushing the boundaries of Sivad's independence as a nation. The stronger leadership of the monarchy suited the times very well, though of course after 2860, with the re-establishment of parliament, the power of the crown waned significantly and quickly." Cierra raises a hand. Crouse looks to Cierra. "Yes, madam. Have you quite recovered?" Cierra nods and smiles, "Yes, thank you. I was wondering when the monarchy had actually been disposed." "The monarchy continued to dwindle in power as elected representatives took most of the power in government," replies Crouse. "When Queen Paulette the Second abdicated in 2978, she was not replaced and the era of the monarchy had passed. This transition was, in fact, completely peaceful and the powers of the monarchy had by that time dwindled so much to the point of barely noticing the crown's absence." Ohji Nichibotsu stands as one of his aides murmurs something to him, then leans to speak to Cierra briefly, before heading down the aisle and out as his entourage reforms around him. Amanda takes a seat next to her husband but is clearly distracted. Crouse scans the lecture hall. "Any other questions?" he wonders. Vampire dozes off in his hoverchair. Cierra smiles and nods, "Thank you." All of his entourage, except the large bodyguard sitting directly behind Cierra, who remains in place after Ohji briefly gives an order in Japanese. The rest follow Ohji out. Cierra stands and looks at the professor, "Was this the first in a series of lectures? Wynter sighs and puts away her datapad, looking over at Vampire, "Did you learn anything from that?" Vampire snores and drools. "Yes, there will be another lecture at a later date," announces Crouse. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen." Cierra picks up her things and heads down the steps to exit the room, she smiles and waves at Amanda and her husband but does not hesitate. Amanda follows Joey out. Wynter leans forward to address Vampire, "Hey, sweety, did you dose off?" Crouse returns to his office, carrying his books with him and ignoring the sleeping man.
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