12-27-2013, 11:54 PM
Dane winced visibly when Nicholas downed what little remained in his glass. Nicholas didn't even blink. The dull burn passed through his throat in a matter of moments, leaving nothing in its wake. For his part, Dane took a small sip of his own drink.
"I envy you, Nicholas."
Dane put the glass back in its place on the bar before tapping away the precariously balanced ashes on the end of his cigar. "I have not had the fortune to see any of the world within the Fifth Dominance, but the only value therein are the fossilized antiquities."
He waved a hand, "Nobody goes to Cairo for the bustling nightlife and infamous cuisine."
To that, Nicholas could not agree more. He nodded in agreement as Dane continued. "Patina is far more interesting than bronze alone."
He paused for a moment, considering something before returning to reality.
"Fortunately, fossils will outlast us all. I'm in no hurry to walk the Fertile Crescent any time soon. Have you ever been to the British Isles?"
He seemed hopeful that Nicholas had.Sadly, that wasn't the case. "Although I suggest waiting until the Tower Bridge of London is rebuilt. It is like visiting Paris while the Eiffel Tower is a pile of sticks." The man's smile was a bit disconcerting; Nicholas had seen the reports.
To Dane's question, the answer was sadly a negative. "Can't say I've had much chance to travel outside the U.S. since my Navy days, and we never docked in Custody ports."
It would have been as likely as stopping in Shanghai during the '70s. Maybe liberty would have been better, though.
Right on the heels of Nicholas' answer, a concierge from the hotel scampered up. He was short, but of an age with the two men. His red-gold hair and short, bristly beard made him look almost boyish. The name tag on his uniform marked him as yet another Russian; Sergen.
He produced a pair of tickets, handing them to Dane after a brief apology for interrupting. "Sir, I have the tickets you requested."
Nicholas did not recognize the logo, although the words printed upon them made it obvious what they were for. Apparently the man had an appreciation for ballet.
That appreciation was only made more clear when he eagerly examined the tickets, before thanking the concierge. A moment later, Dane was holding one of the tickets out. "Would you be interested in a Christmas Eve viewing of The Nutcracker at the Boloshi Theater, Nicholas?"
Sadly, to that Nicholas had to decline. He had enjoyed Dane's company well enough, but by Christmas he would be long gone from Moscow. "I appreciate the offer, but I won't be in the country. Nikolai Brandon decided to take me on his vacation in Saudi Arabia for Christmas."
He smirked, "Don't ask me why I agreed."
It was something of a pity. He probably could have learned quite a bit just by watching the man's indiscriminate use of the power.
((<small><small>FUTURE REFERENCE. DANE'S COLOR IS #DBA901</small></small>))
"I envy you, Nicholas."
Dane put the glass back in its place on the bar before tapping away the precariously balanced ashes on the end of his cigar. "I have not had the fortune to see any of the world within the Fifth Dominance, but the only value therein are the fossilized antiquities."
He waved a hand, "Nobody goes to Cairo for the bustling nightlife and infamous cuisine."
To that, Nicholas could not agree more. He nodded in agreement as Dane continued. "Patina is far more interesting than bronze alone."
He paused for a moment, considering something before returning to reality.
"Fortunately, fossils will outlast us all. I'm in no hurry to walk the Fertile Crescent any time soon. Have you ever been to the British Isles?"
He seemed hopeful that Nicholas had.Sadly, that wasn't the case. "Although I suggest waiting until the Tower Bridge of London is rebuilt. It is like visiting Paris while the Eiffel Tower is a pile of sticks." The man's smile was a bit disconcerting; Nicholas had seen the reports.
To Dane's question, the answer was sadly a negative. "Can't say I've had much chance to travel outside the U.S. since my Navy days, and we never docked in Custody ports."
It would have been as likely as stopping in Shanghai during the '70s. Maybe liberty would have been better, though.
Right on the heels of Nicholas' answer, a concierge from the hotel scampered up. He was short, but of an age with the two men. His red-gold hair and short, bristly beard made him look almost boyish. The name tag on his uniform marked him as yet another Russian; Sergen.
He produced a pair of tickets, handing them to Dane after a brief apology for interrupting. "Sir, I have the tickets you requested."
Nicholas did not recognize the logo, although the words printed upon them made it obvious what they were for. Apparently the man had an appreciation for ballet.
That appreciation was only made more clear when he eagerly examined the tickets, before thanking the concierge. A moment later, Dane was holding one of the tickets out. "Would you be interested in a Christmas Eve viewing of The Nutcracker at the Boloshi Theater, Nicholas?"
Sadly, to that Nicholas had to decline. He had enjoyed Dane's company well enough, but by Christmas he would be long gone from Moscow. "I appreciate the offer, but I won't be in the country. Nikolai Brandon decided to take me on his vacation in Saudi Arabia for Christmas."
He smirked, "Don't ask me why I agreed."
It was something of a pity. He probably could have learned quite a bit just by watching the man's indiscriminate use of the power.
((<small><small>FUTURE REFERENCE. DANE'S COLOR IS #DBA901</small></small>))