The Leonine Games [Afternoon 1]

[Nirilli]

At the time he would have returned warmth with warmth. His admiration having been completely genuine given the circumstances and how she had acquitted herself.

"Your concern is admirable, but given your wounds it might be prudent for you to take some time to recover my lady." He smiled, "And here I was thinking of offering to reward you for your heroism. Perhaps treat you to breakfast or lunch."

"That would be very kind. I always enjoy talking to people from off-planet. I can only imagine all that you've seen on your path here. I can provide directions and see you settled. And then maybe a bit of rest. Maybe in the gardens. They are beautiful." And she had been invited there! "Once I ... uh ... get cleaned up."

She glanced down at her lion-attacked garments.

Probably also, at some point, she should check in on her Mistress.

[Hadrian Martikova]

"Gardens? Ahh, you mean the gardens that Lady Salomea mentioned? Why that would be excellent! Tomorrow morning then? Unless there's an event taking place that I'm unaware of?"

He asked privately hoping for the former over the latter.

[Laila Bridger]

Laila dearly wished she had a spare jacket or something to offer Nirilli.

But she didn't.

So she simply held her position. Like a good bodyguard.

[Kannon]

Nirilli smiled warmly at Hadrian as he patched her up. "Thank you."

But her expression turned more sober taking in the deaths. The disaster for her mistress. Oh no. Oh no.

"You could not have anticipated or prevented this," she said to Pankratos. "How could this have happened? Oh... I wish this hadn't happened."

What could they do to make this better?

"Please, everyone, you have done so much. Is there anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable?"

"This is for the Archon and the Strategos to sort out. We all play our parts in the tragedy."

Pankratos was ready to go up, but the subdued lion and the victims stopped him.

“Let every man in mankind's frailty consider his last day; and let none presume on his good fortune until he find life, at his death, a memory without pain.”

He said as he turned his back on them.

[Emcas]

''A brave man dies only once'' replied Emcas in the wake of Pankratos's poetry, after giving a nod to Lady Gray's answer

''It is my estimation that the gardens are better in the evening Sir Martikova.''

[Cuyler Gray]

"There are probably fewer lions there." Cuyler added.

[Hadrian Martikova]

Hadrian gave Pankratos a quizzical look. Given Hadrian's heritage on his mother's side, it went without saying that the library had been packed full of plays and writings of the great philosophers. But that play? Curious.

And then Emcas' retort produced a scoff. Like two literate cats fighting over territory.

"Perhaps, but I somehow doubt less poets." He smiled at lady Gray, "Very well. But I don't believe we'll have time this evening. We haven't even had a moment to settle in. And of course our change of clothes is back in Xenion." He shrugged.

[Kannon]

The games were aborted. The emergency was contained. The Oon was emptying. The security sweep and cleanup had already begun. It was time to leave. When the Bene Gesserit returned, the group naturally split. Before Cordana left, she would give Laila an indication that they should continue their conversation later.

/scene