>>28610370
> Ask how their holidays went.
> After that consider the possibility of joining the Tankery Club. Might as well get something resembling military experience.

T-80 route is a go.

>>28610370

We're getting a Grasshopper, because it's a drink that makes a terrible impression, but when you're a dictator's son, you don't give a fuck.

Ask after everyone. Shake the box dramatically.

'Last time people gave my dad a box for his birthday that ticked. Have never seen 4,000 people run so quickly.'

>>28610370
Ask how their holidays went/ what their plans are. Try to follow correct social etiquette as much as possible.

>>28610370
>Ask how their holidays went.
>After that consider the possibility of joining the Tankery Club. Might as well get something resembling military experience.

>>28610370

Get a martini.

Can't let those dastardly secret agents be the only ones to enjoy the finer things in life after all.

>>28610523

Voting for the Bond-Style Martini.

To nip this in he bud: Tankery is/was a joke. Generalissimoito has his army for that. Non-dictats have PMCs or in-house, depending.

I'll give it until half past, then I start writing and we roll.

And I got my captcha wrong and have been sitting here.

>Writing

>>28610370
Bit of a wait here. Sorry!

The turnover time is quick and within minutes you’re sipping your dry gin and vermouth martini, looking over the glass at your companions. Alexis has a bottle of wine cooling in a tray next to her seat and Strauss has a large gin and tonic. Hamish does not drink, but has a crystal glass full of some dark cola in it. Trafalgar drinks his weight in beer and liquor, so his mug is probably some combination of the two, although you couldn’t accurately surmise just what, exactly, is in it, only that it’s got quite the head on it.

You’ve already got the broad stroke from Alexis and, frankly, micromanaging a factory floor has never been something you’ve been particularly interested in. You instead swallow your sip of martini and turn to Strauss and raise an eyebrow at him.

To his credit, he seems to understand. He wipes his hands on the white cloth napkins before beginning (a particular trait you’ve noticed in the years you’ve known him. Could be worse, looking at it historically. At least his habits keep him clean…)

“I was busy field testing in Georgia, sub-Sahara, and SEA. I spent the rest of July and August working on my own developments. Incidentally, we will be present in Latin America for a tradeshow soon. I will send you and your father more exact details once we have more concrete information. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I will leave it at how very much I like killing Chechen rebels.”

He adjusts his pair of glasses and, for a moment, you can see the predatory glint in Strauss’ eye.

Truly, he is your kin.

>Well then, that’s a hell of a story.
>Your reaction?
>You know Trafalgar’s summer, so continue with Hamish?

>>28611303
>You know Trafalgar’s summer, so continue with Hamish?
Sure, let's go round the table.

File: 1385965229855.jpg-(49 KB, 500x392, Feed+me+Chechens.jpg)

49 KB JPG

>>28611303

Raise toast to Strauss, may the Chechen scum burn under his iron-soled boot.

>>28611303

"Ah, the most dangerous game. It's good to know you work so hard to ease our burdens."

Ask Hamish about his summer. Tell Alexis that next summer she should forsake the factories for a tropical landscape.

Whoops, forgot to say I've been writing.

>Writing!

>>28611303
“Here here to Bavaria and Saeder-Krupp’s finest! A year or two ago I was present as an advisor/observer with the FSB as they squeezed. Fucking Chechens.”

You raise your glass in a salute to Strauss and smile. You cannot wait until the Paris Air Show and the defense show in your country. You two always generate such favorable contracts.

He raises his glass towards you. The other three are largely impassive. While Hamish and Trafalgar are used to a lifestyle of casual, wanton violence, Alexis is doing her best to look outside.

“And you, Hamish. What noble deeds?”

“The succession has been worked out. Barring anything unexpected, I will not be personally responsible for the direction of Al-Saud. With that end tied off I have begun courting the oldest daughter of the Jordanian king and queen. She seems nice.”
>...well, shit. That’s news to you. Judging how Alexis spit out a little bit of her wine and Trafalgar snorted down a mouthful of...drink, you’d say it was news to them too. Strauss is...annoyingly unruffled, but that small smile on face…?
>Certainly an interesting day here at the School.
>What say you?

>>28611721

'How far have you got, then?'

>>28611721
Congratulate Hamish, ask him how the courting's going.

Voting open until ten till, then I'm writing.

>>28611721

Congratulations, you sneaky bastard, for hiding it from us so well.

Which base are you at now, then? Or is that too uncouth for a princess?

>>28611721
I'm so excited I wrote quickly.

Ha! All this news! It is a shame you must learn it at such late a date, but no matter. You are here, now, and so this will do. You call over the waitstaff and begin bottle servi- ...oh. Right. He does not drink.

How frustratingly Muslim of him.

>A clever alternative, perhaps?

>>28611959
Offer him the finest lemon squash they have.

>>28611959

Jeju Mandarin Orange Juice.

Oh fuck, I can never get enough of that.

Forgot to post that I'm writing now.

>>28611959
You decide it would not be in poor taste if you all (sans him, of course) shared a bottle. After all, that’s how the civilized world does.

“This no alcohol business is making it difficult, friend.”

You wave at a waiter and the message is made clear quickly but as not to leave the second man of honor out, a tall lemon squash is prepared for him. It will do, hopefully.

You raise your champagne flute and clear your throat. “I, for one, hope I am invited to the wedding.”

The others repeat the sentiment and, soon, it is quiet again. “Tell us, amigo, how fair you?”

“Frosty. Despite spending three months in Amman I have made only slight progress. Unfortunately I am not the only suitor. It would seem she is...disenfranchised.. A delicate situation. Still, she has not locked me out yet, so I can only assume I’m still a viable candidate. I have made plans to see her this winter. I am hoping some distance and the Alps will warm her towards me. And before you ask, yes, I’m aware.”

>Well, you were hoping for a warmer reception. He's still in it, though!
>How do you reply?

>>28612300
Have you considered removing the competitors?

>>28612359
You, my lone voter, are to be commended.

I'll give it another 5 minutes and then we roll.

>>28612359

Meh, it's a good a suggestion as any.

>>28612300
“Have you considered a certain leveling of the possible list of suitors?”

“Briefly, but the Jordanians keep close to the Americans. I’ve also developed a liking for her. I would not want to taint Alia’s perception of me. Such heavy handedness would only work against me...for now. Of course, this assumes there are no incidents to befall my person. Luckily I have my friends who could assist if things were to take such an unpleasant direction.”

“Friends who would be more than happy to help.”

“Too bad Mei Ling is busy. Does she know yet?” Alexis pouts.

He shakes his head no. “I heard she was having a party tonight. I will probably tell her then.”

You raise your glass again, and everyone participates. You are beginning to understand now why your father has sent you so far away.

The waiter has taken your entree orders now. I believe you wanted the red wine braised veal over a bed of baby greens.
>How do you continue?

>>28612671
>enjoy the company, fast forward to the end of the meal.

>>28612726
Are..are you sure, Anon?

>>28612671
Okay, change >>28612726 to pay extreme attention to the presentation and taste of the food
while enjoying the company of friends.

Hmm. It looks like a majority of the participants I had are no longer here. Generally a pretty telling sign to end.

Thanks to my one Anon who stuck with me to the end, and thank you to everyone who participated in the past, tonight, and any new readers I might get in the future!

I'll be around for a bit to answer questions here in the thread, and as always, feel free to follow me on twitter at @MarklonW to stay up to date and to ask me any questions there.

>>28612726
Sorry if it feels like I snubbed you, but, well...one voter at midnight doesn't bode well.

I should've but forgot to mention in that post that the thread's archived, not that there's a whole lot to it.

>>28613028
I think it's because you run in a time zone when most people are asleep, I'm west coast NA, and it's 1:00am here, meaning it's 4:00am for people on the east coast. I had the same problem following you in retainer quest, because you went past 4:00am where I lived, and I couldn't stay awake.

If you try running earler, it probably wouldn't be a problem.