SEOUL ♔ NOW THE SUN IS UP AND I'M GOING BLIND

[hacker]

delilah - florence + the machine

WHO || Anastasia, Jeanne, Doyle, Skye, Ward, Abbie
WHAT || The Knights are assigned to protect South Korea's President-Elect from assassination attempts.
WHERE || Seoul, South Korea
WHEN || End of April, 2016
HOW || Actionspam

Four days after the briefing, President Kim sends a plane for the team of Knights dispatched by Wynn, and their flight to Seoul—what could have been a grueling 12-hour affair—is spent in the most comfort that can be afforded by a highly regarded politician. The seats are roomy, the staff is attentive, and no one shouts at them to return to their seats.

They're put up in a hotel near the Blue House, the seat of the executive powers of South Korea, where the President-Elect has asked to meet them to go over the security plans for the inauguration.

Comments

[silvermaid]

Her image? Do you mean because you're locals?

[leftenants]

[Abbie proceeds to do as she's told, washing her hands thoroughly before she collects the mushrooms.]

Your kitchen is impressive. Mind if I ask how long you've worked here?

[hacker]

[ "Because she helped refugees from North Korea get jobs, and because ..." The bus boy looks around uncomfortably. "My mom, she's a half-elf. You can't tell in me."

"Ms. Kim brought me in with the rest of her staff. Turned over the Blue House staff that used to work her. She knows who she can trust." ]

[leftenants]

Smart of her.

[Interesting and potentially very useful info, in fact.]

Shouldn't be surprised. President-Elect Kim doesn't seem like the sort to take half-measures. Nobody from the previous staff made the cut, then?

[silvermaid]

I actually have a strain of elven blood myself, but it doesn't show in me either.

[hacker]

[ The chef shook her head. "None that I've been forced to train, thank god."

Meanwhile the bus boy just gave Ana a truly skeptical look like this bitch thinks we're besties because she knows the life but I don't see her working in a gd kitchen. "Then you must be glad she got elected too." ]

[leftenants]

[Abbie gives the chef a curious look, making sure to keep her hands busy all the while. Multitasking is key, or so she assumes.]

Is that just relief that you didn't have to train them, or did some of them have a reputation?

[silvermaid]

I've lived in places where Shadowkind suffer for who they are, where we're treated like less than people, like property. Every step I see a country take away from them helps mend the scars I still have from those places.

But I know those steps are never easy. There will be plenty of opposition- there always is.

[hacker]

[ "I don't like people who ask too many questions," The chef answered pointedly. "It keeps work from happening." But she still seems willing to talk at least, for Abbie's efforts in helping prepare the evening meal. "I'm not sure what the turnover was like in other departments, but I brought in an entirely new kitchen crew."

The dishwasher, meanwhile, nodded at Ana, more heartily accepting her ethos on this point. "I'm just glad she won the election. I was really worried it wouldn't happen." It seemed to be a pretty universal refugee fear—that the people who supported them politically would fail, and that they would wind up right back where they started. ]

[leftenants]

[Abbie makes an effort to keep herself moving and involved, not wanting to risk losing the opportunity to talk.]

I'd like to think I can do both. What needs doing next?

[silvermaid]

Was there a lot of talk about trying to prevent it?

[hacker]

[ While the chef happily orders Abbie onto the next task — one more difficult, as though trying to muster a reason to kick her out of the kitchen — the dishwasher nodded. "There was a huge backlash when she started running. People said a lot of ugly things during the election, and for a while, it looked like it was just going to make things worse for us." ]

[leftenants]

[Abbie sets herself to work immediately, attempting to steal a glance in Ana's direction to see if she's still chatting (Spot 22). If she can keep the chef's attention on her, it could buy Ana a little more time to talk.]

Where did you and your kitchen crew work before you came here?

[silvermaid]

[ she nods, having expected as much, but still hating the thought of how even the promise of progress had to bring a new edge of fear with it. ] Were there any of those voices that were louder than the rest?

[hacker]

[ In response to Ana's question, he nodded. Glanced around and met Abbie's eyes briefly, and thus dropped his voice. "There's this big Anti-Shadowkind group in the conservative party. They thought they were going to win until President Kim started running."

The chef shook her head. "Too many questions." She took the cutting board from Abbie. "Time to go." ]

[leftenants]

[Great. Abbie puts both her hands up, apologetic.]

Didn't mean to offend.

[heavensend]

[ noting the motion from abbie, ana tries to get in one last question: ]

Did they have a name? This group?

[hacker]

[ "People call them the Reservationists because they're purists, people who want shadowkind not to mingle with humans." He shrugged. "I think they just call themselves party members, though. They have lots of power here; they have nothing to fear from saying such things, so everyone becomes willing to say them." ]

[silvermaid]

[ she takes mental note of the name, and nods, glancing over again and then giving him a grateful smile ] Anyway, I don't want to get you in any trouble. Thank you. It was very lovely to meet you.

[hacker]

[ he nods quickly and turns away from her to go back to work. ]

[leftenants]

[Abbie moves to reconvene with Ana by the door, grimacing. What she did learn will hopefully be useful, but she's interested to know if Ana found something more.]

[silvermaid]

[ she falls into step by her, waiting until they're in the hall to talk ] I suppose it's not surprising that there's a movement to oppose the President-Elect within the government itself, a conservative group called the Reservationists.

[leftenants]

[She's right, that doesn't come as much of a surprise.]

We knew she wasn't popular with everyone. Hadn't given much thought about an inside job, though. Apparently, the entire house staff came in with the President-Elect. No leftovers from the last administration.