"Thank you Adras, let Andre know I will join him in a day or two. I am waiting on two companions of my own," Leander replies in halting Egyptian. "Do you need anything?"

Kelemen Ronol had helped the big stranger to Alexandria, since the Voice had said it was a good idea.  He'd long since cast off his old tunic and attire, the former Crusader now just a soldier, a vagabond, a wanderer.  He sat on an outcropping of rock, within sight of the city of Alexandria, and stared. Brooded, really. He decided not to try carrying on a conversation with himself right now, not where his new companions could hear him.

So he left his thoughts silent and unspoken, rather than interrupt their day with his comments. As it should be, just a silent, nameless voice in the vast empty deserts from where God first gave man their path. Now, deserts full of despair, blood, and dea-
(OOC: Edited to stop here to not interrupt the flow of RP inside Alexandria. Pretend it goes on for hours.)

The pretty little Tremere pursed her lips thoughtfully, gazing at one of the lit lantern sconces before answering, but before she properly formulated her thoughts, a guest for Leander arrived.  So instead, she speared a piece of fish with a thin knife, and delicately fed Lecteur by hand.  She sends messages to Marius, and hopefully Malik, and to Benedict for when he arrives again.  She wants to be able to have a proper answer for Leander regarding the laboratories, and she doesn't want her covenant magi upset for any decisions or implications she gives the big handsome man.  She plans to have an answer for him as soon as possible, but the specifics of their finances are not fully available yet.

While Leander is out speaking with his guest, Vespera turns to Javan.  "We are likely well able to supply laboratories for the travellers.  We likely can even extract fair payment for their use. Magus Leander seems reasonable, so likely won't assume I'm taking advantage of him, like some would. It's good, it makes business easier when one is respected as a colleague."

Lecteur speaks up while Leander is still gone. "He smells like a dehydrated wolf. No ink on his fingers." He leans up do delicately eat the fish from Vespera's knife before cleaning his whiskers.

Malik flies from Jerusalem to Alexandria under the power of his own magic, his image transformed to that of a cloud, his journey taking all day at his swiftest speed.  He lands far enough out in the desert to hopefully not be seen, allowing his spells to lapse, and trudges his way into the city; arriving quite late despite the speed of his journey.

He arrives in the room set aside for the magi as evening has almost arrived, escorted by Benedict, who doesn't leave again but slouches lazily on a couch in the corner.  His long red hair is gathered in a complicated array of braids within braids, which has kept the the tangling of the wind to a minimum; and he is dressed in a heavy leather robe.

He also sports an inch of red beard, which he fidgets at incessantly as if it is an unwanted guest to his face, and a fine coating of desert dust over every inch of his body.

He looks around at the small gathering, and says, "Sorry I'm late, everyone.  Did I miss anything important?"

"Ah, no, thanks".  Adras felt distinctly uncomfortable before this man ... and just being around this place.
There was something 'not quite right' about it ... or maybe it was just the presence of this man.

He felt something the same around Andre, but that other man talked to Adras and the other soldiers differently. Adras couldn't quite put his finger on what the difference was ... but both men made him feel uncomfortable.

If this one was done, and his message delivered, then Adras wished nothing more than to get away out of this place, and start exploring the city.

He would deliver the message to Andre, though, first:   and expected to be given leave then till said meeting in a few days, when he expected the two big men to lead them off into the desert.

"Again thank you Adras," he says. "I know it can be uncomfortable around me. Have a good journey."

With that, he leaves the doctor and returns to the others. Seeing that Malik ex Verditius has arrived, he gives his fellow magus a nod of greeting.

"Malik ex Verditius, I'm glad to see you have arrived. I was just discussing with Vespera a possible agreement between Lux Arcanum and the travelers."

He glances over to Javan and adds, "And you are a wonderful musician. I may need to study with you at some point. I love to sing, I'm just not good at it. Servius tells me that I need to keep working at it."

Malik nods a greeting to Leander.  "Good to see you again.  What were you discussing?"  He sits down with a plate piled high with food.

"Eventually Andre and I will need the use of a lab. I thought about trying to build one in a wagon, but that seems like a bad idea. Vespera had suggested that we might be able to establish a lab in your covenant in exchange for something."

Malik nods.  "That makes sense to me.  From what I understand, there isn't really a limitation of space, here, but there is the matter of upkeep.  But we intend to be a hospitable library, I think, so we'll certainly have guest laboratories.  Or were you thinking of something that was permanently yours?"

"I suspect that will be part of the discussion. We hadn't gotten far."

Andre didn't hear back from Adras until the next morning.

That didn't bother him, and he was glad to hear that contact had been made with Leander.
And Andre was happy to wait outside the city.

He'd spend time training and chatting and working with Kelemen and any of the other soldiers who were still waiting with the wagon.

Malik glances over at Vespera, then back at Leander, and shrugs.  "Well, this is the discussion, isn't it?  So what are you looking for?"

Vespera delicately slices some meat with her belt knife and carefully feeds it to Lecteur as Malik talks with the returned Leander. "Yes, lets get further into the discussion.  I look forwards to our cooperation." Her sweet smile turns away from the cat snacking from her fingers, and towards Leander.  "There are two easy ways we could handle it, of course.  We will likely have a guest lab or two easily available. You could just select the one you like the most and rent it from us for a season or two.  No fuss or muss."
"More interestingly, we could keep a special lab for your covenant - or one for you and another for your fellow traveler - you could put time and resources into the labs and the labs would be yours, we would just house them here, in a more stable location, with less camels."

Well after sunset there is a knock on the door. When answered, the dwarf who is a bit big for his britches stands there. "Greetings, esteemed magi. I take it I have arrived at the right time, by the sight here, though I did not realize so many magi would be here. Wonderful. The more the merrier." He looks about for some food to partake in. He's small enough on his own, but now among some of these giants he seems that much smaller. He doesn't let that deter him, though.

"Both Andre and I would be more comfortable in a rather large lab. While we could share a lab, I would prefer to be able to take the time to really configure it for my use. But, I won't need a lab for a year or two. We have a good number of books that I can study while traveling. Perhaps we could get a basic lab setup to our scale? And in the future, if it is needed, we can add a second?"

When Marco enters, Leander looks at the small man with curiosity. He tries to place him and fails.

"Greetings," Leander says to Marco. "Were you at Harco? I don't remember meeting you."

"Marco," Vespera cries cheerfully as the small man claims his seat, turning towards him.  A sideways glance up at Leander and Vespera's smile is sweet. "Marco has allied himself with Lux Arcanum," she explains to him. "And we have gladly accepted.  Marco, this handsome giant is Magus Leander ex Flambeau. He counts himself among the traveling magi, and our covenant has been courting some alliances with them."

Vespera makes a deft gesture with her fingers, a soft murmur, and she easily floats a bowl of sliced fish from a near table to her, so she can return to feeding the greedy Lecteur in her lap.  "Esteemed Magus Leander, speaking of such alliances - and returning to our laboratory discussion... Did you hope to rent lab space here for when you visit, or were you planning to establish your own labs and leave them in our keeping?"

Introductions, flirting, showing each participant that she enjoys their company, and a deft return to the conversation before.  Not as skillfully done as she'd like, but Vespera will need to practice more, she thinks.

Leander pauses for a bit to consider the question. "Andre and I need some time to get settled into our lives here. I could spend next Spring and Summer getting my lab setup and then leave it in your care. I would pay the costs of course."

He considers a bit more then adds, "I suspect you have more resources than I have. Do you have anyone with sufficient knowledge of Magic Theory to handle the basic lab setup? Again, I would pay. It would be nice to not have to deal with two seasons establishing a lab.

I've looked at the idea of building a lab in a wagon, but it just seems so cramped. I found Servius' lab in Savascha too small."

Malik nods, and says, "We could probably manage that, though it would matter how soon you wanted the lab to be ready.  What is the value of a season to you, in vis?"

"Right now, I don't have any vis to offer. That will change as we discover sources in our travels," he says. "I will handle setting up my lab. But it will be a year before I begin. Andre and I need to find the vis sources that we will rely on.

"I do have something else that I could offer. I know you want to establish a library. I do have some books I doubt most will interest you, but we do have one we could allow you to copy in exchange for two labs with a single season of work completed."

He steps over to the bags he was carrying when he arrived. He searches through them and locates one that is obviously heavy. He takes out a large tome. It is bound in dark brown leather. "This is Mastery of Form written by Kentaurus ex Flambeau one of the founders of Savascha. It is an exceptional summa on Muto. I would ask that you not allow anyone else to copy your copy." With that, he looks from Malik to Vespera. "Given what this is, I would assume there will be no question of upkeep unless it goes beyond the norm. And lastly, I would ask that both Andre and I be allowed to study in your library for one season free of charge."

Before Vespera can do more than smile at the offer, the cat in her lap sits up, and leaps free of her.  "I know that name," he declares in French.  Lecteur bounds across the room and hops up onto the chair Leander is nearest to. From there, he hops onto the table next to the giant man. "Pardon me," the cat says in a purring Latin. "May I see that book a moment? Just hold it here, my eyes aren't what they used to be."  Lecteur leans forwards sniffing and squinting up towards the book Leander is holding.

Vespera looks amused, eyes sparking at Lecteur's sudden change of attitude.  Briefly, she covers her mouth with her curled fingers, smiling behind them. "Don't mind him, dear Magus Leander. Lecteur just changed his opinion of you from 'someone who spends time with wolves' to 'someone who spends time with books'. Vastly superior in his opinion."

Vespera sits herself up straighter, now that her lap is free, and she adjusts her robes, to subtly emphasize her feminine virtues. "It is quite an offer, and I take it as a sign of trust from you in our covenant's goals for the Tribunal. Before I give a final answer, I will need to discuss the specifics with my covenant-mates.  The Tremere are known supporters of the Cow and Calf, so I certainly understand your desire to halt anyone from copying this book."  She smiles in that casual, coy way she does. Her eyes move from Lecteur to Leander, taking the book in as well before continuing.  "Given the fame of the author, such that Lecteur recognized it, I think the costs of setting up the labs is easily negotiable... but given the lifespan of magi, I don't know if I can promise to forgo the upkeep costs of the laboratory ingredients indefinitely."

Malik waves his hand at Vespera, oblivious that he might be ruining a negotiation tactic.  "As far as I'm concerned, your word on the library is good enough for me.  If I can read what I want, and be left to my grandiose endeavors, I'm happy to abide by your decisions regarding such things.  But I suggest lending books for copying to earn rights of reading, at whatever rate of seasons you think is fair.  I'm sure I don't need to tell you that to own a library is to wish not to make extra copies of books, if one wants readers rather than buyers.

Regarding the laboratory, there's no need to pay in advance.  Our two groups can profit from cooperation, as we fill each others' needs quite well.  We have space for laboratories, and a library that is adequate now and will grow rapidly, and you will explore a much wider area than we could, and likely find much more vis than you'll know what to do with.  We can be of assistance to provide you stable shelter and a permanent home when needed, and you can be of assistance in time of war, and in knowledge of things happening in the wider world.  You should know that we have space for ordinary laboratories, and also a mutable space that can grow to encompass whatever you might need.  But the latter space is not one we would ordinarily suggest for guests."  He takes a breath, and glances at Vespera.  "I think you and Andre could be more than guests, if you wanted to be, though we haven't discussed this yet.  And maybe you wouldn't want to, at least not immediately.  But to start things simple - as for upkeep, the exchange rate of vis to silver is quite reasonable, and once your laboratory is set up, I think we can establish a reasonable contract all agree on without uncertainty."

Leander nods at Vespera's comment on the lifespan of magi. "That's fair. We will cover the cost of upkeep of the lab but would prefer to not worry about rent or access fees."

Responding to Malik, "Andre and I are excited to work with all of the magi in our new Tribunal. We want to combine our martial natures with our desire to wander and bet put ourselves to the service of the Order.

"Labs are something we will need. But that need is at least a year or two away. We need to explore the land personally. We have languages to learn and have books to study. There will certainly be battles to be fought. We are planning on supporting ourselves via trade and if needed mercenary work."

He addresses both of them. "For now we are our own covenant. But I know Andre hopes to find a place where he fits in and can settle down. I'm more inclined to remain a knight errant of the Hermetic Order."

Vespera takes a long moment, studying Malik after his speech as she listens to Leander.  "I certainly would enjoy the benefit of more sodales here in the covenant. More scholars and more defenders." She smiles, swinging her gaze back to Leander.  "I would be delighted to have a long-term arrangement to ensure my friends have laboratories they can access, and to ensure their profitable work can help our covenant as it is established and grows.  As long as it is beneficial for all involved, then we are doing the arrangements correctly."

"I am less skilled at monetary things than others, so I will not pretend I can arrange a suitable series of percentages or costs, or any such things.  I do want to make sure Magus Andre and yourself have the resources necessary to advance our Tribunal, and our Order."  As she ponders what next to say, Vespera will take a slice of fish from the plate next to her and dangle it towards Lecteur.  "Lecteur, stop bothering Magus Leander about his book. You can find ample opportunities to read it if our deal works. Come back and pretend to be a decadent lap-cat for me." Lecteur makes a purry little grumble as he hops back over to Vespera and returns to being fed in her lap.

"Apologies again for Lecteur. New books get him a bit excited."

Leander gives Lecteur a smile. "That's understandable. Hopefully, we can keep him supplied with plenty of new books. If only my friend Battal was as easy to keep happy. He loves people but as a wolf, he has trouble getting them to accept him."

He glances at Malik ex Verditius and turns back to Vespera. "Why don't we wait on working out the details for the future. Give us some time to figure out our finances as a pair of traveling magi. Once we have a better feel for our vis and silver reserves Andre and I can commit to maintaining labs. Just keep in mind we are interested and have somewhat unique requirements due to our giant blood. I doubt you have anyone who has the time to copy this book right now anyway or to handle the basic lab setup.

"We are committed to aiding all of the Tribunal. Think of us as Hermetic knights-errant."

Vespera gives a bright smile, eyes studying the giant man.  Gently she strokes her fingers along Lecteur's back, smoothing the fur.  "Meow," he says with a grumbly voice, before it turns into a purr. "Ooh, right there, behind the shoulder..."

"Knights errant. Oh, my poor lovely heart," she murmurs in her native Bourginon. Then, she continues to pet her feline friend as she speaks. "I should visit your lad Battal then.  I have spent more than enough time around wolves in Transyvlania. Tremere like wolves, they are... traditional." She begins picking bits and pieces of meat from her plate again to feed to Lecteur. "I look forwards to collaborating with you in the future, Magus Leander. Brave knight.  I am confident we can find a place to fit both you and Magus Andre, despite the size requirements."