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From: Celes Chere
Subject: Invitation
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To: Ziggurat 8
From: General Celes Chere
I hope that this letter finds you in good health. At this time, I have began constructing a Palace Guard under Princess Lana's orders. A review of your personnel file suggests you would make a good guardsman to serve among the higher-ranking officers and as an elite of the Guard. I would be honored to have you with us, if you wish to join us. Please give me your response soon.
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Palace of Power - Audience Chamber

The main room of the Palace is small compared to the Grand Hall, a more intimate chamber for the real business of Lana's domain. A simple golden throne rests on a dais at the end of the room, the place where Lana is supposed to rule Videoland, though she seldom sits in it. Doors here lead to all points in the castle, making it a crossroads of sorts in the Palace. A simple spiral staircase leads below, to the Warp Zones.


Celes, at the moment, is in the audience chamber of the Palace. She stands near a Guardsman, with her arms crossed underneath her breasts as she nods to the man. "So, the letters were sent?" she asks, as she taps her fingers against her sides.

He nods.

"Good. Hopefully they'll reply soon," she concludes.

Celes might get a reply sooner than she thinks. If Ziggy's anything, he's punctual, and upon recieving the letter he decided to take a look around the common areas of the Palace to find Ms Chere, and failing that he'd then ask on the radio frequency. Luckily it seems his search would not be very long as he enters the Audience chamber and spots just who he was looking for.

His approach is fairly obvious, it's hard to ignore footsteps like his. "Ms. Chere?" He says as he nears the General "I've reviewed your letter."

"Ah, Ziggurat," Celes says with surprise as she turns around to look at the cyborg. "That was sooner than I had anticipated," the woman admits with a nod. She then looks over the far taller man. "What do you think of it? I imagine that you must have some questions for me."

"Yes." He says with a nod. "However they are brief. I am very interested in joining this group, since I arrived the Palace itself has not made much use of my capabilities, and I think assigning myself to a group such as this would much more practical." He folds his arms, though, seems to be time for the questions. "I am just curious as to who else is involved in the group thus far, and the basic rules and goals it has."

"The rules are fairly simple," Celes explains. She nods her head, and briefly glances at the guardsman. He nods to her and turns, walking away. "We're concerned mostly with the Palace. I'll be in command, but you can consider yourself my equal in most regards, along with the others. I intend to use all of your inputs."

And then, she crosses her arms behind her back, as she moves to his first question. "As to who is in it... thus far, we have Adol Christian, Jim Raynor, Sofia, Agrias Oaks, and myself."

Ziggy nods. A few he is familiar with, a few he is not. "I see. Well if you believe my particular abilities and experience would be suited here, then I accept." Cuts right to the heart of the matter fairly quickly, doesn't he? "I do not hesitate to give my input when I see it appropriate, though I am most accustomed to following orders." He extends his non-robotic hand to shake Celes's........

Celes Chere takes the cyborg's hand and shakes it. "Superb," she says. "We would be honored to have you with us. I'll supply an information file with the formal rules," she continues. Her blue eyes look him over. "But consider yourself exempt from the rule regarding a uniform. I can see that will not quite apply to you."

"I see." He replies. "Yes, the clothing I do wear is customed designed to work with a number of my systems, such as my cloaking device, and would not function properly with anything else." He needs the proper cloak to be cloaked. "I look forward to recieving the information. Is there any project or assignment in the works as of yet, or are you waiting to get a full recruitment before you start?"

"None yet. Our primary concern is the defense of the Palace, but I anticipate that we'll be involved in other areas, as well," Celes says. She shakes her head. "This may come to include Liberty and other Palace holdings under threat, for one."

The Cyborg nods again. "I see. I have no problem being stationed in any place, or being assigned to any mission. I do not let any personal feelings interfere with my duties." He makes a note of his professional nature, just in case Celes might think there are some remaining hard feelings between him and Junior that might keep him from wanting to have anything to do with Liberty City. A few people have thought so, anyway.

"Good. That is the sort of thing we will need," Celes says. The fact they might go against the Peacemakers had occurred to her; after all, she and several of the Guard had to stare down Albedo. Of course, now that Albedo was dead... who knew what would happen? "On a related note, then, because he's from your zone... Did you find out what became of Albedo? I hadn't even heard that he died."

Ziggy just shakes his head "No. I was unaware of it myself until Mr. Kukai mentioned his funeral. Since then I too am waiting for him to give a proper report on what had happened. I personally have my doubts on the matter, as this isn't the first time Albedo had 'died' and they were 'sure' he was dead for good. But I will wait for the official report to come before I make any judgements myself." If he's not dead, Ziggy has no problem going against him. It wouldn't be the first time. If Junior gets in his way, however, it may get a bit more... uncomfortable. But he does still have some faith in the smaller URTV to believe that won't happen.

"I see..." Celes says, her voice trailing off. "I've had little contact with him before, but he has been troublesome in the past." She frowns a bit. Glad he's dead? Certainly. "As sheer conjecture, if he is dead, what do you think this means for those Peacemakers?"

"Hmm..." That's hard to say indeed. "It is difficult to judge. It certainly did appear that Albedo and Junior were ones organizing everything, with him gone it may mean the group will break up. To be honest, despite Junior's claims to the opposite, I believe Albedo was negatively affecting him quite a bit, perhaps with Albedo gone we may not have to worry about antagonizing each other anymore..." He certainly hopes so, anyway.

"I agree. While the loss of his men in that operation was... not handled the best way, I found his leaving the Palace to be unsettling," Celes says with a frown. "It seemed premature to me, and from what little I've heard about it before, Albedo may have led him into this behavior. Of course, I don't know either of them..."

"Naju was an unfortunate incident..." Ziggy says, shaking his head. "But as poorly handled as it was, I still believe Junior acted rashly, though it is still up to him to decide which side, if either, to take in this conflict. I also believe a number of Palace personel were unfair to him after he formed the Peacemakers as well." Unfolding his arms, it seems he's about finished with this particular discourse "Irregardless of that, I just hope we can avoid crossing each other for now."

"I agree. Honestly, the discipline in the Palace /is/ rather frightening at times..." Celes shook her head with a sigh, and then folded her arms behind her back. "However, I think you're right. We would do best to not cross him for now. Especially if he and Albedo had gotten along, when he died. He could be, understandably, grieving."

Ziggy nods. He actually expects as much, which is why he contacted Gaignun and not Junior directly about the matter. "Well then, if that is all for the time being?"

"That is all. Thank you very much, Ziggurat." Celes smiles once, and then gets a thoughtful expression on her face as she looks up at the cyborg. "Ah, actually. One thing. What name do you prefer to be called?"

He quirks an eyebrow at Celes's question, and answers frankly. "I do not prefer any name. You can call me Ziggurat 8, or Ziggy if you wish." Most people do tend to call him Ziggy, it doesn't bother him. Of course, the one name he /doesn't/ want to be called of course is his former human name, but that's another story entirely.

"Hm... Understood." Celes nods once, and then smiles. "Very well, then, Ziggy." The name is easier, even if she usually avoids nicknames. Plus, it has a ring to it. "I'll see you soon. Expect the information file later this evening."

He nods once more, then turns to leave, heading in the direction of the warp room. His loud footsteps eventually quiet, and he is gone.


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