Kettenrad Quarter – Dining room.
The room is quite large an inviting, with a single clockwork-like chandelier in the center. It's positioned over a large round table that has bench seating all the way around it. The benches lack backs, to allow for freedom of Kadies' bushy tails. The center of the table is unusual, though. It looks like it's been cut out and an insert placed into it. An insert with hinges that is. Against a far wall is a rough cabinet of sorts, filled with various dishes of varying states; from chipped and old to shiny and new.

Amelia followed a rather quiet Zahnrad all the way home. Once there, Zahnrad was immediately escorted away by other clan members to attend the council regarding his brother's actions. So, Amelia finds herself left alone in the Kettenrad dining hall. The quiet is only broken now and then by muffled shouting from somewhere else in the compound.

Sitting in one of the chairs, the Kadie hunches forward with her hands clasped in her lap, and nervously knocks her ankles together. "Yelling," she whispers to herself. "That's not a good sign."

"No, it's not," comes a voice behind her. Well, at least the voice is familiar. It's Gunther. "I had to leave after I gave my speech. That Deirdre kept interrupting it, too."

Amy nearly jumps, then spins around in her seat to see Gunther. "Are you okay?" she asks right away.

Gunther shrugs and walks over to a chair. He sits down and rests his chin on the table. "As good as anyone can be facing banishment," he remarks, looking rather defeated.

Getting up, Amelia goes over and hugs Gunther from the side. "Don't worry about it. It'll be their loss if they banish you. And if they do… you can always come into my clan. I think they'd appreciate you."

Gunther seems appreciative of the hug, but his expression seems pretty grim anyway. "You sure? It's seemed like there's some sort of animosity between the two clans, though no one will speak of it," he remarks idly.

Amy pauses for a moment, then says, "There's still some, but it isn't animosity on the Blacktail's part. Just… distrust."

"Yeah, well, that's pretty common in the town, anyway," Gunther remarks as he drums his fingertips on the table. "No one in a machine-hating town has ever liked us very much."

"We don't hate machines, Gunther," Amelia says, and tries to rub the back of the boy's neck to relax him. "We just learned to be very careful about who controls them."

"And you don't think we should be, is that it?" Gunther asks, turning to glance back at Amelia.

"I trust your family, Gunther," Amy says assuredly. "But… attitudes like Deirdra's have led to problems in the past. Would you feel comfortable having her in charge of something vital?"

"We do already. Her family handles the belt drives and a few other items that divert drive power," Gunther notes, then just shrugs. "But, I kind of see your point, I guess. She has a bit of an ego."

Amelia considers this, and says, "I have a bit of an ego. Emmett Oggton has a bit of an ego. Deirdra has a god complex."

"I was being polite," Gunther notes, but can't help and grin at that comment. He grimaces, then notes, "They're taking a long time."

"Is that good or bad?" Amy asks. "Has there ever been a council over this sort of thing before?"

"Long time ago. It was a big deal, too. But they sealed the records of that one and the adults were forbidden to speak on it. I don't know what it was even about," Gunther notes, then shrugs. "It probably means they're deadlocked on the vote."

"Well… that could be good, I suppose," Amelia says. "The only time I remember my clan having a council like this, it was over in a few minutes."

"Actually, the vote was fast. It took us a while to calm down Deirdre. Her fur stuck out so much in anger, she looked like she was going to explode," comes Zahnrad's voice from behind them. "She was the only dissenting vote on the matter. Subject was decided, you acted correctly and violated no clan rule by helping Parsley; you found the fastest solution to protect her. The matter is closed and will not be brought up again."

Amelia lets out a long sigh of relief, but doesn't look particularly happy. "That girl is going to cause trouble," she says.

"Probably," Zahnrad notes and sits down heavily in a chair, "So much for a nap before work tonight." Gunther looks rather relieved, resting his forehead in his hands. He then looks up and notes, "Hey, Zahn, if I'd have been expelled, I would have probably become Gunther Blacktail. What do you think of that." Zahn's reply is to look at Gunther, then Amelia.

"Well, he wanted to learn how to be a guard anyway," Amelia offers, trying to look innocent.

"Mmmmhmm," Zahnrad remarks and shakes his head slowly. "Then we'd really be doomed."

"Oh come on, I'm not that bad," Gunther insists.

"Do you really have to work tonight, Zahnrad?" Amy asks. "I mean, really have to do it?"

"Yes," Zahnrad stands and stretches. "It's probably going to rain, so we need a guard. Plus, there are some internals that need repair and I'm the best one to do it. Why?"

Amy fidgets, then asks, "Is there a place where all the machine controls are for the bits that have to be shut down for you to do the work?"

"Yes. Central control in the inner corridors of the dam," Zahnrad notes. "It's always locked. Anyway, I mentioned to Mom that you'd probably be bored, so she offered to keep you company for a bit while I have to go work." And with that, Zahn starts heading for the door.

"WAIT!" Amy says, jumping after Zahn. "Who will be guarding the control room while you work?"

Zahnrad turns and looks back. "No one. It's locked, remember? It's not like someone could just break down that door," he says.

"But someone who knows how to unlock could just go right in, couldn't they?" Amy asks.

"Yes. But not many know the code," Zahnrad points out. "Certainly no one outside the clan currently."

Amelia rubs her forehead with her fingers, and asks, "Right, but does Deirdra know how to unlock the door and operate the controls?"

"Yes. Why?" Zahnrad asks.

"Why?" Amelia repeats, looking stunned. "Because women are vicious, vindictive creatures and she's just been overruled by everyone else in the clan. Because she overheard a prediction that you were going to have a fatal accident while working on the dam, in the rain. And because no one would expect someone from the clan to go in and cause that accident deliberately."

"There are many things she might do, but sabotaging machines is not one of them. Machines are all but sacred to us," Zahnrad notes and shakes his head. "But, I suppose you want to go guard the room, then?"

"Yes, I do," Amelia says. "And I'd feel better if you had someone with you, too."

Zahnrad considers this. "All right, but I can't give you the access code unless the council decides it's okay. Which, won't be happening tonight. I'll let you in, though," he says.

"If there's just one door in, I only need to be on the outside of it," Amelia says.

"Well, there isn't only one, per se," Zahnrad notes, then shakes his head. "Never mind. I'll just let you in." The Kadie then turns and heads out of the room. Gunther looks like he was pretty worn out by the day and has fallen asleep on the table.

"Who will be the guard on the dam?" Amy asks as she follows Zahn. If she's going to be in the control room, she figures it would be too dangerous to bring her staff or halberd.

"Er, me. That's part of the job," Zahnrad points out as he walks out across the deck. Above them the sky rumbles with thunder as the last vestiges of sun disappear behind clouds. "Right, jacket it is tonight," Zahn grumbles.

"You can't guard yourself!" Amy argues. "Can't your dad come out and… just watch? Or we could wake up Gunther… "

"No, Amy. This is my job," Zahnrad notes as he climbs into the elevator. He waits for Amy to get on, and lowers it back to the ground. "They've been working all day, they're tired. We do shifts. It's the way of things."

"Because there aren't enough of you to cover everything anymore," Amy notes, frowning.

"Honestly, I give the clan a generation or two more, and we'll be gone," Zahnrad notes as he steps out of the elevator and heads toward his workshop.

Amelia follows along in relative silence. "Maybe one of the Millers could come and guard," she eventually suggests.

Zahnrad sighs and shakes his head. "Look. We're not much in this town, Amy. But please, let us keep our pride," he says as he enters his shop. Above them, the sky crackles again with thunder.

Frowning, Amelia watches the sky and runs scenarios through her head. In the vision, Zahn called my name… which would imply that I was there with him. So if I wait in the control room, that changes things already… but for better or worse?

Amelia doesn't have a lot of time to think on it. Zahn's back on, in a heavy jacket and carrying a bag of tools. "Let me at least get you inside before it starts raining," he notes, then starts off towards the dam.

The dark-furred Kadie follows Zahn, and looks around to see if anyone is watching them as well.

Nothing seems to be amiss as they head towards the dam. Alas, they don't' quite make it before the skies open up. A downpour begins and the winds start to howl through the sheets of rain. "Figures," Zahnrad calls back to Amelia. "Don't worry, though, I've worked in worse. At least there's no fish yet."

"Uh, last time you got hurt though," Amy points out as she gets soaked. Maybe an otter could guard from the reservoir side, she ponders.

"I was distracted," Zahnrad counters. The rain doesn't let up as they ascend the dam. Lightning flashes overhead, illuminating the the area in eerie shadows that seem to ripple and move on their own. For a moment, the place feels isolated. The creaking of the gearing and wood don't make it feel very safe, either. But, at least for Amy … she'll be dry in the control room. "I'll leave you in the control room," Zahn notes, then I'll just be up here working. I hope you won't get too bored."

"Tonight, boredom is what I'm hoping for most of all," Amelia notes, and tries not to shiver.