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Wraith was getting sort of sick of snow. He missed the warmth of India; observing the back of his hand, he noted that he'd gotten a lot paler over the years. He was originally supposed to go with Johannes to Russia to start diplomatic talks, but he hadn't wanted to. That was one of the perks of being the leader, he mused. Sebastien was to take Johannes this time around. He was more suited for it, after all, with his white-blond hair and blue eyes-- he looked almost Russian. He'd never lose that distinct French aura around him though, Wraith thought, amused. Hopefully they wouldn't run into trouble while they were there.

Sebastien yawned as he rubbed the sheath of his sword with a sleeve. Wraith could have given him more notice, but of course he hadn't. Going to Europe was a plus though; he hadn't been out of the LOTUS base for a while. Perhaps he could get something nice for her while he was there... Sebastien reclined on the white leather chair, stretching languidly as he waited for his recruit. Johannes, was it?

(( Don't worry about it, Jadine! ))

Sebastien burst out laughing.

Really, he shouldn't have, but he hadn't been able to control it. Here he was, being apathetic, moody and frivolous, and here was Johannes, being very serious about everything. He got up and stretched out his long frame, walking slowly towards Johannes.

Wraith raised an eyebrow. This didn't look like it was going to go all that well. He knew that Sebastien knew (sort of) what he was doing at any rate. "I'll be going now. Try to prevent any wars and explosions; that's all I ask."

"Aye captain." Sebastien lazily saluted to the general space behind him, and returned his focus to Johannes. "You don't need to be that formal, Johannes. At least not here at base. I'm Sebastien, and we'll be going to Russia for peace negotiations. I trust you know something of diplomacy?"

Sebastien's face took on an expression of mild surprise. "Really? Your father was an ambassador? I suppose that would have been very interesting then, wouldn't it? Much better than my father at any rate." He paused slightly and sighed. He was starting to forget what his father had looked like...

"Ah, yes. About Russia. It's not in a good state, I'll tell you that. Currently, it's roughly an oligarchy with the parliament situated at the Kremlin. There has been agitation from the supposed royal line and the loyalties of the countries are split. Our concern is their immediate relations with Japan. Japan and Russia have been feuding over eastern water ports for some time, and the situations seems to be getting worse. I gather that's why Wraith's sending us; him and Shee would cause a scene-- other than Faustus, I don't think anyone looks more European than we do. You're quite blonde, aren't you? Anyways, we are to dissuade Russia from taking aggressive action against Japan. If that were to happen..."

Sebastien broke off and looked at Johannes. "I think you know enough. We should be going." He took a few steps and turned back to Johannes. "You are coming, aren't you?"

"Yes. That is exactly right-- war might break out at any minute. Both Russia and Japan are highly nationalistic-- not that any country these days is not, but the fervour we will experience is quite... extreme."

Sebastien grinned at Johannes's question. "A bit naive, hmm? Russians certainly do not agree well with those who do not look Russian. This is in part due to... something I'm not allowed to tell you about." He coughed. "We will be treated wonderfully. If we are careful."

They had reached the hangar. Sebastien swung around a corner and into the vast open space where a small white jet was waiting.

"After you."

Sebastien watched with interest as Johannes was struck by the appearance of the jet.

"We will be going to Russia's capital, Moscow, to attempt to dissuade the Russian government from taking aggressive action against Japan. A Russian representative for the government will be meeting us in a corner of the Kremlin. His name is Vilen Gromyko."

As Johannes was apparently not making any movements to get into the jet, Sebastien pushed a small button beside the door and waited as a panel slid silently upwards to let them into the plane. He folded himself into one of two chairs that were placed side by side, sectioned off from the cockpit by a thin black screen, and adjusted the sheath hanging from his hip so as not to accidentally impale Johannes. Sebastien hated riding in the smaller jets.

He rapped on the screen to let the pilot know they were ready, and at once, a dull roar began as the doors to the hangar opened and the jet slid down the runway and into the sky.

Sebastien looked at Johannes, pale eyebrows knitted in confusion. He was... strange.

Ah! He must be from a time in the past! It made more sense to him now. He thought of the day he had arrived at LOTUS, fuzzy in it's state of half-remembrance, and realized he must have seemed even more out of place than this boy felt now. He did vaguely remember a bright laugh that sounded to his ears like the gentle commotion of small, golden bells...

"I suppose you could say that. Wraith looked among us and chose the one he believed would be best for this mission, and that choice was me. Were you assigned the mission?"

Sebastien had no idea how recruits went about on missions. LOTUS had changed rapidly with the increasingly aggressive overtures of Janus. He waited for Johannes's answer as the plane touched down softly on Russian ground.

Slinking off the plane after Johannes, Sebastien followed the younger man's eyes to a group of people near them, and at a knowing look from a man with a scar, Sebastien mechanically jerked his head to the side in a half-nod. The man immediately began walking away, in the direction of a street mostly obscured by foliage. The rest of the group followed, with two breaking off as the man reached the street and sunk into its shadows. Sebastien, moving to gently nudge Johannes forward, began to follow.

And so it begins, he thought. The new intelligence that Wraith had gathered from the last mission he had undertaken in Russia with Archer was deeply unsettling; it made this mission more difficult; so much so that he wondered if it was a good idea to have brought Johannes along. Well, he had prepared something at least.

Taking a deep breath, Sebastien began to converse with Johannes-- or at least, at him-- in the animated Russian dialogue that he had memorized back at headquarters. It probably would have been a good idea to warn Johannes beforehand, he thought belatedly.

Sebeastien looked quite alarmed when Johannes began to say something in a language that sounded nothing like English, Russian or French. Desperately, he willed Johannes to shut up. The whole point of going on in Russian was to blend in, to not draw attention to themselves or present themselves as foreigners.

It was with relief that Sebastien found himself and Johannes in an obscure corner of the Kremlin, having gotten in by some means that did not seem entirely honest.

The man with the scar was standing in front of them, coolly looking them over as he waited.

"Gromyko. You?"