[center][h2]Heligastaden, Royal Palace[/h2][/center]

The Jade sat in his office, reading the daily newspaper. It was hard to believe that it was actually 1900, it was like a date out of some book, not reality. In fact, it was somewhat disappointing. He had always expected the 1900's to be different somehow, but so little had changed since his childhood. The same predictions kept being made, just with pushed-back dates and more outrageous illustrations. Even as Jade, he hadn't managed to get anything of worldwide importance done.

[i]We'll make it someday, I'm sure![/i] He thought, looking out the window at the sun just now making its way over the horizon. The first sunrise of the new year, the new millennium. Though it was not everything he and everyone else had hoped for or predicted, he knew it would become such a time. There wasn't anything he couldn't do, and by extension of that, the same was true for Vanjana.

A man walked into the room without asking, something Kalle was perfectly fine with. The fact he had not identified himself told the Jade who he was.

"Shikoba." Said the Jade, standing up to face the man. "What brings you here?"

The man made a series of odd noises, most somewhat reminiscent of clicks, then held up a card. It read [i]"Telegram from Albia"[/i]. The Jade was glad to see that his aide had remembered his request to speak his own language while holding the cards, hoping to learn it. He had gone to classes before, but every few weeks he would drop out of them, saying that he didn't need them to learn the language. In the end everyone had decided that it would be better to just keep him out of them, and Shikoba had volunteered to help him learn through immersion.

"Really? What about?"

Another series of noises came out of Shikoba's mouth, with the Jade staring at his lips the whole time. The expression on his face clearly conveyed that he still couldn't quite believe that a human was capable of making them. Nevertheless, he copied the movements in an effort to place the sounds, then moved on to read the card. Being pre-prepared, it wasn't exactly an answer, but it sufficed.

[i]"I don't think you'll like it, Jade."[/i]

Shikoba handed the Jade the telegram, and he quickly frowned. It threw Shikoba somewhat off-balance, seeing the Jade frown. Sure, he did it plenty, but his actions followed patterns, and a frown right now wasn't anywhere near the pattern. 

"I knew there were tensions, but I never imagined that they went this far! Wait for a moment, I'll write a telegram right now!"

Lacking a pen to write a response, Shikoba simply followed the Jade's orders. When he was done, Shikoba tucked the paper underneath his left arm. Noticing a map on the wall, he motioned to Numburg, hoping the Jade would get the message.

"Oh! The trip! I have to set up a suitable committee to deal with emergencies during my absence!"

The Jade rushed out of the room, knowing Shikoba wouldn't be able to say anything he could understand anyways. Undignified? Most certainly. Then again, the Jade never had been one to waste his dignity among those he considered friends. At least, as close to friends as one could get with the man.

[i]I can't tell is he's a good leader because of his oddities or a bad one.[/i] Thought Shikoba, looking at the desk to see a knocked over ink basin spilling out onto the table. With a sigh, he walked into the hallway, searching for the cleaning crew.