[quote=@Ulstermann]
[@Letter Bee]

SECONDARY QUEST- Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

"You hit the nail on the head, Mr. Rapids." Dr. Ney admitted, fitting a cigarette in a long ivory holder. "The Order has been slow in developing alternative sources of power generation. If I could, I would take a different direction. But it's politics that is the deciding factor here, not science. Unfortunately. But in Orleans, there isn't any real alternative. The Order gives us stability, up to a point." Ney shrugged. "At least they used to. Now, with the revolution gearing up for a fight, I'm not so sure how the game ends. Not that I can make a difference there."  
[/quote]

SECONDARY QUEST- Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

Par chuckled.

"Are you so sure about that? There are other ways to fight besides brawn." A smile. "You know the intricacies of Orleans' Power Grid and related infrastructure, and we both know how much the Order needs power for its luxuries and the defense of its luxuries." Par instinctively straightened his glasses, and began inching towards the big reveal.

"I'll tell you a secret; my parents were killed by the Order back when it was anti-trade, just a few years or so ago. They would have wanted me to bury the hatchet with the Order if it meant profit, but, well, let's just say that the Order snubbed me when I tried to give our relations a new start." He waited for the shock to settle on Ney's face.

"You're a knowledgable person; we're both knowledgable people. This conflict, like most historical conflicts between a rotten regime and a morally dubious, but genuinely aggrieved, bunch of rebels, is going to get worse instead of better. So," Par began to risk things, "why not join the faction that offers you not just a reward, but whose aims would give you more freedom to develop benign scientific research?" [Int 10]

"That is what I eventually did." [Cha 9]

More shock; the next few moments were the deciding factor.

[@Ordure]