Nat awoke, nudged from his sleep by the plane's momentary shuddering. Outside his window, the sun was just beginning to rise over the ocean, partially eclipsed by a wing and rotor. It took a few moments for the administrator to notice the plane's gradual descent, which had been going on for a while before he awoke, judging from the height of the clouds. He sat up in his seat and enjoyed the dawn.

A door in the front of the plane opened some time later and a helmeted man stepped halfway through, the cable attached to his helmet stretched nearly taut. He seemed slightly surprised to see Nat awake, but recovered quickly.

"Wasn't sure you were awake yet, sir. We're nearly there, ten minutes or so." Nodding to the other side of the plane, the man continued: "Shall I wake them, sir?"

Nat looked to his right, having nearly forgotten about his escort and entourage: two trench-coated men with shoulder-holstered pistols, a young man, and middle-aged woman. He shook his head and waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I'll wake them as we come in for a landing. As you were, pilot."

The plane touched down just nine minutes later, and the passengers stepped off the plane to be embraced by the fog. The crisp morning air nipped lightly at his exposed neck and cheeks, but he was warm enough beneath his thick woolen great coat. The same could not be said of his young aide.

"Cold, Arne?"

"No, sir. It's quite refreshing, actually." Nat saw the man rub his hands together and breath gently on them. He had forgotten his coat at the airport, but pretended otherwise to avoid looking a fool in front of his superiors. The administrator smirked and continued walking. The aide would learn soon enough either to admit his mistakes, or remember his damned coat.

"Claudia?"

"I have them."

"Good."

* * * * *

Nat's party wasn't the first to arrive in the forum chambers, but few enough had been there before him that he still had time to prepare. While Arne set up at the large circular table that sat in the theater's center, the administrator and Claudia stepped off into the projector's control room.