29

"Now, the first thing you need to understand," Bouchard says, "is that I have no desire to be Prince, so put that out of your scheming little head. I'm a scrapper and I like my privacy. Always have, always will. I also have no particular dislike of your sire—I could take her or leave her. If Arundel doesn't return, my main concern is who will rise to power in his stead and what they'll do to change the status quo. Understand—the Camarilla have instituted a blackout on all digital communications between Kindred; I can thank the Second Inquisition for that. There are those in our clan who would rebel against the ban, and others who would aid them. Corliss fought against the return to an analog society as well; she was at the forefront of our clan's digital ventures. I would see to it that we remain secure against the Inquisition. For the sake of our survival."

"A reasonable request," you say. "So we make certain to push policies in a direction that suits you and tip the scales in favor of would-be princes whose policies don't run counter to your needs."

"Exactly," Bouchard replies. "Not that I expect one such as you to be capable of providing these changes herself, but some weight put in the right direction, no matter how small, can tip the balance in favor of our survival. A return to the old ways. To that end, I will require regular intelligence reports from you regarding Corliss's activities and who is moving against her. Everything of relevance."

"Within reason," you reply.

"Of course. Within reason. Let me be clear—this is not a game. If your sire catches you siphoning information to me, you'll be lucky to survive a week. You understand?"