(no subject)

The office of Fred Atwood is lush, lavish, and very...male. A huge desk, made of dark, dark wood. Matching shelves. A massive leather chair. A table at the side that looks like it belongs in a war room.

This is an inner sanctum. The Shakespeare calligraphy -- the St. Crispin's Day speech from Henry V, in Mandarin -- dominates one wall. And Senator Atwood...dominates the room.

He's had practice.

"What'll it be, Senator?" He's got his back to Gabriel Tam, standing at the small sideboard.