Hesitation.

For a brief second there was hesitation tugging at the wide shoulders of mister Talis.

He was dressed in a simple white vest with grey stripes at his sides that hugged the slim, lean figure with which he towered in the air. His feet stuck in simple leather shoes, he wore brown dressing pants and a black shirt underneath his vest.

His tie was crimson red. Almost like a gust of blood that poured from his throat. You wondered if he'd really bleed today.

He took a deep breath and crossed his arms behind his back. You smiled. It seemed he had seen a few council members one too many times and now copied their mannerism.

Again, your gaze wandered to Medara without her noticing. All the attention was on the Hextech wonder boy.

"If the right person got hold of it it's possible they could...", his smooth, deep voice faltered for a moment. "... utilise its energy."

The thought crossed your mind that he was a waste as a researcher. With a face like his and a voice like that he'd make a much better opera singer.

"We need to address this immediately.", a cold fire of urgency burned in the blue of the Kiramman eyes.

The tone of her voice told that she would not allow an excuse. This matter needed to be resolved now and not a second later.

Next to mister Talis, the other man made an effort to get up from his chair. He rested his weight on a metal cane but as Talis noticed he gestured for him to stay.

You tilted your head, curious. Maybe he wasn't as vain and full of himself as you had expected him to be. At least there was concern on his face.

Concern for a friend.

"I agree.", Talis turned to the council once more, his deep voice soft like the kiss of a loving husband and his eyes as full of guilt like a child that knew he had done wrong. "It was my responsibility to safeguard this technology and I failed. My mistake cost people their lives."

Now torn from his stage of thinking, Heimerdinger managed to pull his eyes away from the city that lay below his feet outside the window.

Intrigued the Yordle turned to eye the man who had once been his apprentice. You had heard rumours about Victor and how he had always tried to step out of the shadow of the small creature.

All this only to slip right into the next. It seemed to you he was the mastermind behind all of this. And yet everyone knew Jayce Talis as the father of Hextech.

"I've come before you to recommend that we suspend all Hextech operations until the situation's been resolved.", Talis stepped into the middle of the round table.

All of a sudden a flinch chased through councilor Medarda. The beautiful woman had remained silent for the most part, only ever responding with slight changes of her facial expression.

But now there was surprise to be soon on her gold freckled dark face. And disagreement. Even though she had her hands folded in front of her you could tell how tense she was.

"Including our laboratory, the refinery and the Hexgates.", Talis had to close his eyes for the last part.

It was written all over his body langue how painful this was to him. But his sense of responsibility was larger than that. He knew what was best and was willing to sacrifice it.

"Hm...", you breathed to yourself but kept quiet.

"Have you lost your mind?!", upset, your father pushed his palms flat onto the table.

Concern shimmered in the brown of his eyes. Not because there could be a real threat to the people of Piltover and its safety. Of course not.

No, he was worried about business. You were smart enough to know that this very concern had been the reason why your family was part of this council.

So you just closed your eyes and listened.

"The Hexgates must remain open.", Shoola insisted. "Piltover's status as a global shipping lane depends on it. Thousands would loose their income."

You could agree with that. Obviously the first part came from simple ignorance and self interest. But she was right. Without the gates open there would be no need for all the workers.

Unemployment wasn't a pleasant thing. Not when living in the Topside. The Undercity was raging with it, obviously. But that was also a reason to keep the bridges between the two parts of the city guarded and locked.

The world was not a place of black and white. It was all shades of grey. Seldom there was an outcome that had no downside to it.

Mister Talis showed confusion instead of understanding the trickiness of this situation.

"But... shouldn't the safety of Piltover be our first priority?", he asked, innocent, honest.

He was everything this council had once been.

"You would sacrifice your life's work?", Heimerdinger asked.

The yordle had taken his seat again, his furry brows drawn together while doubt and admiration battled in the brightness of his large eyes.

"Without the Hexgates my goods cannot reach foreign markets till winter!", your father kept on complaining. "Am I to tell the Noxians their next shipment of wine will be vinegar?"

"Not to mention the less durable goods.", you remarked while thinking out loud. "We supply many nations with food as well. Our farmers will be devastated if we don't take the harvest off their hands and fill their pockets for the barren months. I'm sure the other councillors can see this side of the issue. Maybe even relate to it."

Your eyes wandered to your father who gifted you a thin smile and a nod of approval in return. Even though you weren't a council member until he gave up his seat, or died, you had a mission.

To prove yourself.

And these words had been widely picked, sounded compassionate towards the smaller folks and understanding while also not letting go of your primary interest: to sell goods and earn a fortune.

The members of the council did not come to an agreement, however. Instead, they started to argue.