It did, indeed, seem like the perfect solution. A dragon would force the minister to not only look after it, but also himself; it would require time other than work and business, hopefully time that was relaxing and actually fun for him. And, to Deborah's knowledge, he didn't have any friends-- no one who wasn't a political or business associate, other than Deborah's mother, who really hardly ever talked to him, despite the man's occasional, hopeful attempts at visiting. A dragon would be that friend he lacked. It seemed perfect. Only Cedric Falken himself refused to be legitimately Searched, or even stand for a native clutch. 

After a long conversation with Toshi, who turned out to be a Searchrider from a place called Ryslen with designs on the Minister for a giant frenzy-clutch called the Flurry, Deborah and Purpura had a plan. Deborah would bully, beg, and guilt her father into a vacation at Nidus Ryslen, the dragonry there, just in time for the last of the winter snows and, coincidentally, the Flurry hatching there. Toshi and her dragon, a big black named Shouraith, would be staying at Star City until the hatching after the xenodragon one, at least, in the hopes of sponsoring, so she couldn't give away that she'd tried to Search him for that particular clutch.

Apparently, though, fate-- or God, or luck, or even just Toshi, bribing the doctor-- also had plans, because before they could actually talk to Cedric Falken, he was ordered to take a vacation. He came stalking into his apartments after what Deborah knew to be a visit to his physician-- though why, she wasn't sure; she'd assumed it to be a typical check-up. She'd been waiting for his return, on the off-chance that she could pounce him after another spotless check-up with her suggestion for a trip off the station, but she hadn't expected the annoyed expression marring his face, and she blinked at him from the chair. Copper, her "pet" ojee at her feet, also blinked; Purpura had opted not to get involved in this particular part of the plan, instead spending the afternoon with his odd friend Amito and Insta.

"Daddy?" she asked, a little concerned.

"Hello, princess," he said absently, moving further into the apartment to check the mail on a computer screen beside the door, which slid shut automatically behind him. He either wasn't surprised to see her, or was too distracted to be surprised.

"Daddy, are you okay?" she tried again, peering around the back of the armchair at him.

"Actually, apparently I'm working too hard."

"Anyone could have told you that."

He shot her a quelling look. "Well, 'anyone' cannot order me to a two-weeks vacation. Only Doctor Jauguan can do that."

"She didn't," Deborah said with incredulous amusement.

"She did," Falken sighed. "Starting next week, I'm officially off-duty as Minister, doctor's orders, before I actually get an ulcer."

"I did keep warning you about those," Deborah answered primly. "Though I didn't realize you'd been having problems." Though, she realized, he hasn't been eating much when we go out... and behind that politician's face, who knows what's going on with him?

Falken just shook his head, unwilling to complain about his physical problems to his daughter-- He hardly ever tells me anything important, she thought sourly, discounting his discussions of politics and business; those weren't personal-- and finished scrolling through his messages. Deb continued, in his silence: "Well, I've thought you've needed a vacation for ages. I've been telling you, haven't I?" He didn't answer, probably not happy about her "I told you so". "But this is perfect, Daddy!" she added cheerfully.

This time he actually looked at her, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"I meeeeeean," Deb drawled with a smile, "that I was just going to ask you to go on a trip with me!"

"Deborah, we've had a trip for both of the past six months. I wasn't planning on going anywhere."

"Oh, Daddy, but it's boring here!"

"You didn't used to think so," her father replied dryly.

She actually still didn't think it was boring, even though her previous entertainments no longer held their appeal; it was just an opener to trying to convince him to leave with her. "That was then," she said loftily. "Come on, Daddy, you have to take a vacation, anyway, and face it, if you stay here, you'll just find something else stressful to do!"

Falken started across the living room to the other armchair, sitting down to take off his shoes, not answering. He knew she was right, she just knew he did, even though his expression betrayed nothing. ::Oh, he knows you're right,:: Copper, telepathic but otherwise mute, said with a silent chuckle. ::He's just too proud to admit it.::

"You have plenty of businesses to try and run, after all," Deborah continued doggedly, encouraged by her ojee friend, "but that's not resting, and you know it. No medicine, surgery, magic, or herb in the universe can possibly make up for plain, old-fashioned taking care of yourself. --So will you at least consider actually going somewhere?"

"I'll consider it," he said at last. "But this had better not be another attempt at adopting more of those Avengaean dragons."

"Of course not!" Deborah exclaimed. "Last time was mostly so Purpura could find his friend, really. Besides, no one else will fit in our apartment. I just want to get off this station, maybe see some real weather. It's winter on a lot of the worlds, Daddy, did you know?"

"And I'm sure it's summer on a number of them, as well. I'm assuming you had somewhere in mind, since you seem to have this all thought out."

"Well, you know, it has been a long time since I've seen snow--"

"Not even a full year yet, when we went to Avengaea for your bonding."

"--and I thought maybe we could go someplace that has a lot of winter celebration," she continued without acknowledging his comment. "And maybe you could have some fun for a change."

"Fun?" He arched a brow at her, and that time she could read exactly what he meant and blushed.

"Not that kind of fun, Daddy. I don't do that anymore. Besides, Nidus Ryslen doesn't exactly have night clubs."

"Nidus Ryslen." Falken settled back in his chair in bare feet, brows knitted. "I know where that is, but I've never been there."

"And," Deborah said proudly, "you have no business contacts there. Daddy, there's snow there. Please?"

"If you want snow, you can always try that new VR environment program-- what is it, Synchronized Network for Online Winter? --I'm kidding, I'm kidding. We'll see, all right?"

Knowing that was a yes, Deborah leapt up and threw her arms around her father to give him a kiss on the cheek. Copper, mouth gaping with mute laughter, scrambled out of the way. "Thank you, Daddy!"

"I didn't say yes," he protested with a little laugh-- but he hugged her back, anyway.