Toby Snuffs the Celebration
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The staff erupts in controlled celebration as Mendoza's confirmation vote nears its conclusion, with Bonnie distributing champagne to the gathered group.
Toby bursts in, confiscating champagne and demanding everyone's attention, insisting they not celebrate prematurely.
Toby lectures the staff about their history of bad luck and the danger of tempting fate, reinforcing his authority over the celebration.
Toby shifts focus to locating Josh, signaling an impending shift in priorities beyond the celebration.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Startled and mildly embarrassed, attempting to smooth the situation while still wanting to allow a small staff relief.
Bonnie is holding the champagne bottle and organizing drinks when Toby interrupts; she attempts to placate him, answer his questions, and justify the nascent celebration while complying with his orders.
- • Distribute a controlled celebratory drink to staff.
- • Maintain order and respond to Toby's directive without escalating conflict.
- • Small celebrations are necessary for staff morale.
- • Senior staff authority (Toby's) should be respected to keep discipline.
Brittle, hyper-vigilant anxiety masking relief — outwardly authoritative, inwardly panicked about fragile political luck.
Toby storms into the room, loudly forbids champagne, physically begins collecting glasses, and delivers a didactic lecture about Senate majorities and 'tempting fate,' converting celebration into caution.
- • Prevent any behavior that could jinx the confirmation outcome (stop the toast).
- • Reassert message and operational discipline among staff.
- • Refocus the room on procedural reality rather than emotional release.
- • Political victories are fragile and can be undone by carelessness.
- • Rituals of celebration can invite misfortune (tempt fate).
- • Procedural details (51 votes) matter more than symbolic gestures.
Pleasantly buoyant then deflated and alert; her mood shifts quickly from celebratory to watchful.
Crystal is among the staff coming up for a glass; she is caught mid-celebration by Toby's entrance and visibly pulled from relief back into attentive vigilance.
- • Participate in a brief morale-boosting moment with colleagues.
- • Stay aligned with group norms and respond to senior staff cues.
- • Small rituals bind staff together and relieve pressure.
- • When senior staff intervene, the group should follow their lead.
Josh is not physically present in the room but is directly invoked by Toby's closing demand 'Where's Josh?' — his …
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The champagne bottle is the ceremonial prop of the attempted toast—held and distributed by Bonnie to staffers—and becomes the physical target of Toby's intervention when he forbids champagne and begins collecting glasses, transforming the bottle from relief symbol to evidence of premature celebration.
The broadcast monitor provides the factual trigger for the scene: it announces Senator Crossfield's 'yea,' creating the illusion of victory that leads to staff celebration. It functions as an impartial verifier of Senate arithmetic and the immediate focus of everyone's attention.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The adjacent reception space (off the Mural Room) supplies a buoyant, celebratory hum that frames the scene: ambient music, applause and servers press against the quieter work area, heightening the staff's urge to celebrate and amplifying the contrast when Toby enforces restraint.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
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Key Dialogue
"TOBY: Put it down! Put it down! Put it down!"
"TOBY: No champagne."
"TOBY: 'Tempting fate' is what it's called. In the three months this man has been on my radar screen, I have aged 48 years. ... We've had very bad luck. Where's Josh?"