Noro feels sfe with Reck, despite the prison. but she tries to hide it.
Yeah, thatsh pretty much it, in a nutshell. I'll be shure to get work down here when I can. the labor will do me good anyway.
She pulls herself away from Reck, I should get back to be work. I'll shee ya around.
she pauses a bit just looking at him. she looks like she wants to say something, but before she says anything she turns to leave.
His wounds clear, but he is left on the ground in the fetal position muttering The voice, his voice, inmyhead! Ohgods makeit stooop!
Reck watches Noro leave, wordlessly. After she's gone, he stands and paces his cell like a caged animal for some time, thinking.
Feels good to have something to do again. Good on Noro - I'm trapped in the darkest airless hell hole of a mine as slave labor, and she's got me pulling tricks to pull one over on some Tears.
With a grin, Reck returns to his pallet and waits for the morning porridge.
The new guys shuffle off to do their jobs without talking. Even though they don't know where anything is... The situations quickly devolves into a kind of frustrating charades among the newbies. Eve sighs and motions you two (Halsanna and Zayid) out of the door. Once clear, she turns and holds up her hands. What the blue blazes is going on?
Reck - The morning porridge comes soon enough. Noro and the skinny guy probably just missed the guard. You are hauled out of your cell and marched with the other highly dangerous inmates down to the newer parts of excavation. There you notice some of the grunts putting in ceiling bolts and a certain blue Teifling among them standing over a man in the fetal position muttering to himself. Looks like Abrasax got him a slacker.
Noro - You and Skinny do indeed just barely manage to slip the guards as they come in with the morning meal. Skinny leads you back to where Freia is working, though the circular route and pauses for patrols means you arrive at your work area with Freia just as Reck does...
Freia -
"Schhhh, it's all good now. Calm down! Breathe!"
You recognize the parts of the spell woven over him, but the spell itself is unique. It's similar to the Nightmare spell, but was obviously cast while the man was awake. He is currently trapped in a kind of looping panic and there's no telling exactly what would happen if the effect is broken early. He would probably be fine, eventually. Ending such an effect early tends to cause disorientation and, if seriously botched, a feedback in the magic leading to brain damage.
Freia -
Your magic takes hold almost immediately. You don't even have to use all the charges available to you. The magic still forms a halo of ice on his head and he'll probably have a wicked headache when he wakes up, but it's better than the alternative.
Noro/Reck - You arrive to see Friea crouched over the mumbling man and channeling magic into him. A halo of ice has formed on his head and he passes out as you come within speaking range.
Reck- This is the first time you've seen someone help someone under Abraxas' punishment, and it is certainly a unique solution to the problem.
Reck lifts an eyebrow at Freia's unconventional treatment for Tear discipline. Not wanting a dose of the same medicine, Reck moves to the nearest rubble pile left by the miners and starts scooping rocks and dirt into a burlap sling in preparation for dragging it to the dump site. "Clever. And bold," he says, out of the corner of his mouth.
Noro is silent, she knows Freia and does not interfere. she simply gets to work, staying beside Reck as much as she can.
I will wrap up work days soon. Just waiting on a Zayid/Halsanna conversation.
The day ends long after each of you are ready for it to end. Without sky or Sun time seems to move about as slowly as pitch. Noro and freia labor like they never have to keep pace with Reck and their hands are soon covered in blisters. Then their blisters get blisters. Noro gets off a little easier than Freia due to her history of fighting with her hands, but doesn't escape without trembling limbs.
Halsanna and Zayid work all day with words they cannot say. The newbies aren't much help and a word escapes their lips occasionally. You all brace, but luck is with you and nothing explodes. Just as the working party is physically exhausted at the end of the day, Halsanna and Zayid are mentally spent. Words and speaking come with some difficulty and verbal slip-ups abound. Not to mention the paper cuts. So many paper cuts. You could swear that paper had metal edges.
Good is served at your stations for the mid day meal and evening meal. In all, you are working almost 18 hours before you are released.
Reck- Your handlers with the cuffs for transport back to your cell never arrive. It have a rare opportunity to blend in and actually make it out of Below for the first time in months. What do you do?
The rest of you- Work ends and you follow the flow of non-violent offenders back up to the main hall. What do you do?
sSs....Ssszzleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppp! There was one thing on Freia's mind and one thing alone - her warm and heavenly bunk waiting in their room for her. The day had been long and gruelling enough without the previous nights escapades. Zayid's serum could hopefully wait one more day, for she would certainly not be of much use tonight! So with all her remaining ability and energy Freia shuffles back home towards bed. Unless something stops her, that is!
I smell a trap. Not like the Tears to screw up security like that. Plus, where am I to go? Hide under Noro's bed for the headcount?
Smirking at the thought of startling Noro and trying not to get beat to death, Reck walks back to his cell as normal, closing the door behind him - but not locking it. Hard to do anyway, sans key.
Freia - the only thing odd about the room is that cat. He's slightly bigger than before and he's staring at you. Intentionally.
Annoyed that Zayid gave her a bath? Freia thought to herself and could not help but suppress a giggle. With a yawn she added
"*yaaaaaaaawwwn*Aww shoot. I'm not sure why he did that ..."
And then continued to her precious bed, kicking off her boots and diving beneath her blankets as quick as she could. Before falling asleep completely, she tried some 'here kittykitty' to lure Lou closer. The cat looked warm and fluffy, two traits she wouldn't mind snuggling with during her upcoming hibernation. Hmmm. I hope Noro doesn't mind. But maybe she'll find someone else to snuggle if I steal Lou. Heh... *giggle*
Noro finishes her work and cleans up a little. she keeps an eye on Reck and notices that he is heading back to his cell.
she rushes after him, come on, you ain't that dumb. I shaid I would help ya get above shometime, nowsh yer chance
She grabs his arm and start to force him to follow her back up to the bunk room.
"Thought yeh wanted me t'get cozy wit' th' gangers down 'ere, too?"
Reck doesn't resist the redirection, and instead tries his best to blend in with the group headed upwards.
"...Mmmmmmm big fluffy kitty-cat come here ..." Freia yawns in response, only just half awake. But now that it was mentioned even her sleep deprived brain realized that Lou was - probably - a bit larger then usual. But she couldn't explain how or why. Or what to do about it. *yawn* Maybe if I hug her she'll shrink? was the best plan she could figure out at the moment!
Lou's ears twitch at Freia before turning its golden eyes on Halsanna and giving her that smug, knowing look cats are so good at doing.
Noro looks at her friend, There will be time for that later. Itsh been a while, I misshed your company.
She leads Reck to someplace they can see the night sky. hoping to have a seat and simply enjoy the fresh air, and the company.
Its been a very long time since she could be a girl, and feel safe; well safer.
Noro- you and Reck find one of the few views of the night sky available, an unfinished section of the construction area. you have to sneak in, but when had a sign saying to keep out ever stopped you?
Zayid swings by the kitchen to obtain an extra snack for Aboki, then heads back to the dormitory to collapse on his bed. "Should... ask them?" he manages between yawns, glancing over at Freia and then deciding she's too far gone to answer even if he didn't have to yawn between every other word. In the morning, maybe. Too tired...
The next morning dawns far too early. Absentia is waking in seconds after your lights come on. Lou and aboki are laying on an unused bunk and talking about something. Or youall think they're talking. Only Zayid understand that they are critiquing each humans sleeping habits. As in your habits while asleep. Evidently bipeds are hilarious sleepers.
Absentia notices Reck is here and nods to him. Good. You're all here. I'm afraid I haven't much time. Things are developing quickly around here and the Aspis are on the move. There was a detonation down Below last night and we are investigating but it could take days to clean up that section and I almost lost four tears who were on inventory....
But no matter. I'm sure Aspis had something to do with it.
Blinking awake Freia felt that a few more days of sleep would do her some good. Mmmmmm my blankets are cosy ... Zzzzz. But Absentia seemed to be in a hurry - and Freia realized that she would probably have to get up anyhow. Sitting up she wrapped herself in her blankets and blinked a few times more.
"Mhm?" She offered in an effort to seem ready to do whatever was needed. She wasn't sure *what* that was yet, buuuuut... I think I'll find out soon enough!
Noro stopped and just watched as Reck got a chance to take in the fresh night air. Not exshatly like the open shea. she says to him, a calm in her voice that she hasn't had in a while.
Noro steps back a pace or so to let Reck take in the night sky. this was her gift to him.
"Deck ain't 'eavin' an' rollin' in th' surf," agrees Reck, after a moment.
The night air was shockingly cold and crisp after long weeks of dank cave air and mines full of stone dust. Reck's lungs voiced their protest, and he coughed a mouthful of their contents out against a half-built wall.
"Some things ain't changed, though - workin' like dogs fer' a pack o' bosses wantin' their faces stomped in. All that fightin' an' sweatin' on th' Wormwood, buildin' me up a gang 'ere on th' land... an' I'm back to 'aulin crap fer someone else. Least now it looks like I get t' rough folks up instead o' draggin' rock. 'Ow's this work, Noro? Put in some years an' get free? Or is it a 'fight till yeh die tryin' kind o' deal?"
Reck stays silent, but pays close attention.
After a slight pause, she continues.
I have a mission for you, but first thing's first, some background.
The gang that calls themselves the Hearteaters has grown at an alarming pace ever since the riots. The poor and desperate have been practically flocking to their banner. This has made them enemies, particularly the Tooth and Claw boys, but that hasn't done much more than give them a foe to rally against. Right now the two are skirmishing all over the Docklands and it's all we can do to prevent a full blown gang war.
They also happen to be the ones who have cornered the market on Wolfsbane. I'll give you one guess what that warehouse you found is full of.
My fear is that the Hearteaters are planning something huge. If somehow they infect enough citizens with Lycanthropy it could start to spread at a rate faster than the Watch or us can handle. Should that happen... pandemonium. People dead in the streets. It would make the Riots look like a peaceful protest.
There are a few ways we could deal with this, and I would like your input as a test of your strategic thinking. How do we deal with a gang that plans, I think, to hold the city over a barrel?
You would have us raid the warehouse and risk another bloody fight in the Docklands so soon after the Riots? She asks in clarification without accusation in her voice.
Infiltration then. There are a few of their members Below. Mainly low level grunts we might be able to get some information from. Risky though. If you're caught the results could be just as disastrous. Time would be another obstacle.
As for your assumption, the Hearteaters are not known for lycanthopy. The only unusual thing we have noted is a greater than normal skill in organizing men into fighting shape in short periods of time and their leader. He seems to be... resilient. Reck can tell you more on that front.
"Their members Below... do you know who they are?" queries Zayid softly. If she does... but she might be lying even if she claims to know who they are. She might be setting us up... might be setting me up. The Old Man could just as well be working for her...
Yes. They were arrested on gang-related charges.
The young man narrows his eyes at the Sorrow. So you aren't willing to tell us who they are unless we agree to be your lap dogs. And what if we don't play?
After studying her for some time in silence, he speaks again, his tone still soft. "Low-level grunts with worthwhile information? That seems... unlikely." Careful to keep his voice from betraying too much challenge, he continues, "Are you unconcerned about their... influence?"
Rubbing the last of the blissful sleep from her eyes, Freia is finally animate. For a short while she looks to Absentia as if wanting to say something, but the moment passes. Straightening out her clothes to look a little bit less as if she slept in them, she listens to the back and forth discussion about their newest assignment.
"Resilient. That sounds ominous - did he rise from the dead?" Freia queries with a nervous chuckle. The undead were creepy, the looked so very wrong. And her last encounter with one didn't go so well, everything ended up going up in smoke. *Why* did it have to be fire there too?!
"But I guess the low-level grunts might know *something* right?" She speculates. "That is more then us at least ..."
Noro looks a bit confused, she was unsure herself actually. I don't know really, I shtarted to jusht roll with it. eventually they shay we can go free, shtart a new life. What ya shay, you willin ta go wit me? I thinkin of buyn' a ship, be my on captain.
She steps closer to Reck and just stares into his eyes. There is a softness in Noro at this moment, the first time in years she let her guard down.
At the briefing, Noro is quiet as well, she isn't too sure what to contribute.
I think one of ush could infiltrate thier numbersh, If they like fightin' then I would be yer choishe.
Other than that, well, I'm jusht the mushle around here.
To Zayid, she replies, Need I remind you where you are? If you betray us, run off, and you are caught (and you would be) you will be remanded to the custody of the courts to spend the rest of your sentence, which would be strongly aggravated, in a real jail. I think you don't want that experience for yourself or Aboki.
and to Freia, We don't know what happened, but being raised is not out of the question. If he was raised, it would mean an secret spell caster of some power.
And to Noro, If you choose to be the infiltrator, I would suggest spending a lot of quality time with Reck. He's our resident expert at the moment.
So, we split then? Noro tries to gain a gang's trust while the rest of you see if you can't get Zayid something good for what ails him?
"Uhm ... let's hope it was just misdirection or a twin or something then ..." Freia nods, her mind racing with unsettling possibilities. No! Not now, focus on the task ...
"Hmm. Since we can't really just buy it, we might have to steal it. And we could perhaps gather some intel for Noro too then?" she suggests.
The young man's eyes narrow even further at Absentia's threat. After staring back at her, cat-like, for a few seconds, he turns away and mutters quietly, "I doubt everyone will take your word on that."