"Alright then...that sounds fair. I will need to go to the upper city to purchase the required drugs...that is unless you know someone down here you can supply the SuSag drugs?"
He awaits Jaksin's response before leaving to head back up to purchase some of the drugs.
Jerry shrugs before saying quietly, "No idea. Still not going to pass up this chance."
He looks down at his drink before picking it up and preparing to drink.
"Let's head back early so that we can ready for tomorrow's breakfast meeting. How does that sound?"
Daneel knocks back the rest of his drink. "Sounds good, Cap. Ready when you are."
__________________________________________________________________
EVERYONE:
Its morning onboard Nemesis. The opulent passageways are bustling as Marines wait their turn to use the head and officers brush their uniforms or straighten their civilian outfits to prepare for the meeting. Ray, in ragged shorts and a T-shirt is already on the landing pad, working out. "Have fun, nerds!" she calls as you head off into the city, aware that most of you are underdressed for the Rose Pavilion.
As natives of the Floating City, Jerry and Killian are more impressively attired.
Why don't each of you tell me what you're wearing, how you present yourself and whether and how you're armed.
Byron moves to the command deck of the Nemesis and kicks his feet up as he waits for the others to return and wonders how much trouble Ray is going to get into.
He was dressed in the white uniform of a graduate of the Medical Institute, with the various awards presented to him located on the left side of the overcoat he wears. The impressive sight is marred by his withered body and reclined posture in his hoverchair.
"So who is this we are going to meet? And why do I have to be dressed to the nines for them?"
Jerry decides for ostentation, cleaning his clothing and ensuring that his boots are polished.
Armor, he decides, is not worth wearing. It would either offend the Admiral, or be ineffective against the weapons that could be wielded by his henchmen or the widows. Still, Jerry ensures that his clothing is fitting correctly and draping just so.
After thinking for a moment, he buckles his Sindalian officer's sword around his waist. "Just the right touch of wealth", he thinks to himself. Guns would not be suitable for a breakfast meeting.
Daneel digs through the steward-bot's menus, activates an ironing program, and lets the bot go to work on his best clothes. Satisfied with the results, he buckles on his holster & pistol, then joins the others.
As the others come in all dressed up Byron raises an eyebrow, "Are we going on a group date here? Cause I don't think Ray is back yet with her +1."
So how are -you- dressed, Byron? And what sort of weapons are you carrying, if any?
Same question for Steph.
Steph is wearing her officer's uniform which is neatly pressed and clean, and her Sindalin officer's pistol. She wants to look respectful of the Admiral.
"Met an interesting fellow at a bar. He has a line on an empty ship. Could be our the first of the fleet if we can swing his fee for the information." She tells the officers before they leave for the meeting.
You arrive at the Rose Pavilion, a delicate-looking structure of glass and fibersteel. It has a rose garden out front and the doors are intricate stained glass showing roses and and thorns. Inside is an elegant restaurant. Dain notices several discreet security scanners at the entrance.
An impeccably dressed doorman in a dark suit greets you. The man has an obviously military bearing about him. "Good morning," he says. "No weapons are permitted on the grounds. Please place your weapons in one of the lockers." He indicates a small side hallway with a dozen or so numbered lockers.
"I'll have to scan the chair as well, sir," he says, looking at Killian.
Byron takes out his pistol and saber and deposits them in a locker.
Killian allows them to scan him and the chair...he has nothing to hide. While they are doing this, he *scans* the building to see if any areas are *closed off* to his senses or if there are any other *gifted* individuals in the restaurant.
Jerry unbuckles his sword belt and slides it from his hips. The belt is carefully wrapped about the sword before Jerry stows them in the locker.
After doing that, Jerry turns and returns to the doorway.
"We have been invited to meet with Lord Darrokyn."
Daneel slides his pistol from is holster and puts it in a locker. Then he waits - uncomfortable in his Drinaxian court costume.
The team is escorted into a fine restaurant, the whole lit with the rose-tinted light of dawn. Each table is covered with fine white linen and exquisite china plates and sterling silverware. A few diners are enjoying a very elegant breakfast.
The Maitre d'hotel leads you into a back room, equally as beautiful, but smaller. A single tall and professional-looking man in a naval uniform stands by the far wall, watching you. Seated at the table is a single man, well-dressed in a uniform suggestive of an Imperial Flag Officer. His bearing tells you in a moment that he is a career military man, and one used to command. An ornate officer's cutlass lays sheathed in gold and ivory before him. The table is set for each of you. There is even a setting without a chair, evidently for Doctor Yuan.
The officer pats his mouth with a linen napkin and rises to greet you. ”Good morning,” he says, gesturing you to your chairs.
Once you are seated he asks the sole waiter to take your orders and remains otherwise silent until the waiter is gone, leaving you alone with the officer and his sole bodyguard.
”I’m Admiral Darokyn,” he says. ”I command the largest fleet here at Theev and that means that I am given certain privileges here in Blacksand City. For instance, I have learned that your vessel is not what she seems. This intrigues me. New ships always intrigue me. But what intrigues me more is that Mister Hasperson here has been asking about a Mister Ferrik Redthane.”
”Mister Redthane I know. Might I inquire into your interest in him?”
Jerry seats himself and spreads the napkin on his lap before responding.
"Thank you for the invitation to breakfast," he replies politely. "My companions and myself are honoured that you sought us out."
He looks towards the waiter who is pouring beverages for the others.
"I presume that we can speak freely here, so I will continue. Mister Redthane and his merry band of cutthroats got very ambitious. Ambitious to the point of angering the governments of at least two worlds sufficiently to put a bounty on their heads. Rather than intercepting cargo ships, and the like, Redthane and his crew raided planets and caused quite a bit of damage."
Jerry pauses, watching Admiral Darokyn to see how he responds.
"Redthane's a dangerous man," says the Admiral, his ramrod-straight posture unchanged. "And very foolish. There is an art to this business, and annoying governments is bad for business. Bad for us all."
"Try the coffee. It's the best in the Sector, brought in from Montezuma."
"What are your intentions if you should manage to find Mister Redthane? Do these governments...and here I assume you mean Torpol and Clarke... want him dead or alive? Or do they care?"
"They don't seem to care much," Daneel offers, "The deal was dead or alive."
He takes a sip of the coffee, then sighs appreciatively. "Captain, we need some of this on board."
While the others are talking, Killian attempts to pinpoint the shielded person and see if the interference is natural or mechanically generated.
"As my companion said," Jerry says with a nod towards Daneel. "Although dead would be simpler, both for transport and to avoid any discussion about which planet has priority for vengeance."
"Redthane isn't on Theev. I'm reasonably certain of that," says the Admiral, sipping his coffee.
"Without an affiliation, he'd be killed on sight. He used to be part of my organization, but proved unworthy of my trust. I place a very great value on trust."
"His henchwoman Miria Silverhand is in Blacksand City, however. She knows that Redthane will never be welcomed back into my organization, so she is likely seeking an association with the other Lords. Only two of the Free Captains have the strength and desire to face me, and therefore she will be seeking a place for Redthane's crew in one of those two organizations."
"I'm quite sure that Petyr Vallis or Hroal Irontooth could tell you where she is, but either would charge you a very high price for the information."
He sets aside the coffee and looks directly at Jerry.
"I don't like traitors, Captain. I do not want Redthane to find a place in either organization. To permit it would be to reward him for his mutiny and to set a poor example of discipline. So will give you the information you seek for a considerably lower price."
"Ferrik Redthane must die. Quietly, thoroughly and unquestionably. And you and your crew must leave Theev and remain away for a full year. This will allow Blacksand City to forget that this betrayal of trust ever occurred."
Byron sips at his coffee and lets the other handle the delicate negotiations. Drinking the bitter fluid makes him wish for something a bit stronger.
Steph is quietly sipping her coffee, and making mental notes to find some for the ship stores.
She takes another sip. "Staying away for only a year seems reasonable. Would we have time to resupply, refuel, and perhaps pick up some rumors before our time in your lovely sector is up?"
"I do believe that time is of the essence," says the Admiral. "Left to her own devices, Miria will no doubt secure a place among my rivals for herself and Redthane. However, resupply and refueling should not be an issue. As for rumors, dear lady, you can hardly avoid them in Blacksand City. They knock at your door and drag you out of bed at night."
"Now then, please enjoy your breakfasts, on me. I must attend to business. It has been a pleasure."
The Admiral stands and buckles on his cutlass under the watchful eye of his bodyguard. The two leave by the back door.
Daneel pours himself another cup of coffee. After a generous swallow, he says, "I am not kidding, we need to get some of this coffee on N-...Misericorde."
Killian watches to see if the Admiral leaves in the same direction that he has noted the psionically active person. If so, he will try to listen in to any conservation that they might be having, focusing on the Admiral...NoT the psi!!
Killian watches the Admiral depart with some interest.
Jerry finishes his breakfast, also savoring the coffee. He wait patiently for his companions to finish before discussing business.
"We can probably speak here," he starts. "Does anyone have an idea of how to locate this Mira Redthane? Or, Killian, should we talk to those people that you have been treating?"
Then there is a pause and Darokyn says "Deliver this to their captain. And if they go to Vallis or Irontooth, I want to know about it immediately."
The bodyguard returns with a card that he hands to Jerry, with the Admiral's compliments. On it is written in a neat hand "You will find Miria in Scrapheap, hiding on a downed Fat Trader below the broken 'Regina Joe's' sign. Be careful. She has eyes and ears everywhere in Scrapheap."
Killian shakes his head at the possible duplicitous nature of the Admiral.
"I can ask the fellows I helped out in the undercity, but also know that the Admiral is having us followed. We need to be very careful here. If he thinks we might be cheating him, he will have no qualms about killing us all."
Sending his thoughts to the ship's mechanic, Killian says,
"Brother...the admiral has his own psion who has warned him about us...be careful!
Daneel nods to Killian. "Good to know. Thanks."
Turning to the rest of the table, he says, "We should scout out this Scrapheap and get the lay of the land where Miria is holed up." He takes another swallow of the coffee. "After breakfast, of course."
"We can wait for you, Daneel," replies Jerry.
"Should we be prepared to lift as soon as possible?," he asks while toying with his coffee spoon.
"It sounds like this Mira has her sights set on joining a larger faction, so I don't think that we can recruit. What do you think would work better: a simple snatch? Or, posing as recruiter for one of those factions?"
"She probably knows who recruits for the factions. I also think she will have look outs. So if we try and scout it out too much we likely let her know we are coming. I say we just go in with the marines and take her." Byron suggests.
"I might have a connection in the under-city who might be able to help us. I recently did a good turn for a rather enterprising fellow and his friends so they should be in a mood to help"
"Well, it sounds like we need to learn her location since she will too wary to sign on with someone she doesn't know" replies Jerry.
"Killian, could your contact learn where Mira is hiding?," asks Jerry. "Or could or would they pose as contacts for one of the other captains? Or, is that too risky for them?"
"Apparently, she is hiding on a fat trader with the Regina Joe's sign. It doesn't sound like that will be hard to find. But if we send in scouts she has a good chance of knowing. I say we just head down with the marines and deal with this." Byron says still wishing for something with more kick.
Looking at Jerry, Killian answers.
"I can ask them, but it seems Mr. Hasperson wishes a more direct method. Are you wanting to go loud or quietly? I am good with either."
Fat Trader is a disparaging term used to describe a Subsidised Merchant. This is a 400-ton merchant starship of ubiquitous design, generally run under the auspices of a world government (with a subsidy). Only capable of Jump-1, the vessel has a much higher cargo capacity than its independent cousins
Daneel finishes his coffee and sets down his cup. "Fat traders are pretty big, and I'm imagining the inside of this one has been turned into a warren of cheap apartments, so narrowing down her location on the "ship" might be helpful."
"Yeah...I am guessing she is not much for hiding. Though she might try to bolt when things go sideways for her." Byron says as he gives up on the tea and slides it away from him.
Making use of the quiet surroundings, Jerry thinks for a moment of how best to deal with this situation.
"Is there anyone who can infiltrate this fat trader? Get inside and try to suss out the room or apartment where we could find Miria?," he asks his companions.
"Or find out how many exits there are from the trader? We could simply flush her out to some watchers."
Would I be able to use my psi abilities to try and find this woman, or barring that, get a better look at the inside of the ship/flophouse?
Byron sighs and then replies to Jerry, "I can be stealthy now and again, but I did not do many recon missions in the military. I could give it a shot and see what I can find out. But she probably has a watch set up. Maybe some security cameras. There is a huge chance that if we send someone down then she will find out and lose any chance of surprise. Of course, if she has already fortified the trader it might not matter if they know or not. Unless she hires a bunch of extra guards anyway."
"Well, we know where she is now. We can try to grab her, or lure her out somehow. For that matter, how did she travel to Blacksand City? We could simply flush her out and wait for her to try to leave the planet," continues Jerry.
"Sounds like you don't vote for trying to sneal in, Byron. Do you want to try to simply assault her hideout? Or, lure her out?"
"Unless we have some way of making her think one of these two leaders wants her to come and join with them, I don't see a way to flush her out. And if we start doing things that hint like we are talking for them it might bring more trouble then its worth. Going in blind is never good, but I am not seeing much else to work with here." Byron says with a shrug.
"We bribe try to bribe someone to find which room she's in. Might be easier than walking in and just asking or trying to sneak around. Seems this place runs on money and favors."