Quietly, worried, "I don't know what he looks like."
A moment, "He's been in Kalabuto for years, he's the guy you contact when you need something fixed."
"Walk us through exactly what happened when you contacted him and how he contacted you for this job, and how you expected to get paid for this."
Faith frowns up at the suspended man, but continues to keep his mouth shut.
Faith nods to Pakshee. "It was rough," he says. "I still feel washed out from the attack of the ghouls. It might take me a little time to recover."
He taps the tattoo on his chest lightly and smiles. "But I will."
A thought strikes Faith, and he begins to pray.
The hanging man tries to move, but only the slightest tension of his muscles is noticable before he freezes due to the pain. He swallows, "Needed some scratch. Went to the place I told you about and there was a note about a job for getting some information." he coughs, the sound fleemy, "So I left a return message under that with some notes. Went back the next day and there was a coded message telling where to get more information."
"There was a letter and the deposit, with the promise of more after the job was done."
She gives him a fierce hug, "You will let me get things for you until you feel better." She says. "You need soup," she shakes her head, "stew for breakfast. For strengthening."
She cuddles into his side, "And pampering."
Her hips circle once, very aware of the placement of his hands. She moves deliberately from his neck to brush a soft kiss on his lips, a pause, a longer kiss, her mouth opening just a bit with an intake of breath. She moves her hips again, deliberately brushing herself against his palm.
Punctuated with a light kisses, she undoes two more of his buttons.
The hanging man tries to move, but only the slightest tension of his muscles is noticable before he freezes due to the pain. He swallows, "Needed some scratch. Went to the place I told you about and there was a note about a job for getting some information." he coughs, the sound fleemy, "So I left a return message under that with some notes. Went back the next day and there was a coded message telling where to get more information."
"There was a letter and the deposit, with the promise of more after the job was done."
"Tell me about the code," Zaine says.
He passes a hand up over the down between her legs, enjoying the softness and fiery color. Then, with a self-conscious chuckle, [b]"Sorry. You're just so beautiful." Before she can respond, he slides a finger between her.
The man lets loose with a barrage of information... which comes down to a substitution cipher for those who don't need the long explanation. "The degree shift changes about every week or so but it isn't too hard to figure out the new pattern, if you have the training."
Faith stops praying and looks at the dangling man. He folds his arms.
"Let me know when you're done," he says as an aside to Zaine and Áine.
Faith squeezes Pakshee back, gingerly. He nods. "I agree to your terms."
He shakes his head. "This drained feeling is not very pleasant. I am willing to agree to just about anything."
"I'm done," Zaine says.
Áine makes an "all yours" motion to Faith, as soon as Zaine appears to be finished.
Faith casts a spell.
"I want to ask some of those questions again," Faith says.
"What is your name? Why would your task have been easier if we all stayed asleep?"
Faith puts his hands on his hips.
"My Goddess hates evil with a burning passion, which makes her Good. But she is in no way nice."
The man's feet are as close to Tulip as they were when he was hung, unconscious, his attempt to keep them up warring and losing to the pain.
"Dagar Janson." He answers quickly. The second response is slower, clearly wishing he could hedge the answer a bit, but unable "If you had stayed asleep the poison would have worked better and you'd have been paralyzed." He looks down at his danger and peril, "We didn't have a dinosaur to use though."
"and if we had been paralyzed, what would you have done then?" Áine asks, clearly not happy with this new information.
"...and what are your plans if we let you go?" Faith gestures to Áine . "Answer hers first."
The man really looks like he doesn't want to answer, but there is a chirping, hungry huff from the still waiting Tulip. After a moment, in which is really looks like he is trying to lie - and failing - "Once you were paralyzed we were supposed to question you about the lost city and how you planned on finding it. They wanted that information by any means necessary."
To Faith's question, "Take the money we were payed and leave Kalabuto. Don't want to be here when the fall out from this gets around."
Faith snorts. "You are correct, Dagar Janson. You may never be able to come back to Kalabuto."
Faith looks to Zaine and Áine. "That was what I needed to know. Anything else you would like to ask while the spell is in effect?"
Áine shrugs, "Do you know anyone else who you suspect is connected to the Aspis Consortium here?"
He shrugs, well attempts to shrug, "I don't know the Consortium but if they had people here why would they be hiring contractors?"
Pakshee kisses Faith's cheek then moves away to put one of the bags under Faith's feet and considers a blanket but decides against it.
She snuggles back against Faith's side and after a while, quietly, so much so that Faith almost misses it, "It was scary to be so near the Mother's kin, but it was better than waiting and hoping you'd be back"
Zaine's eyes narrow and he levels the pistol. "One last question... what do you think of my hat?"
The man closes his eyes for a moment, knowing by this point he can not lie, "It's very colonial, you wear it well, it has a better feather than most."
The man closes his eyes for a moment, knowing by this point he can not lie, "It's very colonial, you wear it well, it has a better feather than most."
Zaine uncocks the pistol. "That checks out," he says to the others.
Faith nods and thinks for a moment. "I don't think Dagar has to die today."
Faith holds Pakshee close and strokes her hair.
"I understand," he says.
Faith nods and thinks for a moment. "I don't think Dagar has to die today."
Áine nods in agreement.
Tulip is just a little bit slow to follow Zaine's command and move back from the dangling, live meat. As soon as he is released from the ropes, Dagar moves to the door - away from the dinosaur. He leaves, trying to get circulation back in his arms and favoring his broken rib, carefully not looking at the people who turned the tables on him.
"It is a pity that Tulip has to go hungry," Athyra comments, looking in her bag and tossing some dried meat to Zaine.
"Do you think it would be alright if I come with you, so I know you are safe? When you find the Mother spawn city?"
The other hand slides down Zaine's body, pulling at the buttons of his pants.
"We may be spreading your name around, Dagar," Faith says. "Don't take too long getting out of town."
"Do you want to visit this Aspis fellow alone, Zaine, or would you like company?" Faith stretches his back, then stretches his arms and cracks his knuckles.
Faith laughs. "When we find the Mother spawn city, I won't be safe at any point."
He leans over to kiss Pakshee's forehead. "Of course you may come with me. If that is what you want, I would not stand in your way."
"Do you want to visit this Aspis fellow alone, Zaine, or would you like company?" Faith stretches his back, then stretches his arms and cracks his knuckles.
"I wasn't planning on going alone," Zaine says, feeding Tulip the meat.
"I wasn't planning on going alone," Zaine says, feeding Tulip the meat.
Faith nods. "Would you like my company?" he clarifies.
"I wasn't planning on going alone," Zaine says, feeding Tulip the meat.Faith nods. "Would you like my company?" he clarifies.
"How could I say no to that face?" Zaine asks with a grin.
Faith grins back. ”Now, dawn, or later?”
”When is Tulip at her peak?”
Two days and nights after the unsuccessful assassination, the river boat bearing your expedition partners arrives on the docks in the early morning. Kassata, slightly off-balanced not being on the deck of the Last Hurrah, Aerys, and Glaur come to meet you at the dockside tavern. While the other sailors have free rein of the city, they all know to be back on the S. W. Black before she's due to continue her journey into the depths of the continent.
After polite greeting, Aerys comments to Faith, "River travel is utterly lacking in the majesty of the sea."
Glaur, more business focused, asks, "Any changes in the gameplan?"
Faith grins back. ”Now, dawn, or later?”
”When is Tulip at her peak?”
"As near as I can figure, in the wild rexes are like any other animal. They tend to prefer to hunt at dawn and dusk. Harder for prey to spot them. Tulip can also track by scent, but she'd need a noseful of whoever we're after before that becomes a possibility."
If the area is out of town, Áine will find it and surveil it from a distance and hiding until the others are ready to put their plan into action. Just to see who or what seems to frequent the area.
After polite greeting, Aerys comments to Faith, "River travel is utterly lacking in the majesty of the sea."
Áine nods slightly to Aerys in agreement.
Glaur, more business focused, asks, "Any changes in the gameplan?"
"There is a spot down river that I think we should visit." she takes out the treasure map if not being observed, "here."
Faith is concerned that we won't have enough time to catch someone at the dead drop, but otherwise is willing to go along with Zaine's plan.
After polite greeting, Aerys comments to Faith, "River travel is utterly lacking in the majesty of the sea."
Faith taps his temple. "Maybe it's for the same reason that fresh water will clean you but salt water won't. I've missed these conversations."
Glaur, more business focused, asks, "Any changes in the gameplan?"
Faith defers discussion of the treasure map to Áine. "I assume you got word of our two new expedition members," Faith says. And, almost as an aside, "We also have a new asset to monetize. We cleared monsters out of a mine."
Faith is silent for a moment. "You ... " He is silent again.
"Your presence is useful to me," he says eventually. "You are not a burden. But if you need a task, I understand."
Another pause, running his fingers idly across her back. "Do you have something specific in mind? Or are you searching?"
Faith defers discussion of the treasure map to Áine. "I assume you got word of our two new expedition members," Faith says. And, almost as an aside, "We also have a new asset to monetize. We cleared monsters out of a mine."
"Are we mine owners now? I suppose that would go a long way toward feeding Tulip." Zaine pats the t-rex on the side of her neck.
"I think we are," Faith says. "All the salt she can lick."
"I think we are," Faith says. "All the salt she can lick."
Zaine shakes his head, chuckling to himself. "First piece of property I've owned. First real property any Kildare has ever owned. Be nice to see what having an income feels like."
Zaine shakes his head, chuckling to himself. "First piece of property I've owned. First real property any Kildare has ever owned. Be nice to see what having an income feels like."
"Assuming someone gets it running", Áine remarks, "probably not going to sell much salt if no one is bringing it out and nobody knows it's there." ... "Not to rain on your parade, but..."
"Well, that was a fun feeling while it lasted," Zaine says to Tulip.
"That was why I was asking our financial backers for suggestions on how to get money from a hole in the ground."
Faith shrugs. "Someone somewhere would be happy doing that. It is not my calling."
"Well, that was a fun feeling while it lasted," Zaine says to Tulip.
"Not saying you shouldn't have that feeling." Áine says, "Just that getting it going is a little more then wishing for it to be."
"That was why I was asking our financial backers for suggestions on how to get money from a hole in the ground."
"Well what do you think?" Áine asks, looking directly at Glaur, "Any thoughts? If not, it'll likely have to wait until we're done with this."
"Not saying you shouldn't have that feeling." Áine says, "Just that getting it going is a little more then wishing for it to be."
Zaine snaps his fingers in mock disappointment. "I knew that genie was just a crazy old hobo."
Zaine drops off his carefully worded missive and the group sets up on the area ready to snag the fixer. The area of the ruins is near to the modern city of Kalabuto and the overgrown street has a few groups of street urchins running and playing , voices echoing off of ancient stone.
Kassata looks at the group, "If it were a boat, I could give you an idea of the value." She thinks for a moment, "Having a trained crew makes a boat more valuable." After the look for Aerys she follows that up with, "I'm a pi..sailor, not a land person."
Glaur thinks a bit longer, "Business capital is not my field, but I'd start with talking to Cheiton. He was a miner, he could probably give you an idea of the sale value, maybe even know of people who are wiling to buy the deed."
"However," he says with a smile, "I have to admit I'm far more interested in meeting the guides that you found for us than a salt mine in the middle of scrub mountains." He motions for the group to lead the way.
Most of the Pathfinders expedition seems to be doing some simple restocking, whereas the pirate half of the crew immediately scatters to the best sources of entertainemnt and food.
A pause, "This land feels very different fromt he island, there is no ocean to break up the power of it."
She sinks to her knees, looking up at Zaine's face as she leans forward, running her tongue up the bottom of his hardness from base to tip. Her mouth goes over the top, her teeth intentionally delicately grazing skin before letting him sink into softness, her tongue washing away any possible hurt.
"The girl who sold us the charms," Zaine says, pointing her out. He follows her toward the dead drop.
Áine stays hidden for now. Watching and waiting.
Faith is looking in almost exactly the wrong direction when Zaine points out the girl. "She said they brought luck," Faith says. "Not what kind or to who." Faith follows Zaine following the girl.
"Cheiton it is," Faith says. He makes sure that Glaur et al are introduced to Athyra and Jaji.
Faith changes the pattern of his fingers across Pakshee's back to wandering circles. "I was impressed with how you held Wynnstan at spear point," Faith says. "It is a very different weapon than my knives."
"Does the land feel more to you, or less for being unbroken? Or different?" Faith thinks for a moment. "I have no words for it."
After a few minutes the girl emerges from the dead-drop ruin, rejoining the ragtag group of kids playing. Their rowdy game involves stone ball which they are working up and down the ancient boulevard, scoring ancient stone with new marks.
"So," Aerys asks, "All that land and you manage to get another dinosaur." She looks at Zaine, "Do you have Tulip trained to seek them?"
For her, very abrupt part, Athyra examines the few people of the expedition, "You will listen when I say not good, and I will get you to follow the old man's trail." After a moment, with a quick exchange of glances both Kassata and Glaur nod.
A tiny bit later, Athyra comments to Jaji, Zaine, Tulip, Sasha, and Zephyr, "They will need much more help than you." She pats Jaji, "You will not get to be lazy."
Cheiton, after hearing about the mine, asks to see any paperwork you collected. After he has some time to read through, "It has the advantage of already having some of the hard work of setting up a mine done, but it would still take 15 to 20 thousand to get it operational, between hiring men to work the mine, fixing up the buildings to house them and getting back on trading paths so that you can sell." He shrugs, "Probably be at least three, four years before you'd see a profit." A smile, "But salt worth its weight in gold so there is a decent chance you'd see a profit."
"You interested in becoming miners? Or do you want me to see if I can find a buyer for your claim?"
She moves against Faith, gently in response to the new pattern, "He was a bad person." She still says with utter conviction.
She thinks for a little bit, "There is more moreness here." She frowns, thinking, "And there are places where the moreness is very big."
A pause, "Like in the room with the blue dome, there was something that made the orb fed off of, made it strong."
Letting him indicate the tempo he would like.
Faith points out where she slips away from the rolling game.
Faith shrugs to Cheiton. "I am a man of Vildeis. Not much evil to be smashed in a mine."
He looks to Áine and Zaine. "That we haven't already smashed. I am not cut out for a miner's life."
The wandering circles continue as Faith considers Pakshee's words."Yes," Faith says eventually. "I felt that way about the orb as well. There are deep roots to this land that maybe your island didn't have."
"I suspect you can contribute to this group in ways beyond fighting with a spear -- but I will not hold you back if that is what you want."
Faith rolls over slightly to look into Pakshee's eyes. "I don't always understand you," he says, smiling, "but always be who you are."
Faith points out where she slips away from the rolling game.
Áine remains hidden but watches Faith and Zaine if they want her to follow them in.
Faith shrugs to Cheiton. "I am a man of Vildeis. Not much evil to be smashed in a mine."
He looks to Áine and Zaine. "That we haven't already smashed. I am not cut out for a miner's life."
"I am fine either way." she says, "What about you?" she asks, looking at Zaine, "Still want to own something tangible? I'm willing to put in my share if you do."
After a few minutes the girl emerges from the dead-drop ruin, rejoining the ragtag group of kids playing. Their rowdy game involves stone ball which they are working up and down the ancient boulevard, scoring ancient stone with new marks.
Zaine nods. "Sasha, you tail her, and we'll tail you."
"So," Aerys asks, "All that land and you manage to get another dinosaur." She looks at Zaine, "Do you have Tulip trained to seek them?"
Zaine shrugs. "What can I say? They like me."
Cheiton, after hearing about the mine, asks to see any paperwork you collected. After he has some time to read through, "It has the advantage of already having some of the hard work of setting up a mine done, but it would still take 15 to 20 thousand to get it operational, between hiring men to work the mine, fixing up the buildings to house them and getting back on trading paths so that you can sell." He shrugs, "Probably be at least three, four years before you'd see a profit." A smile, "But salt worth its weight in gold so there is a decent chance you'd see a profit."
"You interested in becoming miners? Or do you want me to see if I can find a buyer for your claim?"
"No, we'd need to hire management and then labor to work the damn thing. Sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth, and as absentee owners, we'd probably end up running someplace that in my day job I'd blow up and free all the workers... How much do you think you can get for it?"
"No, we'd need to hire management and then labor to work the damn thing. Sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth, and as absentee owners, we'd probably end up running someplace that in my day job I'd blow up and free all the workers... How much do you think you can get for it?"
Áine laughs, "Sounds about right." she shrugs, "Sell it then."
Sasha's eyes follow Kibi's slight form in the crush off underfed, wiry children. She slides out of her armor, handing the heavy metal to Zaine before moving into the dappled shadows. The group has an easy time following, though, since Zephyr takes to preening himself on a roost of the closest structure.
"There aren't any exits in this area." She smiles a bit, "I'm good, but not enough to follow into a wide open space."
"Yet."
"There is big open space, no obvious exits." She looks up at the sky, "She's only been in there ten minutes, but everywhere else she's been she's been back out in five."
Cheiton looks through the papers again, "Hard sell blind and documentation a decade old. I can probably get between 3 and 6, depending on how long you are willing to wait for a buyer." A smile, "Although not too long or someone might decide to go for it without paying. How much do you want me to wait for?"