Aikaterine doesn't know this captain or why he's charging them. Does he not work for the gods? Do they not pay him? She leaves the handling and acceptance to the men of the group.
Cyrene would happily swim the wine-dark sea and walk to Sparta if she had to, so she remains aloof from the conversation.
"I appreciate your offer to wait for us, but 2,000 dinari is very expensive considering we could probably find another ship already heading in that direction.
"However, for the sake of argument, what is your task?"
”And…do we share the same employer? I would feel quite bad if it turned out that we were taking your help for granted. Something we should certainly bring up with Zeus to bring you on the payroll.”
"I am an independent contractor. I prefer not to be an employee. It might pay less but my freedom is worth it. I admit the fee is a bit steep so I figured you might be inclined to choose the favor." He smiles. "The job is a simple one. Once we get to Sparta, I need you to retrieve an item that belongs to me. An ex-employee decided to take it as a severance without asking. A few anger issues and I caught him stealing extra rations so I gave him the sandle. You help me and I help you. But if it seems too hard, I suppose the payment will suffice. These excursions are not a part of my contract and time is money."
"As an independent contractor that contracts with our superiors, your wages can be charged to them. Do not charge us, as we are in their service."
She looks slightly perplexed by this. Was he just trying to get more money or trick them into doing him a favor.
"I think we may look into this favor of yours if you pay us from the fee you extract from your employment. I think that's fair."
Amphitryon nodded, a displeased look on his face. He was open to helping a friend in need, but did not appreciate being extorted. Especially when someone was already being paid.
Kyronai asks for the details of the job: the item to be retrieved, who stole it, and where the captain thinks the item is now. Unless something seems particularly risky (either with the law or just dangerous), he's probably fine accepting the job.
"Who stole, and what did they steal? We need some specifics, don't hold anything back now."
"Look, you don't have to agree to anything. I can take you back to your headquarters as I was contracted to do and you can wait until whatever this is to be approved. Any work outside of my contract isn't covered so excuse me for wanting to be paid for work." Captain Argus sighs as he attempts to explain. "If you are interested, the job is simple. My ex-lookout Ambrose stole a family heirloom from me. A gilded gladius that belonged to my grandfather to be precise. I don't know exactly where it is, but I heard rumor that he ran with a gang calling themselves the Tauren, after the beast of Crete. They're all meatheads so I'm sure you can deal with them pretty easily."
Cyrene, sitting in the bow, just shakes her head. As far as she's concerned there's no rush, so this haggling is all just wasted air.
"You drive a hard bargain. That's fine, home it is then."
Frustrated now, she spins away from the conversation at the stubborness of the captain. She bites her lip as she looks out at the beauty of the sea.
"There are consequences to decisions. Like for example, why should I extend my neck out for someone to protect their ship when it's not in my contract? I have. No more. You can handle the defense of your own ship, and if the gods seek to take it from you because of your foolishness and greed, then so be it. It's not wise to treat two servants of Poseidon ill when you are planning on going out on sea."
”A stolen gladius? And here I was thinking it was a stolen heart. So, how many men are we going to kill? And is there any magic at their disposal we should know about? Where can we find them, you know, the usual questions.” Simple mercenary work, nothing to get worked up about. But the more intel they had the better.
"Sorry Amph, we're not doing it. Let some Romans go searching for a stolen gladius, that is definitely outside our expertise. We'll have to go back to headquarters and find alternate travel arrangements to Sparta from there."
Kyronai pulls the others aside to talk outside of the earshot of captain and crew.
"If there is a reason to go back to Athens immediately, then I can support that. But there are two reasons to go on to Sparta now:
"One, to pursue the lead we have before our quarry learns we are trying to find them; and two... well, it looks better for us to the gods if we show that we can pursue threats without coming back to headquarters at every step to receive instructions.
"The captain has already been very generous with the loan of a smaller boat and a crewman at our disposal. He could have refused flat out to take us to Sparta, citing his contract. 2,000 gold is a steep price, yes, but at least we have that option."
Kyronai sighs. "How about this: I can cover the cost of passage to Sparta. I have been saving up for an item, and so I have that much and more. If we can agree that we should head to Sparta, let me pay for the trip to Sparta, and I will ask the Olympians to reimburse me. And we will not take any time away from our hunt to retrieve the Captain's heirloom. Perhaps we can even use that task as leverage should we need something from the captain in the future."
"We can do as you suggest, but I'm not chasing after some idiot's lost Roman sword."
Amphitryon shrugged. It was truly noble of his brother to volunteer his gold like this. He wanted to volunteer to add some gold into the pot, but he had spent most of his, and volunteering would just show how little he had left.
"Well...you know what. I'm with you guys. We've done a bit so far together. I think whatever this contract is is a horrible system and I would prefer we return to Athens to get a different captain. One who works for us, not the other way around, but do what you want...whatever you decide, I'm with you." She will tuck up against Amphitryon and use his body to block her from the wind.
His mood instantly improved, Amphitryon bravely stood guard against nature’s wrath. ”And I with you.” He muttered. Then, much louder he said ”We’re in this together. We’ve been reliably paid, we have rich clients, our foes lie dead and we don’t. Let’s cheer up and get this done.”
Kyronai pays the captain for the passage to Sparta. Captain Argus looks a bit disappointed before he begins to count the coin. The trip is uneventful and the party is dropped off. As per his word, the captain agrees to wait for you as long as you need. The port is rather quiet despite the clear skies and there are but a few workers tending to their tasks.
Upon disembarking, Aikaterine will look to her companions.
"It's been a bit, but recall, we are after a group called the Taurens. I'm going to talk to some here. No doubt they would be in the know, given their connection to the warehouses and ... well...less than reputable sorts," she chuckles as she moves down the docks trying to talk to folks with a stern, but accommodating attitude.
"Hi there," she will introduce herself to a dockworker loading crates. From the smile on her face, she is inviting, bordering on flirty. "I'm new to Sparta. Is there someone that could perhaps answer some questions about your lands and people?" "That's a lie, you've been here before, but it's probably so much changed I don't recognize it anymore, and this human probably hadn't even been born yet."
If the common man is open to the task, she will ask him a number of general questions before ultimately getting onto the subject of dangers they may run into, hoping he will give information on the Taurens. If not, she will direct the conversation to more directly ask about them, having heard of the group off the island.
"Just how prevalent are they here? If I were to avoid them, where would be the best places to avoid?"
With a smile, Amphitryon said to his companions ”If we do get the blade, imagine how much the captain will pay for it. Just something to keep in mind.”
Cyrene just shakes her head, the whole situation is a complete mess. But that is what happens when you let too much 'civilised living' get to you. Sparta, home of the militarised slaves is not exactly where she'd chose to be, the wilds of Thrace would be far preferable, but she keeps silent and watches Aikaterine's charm mission.
She is good at knowing when people lie after all.
The people of Sparta have a military culture compared to the rest of greece. As such, the people tend to take themselves more seriously and tend to believe in more structure. Most businesses operate by appointments and they open at dawn. The typical personality type for a citizen of Sparta is stern but still kind.
Aika is able to find a worker willing to converse with her. He talks about some of the shops and other businesses that she might be interested in but he furls an eyebrow when she mentions the Taurens. "Why would you want to know about those criminals? They tend to take over some of the abandoned buildings in town. There are too many for the guard to deal with so I would suggest you stay clear. I would also stop asking about them. It is the best way to get their attention and I assure you, that you do not want that. They are violent and bring only anarchy."
"You are a gracious honorable man, considering my safety, but I am not weak. I fear no criminal," she states with conviction. "Please...tell me a place you've noticed them recently. I must find them and recover something they took from someone we are honor-bound to assist."
Knowing full well the warrior culture of Sparta, Amphitryon stood near Aikaterine. With his helm, breastplate, greaves, vambraces and shield, he looked every inch the Greek warrior. With confidence he added "By my honor, no harm will come to her. Indeed, by duty we are bound to see this through where it may. Your help would be most appreciated."
With a deep sigh, the man relents. "I don't want any trouble so you did not hear this from me, but there is an old brewery a few blocks west of here that might have a few occupants that shouldn't be there. That is all I may or may not know."
Charm, cuteness, and honor win out. With a kind smile, she will nod. "Thank you for your information. We won't trouble you with this any longer." Once they slip past him, Aikaterine will look about and then would give Amphitryon a knowing look, as if to say she was impressed by him. She begins to head south with a look to the party, then, when their path is less suspicious (if observed), will head westward to reconnect with the old brewery in the distance.
"Shall we scout it out?"
"He said 'brewery' right?"
"Most certainly," she nods with a hint of excitement in her eye. "You know...if we run them off...ever own a brewery?" she asks with a bite on her lip.
Cyrene rolls her eyes, they've only just arrived in a new city and already people are planning to settle down and open temples to Dionysus? Living in stone houses definitely addles peoples' minds.
"Can I leave the sneaking about and spying out the exterior of the building to you?" she asks Cyrene.
Cyrene disappears without bothering to answer the question - it's a silly one after-all.
Aikaterine will create a spy relay system with Cyrene in the front. There, Cyrene can sneak all she wants, but Aika will be stealthing and watching her. This way if she wishes to signal, she can, and by Aikaterine, the rest of the party can be informed as to the happenings ahead. The rudeness of the half-elf seemingly does not affect Aikaterine.
"So many attitudes in this group," Kyronai whispers to his brother.
Amphitryon smirked at the comment. "People without attitudes probably wouldn't have survived so far. It takes a special kind of crazy for this kind of life."
"Yeah it does."
Cyrene takes the lead scouting around and you find that there are 2 main entrances to the building and a few boarded up windows. From inside you can hear a lot of cursing and low masculine grunts. From little slits in said windows you catch glimpses of fur-clad males drinking and challenging each other to things like arm wrestling. You catch at least five or six of them but you do not see anyone that looks to be in charge. You are able to scout without alerting any notice from within.
"Six men drinking and being fools." Cyrene says bluntly when they return to the group. "No leader though. Stopping these men would not shut the group down for good. Still, it will not be hard."
"If you don't just want to barge in there...we very well could wait a bit for them to either pass out or wait until they transfer to a new location. Then we can spy out whether they have the gladius or not. If passed out from drink, all the better. I could probably just walk in there and act like the party."
”Ah, if only we had some poison to spike their drinks. Alas, I think that we should do as you say. Let’s wait until they are asleep or they move. There’s no need to risk ourselves unnecessary here.”