Episode 6!

20:42:22] <Tim> LAST TIME!  Due to the cunning ambush of a foreigner and an old man, three thugs were coerced into returning to the Ninivene, hoping that snitching sufficiently would get them off the hook, and earn them passage off-island.  Mina and Moirrey had girltalk with Amereene, and showed her around the ship, where she has encamped in the pilot's room.  While you were all making your way back, a few...
[20:42:24] <Tim> ...people joined you.  A big, unkempt man with a messer, a teenage girl in boy's clothing, and a tall, no-nonsense woman wearing a breastplate and carrying a mace with a prybar inset on the hilt.  All three of them seem to be employees of Goodman Harkin.
[20:43:00] <Tim> What will the thugs reveal?  Will there really be an attack tonight?  Can love bloom in the skies!?  Episode 6, begin!
[20:47:23] Mina is hanging about abovedecks when the people arrive, and takes the time to question each of them!  Once they talk about Harkin, she relaxes slightly, but starts getting their stories
[20:49:25] <Tim> They all worked for him on Lionsport, apparently, and followed their boss here.  The tall woman is a former Watch officer on Inner Yurand, the teenage girl is as guttersnipe as they come and offers to show you a few knife tricks, while the big, blustering Porcio mentions he's a former butcher.
[20:49:39] <Hayri> Hayri Bulut-oÄŸlu is a young man of slender build, tufts of short black hair creeping out beneath his round hat, resting on his head above his boyish features.  His clothes are of good quality, with embroidery adorning the edges; a bow rests on the side of his Bird while a pair of lightly curved swords are at his side.  With him is the aforementioned bird, standing quite taller
[20:49:39] <Hayri> than he.  It is well-bred, with black plumage highlighted with a crest of white feathers.
[20:50:18] <Mina> A butcher of what, exactly?
[20:51:55] <Harkin> A question best not investigated too thoroughly, perhaps. While their current occupation seems to be a step forward in respectability, none of Harkin's subordinates seem to be of particularly savory background.
[20:52:19] <Tim> Why, he butchered most everything, little miss.  Cows, pigs, sheep...he can cut a sheep into meal-sized portions blindfolded, he boasts.
[20:52:34] Hayri offers them a polite greeting, but doesn't offer tricky questions.
[20:53:05] <Mina> "Excellent.  You're our secondary cook.  You'll be meeting the prprimary soon.  And you, you say you do knife tricks?  Tricks'll get you killed if you do them wrong, you know."
[20:53:08] <Tim> ...but pigs, pigs now, cutting up a pig is a lot like cutting up a man.  Perhaps the gods originally made men from pigs?
[20:53:24] <Mina> "Men, certainly."
[20:53:40] Moirrey stares at the Butcher, her hands resting on the railing of the ship. She opens her mouth to speak, ignoring the last few details on pigs "Huh, that's decent, then. We'll have some livestock on the ship. I can butcher meat, but it's not my specialty."
[20:53:49] <Tim> "That's why it's dumb to do them wrong." The girl sticks her tongue out.
[20:54:24] Mina smiles and leaves it at that.  "And a watch officer?  A far way from your post, out here, isn't it?"
[20:54:45] <Tim> Porcio also explains that he can butcher chickens and other fowl.  He gives a little too much detail, like one of those uncles who needs to tell you how to wring a bird's neck.
[20:55:08] Tim [chatzilla@238A28C4.43C298AB.2F84C4C.IP] is now known as Tim_the_Narrator
[20:55:41] <Tim_the_Narrator> ...She gives you the ol' fish-eye and raises an eyebrow, "I'm an employee of Goodman Harkin, ma'am.  My post is right here."
[20:56:02] Mina watches Porcio, then turns back to the watch officer.  "Definitely pigs.  Well, glad to have you."
[20:56:03] Hayri nods along with Porcio's words of wisdom.
[20:59:16] <Tim_the_Narrator> Her eyebrows are both raised now, "Charmed, I'm sure.  If you'll excuse me, I need to inventory the ship's armory."
[21:00:15] <Mina> "I'm sure.  I'll help you, until Harkin gets back."
[21:00:51] <Harkin> Jir Harkin clears his throat as he comes aboard. The wrinkled old man is dressed in formal but sturdy clothes, with a dark jacket bearing the insignia of the Lionsport Harbour Authority. His hair is gray and thinning, and he walks with a very slight limp as he comes onboard behind his employees. "I'm sure you'll all have ample opportunity to get acquainted. For now, though, we have guests..."
[21:01:35] <Tim_the_Narrator> "It's fine, it'll go faster if I do it myself."
[21:03:54] <Mina> "Ah, it seems it's a moot point.  Harkin!  Glad to see you.  What trouble'd you bring me this time?"
[21:04:26] <Tim_the_Narrator> Following Harkin and Hayri are three scruffy, disreputable men.  The one with the beard is easily recognizable, you saw him coming down an alleyway after Pomette.
[21:05:24] <Harkin> "Treasure," Jir says with a smile, gesturing toward the three thugs. "Ah, quickly though, these are Aguilliar, Dunburg, and Nessup," he says quickly, pointing to the ex-watchwoman, butcher, and streetrat respectively. Keir, I'll take your report when I'm finished with these three."
[21:05:24] <Hayri> "A few dogs, is all."
[21:05:57] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Yessir."
[21:06:24] Moirrey glares openly at the lot following Harkin. "Looks like you managed to pick up some trash, yeah?"
[21:06:44] <Tim_the_Narrator> The thugs shuffle dispiritedly.
[21:07:28] Mina grins and lets a little bit of fire spark from her fingers.  "Ooh, fresh bandits?  You shouldn't have!"
[21:07:36] Hayri shrugs. "It's up to them if they stay that way."
[21:07:45] <Harkin> "As they say: one man's trash..." He smiles. "These men have vital intelligence - so to speak - that they'd like to share with us. I thought we'd question them seperately, hear their story?"
[21:08:36] <Mina> "No...no fresh bandits?"  Mina pouts, letting the fire dissipate.
[21:09:30] <Hayri> "Not yet, at least."
[21:09:47] <Mina> "Dang.  Well, I'm sure they'll slip up soon enough."
[21:10:56] <Tim_the_Narrator> "...Keep her away from us, man, or I'm not saying a word." Zappo hisses.
[21:11:35] <Tim_the_Narrator> "She'll put our souls in candles, like they do."
[21:12:50] Hayri looks at the worried man quizzically. "...they can do that?"
[21:12:55] <Tim_the_Narrator> The lesser thugs huddle behind their leader, in the manner of their kind.
[21:13:21] <Harkin> "We've only to hear your story, Mister Zappo," Harkin says reprovingly. "If you'll just have a seat over there...?" Harkin gestures the leader of the trio of thugs through an open hatchway toward one of Ninivene's smaller staterooms.
[21:13:31] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Of course they bloody can!  She'll light us with her foreign magic and we'll burn for hours as our wax drips away."
[21:14:03] Mina looks at Hayri and shrugs open-handed.  "Well, I don't think I can.  I mean, I've never tried, but I've never had a reason to."  She turns her back, but grins over her shoulder.  "Let me know if they get out of hand, would you?"
[21:14:09] <Tim_the_Narrator> Looking back over his shoulder, the purple-vested thug leader heads through the door, and finds himself a seat.
[21:15:23] Hayri follows Harkin and the thugs through the door.
[21:15:53] <Harkin> He turns to the remaining pair of thugs. "You two, meanwhile, have a seat in the room across the hall, please. Would anyone care to watch them, or should I call over Mr. Dunberg to keep an eye on them?"
[21:17:24] <Hayri> "Will you be okay alone with him?"
[21:17:47] <Tim_the_Narrator> The thugs are eying Mr. Dunberg and Mina fearfully.
[21:18:43] Mina takes a few steps away and leans on a wall, watching them
[21:19:04] <Harkin> "Oh, we just need someone to make sure they don't try to get their stories straight beforehand, is all. I expect you'd all like to be in for questioning?"
[21:20:24] <Mina> "I'll stay out here with these two.  I'm sure they'll be good, right, boys?"
[21:20:40] <Tim_the_Narrator> "R-right." "N-no trouble from us!"
[21:21:56] Hayri nods to Mina, then prepares to follow Harkin once more.
[21:23:26] <Harkin> "Ah, perfect. Moirrey, Hayri, perhaps you'd take the lead in questioning Mr. Zappo, then? I shall transcribe." He fetches an ink bottle and quill from a pocket, and prepares to take notes on the testimony of Zappo the Thug.
[21:25:46] <Moirrey> "...Yeah, yeah, sure. First of all, what's this info you came to give us? I hope we don't have to persuade it out of you." Moirrey quickly asks.
[21:25:58] Hayri looks to Harkin, Moirrey, then to Zappo.
[21:27:08] <Tim_the_Narrator> "I answer your questions about who hired me, you and yours take us three off-island when you get the chance."
[21:28:11] <Moirrey> "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Get to talking before we decide to throw you overboard and leave without you. We ain't got all night."
[21:29:21] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Hey!  I don't know what exactly you want to know!" He huffs, glaring, "Look, I'll try telling you from the beginning, alright?"
[21:29:48] <Moirrey> "Stop explainin' what you're going to say and say it."
[21:30:13] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Gah!  Fine!  Alright already!"
[21:31:05] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Cludger comes to me saying he has someone who wants us to do work.  Offering a lot of gold, more than you see doing operations 'round here, anyway, enough to set us all for life.  All we had to do was kidnap some noble chit and kill her guards."
[21:32:33] Moirrey leans back in her chair and grabs a handful of anise seeds, popping them into her mouth, she says "Makes sense so far."
[21:33:00] <Tim_the_Narrator> "We got paid some in advance...and yeah, it was really in gold.  Old coins, but still gold.  What else do you wanna know?  I'm trying to think what sort of details you want."
[21:33:32] <Hayri> "Who's Cludger?"
[21:38:44] <Tim_the_Narrator> "He was the big name in our group. Cludger was the big, bald one with the club that whacked the old Rillman.  Your little, mean-looking one killed him already."
[21:39:21] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Oh, I was there when they paid us, so I know what our employers looked like!"
[21:40:56] <Hayri> "...and what did they look like?"
[21:44:19] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Well, there was two of 'em.  Big guy, bit fatty, had a yellow beard.  Kinda rubbed it when he talked, and he sure liked to talk...like some kind of fancy lord.  The other one was this skinny little bugger with red hair and a foul mouth.  We gather they was working for someone else, too.  They said they'd have some kind of lookout who wouldn't be suspected, and when we had the girl they'd...
[21:44:21] <Tim_the_Narrator> ...get a fancy sedan chair over, we'd put on Yurandish uniforms so nothing looked amiss, and take her to the west gate."
[21:44:40] <Harkin> "Ahm, what date was that?" Harkin interupts quickly, looking up from his notes with an expression of concern.
[21:45:11] <Tim_the_Narrator> "What date was what, milord?"
[21:45:37] <Harkin> "The payment."
[21:49:35] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Was a few days ago, why?"
[21:50:06] <Tim_the_Narrator> "During that storm everyone thought was gonna ruin Goldenmorn."
[21:50:54] <Harkin> Harkin writes it down carefully. "How long was this after Cludger first came to you with information about the job?"
[21:54:41] <Tim_the_Narrator> "...It all happened pretty fast.  Normally, you take a while, study the target, but this time we were told to take the money, get the girl, and make it snappish.  Why, milord?  I'll try to remember."
[21:55:05] <Tim_the_Narrator> He's clearly trying to be polite towards the frightening old man who keeps Rillmaids around
[21:55:25] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Ah, yeah, first day of Goldenmorn, Cludger came to me about the job, said he needed an immediate response."
[21:56:53] <Tim_the_Narrator> "After I got some boys together, the next morning we got rousted up and get to some downtown pub at a filthy fucking hour to get paid and have our jobs explained to us."
[21:58:54] <Harkin> "Which pub? Every detail matters, Zappo, everything you can remember." Harkin writes with intensity, his tone stern.
[21:59:51] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Black Dragon, or something.  It was a better place than I like, but still a rough crowd, a lot of mercenaries there.  The girl liked to wander around with a few guards and some old Rillman servant, we were told to shadow her near to Rael's Square, grab her, kill her men, and take her into a nearby warehouse, in a sack, if necessary.  We'd gag her, put on the uniforms, and
[22:00:10] <Tim_the_Narrator> *and march off like the little girl's pa had sent us to walk her home."
[22:00:29] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Once the sedan arrived to put her in."
[22:01:14] <Hayri> "What would happen to her after?"
[22:03:09] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Ransom or something, I don't bloody know, it's not my business."
[22:04:35] <Tim_the_Narrator> "I know my limits, and knowing your employer's secrets isn't a healthy way to live."
[22:05:06] <Moirrey> "Neither is not giving the people who hold the key to your safety all the info. You sure that's everything?"
[22:05:44] <Tim_the_Narrator> "I'm sure!  If the big guy said anything really important, I didn't catch it, he used a lot of fancy talk I didn't understand."
[22:05:54] <Tim_the_Narrator> *anything else
[22:07:21] <Tim_the_Narrator> "All of this 'indubitably we can rest on your discretion' crap just to tell a man to keep quiet, it's just not right."
[22:10:52] <Harkin> "Ahem. The location of the warehouse, Zappo?"
[22:12:50] <Tim_the_Narrator> "We were right in front of it when you nabbed us, on the docksward side of the alley, I think."
[22:13:38] <Tim_the_Narrator> "I don't want to fuck you on this, man, Marmetes was my friend, he didn't deserve to go down for this."
[22:14:12] <Harkin> "Where were you to go to receive the second half of the payment?" Harkin asks sharply, ignoring his assurances.
[22:15:28] <Tim_the_Narrator> "The West Gate!  We'd get out of the city, our employers would meet us, and they'd give us the rest for the girl.  They recommended we leave the uniforms and go back into the city in pairs or something, small groups, once we were done."
[22:16:45] <Harkin> "What time? Details!" His voice raises only slightly, but it has a hard edge.
[22:19:04] <Tim_the_Narrator> "As soon as we had her!  They said they had a spotter nearby to tell them when we had her.  Er, small clarification, though."
[22:19:49] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Sorry, I wasn't clear, the sedan was there already, in the warehouse.  There was some worry about if it'd be there, since the crates with the uniforms could just be piled up in a corner, but a nice sedan would attract notice if it was found laying around in a warehouse."
[22:21:23] <Tim_the_Narrator> "We'd get the sedan and the uniforms, suit up, pile her in, and get going.  They seemed to be in a hurry."
[22:21:47] <Harkin> "Was there any kind of contingency plan if things went awry?"
[22:24:50] <Tim_the_Narrator> "On their end, maybe.  If she got away, we were supposed to stay where we were, but I know being set up to get killed when I see it."
[22:26:03] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Marmetes went to go look for their spotter, figured we had a chance to make it work.  You saw what he got for it."
[22:27:14] <Harkin> Harkin nods. "Anything else? A name that they might have mentioned in conversation between themselves? An odd phrase that came up? Anything else?"
[22:27:34] <Hayri> "Marmetes died in our fight?"
[22:28:14] <Tim_the_Narrator> "No, no.  Some pisspot-wearing guard gave him a gentle pinprick with the backspike of his polearm."
[22:28:59] <Hayri> "Oh, him."
[22:29:07] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Uh, the little one called the big one a windbag, and the big one called him a 'boor'.  That some sort of secret society or something?"
[22:31:04] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Oh, Marmetes thought the spotter was watching from overhead.  He was the smart one.  Is that a clue?"
[22:31:56] <Harkin> "Perhaps, perhaps," Harkin says mildly, letting some of the tension drain. "To the best of your knowledge, you three are the only surviving members of your gang?"
[22:32:30] <Tim_the_Narrator> "That's right, milord."
[22:36:11] <Harkin> The harbour clerk glances to Moirrey and Hayri quickly before nodding. "I think that's all, then. My subordinates may have some follow-up questions, but for now I'll have someone lead you to your quarters. I'm sure something suitable can be arranged."
[22:36:55] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Uh, sure.  Hey, it's not my first time on a sunship, I can work, and the cousins can too if you keep them in line."
[22:39:19] <Harkin> Harkin pauses just long enough to let the thug know he's pushing his luck. "We shall see," he says at length, then gestures out the door.
[22:41:11] <Tim_the_Narrator> "...Righty then." Zappo gets up, and follows along to whatever of the many crew cabins you take him to, most of them multiple-person rooms with hammocks.
[22:41:20] Hayri turns to follow Harkin, but pauses. "Zappo."
[22:41:48] <Tim_the_Narrator> "...Yeah?"
[22:42:34] <Hayri> "You and your fellow men have already killed her previous guards.  Remember that Harkin's promise is the only thing keeping you from joining them."  He steps out.
[22:43:53] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Right." The thug winces.
[22:44:36] Mina is out the door, sitting on the deck with a deck of cards.  The other two bandits are sitting across from her, sweating bullets, their hands likely trembling as they play against her
[22:53:31] <Tim_the_Narrator> One of them looks on the verge of fainting, the other is starting to twitch.  Sweat beads their foreheads.
[22:57:12] <Mina> "Oh, you're back."  She sets her hand down facedown and looks up at the others.
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[23:31:57] <Tim_the_Narrator> The thugs are quite eager to cooperate, and they corroborate Zappo's story, answering any questions quickly and eagerly.  Mina really did a number on them.
[23:35:09] <Hayri> "So, this warehouse is next to come then?  I'm thinking we're not going to just leave as-is."
[23:36:11] <Harkin> After finishing up with the questioning, Harkin sends the two men out to join Zappo, then pulls over chairs for the the other members of the party and seats himself on a sturdy chest. "It certainly bears investigating. They thought they could hide a sedan there safely, without being disturbed. Perhaps it's owned or rented by a member of the conspiracy."
[23:39:01] Mina sits with the others, crossing her arms.  "So what are we doing sitting around here?"
[23:40:47] <Tim_the_Narrator> Outside, the sun has already set, torches on the great pillars providing most of the illumination, along with the faint glow from ship's lights and buildings across the way.
[23:41:39] <Harkin> "Patience, Mina," Harkin advises. "We've learned a good bit more than just that. What about the two men Zappo said they met at the Black Dragon?"
[23:43:34] <Mina> "What about them?  They aren't going to show up later ust because we had a few words."
[23:44:47] <Harkin> "Their descriptions match, within reason, those two men who we saw posing as watchmen, the ones that killed Marmetes. And the lookout he spoke of - the one that would blend in at Rael's Square, and could get an aerial view..."
[23:46:04] <Hayri> "And 'Zappo' felt that they would be killed by their hirers if they failed, right?"
[23:46:28] <Mina> "Are untouchable until we've got more information.  After all, you can't just go and say 'hey, this noble's in a conspiracy' without anything."
[23:46:44] <Mina> "And finding those two?  No, we need to head to the warehouse."
[23:50:12] <Harkin> "I suspect we have enough to secure the Queen's blessing, though not the Megami's. You're probably right, though. Lady Mayenne may or may not be accessible to us, but knowing she's tied to the plot helps narrow our search. Why don't I see what I can turn up on that front, while you, Hayri, and Moirrey investigate the warehouse."
[23:51:47] <Mina> "Works for me."
[23:52:55] Hayri nods, stretching his limbs.
[23:54:55] Moirrey nods.
[23:55:33] <Harkin> "Alright. I'd like to speak with my men, but is there anything else you three want me to look into while you're over there?"
[23:58:23] <Hayri> "It may be good to see that those behind all this have not made another attempt on Pomette since then."
[23:59:59] <Harkin> Harkin nods thoughtfully. "Mm. I'll check in on her, and update her on the situation while I'm there. I may inquire about how she'd like to proceed regarding Lady Mayenne, as well."
[00:03:05] <Mina> "You sure?  She seems like she'd act pretty quickly.  Good for us.  Bad for her."
[00:05:01] <Harkin> "The Queen is aboard a fully-loaded warship in the center of the Yurandish Sunfleet. Even if Mayenne's desperate, I don't think she'll try a direct attack."
[00:05:34] <Moirrey> "Yeah, yeah. Seems a bit mindbendingly stupid. As much as people insult Megamai nobility, they ain't that dense."
[00:05:45] <Mina> "I never said Mayenne would attack."
[00:08:04] <Harkin> "Mm. What do you think her next play would be, then? Does she know we've taken Zappo and his men, or will she still be trying to complete the cover-up?"
[00:08:47] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Milord?" It's Kier, she salutes, "Permission to report?"
[00:10:03] <Harkin> "Hm? Go ahead, Aguilliar." Harkin sees her pause, and adds, "They can hear, too. It's fine."
[00:13:02] <Tim_the_Narrator> "...Well, there IS actually a Corporal Jinivene Strap, but she's sixty-three years old and works the front desk."
[00:13:41] <Mina> "We should let him know somebody's been using his name."
[00:15:55] <Harkin> "Any of the watchmen recognize their descriptions? Large man with an upper-crust vocabularly, thin man with red hair and low mannerisms?"
[00:16:30] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Her."
[00:17:18] <Tim_the_Narrator> "...No sir, but they were pretty distracted.  Two of the guards got killed, they found the bodies this morning."
[00:17:35] <Mina> "...Of course they were."
[00:19:09] <Harkin> The old man raises an eyebrow. "I suppose that explains that detail of the story, then. Uniforms stolen, I imagine. What steps are the Watch taking?"
[00:23:23] <Tim_the_Narrator> "They're looking into it.  Both of the guards who were killed were Pebble Islanders, Moon Dog tribe."
[00:23:59] <Tim_the_Narrator> "They're sending men down to the parts of town where the Pebblefolk live to see if they had any enemies."
[00:25:33] <Harkin> "Feels like a red herring, but we'll see where it takes them. Good work, Kier."
[00:28:42] <Tim_the_Narrator> "Thank you, sir.  Permission to retire for the evening?"
[00:30:25] <Harkin> "Granted. I'll speak with Sare and Porcio tonight, but pass the word I'd like to speak with the whole team tomorrow morning. And sleep well; we've more work ahead." He gives her a smile as she excuses herself, then turns back to the others.
[00:30:54] Mina nods, then waits for her to be gone.  "So...first thing in the morning, before they're expecting it, or later on, when more people will be there?"
[00:33:09] <Hayri> "Well, said as such it seems easy, doesn't it?"
[00:34:53] Moirrey yawns. "Well, whenever works. I'm not a complainer."
[00:36:28] <Mina> "Seems like.  Tomorrow!"
[00:37:51] <Tim_the_Narrator> ~And so, everyone goes quietly to sleep~