| Logs |
2000-05-14
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
Questions in Alburtis
- By the time the harbor agent has been sent on his way the
sun is nearing the horizon. The waterfront looks... unsavory... and so
Carroll decides to wait for the next day for shore leave, and warns the
crewfurrs not to wander off alone when they do leave the ship.
The next morning, Carroll, Alex, Horatio, and Dimitri debark and head into the city, accompanied by a few guards, to see what they can find out from the local branch of the Mercenaries Guild. The building here is even more a fortress than the ones in Maidstone or Starfall, with heavy wooden beams framing a structure of heavy rocks, a solid oak gate with the same standard tunnel and courtyard arrangement to enter the precincts, and the Guild shield blazoned on the front of the building. The surrounding neighborhood is, if not upscale, certainly better than average for the town. The Guild headquarters does seem to be some protection...
The gate guards, a cougar and a boar, actually come to attention as the party approaches. The cougar nods respectfully and asks, "Your business, senor?"
Alex looks a little surprised at the attentiveness of the guards -- is it that bad here? -- but nods politely while she waits for Carroll's response. Dimitri stands quiet and grim behind Carroll, his sword held in both hands. Carroll smiles and murrs, "We would like to consult your records regarding past staffing levels to assure we have an appropriate number of our own staff."
The cougar blinks at that detailed explanation, but nods. "You wish to talk to an officer then, senor?"
Horatio glances back around the neighborhood the Guild stands in, then returns his attention to his brother's conversation with the guards. Carroll nods, "That would be very helpful, thank you."
The cougar points them down the passageway. "They'll meet you at the far end."
The small group walks down the tunnel, accompanied by echoes of their boots on the cobbles and occasional glimpses of motion beyond the small arrow slits and murder-holes lining its walls and roof. Alex blinks as she walks down the hallway... for an empire this place seems to need an awful lot of self-protection -- and apparently against some fairly nasty assaults too! She looks interestedly down the hall to where the officer(s?) are supposed to be meeting them and wonders if they feel the same way about House P as the Maidstone merc's guild seems to. Carroll is casual and unconcerned. Naturally a building of the scale of this one would have such defenses, and as he has perfectly valid reasons for being there he has nothing to worry about. Horatio is only a little nervous from the movement -- if the rest of the city is any indicator then it stands to reason that the Guild would be prepared for a siege -- he breaks off his thought, his nervousness being replaced by concern and a frown. Why do they need a guildhall this fortified? he wonders. He glances over to Alex, seeing his own thoughts reflected in her expression. Alex smiles a little ruefully at Horatio, her words soft and just for him, "Makes you wonder, huh?"
Horatio nods softly to her. "That it does," he says in a like tone, looking around the hallway. "It'd be interesting to find out why..." Very quietly Dimitri walks, a pace behind Alex and Carroll. He settles into a light and easy pace, one very deliberate and military precise.
Alex grins quietly at Horatio, "Yup... but only as long as we were on the winning side..."
When the group reaches the end of the tunnel they see the courtyard of the Guildhall, with the usual practice areas. Archery practice appears to be on the schedule right now. A grizzled old horse wearing colonel's insignia is marching over from the far side of the courtyard. Carroll steps out of the tunnel in to the courtyards and looks around, apparently appreciating the environment as if he's never seen it before, and drifting a bit out of the path. He lets the officer approach and speak, lest she not really be looking for them. The colonel alters course to join the party. When she gets there she nods. Alex smiles and nods politely to the battlemare. "Comte St. Genevieve, I presume?" Her Imperial accent is quite strong - she pronounces the name as San Jen-VEEVE. Alex wonders quietly how the colonel knew.
Carroll smiles as well and murrs, "His son, actually." He introduces the family and continues, "One of the reasons we came to Alburtis in fact was to seek information regarding the Count's whereabouts. That and other questions are the primary reasons we've come to the Guild today."
The old mare smiles just a bit, as though Carroll's passed a test. "Maidstone sent us a message, Captain. Welcome to ze Empire. Zis way, please." She leads the way to an office where she waves the four siblings toward seats. Their guards remain outside.
Alex grins quietly to herself... that's probably a good thing, that they're in relatively close communication with Maidstone. Carroll murrs, "Ah, I see." He follows, politely making idle talk, "This is a very impressive facility you have here."
The colonel nods. "Merci. A pity it is necessary, but the situation here is often...unsettle, nes't-ce pas?" She steeples her hands and leans back in her chair. "So. What can we do for you?"
Alex grins at Carroll, then sits on the edge of her chair and says a little breathlessly, "We're looking for our father. We were hoping to find out if he made it this far, if he had any mercs with him, and if they came back?"
The tall dark fox does not take a chair. Instead he stands silent, leaning upon his tall sword like one might a staff, behind Carroll and a half step to the left. Carroll smiles and gestures to his sister, murring, "That's the first and perhaps, most important question, yes." Alex's ears tilt back a little sheepishly at her interrupting... but then flick back up alertly at the old mare in hopeful interest. Horatio stands quietly behind his siblings as well, hiding his fidgeting. He looks hopefully to the mare. Even if he didn't make it this far, he thinks, it's a start!
The colonel sighs. "I met him often, the Comte. Ze last time he was here, yes, he had wiss him several mercenaries. Zat was... nearly six monts ago, yes? He and his guards nevair arrive back at Starfall."
Horatio's ears perk. So Father had been here! Dimitri nods quietly, "But did the guards he hired ever make it back anywhere?"
Alex nods slowly. No wonder she looked like Carroll had passed a test... it sounds like she liked Daddy. She adds quickly, "-and did he say anything about where he was going next?" Carroll listens and nods, looking curious to his siblings' questions. Alex blinks at Dimitri, "Daddy wouldn't have abandoned them, Dimitri."
Carroll looks at Alex and murrs, "No, he wouldn't. If they made it back somewhere they might know where he has gone."
Alex says, "Oh. Good point." She looks hopefully at the colonel.
The colonel shakes her head at Dimitri. "No. Zey vanish wiss him. Not even zair scout made it back, so far as I know. It iss a mystery, but perhaps less a mystery now. Ze Pravinchandra merchants, zey are quite vehement about you being pirates. I gazzer zis is, shall we say, an overstatement, yes?"
Horatio, despite the solemnity of the news, can't help but give the faintest of wry expressions at the news of Pravinchandra's... irritation. Alex grins, "House P is known for overstatements, I take it? Yes, we're privateers... our argument is only with House P. We're careful to let crews go, to ransom mercs only if House P is paying for them... and to ransom all the command crews!" Dimitri lets his tongue slip out and just lap over sharp, sharp teeth.
Carroll explains to the horse, "The word pirate is so very distasteful. I prefer 'vigilante' myself. It is only the House Pravinchandra that has anything to worry from us, and then only their finances." Alex nods cheerfully at Carroll's words.
The colonel nods. "So I undairstand. Pravinchandra has been most upset at zair losses. Interesting zat one small ship could cause zem so much trouble, yes? Zey nevair have had trouble wiss piracy before, even zough many ozzer ships have."
Alex grins mischievously at the colonel, "Yah, we'd noticed that too, actually... we were wondering if you kept records of hirings here?"
Carroll murrs, "Perhaps that's because they hire enough guards that attacking their ships is foolish... our experience doesn't seem to show this." He adds, "I wonder if your records bear this out?" Alex grins cheerfully at Carroll and nodnods happily again at the Colonel.
The mare nods. "Oui. I check zis recently. I am not always sure how many of zair own warriors zey employ, you undairstand. Buy zey have nevair hired many of our people, yet have much less trouble wiss ze journey zan most ozzers."
Carroll suggests, "Perhaps he has decided it's less costly to use other means of protection." Horatio frowns slightly. The thought that pops into his mind is most assuredly blue-sky guessing, but disturbing nonetheless. He files it away for the time being.
The colonel grins mirthlessly. "Indeed."
Carroll asks, then, "Did the Count discuss with you his itinerary the last time he was here?"
Alex blinks, "Wait, Carroll! Let's ask, please, if we can maybe make copies of those records!"
The horse shrugs quite expressively. "Not in detail, you undairstand. But he said zat after zat trip he would not be back here for some time. He hinted at a long trip to ze west after stopping at Starfall -- he was taking food back to ze city, of course."
Carroll hms and murrs, "A very good suggestion," to his sister. He looks back at the Colonel and murrs, "Some concrete information for our solicitor to look at might be very helpful. Would it be possible for us to copy relevant records? I understand completely if you would consider that improper or a breech of client trust."
Alex takes a long, slow breath, then murmurs, "So he was coming home first!" She glances at Horatio, "And didn't you want to know about the weather in the area at the time? Maybe the colonel would know who to ask about that here?"
Horatio looks to Alex and nodnods. "Oh, that's right!" He looks back to the mare. "Ma'am, one of the things we're trying to rule out is... is our Father being... er, lost to the elements. Do you happen to know, or know whom we might talk to, about the weather patterns on the ocean after he departed?"
The mare frowns. "Is not really somezing I can do. If I let you, zen I needs must let ozzer parties do so also. At any rate ze Starfall branch of ze Guild will have similar records where you can show zem directly to ze court."
Carroll nods and murrs, "I understand, and, when the time comes we will speak to them. Thank you." Alex looks pleased... she'd guess the Starfall merc's guild would react with great hostility to pressure from House P to either hand over or destroy incriminating records on him!
The colonel shrugs to Horatio. "I would zink someone at ze docks would know zis sort of zing."
Horatio nods quietly, "Thank you, ma'am."
Carroll nods and murrs, "At the moment then the only other question I have is regarding a detail of the ransom process. If a ship surrenders rather than fights, who pays the ransom on the mercenaries aboard? The employer? The guild? The individual mercenary?"
The colonel frowns. "It depends on ze situation. If ze ship surrenders for no reason, or if ze owner did not take enough guards, zen it is ze responsibility of ze owner. If ze ship is taken wiss what we suggested was a proper guard, it is ze guild."
Alex nods in relief, "Good, then it's House P's fault... they obviously didn't have enough guards!" She grins, "Even better! We'll ask for those ransoms too!"
Carroll ahs and murrs, "Would the mercenaries aboard the ship know which was the case? I don't wish to cost the Guild money, only the House Pravinchandra."
Horatio suppresses a laugh at Alex's words. "That would make things better all around, I think," he says, grinning. "Though I imagine Pravinchandra would fight that to the courts." Alex grins cheerfully at Horatio!
The colonel nods. "Of course. If ze employer does not take our suggestion it is ze choice of ze guard to go along or not."
Dimitri softly smiles, his lips curling, "Could it be suggested that because of House Pravinchandra's actions... and thus having drawn the wrath of a Noble house upon them, that any mercenaries captured are thus lost by Pravinchandra's doings... and thus the House of Mongeese be responsible for all ransoms?" Alex covers a grin at Dimitri's comment!
Carroll smiles and murrs, "I think then we have asked all the questions we can ask. You have been very helpful, both confirming the Count's arrival here, supplying his route, and confirming something we've heard about his next possible voyage. More concrete facts upon which to work."
The horse looks severely at Dimitri, though a glint of amusement sparkles deep in her eyes. "It might be suggested so, but all it really does is increase the guard level we feel is needful, yes? And for once zey are actually overstaffing even what we recommend."
Horatio blinks, his ears flicking. "Overstaffing? Er... what do you normally recommend, ma'am?" Carroll also looks curious.
Alex thinks a moment... then looks up, "Excuse me, I have a question which maybe you might be able to answer, colonel? I was wondering if you knew anything about the Imperials. Some of them have been hired by House P to safeguard their ships on the route between here and Starfall. I was just wondering... how assiduous are the Imperials? Would they, for example, think that they should attempt to stop us were we both in port at the same time? or would they just think their purview of protection is just on the high seas?" She blinks at Horatio then adds, "Oh, I'm sorry, Horatio... you first." She smiles apologetically at the colonel.
"Zat would depend on your ship, of course. For your ship, small and fast, yes? Would recommend a half-dozen based on piracy reports, mostly archers." The colonel pauses. "For grain ships -- you have one now, yes? -- perhaps a dozen to combat the pirates known to be out there."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Thank you, Colonel, that is very handy to know."
Alex blinks as she thinks about that... then murmurs softly, "A dozen?! Whoa... we saw no more than four!"
The colonel turns to Alex. "Ze Imperial Navy is motivated mainly by profit and corruption. If Pravinchandra has offered a price for your heads I would not wish to be here when zey return."
Alex nods to the colonel, her demeanor quiet, "Thank you, Colonel. You've been more than helpful, and we greatly appreciate it." She glances at her brothers inquiringly for any other questions?
Horatio nods quickly, "Yes, thank you very much, ma'am."
Carroll murrs, "Considering that, perhaps we should conclude our business and be away as soon as possible." Alex nods quietly, still thinking. Dimitri straightens, slipping his sword jauntily over his shoulder. Horatio nods to Carroll as well.
The colonel stands and offers her hand to Carroll as the meeting concludes. "Happy to help. Find out what happened to le Comte." Carroll thanks the Colonel for her help and assures her they're doing all they can do to find the Count and makes a polite exit.
Alex rises and nods politely to the colonel, "A pleasure, Colonel. Good day," before she follows Carroll out. Horatio nods quietly at the colonel's wish. We will, he thinks silently and defiantly. Carroll shakes hands with the Colonel and promises to do so.
Carroll outlines his current thoughts to his family, "Let's have Alex and Dimitri take whoever they feel useful out to go bar-crawling for information tonight, while Horatio and I try to arrange some cargo -- probably food -- to resupply Ettore with. On the way back we can stop in at all the cities between here and there and poke around to see if they've been marooned." He adds, "And if cargo will take more than a day to get loaded we'll skip it or get them at another port."
Alex nods, "I think that's probably a good idea, Carroll. Cargo to supplement Ettore and more searching for Daddy on the return trip."
Carroll murrs, "It'll also give us a chance to stop back there and collect news from them, Bryn, and Farwing." He nods, "All right, that sounds like the course of action." He murrs, "I'll go see if I can't find us cargo while you feel out information. I'll take Sam and Jessie at least, and take care of the trading." He also hopes to do a bit of shopping but doesn't make a fuss over it. He asks, "Horatio, do you want to join me?"
Horatio nods, "I'd be glad to, Carroll."
The siblings split up after leaving the Guildhall, Carroll and Horatio taking Jessie and MacKenzie while they look for a possible cargo of food to take to Ettore, while Dimitri, Alex, Natasha, and Bjorn go rumor-hunting. Horatio murmurs quietly to his party, "We'll need to find food that hasn't already spent a month aboard a ship getting here." He looks around the city, frowning. "Then again, that might be preferable to what we'll find grown here..."
Carroll explains, "They should have fresh food coming in, Horatio. This is on the mainland and should have plenty of things coming. We're not likely to return terribly quickly, so we do need to find things that will survive the trip." Carroll's group heads back down to the commercial section of town, looking for grain merchants.
Horatio says, "Erf, sorry. I guess I'm just nervous. I've never been in the Empire before, and, well... I guess I'm just eager to leave."
Carroll murrs to Horatio, "Let's see if we can muddy the waters for our friends with the House Pravinchandra. Let me do the talking if you will, but if anyone asks you're Harrison Romanov. Close enough, mm?" He grins and murrs, "Call me Karl, if you must."
Horatio blinks and grins softly, nodding. "Mother's maiden name. Nobody's likely to recognize that here. All right... 'Karl.'"
Carroll chuckles and picks up a bit of an accent as they walk, commenting, "Now, vhere could ve go zu get some goot grain, mm?"
Horatio laughs softly, "I'll not even try that. And Jessie? And Mackenzie?" He looks around briefly and shakes his head. "We could try to find an agent by the docks." He keeps his voice low as he talks to his brother.
Carroll also idly flicks his collar over flattening much of the lace and puts his gold chains in his purse, prudently changing his walk from a careful, courtly stride, to a more direct, almost stomping stride. He nods and replies, "Ja, I think zhat will be our best idea. Is zhere a market between here ant zhere? Perhaps we fint a dealer zhere."
Horatio nods, "I'm sure there will be." He's really trying to hide a grin at Carroll's accent. It's just so unusual to hear him speaking like this!
The commercial district is a mix of warehouses, open markets, stalls, and vendors. It doesn't take Carroll -- or 'Karl' -- long to locate a small merchant interested in disposing of a few tons of grain and dried peas. Horatio watches Carroll's acumen with his bartering -- all while speaking in that accent as well. He starts the stability and trim estimates in his head for the load of food... but them stops himself. There'll be time to do that when the food is dockside to the Mare. For now... for now, it's not a terribly friendly city and he should keep his attention on what's around him. Carroll smiles and tells the merchant, 'It iz goot to find help zo very quickly, as we need sail soon. Ve sail zu Jarrow soon, iz goot, ya?' casually misleading him about where they're from and where they're going. His manner remains direct, almost forceful. "Zo! Vhen cargo reach docks, ja? Ve sail vhen it aboard."
The rooster bargaining with Carroll is anxious to be rid of his merchandise, Pravinchandra's change to convoyed shipping having caught him at the wrong point in the buying cycle. Carroll's admission of being in a hurry, which might otherwise have increased the price, doesn't have much effect and the two quickly conclude a deal. "Mais oui, Capitan. Bring it down zis afternoon, yes? What is your ship?"
Horatio glances at Carroll at the question. Carroll achs and replies easily, "Zhe iz zhe Frizky Laty, zhe is," and then gives directions to the ship and a fairly vague description.
The rooster smiles. "Ah, yes. We will be zair after lunch."
Carroll nods and smiles, "Zhank you! Ve be looking for you zhen!" and makes his exit, telling Horatio, "Now you need zu make sure ze name zhows clear at dock, ja?" as he makes his way out.
Horatio nods enthusiastically as they move off. Then when far enough away he asides wryly to Carroll, "Good cover!"
Carroll's party is about halfway back to the docks when Jessie nudges Horatio. "That rat has been following us ever since we left the market."
Horatio's ears flick and he frowns. He resists the urge to turn and look for the rat but does catch it out of the corner of his eye. He nods slightly. "Thanks, Jessie," he says softly. "Can you keep an eye on him still?"
Jessie nods. "No problem. Wonder what he's up to?"
Horatio shakes his head. "I'm not sure. Maybe the accent didn't fool someone." He then whispers to Carroll, "Car- er, Karl... we're being followed..."
Carroll asks, "Zo, hafe ve a few minutes or zhould you go back to zhe Laty and... ach?" and looks surprised at his brother. He then murrs, "Ja, zhe market again, zhen. I neet a gift for a laty, und perhaps a token for zhe Duchess." He gestures grandly and starts off... then asks, quietly, "Who is it and think we could find a way to ask them a few questions?"
Horatio blinks a little, then goes to catch up with his brother. "Jessie says that he's been following us since we left the market," he says softly. "We could probably catch him if we round a corner..."
Carroll nods and exclaims, leading surely, "I zhink zhere vas a zhrough street town here, ja?" and hurries round a corner, looking for a doorway or something to hide in. If there's not one big enough for all of them he'll tell MacKenzie to catch the rat from behind, with a whisper and gesture or seven, while still walking dramatically down the street, towing Horatio and Jessie.
Just around the next corner is a small alleyway, actually a passage between buildings. The party has plenty of time to hide away in it before their tail comes around the corner himself. Carroll gestures MacKenzie and Jessie to grab the fellow from either side, hoping they'll be able to catch him from behind. Horatio remains quiet, glancing down the alley as well as watching the entrance to the alleyway. The rat comes around the corner and walks right past the alleyway, craning around trying to see where his quarry is. Carroll nudges his security and points silently. Sam and Jessie ease out of the alley right behind the rat. He's still looking ahead when Sam taps him on the shoulder. The wolverine grins, a rather unpleasantly sharp sight. "Looking for someone, son?"
Carroll adds, "Can ve help you, ja?" quietly, but still with his accent. He crosses his arms and looks stern.
The rat grins nervously, looking back and forth between the wolverine and the mink. "Uh... no, no, sair." Horatio remains quiet in the background, hiding his own slight grin. The rat goes all oily-apologetic. "A case of mistaken identity, nes't-ce pas? Was ssinking you were someone else, yes?"
Carroll asks, "Zo who you zhink we was, mm?" He asks quietly, "Zo, Mac, zhink you can shake truzh from him?" Horatio isn't the most intimidating of the group and so glances about the group, looking for anyone who might have in turn been following the rat.
The rat glances away from Carroll, but this unfortunately brings his gaze in line with MacKenzie's again. "Umm. No one important. Zhust a captain zat Lord Maradras wants to talk to." The rat swallows nervously, and doesn't look all that convincing.
Carroll ahs and asks, "Und iz zhat who you vork for? You know vhat Lord vant with zis Captain?" He adds, "Und tell uz zhe truzh zhis time, ja?"
The rat swallows nervously again. "He... he isn't happy with him. But you're not ze one, Capitan. Just a case of mistaken identity. I'll leave you alone, yes?"
Horatio frowns slightly and glances to 'Karl,' trying to keep his expression unreadable. Carroll murrs, "Now vhat has zhis fur done zu upset ze Lort? Who iz Lort, anyway?" He grins, adding, "I not know local zo goot, ya?"
The rat gets positively loquacious. "Lord Maradras? He's the most important merchant in Alburtis, yes? Factor for Lord Pravinchandra zey say."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Zo who zhis Pravinchandra, ay?" Horatio tries to hide the jolt that shakes him at the mention of Pravinchandra's name. We should have known, he thinks. It makes sense Pravinchandra would have someone here -- oh! Since Father came to this port... I wonder... yes, this 'Lord Maradras' would surely have had something to do with Father's disappearance!
The rat continues. "Very very rich merchant. One of the League he is, and a friend of the Duke also. Very important he is." He looks suspicious. "Surely ze Capitan knows of House Pravinchandra!"
Carroll still looks confused. Maybe he's trying to unravel the language. He says, "Duke? Duke was? Ve far vrom home, ja, new here."
The rat looks astonished now. "Ze Duke! Duke Alois. Ze ruler of ze province, Capitan."
Horatio thinks that Carroll is pushing his luck now; the rat is starting to seriously question Carroll's knowledge. He starts edging towards Carroll in an attempt to near-silently whisper that to him. Carroll looks at the wolverine and asks, "Zo, you ever hear of zhis Duke? I not know him." He asks the rat, "You lie zu me?" Carroll frowns at the rat a little.
The rat glances back at Sam nervously. "'Course not. Not healthy lying to a wolverine, Capitan."
Carroll murrs, "Zo, who zhink we were?"
The rat looks disappointed. He'd hoped he'd slid that one past his 'captors'..."Umm. Just a fox, Capitan. They gave me a description, said his name was Timothy."
Horatio frowns slightly. Timothy? Carroll frowns and asks, "How long you been looking for zhis fox?" Horatio's eyes widen slightly as the connection is made. Timothy! That's Father's name! He looks away, looking up and down the alley to keep his expression of shock and surprise from being seen by the rat.
The rat looks very nervous. "Oh, hasn't been recent. Was monts back, yes? But I ssought he was back, maybe Lord Maradras still interested, yes?"
Carroll looks at Sam and murrs, "Zhis one not look zo creative zu me. Zhink you zhake goot answer from him?"
A booming voice from behind Sam interrupts the conversation. "Jacques, you been causing trouble for these gentlemen?" A huge bear in the colors of the City Watch is standing there, having just come around the corner.
Pieces start coming together in Horatio's mind. This rat was told to look for Father, perhaps told this Lord Maradras about Father being here. Not recently, this was, but recent enough that the rat remembered the name. He blinks, turning in the direction of the bear. Carroll turns and looks the bear up and down and asks him, "Zo, you know zhis one, ja?"
The watchman nods. "Oh, yes. Jacques and I know each other quite well, don't we? I thought I told you not to cause trouble on my beat, Jacques?"
The rat is actually whining now. "But zey started it! I was zhust walking down ze street and zey attack me!"
The bear snorts in disdain. "Probably 'cause they found your fingers in their pockets, if I know you."
Carroll ahs and murrs, "Vall, he fool enough not to mint volverine, ja? Zo ve gave zhe ztern talking zu and maybe he lizten." He glares back at the rat, adding, "I bet not." Horatio arches an eyebrow slightly in amusement at the bear's words, but remains quiet near Carroll.
The bear turns to Carroll, sizing him up as the leader. "You want to press charges, sir?"
Carroll barks out a laugh or two and says, "Ja, you do know zhiz one!" To the bear's question he shakes his head, telling him, "Zu much trouble vhen he such fool."
The bear nods. "All right, Jacques. Now beat it before I think of something else to run you in on." The rat scampers away rapidly. Carroll watches the rat scamper off and thanks the bear for keeping ze ztreets zafe, ja! before collecting his staff and brother and moving off on his own business. The bear nods and lumbers off. Carroll's group reaches the ship with no further misadventures and with no sign of the rat or anyone else following them. Carroll reminds Horatio to change the name of the ship and murrs, "And, we'd better tell Alex and Dimitri when they come back." Horatio nods and draws out a paint and brush and works quickly on a board to hang over the true name on the bow.
- Meanwhile, Dimitri and Alex have been looking for a tavern
with a reasonably large crowd. When they find one, they walk in. Natasha
suggested that she hang on Dimitri's arm as they enter...
Alex grins at Natasha's suggestion, but keeps quiet... although Dimitri may suspect by her gleeful expression that he's going to be teased later! Dimitri ducks his head, leaning behind Natasha to just give his dearest sister a look. And he does pause for a heartbeat, tentative. But then with a shrug and a nod it is he who slips an arm about Natasha, pushing the door open so they might enter the tavern together -- and let Alex be the one who has to catch up. Alex has, of course, already bounced cheerfully through the door! She looks around with interest, ears up and tail happily perky. Bjorn brings up the rear.
The bar is a bit dingy, but not too bad. Furs look up briefly as the four enter, then go back to their own conversations. Two steps inside Dimitri pauses, taking a good long set of heartbeats to scan the crown. It is house tabards he seeks, or collections... collections of merchants, of soldiers, of sailors... especially those who have a stack of mugs and buckets at their table. This is a working fur's bar. One long table seems to be teamsters, while an obvious clump of sailors is at another. Other tables contain small groups of nondescript people. Dimitri looks for a place then to steal themselves four seats, perhaps near the collection of sailors on leave. Alex patters along happily behind Dimitri, still looking around with curious interest. The sailors look up as the four slip into seats at the next table over, then continue their conversation, which seems to be centered on the foibles of one of their officers. Alex eyes the sailors, trying to tell what ship they're from... or family. Dimitri sets his sword on the table in front of him before leaning back and ordering a round for his three companions and he. As he does, Dimitri does take a moment to pace, nodding to Natasha, "And what would you be liking?"
The sailors don't have any particular uniform. It's apparent after listening for a few minutes that they're in the coastal trade, as they mention incidents with 'old Ironhead' in Tiara, Saltmarsh, and Sehala. Alex listens for a bit, then leans to murmur to Dimitri, "So... how do we get someone talking about Daddy?"
Natasha waves a hand lazily. "Beer is fine."
Alex says, "Me too please! Bjorn, you want one too?"
The bear nods. "What else?" Alex looks expectantly at Dimitri, hoping for an answer to her previous question to him.
When delivered, Dimitri looks up from his own beer. He looks across to Alex, quietly nodding. But his words are gauged a token higher. "So... did you hear if there's a reward out for the elder St. Genevieve's ship too?"
One of the sailors does look over at this. "A reward?"
Alex gives Dimitri an astonished glance -- she's not sure that's the way to be changing the subject! She hesitates... then has a sip of beer herself. Dimitri leans back, one paw still tarrying upon Natasha's side. He raises his mug to the sailor, shrugging quietly. "I don't know. I've heard his ship has been missing for several months. By now the word's sure to have reached his home port. I was wondering if his insurers have offered something for finding him... especially since he might be able to get his troublesome brats off the high seas."
Alex almost chokes into her beer! She coughs a few times, then wheezes an apologetic, "sorry...!" and tries to pat up the beer she accidentally spilled...
The sailors look interested now. "What kind of ship was it? What was her name?"
Natasha chimes in. "Thunderchild, wasn't it? A schooner?" At the same time, Dimitri taps his chin upon his mug. "I hear she's the schooner Thunderchild."
Alex nods and says softly, "Yes."
Dimitri nods and then laughs, "Aye, what she said."
Another of the sailors looks interested. "How much are they offering and where do you collect it?"
Dimitri shrugs quietly, "I'm not sure... I was asking if... but for a Noble's Schooner I'd think it'd be a fair price. Why, have you of the ship heard?
The sailor grins. "No, but I'll surely keep me eyes open for it if they're offering a reward."
Alex frowns at Dimitri, "May I remind you that if everyone and their brother are searching for it... our chances of getting the reward are that much less?!"
Dimitri nods quietly, twitching his ears so the rings jangle. "But me, I'm not a captain, I can't go looking..." Turning to Alex he nods, "And neither are you. We still need to find the best ship to offer a hand at guard... the one with the best chance of collecting that possible reward."
Alex flattens her ears at Dimitri... then hmfs and goes back to her beer. Natasha grins toothily at Alex. Bjorn just plays big, dumb, and grouchy, and doesn't say much. Alex grins cheerfully at Natasha a moment later, her usual ebullience reasserting itself. "Well anyways!" She addresses the sailor, "If someone wanted to ask about a particular ship, where would they go, d'you know?"
The bar-hopping goes well, Dimitri spreading the rumor around for the better part of the afternoon. At dusk, they come back to the ship, where stevedores are loading sacks of grain and peas into the 'Frisky Lady.' Alex blinks interestedly, noticing... a disguise for the ship! Good idea... maybe they can use that to fool flier scouts out on the high seas too.