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+--- Thread: Closing Ranks [closed] (/showthread.php?tid=6982)
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - TheBlob - 05-11-2014
There were two things that Andralyn didn't tolerate:Â One, people insinuating that she was unaware of how the world works; that she was somehow oblivious to the innermost workings of the profession that she was quite literally born into and two, the idea that her employees were ill-trained, inexperienced and to be classified with the skags and gutter rats that lurk in the shadows with their legs splayed wide waiting for whatever pathetic seaslug will toss them a coin or morsel.Â
Her jaw set with the chiding. That was the exact message she'd been sending. She was scared. Weak. Ill-prepared. She knew she deserved the scolding, the same one Mialyre had offered days before.
"Yeah, I'll get right on that," she watched Zhavi, her tired eyes gaining a small spark of irritation, her posture shifting as her shoulders came back up. She followed the girl's gaze carefully and gave a short nod, "Aye, he's mine."
She folded her arms around the cloak, turning her attention back to Zhavi, a small glare pulling her brow together, "You heard of the hits,then? Hazard pay wasn't enough t' get you onta Clove's pearl and shout out a warning? What else am I on edge t' hear?"
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - Zhavi - 05-12-2014
"Yeah, like that. That's th'look I want t'be seein' from ye, marm." Zhi peered at Thatcher and then looked away, out to the wider street beyond the narrow one that housed the alcove.
Thatcher's last words drew Zhi's attention back to look at her, however. Her face took on a thoughtful cast. She looked directly at Thatcher before looking away again as she spoke. "Would I'd learned o'the mess wi'time t'spare. 'Twas too late t'warn ye. Things've been. . . "
Zhi didn't like excuses. She didn't like hearing them, and she didn't like giving them. So it was that mid-sentence she shook her head and looked back to Thatcher, dipping her head. "Won't happen again, marm. I've one o'me own takin' a wider gander 'round La Noscea. I'd thought I'd me finger on th'right one, but it's worse'n that. Ye got two enemies -- way th'scales is tippin' might be moren' that, though I've only surety on th'two. Haven't tracked down names, but I'm after 'em all th'same. I got a feelin' in me tail that ye got a turncoat in yer ranks. Fer now I'm lookin' at yer outskirts -- them what ye deal wi' on th'side. If I was yerself, I'd be takin' a second looksee 'round me own hearth.
"Why'd ye call fer me? Still early. Fer th'hits?"
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - TheBlob - 05-12-2014
Andralyn watched her as she spoke, her jaw clenching and releasing as each set of words passed through her lips.
Nothing. She's got absolutely nothing. Gods take me why did I agree to this. A turncoat, in my ranks? Preposterous!
Her hand itched to raise, to slap the miqo'te into a submissive silence and she balled her fist, her nails biting into her palm.
"Why'd ye call fer me? Still early. Fer th'hits?"
"Early? You planned to unearth names and secrets in two suns time?" Her gaze moved to the street and she shifted her stance, releasing her hands from their tension filled posture. "It's not quite as early as you think, my dear."
Her hand moved from the cloak, waving off the subject, "At any rate, yes. I called on you because of the hits. I wanted to know why I wasn't given word and what you knew...and it's now quite obvious you know little more than I did, all of it still highly unhelpful. The thought of it being anyone in house is more than unlikely it's absurd. My house is family, moreover they're happy. Happy families don't wander about looking to kill their kin."
She moved her gaze back to the small woman, "You've no more word on a proprietor to this house of Cards?" She motioned to her own brand on the inside of her wrist, Â "The one so eager to play a malicious game?"
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - Zhavi - 05-12-2014
Anger flared, hot and spiteful. If --
Zhavi's smiled, cool and polite. No. "Whoever it is, ain't stupid, marm. An' ain't workin' alone, far as I can tell. Nah, I ain't gonna rush an' go fer sloppy. I got more eyes. Yon hits won't happen again. I underestimated yer enemies. Won't happen again." She bowed, letting the smile drop off her face by the time she'd straightened.
Yeah, wouldn't happen again because--
No.
She lifted her chin. "Th'two . . . groups, I'll call 'em, they ain't workin' t'gether. At least one of 'em is backed. We got word that there's some . . . movements, higher up. Mebbe all th'way t'the barons. Can't say fer sure, yet, but they ain't new t'this, marm. Neither o'the groups is. I don't know if they 'spected ye t'start diggin', or if they're jes playin' fer safe, but same thing.
"I'm leanin' hard fer th'ones what set th'hits on yer peoples' heads, but I got a bad feelin' 'bout th'other group. Th'way th'rumors are set -- aie," she shook her head once, "they're cleavin' t'ye, marm. They know summat they shouldn't. An' I ain't gonna drop names fer ye yet, not 'till I know fer real sure. Ye done good hirin' strongarms, but if yer thinkin' o' playin' siege -- don't. Ye'll play into their hands. Cut off yer work across La Noscea, an' operate a small time front here. Two, mebbe three o' yer best. Set it up t'see if ye can't catch th'killers. But, if they're smart, they'll back off fer awhile. They'll know they got ye right spooked."
Zhi stared hard at Thatcher. "Ye got yer feelin's mixed up in this, aye. I can see that. But whether'r not ye want it, th'war is comin' t'ye. Can't be th'mam o' yer crew if ye plan t'fight back. Gonna have t'be ruthless, Thatcher."
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - TheBlob - 05-13-2014
Andralyn’s mind wandered as the woman spoke, her accent wearing on her ear.
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Two groups. Pictures, faces, names, places. Her mind was aflutter with activity as she listened to the words spoken at her. Why? More importantly who? The Coeurl house. No. Their clientele was completely separate from hers she was certain. They targeted a very niche market; there was no need to come after her. Who... One moon cycle… maybe one and a half. Her time away hadn’t been that long. Not nearly long enough for her foothold among the houses to falter so terribly. This had to have been a long time coming.
Â
Farris. Her jaw set slightly as the name came to her. A longtime rival of her mother’s, the man had been livid when Andralyn was finally able to wrangle the writ from his hands after her mother’s death. She shook her head, her attention turning back to Zhavi as she straightened, hoping the action didn’t look too foolish given the topic at hand.  No….That man had tuco-shit for brains and lacked the gall needed to attempt anything like this.
Â
“Cut off yer work across La Noscea…†Andralyn’s attention was back on the miqo’te, her eyes narrowed. She was already dipping into her own pockets to cover the next week of business.Â
Â
Ruthless.
Â
The corners of her mouth twitched.
Â
Ruthless, hm?
Â
The twitched danced against her lips as she fought to keep the stoic face, ultimately losing as her mouth curled into a toothy almost malicious grin.
Â
Ruthless was the game. It sure had been a while since that mirror was pulled out of her book, but she’d be willing to knock the dust off today. She grinned for a long moment at Zhavi, a more familiar air coming over her as she shifted her stance, into casual serenity.
Â
“My business will continue to run as it has,†her voice was confident and willful. “My momentary lapse in judgment may have them thinking I’m an easy target, let them think it. I’ll continue to suffer the fools if it’s only to draw them to their deathbeds.â€
Â
“I will stay my hand and not indulge in a ‘siege’ as you say. Continue to do your digging; I’ll continue to play my part. How long do you need?â€
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - Zhavi - 05-14-2014
Zhi watched Thatcher's changing expressions. She liked what she saw there. She nodded. Hesitated. "Ye could always play at bein' weak. But ye'd need t'think it through an' have a purpose in mind." She tapped her temple. "That'll come easier once I got better words fer ye t'hear. Give me three days afore another meetin'. I got some . . . folk lined up t'share words wi'."
She was going to have to push herself harder if she expected to finish her job for Galleon soon. And she needed to finish it soon. The longer it went on, the more likely she'd be discovered. And that. . . Thatcher's job required delicacy. Hard to move about if she was having to look over her shoulder for members of the Gate, and the jacks besides.
"Meantime, think it might be best fer ye t'give me one o'yer pearls. There was some trouble -- naught t'do wi'yerself an' yorn -- I'm layin' low fer now. Might have t'be on th'move. Easier fer ye t'catch me when yer needin' to."
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - TheBlob - 05-14-2014
Andralyn smirked and extended a hand, a small pearl pinched between two fingers in a delicate offer, "You read my mind."
She turned to leave, a hand moving to her ear in gesture, "You contact me immediately if you hear word of anything pertinent. I hope our next meeting is on your contact and I pray you can offer a name." Â The smirk danced into amusement, even she wasn't sure if her words would be meant as a plea or a threat.
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - Zhavi - 05-15-2014
Zhi took the pearl, and disappeared it shortly after. She'd used them before, though never for any long period of time. They were useful, but she'd no reason to keep one after a job. But this one -- it was more of a delicate situation. With her act as Joz for Lalataru, she wouldn't dare keep it on her person at all times. There was too high of a risk of it -- somehow -- being discovered by the lalafell, and that would not so easily be explained. Which meant she either had to leave it dark for long stretches of time, or give it to someone else while she was with Lalataru. Brindle was off pretending he wanted to be a whore, which left. . .
She shook herself back into reality. "I will."
Thatcher's words were taken as a threat. The whoremaster had been backed against a wall, and now that she wasn't running scared she was ready to bare her teeth and claws. Zhi wasn't precisely an ally; she was a hireling, and a new and unproven one at that. Thatcher would savage her if she needed, and Zhi wasn't under any illusions as to what needed might cover. If Zhi was caught out again, there'd be consequences. And in the lee of the rutting clodhopper, Osric, that would finish the job of gutting her. She'd be out of work for months, if she wasn't killed first.
She'd come too damn far to go back to begging and scraping to keep herself alive.
There could be no failure.
"See ye in three days, Thatcher." Zhi ducked her head, and stepped out of the alcove to get back to work.
Aie, sleep was overrated anyways.
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - Zhavi - 05-22-2014
Three days had passed in a blur. Zhi almost forgot about her meeting with Thatcher when she woke up -- when had that happened? She hadn't planned on going to sleep, she still had work to complete for Lalataru -- but as she was preparing to go leave word for the lalafell, she remembered. "Shit," she muttered to herself, tossing aside Joz's clothing as if it was infested. Well, it probably was.
Re-dressed, and ready, Zhi ducked out of the half-room that was her temporary "home" and onto the narrow streets of the Reach. She looked to see if she was being followed, and then opened up her pearl.
"Y'there, Thatcher? I've news for ye. Ye'll be glad t'hear it. Where we meetin'?"
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - TheBlob - 05-23-2014
Andralyn's hand moved to her ear as she watched Limsa in the distance from her perch.
"Good girl," the grin curling on her face could most certainly be heard in her tone.
"Where we meet depends largely on you, love.  Do you need to tuck me away in some dank smelly hole in the wall or can I enjoy the breezy view of the Bismark without someone attempting to kill one or both of us? We'll be making port at Limsa by nightfall, just let me know where I'm going."Â
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - Zhavi - 05-27-2014
"Smelly hole." Zhi's reply was immediate, and full of dark amusement. She gave instructions to one of her favorite spots just off the docks and in the tangle of beachfront businesses that catered to sailors and other seafaring folk fresh off their trip. She picked up a skin of alcohol (lighter than was her usual wont -- she was working, after all) and stopped at a few different stalls to pick up parchment-wrapped street-food before heading to the natural gap formed between a cluster of buildings built into the rock and the natural bubble that had formed like a quasi-basement behind them.
A few steps down, and Zhi was in the small space. She had a lantern with her, which she lit and shielded to keep the light down, and then she settled in to await Thatcher.
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - TheBlob - 05-28-2014
A another smelly hole. She should have known. She shouldn't have even bothered asking. Andralyn grumbled as she moved through the streets, her hair tucked back under a rather bland hooded tunic. Just another street urchin, ragged and poor.
She hated this part of the city. She'd done her time, put in her dues she was above the dank odor of these salty, fishy walls and ---
She ducked into the room, eyeing her appointment, her hands tucked into the pockets of her tunic, a look of boredom on her face.
"What's the news, Zhavi?"
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - Zhavi - 05-28-2014
As Zhi looked Thatcher over, her eyes shone with approval. Yes, this was much better. She tossed her head. "First, the ones what put out hits on yer people are Coral's Parlor. It's run by a woman what goes by Coral, though her name's Jaquelle Voiriere. She goes by Elle, sometimes. I got word there was some bad business 'twixt her an' th'woman what ran Heaven's Gate afore ye. They're mainly out o'Gridania, but they've been pushin' into La Noscea summat fierce th'last few years. They've a writ. They ain't big now, an' here they're seen as a new group, but they're older'n what folk say, 'ccordin' t'me sources."
Zhi pursed her lips, twisting them this way and that before she moved on. "They've been helpin' t'spread rumors 'bout ye an' yer ring, but they ain't th'ones what started it. That belongs t'Tabart o' Jaded. They're bein' sneaky, an' quiet. Word is Tabart has it out fer ye, but he didn't start movin' 'till he settled up wi' a man named Luther. I got a . . ." she twisted her mouth again, looking down. "Summat smells funny, marm. I ain't got deep on what they mean t'do, but me gut says it's more'n jes talkin' rude 'round ye. Take care."
She looked back up to Thatcher. "One o'me contacts agreed t'work as a strongarm fer ye. Name's Dogberry, he's a roe -- real reliable. I tole him I'd set ye up wi' him. He gave me a pearl, he did, so if yer willin' t'bring him on I'll give him a tickle t'set ye two up. Could be he can deal wi' Coral's Parlor for ye."
Zhi blew out a sigh, "I've got a lass'll be coddlin' up t'Jaded t'pull more information, an' a pirate does dealin's. . .I've been tole one o'yer suppliers is sellin' information this way an' that. Maioh's her name. Here." Zhi pulled out a thick sheaf of papers and held them out to Thatcher. They were lists of clients, employees, and items sold -- all relating to Heaven's Gate. "She's been sellin' it t'Tabart."
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - TheBlob - 05-28-2014
Elle... Tabart
She seemed to mull over the name, her brow pulling together in thought.
Luther.
Shit.
Shit, shit. Sea swallow it all!
Her face remained calm and unmoved as she listened. More than just rude talking.
Oh yes.. much more. Damn it all...I should have know he'd come back.
Zhavi continued and Andralyn's head canted as her stance shifted.
A lass? I wonder...
She took the sheaf as it was handed to her. Anger flooded over her as she gripped the paper, flipping through it.
"Maioh... " Her jaw set, glaring down at paper.
"Dogberry?" She nodded, "Set us up. We'll have a word with him."
A hand moved to her ear and paused, looking at Zhavi. "You planning on continuing to dig?"
Cut her loose. Damn him and that stupid idea.
She moved her hand from her ear, tucking the paper into the crook of her arm, "Are you planning to continue your digging?"
RE: Closing Ranks [closed] - Zhavi - 05-28-2014
Zhi gave Thatcher a long look, one eyebrow climbing upwards. "'Course I am, boss. Ain't over yet. Ye'll be needin' folk in low places. I need t'dig on Luther an' find out what his aim is, an' if he's got anyone else workin' fer him. Then there's Jaded -- I've got th'lass goin' in there. She'll report back t'me, an' I'll report back t'yerself."
She paused, pressing her lips together while she considered her next words. "There's some talk th'barons are movin'. Somethin' has 'em stirrin'. I'm lookin' fer all I got but folk are spooked, an' it's tighter'n barnacles on th'rocks right now. But I'm lookin'. I'll keep workin' fer ye, 'till yer trouble ends or ye don't renew me contract. That's how I work.
"There anythin' ye want me t'look fer, boss?"