The door opened on darkness, and the silhouette within nearly gave Osric a heart attack.
I keep forgetting how gods-damned tall he is.
He nodded to the captain and stepped back, affording the highlander room to clear the doorframe and step into the hallway. He cleared his throat as Erik turned to close the door; they had a lot to discuss, a lot of ground to cover, and not nearly enough time to do so. Best get started.
"Beggin' y'pardon, ser, but I think it best that I brief you on the move."
They started back up the hallway, headed for the lobby. Osric fielded questions as they walked, Erik falling into stride and then gradually overtaking his subordinate, forcing the midlander to double-time it to keep the pace.
"First and foremost, you'll be needing an alias. The less the locals learn about you, the better. Twelve forbid they learn who and what we are, as that'd close off so many avenues, shut so many doors... ain't worth the risk. I'll leave the name to you, ser, but make it a good one, please. The more merchant-soundin', the better."
His voice shifted as they turned one last corner and spotted the lobby down the hall, took on a tone of deference and respect that he hadn't used since Halatali. That came as a surprise, and he couldn't help but stammer as they approached a certain door...
"J-just a moment, ser." Â
Hells is wrong with me?
He swung his rucksack around, opened a zipper and pulled forth a folded piece of parchment before hoisting the bag back onto his shoulder. He sped up a tad as he did so, moving ahead of Erik just enough to quickly kneel and slip the note - no letter, this time - under Kahn'a's door before falling back into line.
THE BOSSÂ AND I ARE OFF TO LIMSA FOR A FEW SUNS. WE HAVE OUR PEARLS. MAN THE FORT. - SHADOW
He glanced up at the captain, saw the man nod, and resumed speaking, his native accent gradually slipping back into his voice as he loosened up, as he prepared himself mentally for the journey. He recalled each and every stone and plank and tankard and whore that he had ever experienced. He called up Dirk Problemsolver to the forefront.
"M'first choice in an information broker fell through. Alias 'Kink'. She didn't want t'deal; has a bit o' history with m'self. Long story short, had t'fall back on m'second choice. Man's alias is 'Raz'. He's another streetrunner - what you'd call an informant. I've arranged for you two t'meet, though time 'n' place ain't set yet. Don't dare be seen with you on the streets, so him 'n' his'll be showin' y'round. Bastard wanted carte blanche from the 'client'. Gonna haggle'm down to a hefty sack o' gil and a single favor from me wit' line veto, courtesy a knife t'his throat."
They passed into the lobby, and Osric lifted a hand and two fingers in greetings to the Seeker at the front desk. "Buttons." He walked over, reached around, pulled the bottom drawer of the desk open, and lifted a small tote bag from within. "Apologies."
The bag had been Askier's; Osric had filled it with the medical supplies and instructions that Alexei had left them, after thoroughly inspecting, scrounging through, and emptying the bag. It belonged to an explosives specialist, after all. Hells, one could probably set a light to it and watch the blasted thing go up in flames and smoke.
He threw the tote bag over his other shoulder as he walked back over to Erik, dug at a pocket, and came up with a tiny green linkpearl. A spare, not the the original he had now in his right ear. He held the spare pearl up to the captain.
"This bein' a network of contacts what took me moons t'put together. Ain't as extensive as it was 'fore the runt forced me t'hand it off t'Sizzie for a while, but the framework's still there. Linkshell ain't secure: damned thing has all sorts o' unsavory types on it. Criminals, Garleans, the works. But. They're all competent, they use each other when they need to, and if'n y'need a question answered, more oft than not they can answer it. Know that I'm givin' y'this so y'can listen in. Ain't safe for you of all folks t'use it; at best, they'd all get cold feet and leave me hangin' dry. And a warnin'... I left a pearl with Kink. As bait."
He hefted it in his hand.
"Take it."
I keep forgetting how gods-damned tall he is.
He nodded to the captain and stepped back, affording the highlander room to clear the doorframe and step into the hallway. He cleared his throat as Erik turned to close the door; they had a lot to discuss, a lot of ground to cover, and not nearly enough time to do so. Best get started.
"Beggin' y'pardon, ser, but I think it best that I brief you on the move."
They started back up the hallway, headed for the lobby. Osric fielded questions as they walked, Erik falling into stride and then gradually overtaking his subordinate, forcing the midlander to double-time it to keep the pace.
"First and foremost, you'll be needing an alias. The less the locals learn about you, the better. Twelve forbid they learn who and what we are, as that'd close off so many avenues, shut so many doors... ain't worth the risk. I'll leave the name to you, ser, but make it a good one, please. The more merchant-soundin', the better."
His voice shifted as they turned one last corner and spotted the lobby down the hall, took on a tone of deference and respect that he hadn't used since Halatali. That came as a surprise, and he couldn't help but stammer as they approached a certain door...
"J-just a moment, ser." Â
Hells is wrong with me?
He swung his rucksack around, opened a zipper and pulled forth a folded piece of parchment before hoisting the bag back onto his shoulder. He sped up a tad as he did so, moving ahead of Erik just enough to quickly kneel and slip the note - no letter, this time - under Kahn'a's door before falling back into line.
THE BOSSÂ AND I ARE OFF TO LIMSA FOR A FEW SUNS. WE HAVE OUR PEARLS. MAN THE FORT. - SHADOW
He glanced up at the captain, saw the man nod, and resumed speaking, his native accent gradually slipping back into his voice as he loosened up, as he prepared himself mentally for the journey. He recalled each and every stone and plank and tankard and whore that he had ever experienced. He called up Dirk Problemsolver to the forefront.
"M'first choice in an information broker fell through. Alias 'Kink'. She didn't want t'deal; has a bit o' history with m'self. Long story short, had t'fall back on m'second choice. Man's alias is 'Raz'. He's another streetrunner - what you'd call an informant. I've arranged for you two t'meet, though time 'n' place ain't set yet. Don't dare be seen with you on the streets, so him 'n' his'll be showin' y'round. Bastard wanted carte blanche from the 'client'. Gonna haggle'm down to a hefty sack o' gil and a single favor from me wit' line veto, courtesy a knife t'his throat."
They passed into the lobby, and Osric lifted a hand and two fingers in greetings to the Seeker at the front desk. "Buttons." He walked over, reached around, pulled the bottom drawer of the desk open, and lifted a small tote bag from within. "Apologies."
The bag had been Askier's; Osric had filled it with the medical supplies and instructions that Alexei had left them, after thoroughly inspecting, scrounging through, and emptying the bag. It belonged to an explosives specialist, after all. Hells, one could probably set a light to it and watch the blasted thing go up in flames and smoke.
He threw the tote bag over his other shoulder as he walked back over to Erik, dug at a pocket, and came up with a tiny green linkpearl. A spare, not the the original he had now in his right ear. He held the spare pearl up to the captain.
"This bein' a network of contacts what took me moons t'put together. Ain't as extensive as it was 'fore the runt forced me t'hand it off t'Sizzie for a while, but the framework's still there. Linkshell ain't secure: damned thing has all sorts o' unsavory types on it. Criminals, Garleans, the works. But. They're all competent, they use each other when they need to, and if'n y'need a question answered, more oft than not they can answer it. Know that I'm givin' y'this so y'can listen in. Ain't safe for you of all folks t'use it; at best, they'd all get cold feet and leave me hangin' dry. And a warnin'... I left a pearl with Kink. As bait."
He hefted it in his hand.
"Take it."
![[Image: 1qVSsTp.png]](http://i.imgur.com/1qVSsTp.png)
