"They called it 'Operation Heavensfury,'" R told her. "The Embers of Rhalgr were big on fanciful names like that. It was going to be the one that put them on the map in the Resistance - validated their approach. Their leader, Shaykh Davram Sandfox, was a priest of Rhalgr and something of a nutjob. Religious extremist. Got so paranoid and crazy by the end, he was immolating his own followers because he thought they were spying for the Garleans, or worse. He used pretty extreme tactics. Explosive vests fitted onto people he called 'heroes', then they turned themselves into living bombs. One of his followers, a Miqo'te named Y'asah, had skills making these vests, and that's what really put them on the map. Suicide tactics turned deadly. Effective against Garleans, if guerilla warfare is what you want instead of actually taking territory."
An kept her features still behind the gauzy silk veil she wore, her hands poised on her thighs. She was in deep blue Thavnairian silks, dressed as a courtesan; it was reason enough to meet R in a room at the Carmine Canopy, and the headwrap and veil she wore disguised her features enough that no one would recognize her while R could still tell it was her. Nothing he was telling her was particularly new - but it never failed to privately amaze her that R could piece together the whole story. Of course, how he knew was another question.
"They were betrayed in the end," R concluded. "They had to have been. The Garleans were ready when they blew a hole in the walls at Ala Mhigo and tried to infiltrate some suicide bombers. The Sandfox was killed, and they lost a couple of their top lieutenants - Y'asah, Ornh Wolfheart, and Mamluk Kabir. Though I've heard he's calling himself Garran Heavensfury now." He rubbed the side of his nose, grinning. "The Embers used to give their martyrs the last name of the operation they were in as a reward. But this Garran lived through it. Doesn't make much sense to me. Either he was the one that sold them out to the Garleans, or Ornh Wolfheart was, if you ask me."
"What makes you think that?"
"Who else could it be? Most of the others died."
Not all, of course. But R's conclusions had been those of many of the former Embers that Master Gogonji had assimilated into Khamja. They blamed Ornh Wolfheart for the treachery, and for their leader's death. An was fairly sure he wasn't the traitor, however. Likely it wasn't Mamluk Kabir, either. She remembered well the bleeding redheaded Highlander staggering into the heart of the Garlean force, bearing two suicide belts, and the roar of the explosives that had resulted when he had detonated them - as well as the look on Ornh's face when he realized what had happened. An hadn't thought they would manage to exfiltrate either Ornh or Hannah Blackroad Castille after that had happened.
"And what of your other tasking?"
"Another crystal theft in the Shroud last week," R noted. "From an Ishgardian shipment headed south for the Gridanians, from what I heard. Suspicion is on the Ixal at Xelphatol, but they've been quiet since the Scions gave them that beating a few moons ago." R's ever-present smile turned vicious. "Of course, I heard it was a redheaded Highlander man and a Xaela female. But I've been hearing that a lot lately in connection with crystal thefts."
An nodded, reaching to pass a Starlight bag to him. "A present for you. Happy Starlight, R."
He peeked inside. Two bottles of good red wine, and a satchel of coin hidden in the bottom. "I wasn't owed yet."
"It's a bonus for good information."
"You're so cold, Tupipi," he chided her. "But I won't say no. A man's gotta eat." He gave her a mocking, seated bow, tucking away the bag behind his legs. "So, you asked me to find another crystal cache - there's one in the deep Shroud that one of my contacts in the Ehcahtl Nine tipped me off to, but if we're not going to do anything about it soon, the Scions will probably handle it."
"Where is it?" An asked, but she already knew. This information had been previously verified.
R leaned in to show her on the map. "Here. I can monitor it for you if you want, or tip the Scions off - or we can try to use it as bait to draw out the crystal thieves."
Such an operation would usually require Master Gogonji's approval. So it was with an inward flicker of surprise that An heard herself saying, "Let's try that."
R certainly looked surprised too, his thin eyebrows lifting before his face nearly split in two with a grin. "All right! Here I thought you were too cautious to actually do anything about it. I've felt like my reports just go into a black hole sometimes." He chuckled, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "About time we finally hit those bastards back where they can feel it."
An permitted herself a small smile at his enthusiasm. "Just don't overdo it. I will be in touch soon with specifics." No need to bother Master Gogonji with the operational details. She rose from the bed, and R got to his feet as well, bending in close to tuck his fingers under her chin and tilt her face up.
"You should smile more. You're cute anyway, but it turns you into a real beauty."
He left the room first, and An counted out a quarter bell of the clock before following. A lone one-armed Highlander sat at a table, painfully out of place and nursing an ale, though if An had her bets it was his third or fourth. He followed her out, enough to get the side-eye from Miounne, but they were into the safety of the trees in the Shroud before he finally caught up to her.
"Don't be so damn aggressive, Lily," he grumbled at her. "These games you're playin' are gonna get you in hot water, and I ain't gonna want to be there when Oan blows his top over it."
"Let me worry about Master Oan," An reassured him detachedly.
"And I'd best get an invite to that wedding."
An kept her features still behind the gauzy silk veil she wore, her hands poised on her thighs. She was in deep blue Thavnairian silks, dressed as a courtesan; it was reason enough to meet R in a room at the Carmine Canopy, and the headwrap and veil she wore disguised her features enough that no one would recognize her while R could still tell it was her. Nothing he was telling her was particularly new - but it never failed to privately amaze her that R could piece together the whole story. Of course, how he knew was another question.
"They were betrayed in the end," R concluded. "They had to have been. The Garleans were ready when they blew a hole in the walls at Ala Mhigo and tried to infiltrate some suicide bombers. The Sandfox was killed, and they lost a couple of their top lieutenants - Y'asah, Ornh Wolfheart, and Mamluk Kabir. Though I've heard he's calling himself Garran Heavensfury now." He rubbed the side of his nose, grinning. "The Embers used to give their martyrs the last name of the operation they were in as a reward. But this Garran lived through it. Doesn't make much sense to me. Either he was the one that sold them out to the Garleans, or Ornh Wolfheart was, if you ask me."
"What makes you think that?"
"Who else could it be? Most of the others died."
Not all, of course. But R's conclusions had been those of many of the former Embers that Master Gogonji had assimilated into Khamja. They blamed Ornh Wolfheart for the treachery, and for their leader's death. An was fairly sure he wasn't the traitor, however. Likely it wasn't Mamluk Kabir, either. She remembered well the bleeding redheaded Highlander staggering into the heart of the Garlean force, bearing two suicide belts, and the roar of the explosives that had resulted when he had detonated them - as well as the look on Ornh's face when he realized what had happened. An hadn't thought they would manage to exfiltrate either Ornh or Hannah Blackroad Castille after that had happened.
"And what of your other tasking?"
"Another crystal theft in the Shroud last week," R noted. "From an Ishgardian shipment headed south for the Gridanians, from what I heard. Suspicion is on the Ixal at Xelphatol, but they've been quiet since the Scions gave them that beating a few moons ago." R's ever-present smile turned vicious. "Of course, I heard it was a redheaded Highlander man and a Xaela female. But I've been hearing that a lot lately in connection with crystal thefts."
An nodded, reaching to pass a Starlight bag to him. "A present for you. Happy Starlight, R."
He peeked inside. Two bottles of good red wine, and a satchel of coin hidden in the bottom. "I wasn't owed yet."
"It's a bonus for good information."
"You're so cold, Tupipi," he chided her. "But I won't say no. A man's gotta eat." He gave her a mocking, seated bow, tucking away the bag behind his legs. "So, you asked me to find another crystal cache - there's one in the deep Shroud that one of my contacts in the Ehcahtl Nine tipped me off to, but if we're not going to do anything about it soon, the Scions will probably handle it."
"Where is it?" An asked, but she already knew. This information had been previously verified.
R leaned in to show her on the map. "Here. I can monitor it for you if you want, or tip the Scions off - or we can try to use it as bait to draw out the crystal thieves."
Such an operation would usually require Master Gogonji's approval. So it was with an inward flicker of surprise that An heard herself saying, "Let's try that."
R certainly looked surprised too, his thin eyebrows lifting before his face nearly split in two with a grin. "All right! Here I thought you were too cautious to actually do anything about it. I've felt like my reports just go into a black hole sometimes." He chuckled, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "About time we finally hit those bastards back where they can feel it."
An permitted herself a small smile at his enthusiasm. "Just don't overdo it. I will be in touch soon with specifics." No need to bother Master Gogonji with the operational details. She rose from the bed, and R got to his feet as well, bending in close to tuck his fingers under her chin and tilt her face up.
"You should smile more. You're cute anyway, but it turns you into a real beauty."
He left the room first, and An counted out a quarter bell of the clock before following. A lone one-armed Highlander sat at a table, painfully out of place and nursing an ale, though if An had her bets it was his third or fourth. He followed her out, enough to get the side-eye from Miounne, but they were into the safety of the trees in the Shroud before he finally caught up to her.
"Don't be so damn aggressive, Lily," he grumbled at her. "These games you're playin' are gonna get you in hot water, and I ain't gonna want to be there when Oan blows his top over it."
"Let me worry about Master Oan," An reassured him detachedly.
"And I'd best get an invite to that wedding."
People have forgotten this truth. But you mustn't forget it. You become responsible forever for what you have tamed.
Howl's Wiki
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