Trouble at the Nanawa Mines
Roen struggled to fight off unconsciousness, her vision blurring as she stared at her hands, spread and braced on the ground. She could feel a sensation of warmth rising from her back, just inside her right shoulder blade. A part of her wondered if someone had poured warm water on her back because it was starting to run down her arm. Then the searing pain hit and jolted her out of her daze, nearly buckling her right arm. It was all she could do to remain on her hands and knees. She blinked to try to clear her thoughts, to get her bearings.Â
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What just happened?
She had been shot. The piercing ache in her back told her that she had been struck by an arrow from behind. The sentry she had failed to knock unconscious had done it too -- the one she had thrown off the side of the bridge when she saw more people rushing up towards her, weapons drawn. It had not been a far fall, only a few yalms down. She was just trying to get him out of the way, out of the way as more armed people came charging up the wooden stair leading up to the Nanawa Mines.Â
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These people -- they were not the terrorists or smugglers she and Natalie had been led to believe. They were--
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How did this happen?Â
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"Roen, what do you think about laws?"Â
Roen arched her eyebrows at Natalie. It was an odd question to be sure. Was this part of her Sultansworn trial? Her mentor had gathered both she and Kage, a lalafell who was also aspiring to be a paladin that Roen had been helping to train, for a special meeting. And it had started with this cryptic question.
"They are what we uphold," Roen answered earnestly, looking to the miqo'te Sultansworn standing under the canvas shade of Ruby Road Exchange.
Natalie nodded, regarding them both. "I could use some assistance, and I am hoping both of you can help me. But... it might not be entirely legal."  When she was answered with a questioning look from both of them, she shrugged. "Think of it as an undercover operation." Natalie chuckled quietly. "Just one that isn't sanctioned by my superiors. If something goes wrong, it will be mostly on my head."
"Well if it is on your head..." Kage grinned.
"Alright." Roen agreed, not needing to hear more.
Natalie raised a brow. "That was easy, Roen. You agree already?"
Roen gave her a shrug and a smile. "I trust you. You ask for help, I say yes."
The miqo'te Sultansworn seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment, and that did not happen with Natalie often.Â
"A dangerous thing, that... but thank you." Natalie nodded, then leaned in towards both of them. "A shipment of ceruleum has been stolen. We suspect that the primary purpose is to make explosives." She kept her voice low. "This almost went completely under my notice, but I managed to get hired as a mercenary for the heist. So we will have to go in not as ourselves for this deal."
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Roen blinked. With a glance she could see that Kage was surprised as well.
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"If the Flames or the Sultansworn stormed in, they would just scatter and we would never figure out who was ordering this and why." Natalie's green eyes flicked to each of them in turn, making sure they were still with her. "I need to know this explosive is not meant for Ul'dah. We are going to go in disguised, and first prevent casualties. So aim to disable, not to kill. Then we try and figure out what where this is headed. And we will stop it if it will endanger Ul'dah."
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Roen nodded. Her heart was racing already; this would be her first undercover operation. With disguises. She knew she did not do well with any lying or play acting, she had hoped to just stay silent and follow Natalie's lead.
They gathered later that afternoon to meet with their "handler," their disguises in place. Roen could not help but be impressed by how different everyone looked.  Kage was wearing a caster robe and a large pointy hat that covered most of his face, and Natalie wore fierce-looking face paint, and had colored her hair. She also wore a long thin lance on her back, her plate armor and breast plate traded for a light leather armor. Roen chose a chainmail shirt with boots, and a mask over her face and hair. She left her shield and longsword in her room, opting for a shortsword at her belt. She thought the disguise was good enough, so long as she did not have to talk.
Not talking came easy enough, for she was stunned to silence when she met their "handler." He was a dark skinned Keeper miqo'te, with a dark bob of a hair and a sly smirk that she did not forget. Roen had met him before. Many moons ago, in Gridania. Erik had fallen ill, and she and Siha went to try and cheer him up. The miqo'te, Cicero, had walked up and introduced himself as a poet, joining them at their table without an invitation.
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And here he was again, under a different guise.
"Call me Rose." The miqo'te said, his white grin splitting his features. He wore a light tunic and breeches with leather vest and boots, for easy travel. He gave them a flourishing bow. "Shall we?"Â
The Cicero that she had met spoke of flowers and things of beauty, that first day. And he had made them laugh. It didn't seem as though this was the same man at all.
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"First, some info." Natalie held up her hand. "Who are we stealing this from?"
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The Keeper miqo'te arched a brow. "Simple smugglers," he purred. "It should go off without a hitch."
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"And what will you do with it?" Natalie pressed. "I'm fond of this city. It would be bad for business if you blew a hole in it."
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"So many questions." Cicero said languidly, peering at Natalie. "For a hired mercenary, you sure do ask a lot. Are there perhaps aphids in the garden?"
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Roen was glad for the mask that hid most of her expression as she felt herself stiffen. But Natalie seemed unfazed. "I'm a mercenary, not a terrorist. I have no problem fighting or stealing from smugglers. But if you have a problem with my questions, speak plainly."Â
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Cicero rolled his eyes. "Well, I can guarantee you that the item in question will not be used for any terrorist plot. I would not be so open about my face were I concerned with being named a terrorist."
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"I'm fine with terrorism." Natalie laughed. "As long as it's not in my backyard. Hard to get a drink if people are blowing shit up." She looked over the Keeper miqo'te and finally nodded. "We're with you then."
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"So there is honor amongst the thieves of Thalanan," Cicero drawled. "Who would have known." Quiet footsteps behind him drew his attention as he turned around to spot another miqo'te -- this one a Seeker -- approaching the three. "Ah, the star of the show has arrived," Cicero said. "That must mean it is time to raise the curtain."
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Roen blinked as she recognized the Seeker, again thankful that her mask hid her expression. It was C'kayah Tia, one she had met some time ago through Siha and Erik -- and a male who had also recently become Natalie's beau. She resisted the urge to glance to her Sultansworn mentor as he joined them. C'kayah had been investigated by Natalie in the past and cleared, although the two shared a ...complicated history. Roen has suspected that C'kayah's connections in Ul'dah were vast, and now here he was, working with them on this undercover case. Things had come a long way, it seemed.
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The group was led by Cicero to the Nanawa Mines. The sun was setting when they approached, and from a distance the mines looked deserted. Cicero held up his hand up to have them stop just behind a large cropping of rocks. Four figures stood at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the mines, with two sentries as lookouts on the top of the stairs. The two sentries both had bow and arrows. Roen could not see the figures clearly in her quick glance towards the mine, but they were facing east, as if looking or waiting for something.
"We can go around to the west, I know a path that leads up to the mines." Natalie squinted at the two sentries up top. "Then even if a fight breaks out, they would have to come to us. We would have the higher ground."
"I can get into position at the bottom to cover the sentries." C'kayah added, pulling out his bow.
"And you can put them to sleep?" Natalie looked to Kage.
"I need to be somewhat close." The lalafell nodded. "And I need to be covered so I can finish the cast. I can put down the most dangerous-looking one first."
"We'll cover you." C'kayah nodded to Kage, rising slightly to scan the mines over the rocks. He ducked back down. "Six in total," he confirmed. "I'd like it if we can do this without any fatalities. We don't need that sort of attention. Although they look like smugglers after all."
The miqo'te who called himself Rose grinned to them all. "This is where the script ends. I leave the rest to you all." He bowed. "I shall remain here, waiting for the news of your success."
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Natalie set her lance aside, pulling out her sword and shield. "I did not want to be seen using these, but..." She gave C'kayah a look. "It looks like we might need it."
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Ckayah answered her back with a nod of his own as he drew a blunt-tipped fowling arrow from his quiver. "What's your take on this?"
"Let's sneak around from the west, and take out the sentries first." Natalie poked out her head again from behind the rocks, her sharp miqo'te eyes narrowing. "One of them looks like an Ishgardian with that armor and lance. But why Ishgard would need ceruleum..." She shrugged and glanced to Roen as if to sense her nervousness. "I guess I am about to find out. You ready?"
Roen nodded, inhaling sharply to steady her nerves. And then...
Then everything happened too quickly.
