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***Nero*** · **08-08-2014, 09:23 PM**

The Miqo'te was shrewd. "I have no intention of making you work for me without incentive. That's not how I operate," Nero said, pulling his face back and shrugging nonchalantly. A harassed barmaid popped into view with a roughly hewn wooden plate, on top of which lay a hunk of wheat bread and a roasted cod. The smuggler had completely forgotten about the request for food, but took the plate obligingly and placed it on the table. He gestured towards Kink.

"Have some. Or all of it. Or don't. It matters not to me." The grin evaporated from his face, and Nero's expression had shifted from joviality to one that looked quite serious. The astute observer would note that the Hyur seemed more natural in this state than when he was constantly smiling.

He folded his arms again, standing up straight. "I am looking for information, something that to my understanding you have quite a great deal of. And failing that, I am looking for connection. Informants, traders, agents, the like. Connections that would...give me some room to grow, as it were." Gone was the pompous confidence, the bemused sense of enthusiasm. The laughing glimmer in his eyes had given way to the dull sheen of calculation. It was Nero's intent to make Kink understand how serious he was behind the facade of camaraderie and jokes.

"I'm not asking you to become an employee of mine. Perform some independent work for me, however, and I will promise you payment and protection. Should you require it, I own a frigate on the docks: I can grant you safe passage to wherever you choose." Nero shifted his arms, resting his left on his hip and his right to his side. "What I propose is...symbiosis. A mutually beneficial partnership. You have something I need, and I have something you need."

It was risky, allowing Kink to have control of the terms like this, but the amused quips and fake hospitality could only carry Nero so far. He wanted results, and he wanted them half an hour ago.

LiveVoltage · **08-08-2014, 09:38 PM**

Inessa's ear's twitched, picking up the noise from a specific nearby conversation. "Connections, traders, agents?" She thought to herself. She must have found her mark. Sitting at a table not far from her location were a Hyur male with black hair and a Miqo'te. Inessa couldn't tell what gender the Miqo'te was. Inessa decided to gamble time on this conversation, and with that positioned herself rather close to not garner attention, but that was hardly possible considering Inessa couldn't help but eye down the Miqo'te before her.

As for the man next to her, Inessa's blood began to boil over at him. Nero Lasarov, a crime syndicate leader from Ul'dalh. Inessa had tangled with more than one member of his organization before, all butchered and their heads carved with the word scum and sent back to him though. A confrontation now would be deadly to say the least, but it appears if he is on buisness with the Miqo'te next to him.

"An complace of his? No, he shouldnt have contacts in Limsa... " Inessa thought to herself. She had half a mind to confront him and his accomplice, of course she would fake not knowing him, lest his and her cover was both blown. They were both wanted people who wouldn't risk exposing the other. Nevertheless, she positioned herself several feet away, closely listening in to the conversation, ready to jump in the moment she could gamble on the Miqo'te before her was her mark.

Zhavi · **08-12-2014, 11:22 AM**

Negotiations, or at least the sort Zhavi was used to, tended to have one goal: show as little of your hand as was possible while trying to get the other party to show more of theirs. This laying everything on the table was not a tactic she was used to from someone expecting to come on equal terms. This was something someone like Galine would do. Though, she was mildly surprised that someone with a small reputation like hers -- especially given her proclivity for independent work -- would attract such a predator.

There were three potential alleys down which this interaction could go: he was bluffing out of desperation or ego, he had way more than the things he offered, or he planned on taking her in and then extorting her for work long after the contract should have ended.

Thing was about negotiations, you could say whatever you wanted to say. Her need for good word of mouth kept her honest (enough), kept her glued to whatever deals she worked out with her employers. What kept him honest she hadn't the slightest clue.

That was a problem.

While she thought it through, she took up the hunk of bread and split it in two. She chewed, staring at him, and made a decision. "Who else have ye hired in town? I need names."

If he had and she knew him, she'd know exactly what sort of honest he was.

***Nero*** · **08-12-2014, 12:23 PM**

Nero shook his head. "No one. Up until now, I have operated only as myself, with my crew, or my employees, who are naught but beggars or fishermen looking for some extra coin as dockhands or errand runners. That is to say," the Hyur swept back his bangs with a gloved hand as he tilted his head slightly, "that you're the first person I am contacting regarding my expansion. You may consider yourself honoured." That wasn't entirely true, as by necessity a smuggler needs to have built a sizeable client base in order to do business, but Nero had already taken a risk by granting Kink a favourable position in the negotiations; if he didn't have her trust (or the closest thing resembling it), she'd likely vanish.

He folded his arms across his chest. Nero didn't like it, this dependence. His "company" had been operating out of Limsa Lominsa for just over two years now, and he had amassed a respectable amount of coin from both legal and illegal trade; a second ship was already under construction, one that would aid in his bid to expand. How much he could make on his own, however, and how far his influence might extend depended more on independent efforts. Finding a good contact was not as simple as providing a sizeable paycheck. While Merlwyb might hold the reigns on the city, Limsa Lominsa's underbelly was borderline anarchy.Â

"Make no mistake, however, I've no interest in friendship or intimacy in this regard," Nero said rather coldly. If his intuition right, then the Miqo'te would be the suspicious sort--and with good reason. The kind of person for whom independence and self-reliance were virtues. Attempting to cozy up to her with his usual joviality and forwardness would most likely backfire, not to mention that Nero wasn't interested in discovering whether or not Miqo'te and Hyur could share the same fleas. "I will fulfill my professional obligations to you, just as I'd expect you to do the same for me."

Zhavi · **08-12-2014, 12:42 PM**

Professional obligation. Yeah.

Most of the people Zhi dealt with weren't so far above her that they could offer blanket statements of protection. Or would, generally speaking, offer to take her in. It sounded like an exclusive contract; he'd be taking care of her for all of her secrets and probably most of her time.

It was close enough to Galine to make her skin crawl.

Problem was, she did need that protection. Especially considering that things with Jager were getting. . .dangerous. She couldn't trust him to watch her back so easily anymore. She'd have to deal with that -- but in the meantime, she needed alternate options. Even if those were probably more risky.

"One week," she said, after finishing the hunk of bread. She pulled off a piece of the fish and sucked it down. "Five hunnerd an' fifty gil. Ye put a tail on me fer yer protection. In return, I'll find ye whatever need y'have in that time. After th'week, I don't like yer terms, I'm gone an' ye don't bother me."

With that much gil, she could afford to disappear for awhile in order to lose him if he got. . .persistent.

"If we're both solid, we'll re-deal th'hand."

LiveVoltage · **08-12-2014, 02:29 PM**

The conversation was about to end and Inessa was running out of time. She needed to discover if this was her mark or not and she had little to go on but for now, she decided to go aggressive and bluff for her answer.

Inessa pretends to trip, knocking a drunk sailor out of his chair from one of the nearby tables then snatched the seat as she recovered from the fall, then taking the small stool, carried it over to the table to where she thought her mark was and sat down.

"Good evening to you m'lord and lady. I am going to tell you a story." Inessa said as she uncorked the bottle of wine in her hand's.

"As I wandered La Noscea, I came upon a rat at the inn, who told me where I could find a certain cat, and this said cat was supposed to be here today and the cat could tell me where the big criminal bosses of La Noscea were. After he told me though, I cut him down lest the information about a cat like me asking around got out. So... are you the cat talked about?" Inessa said, lifting her mask barely enough for her to take a swig from the bottle of wine, barely even drinking a bit of it, then putting her mask back on completely. "Make no mistake, I am no enemy to you. Consider me a friend with my own proposal if you're willing to listen."

***Nero*** · **08-12-2014, 02:35 PM**

Nero's grin returned, an amiable expression that sharply contrasted with his previous business-like demeanour. At this point, the situation had become a simple thing for him to play, and while it presented more risks and would cost more money, if it worked, the return could potentially be enormous. He glanced around briefly; while a subtle exchange of money in a crowded tavern was reasonably common in Limsa Lominsa, there was still the potential that someone may had been eavesdropping. A rapid scan of his surroundings didn't lead Nero to any suspicious persons...though that didn't mean it was necessarily safe.

By tilting the scales considerably in Kink's favour, Nero was taking a gamble on the Miqo'te's trustworthiness. Risky as it was, there was also some measure of security in it; Kink was evidently poor, scraggly, and on the run from people she lacked the ability to fight. Nero's assessment of the situation was that to Kink, she needed him more than he needed her.

And such a position was quite advantageous.

Nonetheless, he'd gone too far to call it off now. Casually, the smuggler took out his last pouch and quickly did some counting. It was just barely enough for what he had intended, but it would do.

As he was about to drop the entirety of the pouch onto the table, their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a stranger who had, beyond the odds, managed to shove herself in the vicinity of their table. Was this another one of Kink's pursuers? The smile evaporated from Nero's face. This was a very unamusing interjection, and he hadn't expected to run into trouble so soon. "Make your proposal elsewhere. It's rude to interrupt a conversation," the smuggler said, raising an eyebrow. His fists flexed themselves at his sides as his arms crossed.

Zhavi · **08-12-2014, 03:00 PM**

Oh, but it was amusing. Very, very amusing.

Zhi looked from the newcomer to the man who had pulled out the requested amount of gil.

She simpered. "Oh aye, there's plenty o'cats in th'city what have hold o'that sort o'information. Ain't much o' a secret as t'the who."

The information that went for a premium was the what (how they'd gotten and how they were staying in that position of power, all of the intricate means that they killed to keep from going public) and the where (since a good few number of them were pirates and scallywags, and needed to keep hidden from Limsa's protectors).

Could be the newcomer was going to try to start with something easily told and try to sneak more information out of her without her realizing it.

But what was interesting was the bit about supposed to be somewhere. Zhi kept her rounds random to prevent people from easily getting hold of her. They wanted to find her, they had to search.

That meant someone was keeping very close tabs on her.

"Now, now, sounds like ye two have some common interests. Mebbe ye can bond."

His irritation was her balm. She always got that way when someone had something on her. Call it a quirk.

LiveVoltage · **08-12-2014, 03:10 PM**

"Shut it. I wasn't talking to you." Inessa snaps back at the Hyur male. "You're bravado does you no good in you're pitiful attempt at intimidation."

Inessa was not keen on playing nice with a crime lord put she compromised and played nice for the sake of the information she needed, as causing a scene here would sacrifice her only chance at finding Limsa's criminal overlords.

Inessa turnsÂ back to the Miqo'te lady. "I am sorry if I seem intrusive m'lady, but I seek information and at no expense to you. If you would here me out im sure we could understand each other. I know who you are, kink. Not very difficult to know who said person is or where he or she is if you cross-reference the information between multiple bartenders and criminal informants, who the criminals and a few bartenders are dead. But enough, allow me to introduce myself."

Inessa take's off her mask, revealing her identity in good trust to the people before her. The crowd of people and the noise would easily cover her while she showed herself. "I am Inessa Hara. I am sure you know who I am, correct?"

***Nero*** · **08-12-2014, 03:38 PM**

It was safe to say that there weren't many things that could provoke the fraying of Nero's nerves. It was also safe to say that being brushed off was one of those things that could. He slammed a clenched fist on the table, using his other to shove the pouch back into his pocket.

"Who you are doesn't matter," Nero interjected. "But I do know what you are. And what you are is unwelcome."Â Â Silently, he cursed his decision to send away the ship; if Daegsatz were still here, Nero would have had the muscle to turn the situation in his favour. As it stood, his ship wouldn't return for at least a day, and it was too late to request the Roegadyn to return by now. No, he was on his own for this one. The new Miqo'te introduced herself, but at the moment the smuggler couldn't care less about her name.

Nero cocked his head at Kink's direction. "This stray cat isn't a friend of mine, which leads me to the conclusion that she must be a friend of yours," Nero said, audibly restraining himself from turning the comment into a sneer. "I can't say that that's good business." The way the Hyur nearly spat the word "business" implied a clear disgust for the current situation.

It wasn't that Nero was an impatient man or incapable of self control, but to be so close to having such a valuable asset under his thumb, only for the control to seemingly be wrested away from him at the last minute spurred a great deal of irritability in him. Plans going wrong weren't unusual, but nearly-successful plans with sudden spanners thrown into the works were never pleasant. Nero gave the new Miqo'te his coldest glare, not so much with intent to intimidate her as much as it was to try to intimidate Kink into ignoring their unwelcome guest.

Zhavi · **08-12-2014, 03:53 PM**

Zhi edged away from Nero. She was watching him with a smile on her face, but she was tense; there'd been a lot of let's-beat-zhi-up lately, and she was getting tired of it. She didn't like pain, not in the sense of actual bodily damage.

"All sorts think themselves right chummy wi'me," was Zhi's reply to Nero, her voice smooth. "Ye were one o'them not so long ago."

She turned to Inessa. "Yer a right overbearing windbag, ye are, fer all yer tryin' t' soothe me when I ain't shown ye no signs o' needin' soothin'. Still, I've interest in what ye've t'say. Hurts nothin' t'have a listen, I always say."

The woman's reply seemed to respond directly to Zhi's thoughts, which was uncanny, but it could have been a lucky shot. Sure, of course the woman would want to disassociate herself from her sources, even if the manner in which she did it was idiotic.

"But o'course I'm friendly t'work what keeps me belly full."

The man's anger was, in its own way, also idiotic. Zhi shared her smile between them before settling on Nero. There was some small amount of challenge in her eyes. "Ye not gonna let me work other jobs if I'm workin' fer yerself? Could be," she glanced at the woman again, "I could be o' service t'the both o' ye." She winked, and leered. "Servicin' two at once ain't outside o'me talents."

LiveVoltage · **08-12-2014, 04:06 PM**

"And I know who you are good sir." Inessa responds to Nero. "Be civil why dont you, you're making a scene."

Inessa turns back to Kink, with a serious yet unwavering determination in which she would attempt to succeed with her proposal.

"I will say this for it is in you're best interest to not associate with this fellow. He is no better then the trouble's you seem to be facing with the people I am after. Now, what I seek..." Inessa takes a swig out of the wine bottle before putting her mask back on for safety reasons. "...Is for you to tell me where all the criminal overlords in Limsa are at the moment. Every pirate captain and criminal overlord, I shall put to the blade and cleanse Limsa of crime and make it a safer place for everyone who lives here, and I will compensate you appropriately for the information as well." Inessa extends her bottle of wine to kink. "Would you like some m'lady?"

Inessa's aggressive approach seemed to have payed off. Kink wasnt denying her aggressive advance and stuff she was saying. Now all Inessa had to do was continue her streak and she would have the information on these criminals and there heads on pikes in a matter of weeks if not days.

***Nero*** · **08-12-2014, 05:20 PM**

Nero loosened his fist and swapped his highly vexed expression for one more conciliatory. It seemed there was no dissuading either of them. Again, he silently cursed; were this Ul'dah, he could have simply passed them both gil and gone on his way. It would have been expensive and set him back some days, if not weeks, surely, but it would have worked. Ironic that it was Limsa Lominsa's anarchic freedom that had liberated Nero from his home city's grip on his mind, yet now that very freedom seemed to stand in his way.

"Funding someone who seeks to kill or otherwise maim all criminals in Limsa Lominsa seems counter-productive," Nero said, his tone still smoldering from his admittedly embarrassing outburst. "If you're willing to furnish some slipshod vigilante with that kind of information, you might as well just save yourself the trouble and spend your coin on a noose."Â

He turned his gaze to Kink, and it was to his chagrin that he could tell that the Miqo'te was enjoying this. Two eager clients, and the terms were hers to set, for whilst Nero had been Kink's only option before, Kink now had the room to potentially choose. And the smuggler could only guess at the newcomer's angle. Inessa might have coin, but she couldn't have more than him. "And while I've no objections to an independent soul such as yourself working multiple jobs, your information will not hold much value if everyone you have info on are but bodies floating in the Strait of Merlthor at the end of all of this."

In his mind, Nero analyzed the situation. What would he do in Kink's position? This newcomer was some kind of soft-handed do-gooder who apparently fancied herself as a proper representative justice. He hadn't yet figured whether or not the "I'm going to cleanse Limsa Lominsa of crime because that kind of idealistic pipe dream is surely possible in one lifespan" angle the newcomer was pursuing was a joke or not. And if it wasn't, Kink would be putting herself at risk, because surely that laughable vigilante would kill her once her usefulness had come to an end.

If it had been Nero instead of Kink, he would have chosen himself. But then, egotist that he was, he would always have chosen himself.

Suffice to say that Nero didn't know what "bias" meant.

"She might claim to be able to compensate you appropriately, but she has nothing to show for it," Nero prompted. He leaned against the wall, folding his arms. "But I do."

It was anyone's game now.

Zhavi · **08-12-2014, 05:31 PM**

"Yer right," Zhi said to Nero while she stared at Inessa. Her tone was casual, conversational even. "That slots been filled by someone what goes by Unrelentin'."

She hopped off the table. Inessa might have her name, might have somehow known where she would be, might have done all sorts of searching -- but she evidently hadn't kept up on the latest rumors. "He's a mite dramatic, his actual name is Xydane."

She took another chunk of fish; it was almost gone. "Problem is, I already took trade from Mister Unrelentable, an' I've cause enough not t'trade him fer a new leash. . .but I think we can work this out real good."

She held out her hand to Nero. "Ye pay me, an' I work yer deal." She looked to Inessa. "Ye get rid o' Mister Unrelentable, an' I'll see somethin' worked out what can benefit th'both o'us. He's out o'town right now, so meantime ye can be me strongarm." She grinned, ever so cheerful. "Matter o'fact, mebbe she can work t'gether wi' whatever heavy ye set on me tail t'keep me all warm an' safe."

The last was directed to Nero. She held up her hands to both of them, though she made a fist out of the one aimed towards Inessa and waggled her pointer finger at the other woman. "He's right 'bout one thing though -- can't have ye carvin' up Limsa from chest t'groin. But could be there's some what could use a good nettin'. Some what might harm yer bottom line an' need some removin'." Again, she spoke to Nero on the last line.

"What d'ye fine folk say?"

LiveVoltage · **08-12-2014, 05:41 PM**

It hit Inessa's nerve that Nero thought she couldnt handle several dozen pirates by herself. She had and still serve's as a vanguard commander for the Twin Adder. Her specialization was forward combat, and the notion that she could be beaten at her own game was laughable to her, seeing that she fought the Garleans during the battle of Castrum Meredianum, but she wasnt reckless and would have a plan either way.

Then again, she was only one person, and this itself would take wind out of her argument, so Inessa decided to bluff Nero's comment. "You honestly think I work alone. I have allies, and those allies did lead me to here." Inessa then turns to Kink. "But I digress... I see what you're trying to do though, then consider the challenge you have given me accepted. I will need more information on my target... or not. I dont care either way. He is a dead man." Inessa said in a cocky attitude, but it comes from confidence in her own power that she thinks she can win her fights.

"Either way, I will prove to be more capable then this man you seem to be interested in." Inessa said in a confident tone and a determined look in her eye's, whilst glaring at Nero.

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