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Knight Kat · **12-27-2014, 08:55 AM**

The first thing that Kiht noticed was the waterfall. The salty sea air burned her nose a bit, so she was not picking up subtle scents as well as she could have been. She surveyed the area until she felt something amiss.

However, she would not be left wondering for long. Siha appeared, and the Moon-sister was unmistakeable even in the dock-worker's garb. But Kiht still reacted in a bit of mild surprise. Her eyes widened a bit, but she made no hostile moves. She surveyed Siha for a moment until she said her name. "Miss Kiht?".

Kiht threw back her cowl to fully reveal her head, and made it clear that it was indeed her. "Greetings Siha." She said in a calm, but serious tone. The fact that Siha was there confirmed it was not a trap, but it was still a strange situation. Something was totally amiss for Siha to have set up a meeting in such a way. Kiht's posture was stable, but a bit stiff. She was ready for serious business.

"May I ask what the Hells is going on?" Kiht stated in a clam tone, but it betrayed her confusion. Her attention was then completely on Siha. Her ears perked in a curious, non-hostile manner, and her eyes were hardly blinking.

Kahn'a · **12-27-2014, 09:39 AM**

Sixteen... Seventeen... Eighteen...

The terrified muffled sound resumed. The sly Kahn'a had tried to fill his lungs with precious air as soon as the fateful sound of fingers snapping split the air. But there were too many factors making it hard to keep level-headed. No he would not die, but he was to experience true fear until he somehow appealed to the cruel fiend.

This time he cried not when he recovered, but screwed up his head, his hair pulled roughly, angling his head in an uncomfortable position. His shaking was tremendous, the iced water adding to his apprehension of pain, of death. He let out a grunt.

Get your filthy mitts off, witch.

One by one, the barriers of civilization that Kahn'a had worked hard to erect were falling. And like a cornered wild beast, his heart started filling with primal hatred, a strong urge to harm something.

No, don't give in, don't give in. Please don't fucking give in.

Like a red thread meant to guide him through the maze of sadism, he kept repeating this line in his head. He had to hang onto something to keep his mind from just spilling everything, and anything.

Out of the blue, Kahn'a chuckled, barely making a noise, you could only tell by the twisted smirk, confused between pain, sarcasm and disgust.

"Intimate? Aaaaah," he sighed, hanging his head back, defeated. "Look at me, Hyur, take a real close look, since you already dare breathe down my neck. This could have been you, I could have been you. There is nothing separating us. Nothing."

"You want answers?" he squinted. "Very well. You're serving someone from beyond the border with your search. Remnants of well-hidden corruption, it had enough time to produce an awful lot of paper, of orders, orders that you're following presently."

"You want to know where the Wings are? Aaaah," he breathed out, almost relieved, "I have nothing to tell you, for I know nothing. Tainted Command must be desperate if they order their fiends to work on assumptions, on guesses. You can drown me all you want, you can perhaps kill me if you keep going. Nothing I shall say will set you on the path of those I got caught for."

"Being who you are, you should know. In your field, ignorance is the strongest of shield."

Titor · **12-27-2014, 11:04 AM**

The shot would have hit its mark with near-preceicion. Embedding itself just above the knee, not hitting the joint directly on, the wound was enough to temporarily cripple him.

Titor dropped his satchel with a muffled yelp. He had no time to scan the area or get a glimpse of his attackers, but went to dodge for cover, dragging himself along the ground and digging into the dirt with his one good leg. His teeth were clenched as red began to stain the grey clothing.Â

There was not enough time to treat the wound, he had to find shelter. His crawling would have not been fast enough to take full shelter, or any if that. The Bazaar was not heavily guarded, and no one dared come to his rescue. His breathing quickened as he started to sketch a geometry as a barrier. The pain in his leg was distracting, but not enough to prevent him from executing the geometry. Unless he was shot again or intercepted fast, he would have a temporary, weak bunker behind the wall of aether.

Askier · **12-27-2014, 11:23 AM**

The soldiers of A'trus squad watched Titor go down, blood squirting across the sands.Â The soldier disgused as a beggar was the closest and like the bullet, was rushing at Titor with great spead.Â The man twirled a pair of bola fast enough to blur the hunting instument.Â A pair of shackles hung from his belt and they clanked together sinisterly as the spinning weapon sliced the air.Â He neared Titor and stood several paces away, the weapon whizzing over his head.

"Roll over on your face and put your hands on the ground!" the solider shouted loudly.Â "In the name of the Flames and her Majesty you are under arrest!Â Any resistance will result in further harm to yourself and your fellow Red Wings!"

Aboard the Zulu, A'trus felt the airship shift as it flew in an arc around the Bazaar to the south to provide the Leuitant a better shot.Â His crosshairs hovered over the wounded Red Wing's other knee as he waited for Titor to comply or resist.

"It's not over till its over."Â A'trus whispered as half a dozen soldiers from his unit began entering the bazaar.Â Some might say it was excessive having this much force for one person.Â A'trus didn't care.Â No one ever regretted being over prepared.Â Especially not him.

The Cell

Kresha jerked her head back and smiled triumphantly as she released Kahn'a's hair.Â

"Well now, sounds like you do know more than what you were telling me at first.Â Tsk tsk.Â Bad kitty."Â Kresha turned and looked at her fellow soldiers.

"Set up the "Blood Salt" technique." the soldiers nodded and the door to the cell opened.

Over the next hour, the three men brought in ten buckets, each larger than the first.Â They then brought in several towels and, finally a cheese grater.Â They placed the metal cheese grater on a small table before Kahn'a and then left.Â Kresha looked down the water inside the bucket as she spoke.

"Mr. Od'hilkas.Â You clearly know more than what you told me. I mean a plot that is causing us to torture you unfairly...that's something.Â Do you see that cheese grater there?Â I'm going to take that and start peeling your flesh off.Â I don't know when I'll stop.Â But once I do, one of my men is going wrap a towel around your ruined face and we are going to pour salt water all over your bloody face.Â I can repeat this over and over, and each time I get a bucket it will be bigger than the last so your suffering will only increase.Â If you pass out, I will inject a drug into your veins that will wake you up and set all your nerve endings into a state of hyper-awareness."

Kresha looked over at Kahn'a as she walked to the door of the cell.

"You have one hour to think it over.Â If you decide to continue being resistant, you will suffer like you never thought possible."Â Kresha then slammed the door and plunged Kahn'a into darkness, leaving him alone with his thoughts, the worst torture in a way.

Titor · **12-27-2014, 11:30 AM**

Titor glanced up at the soldier above him from behind his cowl. He heard more soldiers approaching. If this man were lying, and they were not actually from the Flames, he had no chance at resistance anyway. If they were from the Flames, his loyalty lie with them, and he would willingly follow them. Either way, this was a heavily one-sided fight, and he was not entirely sure if his assailant's motives were pure and lawful, in the end, they could be enemy double-agents with the nerve to try to take out the elite spy force of the Flames. Titor would comply for now, but not speak more or reveal any further information until he knew exactly whether these soldiers were in the wrong, or if it were indeed the Red Wings.

Titor rolled over in the sand, dissipating his geometry without ever fully constructing the barrier. He was careful to try to not get sand in his wound, but in the middle of the desert and on the ground that was futile.Â

Sand was everywhere at this point from wallowing around on the ground. In his eyes, in his mouth, nose, in his wound. He placed his hands on the ground and remains silent.

Cliodhna Eoghan · **12-27-2014, 11:56 AM**

Just outside the cave and a few feet away; Youkio crouched atop a rock, hand gingerly probing his shiner. Wincing he stopped; his ears twitching as he strained to overhear the conversation between the two women. Up till this point it had been easy to follow Siha's scent but being closer to the sea had masked her smell...that and the other woman she was meeting with but it was still her; that was clear when the other woman called her by name.

Rocking his head left and right; Youkio cracked his neck with a satisfying pop before settling onto the rock in a more comfortable sitting position. He could go ahead and announce his presence now, but waiting might prove to be more informative since Tempest was keeping her mouth shut on the details. Youkio wanted to help her, but it was difficult to provide much help if she didn't tell him what exactly was going on. Blowing a puff of air through his lips silently; Youkio rolled his shoulders as he listened, antsy to get this over and done with so he could return to his current house.

Just as quickly as the parrot had left, he returned; landing atop the roof. "Boss says ya'll are alright." He cawed, moving from the roof to Siegheart's head with more of a calculated jump than glide. Tilting it's head to the side; Skittles cocked an eye at Cliodhna.

"We're alright huh? That's good to know..." She murmured, reaching up to hold out her arm to the bird.

"No thank's lady, he's comfy." Skittles replied, hopping on Sieg's head a couple of times for emphasis.

Shrugging, Cliodhna lowered her arm. "Fair enough, but you seem to be a new friend to your boss, don't remember him having ya last time we met." Guiding Pepper to a hitching post by this point and removing the saddle bags in order to stash them in the house, though it was more busywork than anything. The more time Cliodhna was stationary, the more time she had to worry about things. Her main concerns were Siha's well-being, the quickly slapped together plan, Erik's safety, and if the Keeper in Flame's hands would break and reveal where the rest of them had scattered to. As it was now; no one was aware the three of them were still near Limsa, but Osric and his group were. If a team was dispatched this way; it was only a matter of time before they realized they were still here as well. Or if an escape to the Shroud was made; they could be walking into another ambush.

Closing her eyes and hands gripped tightly on Pepper's reigns, Cliodhna forced herself to calm down. What was with the sudden wave of uneasiness? This was rarely a problem for her when a mission went array before. Sieg's words echoed in her mind. Emotions, stupid emotions. They were starting to creep in and dig roots in her, making her think of the others, making her feel things that should not be felt when in the middle of a situation like this.

Biting her bottom lip hard, Cliodhna frowned. She had gotten comfortable waking in Erik's arms each morning, gotten used to seeing the rest of the unit each day and how they functioned more like a family, even the building would bring a calming sense of familiarity when it would appear in her line of sight.

"Hells...." She murmured under her breath. Family was not important, friends even less so, the most important thing should always be the task at hand; the objective required to get the job done and get out alive. That's what was needed right now. No, it wasn't the Red Wing's way of doing things; it was the years of Imperial training that surfaced, that screamed at her; get your job done and SURVIVE.

"Someone's gotta watch out for 'em. Fool'd be strung up by now on his own." Skittles sniffed, raising his beak in the air self importantly.

The parrot's words drawing Cliodhna from her thoughts, forcing her features to smooth, she gave it a wary smile. "Ya ain't lyin bird, ya ain't lyin." Though hollow to her own ears, Clidohna knew it was the proper response in words and tone that would put the bird at ease and make herself appear to have a grip on the situation.

They didn't need her as she was now; they needed the Imperial solider and that's what Cliodhna would garb herself in. Her mask, the child prodigy that could kill a man without a backwards glance at a young age, eager for the praise it would get her when the mission was over, the mask that would let her blend in and adapt to any situation, the mask of perfect confidence and poise, precise planning and razor sharp execution. Cliodhna took a slow breath and started to brush the road out of Pepper's feathers; she wasn't quite sure when she had lost herself, but now was the time she desperately needed Nightshade back.

Kahn'a · **12-27-2014, 12:52 PM**

The Miqo'te caught himself being very proficient with a flourished vocabulary of foul words to describe Kresha. He could not believe she was only doing her job, there was something else. Something much darker.

Silly Hyur, he thought. Their social nature, massing them in clusters piled in these towns. They never really knew the meaning of quietude, of isolation. Of meditation. The Miqo'te, him, was quite comfortable being alone. The utter darkness was not the most convenient, but it was nothing to fear either.

He watched her and her lapdogs leave the room.

"Funny," he whistled once the door was closed. "They plunge me in this closed space without light, yet they are the ones in the dark. They need to know." The Keeper took a few moments to appreciate that truth. Alas, it was little more than seconds. His challenging smirk fell, and he let out a heavy sigh, weighed with weariness.

He needed out. Somehow. Now that he was given some time to breathe, he could calm himself. Binds? Yes, they were still very tight. It looked like he would have to deal with the filthy Hyur again. And he would rather bark at one of her men to stick her in rather than giving her another show of pain that she seemed to get off from.

He had to come up with something.

...

Did he pass out? The hour seemed so short, and the door slammed open with the benevolent little company making their way to the Keeper once again. Kahn'a followed them with his eyes. He only dared look at her when she planted herself in front of him. She had the look of someone who knew she was about to get what she wanted.

"I'll talk," Kahn'a finally said in a shameful whisper. "But atsa Flame soldier, grant me some dignity. I would like to be dressed a little more for this."

"It could take some time."

Yes, Kahn'a. This is all you can do.

Erik Mynhier · **12-27-2014, 02:04 PM**

The office was colder then it should have been. The man within seemed comfortable though. It was a small office, one that would suit a man recognized for skill, but ignored for greatness. Toward the back of the office he sat, a small device on his table. A Garlean projector, a device that could carry images in motion through the aether for one to view. Most who saw it would call it magic, but it was only a science. He had seen a large scale model in the R&D labs and even once while delivering papers to the Red Wings' hall. Nothing he couldn't cobble together with the right materials. He was an educated man, a good family, no one ever told him no..... except for life.

He stared with intent and a little joy as he watched Lieutenant Od'hilkas swim in air. He disliked this Miqo'te greatly. It was like a nameday present when he learned of his capture. As he, a humble clerk, delivered documents to the cells, ignored..... always ignored..... no one noticed him plant the scanner. No one saw him set up to watch it all unfold. They always underestimated his greatness..... but they will all see soon. Then they will know how wrong they all were.

A rare thing then happened as the water poured over Kahn'a's face. The humble clerk laughed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erik waited for Mikh'a to shut the door behind them. "An excellent performance, roses are in order if we were not busy." he said as he drew back his hood and opened his sack, hidden under his cloak. "This room has......... yes, an access to the telescopic instruments on the roof." He set to work, hooking unfamiliar tech to the ports. He turned to Mikh'a, tossing him a locket and chain. "You still have my eye? Put it in that. Then we will begin on phase two."

Askier · **12-27-2014, 05:40 PM**

A'trus pulled the scope from his face as his soldier approached Titor and forcibly bound the shackles behind the hyurs back. The miqo'te grinned as the Zulu moved itself forward and descended till it was twenty feet off the earth. Â The lieutenant sling his weapon across his back as Rungee readied a rope.Â

"Coming down Chalahko?" A'trus said with a triumphant tone before he took the length of coiled bands and repelled down slowly, his gloves smoking slightly from the action. As his boots crunched the earth where he planted himself, he turned and cast his mis-matched eyes on Titor. The soldier hauled Titor to his feet. A figure in white approached the capture hyur and stood by, aether gathering in the conjurers hand, ready to heal.

"Good day, Master Titor. I am Leuitenant A'trus Mewtinie, commanding officer of the Black Chains. You are being taken to stand trial to resolve concerns over the nature of the Red Wings and their illicit activities. You will be taken and held indefinatly against your will until the rest of your unit joins yourself in holding. If you wish to address the locations of your fellow Red Wings, such information will Â look positive for your trial."Â

A'trus paused.

"Anything you wish to say?" A'trus said as his soldiers gathered around to watch.

The Cell

Kresha entered, the light spilling into the room. She stood there, here arms crossing over her waiste as her assistants followed after. They all set their eyes on Kahn'aas the miqo'te began speaking. His mannerisms had changed and Kresha wwatched him with hard eyes as she replied.

"You do deserve clothes but those will only be given back to you after the information is given. You have my word. So now then, what is it you wanted to say?"

Mikh'a · **12-27-2014, 05:55 PM**

Titor too!? A'trus you're a monster. >:C

Mikh'a fumbled with the locket. It danced and bounced off of the tips of his fingers as it was tossed to him and he barely caught it by the chain, the object dangling there from the first knuckle of his left ring finger. Nope, still bad at life. The boy groaned in relief and were his ears not already flat from the hat they would have been then. The praise from Erik received a weak smile, not because he didn't appreciate it, but because by the time that door had been locked he was shaking so hard he wasn't sure he could talk. Now that they were alone and the adrenaline could start wearing off his little heart was pounding like a terrified rabbits and he was feeling woozy. The boy was more than grateful for a moment to catch his breath after that little performance and he only hoped if he had to that he could do it again.

Digging the eye out of the belt pouch he carefully unwrapped it from its well guarded hiding place and slid it in to place in the locket before he walked over to join Erik again. "What is all of this going to do?" he asked while searching the man's face. Erik had been secretive up to this point, but there they were ready to start and he wanted to know if only so that he could be a little bit more helpful.

He did give a long enough pause to admire the telescope, mind you, and were the situation different he might have wanted to climb right up on to it and start picking at how it was put together, how it worked, learning it so he could take it home and replicate it. There was no time for that now, the longer they spent on the run and away from their broken little family the more dangerous this was going to get for them.

Aduu Avagnar · **12-27-2014, 06:18 PM**

(been at work, just covering the response to Rungee before the main post)

///pre capture///

Nako opened his eyes, and looked at Rungee, "It's happened before." was all he said, in a nonchallant manner, as if it was run of the mill for him. Closing his eyes, he returned to his breathing exercise.

////post capture.////

"They have another, not the Captain, silver bazaar. Stay strong, help is coming" he sent once, before opening his eyes and nodding to A'trus. Getting to his feet, he stretched his arms and legs, letting the blood flow back into the previously dormant extremities. following after him, he lowered himself to the ground, sliding down the rope to land deftly on his feet with a crunch.

walking over to the assembled crowd he picked a vial out of his pocket and held it in his hands, he would collect his souvenier once A'trus was done, no sense in ruining the dramatic moment for him by meandering over just to collect some blood.

He stood ready to watch the response.

Titor · **12-27-2014, 06:46 PM**

Titor was captured without any resistance as to the soldiers shackling him. When he was brought to his feet, his gaze flickered from the people moving around him, to his bleeding leg. His leg was bleeding fairly good, a bit more than would be normal for a hyur due to his anemia. Nevertheless, he was not too set on healing it at the moment.

Titor's mismatched eyes met the mismatched eyes of A'trus. They looked around occasionally in thought as he was taking in the information that was being given to him. Titor had followed Erik, quite blindly actually. He never did a full background check, nor even tried to pry into his items. Maybe the Red Wings were really in the wrong here.Â

His loyalty was to the Flames. To Ul'dah. To the people. He wanted to do what was right. If Erik had mislead the other Red Wings and was knowingly doing illicit activities and trying to harm others, Titor would tell them everything he knew.

However, if these Black Chains were the ones doing illicit activities, he would tell them nothing. Nothing at all.

For now, he was not sure who was the right, and who was the wrong.

"My Loyalty is to the Immortal Flames, to Ul'dah and Her people." He said in an unwavering tone. "I shall find out whether it is you or my Unit whose intentions are pure. Any interrogation that happens will be just as much for you than it is for me, even if you do not think it will be." With that he averted his gaze to the ground, remaining silent after that.

Kahn'a · **12-27-2014, 06:49 PM**

Do you get sort of sick pleasure from it you-

Kahn'a smiled.

"Sit, sit." he suggested, almost inviting. He knew she would not heed his word, but he had all the reasons to delay matters as much as possible. Especially because... Kahn'a liked the face he had been given.

"However I would really like some clothes for the long story. Here, I'll give you a sample that should get your attention." Dangerous game he was playing, but at the point he was... It was better than betrayal. Even though during those life-threatening moments, he had truly considered it. Selling his comrades for his life. A part of him, during those instants, had wanted to call them cowards for not facing hardships head on, to hate them. The line of tolerance was a thin thing, doubly so for the Keeper so very wary of others.

"You were right," he started, "We have been set up."

And so Kahn'a started telling the facts. How the Captain had received unsigned orders, specifying that they would go on a mission stripped of their best asset. How he thought this was Redaction being cast on them. How they lost the carriage of Garlean weapons in an ambush. He obviously left all locations out of the tale, he could not endanger them.

"And after we discussed what should be our course of action against this set up, I followed some of them back to Ul'dah, and I-"

The world blinked again, and for the second time, he heard a voice in his head. Had he gone mad? It would have been understandable, no doubt had this frigid bitch broken one too many men, he could have been on of them too. In fact he was about to. But no, the voice.

It was as simple as someone speaking to him. Someone was speaking to him. How, Kahn'a did not have a single clue, but it was happening regardless. Was someone truly coming for him?

The Miqo'te had not realized that he had stopped his story, his jaw hanging as if he was forming more words. He swallowed, and felt a tear roll down his cheek.

"I left them." Kahn'a resumed his story, wet eyes blinking at the woman. A glint of hope shone in this eye, the hope that somebody was moving to get him out. To the lady, it could have easily passed as a hope of redemption, after an especially compromising confession. "I could not support their decision to flee. I left before I could hear more of their so-called plan. I had faith in the Flames."

Kahn'a hung his head. "I genuinely have no idea where they went. I just wanted to save my hide, so I tried to bait Flames to me by throwing my name in the low streets, hoping for a catch. It... It worked."

Erik Mynhier · **12-27-2014, 08:11 PM**

Erik kept his eye forward as he worked, "We cannot use the pearls, they can be broken into and even used to back-channel... to find us. There is one man who could help us clear our name, but I need to contact him without a pearl... in case I am wrong about him. This telescope is a marvel of technology, aetheric powered and able to lock into a wide range of spectrum. We can use it to send a signal as easily as it gets one. Commander Ryder is my commanding officer, he has known me for years and will not be as swayed by blind reports. We need to contact him and have him begin the work needed in Ul'dah. He may be of help to Ka....." he paused. His instinct to protect the boy, but he was no boy. Erik had to remember that this little oath brother was becoming a man. Respect of that would be needed. He turned from his work, looking Mikh'a in the eye, "They have Kahn'a. We must finish this part of the plan and move to rescue him. He has been taken by the Black Chains, and if they have him, he may be better off dead if we cannot reach him."

He turned back to his work, letting the silence hang in the air. He finished the hook ups as there came a knock at the door. Erik felt blind, his eye gone from him. He could still see through it if he concentrated, but the ability to see aetheric auras was lost it the eye was away from him. He could not count how many were on the other side of the door, but heard at least three. He continued, "I must finish this if the Lieutenant has a prayer to live. It is most likely the older man who gave us the room, but there are others with him. Go out and meet them, lead them from this room until I have finished." His hands worked faster, "Wear the chain, I can see through it as I work, and the stone in the locket is a closed-circuit pearl. I will hear you and you me. You have your orders soldier. Move out."

Mikh'a · **12-27-2014, 08:37 PM**

Erik didn't know. Only two people knew, and Erik was not one of them.

They have Kahn'a.

It hit him full force, like a ton of bricks. He stood there almost dazed as it sank in. Things Erik said after that sort of faded in and out for the briefest time. Words like rescue him, and better off deadÂ stuck out strongly. He only knew the name Black Chains in passing and yet still he felt like someone had poured ice water in his veins as it all started to sink in. It took the poor boy a second to collect himself, the panicked look on his face telling of everything going through his head in that instance. His hand came up to grip the chain just above the locket as if he were trying to still his trembling though it wasn't working.

Calm down.

Something about the Elezen. He knew they were out there, he could hear their breathing. What he lacked in good eyesight he made up for in with above average hearing, and smelling. There were quiet whispers between them, nothing that indicated they had heard anything Mikh'a and Erik had spoke of but he was barely paying attention. His gaze swung back around to Erik again.

Breathe.

His hands moved without even thinking about it. He pulled the chain over his head and secured the locket around his neck. Distract the Ishgardians. Lead them away from the door, don't let them eavesdrop. Mikh'a straightened then when Erik gave the final order and snapped to attention in the first near flawless Flame Salute he'd ever performed before he turned on heel and moved swiftly to intercept the Elezen before any of them made it within proper hearing range of the door. "Ser!" he called in greeting from the doorway. His face was grim though it matched the fabricated task he and his "master" were meant to be performing.

"I don't think I caught your name..." the Elezen they'd dealt with initially was trying not to seem nosy, while still doing so.

"Apologies. I often forget it's appropriate, most don't ask given my station-- Zana'sae." he gestured. It was the last thing Erik would see of him before the door closed. His voice would fade as he led the group away with an, "My master has need of your--" and then they were moving out of earshot and down the stairs again.

It was likely Erik knew now, what he hadn't known before. The look on the poor boy's face was telling.

Kahn'a...

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The Red Wings: Take Flight

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