Osric Melkire, Chief Flame Sergeant of the Immortal Flames.
If anyone can be an invaluable asset, it would be he.
Despite the fact that it was Jameson Taeros who had initially recruited Sergeant Melkire into investigating the cover up at the Nanawa Mines, Roen and Osric had since developed a measure of trust between them. He was the one who had tried to prove the Sultansworns’ innocence at the risk of his own life, and was also the one that had recruited a sizable force to raise arms against Crimson Mountain when she had been kidnapped.
It was also Osric Melkire who had investigated and neglected to report her involvement in the deaths of the bandits at the Nanawa Mines--an incident that had also resulted in the death of a Brass Blade.
It was no secret that Roen owed Osric much.
So when Osric asked to meet Nero, she complied. Not only did she trust the Flames sergeant, but he had numerous connections, ones that could be valuable. And after the last conversation the paladin and smuggler had exchanged a sevenday past, a part of her wanted to have a third set of eyes to assess the situation. Even if she knew that Osric would not like all of Nero’s plans--if any.
Nero had agreed to the meeting, albeit reluctantly. His voice still held a sharp edge to it when they spoke through the linkpearl.
When the sergeant and she approached the end of the pier in lower decks of Limsa Lominsa, the pirate had his back turned to them. He was dressed in a finely tailored black and brown robe, his silver scepter hanging by his side.
Osric was in stark contrast to the pirate; he had come dressed in a ratty brown hempen cloak, most of his armor hidden beneath the coarsely woven cloth.
"I will assume you have good reason to bring a Flame here,†Nero spoke first, his tone monotonous and controlled.
“I thought it was time that both of you met. This is Flame Sergeant Melkire.†She gestured to the cloaked man next to her even though Nero did not turn around.
"That wasn't yours to give," Osric said, shooting Roen a glare.
"I am sorry, Sergeant. But to start off with a lie does not bode well for alliances. If that is what this is." Roen gave a look of an apology to the man.
The Flame sergeant snorted, turning back to look at Nero. "You're sloppy. That should be reason enough."
"If you are referring to the mines, then the fault would be the paladin's, not mine," Nero said, his voice still controlled. "You would not have found me if it were not for her leaving a trail that a blind child could follow." After a pause, he added, "And no offense meant, Miss Deneith. I recognize that subterfuge is not exactly a strong point of yours."
Osric crossed his arms. "You brought her into this. That means accepting responsibility for the consequences. But then, I understand that responsibility is not exactly a strong point of smugglers."
Roen remained silent, although she had stiffened at Nero’s judging words.
"She brought herself into this by her own choices, but now we are simply arguing semantics. How much has she divulged to you?"
"Enough. I'm but a glimpse of your face away from having you made." The sergeant shrugged.
Nero craned his head back at the sergeant, his smirk more audible than visible. "Perhaps, but that is not why you are here, is it?"
"I'm here to learn whether your brand of madness will benefit the people or cost them their lives. What was seized alongside the refugee supplies that you couldn't afford to lose?"
The smuggler raised a brow, clearly impressed. "Certain luxury goods that I had intended to use to ingratiate myself with some of Ul'dah's lesser powers. Though that hardly matters now, no? The goods are far away from my hands now."
Osric’s words had a tinge of wariness about them. "It matters given what you've just told me. Lesser powers...reform..." The sergeant heaved a long, slow breath.
Roen had fallen silent, her eyes going to the wooden planks of the pier. Her frame was tight with tension, gone was the hope that she had held when Osric and she had spoken last. So much had happened since.
"Tell me truly, if you'd like a man on the inside: why should I assist you in rebellion rather than report what I know, and what I now suspect?"
"Because, Sergeant, reporting what you know and arresting me accomplishes nothing. A seasoned man like yourself surely knows that lowborn criminals like me sprout like weeds. You may, of course, choose to arrest me. Or report me to your superiors. Or have me assassinated, or what have you. Whoever ends up taking my place will have far less noble intentions."
"And far less fanatic fervor. As one lowborn criminal to another, trust me when I say that I understand fully well that those who follow in your wake will be far less capable. If your intentions are so noble, win me over with silvery tongue and honeyed words. That's what you do, no?"
Roen glanced between the two men, her look of consternation growing.
"Miss Deneith seems to believe in our alliance. Is that not enough? Or do you believe her to be suspect in all of this as well?"
"I believe you've sold her the prettier tale from your shelves. I'd like the unabridged copy."
"Consider me, then, a political radical. Ul'dah is too corrupt to change from within the system, so I would like to change it for the better using external forces." His statement lacked any elaborate wording or flowery vocabulary; it was as blunt as a hammer, and as subtle as one.
"The system, as systems typically go, favours those with power. Those with gil. That needs to change."
Osric grimaced. "You intend to replace one standard power with another, then?"
"You believe that the Syndicate's power is standard?"
"I believe gil is the standard, as you just pointed out."
Nero snorted. "I intend to change the standard entirely. What it will be replaced with is not up to me."
Osric paused, as if to consider those words. When he spoke again,his tone had taken a slight prodding turn. "Those luxury goods. Weapons?"
"I do not believe I am under any obligation to answer that question."
Osric snorted. "Only those with something to hide refuse to supply answers. I'll tell you this: while I applaud your vision, your methods leave the Alliance open to the Empire...unless I've missed something?"
Nero grinned with a sidelong glance toward the Flame sergeant. "And only fools fail to hide the things that truly matter to them," he returned. "As for the Empire, I do have a deterrent in mind. Not that I have any intention of revealing what said deterrent is to you." He paused with a nod. "Of course, there is a risk. There is always a risk. A plan involving anything worth fighting for carries a risk."
Roen flicked a glance at Osric at the mention of the Empire. Her frown only grew, but she held her tongue.
Osric returned that look with one of his own. "Risk naught, win squat. I know the adage. I know the logic." He met her eyes for a moment longer, as if to press that point, before turning back to Nero.
"I asked for this meeting in order to better understand you. I had hoped that you might offer some justification for my assistance...yet not once during this conversation have you given a thought towards lives that might be lost. Instead, you focus solely on your goal, as if you only seek to feed your own ego. 'I was right. I did what I had to do. It needed changing because I said so. Damn everyone else.'†Osric shook his head, his arm still crossed in front of his chest. He sounded almost regretful. “I'm afraid I can't support that."
The paladin let out a long sigh, her head bowing slightly. The alliance between Nero and Osric would not be agreed upon. despite her hopes. Nero had not opened up and discussed his true intentions, and Osric was too cautious of a man to accept any plan without knowing the truth about the man orchestrating them.
The Flame sergeant pivoted to walk away, pausing only to leave his parting words. "Should you founder, and your eyes open, you can reach me through Roen."
Osric quickly made his exit off the pier, his head bowed low as his heavy hood fell over his eyes.
If anyone can be an invaluable asset, it would be he.
Despite the fact that it was Jameson Taeros who had initially recruited Sergeant Melkire into investigating the cover up at the Nanawa Mines, Roen and Osric had since developed a measure of trust between them. He was the one who had tried to prove the Sultansworns’ innocence at the risk of his own life, and was also the one that had recruited a sizable force to raise arms against Crimson Mountain when she had been kidnapped.
It was also Osric Melkire who had investigated and neglected to report her involvement in the deaths of the bandits at the Nanawa Mines--an incident that had also resulted in the death of a Brass Blade.
It was no secret that Roen owed Osric much.
So when Osric asked to meet Nero, she complied. Not only did she trust the Flames sergeant, but he had numerous connections, ones that could be valuable. And after the last conversation the paladin and smuggler had exchanged a sevenday past, a part of her wanted to have a third set of eyes to assess the situation. Even if she knew that Osric would not like all of Nero’s plans--if any.
Nero had agreed to the meeting, albeit reluctantly. His voice still held a sharp edge to it when they spoke through the linkpearl.
When the sergeant and she approached the end of the pier in lower decks of Limsa Lominsa, the pirate had his back turned to them. He was dressed in a finely tailored black and brown robe, his silver scepter hanging by his side.
Osric was in stark contrast to the pirate; he had come dressed in a ratty brown hempen cloak, most of his armor hidden beneath the coarsely woven cloth.
"I will assume you have good reason to bring a Flame here,†Nero spoke first, his tone monotonous and controlled.
“I thought it was time that both of you met. This is Flame Sergeant Melkire.†She gestured to the cloaked man next to her even though Nero did not turn around.
"That wasn't yours to give," Osric said, shooting Roen a glare.
"I am sorry, Sergeant. But to start off with a lie does not bode well for alliances. If that is what this is." Roen gave a look of an apology to the man.
The Flame sergeant snorted, turning back to look at Nero. "You're sloppy. That should be reason enough."
"If you are referring to the mines, then the fault would be the paladin's, not mine," Nero said, his voice still controlled. "You would not have found me if it were not for her leaving a trail that a blind child could follow." After a pause, he added, "And no offense meant, Miss Deneith. I recognize that subterfuge is not exactly a strong point of yours."
Osric crossed his arms. "You brought her into this. That means accepting responsibility for the consequences. But then, I understand that responsibility is not exactly a strong point of smugglers."
Roen remained silent, although she had stiffened at Nero’s judging words.
"She brought herself into this by her own choices, but now we are simply arguing semantics. How much has she divulged to you?"
"Enough. I'm but a glimpse of your face away from having you made." The sergeant shrugged.
Nero craned his head back at the sergeant, his smirk more audible than visible. "Perhaps, but that is not why you are here, is it?"
"I'm here to learn whether your brand of madness will benefit the people or cost them their lives. What was seized alongside the refugee supplies that you couldn't afford to lose?"
The smuggler raised a brow, clearly impressed. "Certain luxury goods that I had intended to use to ingratiate myself with some of Ul'dah's lesser powers. Though that hardly matters now, no? The goods are far away from my hands now."
Osric’s words had a tinge of wariness about them. "It matters given what you've just told me. Lesser powers...reform..." The sergeant heaved a long, slow breath.
Roen had fallen silent, her eyes going to the wooden planks of the pier. Her frame was tight with tension, gone was the hope that she had held when Osric and she had spoken last. So much had happened since.
"Tell me truly, if you'd like a man on the inside: why should I assist you in rebellion rather than report what I know, and what I now suspect?"
"Because, Sergeant, reporting what you know and arresting me accomplishes nothing. A seasoned man like yourself surely knows that lowborn criminals like me sprout like weeds. You may, of course, choose to arrest me. Or report me to your superiors. Or have me assassinated, or what have you. Whoever ends up taking my place will have far less noble intentions."
"And far less fanatic fervor. As one lowborn criminal to another, trust me when I say that I understand fully well that those who follow in your wake will be far less capable. If your intentions are so noble, win me over with silvery tongue and honeyed words. That's what you do, no?"
Roen glanced between the two men, her look of consternation growing.
"Miss Deneith seems to believe in our alliance. Is that not enough? Or do you believe her to be suspect in all of this as well?"
"I believe you've sold her the prettier tale from your shelves. I'd like the unabridged copy."
"Consider me, then, a political radical. Ul'dah is too corrupt to change from within the system, so I would like to change it for the better using external forces." His statement lacked any elaborate wording or flowery vocabulary; it was as blunt as a hammer, and as subtle as one.
"The system, as systems typically go, favours those with power. Those with gil. That needs to change."
Osric grimaced. "You intend to replace one standard power with another, then?"
"You believe that the Syndicate's power is standard?"
"I believe gil is the standard, as you just pointed out."
Nero snorted. "I intend to change the standard entirely. What it will be replaced with is not up to me."
Osric paused, as if to consider those words. When he spoke again,his tone had taken a slight prodding turn. "Those luxury goods. Weapons?"
"I do not believe I am under any obligation to answer that question."
Osric snorted. "Only those with something to hide refuse to supply answers. I'll tell you this: while I applaud your vision, your methods leave the Alliance open to the Empire...unless I've missed something?"
Nero grinned with a sidelong glance toward the Flame sergeant. "And only fools fail to hide the things that truly matter to them," he returned. "As for the Empire, I do have a deterrent in mind. Not that I have any intention of revealing what said deterrent is to you." He paused with a nod. "Of course, there is a risk. There is always a risk. A plan involving anything worth fighting for carries a risk."
Roen flicked a glance at Osric at the mention of the Empire. Her frown only grew, but she held her tongue.
Osric returned that look with one of his own. "Risk naught, win squat. I know the adage. I know the logic." He met her eyes for a moment longer, as if to press that point, before turning back to Nero.
"I asked for this meeting in order to better understand you. I had hoped that you might offer some justification for my assistance...yet not once during this conversation have you given a thought towards lives that might be lost. Instead, you focus solely on your goal, as if you only seek to feed your own ego. 'I was right. I did what I had to do. It needed changing because I said so. Damn everyone else.'†Osric shook his head, his arm still crossed in front of his chest. He sounded almost regretful. “I'm afraid I can't support that."
The paladin let out a long sigh, her head bowing slightly. The alliance between Nero and Osric would not be agreed upon. despite her hopes. Nero had not opened up and discussed his true intentions, and Osric was too cautious of a man to accept any plan without knowing the truth about the man orchestrating them.
The Flame sergeant pivoted to walk away, pausing only to leave his parting words. "Should you founder, and your eyes open, you can reach me through Roen."
Osric quickly made his exit off the pier, his head bowed low as his heavy hood fell over his eyes.
