Closing Ranks [closed]

[Zhavi]

"Smelly hole." Zhi's reply was immediate, and full of dark amusement. She gave instructions to one of her favorite spots just off the docks and in the tangle of beachfront businesses that catered to sailors and other seafaring folk fresh off their trip. She picked up a skin of alcohol (lighter than was her usual wont -- she was working, after all) and stopped at a few different stalls to pick up parchment-wrapped street-food before heading to the natural gap formed between a cluster of buildings built into the rock and the natural bubble that had formed like a quasi-basement behind them.

 

A few steps down, and Zhi was in the small space. She had a lantern with her, which she lit and shielded to keep the light down, and then she settled in to await Thatcher.

[Shayrei]

A another smelly hole. She should have known. She shouldn't have even bothered asking. Andralyn grumbled as she moved through the streets, her hair tucked back under a rather bland hooded tunic. Just another street urchin, ragged and poor.

 

She hated this part of the city. She'd done her time, put in her dues she was above the dank odor of these salty, fishy walls and ---

 

She ducked into the room, eyeing her appointment, her hands tucked into the pockets of her tunic, a look of boredom on her face.

 

"What's the news, Zhavi?"

[Zhavi]

As Zhi looked Thatcher over, her eyes shone with approval. Yes, this was much better. She tossed her head. "First, the ones what put out hits on yer people are Coral's Parlor. It's run by a woman what goes by Coral, though her name's Jaquelle Voiriere. She goes by Elle, sometimes. I got word there was some bad business 'twixt her an' th'woman what ran Heaven's Gate afore ye. They're mainly out o'Gridania, but they've been pushin' into La Noscea summat fierce th'last few years. They've a writ. They ain't big now, an' here they're seen as a new group, but they're older'n what folk say, 'ccordin' t'me sources."

 

Zhi pursed her lips, twisting them this way and that before she moved on. "They've been helpin' t'spread rumors 'bout ye an' yer ring, but they ain't th'ones what started it. That belongs t'Tabart o' Jaded. They're bein' sneaky, an' quiet. Word is Tabart has it out fer ye, but he didn't start movin' 'till he settled up wi' a man named Luther. I got a . . ." she twisted her mouth again, looking down. "Summat smells funny, marm. I ain't got deep on what they mean t'do, but me gut says it's more'n jes talkin' rude 'round ye. Take care."

 

She looked back up to Thatcher. "One o'me contacts agreed t'work as a strongarm fer ye. Name's Dogberry, he's a roe -- real reliable. I tole him I'd set ye up wi' him. He gave me a pearl, he did, so if yer willin' t'bring him on I'll give him a tickle t'set ye two up. Could be he can deal wi' Coral's Parlor for ye."

 

Zhi blew out a sigh, "I've got a lass'll be coddlin' up t'Jaded t'pull more information, an' a pirate does dealin's. . .I've been tole one o'yer suppliers is sellin' information this way an' that. Maioh's her name. Here." Zhi pulled out a thick sheaf of papers and held them out to Thatcher. They were lists of clients, employees, and items sold -- all relating to Heaven's Gate. "She's been sellin' it t'Tabart."

[Shayrei]

Elle... Tabart

 

 

She seemed to mull over the name, her brow pulling together in thought.

 

Luther.

 

 

 

 

Shit.

Shit, shit. Sea swallow it all!

 

Her face remained calm and unmoved as she listened. More than just rude talking.

 

Oh yes.. much more. Damn it all...I should have know he'd come back.

 

 

Zhavi continued and Andralyn's head canted as her stance shifted.

A lass? I wonder...

 

She took the sheaf as it was handed to her. Anger flooded over her as she gripped the paper, flipping through it.

 

"Maioh... " Her jaw set, glaring down at paper.

 

"Dogberry?" She nodded, "Set us up. We'll have a word with him."

 

A hand moved to her ear and paused, looking at Zhavi. "You planning on continuing to dig?"

 

Cut her loose. Damn him and that stupid idea.

 

She moved her hand from her ear, tucking the paper into the crook of her arm, "Are you planning to continue your digging?"

[Zhavi]

Zhi gave Thatcher a long look, one eyebrow climbing upwards. "'Course I am, boss. Ain't over yet. Ye'll be needin' folk in low places. I need t'dig on Luther an' find out what his aim is, an' if he's got anyone else workin' fer him. Then there's Jaded -- I've got th'lass goin' in there. She'll report back t'me, an' I'll report back t'yerself."

 

She paused, pressing her lips together while she considered her next words. "There's some talk th'barons are movin'. Somethin' has 'em stirrin'. I'm lookin' fer all I got but folk are spooked, an' it's tighter'n barnacles on th'rocks right now. But I'm lookin'. I'll keep workin' fer ye, 'till yer trouble ends or ye don't renew me contract. That's how I work.

 

"There anythin' ye want me t'look fer, boss?"

[Shayrei]

Andralyn stared at her for a long moment, her tongue moving over her teeth behind pursed lips.

 

How much to say.. what to say. Should she? Her mind raced, she was not cut from this cloth. Dealing with folks like Zhavi... she was in way over her head and this was just a runner. 

 

Damn him... 

 

She had to ask.

 

She ignored her question, "And if trouble finds you? If you end up on the wrong end of a spade in all your digging? Will you break Clove's word and turn on me to save your hide? Start digging on me to slip from a noose? What happens if you get cornered," she grinned almost proudly, "and they will corner you if you're not as good as Clove boasted... I need to know you're sincere in working for me, for your boy. In seeing that we..that he comes out of this unscathed."

[Zhavi]

"If I get caught I'll double flip. So ye best prepare words fer me t'spew if it comes t'that. Not that it will, but if it puts yer heart at ease. . ." Zhi shrugged.

 

There was no guarantee. There was never a guarantee. Not with anyone.

 

At the end, when the chips were down, everyone was in it for themselves. If Thatcher didn't know how to protect herself from that, it wasn't Zhi's problem to correct.

[Shayrei]

Her lips curled into grin and she nodded, lifting a shoulder nonchalantly, "My heart doesn't need to be put at ease, I need enough information to start hitting back, I just need to know you're capable of getting it. Clove makes friends too easily, Seems like he may be a mite upset if something happened, I really don't need consoling someone on my plate right now.

 

Keep digging and keep your head down, they don't seem to be interested in making deals. "

 

She offered her a smirk, moving her hand to her ear , "Set up a meeting. Something that doesn't require me to dress like this place smells."

 

"Was there anything else?"

[Zhavi]

Zhi wasn't about to waste her breath in an attempt to protect her (admittedly niche) reputation, so she let Thatcher's comments pass. Either the woman would value what she had to offer, or she wouldn't. Nothing Zhi could do about it but do her job; that was the line of work she was in. The only time it mattered was when it came time for payments to be handed out -- Zhi did not let herself get gipped. Unless weapons were involved. Weapons pointed at her, that is, be they blades, fists, or books. Arcanists. She withheld a shudder. The bane of her existence, in more ways than one.

 

"Clove'd be fine. Always is," was what she did wind up saying, all unconcerned. She and Clove had no love lost for each other; it was something like mutual respect, but neither would be too put out if the other bit it tomorrow. "That's what I got. I'll be in touch more frequently. Me main concern is Jaded -- I'll let ye handle Coral's Parlor. Ahh," and here she smirked. Likely she was playing for drama with this last tidbit. Or not.

 

"They're based in Gridania. Likely if ye hit 'em there, hit 'em hard, they won't be so eager t'mess wi' ye here. They've a solid reputation there. Their owner, Madame Coral, well, ye might find that it weren't always th'case. Connect Jaquelle Voiriere t' Coral, and could be they won't have th'werewithal t'mess wi'ye in Limsa. Jes don't let her know 'twas yerself what spilled th'beans. Mebbe let it track back t'one of her Gridanian enemies. Me own two cents.

 

"If ye want me t'handle that, it'll cost ye extra. Otherwise, jes use yer own people t'spread some rumors of yer own. There's some in yer ranks what could be good wi'that."

 

Zhi touched her forefinger to an imaginary hat. "If that's all, fair winds t'ye, boss."

 

Okay, she was being deliberate. Definitely deliberate.

[Shayrei]

Andralyn grinned as she tucked her hair and slipped out, a hand moving to her ear as she made her way back to the upper decks, meandering along the way.

 

"Oh Loverboy..." her voice was cheerful, an unusual sound these days, "I need a word with you."

[Melkire]

Deep within the Hourglass, Osric Melkire sat back in his chair, dropping his papers to the desk as he plucked the vibrating little blue linkpearl - the one dotted with four black diamonds - off the wood and plopped it into one ear.

 

"Lady Grace," he replied, smiling at the timbre of her voice. "What can I do for you at this ungodly bell?"