15[20:04] The last of the storm has blown away. The sun shines on a silent island. [20:04] 14There was probably better way to cut that knot. But we are on a schedule. 15[20:04] What does Dryas report to Ratel? [20:12] 07Dryas rides back towards the fortified Guild headquarters, idol in hand. She dismounts wordlessly, her countenance grim. She blows into Ratel's makeshift command center and plonks the heavy broken heart down on the table; it lands with a jarring 07thud07. [20:12] 07Cynis Dryas: "I have good news and bad news." 15[20:12] Ratel looks down at it; Caxi sweeps it up into her hands almost immediately. 15[20:12] Ratel: "...report." [20:14] 07Dryas: "Good news: we contained 'Carmine Road' within the idol that had imprisoned it. I present it to you now as our prize." She takes a deep breath and looks to her sorcerous cousin. Bad news: cousin Caxi was completely correct. Every single one of the people under the thrall of the idol perished when we imprisoned [20:15] 07Dryas: "Good news: we contained 'Carmine Road' within the idol that had imprisoned it. I present it to you now as our prize." 07She takes a deep breath and looks to her sorcerous cousin. "Bad news: cousin Caxi was completely correct. Every single one of the people under the thrall of the idol perished when bound it back within this idol." 15[20:16] Salim has gone to help Daizo with the work of seeing to the dead. Where are Piu and Zhangyu? [20:19] 6Zhangyu, unless requested otherwise, is with his cousin. [20:20] 14Piu has a report to make to Caedus as soon as feasible. 15[20:21] Ratel's face darkens. The news sits heavy on her, and beneath the weight of their failure something irritates. Dryas is reminded of the proverb of the lion with a thorn in its paw. Caxi, meanwhile, is simply irritated. "At least they'll get a proper funeral," says the sorceress acidly. [20:25] "We paid a dear price, but maintained the integrity of our mission, as well as its secrecy. We have no Anathema - or whatever this was - lurking behind, waiting to betray us," 07Dryas notes. [20:26] 14An expansive definition of 'we,' to be sure. [20:26] 14Inclusive, even! [20:26] 6True, though. 15[20:27] Caxi: "About that." 15[20:28] "The proving-out of my hypothesis leaves one glaring unanswered question: how did Catela survive?" 15[20:28] "What was different about her? What was done to her? What did she accept?" 15[20:32] Piu, in her search for the chief petty officer, finds herself directed back aboardship, where he's pacing in front of the ersatz brig kept for Salim. [20:33] 14After closing the door: "Well that was a shit-show." 15[20:34] Caedus: "I heard. Or, didn't hear." [20:34] "Two noteworthy encounters. Two sole survivors," 07Dryas observes. 15[20:38] Caxi: "We should keep Catela under guard, like the assassin. Until we know more." [20:39] 14Piu: "We found Peleps Catela, cousin or niece or something of Ratel, leftenant on Triumph's Arc. If you recognize that name, it's because it was an escort ship in Furia's fleet. She was leading a hedonist cult in thrall to...something. A demon, I suppose. Have to wait for final analysis from Daizo and Dryas. Anyhow, Caxi's got her little panties in a snit because she wanted to [20:39] study it and use its power and so on, and Dryas wanted to try to free the cultists and leave." [20:39] "Dryas's plan ended up killing them all, of course." [20:39] "So they take whatever secrets they have to the grave, those villagers and crewmembers, but we still have Catela." [20:39] 6What's a mass murder in between friends? [20:40] 07Dryas considers something for a moment, but decides to hold her tongue. 07Catela fears one of them. Or both? Does she have leverage on them? Or could they unmask her? 15[20:40] Ratel shakes her head. "We need her to trust us. She's a direct link to the Armada." [20:41] 14Piu: "Of course, Caxi isn't a fan of Catela's, for some reason -- probably a combination of stylistic antagonism and Caxi fucking her aunt. But now Caxi wants to study her, too." [20:41] "So Catela might be in danger." 15[20:43] Caedus: "This compliates the longer-term plan to turn the sorceress." [20:44] "We need to learn more,"07 Dryas suggests. "I'll talk to the others to see if we can gain her trust. The Tepets, perhaps, would be new faces without connections... or baggage." [20:44] 14Piu: "It does, and it doesn't." [20:44] "If she kills Catela and we know, and we cover it up, that's leverage." [20:44] "Of course, we'd need to get what we need first." [20:45] 14Piu shrugs. "Though frankly I've no real desire to actually kill the leftenant. And with Salim's status...up in the air...turning Caxi becomes less of a priority as well, since we might not even need her as a catspaw." 15[20:45] Caedus: "How was he out there?" [20:45] 14Piu: "Quiet, effective. Less posturing. Still has his beliefs, but none of the ostentatious monasticisms." 15[20:47] Caedus: "I don't like that. The Mnemon thing was a put-on, but it was still a point of friction, a rough edge we could use to put spin on him. Sleek and helpful is dangerous." [20:48] 14Piu: "Absolutely. But the Mnemon thing being a put-on removes our leverage with Caxi to help kill him, now that she knows he's not here to rat her out to the religious police." [20:49] 10Before he passed the Heart off to Dryas, Daizo left her with a single request: "Let her have it, but don't let her keep it." 10He absolutely doesn't want to see it disappear into the sorceress' bag of tricks. Can he be trusted with it? Maybe, maybe not. But at least Daizo feels he has the right attitude: Carmine Road isn't a power that should be unleashed again.  [20:49] 14Piu: "I mean, we both agree the White Lotus cover story is bullshit now, right? He wouldn't just surrender if that were true." [20:50] *Black Lotus 15[20:50] Salim follows Daizo, helping drag bodies as required and quietly observing the necessary rites. 15[20:53] Ratel looks up from the counter to meet Dryas's eyes. "Take the leftenant aboard the Defiance. Don't put her under guard but... watch her." [20:54] 07Dryas: "As for the idol... Tepet Daizo has requested that it be made available to the full crew for study, without the need to disturb my wise, honorable, and correct Cousin in her chambers or studies." [20:54] 10Now he's roaming the woods with Salim as an ominous presence at his side, searching for the mortal remains of Carmine Road's—his—victims. Over each he says a brief prayer: may you find Lethe, may your next life be peaceful, may you find fortune as in this life you found misfortune, may your lower soul rest easy. He lifts each in turn and carries them tot he wooods' edge, laying them out. Later, they'll build the pyre. This [20:54] 10 should be handled by a sister or brother who's taken the razor, but Daizo could recite the instructions for properly performing rites for the dead in his sleep. 15[20:54] Caedus: "It seems like a lie... but he's clearly not a skilled liar. If he were, he wouldn't have chosen a cover so close to his true skillset. That's just asking to get burned." [20:56] 14Piu: "...My agreed-upon backup cover is that I'm an assassin, but just for House V'neef." [20:59] 14She smiles slightly. "Should I take this as work critique, or...?" 15[21:01] Caedus shakes his head. "It's not the same. He wasn't even in the Mnemon roll." 15[21:02] Caxi: "Oh, did he?" 15[21:02] "Well, I suppose no harm can come from deferring to his judgment." 15[21:02] "Again." [21:02] 10After some time, Daizo calls a break and finds a flat rock to sit on. There's no one to confide in here but Salim, and Salim's a snake. But… [21:03] 14Piu: "Whatever the case, we're back in wait-and-see mode. I certainly don't want to start going around knocking off officers or prisoners while we're at sea unless absolutely necessary." [21:03] 07Dryas bites her tongue. [21:04] 10Daizo: "How do you deal with it? The aftermath, I mean. Do you have to clean up your own work?" [21:06] 6Zhangyu was with him, actually. He won't impose if Daizo is looking for someone more distant, though. 15[21:06] Salim doesn't sit, but he does stand close enough to Daizo that the older man's shadow falls on the resting giant. "Often. Sometimes it's necessary to leave a mess behind. Sometimes it's necessary to conceal your presence. Sometimes... the work requires that we eliminate any trace that someone had lived or died." 15[21:06] "In each case, more work. Harder, often, than the kill." 15[21:07] Caedus: "No chance any of the dead were incidentally our target, I suppose." [21:11] 10Daizo: "Does it ever weigh on you? I mean… killing. They tell you about it in the war college in the Cloister, but it's more how to deal with it when your own commander is struggling with it. Not so much for if it's your decision." [21:12] 14Piu: "There wasn't much time to look around, and it's not like I could go asking the cultists their names. Have you checked the paper? If the name's gone..." [21:13] 14They pull it out. "So, no." [21:13] "Hedrin lives and breathes. And we've got no wounded." 15[21:14] Salim breathes in and out, slowly. "No. I am an instrument in the hands of a higher power." 15[21:15] Ratel: "I'll take the idol for now. Caxi, join your cousin." 15[21:15] Caxi's nostrils flare. 15[21:15] "...of course, Commodore. I am here to serve." [21:15] 07Dryas offers a lazy salute on her way out alongside her cousin. Outside, she will have words with Caxi. 15[21:16] Caxi all but glides out alongside Dryas. 15[21:16] Caedus: "Okay. How's your in with the deserter?" [21:18] "It's easier to not be wrong when your plan is to do nothing," 07Dryas hisses - hopefully quiet enough that Ratel cannot hear. [21:18] 14Piu: "She's considerably less into sex now that she's out from under the spell. Luckily I read that loud and clear and didn't poison that relationship by being a boor." [21:18] "Other than that, I still register with her as the first friendly face she saw after the sinking of her ship and her loss of memory, as an ally of Ratel, and as capable but generally politically harmless." [21:19] 10Daizo's under no illusions that Salim will give him a real answer. And this is probably just rolling over and showing the assassin his soft underbelly. But this is probably healthier than his other impulse, which was to go out and start smashing things. "I see. Then… Come on, let's get back to it." 15[21:19] "The work continues," agrees Salim. 15[21:20] Caxi rolls her eyes. "Oh, yes, if only I had the courage to do something stupid to keep busy, like a ghost or a dog." 15[21:21] "You won the argument! Why are you the angry one?" 15[21:27] Caedus: "Has Catela tipped her feelings on the Commodore?" [21:28] 07Dryas seethes for a moment before collecting herself somewhat. "It doesn't feel like I won the argument. I feel like shit!" [21:30] 14Piu: "No. She's afraid of something -- she's not quite what she seems, has a secret, so on and so forth. Might be dangerous, might not. Might be interesting, might not. My feeling is as far as we're concerned it'll likely be one or the other, not both or neither. This little hearth of ours is probably going to be tasked to get to the bottom of it outright sooner or later; Catela [21:30] might have to stand court martial for desertion, though Ratel has hardly thrown her in the brig." 14She looks around the brig. "As is plain." [21:31] "Either way she's playing her cards close." 15[21:33] Caxi's voice softens somewhat. "Did you believe you were arguing for what was right?" 15[21:34] Does Daizo say any words before burning the bodies? [21:36] 07Dryas: "Yes... I mean, we had to try something. But maybe we tried the wrong thing?" 15[21:36] Caedus: "The crew's starting to get restless. Merchant sailors aren't as superstitious as the ones who stick in the Navy but a bad omen's a bad omen, and we've had three now, with no good news." [21:41] 14Piu: "Well, a trial's hardly likely to reverse that trend. Keel-hauling the Commodore's niece or, gods, daughter isn't exactly going to boost morale." 15[21:41] Caxi: "Maybe. Maybe not. But as cold as it is to say, that doesn't matter now. What matters is how you meet the next challenge. And you won't win any cleaner succumbing to doubt." 15[21:41] "Fear of being wrong doesn't make you smarter. It just makes you afraid." [21:42] 10It's just him, Salim, and Zhangyu, so there's no point in doing grand oratory. "Perhaps these women and men could have been saved. Perhaps they were a lost cause from the moment Carmine Road took them. We may never know now. But Carmine Road is sealed once more, and I will work to see that it is never released again." 10He turns to face the pyre. "May the blessings of the Holy Dragons be with you in all your lives to come, [21:42] until the end of days." [21:43] 6Zhangyu bows his head at the words of his cousin. They tried. They failed. They will try again tomorrow - that is all he can promise. 15[21:43] Caedus nods grimly. "As I see it, your task then is to keep the peace between Ratel, Caxi, and Catela. Ratel's soft enough. Can the other two be reconciled?" [21:44] "The kid and the girlfriend her same age?" [21:44] 14Piu shrugs. "I'm not even sure if Catela will tolerate me once she finds out." [21:44] 07Dryas: "Thanks, Caxi. I'm... sorry... for losing my temper. And I don't like disagreeing with you in front of the Commodore... but I will if I have to." 15[21:45] Caxi: "Good. I make the same promise to you." 15[21:45] "Now, where is that crybaby bitch?" [21:45] 10Daizo sets the torch to the kindling and squares his shoulders. 15[21:46] The bodies burn. 15[21:46] Salim's stony face is throne into relief by the fire. 15[21:47] Caedus pinches the bridge of his nose. "Okay. I have your report. Good work out there. Is there anything else?" [21:47] 14Piu will step forward and give him a brief but hard kiss, then withdraw. 15[21:48] That seems to make him feel better. 15[21:49] As for the Cynis scions' quarry, it's surprisingly hard to find one woman in a silent and abandoned trading post. Eventually they come upon her at the far end of the pier, where it tumbles into the rocky beach, looking out over all the ships anchored, their crews dead or gone. [21:56] 14Time to make herself useful elsewhere... [21:57] 07Dryas approaches, paying little attention for now to Caxi. "So," 07she begins. 15[21:57] After their grim work is done, Daizo and the others return to Ratel, finding her packing up the Guild ledger and overseeing her sailors' careful ransacking of the depopulated post. It'd be foolish to leave useful supplies behind for no one. 15[21:57] Caxi, for her part, hangs quietly behind Dryas. 15[21:58] Catela: "It would've taken three, four times the people you found to crew all these ships." 15[21:59] "Did they flee? Did they die?" She turns to look Dryas in the eye. "Will we ever even know?" [22:00] 10Daizo: "It's done. When we leave, the island will be deserted but it won't be haunted." 15[22:00] Ratel nods. "Thank you for seeing to them. I'm glad you were here to do that." [22:01] 07Dryas: "I don't know. Maybe eventually, with the idol, we can piece something together." 15[22:01] Catela shakes her head. "What now?" [22:04] 07Dryas: "...Did you believe her? The Admiral?" [22:04] 6Zhangyu: "Further orders, Commodore?" 6Not quite sure what to do with himself. [22:06] 10Daizo bites down on "I wish it hadn't been necessary" before saying "Thank you. What now? Has Catela been able to provide any intelligence?" 15[22:07] Ratel: "About that. Daizo, Zhangyu, would you mind terribly bunking together? We have no spare cabins, and I need to put the Leftenant somewhere." [22:08] 6Zhangyu glances towards his cousin before speaking. "No trouble at all." [22:09] 14Out of the fog...out of the mist...something approaches... [22:10] 14It slips up...crouches...and--- [22:10] 4Piu: "HI~~" [22:11] 4She's in her civilian gear now, and she's had a dip in the water to wick the sweat off14 as well as any identifying scents. [22:11] 10Daizo: "It'll be a little cramped, but I think we can make it work."10 He'll have to move most of his books into the hold, or see if Seiri has room. 15[22:11] Ratel: "In that case, I'll finish up here and meet the two of you back aboard." 15[22:12] Catela: "...which Admiral?" [22:12] 6Best to get working, then. And depending on what books Daizo brought, they might be welcome additions. [22:13] 07Dryas: "I meant Furia... but was there disagreement?" [22:14] 4She pouts a little at the cold shoulder. 15[22:14] Caxi, at least, grins when Piu pops up out of nowhere. [22:14] 4She'll get a grin back. 15[22:15] Catela: "There is always disagreement. Four Admirals, six opinions. That's what the sailors say." 15[22:15] "But no one defies the Fleet Commander." [22:16] 10Daizo: "Oh, and as for the disposition of the idol, Commander? Did Dryas relay my concerns to you?" 15[22:17] Caxi is being very carefully quiet and in-the-background. Piu knows the manner of someone trying to avoid an ugly fight. 15[22:17] Catela wants to be anywhere else in Creation right now. 15[22:18] Ratel: "Yes, I've taken possession of it for now. We'll work out a long-term plan once we're off." [22:18] 07Dryas: "But what about you? Who did you believe?" [22:19] 4Well! At least they're getting along, at not getting along. [22:20] 10Daizo: "Excellent. All right, Cousin, let's be off." [22:21] 10Is Salim coming with or staying landside? 15[22:21] Catela: "It's not for such a low-ranked officer to have favorites. I accept the chain of command. I have no other gods before it." 15[22:21] Something in her deflection sets Dryas's hair on edge. [22:24] 4More soberly: "How did the Triumph's Arc get separated? How did it end up here?" 15[22:27] Catela: "For a resupply. We lost some of our fresh water." Her voice is hesitant - she clearly remembers more than she did yesterday, but she's just as cagey. 15[22:28] Salim joins Daizo back aboardship. [22:29] 4Piu: "...Were you with fleet then, when Furia...?" 15[22:32] Catela flinches, but then stiffens her spine. "If the Commodore wishes me questioned, she can do it herself." [22:32] 10Daizo was kind of hoping to be rid of the Black Lotus killer after his earlier awkward lapse, but fate isn't quite that kind yet. How's the general mood on the ship?  [22:33] 4Piu sighs. "If the Commodore wished you questioned in that fashion, you would have been by now." 15[22:34] Catela: "Then I suppose we're at an impasse." [22:35] 07Dryas shakes her head. "I'm - this isn't how I meant for this to go. I was trying to make smalltalk." 15[22:35] The mood of the ship is hard to read as people bustle to and fro loading and offloading. The absence of the Cathak twins from the deck is notable, as by the time of Ratel's landing they would've been, along with Samperson, the only Blooded on the ship. [22:36] 4Piu, sadly: "No, we're not." [22:36] "We'll move on, you'll keep hurting, and eventually you'll have to deal with whatever it is that happened." [22:36] 6Their absence is noted, and welcome. 15[22:37] Once they're back aboard, Samperson and a couple of guys come up to bring Salim back down to the makeshift brig. So Daizo's got that going for him too. [22:37] 07Dryas: "I just wanted to know where you stood on it. For me, the thought of it is exhilarating; this could be the greatest hunt in history! Even if we don't know what's at the end of it." [22:38] 10Huh. Wonder what they're up to. Probably planting a noisemaker in the head, or something.  15[22:38] One person Daizo does see is Seiri. "Master Daizo! Is everything alright?" 15[22:39] Catela: "Yes. That makes sense. You all sound like the sort of people my mother would surround herself with in a crisis. Am I being imprisoned?" [22:39] "No," 07Dryas replies. 15[22:39] "Then if you'll excuse me." [22:40] "I can - we can protect you--" 07Dryas stammers. [22:40] 14Piu: "No we can't." [22:41] "We've all fucked around and dived double-deep into politics. None of us should make promises we can't keep." 15[22:42] Caxi: "...there's nothing left to do here. Let's return to the ship." [22:42] 10Deep breath. "The danger has passed. Most of the people on the island perished—they'd been possessed. But the spirit responsible's been sealed, and Ratel's holding onto its vessel for me." [22:43] "It was pretty tough out there. Did you see any of the lightning?" [22:43] "Politics didn't kill those people," 07Dryas disagrees. [22:43] 14Piu: "I'll leave when Catela's ready to leave." [22:43] 14She gives Dryas a look. [22:43] 14Politics kills everyone. [22:43] 14Most of all those people. 15[22:43] Seiri: "Oh, yes. It was terrible. So much of the crew was praying." 15[22:44] "But you're all safe?" [22:44] 6Zhangyu, nearby: "Safe enough." 6He returns to moving his possessions into Daizo's quarters - he has fewer things, it's only fair he relocate. 15[22:45] Seiri: "What are you doing, Master Zhangyu?" [22:45] 10Daizo nods. "All of us that went ashore are safe. And one person did survive, although we're not sure why yet." [22:45] 6Zhangyu: "Relocating. We're bringing someone aboard, and - well. They need quarters." 15[22:46] Catela: "I'm ready now." 15[22:46] Seiri's eyes widen. "A survivor?" [22:46] 4Piu pops up. "Fair enough!" [22:46] 10Daizo: "Which is why Zhangyu's moving in with me for a little while, haha." [22:47] "That's right. Peleps Catela. I think she might be Ratel's niece, or maybe even daughter, but it would be rude to ask." 15[22:48] Seiri: "Oh, that's wonderful news! The Commodore must be so pleased." [22:52] 10Daizo: "It is good news. It's hard to read the Commodore, though. I… don't think they parted on the best of terms, before." 10He mimes slamming a door open and stomping out—when he went to brief Ratel about Carmine Road, Catela was storming out in high dudgeon.  [22:54] 10Daizo: "But I'm sure they'll work it out. Family is important." [22:54] 6Zhangyu grunts in agreement. 15[22:54] Seiri's face falters, but only briefly. "Can I help at all?" 15[22:55] The others, by now, have boarded, and the anchor's being drawn up. [22:57] 4...Any shanties? [23:04] 10Daizo: "Sure. Many hands make quick work, and we've still got to set up the second bunk. Oh, and I'd like to ask if you have the room for a couple of these trunks with my books in them. We'll be tripping over them otherwise." 10They probably could go in the hold, but conditions in the cabins are certainly better. [23:07] 4Fuck this. Piu leaps up on the rigging, getting their attention, dancing between them, leaping, brushing close, and when she swings around the mast, she begins singing. [23:08] 4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Voa19Ijs6sE [23:08] 10Daizo: "Oh! Never mind the bunks for a minute, do you hear that?" [23:08] 4She continues moving as she sings. "We'll rant and we'll roar, like true Realmborn sailors; we'll rant and we'll roar, along the salt seas..." [23:09] 4When she's done, she'll land near Ratel, if she's still on deck. 15[23:09] Ratel is there, singing along. "And here's to the health of each true-hearted lass..." 15[23:10] But she isn't smiling when she looks down at Piu. "Bring the senior staff and the Leftenant into my office please." [23:11] 4She chirps: "Yes ma'am!" 14And then she gets closer, still smiling broadly. But she's serious when she says: "I don't think I need to tell you this, Commodore, but this won't work a second time. Crew needs a win. Keel-hauling the leftenant isn't that." [23:11] 4Then she'll skip off. 15[23:12] Ratel just watches her go. 15[23:12] Probably would have anyway. [23:12] 14That is the brand. [23:13] 4Piu will do as commanded. [23:13] 10Daizo doesn't know the verse in this one but he joins the last chorus.  [23:13] 07Dryas lights one of her stubby cigars, humming along with the song. Acrid smoke curls around her as she settles her white sailing cap back onto her head. She's got a bit of a dour sneer but as the shanty goes on it fades into something of a weary, crooked smile, in spite of herself. 15[23:14] The hearth - including Ito Pan but not Ito Jun, Salim, or Samperson - meet Ratel in her office. Catela sits stiffly in the center of the room while everyone around her remains standing. [23:19] 14Piu will lean on something sumptuously in a corner. 15[23:19] The Commodore looks out over her command. "First I want to be perfectly clear about our mission. I've kept some things from some of you. We are charged with finding Peleps Furia and her missing fleet, and the official line is that no one knows what caused her to abandon their posts. But we do have some idea. Furia believes herself on the hunt for the Scarlet Empress herself." [23:20] 10Daizo leaves Seiri with a packet of shorthand notes to expand out into longhand before reporting to the Commodore. [23:21] 6Arms folded, impassive, Zhangyu stands looking menacingly at Catela. He's not trying to, really, it's just his natural state of being. 15[23:21] Ratel is looking at Tepet's sons directly as she says this. How do they react? [23:23] 10Daizo has been through a lot these past few days. This is now like the tenth least concerning thing on his mind. "Were our seniors in House Tepet aware of the nature of this mission?" [23:24] 6Zhangyu very carefully does not react while he lets Daizo do the talking. He might say something they would all regret, otherwise. [23:24] 10Daizo: "I imagine not. If they were, they would have insisted on coming themselves, in order to extract greater favor from the Fleet. Correct?" 15[23:25] Ratel: "There were security concerns." 15[23:26] "Tepet's surviving elders are quite close with our Regent, may his reign be brief." [23:26] 07Dryas has two teacups - one with tea, the other an impromptu ashtray - and a flask of wine in front of her. She partakes at random. [23:26] 6Zhangyu can't help himself: "'Security concerns.'" [23:27] 14May his...? Well. [23:27] 14That's a way to put it. [23:28] 10Daizo: "There are those who believe, or fear, that the Regent, may his reign be blessed and brief, is only feigning incompetence." [23:29] 10Daizo: "Back in Lord's Crossing, there was this play— but I digress." 15[23:29] Ratel: "I apologize for lying to the two of you. I have no consolation but the truth: it was not you we were worried about." [23:33] 10Daizo: "In the circumstances, I can see the reasoning. Allow me to assure you that I am a true patriot, Commodore—if my work for the Fleet has any chance of returning the Empress to us, I will contine to my last breath." [23:33] *continue 15[23:33] Ratel: "I have total faith in you." [23:34] 6Zhangyu grunts. 15[23:34] "And now, thanks to all your effort, we have our first real lead. A surviving member of the missing Armada." 15[23:34] Catela closes her eyes. 15[23:35] Ratel: "Leftenant, how did you end up separated not just from the fleet, but your own crew?" 15[23:36] Catela: "Am I being court-martialed? I have the right to an advocate, to know the charge against me." 15[23:36] Ratel: "...no, you aren't. This isn't a naval vessel." [23:36] 14Fair. [23:37] 14But Catela was hiding behind the promise of a court martial. Almost hoping for it.... [23:38] 07Dryas takes another swig - swig - puff - swig - ash. 15[23:39] Catela: "...we had docked to resupply. The trading post had underreported its stores and wasn't able to meet our requisition, so we took what they had. Even this took two days to assemble." 15[23:40] "There was a religious festival ongoing, of some kind. Flowers and dancing. It was difficult to secure enough local labor." 15[23:41] "Forgive me, Commodore, but if I'm not being tried, why are so many people in the room?" [23:41] 14Piu: "We're witnesses." 15[23:42] Ratel: "I value their expertise. The last time I had to conduct an interrogation, they helped, and we learned more because of it." [23:42] "From many different houses." 15[23:42] She doesn't acknowledge what Piu said, to confirm or deny. [23:42] "This puts you in a rather better position than an official court martial, I think." [23:43] 10Some small voice in Daizo is yelling at him about how he's now a member of a rogue element chasing after a rogue element what are you DOING—silence, you. Sometimes you do what must be done. 15[23:43] Catela: "I don't remember what happened next. My mind is clouded. The next clear memory I have is being woken up by V'Neef Piu." [23:44] 6Zhangyu: "Festival, then nothing, then awaking?" [23:45] 4Piu: "Tracks with the...thing's...method!" [23:46] 10Daizo: "Who had come ashore with you? Any other officers? Notable people? " 15[23:46] Catela shakes her head. "Just porters." [23:48] 07Dryas: "The Arc left port, but you didn't. Any idea how that could have happened?" [23:50] 6Zhangyu: "Hold on. The festival. There - if that happened, there would be, debris, discarded things. There wasn't." 15[23:50] Caxi gives Zhangyu a supportive nudge. 15[23:50] Ratel looks up sharply. [23:50] 4Piu watches Catela carefully. 15[23:50] Then back down at Catela. [23:51] 6Zhangyu: "There was nothing." [23:51] 10Daizo: "Well spotted, Cousin." [23:52] 14But she's not loyal to anything on the island qua the island. [23:52] 14Something else is going on here... 15[23:53] Catela: "I can't explain it. It is a true mystery. I'm sorry." 15[23:53] Ratel: "The ship leaving or the lack of evidence of a festival?" 15[23:53] Catela: "Either. Forgive me." [23:54] 07Dryas: "Several other ships arrived and left shortly before the Arc did. Did you encounter them? One of them, let's see here, was called the... Commodore, what's the second-to-last entry in the ledger?" [23:55] 6Hallucinations? Magic? Hmmm. 15[23:56] Ratel: "The Keystone, I recall. A Guild ship." [23:56] 14Piu, evenly: "The Guild." [23:56] "The Guild keeps popping up." 15[23:56] Catela: "The Guild pops up everywhere." 15[23:57] "That's what they do. They're like rats." [23:57] 6Evenly: "It is their thing." [23:57] "Spread disease like them too." [23:59] 14She blinks, then closes her eyes and leans back. 15[00:00] Catela: "I have no knowledge of a Guild vessel at the post." [00:01] 07Dryas takes a big swig of wine. "Well. So much for that idea, then. Maybe they can corroborate the festival." [00:03] 14She glances over at Dryas. So we're just going to not talk about this? [00:03] 07Dryas catches Piu's eye. Oh, did someone else notice that? And Piu, huh? [00:04] 14She'll say it openly, to Dryas: "Do you want us to talk about it?" 15[00:04] Ratel reaches into her desk but stops when Piu speaks. [00:05] 14We can wait or we can do it now. Now sounds good. [00:05] 6Now is preferable to later in every possible circumstance. [00:06] 6V'Neef Piu is a wise woman. [00:06] "What is there to talk about?" 07Dryas replies, coolly. "The Keystone had come and gone by the time the Armada arrived. They might corroborate details of the Leftenant's story, if we catch up to them - Dragons know where they are now - but it doesn't tell us anything about where the Armada is, or what happened to the Leftenant." [00:08] 14Piu shrugs. "Fine." 15[00:09] Now Ratel reaches into her desk and comes back out with the ledger, laying it open across her paper-strewn desk. "The dates confirm that." [00:09] 14She meets Catela's eyes, though. "It's right what you said, though, Catela. I bet the Guild will pop up again soon." 15[00:10] "No record of any other transactions made after the Arc's arrival, but no sign of a problem with it besides the undersupply." 15[00:10] Catela's face tightens slightly, but she says nothing. [00:11] 10Daizo considers saying something, then decides not to put his foot in what's clearly a wasp's nest. [00:12] 6Zhangyu is back to glaring angrily. It's what he does best, after all. 15[00:19] Ratel: "Well, I have a question you could answer for me, Leftenant." [00:19] 14Piu looks back to the Commodore. 15[00:20] She reaches into her pocket and comes up with a glittering silver ring, densely etched, large and set with a chip of polished black jade. 15[00:22] "Why was your family ring in the Guild outpost officer's jewelery box?" 15[00:23] Catela averts her eyes from both the ring and the Commodore. "It must have been stolen after I was possessed." [00:23] 14Piu sighs. "And this is why I wanted to talk about it." [00:23] 10No wonder she wanted the court-martial. [00:24] 6Seems like an idiotic bit of evidence to leave behind. Zhangyu isn't sure what's going on here, but this is... hm. [00:25] 14Piu: "Let's assume for the moment it was stolen! That gives you every particular reason to actually tell us what's going on with the Guild, to the best of your knowledge, under an air of provisional amnesty if that can be offered." [00:26] 14That last sentence ends with a look at Ratel. There's information to be had here if she wants to try and mend this bridge even a little bit. 15[00:27] Catela: "I don't-- how did you even find it? Why were you ransacking a Guildsman's private quarters?" 15[00:27] Caxi: "She wasn't. I was." 15[00:27] When people turn to look at her, she only shrugs. "It'd be wasteful to leave behind anything nice." [00:27] 14Young woman, you need to fucking focus. The provenance isn't your problem right now. [00:27] 6Sneak thief. Awful creatures. 15[00:27] Ratel: "How I got it doesn't matter." [00:35] 14Piu: "Right. Here's what I propose. Some people are emotionally compromised here, and that is what it is, but we're not going to have an honest conversation with that lingering over the room. Catela and everyone here that found her -- myself, Dryas, Daizo, Zhangyu -- we retreat to the officer's lounge, and we do a debriefing there. And that debriefing is secret, contingent on [00:35] Catela's release. And then we come back, and Commodore Ratel renders judgment as she pleases. If Catela has made us her advocates, we'll advocate. If not, we won't." [00:36] 14She looks around the room. "Other options are worse." [00:36] "Check the crew's temperature if you doubt me." 15[00:36] Catela: "No, that's ridiculous. This is-- take me to a naval outpost, let me stand trial there. This is entirely outside the law." [00:36] 6Zhangyu still looks angry, but he shifts. "Acceptable." 6He glances to the others. 15[00:37] Ratel folds her arms. "The peril of being outside the law, love, is that you no longer have the protection of it." [00:37] 6Catela's opposition is ignored. [00:37] 14Piu: "You're not going anywhere near the law again with our billet." 15[00:37] To Piu: "Make it so." 15[00:37] NEXT TIME: The truth [00:37] 07Dryas gestures vaguely with her teacup (not the one she's using as an ashtray). It seems affirmative. [00:39] 10Daizo has his misgivings, but if there's answers to be gotten here, Catela's the one who has them. "Very well."