15[22:05] One peculiar effect of the ink in Gant is that, at odd times, you'll see it behind your eyelids, remembered unbidden and drifting across the dark like an afterimage. So it is that Piu has seen, in turn, the names Mnemon Dusk, Mnemon Hedrin, and Cathak Budokan cross the inside of her mind like a beacon. Does it get to her? [22:06] 14No moreso than the afterimages when she stares too long at the Sun. 15[22:07] There's been a lot on her plate, recently. Has she given the new mandate much thought yet? [22:08] 14Not-quite-idly. Plates are used to spinning, staying on one background track 4while hamming it up on one in the foreground. 15[22:08] Ham on a plate: very popular in Abalone. [22:08] 14She needs to know who this dynast is, and here's the trick: she can't ask anyone for help except people who already know she's a killer. [22:08] 14Because she's gonna kill this person. [22:09] 14That circle's expanded recently, but...bringing the hearth in on this isn't her first move. [22:09] 14First, it's Caedus. He's the handler, he gets to exercise some of the responsibilities now instead of just getting the privileges. [22:10] 14When's the chief petty officer got a moment? 15[22:12] Caedus is in meetings with Ratel a lot. The Defiance is down six crew that it couldn't really afford to lose, which is not trivial to solve when you're on a top-secret mission across the world. This is why the ship hasn't sailed back out since the harbor reopened. [22:13] 14Oh ho ho. Meetings, or meetings? 15[22:13] They're both competent, professional adults... but they are still Ratel and Caedus. Call it 80/20? [22:13] 14Heh. 15[22:14] But he's free from a meeting around midmorning, the day after Daizo met that sorceress up on the mountain. [22:14] 14Finding and vetting six new crewmembers is not only a trivial task for the hearth, but might be an opportunity to insinuate more hearth-loyal members into the crew. Note for Dryas. 15[22:15] That's true, and it means that the hearth has some control over when the Defiance next ships out, since they can solve this problem or let it linger while Ratel tries to do politics and economics, her two least favorite things. [22:16] 14Piu is so smug about how incredibly correct the decision to save Ratel was. 15[22:17] 10To date, no one has contradicted her. 15[22:17] whoops [22:17] 14Anyway, she'll summon 'Samperson' to her quarters for the usual. And she'll get the usual unless Ratel has tired the poor boy out (or he's not interested or what have you...but he's always interested). 15[22:19] They're both in luck. How long does she wait to talk shop? [22:20] 14Two times, and a shared bath if he's interested. She's certainly going to wash off. 15[22:24] At that point, Caedus is unwound enough that he starts complaining. "I can't believe how fast this turned into a shitshow." [22:25] 14Carefully undoing the towel her hair is in, which is also her only article of clothing: "It has its advantages." 15[22:26] Caedus's eyes wander. "So I gather. Time enough to become pirate queens." [22:28] 14She uses it to towel off the rest. "Is that criticism I detect? I need some excuse for going about a ’marbhadh leth nan sliochd anns an stiùireadh." 14 [22:29] 14The word she actually uses instead of dynasts is 'offspring.' 15[22:33] Caedus: "Not of you. We work with what we're given, and what the Commodore and Salim have given us is a long delay in the nominal mission, time that, without our other mandate, would just be... burnt." [22:35] 14Piu: "So we're very lucky that instead I need to know who Cathak Budokan is, in case we're in danger of setting sail in their precise opposite direction." 15[22:46] Caedus: "Yeah, I did some digging. Not a lot to go on here without attracting attention - it'd be easier if we could set up contacts with our other aunts and cousins, but with Tephen up in Brightwork and the school in total seclusion I don't know who to call on. But it's old, bad blood. He's got to be 200, 250 years old now - he was the officer who the Empress commanded to purge Iselsi." [22:47] 14Piu pauses while pulling on a workout smock. "What?" [22:47] 14She finishes belatedly. [22:47] "Well that's a step up in assignments." 15[22:48] "When the Third were dragged from their homes, it was his arms dragging them. When they were killed in front of their children, it was his hands doing it. He was the executioner." [22:49] 14Idly: "I'm familiar with the story. Killing an old man restores no thrones." [22:49] "Still, the job is the job." 15[22:50] Caedus: "Just once I'd like to know what was going through their heads when they make these decisions." [22:51] 14Piu: "Live long enough and one day you might find out." 14She tosses him his shirt; without swift intervention it will hit him in his face. "Be careful what you wish for." [22:51] 14She's smiling as she does so. [22:51] 14It quickly turns pensive. "Wonder if he retired out here..." 15[22:54] Caedus: "I don't know. But an old war hero like that, I bet you could get Ratel into giving something up without tipping your tiles." [22:59] 14Piu: "Possibly so. Especially if I..." 14She sighs. "I just washed up." [23:01] "Ah well. That woman never tires." 15[23:02] Caedus, pulling the shirt over his chest. "No kidding." 15[23:02] "Where do you need me on this?" [23:02] 14She undresses again, and this time dresses for...socialization. Before she goes, though, with legitimate interest and concern: "Is there anything you need from me in terms of cover or ongoing maintenance? I understand I've been dealing with side-fires for a bit." 15[23:04] Caedus: "Caxi is incredibly nosy when she's bored. And she's not as easy to distract as Ratel." [23:06] 14She chuckles. "Well, with Salim out of the picture she's got a lot more boredom to wallow in. I got her teen corpse ward a girlfriend, so that might entertain her a bit more moving forward, but I'll try to entice her more as a resting level thing." 15[23:08] Caedus: "You got her a girlfriend? Why?" [23:11] 14Piu: "Because both Sadako and Seiri would get up to endless mischief without teenly romance -- themselves -- to distract each other, and, well. I'm a nice girl. I like to make things easy on people, do people favors every now and then." 15[23:12] Caedus: "That's very true." 15[23:12] "I'll see if I can dig anything else up. Let me know what you find, okay?" [23:13] 14Piu: "I always do. You know that." 14She'll blow a kiss and slip out. 15[23:15] Where to? Ratel's in her study, Caxi's up on deck... no sign of her hearthmates. The usual attention from the crew. [23:17] 14Let's check in with Caxi. It's been too long. Seriously, she's probably getting suspicious. 15[23:18] Caxi is taking advantage of the brief break in the weather to get some sun, so she's lounging on a cloud off the side of the deck, high enough not to be in anyone's way but not so high people can't admire her. [23:19] 4Piu sheds like, at least half her clothes to join her. 15[23:20] Caxi doesn't move to make room, so Piu lands roughly on top of her. The cloud dips briefly with the force of impact and then drifts back to its previous height. 15[23:21] Only then does Caxi open her eyes, violet and half-lidded. "Mmm. Hello." [23:22] 4Smokily: "Hey there, lady." [23:22] "I know I've been absent lately. Scootch." 15[23:25] With visible reluctance, Caxi moves to make room. It's surprisingly warm up here, given the chill salt air of the rainy season. Must be the direct sunlight. "You have had quite a time this last few days. Go on a hunt, come home hunted, take down a hunter... and you still had time to trip out with a barbarian witch." 15[23:25] "Was it good? Did you see Heaven?" [23:28] 4Piu sighs. "House history. I got...House history. So, you know. Lame good girl shit." 15[23:29] Caxi cackles. "V'Neef house history?" 15[23:29] "Was your trip thirty seconds long?" [23:30] 4Piu giggles. "Lots of slowwwww mo." 15[23:31] Caxi: "What did you learn?" [23:32] 4She sighs. "Well, no one wants the House to succeed, the Empress left everything a mess, and all the elders, such as they are and remain, counsel patience and shenanigans." 15[23:41] Caxi: "Ugh. Our little turtle-doves related far more dramatic experiences." [23:41]  [23:41] 4Piu: "Teens!" [23:42] "Anyway, I think this is good for them. Obviously. Because I made it happen." 15[23:43] Caxi: "So I gathered! Interesting to see what you get up to when you're not working, or getting worked." [23:44] 4Piu: "Mmmmhmmm. I'm going to be so sad when we have to let the chief petty officer go." 15[23:45] Caxi: "Me too. Did he send you after me? Tell you I'd been bothering him?" [23:45] 4Piu giggles. "He said you're nosy when you get bored. And now that Salim's gone..." 15[23:48] Caxi: "Oh yes. The host of Heaven was among us. Very high intrigue." 15[23:48] Caxi's voice sinks a bit deeper in her throat, and doesn't carry to the ship. "You should've let me kill him. Well, you should have killed him yourselves but, selfishly, you should have let me kill him." [23:50] 4Piu, lightly: "Yeah, probably. But there wasn't time to send for you and the choice was either turn him over or undermine Ratel by proving to Kou we couldn't follow even the most basic instructions." 15[23:51] Caxi: "Nothing says plausible deniability like a few erymanthoi. He was already known to truck with a sorcerer, maybe she was simply cutting her losses." [23:56] 4Piu stretches and yawns. "Well, maybe you'll get another shot if Kou is, shockingly, unable to hold him. As it is, he's gonna hunt us not you, so." 15[23:58] Caxi: "It's good to have projects. Speaking of... I gather we've been docked so long that my dear cousin has decided you need to start making money." [23:58] 4Piu: "That's one way of putting it!" [00:03] "You want in, or?" 15[00:04] Caxi: "Absolutely." [00:04] 4Piu grins. "Hee hee hee. I'll let her know. We're a hearth now, so." 15[00:06] Caxi: "I'm so pleased. The four of you are such a charming group." [00:06] 4Piu: "I'm glad you think so!" [00:07] "I think we're going places." 15[00:09] Caxi groans. "Not fast enough. I swear, aside from when that man burned the hostel down to destroy the twins' things, you four have been soaking up all the excitement." 15[00:09] "I want to get out of here! I want to see something. I want to do something." [00:10] 4Piu pokes her gently. "You are a sometimes-excitement girl, Caxi. But we can do that. Plans are in motion!" 15[00:11] Caxi's groan is closer to a moan now. "Like what?" [00:11] 4Piu: "Oh, I couldn't possibly betray my hearth's confidence. But there might be ghoulies." [00:12] "And ghosties." 15[00:21] Caxi: "Those are fun. But really all you need to deal with ghosts is a huge salty brick. And I'm sure yours knows all the appropriate rites and invocations." [00:22] 4Piu, primly: "Well yes, we salted it thoroughly. If you're really not interested I'm sure Daizo is more than capable of handling everything himself." 15[00:23] Caxi cackles again. "Oh nooo! I apologize for the offense, my dear Piu. Do you think Daizo would accept my apology?" [00:24] 4Piu: "If he's not too busy reading books, or worrying about those wings. I love the man like a brother but the wings are good! He should embrace the wings." 15[00:24] Caxi: "I could not agree more. At the very least he should respect what they do for his shoulders." [00:25] "I KNOW, right?" [00:26] "Anyway, I'm sure he'd be...okay, maybe not happy to see you precisely on the first order, but he'd appreciate it if you were there. When we clean out this cool old tomb. If you're really interested in getting in on this." 15[00:26] Caxi: "No, that sounds fun! Where did you find a tomb in Abalone? Is it indigenous?" [00:29] "Beneath a pub, if you can imagine. And we're suspecting that it is! We didn't want to disturb anything without fully knowing the score -- that'd be very rude! -- so we've salted the doors and are regrouping." 15[00:32] "A haunted pub?? It must be either doing amazing or terrible business." [00:32] 4Piu gives her a look. "Well we could hardly buy out a pub doing amazing business." 15[00:33] Caxi: "You can if it's haunted. Just agitate the ghosts until they start scaring people out, rather than in. If you're artful about it they don't even have to hurt anyone." [00:35] 4Piu: "Oh don't be silly. With that kind of business there's no hook if there's no hurt." [00:35] "No, his custom is dog shit! And the Guild is like, comically trying to tell him there's nothing of worth downstairs while also trying to seize the property." 15[00:36] "There are many arts," Caxi concedes. "So they think he's stupid, or they think he's got no options. Which is just another way of thinking he's stupid." 15[00:36] She looks over. "Is he?" [00:36] 4Piu, grinning: "He's a very agreeable man." [00:37] "Guess what the down payment was." [00:37] "Guess!" 15[00:38] Caxi: "Oh, I'm terrible with peasant money..." [00:38] 4Piu: "Hint: I could keep it easily in my top." [00:38] "And you know the tops I wear. 15[00:39] "Mmmmmmmm. If he's truly got no custom, it can't be more than ten koku." [00:41] 4Piu: "Five dinar. I've got a lining." 15[00:42] Caxi's eyebrows go up incrementally, which counts as a vulgar emotional outburst. "That's almost suspiciously low." [00:42] "It is. But we agreed to future considerations for the long-term health of the business, which, well, of course we would, if we're going to make it our Garden. We didn't tell him that of course." 15[00:43] "Building a hideout out of a pacified tomb? How adventurous." [00:43] 4Piu: "Oh, you know you like it. There might even be space for blood apes to get rambunctuous." 15[00:44] "I adore it. This is the kind of thing that's been missing in my life, bouncing between children and the Commodore." [00:45] 4Piu: "It should go without saying that you can't tell anyone else on the ship. Well, maybe Ratel. I mean, I'll probably tell Ratel myself at some point. But like we don't need the twins knowing about this." [00:45] "Like come on." 15[00:46] Caxi: "Oh, they wouldn't believe me if I told them. They still haven't forgiven me for getting Daizo's things and not theirs." [00:46] 4Piu: "Yeah that's weird -- did he really burn it down just to mess up their day?" 15[00:48] "I believe his intention was to destroy something of theirs. You know Ratel has them doing our navigation. Working out headings to take, points of interest. Maybe he overheard them talking with their mouths full and thought they were getting too close." 15[00:49] "But maybe he just hates them, and is amused to see them suffer. He seems the type." 15[00:49] "Violently smug man. And, as it happens, smugly violent." [00:54] 4Piu: "You're not wrong! The Tepet boys made him shut up, though. Have to admit half the reason we didn't kill him was because it seemed like he wanted to die for whatever his cause was. Just to prove a point." 15[00:55] "Oh I hate that. When they go all limp like, 'I'll be rewarded in the next life! I'm glad you're doing this, actually!'" [00:57]  [00:58] 4Half her body is touching Caxi's right now, but not her left hand. 14She lets it hang conveniently out of sight, and gains the knowledge of it. 15[00:59] 97 106 [00:59] 14That exceeds the upper bounds of 'not surprising,' but slightly. [00:59] 14Ritualism and all that. [01:08] 4Piu splays her other arm over Caxi. 'Suggestively' kind of undersells it. "Oh, all we've got is this life. And this death. Gotta make the most." [01:09] 4She isn't literally smoldering when Caxi meets her gaze...but that's because she's intentionally surpressing it. 15[01:10] Caxi luxuriates in Piu's embrace, and is nose-to-nose with her when she says, "Do you think any of us will die before this is over?" [01:18] 4Piu grins. "Yeah. But neither of us." [01:18] 4They continue on like that for sometime. Probably to hooting and hollering. 15[01:19] The sailors don't catcall Caxi. They used to. But they stopped pretty early in the voyage. [01:19] 14Mmmmm. [01:20] 14...How did those six sailors die. 15[01:21] Simply ask Caxi, the only one who was up there while the fire was burning. [01:21] 4There's always more time! 15[01:21] All we've got is this life. And this death. 15[01:22] It's probably quite late in the afternoon when Piu seeks out Ratel in her study. She's having dinner; her plate is barely touched and the wine bottle is three-quarters empty. [01:23] 4Piu will bring another. She has like four to six bottles of acceptable wine for situations like this stowed in her cabin anyway. [01:25] 4Does she need to announce, or...? She should announce. [01:26] 4There's probably a guy for that. 15[01:26] There was. He died in the fire. Now there's a bell. [01:27] 14... [01:27] 4Piu rings the bell. 15[01:28] "It's open!" Piu finds Ratel as described. Looks like it's a working dinner, there's evidence of multiple discarded efforts to draft a letter. [01:28] 4Piu: "Heyyy, Commodore! Brought you a top up. In exchange for eating off your plate." 15[01:29] Ratel stretches and groans. "I love that deal. What have you got?" [01:32] 4Piu: "Just myself, a bottle of wine, and the knowledge that we need six more new sailors to make crew." [01:32] 4Popping the cork. "I'm, you know. Close with the CPO." 15[01:36] Ratel reaches around Piu's back to take the bottle and pour two glasses while pulling Piu against her body. "He works so hard," she says, only partly lascivious. "The problem is exposure. Part of what holds the political alliance behind this together is that V'Neef is fronting her merchant marines. If we start hiring privateers, everyone back home gets nervous. Nervous means nosy." [01:38] 4Piu settles into her lap. "As someone a bit close to that particular action, I think House V'Neef knows they have to be...flexible. Like we've always been." 4Leaning a bit closer. "And we can probably make sure they're properly sworn in." [01:38] 4She leans back and takes a sip of wine. "Not our biggest problem, though." 15[01:42] Ratel: "V'Neef is a sensible woman, and her favorite daughter is my responsibility. I want this to be as painless for her as possible. No, the problem is *my* family. They absolutely do not want any of this on Navy budgets and Navy ledgers. Which is so precious. You want to talk about secret crimes and conspiracies on the ledgers." 15[01:42] "What's our biggest problem?" [01:44] "Kou's replacement is already on the way." [01:44] "Mnemon is unhappy." 15[01:45] Ratel: "...shit." 15[01:45] "Did you find out who?" [01:46] "Not yet. Just that gears are turning. If I had to guess the house, well!" [01:46] 4Piu leans in again. "Seems obvious. But we'll keep digging." 15[01:48] Ratel shakes her head. "She won't send one of her own to run this place directly. She'll make sure whoever comes has a minder or two." 15[01:49] "What I would expect is for whoever it is to come in at the head of a Legion transport." 15[01:49] "Get real soldiers in here, blooded officers." [01:49] 4Piu sighs. "Kou hasn't lost her power yet." 15[01:50] "She hasn't lost her office. She lost her power once we handed the spy off." [01:50] 14Interesting to get confirmation on that. 4But: "I'm just saying...if we can keep her around, we should." 15[01:50] "Did you see the way she turned white? I thought he might have killed her with a whisper." She sounds delighted by the prospect. [01:50] "Oh totally. It was hilarious!" 15[01:51] Ratel looks *very* skeptical. "Why keep her?" [01:52] 4Piu: "Because we know every button to push to get what we want, and this is our home operational port." [01:52] "At least for the rest of this mission!" 15[01:53] Ratel: "Predictable isn't the same as controllable. She's unstable, and that's a much bigger risk to us than someone competent." [01:54] 4Piu, sipping the wine: "Here's what we know for sure, though." [01:54] "She hasn't been briefed by anyone but us." [01:54] "The new governor?" [01:54] 4Piu shrugs. 15[01:56] Ratel: "True... but that's another reason she's a lost cause. If she was politically viable, or a useful dummy, she'd have bigger friends than us." [01:57] "I'm not saying we have to be BFFs. All we need is a couple months. Then they can keel haul her for all we care." 15[01:58] Ratel still sounds dubious, but she's softened. "Well... if you can come up with something, run it by me." [01:58] 4Piu nestles in. "Will do! But...we might need help." 15[01:59] "What kind of help?" [01:59] "Meaning like, if we can reach out and find old retired hoity-toity types -- you know, retirees, people with former glory but local connections -- maybe they can help Kou in the short term." [02:00] "If not, well...we know some of the ol' mothballs." 15[02:01] Ratel groans. "I was afraid it was going to come to this." [02:01] 4Piu rolls her eyes. "YOU'RE obviously too important to go out." [02:01] "We'll go, or I don't know, maybe we'll send the twins. Supervised." 15[02:04] Ratel: "War heroes retire on the Isle, with manses and concubines. The only person I know of with that kind of pedigree who decided to retire to colonial governance is Grandfather." [02:04] 4Wide, innocent eyes: "Your grandfather?" 15[02:07] Ratel: "Mother's father. He's had pretty much every job the Empress will give someone that lets them kill people. Magistrate, shikari, soldier, sailor, spy... and now he's Governor Budokan." [02:08] 4Piu: "Wow! He sounds really decorated!" [02:08] 14It'll be a ritzy funeral. 15[02:09] Ratel: "I was thinking I'd have to reach out to him anyway. He loved Furia more than any of his children. When Furia decided to walk with Daana'd, Mother resisted, but Furia went over her head to Grandfather. No one argues with Grandfather." [02:10] "Sounds like he'd be great to back Kou!" 4Piu chirps. [02:10] 14Well this is inconvenient. She...might have to make this look natural. [02:10] 14Ish. 15[02:12] "I'll have Caxi send him a Messenger. We might have to visit anyway. If anyone in Creation knows what Furia's thinking it's him. But we can't visit until after the rainy season. Those straits aren't passable until the Storm Mothers withdraw." [02:13] 4Piu, visibly disappointed: "Awwww." [02:13] 14She needs to find a way there while he's isolated. 15[02:16] "But we should hear back quite quickly. There's certain to be a sorcerer there because of the jade mines." [02:17] "Great!" [02:17] 14Great. [02:18] 4Piu: "Jade mines. Wow. Out here? Where IS that estate, anyway?" 15[02:21] Ratel: "The Neck. North of Wavecrest, south of Skullstone. The very limit of the Realm's reach in Creation." [02:21] 14The Neck. [02:21] 14Now you're just baiting. [02:21] 4Piu: "Wow!" 15[02:21] Well, you've seen the kind of assholes that control Fate. [02:22] 4She kills the glass and snuggles closer. "Well. I'm sure we'll get over there eventually." [02:22] 4She begins nosing Ratel's neck. 15[02:22] Ratel: "Not too soon, though. Plenty of things we can do along the way. For the Realm, you see..." [02:22] 4She's already had half that plate for dinner; time for dessert.