15[20:13] At the height of midsummer, the sunset is the latest it ever gets. So the stars, now, three hours before midnight, are freshly sown in that loamy dark night sky. Above, the moon gently waxes. Did she see her children burst from the Drifting Leaf to freedom? Did she laugh, as Piu did, as their escape unfolded? Is she laughing now, at the reckoning the Hearth is due for failing to 15[20:13] uphold their contract? 15[20:14] And as the night draws deeper, what does she see when she looks down on Brightwork, and the Four Fangs sunk deep into it? [20:16] 14If she cares to look she probably sees Piu glowering and pacing along the deck of the Leaf. Or the Defiance, if they've relocated. This was, generally speaking, the plan -- she was just hoping for a chance to secure SOME favor with the Lunars before they vanished. Yes, yes, insanity, how could you, very very dangerous -- they're working in thin margins, here. [20:19] 6Zhangyu has absolutely no opinion visible. It is - an issue? He hides it well, at least. [20:21] 10Daizo slipped the tiny vial of BEAUTY, or its antithesis, back into the bag from whence he pilfered it, then fled the whole scene. He's heading back to the docks—the atmosphere in the upper city feels positively stifling tonight. He's folded his wings in close and has donned one of his cloaks—he's still going to attract undue attention, no two ways about it, but let's try and curb the damage here.  15[20:22] Both of the Tepets can easily see Piu pacing on the deck of the Leaf. They can also see a flurry of late-night activity based around, it transpires, a big hole that blew into the side of the ship. [20:25] 07Dryas is brooding, feeling rather sorry for herself and overseeing the carpenters already at work repairing the bulkheads. What was the point of all this? [20:26] 10Well. That's not good. Daizo quickens his pace once the extent of the damage becomes clear.  [20:26] 14When Daizo's aboard: "The Lunars are gone. No fatalities." [20:27] 14So there's no mistake: "I let the mouse free. He came back for the bird." [20:28] 10Daizo: "And he came packing a firedust cannon?" [20:28] 6...Got 'em. [20:29] 14Piu: "No, I think one of them did that with their--" 14She waves a hand. "--Moon powers." [20:30] "The mouse snuck aboard by taking the face of one of our sailors and getting into a brawl with the guards, so they'd drag him back here. Worth noting, I think, that he left the sailor alive." [20:30] "Have to confess I didn't know that was an option, with facestealing." [20:31] 6Somewhere, Xia Lan (and Tatsuya) are upset. [20:32] 6To be fair it is... extremely unexpected. [20:32] 10Daizo visibly perks up at the unexpected puzzle. "He took the face and left the man alive? Is he injured in any way? It might be worth debriefing him, although perhaps not tonight." [20:34] "Beat him up, terrified him, but nothing that requires a doctor. Frankly, when he got dragged aboard wearing the sailor's face he was in much rougher shape than our man was when he stumbled back." [20:37] "Fascinating. The shikari have tales about the Moon-touched that've bought or sold faces, or won them gambling… well, all of that's beside the point. So we have two Silver Anathema on the loose, but they a) aren't about to be enslaved by Skullstone and b) they owe us a favor. Theoretically." [20:38] 6Zhangyu: "Theoretically." [20:39] 14Piu: "We weren't going to hand them over to Moray anyhow, and we've got a plausible excuse for the escape. We didn't open the cage, after all." [20:39] "Well, the bird's cage." [20:43] "So we're in the clear. All right. I have an ironclad alibi if Moray comes calling…" 10Daizo trails off.  [20:44] "My argument to Dryas -- as it will be to Ratel, because we absolutely have to loop her in, now -- is that it was far more dangerous to be holding on to two Silver Anathema as their captors than pissing off Moray. One is an awkward consignment. Two is a business model. [20:44] " [20:46] "Tepet, Tepet, V'Neef, and Cynis, finest purveyors of Anathema in the Archipelago." [20:47] "Not really what any of us want to be known for," Daizo says sourly. [20:47] "Not really what any of us want to be known for,"10 Daizo says sourly. [20:48] 14Piu: "...So what have you both been up to?" 15[20:48] What do they want to be known for? Because odds are pretty good you're going to be known for this soon. [20:48] 6Zhangyu: "Things." [20:48] 6Not a good answer. [20:49] 14Yeah, but it was an expected one. Piu nods instead of prying. [20:50] 6Also, he would like to be known as a martial arts master & trainer, but that is... maybe expecting too much. [20:51] 10Daizo: "Attempting another experiment to discern the nature of Garnet's bond with the jar." [20:51] "The results were mixed." [20:51] "Are you all right?" [20:54] 10Daizo hems and haws over this for a few moments before speaking, which is all the answer already. "I still need a little time to deal with the experience." [20:55] "Just—let me give you a warning now, Cousin. Whatever you do, don't try to attune yourself to the vessel." [20:55] 6Zhangyu: "It was not on my to-do list." [20:55] "But it is now firmly off it." [20:58] 14That raises Piu's eyebrows, but she doesn't really have further comment on that either. [20:58] 10Daizo sighs. "And I'm pretty sure I fucked up bad with Caxi." [20:59] 14Piu: "Well, give her a day or two. And if she's still angry, I can talk to her." [20:59] 6Zhangyu raises his eyebrows. Cousin... [21:00] "Thanks, Piu. Maybe I'm making this out to be too much." [21:02] "I could... try. Also. Though that might not be appreciated." [21:02] 10Daizo: "You'd be surprised. She worries about you." [21:05] 6Zhangyu: "I'm - I guess I'm glad?" 15[21:07] Once the Fangs have had their meeting, they gather that Ratel is in the palace. She's not in her room... or anyone else's room... but eventually they find her in a courtyard (not the one Lena's body landed in; there's a foursquare pattern of courtyards back here and this one is the opposite diagonal from the one where her body landed) holding a form of court as she regales the Crown 15[21:07] Princess and some of her ladies-in-waiting with war stories. They all pay rapt attention — the Princess Lapis especially. [21:07] 10Daizo claps Zhangyu on the back. "It beats the alternative, which is no one caring about you. Beats it every time." [21:07] 14Piu won't interrupt. The Commodore deserves some time in her element. [21:07] 07Dryas arrives a few minutes later. 15[21:07] Some look up as the Fangs approach, and all of them grow a bit ashen and worried at the sight of Piu among them. [21:09] 6She is easily the... third least intimidating among them? Setting aside the fact that she literally killed someone. [21:10] 6Because that did happen. [21:10] 6...also she does that on purpose. [21:12] 4Piu ignores their looks, but manages to seem a bit queasy herself. 14Really the only option on the table. 15[21:15] Ratel: "...Alenko wanted to sacrifice himself as badly as Ash did, but Alenko got the medal and Ash got the wheel. The diplomatic envoy was saved, even the very magisterial spymaster. Loved puffy speeches — 'Hold. The. Line.' — but he lived, and when you live you get to sound like that. Ah! Look who's here." [21:16] 14She'll accept third. It goes with the cover. 15[21:18] Lapis: "Oh! How good of you all to join us. Lady Piu, I'm glad to see you've made a speedy recovery." 15[21:20] Ratel: "Is it important?" [21:20] 4A faltering smile. "Thanks to the blood, my body's recovering faster than the rest of me..." [21:20] "Yes, Commodore." 15[21:21] Ratel seems to have taken for granted that the four of them are not here to schmooze. She stands. "Your Royal Highness, if you would please excuse me." 15[21:21] Lapis looks genuinely crestfallen. "I'm so sad to see you go." 15[21:22] Ratel: "Me too. Perhaps we can make time later." 15[21:22] Where is the hearth taking their commanding officer? [21:23] 10Daizo offers a half-bow from the back. "I've been charged with watching Piu's health this evening. Don't concern yourself over it, Princess Lapis—she's in good hands with our crew." [21:23] 14Defiance would be safest, but any room that Dryas can give a once over and vouch for should be fine. 15[21:32] The ship's still in dock, and it's still got those Watch guards posted up in front, but the Commodore and the hearth brush by them. 15[21:33] Ratel: "So, I have some understanding of what you've all been up to, both here in Brightwork and in general... but to clear the air, I'd like to hear it from you." 15[21:33] "What's going on?" [21:34] 14It'd probably engender more trust if someone besides Piu started... [21:34] 6Absolutely, 100% not it. [21:34] 10Daizo: "First, the good news." [21:35] "We have an eyewitness who has met Peleps Furia within the last ten days." 15[21:35] Ratel: "Who? Where? How?" [21:36] 10Daizo: "The less good news: it's Peleps Deled, and his encounter with Furia left him in even more of a volatile state than he normally inhabits." 15[21:37] "Fuck." [21:38] 10Daizo: "He's in the infirmary of a temple in the lower city. Dryas is making the arrangements to have him transferred to the Leaf." 15[21:38] "What does he know?" [21:38] 14Piu: "Not enough to make him angry...but he's going to find out. We've carefully elided the presence of the Skullstoners, for now." [21:39] "Once he gets outside and sees skeletons, though..." [21:39] 07Dryas: "Furia and the Water Fleet were at the center of an enormous storm..." [21:40] 10Daizo: "She's essentially set up her own miniature Danguro. Here, let me begin at the beginning." [21:42] 10Daizo's going to give Ratel a report on how he came across Deled, the state of his injuries and the same explanation he gave the Hearth as to Caxi's method of restoring his limbs (best the neomah could do on short order), and then Deled's words, as close as possible. [21:43] 10How many times does Ratel cut him off or ask for clarification? 15[21:43] Not once. 15[21:43] When he's done, Ratel is silent for a long time. [21:43] 10Damn.  [21:44] "…and there you have it. I genuinely don't know what to make of it myself." [21:45] "But it seems the seas around the Gyre warrant further investigation, as soon as we're away from this damned mess." 15[21:45] Ratel: "The logical thing to do is get him onto a ship, leave Brightwork immediately, and set immediate course for the heading Deled swam along." 15[21:45] "Is this where you all tell me that can't happen?" [21:45] 14Piu: "Yyyyes." [21:45] "Well." [21:45] "We could." [21:46] "But you know that ship that just pulled into harbor? The Keystone?" 15[21:46] Ratel: "And the Moray, yeah." [21:46] "They'd be away from port ten minutes later." [21:46] 6Zhangyu: "There is an... issue. And we would be remiss..." 15[21:46] Ratel glances in Dryas's direction. "What's he got?" [21:47] 14Piu will defer to Dryas as to how much of the pre-mouse part of the story she wants to tell. [21:49] 07Dryas: "Well. The package, which was under care of Catela and which we have already discussed, was to be delivered to Moray. And it's gone, unlikely to return." 15[21:50] Ratel: "Gone how?" [21:50] "In Cynis Lena's effects, you see, there was a cage. Containing a mouse." [21:50] "Except it wasn't a mouse." 15[21:50] "The mouse freed the bird, you're saying." [21:50] "Having one Silver Anathema in the hold is a dangerous game of hot-rock. Having two is a business model. Especially from the perspective of the business." [21:51] "So I convinced my hearth-sister it was wise for me to take the mouse a couple malms up shore and release him, as a sign of good will, so that we wouldn't be holding quite so many tigers by the ears." [21:52] "I perhaps should have foreseen what he'd do next, but of all our bad options, I think this was the least-bad outcome. No dead sailors." [21:52] 07Dryas: "And now, instead of two impatient Anathema captives, we are very soon likely to have at least two of the most dangerous men in the Direction wondering what's becoming of their scheme. And two loose Anathema." [21:53] 14Tightly: "That was going to happen anyway, because we weren't about to start trading Anathema slaves." [21:53] "That would be... problematic." 15[21:54] Ratel: "How do you propose to stop Moray from following us?" [21:54] 14Piu: "We kill him." [21:54] 07Dryas: "Here." [21:54] 10Daizo: "…This is where Deled potentially re-enters the picture." [21:55] 6Zhangyu: "Seems the safest bet." [21:55] 07Dryas: "Maybe he will be too busy expecting shapeshifting moon-mad monsters to see us coming." 15[21:56] Ratel: "And if he does?" [21:57] 6Kill him harder. [21:57] 14Piu: "Then we hope a popular insurrection, a Wyld Hunt general, our combined powers, a couple other surprises and maybe two pissed off Silver Anathema are up to the task of putting him in the ground." [21:57] 6'That's your answer to everything' Shut up. [21:57] "Frankly, we can stack our deck better on land." 15[21:59] Ratel: "Some of our assets don't mix. You can't exactly put Deled and two Silvers on the same side of a Gateway board. Nevermind Caxi. Or Sadako." [22:00] 10Daizo: "And we can't put Caxi or Sadako on the same ship as Deled. Not for long. This is one of those wolves-and-sheep puzzles." 15[22:00] Dryly: "Which is which?" [22:01] 10Daizo: "Wolves-and-dragons-and-behemoths puzzle doesn't have the same ring to it." [22:01] 14Piu: "To be brutally pragmatic...I think letting Peleps Deled go in first is the right play. It's what he'd want, too." [22:02] "By the time we need Sadako, or Caxi, or have to gamble on the Silver Anathema showing up..." [22:02] 07Dryas: "We have enough ships now - I've taken possession of one of Lena's, and if there is another in port I may try to acquire it - and enough vacant places in need of attention to make something happen. And we have a trump card to keep Deled on a leash, which we certainly can't say about silver Anathema." 15[22:02] Ratel: "You say that, but he just swam how far on stumps?" 15[22:02] "What's the tr- oh shit." [22:03] 14Piu: "I mean, if he is actually able to kill Moray and perhaps the Knight with just the help of the people in this room, then that significantly lessens our load." [22:03] 10Daizo: "It's still not entirely clear how he made it to Brightwork—" 15[22:06] Ratel: "So the plan as I understand it is this: keep a lid on Deled for one more day, and then let him out during the wedding, which we interrupt ourselves by attacking the Moray? On the assumption that the Knight and the Abbot won't intervene and will just let us leave if we don't interrupt their taking a fief in the Azure Dominion?" [22:06] 07Dryas: "Our plan is more ambitious than that." 15[22:07] Ratel: "Ambitious how?" [22:07] 14Piu: "The Abbot and the Knight aren't on the best of terms." [22:07] "In fact they rather loathe each other, from what we can tell." [22:07] 07Dryas: "Even the most recalcitrant of the natives despise the skullstoners... nearly as much... as they despise us." [22:08] "And Princess Lapis certainly has little interest in the marriage." [22:08] 10Go for broke, Dryas. [22:08] 6Admittedly we probably should have lead with that. Because like, that's important? [22:08] "And I've convinced Bodease, the administrator-slave, to get us in the backdoor of the wedding singer's stage with all our weapons and armor." [22:09] 07Dryas: "I've already begun smuggling materials onto the palace grounds to, hopefully, overwhelm and destroy the necromancers." [22:11] 07Dryas: "Beyond that, it's a matter of at least getting the Watch to stand aside, if not join us - their commandant despises the Realm and represents a significant point of political resistance. If we can identify a secret entrance, we could have companies of men ready to storm the ceremony in true, high dramatic, fashion." 15[22:11] Ratel: "So you mean to decapitate the Skullstone delegation entirely. Interrupt the wedding — from within with an attack, and from without with a riot — and overturn the government to flee in the chaos." [22:12] 07Dryas: "That is accurate. We can evacuate critical civilians to Mionzi or elsewhere, if things go poorly." 15[22:12] Ratel: "Okay. What's your plan for giving Skullstone immediate cause for retaliatory war against a Navy that, if Deled is to be believed, no longer exists?" [22:13] 6It's just like that, and that's the way it is. [22:15] 07Dryas: "If we take the Abbott out of the picture, Skullstone won't learn what's happened for some time. And in the meantime, we will have organized a sort of pocket navy to countermand the pirates. Perhaps it could serve as a bulwark against Skullstone." [22:15] 14Piu: "And we have Old Mionzi." [22:16] 07Dryas: "Whose most potent powers remain sealed away from us. And Garnet is not reliable enough for the kind of power that it represents, if those seals were removed." [22:16] 14Piu: "It represents a regional endgame." 15[22:17] Ratel: "Do you aim to kill the Abbot with the others, or use his hatred for his peers to let him flee to warn his masters?" 15[22:17] "It sounded like the latter a moment ago." [22:18] 14Piu: "It's probably safer to kill him. Dryas wanted me to look into splitting them against each other, though, and boy, no one seems to like the Knight." [22:19] 14Piu: "The greater point is, the only thing we're really committed to right now is Moray. We have to deal with him, and we were going to have to deal with him. The wedding plan can be changed or abandoned, if you give the order. It's certainly a bold manuever. I...guess we could take our chances on the seas; we have an elemental." [22:19] "But it means leaving Brightwork to fall to Skullstone, with whatever happens to Lapis." 15[22:20] Ratel: "I certainly don't like the Knight. But the fact remains: we face the entire Skullstoner contingent at their full strength and win, decisively, or we let survivors free to alert the Prince and his fleet." 15[22:20] 'Or we all die' goes blissfully unsaid. [22:20] 14Piu: "Those seem to be the stakes." [22:20] 6Zhangyu: "I would... prefer not to leave her to that. If at all possible." [22:21] "Though I grant it might, in fact, not be at all possible." 15[22:21] "We're leaving Brightwork to fall to Skullstone no matter what, I think, since it's not like we can leave behind a viable defense. In fact we want them to chew up Brightwork first, because it gives everyone else as much time as we can scrape together to prepare for a black armada." [22:22] 07Dryas: "We could opt for a lesser provocation. Stealing the princess away, for example. A delaying tactic. Although we may not have much in the way of deniability." 15[22:22] "I'm not worried about Lapis. We can save one person. The rest of them, though? Dead, or wishing they were." [22:22] 14Piu: "With or without Lapis, our next destination would be a full-sails retreat to Old Mionzi to force a confrontation on even slightly friendly ground." 15[22:23] "To be clear, your only exposure is to Moray. Your contract is through the Guild, not through the Principality." 15[22:23] "Right?" [22:23] 14That's true as far as Piu is aware, but that's a Dryas question. 15[22:24] That's accurate, as far as it goes on paper. Whether Skullstone would see it that way is a question for another time, and likely not one you can settle now. [22:26] 14Then: "Right." [22:27] 07Dryas: "Moray, and Nn Tloc." 15[22:28] Ratel: "Then I propose we go bigger." [22:28] 6Hnn. 15[22:28] "Break the wedding, kill the Skullstoners, and burn the dock." [22:28] 10Daizo: "From a pragmetic standpoint… a conflict between Brightwork and Skullstone seems inevitable. The only difference is how much of Brightwork's home field advantage they can erode before a popular uprising were to take place." 10Daizo pauses. "Historically, there are more than a few satrapies that have been flipped using similar marriage gambits—" [22:28] 6Ooooooh. [22:29] 10Well shit, Commodore, that's all you had to say. [22:29] 14Piu blinks. "The dock with...all the people on it?" [22:30] 6...not if we're careful. [22:31]  [22:31] 14Piu was onboard until that part. [22:31] 14Hell, she still could be. But she wants to hear the full explanation. [22:32] 07Dryas is intrigued. [22:33] 10Daizo: "Go on…" 15[22:34] Ratel: "The dock with all the ships on it. Casualties, yes, but compared to the riot, nevermind the attack on the palace, nevermind the eventual recapture by either Skullstone or the Dominion itself? The more damage we can do to the Dominion's biggest assets — which is the port, the resources under direct control by the house of Mox, and the pliant laborers — and to Skullstone's 15[22:34] biggest assets, who are its awful Chosen, the harder it is for them to retake this port, nevermind project force any further." 15[22:34] "If we take as a given that your objective is only realized with the death of Moray, then every other decision we make flows from that. That's the one known known." [22:34] 14Piu: "...Makes sense." 15[22:35] "Razing Brightwork buys us the maximum amount of time." [22:36] 6It's... a solid plan. [22:36] "Well. They won't starve. We know the famine is because of the export policies." [22:37] "It would significantly weaken House Cynis's position here...but that position is gone anyway, either through this or the Skullstone takeover." [22:37] 14She sighs. "I imagine Bodease won't be pleased, and neither will the dockworkers." [22:37] 10Daizo: "I'll be frank, I hadn't even considered looking at it from the broader perspective of the Lords of Azure." 15[22:38] Ratel: "This is why it helps to talk to someone older than 26 before you start toppling governments." [22:38] 6Zhangyu: "I can handle them. If they're willing to sail for a bit." [22:39] 14Piu is going to tactfully refrain from pointing out that the adult in the room's advice was 'you need to expand the toppling, child.' [22:39] 6It was good advice, at least! 15[22:41] "I'm just going to say what I said at Mionzi again. You want to fuck around, I won't stop you. I don't even want to. People do better work when they're loose. But if you're going to fuck around like this — and it seems like you all are — you have to widen the field of people you take advice from." 15[22:41] "This isn't beating up a stranger. This isn't two-timing a pirate. This isn't tricking some snobby bitch into a trust fall. This is the work of empire." 15[22:41] "And you are not an empire unto yourselves." 15[22:42] "...yet," allows the Commodore. [22:42] 07Dryas keeps a level stare at that remark. [22:42] 10Daizo: "I'm glad you continue to see promise in us, ma'am." [22:43] "So in that spirit, there's one more thing I should tell you about." 15[22:43] Ratel's eyebrows go up a notch. 15[22:43] "Go on." [22:44] 10Daizo: "I had meant to keep it a Hearth matter. But you should probably know as well. And perhaps you'll understand something I haven't." [22:45] 6Cousin, please. [22:45] "To a certain degree, Lady Garnet's vessel can also act as a gateway into her mind." 15[22:46] Ratel: "Is this why she's been in bed since quarter to 10?" [22:48] 10Daizo: "Yeah. I tried to lead her through a guided meditation and it worked about as well as shaving with a block of wood." 15[22:49] Ratel: "What did you see?" [22:49] "So I resorted to a shortcut. And saw much more than I bargained for." [22:51] 6Oh dear. [22:51] 10Daizo: "There are some parts of this that I think were personal to me. But I'll tell all of you everything else that I saw." 15[22:52] What does he leave out? [22:54] "It started with giving birth, although I didn't know it at the time…" 10The part where Caxi reached into his chest and froze his heart. And the encounter with the 14,14  [22:56] "…and then there was just the sound of sweeping, in the void. And I woke up." 15[22:56] Depending on how elaborate Daizo's description of the magic of childbirth is, Ratel might urge him past it. Otherwise, she takes it all in silently again. "I have no idea what to make of that, truth be told. Dream interpretation is not a talent of mine. What did Caxi say?" [22:59] 10Daizo: "I haven't told her yet. On waking, I was afraid and wasn't thinking clearly." 10To Piu and Zhangyu: "This is the part where I fucked up." [23:00] "I babbled something about the drugs I gave her and got the hell out of there." [23:01] 6That is... something, alright. [23:01] "It's only just now that I've had some space I can talk about it." 15[23:01] Ratel: "Alright. That can be your problem, then. I'll take care of mobilizing the crew, who will focus on the docks, and I'll stay close to Lapis to keep the best eye I can on the Skullstoners. You all need to make sure you and your people are in position, including Deled, and that everyone's ready to go. This is all hands." [23:02] "…Thanks for listening." 15[23:02] "Try to make sure Garnet's as well as you can. We're going to need her sword arm." 15[23:02] "Questions?" [23:03] 6Zhangyu: "I could assist with the docks. If you are willing, Commodore." 15[23:03] Ratel: "If your hearth can spare you." [23:03] 07Dryas: "The gunzosha. Does it make sense for Garnet to take it? We can't risk harm to her. Nor her veil coming undone at the wrong moment." [23:04] 14Piu: "If we could safely mount the jar inside the armor..." 15[23:05] Ratel: "I think the prospect of Garnet being able to rip her mask off to stun the Skullstoners or even Deled is a high-risk play we need to hold onto. If she's mounting up in Shogunate armor she's coming to be coming at the front door, yeah? Well away from the core of the fighting." [23:05] 10Daizo: "I'm not certain that would work. The gunzosha is still fed by the wearer's Essence. It's the same reason we can't just give her a backpack to put the jar in." [23:05] "It's worth trying, though." [23:05] 14Piu: "Boo." 15[23:06] Ratel nods. "You've got a day yet to tinker around. If you don't drive her insane you can test her in the armor." [23:06] 6Zhangyu: "No promises. No demands." [23:06] 10Daizo: "I'm not attempting any more contact experiments at least until we're well away from here." [23:07] "And no more without a third at all." [23:07] 14Common rule on this ship. 15[23:08] Ratel presses her lips together and Piu can tell she had the same thought. She just nods. "Dismissed." [23:08] 14Piu grins and will give a short bow before leaving. 15[23:09] Ratel smiles back and watches her go. 15[23:09] Whew! 15[23:10] That went... okay? [23:10] 6It certainly could have gone worse. [23:10] 14They could have much worse supervision. [23:11] 10Gods around, do we have a mentor now? I think we have a mentor. [23:11] 14To the rest of the hearth: "I need to go pass along some orders to Samperson. I'll loop back in a few?" [23:14] 10Daizo: "Fine by me. I'm going to go up on deck. Feel like I've spent all day pent up." 15[23:21] Piu finds Caedus in their suite, slumped shirtless in front of an open window. His weak wave when Piu walks in indicates he's still alive, just exhausted. [23:22] 14She will walk in, walk over and, if he's amenable, start massaging his shoulders. [23:22] "I think I owe you an apology." 15[23:23] Caedus groans and rolls his neck. "Mmm. Don't stop." Unclear if he means the massage or the apology. [23:25] 10Daizo spends the next quarter hour or so looking over the nighttime sea. 10I could just fly away from this all right now. It'd be easy. All this business of empire, ruin, insurrection—no wonder people seek out the power of the moon. Imagine how liberating it must be. [23:25] 07Dragons, Daizo, listen to yourself! [23:25] 14The massage at least will continue. "I talked myself into that washroom being our only opportunity to actually effect change to help Dryas before the wedding consumed everything. Now...I was right, and I did get away with it to a reasonable standard, but it put you in a shitty position, blew up some plans, and led to a lot of backfill work. So it won't happen again." [23:25] 14That's it for the apology, though. She'll transition to a general news update. [23:26] 14So it might only be a minute or two before he's getting angry about the mouse. [23:27] 10But you're not going to, right? That… thing… was right. This is what you want to be. The guy who gets shit done. Completely.  15[23:28] 11You've always been the new you. 5You want this to be true. 15[23:29] Caedus: "You think they're gone, or do you think they're regrouping for revenge?" [23:29] 14Piu: "I'm counting on the latter. Just, not revenge on us." 15[23:29] It's late, but Tataru Taru is still burning the midnight whale-oil, at least. What are Dryas's plans? 15[23:31] Caedus: "That would be handy. Plausibly deniable Anathema. I always thought if we took the risk and established some kind of ties with their Argent League or whatever they call it, we would gain so much." [23:31] 07Dryas: "I need a mule and a wagon-team. Actually, I am going to need as many workers as possible over the next two days. Where's the best place to get them?" [23:32] 14Piu: "I agree. At the very least I wasn't going to have us going around with two of them locked together in the hold. I feel like I've said this three times today, but one is a problem that needs solving, while two is a business model." [23:32] 10Yeah. How many others, even Blooded, lived and died without making a mark? What happened to Xia Lan's companions? Gone, without a trace. But Xia Lan chose. Maybe she chose wrong. But perhaps now we can choose again. [23:33] 07Dryas gives her newest retainer an appraising look. "And how did things go with your other tasks today? Any other news?" [23:33] 10Done musing for the moment, Daizo returns to the upper city. [23:34] "Leaving the sailor alive was promising. In a way I feel like that was an audition." [23:34] "Him sneaking onto the ship that way, I mean, instead of scurrying in as a mouse." [23:34] 10Back on the palace grounds, he passes by the shared suite and heads up to Garnet's.  [23:35] "I didn't LET him free the bird, but I also stayed on deck rather than guarding the cage itself. He could have avoided me." 15[23:36] Tataru looks up so rapidly that hat slips down the front of her face again. "Oop!" Once she's recovered: "I put in an order on those plants. I had to buy the pots and the plants separately, and re-pot them myself, but it's fine! It's fine! I was a gardener for a while. Emas greens, mostly, but some dyes. But they arrived at dusk." 15[23:37] Caedus: "One is also a business plan... but it's a good line. You think he was auditioning for future work? Maybe he just wanted to impress you." 15[23:38] Sadako answers the door to the suite the three of them share, and sniffs loudly at the sight of Daizo. "Caxi's not here," she says. [23:40] 07Dryas: "Good work. But I should have told you, next time let me know if you need to delegate, though. That was my mistake, I should have left you a purse or something. After all, I didn't hire you for your strong back. Though I am sure it's still quite strong." 15[23:41] Tataru: "My lady is very thoughtful!" [23:42] "Well, I wasn't on this occasion! Now we definitely need those strong backs. I'll need at least something enough to move a large coffin around. But less conspicuous, hopefully, to a necromonger's eyes." 15[23:42] Tataru: "So is this not-a-coffin meant to look like a coffin, or are you hiding— oh!! This is to spare Lady Lena further indignity." [23:43] 10Daizo: "That's fine. I wasn't looking for her." 10He peers over Sadako's head into the room. "Is Lady Garnet awake? If so, would you ask her if she'd be willing to speak with me?" [23:43] 14Piu grins and rubs her nose up the back of his neck. "Well, if it comes to that kind of diplomacy...I've never dabbled with a Lunar before. I wouldn't worry, though. They all seem quite willing to keep their distance, at least for now." 15[23:48] Sadako leans back and pushes the door open. "Ask her yourself." The room is lit brightly but Garnet has a wet rag over her brow and eyes. By the window, Seiri is absolutely buzzing through some correspondence, alert and attentive and nursing tea with sugar. She doesn't even spare Daizo a glance. 15[23:49] Despite the blindfold, Garnet is clearly awake, and sits up as the door swings open. "What's the word from the experts?" [23:49] 10Daizo: "Thanks." 10He was going to push his way in regardless, but wanted to at least ask nicely.  [23:50] 07Dryas interrupts her. "There is an Immaculate monk in hiding at the Shrine who we need to move aboard the Leaf without attracting any attention. A shikari in fact. A rather famous one, in the Realm at least, Peleps Deled." 15[23:50] Tataru's eyes widen. 15[23:50] "Is he alive?" 15[23:51] Caedus: "Sounds like a productive day, then. How was the kid?" [23:51] 10Daizo: "No experts here, Lady Garnet. Just an amateur who made a damnfool mistake." [23:53] 07Dryas: "He is. His arrival was not secret, I take? His condition has remarkably improved. That's why we need enough carriage for a man of his stature, and not something closer to a koku or so of rice." 15[23:57] "Well. You're among fellows." Garnet hesitates a bit. "Please sit! Or don't, if you prefer, I don't mean to order you around." 15[23:58] Tataru: "We hear things... to the Leaf, you say?" 15[23:59] "Is there something we could be giving to the shrine, or asking for from the shrine, to provide cover for a delivery or a pickup?" [00:00] 10Daizo pulls up a stool and hunkers down by Garnet's bed. "Oh, no worries there. Commodore Ratel's handed down the word already." [00:01] "We'll fill you in later, in a place that isn't here. I don't want to chase the girls out again." [00:02] 14Eventually her recounting gets to Ratel's embellishments on the previous plan. [00:02] "...Which is a bit more extreme than our original blueprint." [00:02] 07Dryas contemplates this question. There's the bar from the Omeror, if it hasn't been cast overboard yet. Its cargo of books isn't much of anything to go on. She's already made an offering in jade. [00:02] "Tephen won't be pleased, but the Guild will be even less pleased. And without a port, maybe he'll have less work. More time to spend with the kid." 15[00:03] Caedus: "Shit." 15[00:03] "Well... at least I won't have to go to the wedding." 15[00:04] Seiri: "Oh! Master Daizo! I didn't hear you come in. Do you want some privacy?" [00:05] 14Piu sighs. "She has a point about denying Skullstone the port. Frankly, it might be the best thing we can do for these people long-term. They're not going to starve." [00:05] "Somehow I doubt they'll see it that way though." 15[00:05] Garnet: "No, no, it's fine. How are you feeling, Daizo? I confess I wasn't in much of a state to tell when you woke up." 15[00:06] Caedus: "As far as House business goes, the more well-fed Thresholders who hate the Realm there are, the better off we'll be." [00:07] "Agreed. I don't think a strong Skullstone is on our to-do list either. Silver and Gold Anathema are one thing, but..." 15[00:08] Caedus: "Exactly. Skullstone is the kind of thing the Immaculates suppress the Anathema to prevent." [00:09] 07It's odd, but it should do. "We'll send the ship's bar off the Omeror. There won't be many pleasure cruises for a while. They can turn it into, who knows what. Or just put it in the back for the enjoyment of the clergy. None of my business, really." [00:10] 10Daizo: "Fine. Still a little shaken from the experience, but… Fine." 15[00:11] Tataru: "...alright! I'll have some guys send it down. How will the shrine know to let Deled go out like that?" [00:12] 10Daizo: "For now, Ratel's asked me to see that you rest and conserve your strength. How are you feeling? Any lingering effects? Headache? Seeing double?" 10He's looking at the blindfold, which obviously Garnet can't tell that he's looking. 15[00:14] "I feel better now. Caxi was right. Rest was what I needed. A lingering headache, and a sour mood, but no worse than a hangover." Garnet looks briefly over Daizo's shoulder before saying: "How much of what we saw is it safe to talk about? I very much want to respect your privacy... but I don't know what is useful. Or necessary." [00:20] 10Daizo: "I'll admit, I'm charting new territory here myself." 10His voice drops lower. "But the ice, and the figures standing over us… those should stay between us for now." 15[00:21] Garnet: "...I'm sorry?" 15[00:21] "I don't remember any ice." [00:22] 07Druas: "They'll present a code phrase: 'Reach Heaven Through Violence.' Then Deled will need to hide in the carriage, which will take him to the Leaf." 15[00:23] Tataru's little eyes widen at the code. But she nods solemnly. "Got it! Does the Leaf's captain already know?" [00:24] 10Daizo takes a long look at Garnet. "After you and your companion were looking over the highway to the… I guess it wasn't the Imperial City yet, was it. Did you see that?" 15[00:24] Garnet: "...no." [00:24] "I think I was you. And your companion, with the wounded leg, for me that was Caxi…" [00:26] 10Daizo: "What was the first thing you saw, after the drug began to take hold? We… we might not have any points of correspondence in what we went through at all." 15[00:26] "I don't remember any of this. I remember the great man-turtle. I remember the bird god. And I remember..." She chews her lip with hesitation. "...the cabin." [00:26] 07Dryas: "No. I will inform her myself on my way back to the ship." 07A lot of trips back and forth. Perhaps not too suspicious. "The other thing we should see to is to start putting together an organization to keep things moving smoothly once we depart. Tell me, what do you know about racketeering?" 15[00:27] Tataru: "Racketeering is what a sore loser calls good strategy. That's one of the Guild's Rules of Acquisition." [00:28] 10Daizo: "…I see." [00:29] 10He can't help but ask. "The cabin?" [00:30] 14Slipping out of her tunic into something more comfortable, like nothing, she presses her chest to Caedus's back. "If it comes to it, though, do I have permission to engage the Lunars? Diplomatically." [00:33] 07Dryas: "The Guild is not going to be happy with what's coming for this place. But it always helps to have an ear to the ground. When we leave in a few days, I want to make sure we have some reliable sources of information we can turn to. People who the Guild, the necromancers, and the lords of Azure won't expect or can't touch. I'm not sure who that leaves, though. Hill people?" 07Yikes. 15[00:34] Caedus leans back to kiss her neck. "That's a field decision. For the field operative. You know what kind of trouble you can handle." 15[00:35] Tataru: "Touch how? Influence? Hurt?" [00:38] 14She grins, rolls him over, and goes to work. But gingerly. Poor baby is tired. 15[00:38] Garnet: "...yes. Understand that I could exert no control over the visions I received, and I had absolutely no intention of seeking such things out. But... the final vision presented to me, or the final act of the vision, was a conference between you and Lady Caxi, late at night in your cabin." Glancing over his shoulder again: "It was very heated." 15[00:39] "She began to speak in riddles and then I had the sense of being watched. Someone whispering. And then I was being shaken awake." [00:40] 07Dryas: "Nobody's perfect. But if we can find one of either, maybe that will cover the blindspots. Otherwise... might be better to have someone whose loyalty is sure, even if their survival isn't." 15[00:42] Tataru: "Well, if the Immaculates like the bar, we'll have an in with them. And then there's the smallholder captains, the people holding letters of marque from Queen Meri... we can find people. No one's untouchable... but a lot of people are beneath notice." [00:45] 07Dryas: "Great. Between the small captains and the immaculates, I think we have something to work with." [00:47] 10Daizo: "Conference. I see. That is o ne word you could use." 10He sighs heavily. "But nothing like that has happened during." [00:47] "I also had the distinct feeling of being watched, observed, in my own vision." [00:48] "But the observer spoke to me." 15[00:48] "What did they say?" [00:49] "We stand around you while you dream. You can almost hear our words but you forget. This happens more and more now. You gave us the permission in your regulations." [00:49] 07Dryas: "Get me a meeting with those small captains, as many as you can. And tomorrow, by sunset, I want your possessions packed and at the wharf. If there's nothing else, make sure you get some sleep. Good-night." 15[00:50] Tataru nods smartly, and (also smartly) holds her beret in place by force. "My lady!" 15[00:50] Garnet shivers. "The words from the heart." [00:51] 07Does she need a strap or something? Perhaps a sufficiently large feather would... 15[00:51] "Was it one voice, or many? When I heard the heart speak it was a chorus. The observer in my dream was one voice. An old man's. Like two pieces of paper rubbing together." [00:52] 07Dryas will make her way to the Leaf to inform Catela of her newest guest: perhaps the opposite, in every respect, of her previous visitor. And check in on the repairs. Hopefulyl they are far enough along that Deled isn't too curious about them. [00:53] 10A chill creeps down Daizo's spine. "The voice which spoke what I just said was many. Later, just before the end, I heard that same dry voice." 15[00:53] It was quick work! Dryas got very lucky with that savage's escape. It not only did no structural damage, and stayed above the waterline, but cutting wood to fit the patch was simple. [00:54] "It said 'You know then that it is not the reason that makes us happy or unhappy.'" [00:56] "I swear I've heard it before. Somewhere in the mountain of books I've read, I know that line." [00:56] "But why?" 15[01:00] "To me, he said..." She furrows her brow. "I can't remember." Her hand clenches the blanket wrapped around her legs. "I can't— it's right on the tip of my tongue. Bodach! I've been working and working and I swear if I have to peel my living brain layer by layer with a surgeon's knife I will find him." 15[01:01] She looks startled at her own vehemence, and looks down at her clenched hands. "I... need rest. Perhaps tomorrow we can discuss this again." 15[01:01] NEXT TIME: The Art of the Deal