[OOC: Where did everybody go? I think I've heard from enough people that that question is rhetorical, but in particular, I've heard from Alberich, who's alive and well but still off line for a few more weeks, although he does plan to be back. I'm going to pre-emptively resolve the waiting-for-Tim plot point, in a way that needn't be incompatible with Tim popping by in the morning to say goodbye, but allows us to move forward, and have some other interactions. Let's get this puppy running again!]
"We'll roll outta here bright 'n early, half past dawn," Dess Marson said cheerily as the sullen-looking Tomas set about servicing the odd steam wagon, with a greater diligence, and apparently competence, than one might have expected. "Ever'body get a good night's sleep." He leered at Argus and Sister Rose and winked. "Or not."
Half past dawn, thought Rose, ignoring the wink; tonight wouldn't be the night for ... well, not getting a good night's sleep, for several reasons. "Uh, why's that?" she ventured. "We have a long way to go to Salvus. Most of us will be up with the sun or before it, for our various religious reasons. We can get off earlier if you want us to." She squeezed Argus' hand and issued a quiet mental <"Sorry about that.">
Marson's open (but, Rose suspected, carefully stage-managed) face showed concern. "Oh, no, ma'am, we don't want t'do that," he said. "One thing, we wanna make sure all th' night wyrms have gone underground 'fore we get into their turf. We don't wanna run into a night wyrm, bad for business." He shuddered. "'Nother thing, we got arrangements to make a trade visit by th' Ghob first thing after high noon. Things work better with th' Ghob if it's all accordin' to plan, exact as it kin be. Sure don't wanna get there too early; they might think we're invadin' the place, and we wouldn't want that." Another shudder.
Ghob, thought Rose, subsiding immediately.
That may explain some things. What little she
knew about the semi-mythical troglodyte race had been winkled out of the Heretic Knowledge Vault back when she'd been preparing to go to Albigenish. They'd been identified as possible allies of the Albigensians (although, in the event, none had appeared on the battlefield), and she'd tried to learn more about them, as a responsible commander would regarding a possible new, unknown threat. She'd only made it through the first page or two of some tedious contact report before a gruff librarian appeared and snapped the case shut, growling that she didn't have the need to know, and what was a mere
woman doing in here anyway?
She was about to pick Marson's brains for more about this visit to the Ghob, but she was pre-empted when Yehuda, from the Dragonslayer compound (and the Matins service), trundled up in a small wagon. He addressed Rose. "Ma'am, Lady Dragonslayer sent me to pick up Brother Timothy's belongings. He's going to be staying in the Lady's guest house until he finds a permanent place. Do you have any thoughts to pass to him?"
Rose composed her face blandly as she looked around the group.
Of course, he'll also pass those thoughts to Lady Dragonslayer, she thought,
but no matter, she'll have those soon enough through Tim's ... distinctive
lens anyway. "Anyone?" she asked, making sure the inquiry encompassed all those present.