Kiyoka, part 2

[Graybeard]

[OOC: Actually, I think Argus would have been snoozing on the floor, or maybe on a mattress on the floor. Remember, he took the bed apart for padding in case the ward on the desk blasted him into the wall. But no matter. Anyway... /OOC]

The two women looked at each other, then back at Argus, shrugged. Sister Margaret was remembering a man she'd been through basic training with (in more ways than one), long ago and far away. Sister Rose's face (the handsome but traditional nun's face, that is; it was really her natural appearance) was unreadable.

"We're sorry we overstressed you," Margaret apologized as Argus groggily regained consciousness. "I should have been more sensitive to your need to rest and refresh your energy. However, I think we learned something important here. While I can't pretend to make sense out of what you were saying about the former contents of that desk, it's pretty clear that it was ... worrisome. There is certainly nothing like a 'Living Flame' in the Scriptures of Luminosita, either as a real entity or even as a metaphor. It sounds -- dare I say it? -- heretical."

"We'll have to think about that in the context of the visit of the Cardinal Inquisitor," Rose said. "And the urgency of getting you out of here before he shows up has probably increased. On that count there is good news: the warp gate is back in limited operation, for what one might term 'friendly users.' I'm not sure whether you'd consider it a good thing or a bad thing that you qualify." She didn't tell him that the only other "friendly user" that the Tsuirakuans were accepting, other than their own technologists and military, was the priest or nun who'd be accompanying him; why spoil a good thing?

Now it was Argus' face's turn to be unreadable, as Margaret continued, "If you're willing to give it a try, we'll arrange for someone to accompany you to Saus to continue the investigation. They'll be running the gate some time this evening, so you'll need to pack up your belongings at the inn. I'll send a novice along to help you with that. We'll make arrangements for someone to meet you at the other end; that part should be easy. So are you up to it?"

[Drannin]

Argus got to his feet. He noticed that it wasn't a bed; they'd simply laid out the mattress he had been using earlier as a makeshift ward padding. Weave I can't believe I said that out loud...

Argus shifted from foot to foot. "I seem to be in one piece," he noted. "Don't worry about me; I've always had trouble in divination and I'm basically breaking some new ground skill-wise. I have yet to work out all of the bugs." And I apparently need to learn to keep my mouth shut when waking up early... why does Sister Margaret look thoughtful?

That way madness lay.

Stable once again, Argus nodded. "My sum total possessions are either on me or in a small bag back at the inn. Spare clothes and a book I bought. That's about it." He raised an ironic eyebrow. "Gutter mages don't keep a lot of stuff."

Then Argus was serious again. "But now that you bring it up, I would very much like to be out of here before the Inquisitor shows up. It is not a very promising title."

[Viking-Sensei]

Kureji hesitated on the issue of loved ones close to her - there really weren't many. Her mother, Saiko, had always been at arm's length at best, too bound up in the family business and the world of corporate mergers and acquisitions to ever pay any great deal of attention to her daughter... her father had been one of those "mergers and acquisitions", and had fled before she ever got a chance to know him. She had an older brother, now since deceased, and a younger sister who'd fled the family and joined the Church of Luminosita on some far flung continent. And then there's Rokku...

"I'd rather not talk about it." Kureji said, sinking slowly into the warm waters.

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A little later, now fully toweled off, Kureji presented a set of traditional tsuirakan clothes to Tsubasa.

"Now that you're less possessed, we need to do what we can to prevent your detection. So... no more fox mask, no more going shadow, and no more ninja garb unless it's an absolute emergency. Now, on the front of your quest... I've been thinking about it, and there's really only one place we can get a weapon capable of gashing ghosts, slicing souls, and slaying spirits - but, it's not going to be easy to get to... have you ever heard of the Heretical Knowledge Vault?"

[Graybeard]

"We'll make it so," Sister Margaret told Argus, as Sister Rose went in search of a novice to accompany him to the inn. "I'll get in touch with Father Reynard in Saus about setting up a meet-and-greet. He's the Abbot at the 'reformed' temple there, and will be happy to help -- which is not necessarily true of some of the more, ah, conservative priests of the Church in Saus.

"Meanwhile, let's discuss your escort. My preference would be to send Brother Miguel with you; he's sufficiently spooked by this 'Shade' business that getting him out of here would be a service to all involved, and his skills in truth divination may come in handy to you, unless you have similar skills yourself. I'd really rather not spare Sister Rose; as you may have gathered, her skills in persuasion are a tremendous asset to the mission, and we're going to need all of that that we can get. I don't think I could pry Brother Farley away from his battlemage girlfriend with a hammer and chisel, and that too is a relationship that we can get some good use out of. The twins are a bit inexperienced for something like this, and as for Brother Jerald..." She let her voice trail off. "So does Miguel meet with your approval?" she asked, as Rose returned with a young man in novice's garb.

[Drannin]

"I agree with your selection wholeheartedly," said Argus, which was not entirely true. He'd love to have one of the twins with him, but their skills did not lend them to this task very well. And, really, Argus would be more interested in their skirts than their fighting skills. And why risk alienating allies... well, employers, really... by staring at the legs of one of their nuns?

The choice made, Argus set off for the inn with a novice in tow to pick up his meager worldly possessions. Things had taken an insane turn, but Argus was determined to find out what in blazes was going on. Besides, Father Egbert had promised him a chance to strike out at the abominable bastards that ran Tsuirakushiti. And Argus was not about to let a chance like that slip by.

Even if he had to sober up a little bit.

[Graybeard]

It didn't take long to gather Argus' belongings, even with the need to dispel all the traps, wards and detection spells that were still in effect at his room. Argus was mildly surprised: the Tsuirakuans really hadn't messed with his lodging overnight. Could the cease-fire in their psychological warfare be legitimate? It seemed so.

Back at the mission, there was a not-too-emotional parting scene as Argus collected Brother Miguel, still muttering under his breath about the bruja, and got contact information for the mission people at both ends of the trip. Brother Farley wasn't there; he was off with Kristi -- getting a debrief on how the evidence collection had gone, Sister Margaret said with a wink (and a hint of nostalgia, possibly). Sister Rose, Sister Eva, Sister Marilyn, Brother Lemuel and even Brother Jerald were there for the send-off along with Margaret. Rose surprised Argus with a quick, demure kiss on the cheek and a shy smile; the kiss that Marilyn applied to Miguel, and her description of what she'd do to him if he didn't come back, was considerably less ... demure.

The warp gate was still almost empty, but Portalmage Haziri met them there and escorted them into the gate chamber himself. "Safe travels, Brother Miguel, Dr. Cleiviein," he said. "We've gone over the gate with a fine-tooth comb and believe it's as secure as it's ever been. May your travels in Veracia be as comfortable -- and productive, for both of our sakes."

A feeling of bonhomie, entirely out of keeping with events of the last few days, was beginning to envelop Argus and Miguel as the preparations for the opening of the gate were made. There were only a few other travelers, most of them apparently some kind of techno-mages doing diagnostics that Argus didn't recognize. There were also a pair of bored-looking battlemages in uniform -- were there always battlemages on gates into and out of Kiyoka? It looked like it. None paid any attention to Argus and Miguel ... until one last traveler entered the gate.

"It appears that our interests coincide once again, Dr. Cleiviein," Captain Kitaura said, in the same flat, emotionless voice that Argus had come to know in the last few days.

[LordofNightmares]

have you ever heard of the Heretical Knowledge Vault?"
"I have heard of it," Tsubasa said drying off and placing the cloths on "I have also heard it is hard to break in to."
"What first turn my self in or head to the Vault first?" She said already guessing the answer "if the Vault, warp gates may be a bad ideal, dont know who we will run in to ether in the gate or on the other side."
"With the all the battle mages around the gates, and the fact the the V.C mission is abuzz with something, I just dont know."
"Huginn and Muninn, have been keeping an eye on things, I gave them orders not to get too close," walking to her room "they will let me know the troop movements, till we ether go to the gate or get on a ship"

[Drannin]

Damnation.

"Captain Kitaura," Argus said politely. "I am also surprised to see you again. Do you have business is Saus?"

Argus' main question was whether Kitaura was going to be a bastard, cooperative, or would mostly ignore him out of hand. He was prepared for any of the above.

[Viking-Sensei]

"If you'll allow me a moment of pragmatic and survivalist concern, something you said has caused me to re-evaluate the immediate priority of turning you in. It's a several-fold issue... first and foremost, since there isn't really a formal extradition treaty between Veracia and Tsuiraku, going there will essentially be a clean slate - even if a group of wandering battlemages would happen upon you, they're not going to have any authority to do anything without first seeking Luminosita's blessing. Secondly, what better way to prove your innocence than to bring before the authorities the vanquished spirit controlling your... ahem... friend."

Thirdly, Kureji added in her own head, if you get caught, someone is still going to have to kill that puppetmaster guy... right after he tells me everything he knows about Springheel Jack. With fox-girl's help, I can identify the right type of weapon to kill him... and her, if I need to. The game... is still afoot.

"So... what say we use some of the giant hordes of money and power that my family has on something frivolous, like a high-speed airship?"

[Graybeard]

"My business in Saus is the same as yours, Dr. Cleiviein," Kitaura replied evenly -- one would almost say mechanically. "We share an interest in bringing the matter of this Father Egbert to a satisfactory conclusion. Our goals in this affair are more similar than you may realize. And we have many of the same questions that you do -- and more. I am authorized to place at your disposal the assistance of the Tsuirakuan embassy in Saus, should you require it. I am further authorized to share information on Father Egbert's whereabouts that my staff and I develop while we are there. We ask in return that you keep us informed of any relevant discoveries that you make."

The portalmages were taking their positions, signifying that the gate was about to open. Kitaura sped the pace of his monologue slightly; was it haste to finish before the gate functioned, or the closest he could come to actual agitation? Either way, he fixed Argus with his flat, hooded stare, as a rock lizard might stare at a fly it was about to devour, and continued, "Understand, though, that our willingness to work with you ends with the resolution of this mystery and any actions that it may require. You are not, under any conditions, to infer that you are welcome again in Tsuirakushiti. You are not. If you attempt to return there, you will be subject to the same penalties as were prescribed when you were exiled. Have I made myself clear?"

Argus didn't have time to answer before a shimmering cascade of light filled the gate chamber. With a WHOOOSSHH, the gate opened, and they were off.

[OOC: And with that, activity in Kiyoka reaches an end for the moment, at least from the perspective of Argus and the folks at the Veracian mission. I'll get a Saus thread started this evening, and Viking-Sensei and LordofNightmares, could you let me know what your intentions are as regards travel? If you think of yourselves as already on the way via high-speed airship, then we can close and lock this thread -- although there'll be more stuff in Kiyoka in the future.]