username: lady of the willow tree | audio

[aprescoup]

( She is heat and storm and hissing anger: ) You fools. And me, fool, listening to the master, helping! ‘Who could have known, Karsa, who could have known?’ I could have known, you could have known, any woman with sense could have known! Men? Men know nothing. You steal from a merchant, what does he do, eh? What does he do?

( A pause, as if she nearly expects an answer — before continuing, impatiently: )

He makes more coin. Do you know whose gold you took? Whose gems you took? Who made a large deposit at La Rea just when you all broke in? Do you know? Do you know who? Torsten. Congraaaatuuulaaaaations. The high merchant. The Torsten who won the auctions, the Torsten who inked a grand salt supply contract he needs that money to pay for. The Torsten who is bringing the great-bellied best, that ship Imperious in a few days. To make up for it.

( But she’s quieting, at least. ) And on it, he brings something powerful. We hear… the master hears. A commission. Because when merchants lose money, pah! They turn into smugglers. They say Unhalad’s brothers hired Torsten to bring in... help for him. Everyone heard about the bodies on the pillars two weeks ago. Unhalad’s own people picked out and killed, no, they can’t have that. No one… no one in the east sent help to Sa-Hareth when the dead took us over, but the dead, eh? The dead help each other. Funny, no? The world. And funny, you. What are you doing? Wasting time, with tales since grandmother was too young to even open her legs. ‘Arne the Red,’ who cares? How can a man survive three days and three nights in the tundra cold? He doesn’t. But you waste time on that, instead of —

( Bitterness and bile and she pieces herself together again. )

There is one matter of gladness. Unhalad’s allies sent him... some sustenance, as well as his weapon. More like you. Hopefully better than you, ah? Not fools? A handful of captives. Every man and woman and child deserves freedom. We will cut them loose. And tell Haltham, if you see him, there is work beyond sniffing the salt.

( Determined, then: ) Now. My people, we infiltrate. And we brave the instrument. But we are few. Eight? And... maybe exercise will do you well, ah? Keeps you from other foul business? Help free your fellows from the Imperious. We go together to the ship, but we each do our part. And we succeed.

I have more of the quartz for speaking, when you free them. Ten pieces? I will send them. Like I sent you quartz to... visit La Rea. And you made gain. So now I ask my cut: some 7,000 coins would provide us enough supply to make a few men friends, to procure some sailor garb… while, alternatively, 13,000 pieces would get us... a more substantial distraction. Who is coming? And how much gold can you give?


( ooc: This is a precursor to the ship rescue test drive & game event that our resident Sith Lord player proposed. Full event details will go up on 27 April! )

Comments

[aprescoup]

I am Karsa. And you... you are a strange man. But if you want to help, I take you.

This will do. Do not worry. Who do you think thralled your quartz, ah?

[descendency]

Understatement of the century.

[darkeststars]

I don't want to hear about how strange I am from the man I had to mop up off his own damned floor after your exciting assignation, thank you. Get your own damned house in order.

[descendency]

So sorry to have lapsed in my chores, Mother.

[darkeststars]

Not so strange. [ he doesn't bother to actually explain, though. Not here. Make of his motivations whatever you will. ]

Hm, but I see. Very good, then. You would certainly know more than I about these things -- research is rather more difficult through a language barrier.

So the locals you'll bring number eight? And you're planning an infiltration on the way in, it sounds -- can all your people fight?

[aprescoup]

'Fight'? Do you see where we live? We fight every day. We fight to live. We fight to breathe. I fought fish in my breakfast meal this morning. It wanted to run.

[darkeststars]

Let me rephrase. [ dryly ] Are any or all of your people trained warriors or soldiers? I ask to consider whether I should help lead in or come up behind the rest. My work is on the battlefield -- tactics I can manage, but I only seldom get sent for the quiet jobs.

[aprescoup]

My people, they make do. We do our part. For us, do not worry.

But I cannot look after you as well. If you want to herd the sheep? Good! Mind them. The master doesn't think you should be dead, although I disagree, I think some of you should be a little bit dead.

[darkeststars]

[ drawling ] I can't say that I care what the master thinks. But in your position I imagine I would feel similar.

And fortunately, I do not require any sort of looking after. I suppose I will attempt to organize on our end then, and please do keep me abreast of the details of whatever you're planning. Not so fruitful for either of us if we were to work at cross-purposes.

What is this extra distraction you're hoping to arrange?

[aprescoup]

We do not work at cross-purpose.

If we can fetch the money... I can beg a discount. We can make our entryway... explosive.

[darkeststars]

Oh, I do love blowing up things that belong to rich people.

[aprescoup]

Noooo! No. Bad! Pah! We do not blow things while captives are on them. We blow... outside or on the deck, the fools come to investigate, we infiltrate.

[darkeststars]

Don't be ridiculous, blowing up the beings on board would clearly defeat the point. I don't walk into a mission to carry out the opposite of the objective, thank you.

Regardless, if we can evacuate all those on board who don't deserve death by icy waters, it would be... pleasant to put a few extra holes in that miserable pile of driftwood. Sa-Hareth needs only one Imperius.

[aprescoup]

I did not live to my age for a man to call me 'ridiculous.' You hear? You hear. Ridiculous! You are ridiculous.

The ship, do what you want with it, after. I have no care.

[darkeststars]

[ he bristles a little -- being told that a man can't call her ridiculous means something pretty different where he comes from than it does here, probably -- but just lets it go with a sigh. Not worth the effort. ]

I certainly shall. Grab what goods you might find useful off it then, if any, because conditions willing it's going to the bottom.

[aprescoup]

But take her out of the dock first, yes? You do not sink a ship in shallow water. You block the port. Then? Then? You ruin commerce. You already ruined the bank. You ruin commerce now? You want us to starve? What did we do to you? Why do you take food from our mouths?

[jeoha]

Perhaps sinking the ship at all is not in our best interest. Especially if we find ourselves in need of a ship later.

She can always be renamed.

Is there a bay near here deep enough to act as a harbour?

[darkeststars]

I suppose the idea is not without its merits, if anyone amongst our number is qualified to pilot such a thing. [ do not ask the space man how these water ships work, he does not know ]

On the other hand. Vengeance is sweet.

[jeoha]

Is that what your primary aim is? To satisfy vengeance?

[darkeststars]

Of course. No self-respecting Sith would fail to carry out revenge on a hated foe. And every one of our number returning home, life and limb intact, utterly thwarting the warlord's plans, will be the best vengeance of all.

That doesn't mean there is never room for a little extra.

[aprescoup]

You are not taking the Imperious. She is one of the best known ships of Sa-Hareth. Dreaded. Disgusting. You cannot change her enough that men won't know. And she is large.

You sink her, or you let her go.

[jeoha]

[ He lets out a low considering sound. ] I see. And a ship that size is unlikely to be completely unknown outside Sa-Hareth either.

But letting her go - if she takes word of our exploits, that may cause far deeper problems in the long run, not simply for us, but for your people as well.

Unless you believe there is a way to free her cargo and yet still look like the fault lay within the ship itself and not from outside incursion.

[darkeststars]

I had nothing to do with the bank. [ thought it was an op well-run, sure, but personally involved? they seemed to have it well in hand without any Sith Lords. ] Those of us stuck in your city are strangers to one another just as much as we're strangers to you.

Regardless, your instruction is noted. Hm, it's been some time since I shoved anything that big. Let me see, this will require some creativity... [ thoughtful hum ]

[aprescoup]

Sounds like a man's problem. Tell me when you have the solution.

[darkeststars]

I really haven't the faintest what you mean going on about that, madam. It's a big galaxy out there and where I come from, men are known for staying home, sewing the clothes, and feeding the children.

I don't put much stock in any of that, and however things are in Sa-Hareth, I suspect neither do you.

I'll figure it out. Figuring things out in the field is what they pay me for.