un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

[ Stealing a second pendant wasn’t easy, exactly, but not was it particularly difficult. As shrewd as merchants were, they were simultaneously arrogant when they thought they were going in for the kill - so using Kahl as a distraction (deliberately looking both well meaning and slow with too much coin weighing him down) made it easy to slip the device away and make his own exit long before the man noticed. He and Kahl met up again in a dank little corner, dark and damp, and crouched down over it as they changed the username and prepared their post.

They needed to get the word out - and quickly - but doing so as themselves would only paint a target on their back. So. Burner device, pretend to be a native from the city, get the word out, then ditch the device as soon as they were done.

Time to go. ]

To our foreign guests:

You’ve been promised to Rakkathu as bodies for his horde. Our King plays your host but has already cut a deal - your lives for ours. Or at least some of them.

A dozen plus a tax - this is what he has been promised.

My conscience won’t abide for it. You’ve done nothing but help where and when we’ve asked, only to get this in return. Don’t let him sacrifice you. Murder won’t buy us freedom, whatever our masters believe.

Please. If you’re anywhere near as strong as I think you are: help free us from him once and for all.

-L

[ ooc: comments with this icon and the un “unlikely friend” are from kahl and cass’s burner phone stolen pendant. Any replies from Kahl or from Cassian’s un “bee” are from their personal pendants. ]

Comments

un: song » text

[spoilers]

While I wouldn't doubt such a deal being made, it's a foolish one. And though, certainly, we might have every reason to take your warning to protect ourselves, why should we get involved in your people's power struggle?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

You’re right - I should not have asked.

But Rakkathu is an evil that threatens everyone he comes across. He doesn’t care about our power struggles, he doesn’t care about our lives.

He can’t be bargained with because he values nothing but death.

[spoilers]

Oh, I know. I've had all the associations with Rakkathu I'd like to have.

And I've known others like him, some with more redeemable qualities and a few who may even have less.

If your king bargains our lives, he bargains them for nothing. And I have to say, I'm not particularly in the mood to be bargained, so I wouldn't go easily. But I'm also not particularly in the mood to overthrow a king, whether the information is credible or not.

[allforthecause]

And I’m not in a mood to ask for it.

But as long as Rakkathu lives - for whatever sense of life he has - then desperate men will do desperate things in the name of safety and peace.

[ Even if personally he’d be all for a coup - he doesn’t think that’s their biggest problem right now. ]

[spoilers]

I see. You want us to kill Rathakku. Or defeat him, as it were. I rather thought that's what we were doing here, given the nature of our circumstances. We aren't exactly all for practising non-interference.

So why throw your king under the bus? To create a greater sense of urgency?

[allforthecause]

So you know you can’t trust him.

There’s a wide gap between distrust and depose.

[spoilers]

Maybe. Maybe not as wide as you'd think.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I didn't trust him to begin with. But then, I don't trust most people.

[allforthecause]

Wise.

I know the feeling.

[spoilers]

Yes. Yet you've trusted us with this information, hoping we'll act on it. Apparently at risk to yourself.