Zosha looks at he others as they puzzle over the bits and scraps of parchment.

"Pity my brother isn't here, he excels at such things," she frowns.  "Still, it would be best if we finished our repairs and got underway.  Though, I suppose we are here, in part, to find out if we can get further leads on this young Jaka we seek."

The pilgrim nods. "I may perhaps pray for guidance again. I had hoped we would find some sign here." He pauses for a moment, looking out over the city. "I wonder..."

He crosses over to the railing and shouts to the closest Marukan guardsman he can spot. "Hey there. Those red-skinned soldiers that were just here. We've still got some of their buddies here on deck. Do you know where in the city they're bunking down?"

He turns back to the ship. "Sometimes Aa works in strange ways. He sees all the things that we do not."

In reply to Zosha Davij Inan (msg #418):

"I agree, Zosha.  There's bound to be more of those brutes lumbering about."   Wraith leans over the deck and stares down into the city.  "Perhaps we can find someone in another port-of-call who will be able to decipher those scraps for us."  The lean airman heads off to find Aeletheros.

In reply to Wraith Zephyr (msg #420):

((OOC: Is there progress with this? Did the documents get taken into the city & I managed to miss that part, or are we waiting to see what turns up with the Quest for the Cub and hoping to get translation elsewhere?))

Wraith continues to move about the ship, repairing minor damage and generally prepping the vessel for departure.  Although he wishes to decipher the document, he feels a great urgency to find another port as quickly as possible.

As a group of guards move to enter the tower, the last looks up to Aalistair's call.  He seems about to answer, but then calls and motions that he will come up.

Shortly after, he and one other guard emerge from the doors at the docks at the top of the tower.  He stops short, eyes wide as he surveys the carnage across the deck of the windship.


OoC:  'Document' would be a bit generous.  All the Kang leader had was a few scraps with a few lines of notes here and there.  No one has done anything with the papers since.

Aalistair nods to the guardsmen. "Good day, sirs. These louts attempted to board and seize our ship as well as murder or impress what crew they could." He gestures to the bodies of the Kang laid out side by side on the deck. [OoC: Did any of them survive? Are they all dead?] "Do you know where they might have been bunking down in the city? We'd like to at least return the bodies and perhaps seek recompense."

In reply to Aalistair (msg #424):

Mirna stops her uneasy pacing of the deck long enough to watch Aalistair's interaction with the guardsmen.

Wraith tethers his hands to his hips and watches the guards.  "We should probably jettison this refuse, soon.  All sorts of critters are starting to take interest in this bounty."  The airman taps his foot and continues to watch the proceedings.

The guardsman considers a moment, and finally closes his mouth, realizing his jaw had dropped open.

"I don't know where they might be bunking in the city, or if at all.  My sergeant might know.  They've been about for a couple days, trying to hire mercenaries.  They've got a bunch they had moved out to a camp a couple miles outside the city."


OoC:  No, none of the Kang appear to have survived (other than the one who walked away).  Some were clearly killed in combat, others either died in combat, or expired while Aalistair and J'landria were occupied healing the injuries of the Fate's crew.

"Couple of miles outside the city, eh? Any idea which direction," Aalistair looks over to Wraith as he asks these questions, raising an eyebrow. "Also, is there someone in the city who handles the disposal of the dead? We'd like to get this carrion off our decks as quick as we may."

He nods, eyes still wide and taking in the scene, "Yes, uh, south and east of the city, I think they were camped, quite a motley bunch, or so I hear."  He pauses a moment, still nodding slowly, and goes on, "There is a mortician's guild you could send for to take care of the details.  They are not overly costly." 

Aalistair nods, angling his body, but not completely turning away from the guardsman. "Well, it seems we have a choice. Leave a little more coin and the bodies here, or head south east, looking for a camp, and dump them with their kin."

In reply to Aalistair (msg #430):

Wraith nudges one of the bodies with the toe of his boot.  "I think there's a third choice, Aalistair: we could simply dump them in the desert and be done with it.  Although we've never had this conversation before, I suspect that you're  more interested in funerary customs than I.  Although I doubt that you would invoke the name whatever heathen god that this filth placated, you nonetheless would prefer to inter this lot."

The airman spits and wipes his mouth.  "You'll have to forgive me.  I prefer to jettison them, forthwith."

In reply to Wraith Zephyr (msg #431):

Mirna chuckles darkly, "We could always fly south east and return the bodies to their companions from a great height."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:53, Thu 01 Dec 2011.

"I believe it is our duty as good folk to take up on behalf of these lost souls, abandoned by their own kin, and call out the morticians for proper burial.  As new, though dead, companions to us, we must take charge of their possessions and put things to rights forthwith."

Wraith's serrated grin vanishes with Zosha's proclamation.  "As you wish," he says.  "If you prefer, perhaps Mirna and I can locate this mortician and bring this matter to a close."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:48, Fri 02 Dec 2011.

Aeletheros wanders over to the conversation from his repairs, catching the tail end of things; "I definite advocate for avoiding further face-to-face interactions with the Kang while we are here. Other than that I have no thoughts as to the disposition of the bodies."

Aalistair nods. "The respect with which we treat our dead is a mark of our civility. It's one of the things that sets us apart from the Sub-Men." He sighs. "These are not our dead, true, but they are perhaps our responsibility."

He nods to Zosha and turns fully back to the guardsman. "Can we send someone for this mortician? Or with a message to bring a cart? We've already been attacked once today and do not wish to leave this ship unprotected."

In reply to Aalistair (msg #436):

Wraith clenches his jaw and says to Aalistair, "Fair point, pilgrim, but I suppose the same could be said about religious tolerance.  As civilized as your adherents are known to be, the zeal with which some of them promulgate their faith is just as savage as any Sub-man - more, perhaps - but that is neither here nor there."  He looks at Mirna and says, "Would you care to help me clean this mess?"

In reply to Wraith Zephyr (msg #437):

"No, Wraith, I won't. Or rather, as Aalistair said, the ship should not be left unprotected. Aalistair, go to the dockmaster down there and have them send for a mortician," she waves a hand at the gangplank. "Please." she adds, plainly reminding herself that this is not a military group.

Zosha removes a coin purse, removes several coppers and hands them to the guards, "If you would be so kind to fetch the morticians, and a token for your kindness and efforts during our troubles."

The guards nod their thanks, and depart for the stairs.

Once they leave, Zosha turns back to the rest of you.  "That Kang left his brethren in our charge.  For what will likely be the cost of a few lumens at most, we can have them put to rest with dignity.  As part of our responsibility, we'll take care of their worldly goods.  As I understand it," she says, motioning with her hand at the corpse of the Kang leader, "even a damaged, second hand set of Kang battle armor is worth some hundreds of gold lumens."

In reply to Mirna (msg #438):

Wraith tilts his head urbanely and, scraping dried blood from beneath a fingernail, says, "I will see to the remainder of the repairs, then."

Aalistair will start to strip the bodies, making several piles: weapons, goods and clothing, and armor. Items that are obviously in poor shape or heavily damaged he'll sit aside in another pile. (OoC: I imagine some of that armor and the undergarments are fairly trashed.)

As he works, he'll call Zosha over. "This equipment that's damaged," he nods to the fourth pile. "Maybe instead of trying to fix any of it to salable quality, we donate it to the locals here. Most of their gear seemed fairly second-hand already."

In reply to Aalistair (msg #441):

She nods, "Yes, it is of little enough value to us, and might generate good will with the city.  The better equipment let us keep aside, as we will have a greater profit from it in another port."