"That's the tougher question.  I don't know about offering to carry something somewhere.  He's only likely to want it moved to another conclave, and we can hardly admit we're not from one of them.  Some of the jelly perhaps, but again, that might be too revealing of where we come from."

"... A Coyote?"

Dashu listens to his friend and then says, "Hmm, the jelly would be too revealing of where we come from only if it was in the hands of someone who could identify it."  Then without missing a beat, he cooly explains what a coyote is with a since of pride.  Not all of his experience as a criminal investigator will go to waste.  "A coyote is the term given to people who are in the business of smuggling persons across boarders.  From what I know on the subject, it was named after an animal I haven't ever seen in the 5 Coils.  The animal was something of a scavenger, which, in general is how the smuggler and the smugglee live during their crossing.  I suspect that the term carried over from the previous age.  Payment systems varry from coyote to coyote.  Long story short, it's a coyote's job to know how to get inexperienced people around checkpoints."


OCC: The term coyote is what's generally used with regards to people who smuggle illegal immigrants over the USA/Mexico boarder.  I figure the shoe fit in this case so I just adopted it for use here.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:40, Fri 13 Mar 2009.

After a moment's pause, the investigator makes a simple statement, "We won't know his price unless we go talk to him.  We need to go see the first contact to arrange the meeting."

Suddenly, Dashu stops walking and a look passes over his face as though he had an epiphany.  Realizing this sudden stopping would attract attention he acted like he was looking at a sign on the street.  He then started walking with Xurizu again but whispered, "What if we're going at this all wrong?  What if instead of us trying to take her out of the compound, we try to keep them from bring her back into it?  If we can arrange for an accident to occur, then they'll be forced to send their healers to help.  In the confusion, we take her collar off and... leave."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:47, Sat 14 Mar 2009.

Xurizu nods, "Ah, I see.  Yes, I suppose that is appropriate," he nods to the explanation of a Coyote.  "But I wasn't worried about the smuggler knowing what it meant, but rather ... what would happen if he were caught with it?"

In response to Dashu's brainwave though, he has to frown and shake his head.  "What if someone died?  It would have to be serious indeed for them to send out, and that would be playing with other people's lives.  What, too, if she doesn't want to go until people are well once more?  Perhaps an accident that befell one of us might get us a private word with her, though ..."

OOC: I had no idea about the term OOC, so I figured it might as well be IC ignorance too.

And so while Nanaret is away, Dashu and Xurizu continue on their investigation, trying to gather more information about their situation and the topics that are of interest to them.

The pair work separately, but get into a lot of conversations each on their side. The main interest in such conversations is to compare the views Dashu can get form the workers with the ones Xurizu can get from the more erudite side of the Conclave. To their surprise, things are not that dissimilar between the two - certain things the inhabitants seem to share, despite their obvious differences.

This time spent investigating provides them with an impressive collage of comments and opinions. And yet, some of these talks and comment seem to stick more in their minds than others...

***

On the state of the Conclave...

27th Deep Mining team leader, Caleb Briggs.
Caleb is one of the oldest miners on camp, at 66 years old. He is due for retirement, at an age where many other miners have to take their leave for various health problems - be they joint and muscle related, or more insidious like lung and respiratory problems. Against all odds, however, he is still one of the most active deep miners the Conclave has. He still is responsible for a unit of eight men, most of which are half his age or less. And yet, none of them question the abilities or knowledge of the man that earned the nickname 'Iron Mole'.

"This place? When I started out in here, what you saw was what you got." The older man says to Dashu, reclining slightly after loading the last piece of heavy machinery into a transport crate. Dirty fingers rub his creased brow, and he gazes through the Conclave, as if seeing how things used to be. "It was never pretty. It never really was happy either, at least not as a whole. All we are here are a bunch of workhorses, and not really by choice either. Most of us, we'd only want better lives for our kids, y'know? Slave day in and out so our sons and daughters don't have to do it themselves. But look at me. I'm with a team of guys that could all be my kids. All this slaving, and we've accomplished nothing. And I think people are finally starting to see that. And that's not something they want us to see, because those that do see that are getting pissed off."

"That business what with the checkpoint is just another chip in the pile, y'know? But it's starting to accumulate, 'specially with the younger fellows. Many of them are just roughhousing now. They're wanting to say something, and they can't do it to the bosses' faces, so they just do it where they won't be seen. They join gangs, or try to join that outfit of that one guy... What's the name again... Mockingbird. That guy. Or they try to find out about that 'Free' person, and try to gain his attention, whoever he is. Y'know, nothing huge or especially out there. But for an old dog like me, I can spot the difference right away. There's a lot of anger in the air. Lots of frustration. Who knows where that's gonna lead."

The old man gets back to his feet again, and grunts as he starts to load another piece of heavy machinery in another crate. "Things are different than they used to be. But its not that things used to be better."

"We were just more docile."

***

Chief Inventory clerk for the surface mining venture, Adrian Delaris.
Adrian is a well groomed individual in his late thirties, and one of the most 'successful' bureaucrats of the Conclave. He is a ruthlessly methodical man, one who tolerates no sloppiness in work - a trait he inherited from his father, just like his position. To those who earn his confidence, he sometimes reveal that what he would truly have wanted in life was to become a clock-maker - his passion for exactitude and detail perfectly exemplified by timepieces and clockwork devices.

"Whoever tells you there is any partisanship to be had down here is a right liar". The man says, smiling softly, as he overseas the extensive inventory call of one of the mining warehouses. Having taken a liking to Xurizu's attitude, he speaks rather freely of his own observations after over a decade taking care of his late father's position. "Outsiders would believe that there is some sort of 'rivalry' or 'resentment' between the clerks and bureaucrats and the miners themselves. That is an erroneous notion. They do not think we are weak and cushy, and we do not think of them as boorish and stupid. One would think that would happen, but it does not happen here."

"That is because we both realize we are in the same mess, in the end. Look at it this way. Neither of us gets the better living accommodations. Our spouses and children crop up the same sort of mining-related diseases no matter what our line of work is. Neither of us is treated more kindly in the eyes of our superiors. We clerks know little more than our mining brethren. None of us truly knows what our excavations will provide, as we never see the purpose nor any final product. In the end, all of us are little more than herded cattle put in pens based on our abilities."

He smiles again, this time sadly. "Cattle herded by the same peasant do not denigrate one another."

***
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:09, Mon 16 Mar 2009.

On Creed's wife...

Melinda Colgrave, main clerk at 'Corgrave's', main distributor of food, drugs and alcohol in the Conclave.
The middle daughter of the owner of 'Colgraves's', Melinda is a bright and cheerful woman, a somewhat rare sight among the heavy gloom that seems to permanently surround the Conclave. Like her three siblings, Melinda also works the family business, taking over the position of main clerk from her mother after Mrs. Colgrave's health did not allow her to keep such continuous working hours. Melinda is now the main face of Colgrave's, and keeps up her work with an attitude that seems to momentarily eclipse the grimy environment she is in.

"So you say she looked like..." The woman says, having just finished handing out change to her previous customer. Both Dashu and Xurizu are within earshot - not too difficult within the small counter area at Colgrave's - when she finally gives her answer. "Oh... Oh! I think you mean Patience! Yeah, of course I know her. She was the one who took care of the shopping in her household. I actually liked her a lot, and spent some time chatting her up when she came along... But then, I have a tendency to do that with pretty much everybody." She smiles a bit sheepishly, before returning to a more pensive mood.

"Is she a friend? I'd love to have news of her, really. I'm kinda sad she never stopped by to say goodbye. She just left, about a month ago. Can't really blame her though... After that one disease that wiped out the settlement she and her husband lived in and all. I heard her husband died there... That's awful, isn't it?"

"Patience herself hasn't been seen here since then, so she probably moved out of the Conclave or something. Maybe to live with relatives? I hope she's doing okay." The girls looked down for a moment, before smiling again.

"Is that all I can do for you? You should get some of these apples, we just got them, and they're delicious!"

***

On Free...

Street collector for Mockingbird's Organization, Red Lorelei.
The woman known as Red Lorelei is, incidentally enough, one of the most feared collectors employed by Mockingbird. A woman collector in a mining settlement might seem like a bad idea at first, but Red Lorelei makes the concept work without a hitch. Some whispers that oftentimes, it only takes the mention of her name for victims to suddenly and miraculously come up with most if not all of the money they owed, all within record time. She does not hide her name, and yet the Dragonblooded have yet to try to make a move against her - the fact no one has dared try to rat on her a testament to how much respect she has in the Conclave.

"Free? Yeah, 'course I know of him. Everybody who's somebody has heard of the guy, even if they pretend they don't." Leaning against a wall, the fiery redhead eats the wrapped sandwich she brought with her, her free hand gesturing to illustrate the points she speaks of. Once or twice her fingerless gloved hand comes close to Dashu as she continues to expound. "I work everyday to preserve the Mockingbird's interest, right? It's my job, and I get to bust a few heads in the process. But for that Free guy? Man, I'd probably do this shit pro bono."

"I mean... Come on. Even the people who don't want to have anything to do with him have to admit the guy has balls. He's the only one really willing to stick it out to the man and come back for seconds, right?" She pauses at that, taking another bite of her sandwich. Peering down, she brushes a few crumbs that cling to her leather vest. "There's no real way to know how these guys think or operate. And what better way not to get caught? People can't catch you if they can't figure you out. I hear it's him and his wolf pack gang, or whatever they're called. Did you hear that the wounded that arrived at the temple recently were supposedly wounded by Free and his guys? Man, these people were mauled. I consider myself lucky I'm clearly on the same side, since Mockingbird helps out Free with stuff once in a while. But you keep that part quiet allright? I wouldn't want to have to visit you later." She grins, and winks in Dashu's direction.

"Some people say that eventually, things are just gonna blow up, you know? That Free's gig is eventually gonna spill, and that it's going to be uncontrollable." She pauses, then stares at Dashu for a moment, a wolfish grin forming on her features.

"Me? Are you kidding? When shit starts up, I am so there."

***

Deep Mining expedition planner, Evorn Cairen.
Among the clerks and bureaucrats of Five Coils, Evorn Cairen has one of the most difficult and demanding lines of work - he plans out and organizes the deep mining expeditions, meaning the life of men, not to mention the care of expansive equipment, are continuously under his responsibility. His days are spent looking over recon reports and making calculations, all so he will not endanger miners or equipment in ventures that will turn out to become dangerous. He spends his life in an office, and yet Evorn Cairen sees more danger then even the most hardy of miners out in the field. After all, one simple miscalculation on his part could potentially snuff the lives of dozens of men in but an instant.

"Ah, so the rumors do catch on quick, I see." Cairen says, smiling at Xurizu as he carefully wipes his spectacles with a soft cloth. There is still a ton of paperwork on desk, but Cairen insisted that he needed the break anyways, and thus leaned in his chair to listen to the tales Xurizu brought from the outside. "Free is on almost every lips now, it would seem. I suppose that is because you do not really see people acting in a way that contradicts authority around here. Or... no, I should word this differently. You do not see people acting in a way that openly contradicts authority around here."

"Oh, my theories on who Free is? I am not so bold as to claim I have a perfect assessment, I'm afraid. The character is fascinating, of course. Tales in turn depict him as a hero and as a madman. Stories of his heroic combat against oppression fly side by side with tales of his savagery and the brutality of his actions. When one anecdote paints him as a powerful freedom-fighter, another surfaces that makes one question his methods. But it is undeniable that no matter who he is, he has a profound impact on the collective whole."

"But I am dodging the question, am I not?" He says, smiling, as he places the spectacles on the tip of his nose. "But here is the whole truth. I believe it does not really matter who Free is. If you spend enough time observing, you will realize something - Free has grown into more than a simple idol of icon. It is still faint and generally unspoken, but Free has become somewhat of a mouthpiece. He carries all of the pent-up feelings these people have about the Conclave, about the Coils in general. That is why, he is both hero and villain. These traits are within each and everyone of us, and desire for freedom cohabit in here with lust for savagery in retribution of what was done to us. The legends give a voice to the unspoken fantasies of the people, and that is what gives so much power to this name." He pauses, then leans back in his chair. "I do believe that is the closest thing I have to a 'theory' concerning him."

"I believe that in the end, Free is each and everyone of us. And that is why the Coils are so afraid of him."

Dashu thinks about and then says, "Well I do have my sais, I supposed.  Mockingbird might be interested in those.  I hate to give those up but we're talking about smuggling a collared woman out of noses of the Immaculate monks.  They're exceptional workmanship and very valuable.  However, I don't think they can be traced back to the current hideout in anyway.  Shall we set up the meeting?  The way I figure it, we can figure out how to get her out of the temple and then get her to coyote.  That way, they won't have the chance to back down before they know who it is we're smuggling out.  From there we can get her out of the compound using his know how past the security checkpoints.  Either that or we just pay the coyote to show us how to get out.  The big problem is the collar.  Who knows, maybe with how much my weapons are worth, they'll give us some help in that department too or even set up a meeting with this Free person."

With this statement, Dashu then takes a second to trade notes with Xurizu about the information they gathered, he says in an uncharacteristically sympathetic voice, "How are you holding up with all this?  Does any of this help you in anyway?"

Xurizu nodded.  "We should meet with the Mockingbird.  We might need your sai's if the deal goes sour, but they should serve to open the bargaining, to show we can offer goods of quality," he spoke.  "If they don't know who it is, they won't charge so high a price, nor wonder who we are to wish her free and in a manner so bold.  I doubt they'll know much about the collar, but Free might.  If that doesn't work, I'm sure someone at the camp will be able to do something."

Xurizu sighed a little.  "I'm ... fine.  It's ... there are a lot of people here though.  I'm not used to seeing so many, not ... not whilst having to live amongst them," he admitted.  "I think I'm coping okay.  It helps that I'm new round here.  It's helping to cover for the things I don't know, not that we talk much about the rest of Five Coils.  As for helping me, I'm not sure.  They don't know much about Patience.  I'm not even sure what knowing more about her will tell me, but I feel I have to start somewhere."

"Well if it's true that Free is opposing the status quo here, then I get the feeling we'll run into him sooner or later.  And you said Patience had a connection with him.  Since she's not here, we'll ask him where she went when we meet him,"  Dashu says with a slightly awkward tone in voice.

"'Bryn' did tell us how to get to the Mockinbird, so I'm guessing we should arrange that meeting... and I do hope that part of our payment doesn't involve me being set up with his enforcer lady friend,"  Dashu whines outloud.  This brief moment of unprofessionalism would shock anyone who's known him for very long.

"From what you've said of her ... well, I wouldn't want to be the one setting her up, that's for sure."

"Still, we have an idea of what we're willing to pay, and what we might be able to offer.  We need talk with Mockingbird before we can go further," he agreed.

"I agree... lets go talk with him,"  Dashu said and they began making their way towards the place where they could find Mockingbird's contact.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:08, Sun 22 Mar 2009.

Even with the proper knowledge of how to contact Mockingbird, the whole affair ends up being quite labyrinthine and time-consuming.

It immediately appears to both Dashu and Xurizu that this 'Mockingbird' is actually an exceptionally careful and methodical man. Following the instructions they have been given, the duo soon find themselves in a contact chase that seems to span the whole Conclave - not one 'employee' seems to know the whole procedure of how to contact their leader, the knowledge visibly separated between a myriad of men and women positioned across the Conclave. It is likely a security measure, meant to keep one particular person from being able to reveal too much about Mockingbird's operation.

And yet, the word of one of the contacts they speak to seem to give them slight cause to worry: an old man, who gave them an almost toothless grin as they give them the password they handed him... "Of course. Come right this way...The Mockingbird is expecting you."

The last contact they meet, a warehouse employee going simply by the name 'Yun', finally takes them to meet the man himself... After blindfolding the both of them and taking them on a disorienting walk in what seems to be a maze of alleyways, during which they perceive going through multiple doors and gates. All throughout, they can identify the smell of steam engines and oily machinery, likely putting their location somewhere in the Conclave's industrial district. After a long walk, the duo is finally pushed past one last heavy door and made to sit in rather comfortable chairs. "Count to 20." Yun instructs them, his gruff voice barely above a whisper. "Then you can take out the blindfolds. Don't cheat - you'll be watched."

Once the allotted period of time passes and they return to light - and get past the initial adjustment period related to finding themselves in darkness for a prolonged period of time - Dashu and Xurizu find themselves in a warmly-lit office. Sparsely furnished, it nonetheless gives an impression of elegant minimalism, a warm contrast established by wine-red walls and a pristine black carpet. A few pieces of artwork adorn three of the walls, all of them realistic depictions of urban landscape from within the Coils. The Exalts are seated in comfortable leather seats, facing a heavy mahogany desk engraved with simple but elegant autumn leaves patterns.

Facing them, comfortably seated behind the desk, a man looks at the pair, a faint smile on his lips. He looks to be in his mid-fourties or so, with iron gray eyes and long black hair streaked with gray here and there, tied back in a neat ponytail. He is dressed neatly without being overly fancy, his choice of clothing matching the color scheme of the room - a deep red high collared shirt and a black coat, completed with leather gloves and blue-tinted spectacles with silver rims. Between the index and middle of fingers of his right hand, a cigar burns slowly, filling part of the room with dusky smoke and a fragrant aroma.

At the man's right side, a woman stands straight, also looking at the Exalts with almost predatory interest. Her skin is a warm brown, and her tilted eyes are a dark shade of brown, making them almost as black as night. She is dressed in a rich blue-black kimono adorned with an intricate pattern of deep emerald ivy and lush purple bellflowers, the cut of the garment perfect for her figure. Her black hair is meticulously arranged in an upswept twist, baring the graceful shape of her neck.

"Sorry for the long ride, sirs." The man says, after taking a draw from the cigar and letting out a plume of smoke. "I'm certain you can understand the reasons behind such an... arrangement, however. In these troubled times, one can't be too careful about his business."

He pauses, peering at the duo carefully before speaking on. "Around here, I'm known as The Mockingbird. That's not my only name, of course, but that ought to be enough for now." The man pauses, lifting his chin slightly as he speaks. "Word on the street is that you wanted to speak to me. According to my sources, you've only just arrived, so I have to admit that did pique my curiosity a bit, so I decided to allow you to make a case for what you want face-to-face, which is not something I usually do." He smiles, and then gestures towards the woman at his side as he speaks. "Oh, and before I forget... Don't be intimidated by the Shadowed Blossom - anything you say to me, she is trusted to hear."

Mockingbird leans in his chair, and lifts the cigar closer to his face. "Now gentlemen... What is it I can do for you?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:30, Mon 30 Mar 2009.

Dashu decided to take a negotiating tactic that was slightly out of character for his disguise and spoke confidently despite being in a poor negotiating position.  "Well for starters and to cut straight to the chase, we need a coyote.  We want to sneak someone past the security measures.  Odds are when we do it, the guards will be on a higher alert than usual, so the more discrete the path the better.  You seemed to be the man to be the man to talk to.  Secondly, we were hoping to get some information while we were here."

As they're lead through the many twists and turns of the blindfolded chase, Xurizu, having little better to do, sets himself the task of remembering each and every one of them, committing them to the mnemonic of a miner's ditty he had recently learned.  He combines this with memories of the times when the steam sounds and oily smells are particularly intense.  And then, when the blindfolds are off, he commits himself once more to the present, his eyes catching a little on the elegant form of Shadowed Blossom before he gives his attention to the Mockingbird.

"It's as my friend Freidr says," he conceeds with a small smile, obviously a little distressed at the man's bluntness.  "We'd like to get someone out of the Conclave."
[Private to Gatekeeper; Loremaster: I'm willing to spend 4m (for +2 sux) on the Intelligence + Whatever roll to memorize the route taken.]

Xurizu, through his concentration and forced associations, manages to get a good idea of where they are in the conclave and the route they must have taken. He might not know it perfectly, but he has a good idea of where they are and how he could make his way back to the area, if not for the exact building they are in.

The man known as Mockingbird peers at his two guests, letting some of the smoke from his cigar drift upwards as he does so. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, and he tilts his head slightly. "Direct and honest I see. Well, that makes things a lot simpler, for sure." He nods, then drops some of the ashes from his cigar into a nearby ornate ashtray before speaking again. "Now, to address those... 'requests'. I'm not sure you're knocking on the right door, here. Sure, you're giving a really precise idea of what it is you need, but that doesn't mean I'm the person to take care of that. Obviously you have that impression since you came to me, but I'm not certain we've reached a point where I can confirm or deny those hunches yet."

"The first order of business here is something that lies on your side of the table, gentlemen. It's a question you should answer first." He takes another draw from the cigar, then smiles once more.

"How do I know you are not working for the peace force or the Terrestrials? And what guarantees do you bring for me to believe anything you've got to say? Remember, I do not usually organize face-to-face meetings with people I've never spoken to before. I make a tremendous leap of fate here - I dare hope you've got something to reciprocate that gesture of trust."

Shadowed Blossom smiles at Xurizu's brief attention, her dark eyes glittering. She saunters around the corner of the mahogany desk, and perches with languid ease atop its surface, crossing her legs. The black silk falls away from one of her dusky thighs, and she leaves it that way, showing off toned musculature with her curves.

She listens raptly to the conversation, sizing up the two men in the leather seats between glancing idly at her perfectly shaped nails or running her fingers through her silky sleeves as if simply to enjoy the sensation of the rich fabric.

Dashu silently and descreatly studies the Shadowed Blossem as she pays attention to her long robes.  For some reason she strikes him as more than a mere companion and wonders how quickly the robes could produce weapons.  Finally, he speaks "I'm afraid you'll have to give us just a moment to think, sir.  You're asking us prove a negative which is much harder than proving a positive.  It's always easier to prove something is true than it is to prove it it isn't."

[Private to GM: Rolling an awareness check on Shadowed Blossem]

There is a slight pause after Dashu asks his question, a pause during which he can make some observations about Mockingbird's companion. [Private to Peleps Dashu: There isn't much to be gleaned about the woman - not much that is hidden, in any case. Dashu does notice a couple details that do attract his attention, however. First, her ears are not normaly shaped - they are slightly pointed, elegantly carved but still inhuman. Also, her hair seems to almost have a life of its own; once or twice, Dashu could swear that he can see its arrangement slightly change shape.]

"Is it?" The Mockingbird asks, leaning against one armrest of his chair and regarding the duo carefully before continuing. "Not in my line of business, mister... Freidr, was it? In the type of work I do, people have to prove negatives for a living. Otherwise, no deals would ever be concluded, because none of us comes with legal, hard-hitting proof." He pauses to take another draw of his cigar, and as he speaks again, only his eyes seem visible in the plume of smoke he just exhaled.

"I will tell you what the secret of such dealings is. The secret is a certain form of trust. It's about leveraging something that shows you have the intention of committing yourself to the deal. That you're willing to take some risks for it to work. That way, the other party has more of a feeling you're serious, and you're not simply trying to take advantage of them."

"I've taken my precautions, of course - I didn't meet with you unprepared, because I don't know you. But I've still taken risks. You now both know my face. You know what this office looks like. You know the smells and the feeling of the general idea you were brought through. I don't know either of you. I don't know how you'll make use of this information. You could even be passing it on to the Peace Force later... Honestly, you both have enough to get an investigation started, maybe even get a raid of the premises. Maybe it wouldn't necessarily mean I'd be arrested, but it would seriously hinder my ability to continue my trade in this district. That's what I brought to the pile. That's my initial offer."

He nods, then leans back in his chair, setting the cigar aside for a moment. "And yet, when I ask you what you're leveraging in return, you're saying you're not certain. Seems to me like this little deal is not so fair and even, is it?"

"You have to be willing to give something to gain anything, gentlemen. Perhaps this... favor of yours is not worth that much to you, after all."

Dashu ponders this statement a moment and then replies, "What you're saying makes sense.  Still, I fear there is little we can do to prove beyond all doubt of a doubt who we are not.  I will state this though, the Peace Force and the Terrestrials are not our friends nor our employers.  Nor do they hold any sway over us in any form or fashion.  In fact, I think they might be looking for me.  I made a trip here once while disguised and then left.  The security measures weren't in place when I came the first time but were here when I came back.  From this you can deduce what you will about us.  Mainly it should be that we never had an intent on staying.  None of this outright negates the possiblity that we could be working for one of your enemies though, so you're just going to have to trust that we never intended to stay and our circumstances have changed to where we need assistance in leaving.  Just like we're going to have to trust that turning me into the authorities would be unprofitable to you.  That's our commitment to the deal."

Here Dashu stops, grins, and then says "Of course if we have the wrong man then we're sorry to waste your time and only ask that you point us in the right direction."

[Private to GM: activating judge's ear technique]
This message was last edited by the player at 15:54, Wed 25 Mar 2009.

Xurizu gives Blossom a small smile back, though his general demeanor suggests a consideration of beauty in much the same way one might consider a panther or a snake beautiful.  He definitely doesn't think her role here is just to look pretty.

"I have my own reasons for wanting to avoid the Peace Force, though not, admittedly, as Jenci," Xurizu says, offering something himself.  "But you can be assured we're not working with them, or for any other foes you might have acquired over your years in business."

"And by the same token that we know your face, you know ours.  You could ship us to the Peaceforce as agitators 'Oh, I'm a good citizen' or otherwise make life almost impossible for us here.  Or just let things slip at the borders and ... well, we'd be in deep trouble."

"After all, we only have your word that you're the Mockingbird.  Not that I particularly doubt this.  After all, as you pointed out, we can see your office and it's a nice one."

"See, now we're starting to speak the same languages, gentlemen." Mockingbird finally says, his lips widening into a smile. "I trust you with a small tidbit of dirt on me, you supply me with a bit on you, and now we're on even ground. Now we can talk." He nods, and leans back in his chair once more.

"Oh, and for the record, it wouldn't be profitable for me to go and blather anything about you people. The ones in charge are paranoid right now - they're actually doing background checks even on people who give info to them, because they're afraid someone might be doing disinformation campaigns. They're not really fully in control, you see. You probably felt it while you were around, right? Things are actually pretty volatile, right now. And my contacts tell me it's not just in this Conclave, but everywhere in the District. Just a little spark, and who knows what might happen..."

He shakes his head, his smile widening for a moment. "In any case, it means we both are in the same situation. If you've got business you'd rather keep behind the curtains, then neither of us would benefit from going around backstabbing one another. Which means, in simple terms, that you've got my ear. But now, you've got to be able to drive your bargain."

"Start by giving me details about this job, first and foremost. I want to know what sort of person you want shipped over the checkpoint. I want to know the risks I might have to take, before we can even start talking about a price."

He has contacts beyond the Conclave.  Those might be useful to get access to as well, but later, Xurizu considered as he pondered how to say what needed to be said.

"The whole place does seem ... on edge, yes.  A very tense place to come too and not as we had been lead to believe." And we might be providing that one thing.

"As to your actual question.  The person we would like to get out of here is female and she's willing to go," he spoke a little for her, but he was pretty sure that she was.  And it would give the wrong impression if he thought they were kidnapping her, not least because an unwilling person is harder to smuggle.  "I don't think that the powers that be would be too pleased in her taking a leave of absence, but that's where you come in more than anything.  There's definitely a risk to you in helping us with her, that is true.  Probably more than helping a random person in the Conclave, but if we do our part well, it won't be that much more."  He didn't think there was much point in saying that if they didn't, escape wouldn't really be an option.

"I see." Mockingbird says, listening intently to Dashu's words. "So you're talking about a person who will undoubtedly drag some heat with her. Someone who will be missed if they disappear. So we're talking about a search that's likely to continue after she's out, right?" He pauses, then takes a long draft on the cigar before continuing.

"Let me make something perfectly clear here, gentlemen. I'm not asking these questions because I'm afraid of getting wet. I've taken the whole douse before, and I likely will again in the future. This is my line of work, right there. So I'm used to taking heat. If I wasn't ready for that, I wouldn't be in this business - not in the sort of setup we have here in the Coils, anyways. Let me tell you something. Here, if you're just out for riches, you've much better off doing something else with your time. Too many risks, and you can't really reap that much rewards cleanly. Even if you make stacks of money, the way you use it is controlled and scrutinized. So even if you got bags full of dough waiting in your coffers, you wouldn't be able to live better than you would if you had a ranked miner or clerk job. So basically, you'd risk your neck everyday and wouldn't be able to actually reap the benefits of your toiling. So you need other reasons to be in this business."

"This big parenthesis aside... I'm a thorough man, gentlemen. I like to know exactly what lies ahead, because as a professional, that also means I can actually prepare for what lies ahead accordingly. That's my commitment, as a person carrying a special service for another. Because I don't have any backing, I have to make my own 'advertisement'... And the only way to do it is to be the best at what I'm undertaking." He takes a breath, the relaxes again in his chair.

"That, and like you've been made aware earlier, all of this is not about money. It doesn't mean it's not business, however." He pauses again, this time tilting his head to the right as he smiles. "What I mean is that the best kind of currency down here is favors. I determine what people need, I evaluate what its worth, and we exchange services. I cover your back on this one, you cover mine on the next one. That's why I went through all that jazz about trust. It's the only way to make those sort of deals happen."

"So my question is not so much about a yes or no necessarily. It's about preparation, and its about price."
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:12, Sun 29 Mar 2009.