"Probably because I can learn something from anyone," Kumiho explains to her, "I'll hang around anyone I think is awesome.  All the better to help the Living, right?  Plus it helps if they're cute." She gives Lyla a saucy wink.

"Well, I mean... I'm not a tracker.  But it looks like they have all the initiative.  So that means we have to lay bait?"

"I was going to say its just professional interest then but..cute and awesome people? Technically there isn't anyone you wouldn't hang out with," She teases and gives an amused shake of her head to her wink.

She stops in her tracks with her suggestion, then gives the bridge of her nose a pinch.

"I prefer tracking. So no wonder I didn't think of that. Or then its the hectic feeling of today that was getting to me. Good thinking. Now to invent what she'd want. Other than death. So specifically who'd they want dead. She had one target in mind, but I already saved his ass, so he is not of use."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:08, Sat 22 Dec 2018.

"Hey now, SOME of you Exalts are plain.  But you know who I'd like to spend more time with?  Battles.  Mm mm."  She winks at Lyla, but then listens.

"So... wouldn't that be you, then?  Since you know who they are?"

"Battles? Hmm. Isn't he with Sunipa though? I'm so out of these things, its ridiculous..." She smirks, it turning to a grin a bit more than intended, because it's was not like she would disagree with Kumiho on that regard. "I think we need to take this whole subject and discussion and put it to wait for further inspection."

She taps some ash of her cigarette once again, before stopping to talk, well outside Shun Xiao's building.

"Yeah. True enough. That'd be me. Problem is the Loom doesn't show my kind on it, so I can't pass on the info. Underdecks kind of place come to mind where you'd ambush someone? I've been there plenty to know that there are numerous shady corners to dwell in, but not any random corner will do. I've already managed to mix certain people who appear within the loom in this, so I could pass the information on through that way. What really does bother me, is how to make them think they actually have the upper hand on me... Then again that solely depends on how much they know about me in the first place. If the info comes from the Dead, it's not really much."

"Yeaaaah happily too, but a woman can dream," She chuckles a bit.  Once they're well outside she listens a bit more.

"OK, so, what it says to me is we have to make you as vulnerable and visible as possible.  But not too visible.  Hmm.  I mean, you run an intelligence agency, right?  Try having them pass info around that you're looking to meet someone important about 'recent developments' and make it like... a sauna or something.  Or a pool.  What do you even fight with anyway when you're not in a ship?  I've never really seen you throw down."

"Hey, no point losing your dreams. You never know what being in a relationship even means these days..." Lyla notes.

Kumihos suggestion sends her back to memory lane, reminding of some things way back when. Then again fighting from almost nude to nude would be nothing new to her.

"Sauna? I guess a place with mist might be helpful. Pool and water sounds choreful. Some shady ass nightclub could do the trick too. Oh, I'm always armed and un-armed at the same time, technically speaking. So being stripped of my gear and clothing doesn't really apply. Good thinking by the way," she gives a pat to her shoulder."Passing out that sort of info shouldn't be difficult. I have a few tattle tells that gossip like their life would depend on it."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Thu 27 Dec 2018.

"Hey, thanks!  Just trying to help.  But yeah I figured somewhere they thought you'd be extra vulnerable, but not very public... I mean, clubs can be extra public, right?"  She says, "Well, it's good and bad that you're always armed.  Because it means they're gonna be more cautious.  I was going to try to find a way to sneak you a weapon during an ambush... but I'll follow your lead there?"

"I don't think they know about my equipment that well to anticipate such. I do have a few places in mind for a private meeting. My intels have used them before so it should fit the pattern. Don't recall if they have saunas or just baths though... Oh well. Let me make arrange a moment," she turns to her PDA to check for a suitable location to contact for a meeting.

After finding a suitable place she could inform her "office" and have the Agency convay a message about this meeting. Hopefully it'd reach Hales ears as well.

Besides Kumiho's... kinda odd... obsession with pools or saunas, there's a few other options:

• An abandoned train station of the Great Trunk
• A goddess hair stylist who routinely only accepts those with sufficient Essence
• A transport dock along the outer spine of the Last Refuge, currently occupied by the transport Thumbdance
• An underdecks club- the nearest being the Lifelink
• An illicit PTSD hospital outside of Sanctuary- no weapons allowed
• A massage parlor well-known as a place where spies would swap information before and after their massages- usually using masseuses as go-betweens
• A hot springs bathhouse / probable brothel

Lyla ponders between her options. The less there were mortals around the better. She didn't want any casualties. But then again no mortals or other people around would just be shady and perhaps too obvious to ambush someone.

A massage or a hairdresser would be nice, the sheer thought setting her skin to tingle, but there was bound to be people around who'd get meddled in. The club and the bathhouse fall into the same category, besides ending up fighting half nude was not a trope she wanted to support on her part.

PTSD hospital could be a good place but...her shadowed appearance caused some confusion with non-traumatized people from time to time and these people were already at their limit.

Eventually she opts for the club despite the
Possibility for a crowd. It was an environment that was beneficial to her but in a certain sense also to her adversary. Perhaps a more secluded VIP room or a lounge with no weapons allowed policy would leave her open enough.

She momentarily forgets her cigarette, the still burning ash drops on her hand as she manages the PDA. Cursing she shakes her hand.

"Would you happen to carry any knife or such with you? I forgot my gloves, so I really dont have anything such at use."

"No, actually.  I've been trying to organize shit with Battles to figure out if I'm going to be fighting in person but almost all of my charms are better suited for piloting right now... I've got little combat experience."  Kumiho admits, "But I can go get one.  I know lots of people with knives, I can always grab from Chupacabra. That fucker collects them."

"Well. You've been helping me with this, so I'll help you with Battles, this a deal? I know he is busy as always, but kinda think he won't say no if I want a bit of time for your case," Lyla responds to Kumiho with a rare wink...the last time she winked was probably with 5DD or 10 years ago when she was still performing... "Collects knives? I see. Ah, not sure if its really necessary. Aside the point, but how do I look? Fitting in for a club in Underdecks? This shit won't happen instantly, so I'd have some time to freshen up."

She looks down at her clothes with a small wrinkle on her nose. With that note she sends a note to inform some of her agents, that she is having a meeting with an informant at this specific club in an hour, so they should all HUSH HUSH about it, and not intervene.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:29, Sat 05 Jan 2019.

"Nah, that's not necessary, it's more fun to think about than to actually do," She says, "I'm helping you out because it's fun and I've always looked up to you, no need to do anything special besides that."

She looks Lyla over with a finger on her lips, "Looking good, considering most of the underdecks clubs aren't big on dress codes.  Depends on the club.  You're kinda covered in ash and stuff but there are places that like that sort of thing.  If not, you can come on over to my place and clean up?  I'm not far from here."

"Oh..Thanks.. I guess. Had you not talked about my crazy ass piloting, I would've pondered why would anyone look up to me. But that explained it," she tries very hard, but still a faint blush lurks to her ears. "I think cleaning up would be nice, especially with the hour I've got to spare. I also don't think that club is a place that they let me walk into like this, especially if I wish to get any further at the premises. The ash stands out a bit too much, and its not a fire elemental party I'm going to."

She gestures her to lead the way.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:30, Tue 08 Jan 2019.

"You're basically a Goddess of Interceptors,"  She says with a few slow blinks, "Just FYI.  We all pretty much collectively worship you.  We don't know anyone else who can pilot like you can.  The Dead may have trouble watching your stuff but we know the moves when we see them."

She starts leading the way down the hall.

"My place is a bit gross so sorry about that, but the bathroom's plenty clean.  I've also got some clothes but I'm pretty sure they won't fit you."

Lyla follows, her cigarette dimishing swiftly as they go leaving behind a trail of ash.

"Its not that I find it hard to believe, on the contrary. It makes sense. Im just not Daniel or Jess. Im not used to being worshipped...Though I have noticed you guys, your devotion does give me a boost now and then."

She gives a smile and a chuckle to Kumiho.

"No need to apologize. I've seen plenty of messy places in my life, most probably worse than your appartment."

"Well, OK, suit yourself..."  She grimaces, inwardly cringing.

Well, her apartment is a small studio, she's obviously not gotten the Exalted apartment promotion yet.  The kitchen is a microwave and a sink, and cup noodles litter the entirety of the kitchen, put on just about every available surface.  Judging by the age of them she's eaten them in the past 2-3 days.

Her bed is a shambles, she has a cracked laptop on a table, and her clothes are in a pile on the floor by the bed.

She dumps the cigarette butt somewhere outsife before entering.

"Hey even Goddesses have a past with dirty appartments. Besides you've been busy and exhausted with other stuff than this," Lyla shrugs."Excited to get an upgrade from this flat?"

"I'm thinking about turning it down."  She says, "This is so much closer to the hangars, and I don't need much space..."

The bathroom is, as advertised, spotlessly clean.  In fact the bathroom is outsized compared to the rest of the apartment.  The shower is luxuriously-sized, large enough to shower comfortably and including a small sitting area.

"I've got the good soap and everything too,"  She helpfully suggests, "And believe it or not clean towels."

"I feel for you. Though its nice having the flat over there...at least sometimes I wont be working..whenever that would be," she chuckles and shakes her head. "Oh, this is nice. I guess you spend more time here than in your normal room. No wonder you don't want to change..."


She looks around with raised brows. There was always time to appreciate a good bathroom.

"Ah thanks. Its too much though. Dont need to fuss over me so much. I shower like a normal person... Though if this was some sort of ruse with hidden cameras, I do hope you come clean right now," she folds her arms on her chest, her tone heavily sarcastic.

"I'd say you have NO idea but you obviously do- damn, those hangars get hot.  Yeah.  This used to be someone else's.  I inherited it.  He was apparently a plumber and redid the entire bathroom... got splashed during the first year in one of those Daedalus-class fighters."

The Daedalus-class fighters were the first starfighters in the Living arsenal.  They were death traps.

"Look, if I had known you were coming over and could prep cameras I wouldn't have left this place a mess.  Give me five minutes, I'll set some up?"

"Don't bother. You'd just get a greyish blob on the film, through which only some could see. Would be a highly exclusive film," she continues the joke. "Alright, hit me with a towel and point me the direction, so I'll be clean as a baby and out of your hair."

"Cheater, hah,"  She goes into one of her drawers and pulls out a full-length towel, fluffy and warm if a bit dingy from repeated washes. "There you are."

One good thing about the Last Refuge is there's no shortage of hot water.  Just touching the hot water dial can set it to 'Sauna on the Surface of a Star' temperature.

When she gets out Kumiho has busily started to pick through her stuff, trying to clean up as if shamed that Lyla's seen her shitty apartment.  Or perhaps just to busy herself while Lyla's doing other things.

"Thanks," Lyla takes the towel gladly.

Luckily she was used to hot things, turning the bathroom quickly into a some sort of Turkish bath with mist floating around. It was a relief to get rid of the ash and sweat. Only if there were clean clothes...but for now Lyla settles for washing at least her shirt with her.

It doesn't take long for her to finish washing, and soon she emerges from the bathroom, spotless with some ash on her jeans still. At least her shirt is back to its more clean shade, which helps when the shirt itself is grey.

"Aaah, what a relief. Totally needed that," she stretches her arms before returning to drying her hair to the towel.

"Want me to pop the shirt in the dryer?"  She asks, "Might be 30-40 minutes but if you walk around with a wet shirt I think you're gonna be REALLY noticeable."  She flicks her eyes down for emphasis, "Ah, look what I got."

It seems she wasn't just hanging around waiting for Lyla after all.  She holds up a nasty-looking KBAR, old but still sharp, a nasty piece of work from old Earth.  "It's his prized possession," She smirks, "Apparently his grand-dad either was a US Marine or beat the shit out of one.  Let's try not to lose it or Chupacabra will go nuts on us.  But Battles told us that sometimes those old Earth pieces of equipment get a little extra oomph or something- I have no idea if what he's saying is true, though."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:14, Sat 26 Jan 2019.