~~~ IC ~~~

::The next day, May 16th unless I miss my calculations, and it's yet again beautiful and sunny in the resort town. You've all headed out to see if any word has come in to Samson::

::It's midmorning, and the community has begun a slight bustle::

::is just coming back from a little walk around town to review local decorative horticulture, and maybe talk to a few local gardeners.::

::makes his way quickly to Samson::

::The grizzled beach bum is just putting up his surfboard and folding the stall back open for the day::

::makes his way over and waits patiently for the man to open the stand::

::Sticks close to everyone, checking out the surrounding area frequently::

::flips the "NEWS" sign up, slides down the tray of papers, and nods:: Mornin. I can tell the suspense is killin ya.

::catches up with the others eventually::

::Settles in behind the stall, pulls out a sheaf of mismatched papers and notes and shuffles through them, picking out two and handing them to An... a large sheet of parchment that looks like it was tightly rolled and a scrip from a telegram printer::

::opens the one and reads::

::which one?::

::parchment::

::it crinkles a bit from the way it was apparently smuggled out, but the ink was dry and isn't too horribly smudged. Maria's handwriting leaps from the page, and even the faintest scent of her is still apparent in the warm air...

((::leans forward in his chair:: ))

"An,

I would almost believe that the Pancreator is moving against us both, all the suffering and terror of the last few years. But I know that there are likely much more worldly sources that we can focus our anger at. I know now, I think, what you must have gone through to lose your parents. The empathy is tearing me up ::here a tearstain:: but I will come out of this stronger, I think, and closer to you.

Whether it's the world or the creator or some bastards that won't leave us alone in their plots, the result is the same. In the past I escaped my father, but I knew that his love was unconditional and I would have to go a long way indeed to pass the point at which he cast me out. Petros is not nearly the man my father was... not remotely... I don't know what horrible plot has convinced him that I should be married to a Castenda... but I can't think that it will come in any way to good. Yet I dare not refuse, or escape... because I would be cast out, and legally so... and would no longer be Hazat in the eyes of any of my family. I'm not certain I could bear that...

But neither can I bear the thought of marrying anyone else, much less a foul Castenda, and thus I am caught between the cliched rock and hard place. I don't know what to do either... the future that was so clear a few months ago, now is a vast fog that I can't see any way out of, but which seems to run over a cliff on all sides. I'm going to need you to get me out of here, but within the scope of the family law... I will only flee if there is no other option between loss of family and total loss of freedom...

You could find out which of my family members are not in bed with the Castenda on this and ask them for help... the other branches of the family may even be happy to shut down a possible alliance, but that would still leave me a pawn, when I should be a knight. You could try your array of contacts, you could try the church, you could try the imperials... I don't know if any of them can intercede, but I'm at my wit's end... Keep on the quest, be noticed, get your knighthood... make sure that if this option gets shut down, then you will be ready to present the other... I'll help when I can, but I'm kept a virtual prisoner to prevent just such an occurrence... a prison of my blood...

I miss you, and all of my thoughts are with you, whenever I can spare them.

Love,

Maria

PS: I think I can stay in mourning for at least another month or two, so can delay that long until the troth is announced"... and her seal, in ink rather than breakable wax, ends the letter::

::sighs and passes the note around for everyone to read::

::opens the second letter and reads::

::Reads over somebody else's shoulder::

::"Inter-World Telegram Service, from E. de A.

The dark quest continues, the blackened one seeks to ascend <stop>

And only the purified one, in completing the lighted quest, can end the dance<stop>

The pieces focus on a minor gambit<stop>

While the match continues all around them<stop>

Only you few are not counted on in the strategy... use this<stop>

Will send what help I can<stop>

Send word if you change locations<stop>

-E<end>::

Passes around that letter as well.

::Vasili reads them both, but the second one makes no ounce of sense to him.::

So... ::looks up:: We make ourselves useful to somebody else. Build a coalition, maybe? WHat does she... ::looks to An::

::gives everyone a "go somewhere to talk in private about private things" look.. he's good at looks::

::indeed he is. Vasili looks for somewhere private to discuss matters::

::looks around as well:: Hotel?

::shugs::

Certainly

::you find a private corner of the hotel that seems to be safe to talk in::

Ok, so... um... what do we do?

Alright, I'll do what needs to be done to get her out of there. On peaceful terms only.

::frowns:: Er, what's that?

Ok, well I need to work on my knight hood. But I don't know where to start.

Well, sorry An, but I have no idea where to start.

::wishes he knew more in detail about political machinations among noble folk::

Either

((oh, oops, replace Rolas with Bursandra in the news notes. I didn't have my notes at work when I was writing that))

((it helps when I remember to glance at my notes now and again :-))

(( hehe. Well, I mean. Not all the details are cleanly constellated for me yet anyway. But it's all very lucid, and has depth. ))

So. Mm. Who really is responsible for bringing, a person's name up, to the Emperor, anyhow? I mean. What's that machine like?

I don't really know. I've done so many things, all I need is him to notice me. One last great deed

Retrieve that globe. ::nods. Covers the gleam in his eye fairly well:: Thingy. In Budi's newsclip. That would *have* to get someone's attention. Right?

Not a bad idea. How?

But I have no idea where to start. We also need to talk to other members of the family. Find out if any can help.

Each where he saw the forest with thickest. ::winks. Sounds like he's quoting something old earthish:: Right, but, lots of them will already be ill disposed to us. Where do we start on *that*?

No idea.

::clears his throat:: Darn. Well. I can do some research into the orb, perhaps. Maybe a better idea of what it is would help us know who would snatch it? Plus. There must be some way to find out who would have been first on the scene. Not that higher authorities than us wouldn't be looking into it... but... ::trails off::

::a waiter whistles a happy tune as he passes nearby "doobeedobedoo"::

((Shrugs. I'm out of my element.))

((gotta decide something people, cause the issue's not going to resolve itself))

::thinks hard unsure of what to do not know how the world works or what contacts he really knows::

Well, what do you think, An?

It didn't sound like we would want to... extricate Maria until, it was... really bad. Right? We have a month or two....?

::an has extensive contacts amongst the reeves, some remaining Hazat contacts that probably aren't dead from his pre-working for the Eduardos days, Favyana contacts, contacts amongst some of the more open-minded questing knights... and whatever else seems appropriate to your downtime activities. The other characters probably have an array of contacts too::

I guess, I have no idea. ::wonders if there is short range communitcation across planet in fading suns, like can he call his contacts::

::he's not sure if he's done enough missions for a few of them to not show up in person, but quite a few are beyond the acquaintence range, and are available on the phone, or by mail, or through courier::

::looks around for Pen and paper:: We'll have to do this by going back to the basics.

::hotel stationary is easily gotten::

::starts making a list of possible people on planet who can help::

Okay. Like, a campaign to... feel out as many potential allies...?

Right. We need allies in this and I think that is where we'll find our "army".

Inquiries could be made. Too much asking around could draw attention from the wrong people, but it's an acceptable risk.

We need a campaign of support. We'll get in touch with any personal allies we have. Start with you ones you trust, let them know our plight.

And, in reality, a lot of people are probably probing against the house right now. We might get drowned out by the other noise.

Good point. ::nods::

When we get our personal allies on board then we move out carefully from there. We;ll play the noble game by setting up a web of information. I know I'll be calling in all the favors. ::starts writing down everyone he can think of::

::Mildly surprised at how well An plays the "noble" game::

...set our webs and catch our flies.

::nods mutely:: I wish I had more to offer you, An.

Likewise. You're dealing in matters that are a bit foreign to me. I'll be willing to talk to whomever I can.

Also we need to get all the leads we can on this globe. I think it was stolen. And I want to know by who. ::looks to Lan:: No need to worry, you've been a great help so far and there will be a ton of help I'll need.

::says the doctor, who is well respected in a circle of people who know everyone at their most intimate- naked and bleeding::

::the physiks that is, not the dominatrixes::

And you Vasili will be my muscle... a threatening prescence is all you will need.

Certainly, if it will prevent violence.

::nods:: I'm sure it will.

Ok, so... starting with the ones on planet I should send word that I will be dropping by to visit.

(('bout how many trusted nobles/guild higher ups, so I know on planet?))

((lessee...

::he only wishes he kept company with dominatrixes:: Well, you know. It occurs to me. Professional courtesy among physicks, if it's anything like on Grail or Criticorum... Maybe I can... ::reluctantly:: Find a thing or two out. Normally I'd call that unethical. But. These are sorta extraordinary circumstances..... right?

((... you've got a rank of 5 with some skillz to back it up... you probably know a couple dozen 7s, a half dozen 9s, and an 11 or two by word of mouth... half in the New Barcelona area, but the rest spread out over Aragon... ...if you expand that to friends of a friend, you can probably access most of the power roles in the Reeves guild and associated guilds on Aragon))

((Give me an example of a 7 9 or 11))

((::grumble:: make me grab the actual book...

((Manager, Director, and Consul... probably a consul or two is all that's necessary to take care of all the activites on planet, as the highest rank is 13 -dean))

((none of this, of course, counts named NPCs that you've developed in-play relationships, like Skorpios who's a rank 9 - Jonin Scraver on ByzII))

Ok, this might take a while ::begins to send words of "coming to visit" to local "very trusted" people and word of need help to off planet ones.:: We should locate an apartment nearby. Cheaper than a hotel in the long run. It'll be our base of operations.

((how are you phrasing it? "Need help with personal problem" "Need help investigating possible known worlds conspiracy" or something else?))

Disrupt from right beneath their nose? Could work.

Right. I don't need fancy accomodations, if we want to stay anonymous.

That's probably for the best.

((Good friends get personal help, trusted friends get the investigating possible known worlds conspiracy))

::nods:: for the best indeed. I'll fund it if perhaps you Vasili can rent it. You the one who's least known.

Mmm. ::nods::

Well, so far. heh

So. Maybe I'll make a copy of the list, eh? And try and... ::shrugs:: See what little I can come up with. Maybe I'll get a turn in rotation at the local physicks guild. That would seem normal enough, after rushing here because of the tragedy.

Not the worst idea ::continues writing out notes while hopefully comeone goes to find an apartment::

::I will do so::

I'll be back in a couple hours, then. Find out about getting on staff. ::trots out::

::it's just before the big rush on apartments in the resort city. After a couple hours of haggling, Vasili finds one out of the way, that will fit everyone, for a reasonable rate... a nice two-story bungalow about two miles from the beach, but with a nice view of the bluffs and not too many other houses within easy earshot::

((I'm good!))

::sends out his letters::

::steps back inside from his way outside:: So... ::ponderously:: Think I should get a residency here, or in Port Isabella? I'd have to... like, arrange transport to and from, of some sort.

Here... I'd like to base our operation to as close to Maria as I can.

Mmm, okay. ::heads back out the door to see about a local practice::

::there's one elderly physik that works in the town for non noble cases, and he's not too adverse to having some help during sharkbite season.. stupid tourists get stupid injuries... he figures maybe your prestige will attract some better clients for him, too, but he definately can't pay you nearly as much as you'd make in a serious practice::

::thanks the elderly gentleman, tells him he'll consider it, and heads back to the hotel::

::comes back inside:: Well. I'd have no anonymity whatsoever, here with the gent who works the tourists... But. ::Gets himself a drink:: I'm going to inquire in Port Isabella, I think. ::shrugs:: Can't hurt. ::sip::

::nods::

I'll want to memorize your list. Just for the sake. When you're done. In case I hear anything?

Of course. Shows him the completed list

::right.. so over the next couple of weeks, An will be contacting his friends and acquaintences to try to set up a web of information that will filter to him about topics of interest...

::reads it over, finishes his drink::

Lan will be trying to get a practice that will allow him to make new contacts amongst patients, and hopefully other doctors that might know sordid details...

Vasili will be looking imposing, driving, and running errands as needed... and Martel and Budi have duties undefined at the moment... sound about right?::

About right.

::right. Lan will ask about getting a ride from Vasili, or somebody on the crew once he thinks of it::

::at some point, An will probably have to start hooking into places he can skim money out of, to pay for the operation, but that shouldn't be too difficult::

::operation?!? I wasn't invited? ;; ::

::and going into business with different firms, and taking a huge chunk of their profits, is still a good way to find out what they know... businesses with projects like disaster search/rebuild, and any firm that assists the nobles:

::woot! Capitalism at work!::

::An can use his contacts to get appointed to pretty much any business that needs money management.. and he's good enough to cook the books to make it actually seem like he's helping::

((so any other addendums before we end for the night as to projects and goals you'll be pursuing over a couple week downtime?))

((I think, medicrity in collecting info is all I'm good for. ^^ ))

((Although reading up on the orb, if possible. ))

((I think were good))

~~~ OOC ~~~

Right then, hopefully we'll see everyone next week and I'll have a chance to come up with some detailed info to send out.

So, next week, same time? With extra sleep?