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| − | Hustle and bustle. People... god, most of them stink. Fish, various crates and barrels carrying everything from rum to qat to possibly preserved bodyparts are being moves to and fro though one of Nexus' more active port areas. Perhaps to the dismay of Rio Storm, she'd had to dock her ship here... and pray someone doesn't try anything too stupid.
| + | #REDIRECT DarkheartOne/IdeaDump |
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| − | It is roughly noon, and things start to calm as workers break for lunch. Toil and sweat becomes thinned ale (don't want to be <b>too</b> drunk, after all), some fruit to ward off the scurvy and salted meats. It's... about as calm as it's going to get.
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| − | Rio is <b>STARING</b> at the port. She doesn't mind the smell too much... although the river is certainly pushing it. Still, when the ship needs to dock... "... right. Seran? I'll leave the provisions to you, take how many men you need. West... I want at least half the crew caring for the ship. I haven't heard many flattering things about Nexus."
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| − | "That's because there aren't many." Tian is leaning on one of the ship's masts. How he got behind the entire crew -- and Rio -- is as much a mystery as what's behind that brown hood.
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| − | Rio nearly jumps out of her skin as she turns towards the owner of the voice. Seran nods and skitters off to handle that. West simply nods, and gets to yelling at people to do their fucking jobs... then makes a noise of surprise and reaches for his machete. "God damn it all, already?!"
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| − | Rio 's eyebrow twitches a little, and she moves towards Tian, crossing her arms. "You know, it's very bad manners to board a ship without permission. At the very least, offenders get thrown off board." She gazes towards the river for a second. "... ick."
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| − | Tian laughs, arms crossed over his chest in a subtle imitation of Rio's stance. "It's also bad manners to start stocking up the minute you get into Nexus. You might want to send a runner after those other men, no one in either market will deal with them."
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| − | If Rio bothers to check, there are twin ladies standing not too far from her ship's gangplank; one well-tanned with a spear that's presently at a 'not about to kill' position, and the other paler and in scholar's robes. Both are obviously Eastern, with emerald eyes and black hair (short for the former, waist-length for the latter). Both are also... looking slightly amused.
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| − | "Seran can handle business just fine, thank you. Now, do you have any business in my ship, or should I throw you into the river now?" Rio doesn't seem to have noticed the two women, or... well, she'd be blushing her head of, as most of her crew knows by now.
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| − | West snorts, still in a defensive posture. "Thanks for the advice, but we're fine enough as it is. I swear, I heard this place was bad, but..."
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| − | Tian pulls his hood back, revealing a face with clean, angular lines and a total lack of hair, sans the bushy black eyebrows. His own eyes are bright blue, and his mouth is quirked up in a half-smile. Also of note.. well, he's in his mid-teens, *maybe* seventeen. "What you don't seem to understand is that Nexus is an entirely different breed of city---"
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| − | "You have yet to answer my question."
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| − | "---If you haven't paid your respects to the dockmaster -- this *is* a private port, not some communal landing spot -- you won't get supplies. Paying respects to any official in this city is a labyrinthine process that could take any normal person weeks.
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| − | Rio shrughs, and turns to her crew. "Hear that men? You might be getting a few weeks off!" The reply isn't quite what you'd expect. Some of them so cheer, but a fair number look like Rio had just stepped on their favorite pet, including West. *Especially* West. "... Storm, girl, I doubt I could manage three days in his cesspool before I get an itch for the sea again. A few weeks? Ugh."
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| − | Rio snickers, and looks towards Tian again. "So, I'll ask again, what the hell do you want?"
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| − | Tian rubs his chin, still smiling. "I'm here to facilitate your dealings in Nexus, if you'll have me. I can get you a meeting with the dockmaster in.. say, three hours, negotiate your fees down to a song, and have your cargo hold sold and refilled within a few days."
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| − | "I see! Very clever. And what, exactly, do you want in exchange?"
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| − | "A small percentage of the net profits and passage for three to the Southern Threshold."
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| − | Rio raises an eyebrow. "Three?" Tian gestures offhandedly to the twins waiting on the dock. They both look in Rio's direction. The one in the robes offers a polite smile, while her twin remains calmly detached in appearance and posture... spear notwithstanding.
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| − | Rio glances in that direction, and... promptly does a double take... before finally pulling her look away with a cough. "... I see... now, see, there is only one small problem..."
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| − | West cuts in. "Aside from the fact that I don't trust the boy?" He casts a dirty look Tian's way, but stays back; he's obviously not going to go off half-cocked.
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| − | "Yes, besides that."
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| − | Tian raises his eyebrows, ice-hard gaze swivelling over to meet the sailor's. The smile doesn't carry up to his eyes.
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| − | West shoots back an equally baleful glance, but he subtly backs down with a grunt. "Girl, you know better..."
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| − | Rio steps towards Tian, arms still crossed, and she stares him down once she reaches a few feet. "The offer is fishy, but you still have to tell me... why shouldn't I chuck you into the river for -sneaking into my ship- like a common thief?"
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| − | "Well, you can <i>try</i>." Tian shrugs lightly. The two girls pause... then start to idly chat between themselves. From the sounds of things, they're wagering on what's going to happen next. Sounds like... a fair chunk of change that <b>Rio</b> goes into the river.
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| − | "Now, that sounds like a challenge." Rio keeps glaring down at Tian for a moment, and finally leans forward and points a finger at him. "... you say you can help, prove it."
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| − | "Right now?"
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| − | "Well no, perhaps after you've had a nice meal at our expenses and took a nap and YES NOW!"
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| − | Tian shakes his head a bit, sighing. "How do I prove myself, then?"
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| − | "Well, <b>I</b> don't know, you are the <b>Nexus</b> expert, aren't you?"
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| − | Tian snorts, kicking off the mast and heading for the gangplank. "I'll get to finding the dockmaster. Your men should be on their way back right now, just sit tight." The two ladies finish their banter (apparently the more mannish one lost, and is grumbling a tad) to join Tian as soon as he reaches the dock. And... indeed, not too far away, Seran and those he brought with him look both angry and empty-handed. Mostly angry, though.
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| − | Rio leans against the railing, and watches Seran, and... sighs. "I was almost hoping the little turd was wrong."
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| − | "If that there fellow's the 'little turd', and 'wrong' means not getting ignored by these fishlicking old bastards... wwwwelp. He's not wrong at all." Seran plods on up with a bit of a limp, even as Tian's accomplices vanish with him. "Like pulling teeth."
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| − | Tian gives Rio a merry little wave before putting his hood back up and disappearing into the crowd.
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| − | Rio looks towards West. "... so, what do you think?" West... West spits on the deck in disgust. "Nothing like a know-it-all city snot to remind me why I like sailing. But... what can we do?"
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| − | Rio shakes her head. "Great."
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| − | West takes a moment to swallow down a shiver, then spits again. "Hate this place already."
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| − | * back to [[/RisingForce|Rising Force]]
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