The party continues to pick its way along the edge of the street next to the outer wall of the estate. The darkness and the obnoxious, misty rain are disorienting. So are the even more obnoxious weeds, overhanging branches, and occasional bit of litter.
"Wonderful city management," mutters Mey'Luskar bitterly as yet another vine catches her in the face.
"This place is way low on the list, lady," retorts Dabid. "They're still fixing up the ghettos, remember?"
Suddenly Widjgleeby halts, sniffing. "Someone there!" she hisses.
The party comes to a tense stop. There are a few ominous clicking sounds.
Ham pulls out his scanner and starts fiddling with it.
"They don't mean us any harm," says Bina. "I sense annoyance, but not hate. He's a Hergoth, and...I think he's expecting us!"
"Par'deth?" asks Pru almost eagerly.
"No," replies Bina. "It's Constable Betham. And he's alone."
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"Alone and expecting us? I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Wait..., how did he know where to find us... and arrive before we did? Most curious. So, which one of us brave souls is going to face the ire of the good Constable, or should we keep him waiting a bit long in the rain?"
"I can't see him," mutters Lirassa. "Ham, what's he up to? Or can anyone else see?"
Mon'Fargret will check and see if the constable is doing anything to wave them off. If not, he will say, "I will speak with him," and work his way to the front keeping his weaponry concealed (he was only carrying his pistol anyway and it was tucked away on his person).
Even with his night vision visor, Mon'Fargret can't see Betham all that clearly. His form seems somehow misshapen, bloated, and he's not giving off a clear heat signature. It's hard to say whether it's because of the drizzle, some outer wear he has on, or a combination of the two. At any rate, he seems to be just leaning against the wall next to the gate.
As Mon'Fargret comes closer, Betham greets him casually in Yangae and stands erect. Then it can be seen that he's wearing some kind of parka.
Betham clicks his tongue and says, "I'm really on a climbing vine [i.e. on a roll], aren't I?" he asks quietly but jovially (or maybe sarcastically). "How many times in the past two days have I had a wild hunch about you guys that turned out to be right on the mark?" He glances toward Bina, who looks away and says nothing. "Anyway," he goes on, "I don't suppose I can talk you out of this, can I?"
"Well, if you have any suggestions about getting who we came for without visiting the Eye of Tann, then yes, maybe you can talk us out of this, but I doubt it." Zeton smiles warmly at Constable Betham, "You know, maybe you should join our little group. It will save us the trouble of calling for the police if we discover someones been kidnapped."
Betham sighs. Then he pulls back his hood and removes his badge headband. "Thank you for asking me," he says. "It eases my conscience a bit." He holds up the headband. "Only a bit. It may cost me this, you know. But I have a feeling the whole city's riding on it." He stuffs the headband into a pocket and replaces his hood.
"It's not just the city," retorts Mey'Luskar in a low voice.
"We could use the help and I wish you could talk us out of this, but a branch isn't a root just because we wish it is. Before we get underway, is there anything you can tell us that will help the cause?" replies Mon'Fargret.
Betham's scowl can't be seen, but it can be felt.
"I don't know if it'll help or not," he replies, "but I can tell you plenty. Most people who know anything about this place wouldn't go near it. If it weren't the most logical way to get into the Eye...well, to be honest I've been looking for an excuse to check it out."
"I'd appreciate it if you'd fill us in," says Dabid politely.
"Maybe we could at least get out of this rain first?" moans Mey'Luskar.
"It's about eighty meters from the gate to the first building," says Betham. "It's the old workers' apartments."
"You know the place?" asks Pru.
"I've got a map of the grounds," replies the Constable. He heads over to the gate, feels around in the dark, and then lifts something. Behind can be seen what looks like a small control panel for a locking mechanism. He taps on a few buttons and then holds his hand over a sensor.
There's a reluctant click, and the gate starts to ease open slowly with a groan of grumpy metal.
"Rank has its privileges," he says. "Be advised, though; when I came here, I am pretty much positive I saw a light in one of the upstairs windows of the house."
"Do you think the occupants of the house have any idea of our little "get together"?
Betham nods toward Bina. "I don't have her training, but let's just say I've got the feeling we're being watched...and it doesn't feel friendly!"
Taking a que, Bina puts a hand on her temple and says, "I sense...suspicion. Fear. Anger. Why...have we come? Who sent us? Go away! Don't..." Bina's throat seems to seize up, and she struggles with it a bit. Then she belches. She and Mey'Luskar share a giggle.
"You've been drinking!" says Betham accusingly.
"I only had three cocktails!" retorts Bina.
"For the first time in how long?" Betham crosses his arms and taps a foot.
Bina mutters to herself. Then she says, "I'm not sure. Maybe a couple of years." She stomps a foot. "It's not like I haven't drunk before! You don't even know..."
"Excuse me!" says Dabid curtly. He points up toward the trees. "Did anybody else see a bright, red line of light up there?"
"Oh, I saw it!" says Ham. He scoffs. "Primitive!"
"We don't know what it's attached to," points out Lirassa. "It came from somewhere inside the estate."
"They're trying to scare us," says Betham. "Not gonna work." With that, he strides through the gate.
Mon'Fargret waves everyone along and asks Widj to join him in watching the flank position after the rest of the party.
(Okay...I'm gonna need a marching order. Betham is in front, and Widjgleeby and Mon'Fargret are in back. I assume the unarmed members of the group [Dabid, Bina, and Mey'Luskar] will be right in front of them. Where is everyone else going to be?)
I also need to know what people are carrying.
Ham reminds himself....primitive of not... a simple illuminated sight on the muzzle of a cannon would be a fatal and unwelcome surprise. He peers to see where there is cover...and hopes the talking will be at a minimum from our "slightly" drunk NPCs.
Feeling this be the time to find some cover, and to unlimber the stuff he had been carrying. Better to have it out in the open rather than getting caught carrying it, Ham looks for a suitable spot. Does a passive scan with the ole scanner too.
Okay, the terrain looks like this (as far as can be seen):
It's basically a paved lane, just barely wide enough for two regular-sized vehicles to pass each other. Beyond the gate, it passes into dense forest (i.e. pretty much pitch black). Cover is available in the form of the many trees and bushes on either side of the lane.
Ham suddenly heads off the lane into the trees and starts fiddling with his gear. Lirassa follows.
Zeton, apparently taking the cue, does the same.
Betham continues ahead a short distance and then, realizing the party has pretty much come to a halt, retraces his steps with a sigh of resignation.
"Oh, I'm getting soaked!" moans Mey'Luskar. "I hate this place!"
"There's a building a little further ahead, lady," says Dabid. "It's on the left, right where the woods open up."
"It's the worker flats," says Betham. "Something tells me we'd better be careful."
"Fear!" sings Bina. "Suspicion! Why have you come? Leave us alone!"
Widj pulls out her meat cleaver and says to no one in particular, "what they grow here not Ganci. Smell all wrong. Fun giggle plants? or chemicals?
Seeing that Betham doesn't seem to be too concerned and that there doesn't seem to be any real danger yet, Zeton quickly heads over to Betham.
"OK, whoever is here knows we are here and they aren't happy about it. It's too bad we can't emit thoughts of happiness and calm to reassure these folks we aren't here to bother them, eh?"
Zeton wipes some rain from his brow and nervously looks around into the shadows. "So, how do you recommend we approach and enter the worker flats?"
(I'll use that last comment to kick off the next post.)
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