Diamantus gave the detective a flinty stare as he laid out his inducement plan for their TorBru captive. “Between me n’ Aeria I figure we c’n probably convince Caput that it’s worth the investment. Kinda funny how they exiled me and now I’m savin’ their ass. They owe me one and I plan ta rub it in..”
Laermont shook his head slowly, his dull bronze skin catching the warm lamplight. “I don’t blame you for holding a grudge, but maybe you ought to set it aside when you speak to the Prince. We need that money if we’re going to have any chance of learning about what TorBru are up to.”
A wicked gleam came into the muscled velen’s eyes and her huge, scarred fists flexed unconsciously. “Or you can turn yer little friend over to me and I’ll get it out of ‘er. Fer tryin’ ta kill Aeria, I’d gladly do it.”
The quaestor sighed. “It's tempting but money is a much better inducement for one such as her. She lives for getting paid so I’ll give her precisely what she’s expecting. The end goal's the important part.”
The muscled velen shrugged, her blue scales rippling with iridescence.. “Have it yer way. Tell Aeria I’m up for it, if she is.”
The detective wasn’t done yet and his hulking frame exuded eagerness held in check. “However, I do have a more immediate request as well. I know there is a risk in creating any disruption of TorBru’s business and not everyone is in complete agreement with me on this, but I believe direct action to interdict the Outside Ones is necessary.”
Laemont gave the impression of shooting a piercing glance in Diamantus’ direction, despite the utter lack of features on his face. She replied in the affirmative. “Y’know we’re always up for a little mayhem. Just tell me what needs doin’ and we’ll get ‘er done.”
The quaestor nodded. “I believe that Professor Tersius has pinpointed the new location from which the aliens are broadcasting. It may be prudent to force them to move along quickly. I take it you can arrange this?”
The huge velen rubbed her powerful webbed hands together. “Oh I think it c’n be easily done mate. Send the prof over here with the info and we’ll take it from there.”
Laermont left his velen friend and strode along confidently, seeming to whistle a jaunty tune as he bounced along.. In spite of that, he darted down sidestreets and wandered through more crowded areas. No tension showed in him, in spite of this evasive wandering. After he’d made his way back to the Quaestorium, he climbed the broad marble stairs and navigated his way towards Calvinia’s desk.
The younger detective was diligently filling out a lengthy document when Laermont approached. She glanced up with an exasperated groan. “I hate filling out Vis-damned paperwork. Aren’t we supposed to be investigators?”
The quaestor would have smiled wryly, if his face moved, but he still gave off the aura of amused weariness. “My dear Calvinia, the essence of working for the Quaestorium is paperwork. This place would die if we took away its lifeblood.”
His enlil companion’s face wore a sour expression. “I wish there was just a faster way to do this. I mean why does it need this many pages just for me to enter all of my expenses?”
The hulking metallic-skinned demvir shrugged. “Ah if I knew that, I could answer all of the questions of the ages, Calvinia. However, I have a task for you that’ll drag you away from all of this paper for a while ”
His companion raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. “What’ve you got in mind, boss?”
Laermont glanced around, eyeplates sweeping the room, before he leaned in and lowered his voice. “Our ‘special friend’ needs some company. It’s a long shot but maybe if you spend some time trying to talk to her, she’ll open up more. I’m still trying to secure the funds we need, but until then perhaps the old adage about honey catching more flies than vinegar can be put into use.”
After leaving the police headquarters, Calvinia took a convoluted journey through the streets of Terminus, switching steam drays several times. Eventually she arrived at the tall, narrow, two storey building with a once ornate, now crumbling façcade in Lupanar that served as their prison for the captured TorBru killer. It was a convincingly derelict building, exactly like so many lining the street in decaying piles of stone.
Making her way through the battered front door, the young enlil’s smooth motion carried her down the narrow, steep stairs that fell down into darkness. Lanterns designed by Aeria to self-illuminate came on as she made her way down to the cellar. There a cell had been constructed to hold any prisoners who couldn’t be taken to the Quaestorium.
The lithe, feral, cat-like assassin rose to her feet and rattled the sturdy chain that held her in place against the wall as Calvinia slid the viewing slot open in the door. “Oh who’s this? Another one of my captors eh? Well fuck you! I’m still not saying shit to you.”
Calvina raised an eyebrow, but her face held no emotion otherwise. “Is that any way to talk to someone who saved your skinny ass from what TorBru is gonna do to you if they find you? I think a little gratitude is in order.”
With a flash of anger in her eyes, the captive snorted at the quaestor. “Gratitude? Fuck you!”
Shaking her head, the quaestor heaved a world-weary sigh. “You’re safer here than anywhere else in Terminus. This place is hidden, shielded and fortified. Out there, Mercuti or the Outside Ones could get to you.”
The hard-eyed woman’s chiseled features contracted into a scowl. “Don’t be stupid, cop. I already told the walking junk heap that they’ll get me anywhere. I’m not safe no matter where you put me.”
Calvinia shrugged. “You’re wrong. Even if you aren’t, you’re hidden and guarded here. It’ll take them a while to find you and we have a reason to put up a fight to keep it that way.”
A frown creased the woman’s smooth forehead and drew her fine eyebrows together. “What fuckin’ reason?”
It was the quaestor’s turn to furrow her brows. “You really don’t know? What did Mercuti tell you?”
The woman’s delicate, haughty face had resumed its smoothness. “I don’t ask why he wants things done, that’s his business. I just happen to be good at killing people and he likes that fact.”
Calvinia nodded. “Fair enough. Well, the reason why we’ll fight to protect you is information. We can take TorBru and the Ouside Ones down, we’ve got most of what we need but we can’t do it without some inside knowledge. You’re some piece of that puzzle.”
The icy-eyed woman scoffed. “Yeah except like I told you, Mercuti doesn’t tell me anything.”
The detective waved her scoffing away. “I can tell you’re not stupid and somone in your line of work is observant. I am sure you have information that we’ll find useful. It’s to our mutual benefit for you to share it. We’ll sweeten the deal with money, of course, but I hope you’ll see the advantage to yourself as well.”
The would-be assassin sat absolutely still, meeting Calvinia’s eyes. “I still don’t think you can do anything for me, but tell ya what - I’ll think about it if you get me a decent meal. I know you won’t let me out, but I’ll consider giving up a few things if you get me better grub.”
One curt nod was Calvinia’s response. “Okay. I can do that. Continuing to get it will be contingent on what you tell us. We’re working on the money, but the food’s a good faith gesture.”
As the quaestor strode back up the stairs and onto the street, her face was touched by a slight smile and she moved with a certain driven purpose toward the Quaestorium.
Laermont shook his head slowly, his dull bronze skin catching the warm lamplight. “I don’t blame you for holding a grudge, but maybe you ought to set it aside when you speak to the Prince. We need that money if we’re going to have any chance of learning about what TorBru are up to.”
A wicked gleam came into the muscled velen’s eyes and her huge, scarred fists flexed unconsciously. “Or you can turn yer little friend over to me and I’ll get it out of ‘er. Fer tryin’ ta kill Aeria, I’d gladly do it.”
The quaestor sighed. “It's tempting but money is a much better inducement for one such as her. She lives for getting paid so I’ll give her precisely what she’s expecting. The end goal's the important part.”
The muscled velen shrugged, her blue scales rippling with iridescence.. “Have it yer way. Tell Aeria I’m up for it, if she is.”
The detective wasn’t done yet and his hulking frame exuded eagerness held in check. “However, I do have a more immediate request as well. I know there is a risk in creating any disruption of TorBru’s business and not everyone is in complete agreement with me on this, but I believe direct action to interdict the Outside Ones is necessary.”
Laemont gave the impression of shooting a piercing glance in Diamantus’ direction, despite the utter lack of features on his face. She replied in the affirmative. “Y’know we’re always up for a little mayhem. Just tell me what needs doin’ and we’ll get ‘er done.”
The quaestor nodded. “I believe that Professor Tersius has pinpointed the new location from which the aliens are broadcasting. It may be prudent to force them to move along quickly. I take it you can arrange this?”
The huge velen rubbed her powerful webbed hands together. “Oh I think it c’n be easily done mate. Send the prof over here with the info and we’ll take it from there.”
Laermont left his velen friend and strode along confidently, seeming to whistle a jaunty tune as he bounced along.. In spite of that, he darted down sidestreets and wandered through more crowded areas. No tension showed in him, in spite of this evasive wandering. After he’d made his way back to the Quaestorium, he climbed the broad marble stairs and navigated his way towards Calvinia’s desk.
The younger detective was diligently filling out a lengthy document when Laermont approached. She glanced up with an exasperated groan. “I hate filling out Vis-damned paperwork. Aren’t we supposed to be investigators?”
The quaestor would have smiled wryly, if his face moved, but he still gave off the aura of amused weariness. “My dear Calvinia, the essence of working for the Quaestorium is paperwork. This place would die if we took away its lifeblood.”
His enlil companion’s face wore a sour expression. “I wish there was just a faster way to do this. I mean why does it need this many pages just for me to enter all of my expenses?”
The hulking metallic-skinned demvir shrugged. “Ah if I knew that, I could answer all of the questions of the ages, Calvinia. However, I have a task for you that’ll drag you away from all of this paper for a while ”
His companion raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. “What’ve you got in mind, boss?”
Laermont glanced around, eyeplates sweeping the room, before he leaned in and lowered his voice. “Our ‘special friend’ needs some company. It’s a long shot but maybe if you spend some time trying to talk to her, she’ll open up more. I’m still trying to secure the funds we need, but until then perhaps the old adage about honey catching more flies than vinegar can be put into use.”
After leaving the police headquarters, Calvinia took a convoluted journey through the streets of Terminus, switching steam drays several times. Eventually she arrived at the tall, narrow, two storey building with a once ornate, now crumbling façcade in Lupanar that served as their prison for the captured TorBru killer. It was a convincingly derelict building, exactly like so many lining the street in decaying piles of stone.
Making her way through the battered front door, the young enlil’s smooth motion carried her down the narrow, steep stairs that fell down into darkness. Lanterns designed by Aeria to self-illuminate came on as she made her way down to the cellar. There a cell had been constructed to hold any prisoners who couldn’t be taken to the Quaestorium.
The lithe, feral, cat-like assassin rose to her feet and rattled the sturdy chain that held her in place against the wall as Calvinia slid the viewing slot open in the door. “Oh who’s this? Another one of my captors eh? Well fuck you! I’m still not saying shit to you.”
Calvina raised an eyebrow, but her face held no emotion otherwise. “Is that any way to talk to someone who saved your skinny ass from what TorBru is gonna do to you if they find you? I think a little gratitude is in order.”
With a flash of anger in her eyes, the captive snorted at the quaestor. “Gratitude? Fuck you!”
Shaking her head, the quaestor heaved a world-weary sigh. “You’re safer here than anywhere else in Terminus. This place is hidden, shielded and fortified. Out there, Mercuti or the Outside Ones could get to you.”
The hard-eyed woman’s chiseled features contracted into a scowl. “Don’t be stupid, cop. I already told the walking junk heap that they’ll get me anywhere. I’m not safe no matter where you put me.”
Calvinia shrugged. “You’re wrong. Even if you aren’t, you’re hidden and guarded here. It’ll take them a while to find you and we have a reason to put up a fight to keep it that way.”
A frown creased the woman’s smooth forehead and drew her fine eyebrows together. “What fuckin’ reason?”
It was the quaestor’s turn to furrow her brows. “You really don’t know? What did Mercuti tell you?”
The woman’s delicate, haughty face had resumed its smoothness. “I don’t ask why he wants things done, that’s his business. I just happen to be good at killing people and he likes that fact.”
Calvinia nodded. “Fair enough. Well, the reason why we’ll fight to protect you is information. We can take TorBru and the Ouside Ones down, we’ve got most of what we need but we can’t do it without some inside knowledge. You’re some piece of that puzzle.”
The icy-eyed woman scoffed. “Yeah except like I told you, Mercuti doesn’t tell me anything.”
The detective waved her scoffing away. “I can tell you’re not stupid and somone in your line of work is observant. I am sure you have information that we’ll find useful. It’s to our mutual benefit for you to share it. We’ll sweeten the deal with money, of course, but I hope you’ll see the advantage to yourself as well.”
The would-be assassin sat absolutely still, meeting Calvinia’s eyes. “I still don’t think you can do anything for me, but tell ya what - I’ll think about it if you get me a decent meal. I know you won’t let me out, but I’ll consider giving up a few things if you get me better grub.”
One curt nod was Calvinia’s response. “Okay. I can do that. Continuing to get it will be contingent on what you tell us. We’re working on the money, but the food’s a good faith gesture.”
As the quaestor strode back up the stairs and onto the street, her face was touched by a slight smile and she moved with a certain driven purpose toward the Quaestorium.