Along one of the more quiet streets of central Haven rests some quiet, though rather beautiful homes. True, Michael's house and store look a bit odd, nearly castle like, but the rest all look rather normal, at least on the outside. Inside Chastity's house (which is only normal on the outside), Simtra is getting used to Stuffit, and Kainudy has arrived to "enlighten" WolfSinger, Simtra, or anyone else unlucky enough to get in her way. ;)
Stuffit's sharp, beady little eyes continue to look around the spacious home, after having raided the food again, chittering happily as he bounces around.
"Sooo," Kainudy says, "What's this I hear about you two looking for wives all of a sudden?"
Simtra runs after Stuffit bumping into everything, "Come back here. If you make a mess I will have to clean it up!"
Stuffit gleefully ignores Simtra, having too much fun as he dives into a pile of drapes that have yet to be hung up.
WolfSinger's ears flush red! "well... errr... ummmm.. is there anything WRONG with that?"
Kainudy sits curled up before the hearth, and shrugs with her wings. "Well, it's not like you're in positions to offer much. Neither of you have your own homes, for example."
"Ya. It it kinda lonely. . . *ouch!* " as Simtra looks back to talk to Kainudy and runs into a chair.
WolfSinger barks, "who says a mate has to be attracted by how much you own?"
Stuffit meanwhile, has finally taken notice of Kainudy and *poits* in front of her, chittering *Beautiful/precious dragon lady. Greetings again!* and waves happily. As his mood has been improving, he's been seeming more like his old self, and not quite as much of a ...mercenary merchant.
Simtra picks himself up dusts himself off, "I have a home, its just not here. But I might have to move down here with all of the time I am spending in Haven."
Kainudy says, "And the females in Turning Point aren't to your liking?"
Stuffit chitters something about the two not wanting him to acquire mates for them. And grumbling that he even offered to do it for cost (plus expenses, of course. ;)
Simtra says, "Well it is not that, it is just, I know most of them due to the small size of the town, It would be like dating a litter mate sometimes."
Kainudy turns to WolfSinger, "It's not a matter of how much you own, WolfSinger. But if you want to start a family you need to be able to provide the basics at least."
"Your personality wins you your mate's attraction.." the dragon explains, "but it's money that wins her parents' approval."
Simtra slowly creeps up behind Stuffit to grab him so that he can slow him down a bit.
> Back in the forest, Samantha sits down in her workshop and starts
adjusting the arrangement of small figurines on a table. These figurines
were carved from the same crystal as the fakes she had her son deliver
to the noble family; finished up at the same time, and even spiked
with the same silver at the same time to look right. That many points
of similarity makes sympathetic magic much easier: now she fiddles with
the relative orientations of the figurines, playing to get the best
'reception' by getting them in the same places as the ones in the noble's
home. She grumbles at the people who keep picking them up and disrupting
her lock.
Stuffit seems mesmerized by the jewel blue colored dragoness, and for once seems to be ignoring Simtra's approach.
WolfSinger's ears droop a bit. "well, I've only been on this planet a short time... give me chance. Everything I owned got left behind when I fell through that portal."
Kainudy waggles her ears hypnotically at the ferret.
Simtra jumps and grabs Stuffit, "Thanks Kai. I have been running after him all day"
> Starling Dactyle, the old patriarch of the nobles in Haven, finally
puts the figurines down, "Well, these don't look like much, it's almost
hard to believe they weren't damaged when the Turning Point mine
was destroyed, this stuff is normally so....virulent. Jacob, you said that
an otter had some of this new form of mind crystal? And that a ...
trained rodent stole it from you?" The old stags voice is full of reproach.
Simtra turns to the ferret, "Geees what do you eat? Honey all day? You've got so much energy."
Kainudy grins, "What makes you think you can hold him now though?"
Stuffit oofs and chitters at being picked up, and then figures the dragon could use an offering. With a *poit*, he and Simtra disappear.
Kainudy blinks, not realizing Stuffit could transport things as big as a fox. "Well WolfSinger, what sort of girl are you looking for?"
> Another voice, a bit younger, and rather nervous and embarrassed
can be heard, "Yeah, it was a sample from the shipment that's coming into
the harbor today. We've got to get that stuff and destroy it somehow,
I mean, it ate my brother in Turning Point!"
> Samantha ahs, and gets the lock. She sits down, closes her eyes,
and inhales from the small incense burner she has on the table as well.
When she 'opens' her eyes, she looks around at the inside of the nobles'
house, feeling as if she's there, just an invisible observer in
the room.
With a *poit*, Simtra and Stuffit are back, with doughnuts.
Kainudy blinks again! "Wow! I think I've found MY ideal mate," she jokes.
Simtra turns to Stuffit, "I am glad one of us had money. You should not just take things"
WolfSinger blinks at the teleporting fox and ferret. "well, a she-wolf would be nice for starters, but I's starting to think I'm the only wolf on the planet.
> The room comes into focus, and a mix of elderly and younger stags,
10 in all, fill the room. Some looking just concerned, a couple outright
scared, and at least two are fuming. A figure in a cowled robe stands
behind Starling Dactyle.
Kainudy sniffs the goodies, and eyes the ferret. "You know that I don't have that giant pearl anymore, right Stuffit?"
Kainudy says, "Maybe Stuffit can find one for you, WolfSinger. If you bribe him enough."
> One of the annoyed stags speaks up, "Nonsense. Those idiots just
caved in the mine on themselves. I still say we're stupid to throw a
potential weapon against the Chirpy'taur away like this."
Stuffit's ears droop a bit at the news, but he perks right up and offers Kainudy the doughnuts anyhow.
> Jacob growls, "They saw my brother ...swallowed by that stuff,
and you think we should keep it? You're insane, it's not worth the risk!"
Simtra takes one of the doughnuts from the bag he was holding and offerers WolfSinger them.
WolfSinger snatches the doughnut and munches on. "Ummmm... I think I'd prefer that my mate come along willing....
> As the other stag goes to respond, Starling Dactyle shouts, "Enough!"
and waits till things settle down, "We've already decided, the risk
is too great to us to keep this stuff around. We'll intercept that
shipment from Northern Reach, and then send a group up to that colony,
find the source, and destroy it somehow. Jacob, how do you plan on getting
the shipment?"
Stuffit chitters happily and hops up to Simtra's shoulder, looking around some more, and occasionally sneaking looks at Kainudy.
Simtra put the rest of them on the table and sits down on the chair, "I don't know wufie, sometimes I think you are too picky about a mate."
Kainudy scarfs baked goods.
Kainudy says, "We can always make you a cross-gendered clone if you can't find anyone, WolfSinger."
WolfSinger acks!! and runs off in to the other room, embarrassed.
> Jacob finally calms down, "Well, I'm planning on using a mineral
and gem dealer from Turning Point as a front man to buy the gems, stag
nobles are generating way too much attention right now. This one is a
young fox, and well liked by many. He's also sufficiently gullible." he
smirks, rather confident in his assessment of the "lower class" like
many nobles.
Simtra looks up at Stuffit and smiles, glad he has 'calmed' down.
Kainudy hmms, and eats another doughnut. "I wonder why some wolves are just so bashful.."
Simtra watches WolfSinger run from the room, "And he wonders why he is having problems finding a mate."
> Starling Dactyle nods, then looks at the plastic card with metal
designs etched into it, "Mage, you say this is the key to this thing?
But does it turn it on, shut it off, what? I'm just glad the other scholar
mages don't know of this, the fools would want to study it even as
it absorbed them. Enough, Jacob, make sure you get that shipment. As for
the rest of you, this meeting is over." and at that, the old stag limps
from the room, with all but two stags, and the scholar mage remaining
behind.
> The two younger stags shake their heads, "They're like old women,
afraid of anything new that involves risk. But, this is too good to
pass up, those cat birds are keeping us from our rightful place in trading
with other races, and this stuff was supposedly designed with them
in mind. Mage, as far as I'm concerned, if this stuff is hungry for flesh,
you and your fellows can feed those old farts to it."
Simtra shouts after WolfSinger, "Are you coming back?"
Stuffit, like most ferrets, runs full tilt till tiring out, and the double port of something Simtra's size wore him out. He curls up in the hood of Simtra's cloak and snoozes.
Simtra chuckles and pulls the draw string for the hood a bit tighter to make sure he will not fall out. "I can't believe how much energy he has sometimes. And I wish I knew how he did that transport trick."
Kainudy says, "Why would you want to know something like that?"
Simtra says, "I don't know, I just like to how stuff happens I guess. Or to see if I could do it. It would be a nice trick to have."
> Pushing his hood back, Zanix, an elderly scholar mage nods, "Well,
we can't let them destroy something so valuable. This even predates
our spacer ancestors. Let them have this shipment, I'm sending you two,
and a couple of scholar mages to Northern Reach, to get to the source.
Here's the real control card, I made a copy for that old fool, Starling.
Now go, transportation awaits you like I mentioned."
Simtra shouts back to the door of the other room, "Wufie? Are you ok?"
Kainudy gestures towards Simtra's hood. "You've got Stuffit there to do it for you. Isn't that almost as good?"
> One of the two stags grins, "Well, some of our...less intelligent
members are going after the shipment too. Should be a good distraction
while we go after the source. We'll meet your scholar mages in two hours
Zanix. We must move quickly." Zanix nods, and the trio leaves the
room.
Simtra looks back to Kainudy, "Ya, and I bet I would have to settle for that too."
Someone knocks on the front door of the "embassy".
> Samantha shakes herself, gradually waking back up in her workshop
with a groan as a headache asserts itself. "Oh, great. Copies of copies."
Kainudy looks at the door, at a loss as to the best way to answer it.. since she already has doughnuts.
Simtra stands up, careful to not wake Stuffit, walks to the door and opens it, "Hello?"
A well dressed stag noble is at the door, "I'm looking for a mineral and gem merchant by the name of Simtra, from Turning Point. I was told he might be here?"
Kainudy calls out, "Are you a cop?"
> Samantha starts quickly gathering together her travel clothes.
She has a sneaking suspicion who this young fox merchant they're going
to make use of is...
Jacob blinks, "A cop?"
WolfSinger is curled up on a cushion on the floor.
Simtra waits for Kainudy's question to be answered before responding
Simtra says, "Yes, A member of the guards that are around here."
Kainudy gives the stag a good look-over, then decides it's safe to leave the doughnuts out.
Looking nonplussed, the noble hmmmfs, "One of my family, a..guard? Hardly. I'm on the Haven Council, and a jewelry merchant myself. ;)"
Simtra says, "Ah in that case you have found the right fox. I am Simtra. What do ya want?"
Jacob sighs and then collects himself, "There is a shipment of rare stones coming in on a freighter from Northern Reach. I understand you often buy rare gems and stones from them, and figure you could acquire this lot for me, as I have pressing business when they are due to arrive."
Simtra says, "Acquire it for you? What do I get out of it?"
WolfSinger walks back into he room and takes another doughnut to munch on.
> Samantha checks to see if Acera and Nalae have returned from their
hunting expedition upstream. When she sees neither of them have, she
writes out a note for them, and starts making good time in towards town.
Jacob smiles, "If you get the entire shipment for me, I'll give you 5 gold. And, as I will give you 10 gold to buy the lot with, you can keep any excess you generate by bartering them down in price. I doubt you can get them below 8, but don't be too eager. You'll need someone to act as a guard, these gems are very valuable."
"A guard hun? Simtra looks into the house, "Hey WolfSinger? Would ya like to make a good deal of money?"
WolfSinger barks, "hmmmm? how so?"
The stag smiles, "Yes, your wolf friend would work well. Most don't realize he's harmless, many still think he's a reformed invader. I'll throw in another gold for him, how you two decide to divide the rest is up to you Simtra."
Jacob, looking satisfied with the arrangements, asks, "Do we have a deal then?"
Simtra says, "Oh just act as a guard on while I carry some rocks for this stag."
Simtra turns to Jacob, "I am fairly sure, let me just get an answer from WolfSinger"
WolfSinger barks, "heh... I'll wear my pressure suit for my fighter... that stuff almost looks like body armor."
Jacob nods, and quietly looks around the secluded street. Excellent, so far, no one has noticed him here. He frowns, "Armor? That might attract too much attention. It'd be best if he just goes as is, that should work. Not too many people know about this shipment, so I don't expect any trouble."
Kainudy eavesdrops, naturally. Why would a noble come here to hire Simtra in person, instead of just sending a lackey?
Simtra waves WolfSinger to the door, "So the armor would be too much? Are you still in though?
Jacob adds, "Oh, and don't tell your friend that I'm the one buying this, he doesn't like nobles, and he knows all my employees, which is why I'm going through you."
WolfSinger barks, "sure... not doing anything else."
Simtra takes Jacob's hand and shakes it, "No prob, Then you have a deal, 16 gold."
Jacob takes the hand and nods, "Excellent. I've been told I can trust you, so I'll pay in advance. Just bring the gems over to the Dactyle house, where I'll be staying. Here is the 16 gold. And good luck, I look forward to getting these gems."
Simtra blinks, "Wow! I have never been paid in advance. I, err we will be heading out shortly then"
With that, the stag looks carefully in all directions, and then walks off at a casual stroll and disappears.
Kainudy hmms.
Simtra closes to door and walks back in, "Where is my pack? We need to get moving to keep him happy."
WolfSinger barks, "this sounds to weird."
"Weird?" Kainudy remarks. "I'm sure it's an everyday occurrence for Simtra to get hired by a Noble that doesn't give his name."
Simtra opens the pouch to double check the coins and finds a note, "Who cares. The money is here and the ship we need to take leaves in a little under two hours.
> Samantha heads rapidly towards the docks first. If they're not
there yet, she can backtrack towards the embassy to catch them before
they get there. But she knows she's rather short on time. She munches
on a few nuts she's prepared for such an emergency. The energy burst
from these should help her get there on time; hopefully she can finish
things before the burnout hits.
Simtra finds his back and carefully puts it on his back so not to crush Stuffit, "Are you ready to head out Wufie?"
Kainudy says, "How long do you expect this little jaunt to take?"
WolfSinger barks, "I've never really ridden shotgun before.... I don't know what to expect. Should I bring along some kinda weapon?"
Simtra hmms, "I don't know. Not too long. We just need to get to the docks and then to Dactyle's house which I don't think is too far from where we are now.
Simtra says, "A weapon might be a good idea. What do you have in mind? We have some time to think about it."
Kainudy says, "Stuffit is a weapon. Or an anti-weapon, if you prefer."
WolfSinger barks, "well.... how bout that walking stick? might come in handy to bonk someone over the head with."
Simtra chuckles, "It would be a good idea. It is about all you would be able to carry around here with.
Simtra says, "So do we think we would need anything else. We have a little more then a hour before we need to head out."
WolfSinger barks, "something to munch on? "
Kainudy stretches, "Well.. I'm going to go up to the roof and catch some sun. Be careful out there."
Simtra ssshs WolfSinger, "Not so loud about munchies, I don't want to wake Stuffit, but a good idea."
Simtra says, "We will Kai, and don't let your bare skin burn up there."
Kainudy smirks, and makes her way up the stairs to the roof entry.. where she can watch the progress of the two more easily.
Simtra walks into the kitchen to see what is left to take with them.
WolfSinger snatches another doughnut.
> Samantha is practically bouncing through the forest, running along
some of the larger branches of various trees in some areas to get over
rivers and such in the way of a straight-line path. She's moving far
faster than someone her age should be able to move, and knows she'll
pay for this later.
Simtra picks up a few things from the kitchen, puts them in the kitchen and heads back out to the main room.
Stuffit rubs his paws over his nose a few times, brushing out his whiskers, then curls up tighter and snoozes some more in Simtra's hood.
The appointed time draws near as Simtra, WolfSinger, and the sleeping Stuffit head out the door towards the docks. A smoke trail can be seen along the Big Serpent River, indicating a steam ship is coming in to dock.
Simtra shifts his pack to make it more comfortable as they start their way down to the docks.
WolfSinger barks, "I still got a strange feeling about this...."
Finding a perch atop a warehouse, Kainudy keeps an eye on the pair.
Simtra looks over to the wuf, "Oh? What is the worst that could happen. I left most of the money at the house, I got you, and it is only a bunch of gems that we err I will be carrying.
WolfSinger barks, "when was the last time a Noble came to you directly without sending a messenger? Why couldn't he just get them himself?"
The docks are not as crowded as they have been, folks are still recovering from the solstice festival, especially from those kegs of really hard cider that were given out cheap. So, the only crowd on the docks is around a merchant showing off a piece of curved glass that can be used to heat food on ships without fire, so long as there is plenty of sun around. Only the normal compliment of dock workers is paying attention to the steamer as it comes in, and a few kids always fascinated about such distant travelers.
Kainudy watches the ship belch smoke, and wonders for the umpteenth time why things like that don't just explode.
Simtra says, "Well never, but I have never carried anything for a noble for for a messenger. Besides, it is 16 gold he paid for it."
WolfSinger barks, "my point exactly. You've never carried anything for a Nobel before. why all the sudden now does one come to you directly?"
Simtra says, "I guess it is a little strange, but still the money is good, so I don't ask many questions. It might be stolen goods or something like it."
WolfSinger barks, "that must be the ship. what dock is it pulling into ?"
Simtra looks at the note again, "The note says dock 3. That it the one. Now where is that captain?"
WolfSinger barks, "maybe he's down by dock 3?"
The shipmates quickly get the ship tied down, and the boilers start to slow down. Finally, on deck, a very energetic young otter morph pops into view and looks around, making sure all is in order.
Simtra walks to the side of the docking ship, "Ahoy up there. Is there a captain Lucky up there?
Samantha runs up along the docks, causing a fair commotion as she takes a fairly straight line, cutting through work crews and leaping over crates in her path.
The otter bounds over to the rail, "Simtra? That is you, good to see you again my friend. What brings you to the docks today?"
WolfSinger barks, "ahhhhh... you know him?"
Simtra nodes to WolfSinger and shouts up to the otter, "I hear ya have some gems that you have to sell. I wanted to know if ya will sell them to me."
Samantha runs across the docks, finally tracking down the object of her quest. She comes to a skidding stop, almost running into WolfSinger in the process, then collapses down to her knees and sits down on the dock.
WolfSinger yips!! and ducks, thinking he's going to get run over.
Captain "Lucky" blinks, "You know bout the Frostgleam eh? You always did seem to know where the good stuff was, but this time I'd say you're out of your league. Expensive stuff it is, why don't you and your friend come on board, and we'll talk it over. M'lady?!" exclaims the otter as he sees the elderly squirrel collapse.
Simtra says, "Will do." Sim turns to where Samantha fell down and tries to help her back up.
Samantha shakes her head, and looks up at Simtra as she grasps. "I don't suppose you were asked by a deer to pick up some items for him?"
Simtra folds his ears back for a sec, "Yes, but how would you find out about that?"
WolfSinger tilts his head?
Samantha pants a little more, starting to come down off her energy high. "It's a long story. The stuff is related to those odd figurines that were causing so much commotion recently."
A few figures watch the group, but remain in the background, pretending to watch the solar oven demonstration.
WolfSinger barks, "see, Simtra? I told you this was to weird."
Simtra helps Samantha to a near by crate to have her sit down for a rest, "Ya, I guess our right WolfSinger. Anything else I should know about it?"
Captain Lucky frowns, "A deer? Yer a noble's lacky now Simtra?"
Samantha sits down. "The stuff is magically active in some way. There's been an attempt to spread some of it around town by some of the nobles like that deer for their own purposes. They're trying to control it, but don't really understand what they're dealing with."
Simtra looks up to the capt, "I just trying to make a quick buck. But by what I know know about it, I will not be giving the stuff to them.
Simtra says, "Will ya still sell it to me?"
The captain frowns, "Maybe, get on board the lot of ya, you're drawing too much of a crowd, and I just let most of the crew go on leave."
Samantha leans back against one of the crates.
Simtra turns to WolfSinger, "Can you help me with Samantha, she might be light but not that light."
Stuffit twitches a little in his sleep.
WolfSinger looks over to Samantha. "do you need to be carried, or can you make it holding onto my arm?"
Samantha says, "I think I might need to be carried. I ran all the way here."
Behind the chimney of the dockmaster's house, a young feline waits with an odd looking device resting on a tripod.
WolfSinger nods, and picks up Samantha in his arms and carries her aboard the ship.
Captain Lucky helps guide WolfSinger to a couple of deck chairs where Samantha can rest, muttering something unkind about "nobles" under his breath.
Simtra quickly follows WolfSinger on board the ship.
The captain finally hmmfs, "Ok, so what is this all about folks? Something about my cargo being dangerous?"
Kainudy looks around from her perch.. good thing the dock isn't very busy today.. then sneaks down into the water.
Samantha mmfs, trying to keep awake for long enough. "It's not dangerous yet, at least; this is sort of an amber crystal with silver veins through it, right?"
WolfSinger sits down in a chair next to Samantha.
The captain shakes his head, "Nope, a bluish crystal with silver veins through it. I was told the amber kind was all destroyed."
Simtra scriches Samantha's head to try to keep her awake, "Is this any worst, the blue kind?"
Samantha ahs. "Right, sorry. It was. But it's the same sort of crystal in some ways, even if a different color. I don't know if it's any better or worse." She pauses to focus her thoughts. "It's a magical crystal of some sort, all the pieces stay connected even if you move them apart. Makes it great for spying, anyway."
WolfSinger barks, "Blue now? this keeps getting weirder."
Kainudy swims to side of the ship facing away from the dock, and tries to find Simtra and WolfSinger by the sound of their voices.
Simtra looks up to the capt, "If ya want I will still takes the stuff off your hands."
Samantha says, "Something in it seems to have a mind of its own as well, and that's the part that _really_ worries me."
Simtra blinks at what Samantha just said, "A mind of it's own? On second thought, I don't know Capt."
Captain Lucky scrunches his nose, "It cost me a bundle Simtra, no matter how dangerous I can't just give it away. But if you have the money, I'll be happy to let you worry about this stuff. Do you know if your lady friend here is reliable?"
The furs hiding in the crowd around the solar oven demo get restless. It's taking too long, and that squirrel's mother showed up. They start moving towards the ship.
Simtra hmms, "Samantha? Ya she is trustable. Or at least the friends of mine trust her so I do too."
WolfSinger barks, "yep... she's okay. "
The Captain shakes his head, "By the ancestors, what a mess. Do ye want the Frostgleam or not? I don't want to keep it onboard anymore, but I can't give it away, I put my boat up as a promise against the cost of the gems."
Simtra says, "Oh I guess I will take it. What do ya want for it?"
WolfSinger's tail swishes. "anything I can get for you, Samantha?"
The Captain shrugs, "I was hoping for 12 maybe, got to get at least 9 to make it worth the trouble, so I'd like 10 gold at least. Friends or no friends, I got to keep this ship afloat, and that takes coin."
Samantha says, "Something to drink would be good. Non-alcoholic."
About 4 furs, two felines, a bear and a wolverine are approaching Captain Lucky's ship. The Captain nods and gets some ice cold fruit juice for Samantha and Simtra and his friend.
Simtra hmms and frowns, "So much gold. Well I think you might be able to get by with only 5 gold.
Samantha sips slowly at the juice.
Simtra takes the juice and takes a small drink from it, "Thanks for the drink Capt."
The otter frowns for a moment, then grins in spite of himself, "Ya must be daft. I'm not going to sell them at a loss. I'm giving you a break at 10, don't be so greedy just cause I'm too upset to properly bargain."
WolfSinger keeps his muzzle shut. he never was much of a bargainer.
Simtra says, "Well how bout this, I give ya 7 gold and I make sure that the nobles don't get their paws on this stuff."
The four furs spread out along the length of the ship, one listening to the bargaining, and waiting to see if the gems will be brought out before signalling his fellow goons. The sniper on the roof doesn't fail to notice the activity either.
Captain Lucky gahs, "I want some profit, it's a bloody long trip up to Northern Reach, even if the Ke'eppers and their Ket'Pilars are pretty nice folk. 9 gold, and your taken advantage of me, how do I know you didn't invent this story just to drive the price down? ;)
Samantha grumbles. We don't have time for this.
Simtra says, "Ok, ok. I get your point. I will tell ya what I will give you all I have. And that is 8 gold. Its be my final offer."
Samantha chitters in some frustration at this, and starts pawing through one of her pouches.
Captain Lucky growls, "You'll be owing me next time Simtra. But I trust ya not to fool with me. 8 it is, and let me get the things. I put the bags in the ice chest.
WolfSinger looks over at Samantha.
The wolverine motions for his compatriots to start boarding the boat in a minute. The goods are about to be brought out.
Simtra turns to Samantha, "We are almost done here. Just a few bits more."
Samantha says, "I don't like this."
WolfSinger barks, "I'll be glad to get rid of the stuff myself.... this stuff is too weird. "
Simtra says, "Well I would like to look at it a bit. Besides, I think Jenora wanted to get her paws on some of this stuff."
The otter hauls out an ice chest, "Best place to hide valuable stuff. Sorry if it smells a bit like fish." He hauls out two twenty pound sacks and takes a step an instant before the ice chest seems to shake apart and explode!
The ice chest is vaporized, and the four intruders are startled as they rush forward. The sniper on top of the building is growling as his weapon recharges. He tries to keep the bags in his sites.
Samantha chitters again. "Looks like your noble friend didn't trust you and sent backup to check up on you."
Stuffit pops up and chitters *What the non profit?*
WolfSinger yips!! and grabs for the walking stick.
Simtra eeps and takes a few steps back closer to Samantha.
The bear recovers first and leaps for WolfSinger, while the wolverine tries to get the bags from the Captain, who is sprawled on the deck, ears ringing.
WolfSinger growls! and thrusts the stick at the charging bear's face.
The blow slams into the bear's muzzle, and he backs up, slightly stunned, but quickly regaining his balance as he goes after the wolf again.
Samantha keeps working through her pouches, finally locating what she was looking for. "Somebody is going to owe me for having to use this up..."
Kainudy acks at the shot, and clambers up the side of the ship, yelling, "What's going on up here?"
Simtra hears Stuffit wake up and yells, "Stuffit can you get Samantha away from here quickly?"
WolfSinger swings the stick at the bear again, his hackles raised.
The two felines blink as Kai appears, then jump for her. The wolverine pulls one bag of crystals free, and it suddenly hums and explodes too. The sniper with the sonic cannon finally got a clear shot off, but is getting antsy as he waits for it to recharge. One target left.
Stuffit blinks, stunned by the second blast, and scitters onto Simtra's shoulder, looking around, trying to get oriented.
Simtra does not wait for an answer and dives for the other bag to bump it away.
The bear growls and swings a burly arm at WolfSinger, not happy about the stick in the face.
Samantha lifts the object she's holding up, and throws it down on the deck, hard. It explodes in a great cloud of smoke, blanking out the view of everything on deck from the sniper, not to mention nearly blinding everyone on the ship.
WolfSinger ducks as the bear swings, taking another swing himself as Samatha's magic goes off.
The fog surrounding the boat also seems to damp sound, making locating the other people difficult. Only Samantha herself is unaffected as she crawls towards the other bag of crystals.
The second bag has torn slightly, and one of the small blue crystals is on the deck. Stuffit, still a bit confused, stumbles over the gem. The four henchmen are still trying, though the bear oofs as he gets a quarterstaff in the side. The two felines are trying to hold onto Kainudy, and the sniper is cursing as he scrambles down to the docks. Oddly enough, not a single guard has arrived yet.
Kainudy spreads her wings and tries to catch the two felines between them in a clap.
Simtra eeeps as he misses the other bag and slides into the wolverine instead.
Samantha grumbles, and tries to patch up the hole in the bag, sealing it shut.
WolfSinger grrrrss!! grabbing for the bear's leg in an attempt to trip him.
*Thunk* as the two feline heads get slammed together. Kainudy knocks out her two, and WolfSinger is holding his own with the bear. The Wolverine is knocked over onto Stuffit just as the dazed ferret teleports to the docks with a *poit*. Taking the Wolverine and the one small crystal fragment with him.
Samantha looks around; only a couple of minutes left before the fog disperses. No time to do much with the bag. She finishes sealing it up, ties one of her pouches to it, and then shoves it overboard. She can worry about picking it up later.
Kainudy grumbles, and launches herself off of the deck to see if she can spot the sniper.
Simtra looks around for the Wolverine that was just there and surgs, "Samantha, WolfSinger, where are you?
Samantha groans, and pats Simtra's hand. "I'm here, right beside you."
WolfSinger yells out "over here!!" as he jabs the stick in the spot where he thinks the bear is.
Simtra drops flat to the deck a bit closer to Samantha, "I will try to get you out of here. Climb on to my back and try to hold on.
Samantha rrfs. "The fog will disperse in less than a minute now."
Samantha tries to climb onto Simtra's back. It's a slow job with how tired she is.
Simtra tries to work himself under Samantha and help her on his back, "Then we need to get away before it clears"
Samantha holds herself in place. "Okay. WolfSinger is about five paces in front of you, just a little off to your right."
The sniper is fairly obvious, he's about a hundred feet away, weapon aimed at the cloud around the boat. He's annoyed, only two charges left. He fails to notice Stuffit take the small crystal and run, too tired and confused to teleport just yet. WolfSinger succeeds in knocking the bear off the boat.
WolfSinger growls.
WolfSinger barks, "take that, furball!"
Beating her wings hard to gain enough altitude, Kainudy angles towards the sniper.
Simtra starts slowly crawling towards the sound of WolfSinger's voice.
Samantha says, "Simtra... I can see through the fog. I designed it that way. You've still got about three paces to go, and a little more to the right."
WolfSinger goes about finding his own way out of the fog.
Simtra just nods, not questioning what Samantha says, and keeps going and turns a bit to the right.
Samantha says, "Drat, now he's moving. WolfSinger!"
WolfSinger barks, "what? where are you?""
Simtra says, "At the plank on the side of the ship! I am making my way off the ship."
WolfSinger follows Simtra's voice as best he can.
Samantha says, "Turn about an eighth of a circle towards your left, WolfSinger, and keep going. Two more steps, then turn back a quarter circle to the right. There..."
The wolverine chases Stuffit along the docks, in and amongst the crates, figuring at least a PIECE of the crystal is better than none. The sniper looks torn as he levels the sonic cannon at Kainudy, not really wanting to waste a charge.
Samantha grumbles. "Just a few seconds left."
Simtra oofs tiredly as he slowly crawls down the plank.
WolfSinger follows Samantha's directions.
Stuffit is doing his best to keep out of reach of the wolverine, and races towards the crowd of people watching the solar oven. Odd, they seem to be oblivious to what's been going on just two hundred feet away.
The fog dissipates, disappearing almost as abruptly as it appeared. Samantha, Simtra, and WolfSinger are only about half-way down the plank when they are suddenly visible again.
Kainudy zig-zags in towards the sniper, and roars at him!
Simtra erps, "WolfSinger! Help me with Samantha, I am not stronge enough to carry her"
WolfSinger blinks? as he can suddenly see again, and runs over to Simtra to help him.
The sniper, rattled by an attacking dragon, fires a blast a few feet over her head.
The crowd has finally noticed the racing ferret and his wolverine pursuer, and when Stuffit finally scrambles up onto the display table, the merchant, outraged, smacks him right off into the crowd, and the small blue crystal rolls into the focal point of the solar oven on display.
Samantha is not much better than dead weight at the moment, but hangs on as she's carried.
Kainudy ducks down as she's fired upon, and lands just below the sniper's position.
WolfSinger pants and takes Samantha from Simtra to give him a break. "we got everything?"
Samantha says, "Everything we can get right now."
Simtra slowly stands up panting heavily, "Where did Stuffit go?"
Samantha says, "Over into that crowd over there."
The sniper, a male feline, is backing up and cursing as the sonic canon recharges, for the very last time. The wolverine however, is having better luck, and grabs for the blue crystal that's soaking up the concentrated sunlight, while Stuffit dazedly tries to avoid a sea of paws, having landed in the middle of the crowd.
WolfSinger barks, "wonder what he's trying to steal this time?"
Simtra slowly heads over to where Samantha said Stuffit was, "Stuffit?!"
One of the crowd, who hates vermin, grabs a box and raises it over his head and brings it down on top of Stuffit with a crash. Trickles of red can be seen underneath. The wolverine however, has run out of the crowd, the gem apparently still cool to the touch. He's about to break for the main city when he suddenly staggers and screams, clutching the hand that holds the gem.
The owner of the crate of tomatoes starts yelling at the idiot, while Stuffit hyperventilates in Simtra's pack.
Samantha blinks over at the wolverine. "What the..."
As the wolverine staggers, tendrils of crystalline blue move through his hand and down his arm.
Kainudy gets to her feet and runs after the sniper.
Simtra feels the extra weight in his pack and calls back, "Please say that you are in there Stuffit?"
Stuffit chitters that not only is he in here, he's not coming out again in this lifetime. Thank you very much.
WolfSinger barks, "what's happening to him?"
Samantha shudders. "Whatever you do, don't touch him!"
The sniper is easily overwhelmed by Kainudy's rush, and seems to have more eyes for the wolverine than his own plot, "It's eating him too!"
WolfSinger gasps!
The wolverine is in agony as his right forearm turns a crystalline blue, the change is slowing down, but hasn't stopped entirely.
Simtra turns back to where WolfSinger and Samantha are and sees the wolverine, "What the. . .?"
WolfSinger barks, "just like that stag we saw in the mountain...."
Samantha says, "We've got to quarantine him somehow. That, or kill him now before it can spread too far."
Samantha says, "Maybe we can get away with amputating his arm if we do it now."
WolfSinger barks, "with what? do any of you have a knife?"
Kainudy growls as she sees the wolverine. "Oh.. swell. Don't move," she tells the sniper, and runs after the wolverine.
The sniper blinks, and doesn't listen, he races after Kainudy and shouts, "I've got one charge left, this thing just goes after crystalline structures, get me a clean shot and I can save him, maybe."
"At the very least, I can stop it from eating us all.
Kainudy tackles the wolverine, and tries to get a tourniquet hold on his shoulder before the infection spreads further.
Simtra walks back up to next to WolfSinger and Samantha blinking at the sight of the wolverine and dragon.
The sniper levels the cannon and purrs, "Hold him still. I've only got one charge left!"
The wolverine is struggling wildly, blinded by pain and fear.
Samantha watches, trying to feel through one of her pouches again.
Kainudy practically wraps herself around the wolverine to pin his limbs.
WolfSinger barks, "Kai! be careful!"
The sonic cannon whines as it finishes charging, and the feline hits the firing stud. For a second, it looks like he missed, but for an instant, Kai can feel the wolverine's crystallized arm vibrating before it literally shakes itself apart molecule by molecule, vaporizing in a rather noisy explosion.
The crowd has long since figured out that something is up, and departed to safer Havens.
Simtra says, "Wow. Cool trick."
Samantha winces.
The wolverine faints, his arm a cauterized stump at the elbow. About this time, the city guards FINALLY show up.
Kainudy curses in several alien languages, then unwraps herself from the wolverine. "Where did that stuff come from this time?"
Simtra then realizes what he is seeing and looks a bit faint as the blood leaves his ears.
WolfSinger shudders. "ewwwwwww.... bet that had ta hurt."
A good two dozen skunk guards, armed with swords, spears and crossbows surround the entire group and the captain calls out, "What happened here?"
Kainudy grumps at the Guard, "Alien invasion. Riot. Flood. Take your pick."
Samantha looks at the guards. "This is going to be a _long_ day."