Logs:A Shady Bargain
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| RL Date: 24 July, 2014 |
| Who: Alida, Edyis, R'hin |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Edyis spends her first night back in a bar, Alida makes an offer she can't refuse. |
| Where: Snowasis, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 5, Month 5, Turn 35 (Interval 10) |
| OOC Notes: Feel free to add anything I may have missed. |
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| She's been here for at least a little while, Alida holed up in a booth. The twice a week darts game between Glacier and Savannah Wings has wound down - as have the post-game festivities - and those find the palest-blonde woman bidding farewell to a couple of riders from both Wings as they exit said booth... leaving her on her own. The place is still full of voices and drinking, and the bluerider is merely another face in a small ocean of humanity, quiet and thoughtful as she relaxes more, occasionally looks around over her tumbler of some dark-amber liquid. Snowasis, High Reaches Weyr(#555RJ) The Snowasis is rarely quiet, and even then, the high-ceilinged former weyr is kept from echoing by the fantastical booths tucked into its convoluted perimeter. The secluded seating spaces have been shaped from the truncated stalagmites that escaped the smoothing of the main floor, and are both softened and separated by colorful hangings that are thick and opaque enough to make each corner its own private nook. Spring brings many things back with the season, and the Snowasis seems to be no exception. Still despite her absence from the Reachian Weyr, Edyis doesn't seem any less comfortable in the snowasis, passing some of the Savannah riders and exchanging brief but familiar enough greetings in passing. Bag slung over shoulder, a cider snagged from the bar, as she scans for a free place to land. Good luck finding totally free spots in the Snowasis... unless it's something like 5am. Everybody's spread out, right now, imbibing and talking, shouting at times, as well as laughing... except for that lone bluerider. *She's* got her legs stretched out under the table, her back deep into the plush cushion of the booth seat, and her mind perhaps somewhere else entirely, given the look out into nothingness her clear greens offer the world. At some point, a certain familiar-yet-not face is noted at the bar by the somewhat distracted woman, and - after reminding herself who it is - 'lida offers Edyis a silent little bob of her plaited head, a faint inclination of her heavy, lowball glass before taking another sip...moving her gaze onward. Eye contact and nods of greeting can often be confused for invitation, or at least that's the excuse Edyis seems to use as she makes her way over to the empty seat across from the bluerider, with a easy smile. "Been a while, hope you don't mind if I sit down here, it's a little buisier here than I remembered." The pack unshouldered and slid over into the booth before the scribe seats herself, not really waiting for an answer. "How is your blue, Ilicaeth isn't it?" Yes...they obviously can. Sigh. Still, she's not loathing company tonight - unlike enough other times - and so as Edyis invites herself to the bluie's precious personal space, all she'll receive is a small lofting of one pale eyebrow, then a roll of one shoulder before Alida takes another sip of her chosen poison. At some point, greens fix on Ed's brown eyes - cool and quiet - and the blonde's alto notes, "Edyis..." Right? "Surprised ya' remembered." Beat...smirk. "Ilicaeth's *not*." Snert. Edyis grins wryly. "I try not to forget a face, in my line of work it is a surprisingly useful talent." She draws a sip from her glass, a smirk emerging at mention of the blue's sense of self confidence. "Six months is hardly enough time to forget 'Reaches anyway, though admittedly it seems much colder than I remembered. " She tilts her head, "Not much else seems to have changed." "Yer a..." reach for it, 'lida. Squint. "...Harper 'r somethin' like that?" the blonde inquires quietly, her tumbler slowly twirled in lazy little arcs in her digits. A small cock of head sends her heavy braid shifting in the same direction at her back, and soon enough the bluie is murmuring, "South, then... Ista? 'R the true South?" Does Ed have a tan? Sip. "You know 'Reaches... colder 'n a weyrwoman's left tit..." The tables filling the Snowasis still seem full of life, and an empty seat hard to come by, even though the usual biweekly dart game between Savannah and Glacier has been over for a little while now. "Something like that." Noncommital, a beat. ", Monaco Weyr to be precise, flew south with Savannah, but I only recently got back. It wasn't quite as warm after that, so I figured I'd return to High Reaches in time for the hatching but I was delayed by a few days travel." She offers, reclining a bit in her booth seat across from the pale haired bluerider,, before draining her glass and waving over a server for another drink. "Wine please, something light and southern if you have it." It takes all she has to not let on to her interest in Edyis' tale, Alida only shifting a little in her lazy seat at the booth, nodding back to the scribe. For word of that southern 'chill,' the bluie notes a little dryly, "Only thing colder 'n a weyrwoman's tit is a pissy Weyrleader's bruised dick." Pale hair glints in the glowlight as she shakes her head a little, notes casually Ed-wards, "Pretty much the same as all Hatchings... 'cept for that small brown." A look up at the arriving server presages her own, "Another, please..." after Edyis is done ordering, the bluerider polishing off her scotch with a practiced sip, then slipping the empty lowball glass over towards the waitstaff. Once said server's left well beyond easy hearing range, Alida fiddles with fingers atop the table for a few moments, then speaking rather softly - her lips not moving very much in the process - "Learn anything interesting while y'were down there?" Another figure comes up the more subtle back steps and into the Snowasis to survey the busy gathering. The Savannah Wingleader's been scarce around the Weyr for many sevens now, and tonight he looks distinctly unkempt. His hair has grown long enough to be in need of a trim even by his normal standards, the stubble on his chin threatens to be termed a true beard, and his clothing -- plain, utilitarian -- looks wrinkled enough to have been slept in. Yet despite all that, his pale eyes are sharp as ever, and it's with a deliberateness that R'hin makes his way towards the booth where Edyis and Alida are seated. He'll surprise whoever has their back to him; the other gets an unrepentant grin as he approaches and loiters just at the edge of vision. "Oh I learned plenty of interesting things." A beat, before the bait drops casually. "I just haven't decided if any of it's useful just yet." It's fortunate perhaps that the figure at the edge of her vision arrives before her wine, as much as Edyis tries to tone her reaction after the fact there is still a tiny yip, and a small jump at R'hin's arrival. The sharp look melts a few seconds after she realizes who it is. "You look like you've slept in a fishing trawler." Would it surprise anybody that Alida doesn't offer her back to any path of egress, when she has a choice? If her back is given more towards the main entrance, the bluie tries to subconsciously guard it by tucking herself somewhat at an angle in her seat, occasionally offering looks over her shoulder, and keeping a bit of an ear out for anything odd. Some habits never die. R'hin isn't noticed until his forward movement is halted for that loitering, and then only with a quick flick of greens to notice his basic habit and bearing before the blonde returns her gaze to Edyis. Spotted, but not 'outed...' not obviously, anyway. She's almost as good as G'laer with that whole flat-faced thing - when she has to be, or wants to be - and so the bronzer's grin meets with nothing much but an internal smirk that might barely touch her eyes for a moment. Again, with barely moving lips and a certain whispery alto, "Could be..." just before the scribe yips in surprise at finding the Wingleader waiting nearby like a buzzard. Snert. "Slept? Looks like it *is* the fuckin' trawler." Who the man choses to sit with is entirely up to him...probably. At least she's not giving him a bit of 'the Look' (tm) she gaze Ed. R'hin does rather look pleased with himself, all told. "It was a fishing boat, thank you. Fishermen get very sensitive about the size of their... trawlers." And now that he's outed, he saunters forward, making a shoo'ing motion with fingers at Edyis, to apparently make room for him in the booth. "What are you two lovely ladies drinking? It better be up to my standard, since I'd like to think I've taught both of you well enough on that score." A beat, while pale eyes and grin alike is alighted onto the bluerider, completely unrepentant at her accusation of his state. "Now, now. No need to get personal. But, don't let me interrupt. I heard... interesting things?" he echoes, curiously. The bluerider's amendment is met with a soft laugh, "Stone faced with wit, we should drink together more often." As for R'hin she just laughs, "Wine, though I've made the dangerous error of only specifying region and color. I haven't been back long enough to make an extensive list of what they stock yet." She divides her attention between the pair of riders now, contemplating as the wine arrives, waiting until the server leaves to speak again. "Various things, some recent some not as recent. Strange sweeps entries from years ago, or recent gossip gone awry. Things that require more research to be valuable." "Just like a typical male..." Alida murmurs with breathy, light sarcasm of R'hin. "Always thinkin' uv the length uv' yer tackle, instead uv' the weave uv' yer rope." Eyeroll. She's just a little wound-up, a hint irritated by the cessation of what was about to take place between her and Edyis, but this could quite easily be chalked up to the personality of the bluerider in question. Alida is rather obvious about not liking to be around lots of people at once, often enough...especially when they invite themselves. To Ed, "If you think I'm good, you ought'a hear Ilicaeth when he's on a tear." Snert. "Haven' I heard something about Harpers an' their ilk before... somethin' about 'better the enemy you know?'" Smirk. She'll not speak of anything in regards to Ed's next words, the woman simply accepting her scotch, and passing over a small wooden coin for it to the server. There's a definitely tsk of disapproval from R'hin at Edyis' lack of specifics when it comes to wine tasting. "Edyis, Edyis, Edyis. You disappoint me. Anvori's a bore but at least he stocks a good supply." Leaning against the end of the booth right next to the scribe, his pale gaze flickers around the Snowasis by habit. "Strange sweeps?" He echoes blandly, giving a brilliant smile to the server, but strangely for him not ordering a drink of his own. The bronzerider takes the stereotypical observation of Alida's in stride, giving an almost amused shift of shoulders, certainly nowhere near apologetic on behalf of his sex. "Harpers," he snorts derisively, gaze on Alida's glass for a moment. It'd be hard for the observant rider not to notice the bluerider's mood, so of course he draws specific attention to it: "Something the matter, my dear bluerider?" Edyis sighs, "It's the boor part that creates the challenge, but I suppose I don't have your advantage, I can't flit back and forth from Tillek in the space of three breaths. Given that tonight is the first I've set foot here in six months." She shrugs, "Every weyr has them - Logs that are non-descript, too much so given the times given for departure and arrival." She shrugs, sipping the wine "They had me copying old records and the logs for the riders who can't quite write as neatly as they should." A note of irritation, at the last. If Alida's change in mood is noted, it isn't reflected in Eydis' expression. There's a slow sip of the medium-quality scotch taken, the low and earthy burn of it tested on the edges of Alida's tongue, then swallowed with the care someone accustomed to sipping that specific kind of alcohol has developed over some Turns. Her eyes remain upon more present company most of the time, though there's the inevitable flick of them across various places and faces within the Snowasis, greens always returning to Edyis and R'hin. For the bronzerider's derisive expostulation comes the bluie's almost-mellow, "Does that sentiment also include the spawn uv' yer loins, oh good Wingleader?" Smirkie. As for her 'mood,' *shrug*. "Just a crawler up my ass I'm tryin' ta' pull out." Listening to Edyis takes up most of her honest - if subtler - focus, and after some moments, the 'scribe' gets a simple nod around another sip of booze, plus a stage-whisper of, "Gotta wonder what 'e's got against our good bar owner." Cue a measuring look over at R'hin. Nope, not gonna discuss personal things at length, right now. "Most of those can probably be attributed to a secret-tryst with some innocent cotholder girl," is R'hin's lightly spoken opinion. "But if it's the lack of a good source of wine that's keeping you down: I've got your back," he says, leaning to pat Edyis' shoulder with a low-throated chuckle. "Of course," he replies to Alida, easily, "Why do you think she's always so sullen around me? I decry her chosen career on a regular basis." The words are deliberately light, enough to be deflection. As Alida pseudo-murmurs to Edyis, the bronzerider's gaze again sweeps the room, and something seems to catch his attention. With a distinct lack of farewell, he starts off across the room, casually greeting one of the older Snowdrift wingriders with an easy familiarity. It isn't long before the pair slip out the back entrance of the Snowasis, off to places unknown. Edyis shrugs "Details." Though a nod and smile at mention of wine does emerge. She remains quiet as he wanders off shaking her head lightly, "He's probably imagined his wine to be too watered down on more than one occasion." She offers for potential offenses, of said barkeeps. There's at least some small bit of humor for R'hin's typical ways, Alida giving a small smirk or wry expression to the bronzerider's facile maneuverings, his bits of witty repartee. And when he so quickly and unexpectedly leaves, well, that too is simly part and parcel of what comes with the man, Alida moving just enough in her seat to notice exactly who and where the bronzer left with and by. To Edyis, "Another bit uv' a scheme, I'd wager..." She seems to at least instinctively know that the man is a conniver. There's a gentle snerk for the other woman's words of watered-down wine, and then, with a certain lack of restraint this time around (since she was awarded with a R'hin for taking her time, before), 'lida's again using her gentlest murmur and lack of lip motion to note to her companion, "I'm lookin' fer details from the Monaco area." Sip. "If they're relevant *and* you c'n keep silent, I c'n pay 'r barter well for 'em." Green eyes look stoically, but candidly into browns, by this point. A study of her glass, and a disinterested shrug for the schemes of the man now departed, her eyes can't quite disguise entirely the spark of interest at the murmur. Her tone at least, is far more level. "Information is easy enough to come by, it's always the type that is the trouble." Quieter now, tilting her head slightly. "Not to mention a certain amount of danger involved. Monaco isn't exactly friendly to 'Reaches these days." Perhaps an understatement given the details of the recent leadership change. Still she hasn't quite said no, it isn't quite a yes either. She chooses to comment about the lattermost of Ed's utterance first, Alida quiet for some moments, then snerting out, "Does 'Reaches have *any* friends at all?" That's a rhetorical question, given the sarcasm in it. Again, in her usual subtle fashion, "I want information pertainin' to any small hold 'r cothold in Monaco's territory. Most likely one farther inland." Sip...sigh. "Any kind uv' information, no matter how piddly. Any mention uv' any uv' 'em. Details about the whos and whys, whens...nothin' overlooked." For perhaps extra incentive, "Nothin' ta' do with the Weyrs." How's that? Maybe it's the last bit that bites through whatever doubts she has, because Edyis seems to be giving real consideration to the proposition, "Not to be crass, but what's it worth to you." She notes finally. Studying the stoic expression intently. While the pursuit of knowledge was enough for some, Alida didn't seem the type to be curious for curiosities sake. Something in her gut told Alida that might make a difference. Subtly, in quiet answer to Edyis, "Best ta be crystal clear at times like these. You know how much a viable firelizard egg from a gold is worth?" If Edyis somehow answers 'no,' then she'll see a tap of two, then three fingers on the inside of the glass the bluerider's holding near her mouth for another sip. "Y'd have ta wait until she went up again, uv' course..." Shrug, sip. That kind of money is easily a full Turn's worth for a wingrider. The bluie gives away nothing of her motivation, otherwise, simply awaiting the scribe's answer. Practice, it's only by months and months of practice that Edyis keeps her interest at the offer contained to a meer lift of a brow, and shakes her head in the negative regardless. Calculating, taking measure of Alida. "Of course either way it's only as good as we are to our word. What's to stop me from lying?" or you, falls unspoken. There's an honest arching of one of Alida's brows ats Edyis plays the game, the blonde finally settling back against her seat cushion once again, and ruminating for a few moments. After her pause, and quietly- though from the hip - "How much is R'hin payin' you?" As for lies, shrug. "Let's say I've got...contacts. Ones that could verify the...veracity uv' yer information." Cue a wry little smirk at her turn of words, but it quickly fades in lieu of, "Y'know what I...did fer a livin'." There's only a small flex of one hand's capable-looking fingers into a fist just beside her now tabletop-resting glass, the gesture perhaps speaking volumes. The blonde then moves on to, "As fer myself...let's say that I stake my reputation on truth, when I make a promise. You wanna check out my record, you c'n 'discretely' inquire uv' various folk in the Weyr, an' some other places." Because discretion is the name of the game in this endeavor. And vengence. "Paying me for what?" She replies, confusion plain. For the rest, she nods, and seems at least partially satisfied, that seems to settle her a little more at ease though not entirely. For a moment her eyes close in thought. "Written reports?." Those green eyes are merciless right now, appearing to try and peer beyond the veils of the other woman's browns, looking to hold her down and extract the vital information from Edyis by will alone, if necessary. Holding her lack of belief in the scribe's facetious inquiry, Alida then murmurs low, "Verbal...though if the information's extensive, it might require writing. I'd rather there was no obvious hide trail, whenever possible." Shrug. Dark eyes open at the last, offering no further answer. "Again that depends on what your looking for, a complete listing of harvest records is going to be much more extensive than tracking down say one individual who may have slipped custody." leaning over her wine glass with a flirtacious smile, the words are delivered in a more serious whisper though to anyone else looking on, the conversation probably would appear quite differently. So Edyis is hitting on Alida, while Alida's playing hard-to-get? Fine by her. Deception might not be intrinsically native to the bluerider, but Turns of hard lessons have taught her much. With a faint sigh and a small, impish smirk, the blonde murmurs, "If I knew exactly what ta look for an' where... I wouldn't need this kind uv' help." Sip. "All I got is generalities, right now: a small hold 'r a cothold more inland in Monaco territory. Maybe somethin' ta do with a headwoman 'r steward, possibly the Holder 'r cotholder. The holder would probably be in their 50's, right now...'r somewhere about it. Male. Maybe mention uv somethin' ta due with inheritances 'n goin' north." Giggling softly, she nods, making a mental list. "Just one other problem of course, discretion requires a little misdirection, mixed in with truth Delivery of the information, verbally would require a premise, and since I'm only supposed to be a terrible flirt when drunk, this method probably won't work again." To Edyis' giggle of information, Alida offers a hesitant little grin, her torso leaning forward towards the scribe, one of her hands almost reaching out across the tabletop, then pulling back smoothly. Let Alida be seen as desiring Ed, but hesitant to express such in the open, especially in public. It all fits her usual behavior. "You 'n I are the premise, toots." Wink. "We're startin' ta take a shine ta' one another, so we keep meetin' up fer talk, booze, whatever else. In public, in private." Pause, grin. "Unless ya don't wanna be seen as bein' a gal ta' get ta'gether with another uv' yer own gender." Who knows? At least the blonde isn't very shy about such. Maybe some Turns of Weyr life under her belt are finally starting to do her some good. An unabashed grin from ear to ear, "Why do I get the feeling that Ilicaeth is feeding you pick up lines? That could work I suppose, but you always seemed to me the standoffish sort about that sort of thing." Never mind her own preferences they don't really come into play after all. "Still, could be tremendous fun." "Because he is..?" is how Alida responds, the blonde snerking softly, then shrugging to Edyis. Hard to tell if she's telling the truth or not. "I *am* the stand-offish kind. But... even a hard-ass c'n cave some when somethin' special comes along." Sip. "Could be...but I remind ya' that I'm willing ta go only so far ta play the part." A deep study of the 'scribe' by those intense eyes presages her quiet and un-lip-readable, "Yer not really my kind." Grin. Edyis laughs obnoxiously, to mask the whispered words, "And you are not quite not mine, that's not the fun part. I should have the first reports in a matter of a few weeks. I trust we have a bargin." Right back at you, Edyis! Alida grins and snickers softly, completing the image of two potentials getting to know each other - finding such interesting - her head bobbing a few times, even as she leans forward towards Edyis - body language, folks! - and murmurs across the table, "We do. You keep my expectations, and y'll sport some marks in yer pocket - or an egg, later on - each time ya deliver sound information." Beat. "The relevancy's subject ta both our interpretations, uv course." What each woman might find of interest might not overlap. "My word." If that's sufficient for the scribe, Alida will flash her a shit-eating grin and a lazy wink, and rise slowly from the booth. "Don' make me set ya an escort, toots..." is rolled casually off her tongue in typical fashion to the 'drunk' woman. Edyis grins, though this one has a touch more life in it, which could be taken as genuine. "I remember my own way back to my cot thank you. Maybe I'll see you around soon." And with that, and a wobble, she stands to depart, unsteady but not in any danger of falling over. Making her way presumably toward the caverns without much further ado. |
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