Breaking the Rules Pt. 17

"Furaha, what if I asked you - as a favor to me, and the faction - to give up waiting and file charges with the Rules Lawyers?"

"With all due respect sir, I'd tell you to fuck right off. The faction haven't done much for me over the years, and I don't see why you're deserving of any favors from me now. If you kick me out and I have to rough it again, I will."

"Yes... you have some pull with your organization now. Speaking of which, congratulations, you're promoted."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Recognition code 'Sakadang Monyet'. You remember your charts still, don't you?"

Her brow furrowed for a minute.

"...I don't believe you. That code is old, it could have been compromised."

"Very well, I wanted to spare you bringing in your old boss, but I'll summon him to make the formal introduction if I must; I know he's a petty, insufferable fool. I hated having to leave you under his thumb, but there weren't the resources to help you shore up your weaknesses and keep you insulated from the mole we were looking for at the same time. Who, it turns out, we've finally located; got himself killed and we found proof in his personal effects. But it seems you've developed yourself nicely and your future is bright. I'm looking forward to seeing you tell him off for all the shit he's put you through."

"I hate to tell you, but I'm compromised now. The Legion officer knows who I am."

"He's going to have some trouble convincing anyone that he's not just trying to pin his own sins on you. Wait and see. You'll come out of this looking like a wide-eyed, naive saint. You've got the track record to back it up, with the brief exception of this Nuru fellow."

"Seriously, I don't believe you. You're an archon. How can you possibly stand for any organization outside of the faction?"

"Samba has given me special dispensation to compartmentalize my knowledge. When I come to you as an archon, I will act in accordance with what I have learned, only as an archon. When I come to you as a representative of the organization as I have today, I will act only on the knowledge I have gained as that representative in my dealings with the organization. The two sides of me may speak to each other, but I weigh it carefully for the benefit of all. It seems contradictory, I know - but that's why it's the perfect cover."

"Fuck me," Furaha breathed. "I mean - not literally. Speaking of which, you've always been courteous to me, but my boss-"

"Yes, we know of the indignities you've suffered. I cannot speak for him, but I take no joy in any of it. It has proven necessary for others in deep cover - you know the kind of people we deal with sometimes. They are capable of the most despicable acts; but we need them. Sometimes there is only one way to maintain control, when we ask them to breach some of the most fundamental rules of society and thus create a true monster out of them. The truth is ugly, but it has been demonstrated time and again. But understand that for members in high social standing, which path you are now on, such vulnerabilities are a liability. The evidence is in the process of being purged as we speak, and if he proves resistant, your former boss may be purged as well. Stay the course, and you can see the sun again, so to speak."

"That's it? Just like that?"

"Furaha, this has been a long time coming, we both know that. Now, is there anything I can help you with? What's your end-game here?"

The half-elf pursed her lips. She pulled out her code book she'd made for Nuru and flipped open the page, and tore a small scrap of paper free from a sheet sticking out of a box on the floor. Carefully she wrote, and passed it over:

ALHIJU ELEPHANT

Mayeso took the paper, then flicked his eyes across the page of the book.

"...my heavens. You are ambitious, aren't you? Can you convince me this is a good idea? You know how dangerous those are."

Furaha smiled warily, pulling out the summoning circle and stepping over to a containment ward already laid out on the floor, and the reason she'd requested this room specifically.

"Let me introduce you to someone who is as much an outsider as we Spectrum are."

If *she* couldn't convince him, it couldn't be done.

*****

"Deron."

The thief looked up after a moment.

"Ace. What can I do you for?"

"You can't afford me," Ace grinned. "But have I got a job for you."

"What makes you think *you* can afford *me*, after that nastiness at the library?"

"That's the other reason I came here. Meant to make up for your expenses."

The coin purse hit the table with a distinctive metallic thud; it vanished before the heads finished swiveling that direction from the tables nearby.

"Are you mad? Throwing that kind of cash around, what kind of trouble are you in?"

"Just wanted to make sure you accepted my apology. Money was tight for a bit there. Tossed in some interest for your trouble. All I want is a minute of your time."

"I'm listening."

"There's a Legion convention going on. I wanna fleece 'em like the crowd of nerfs they are. Mostly fighters, very few with any real wits about them, and those we can avoid."

"That where all the coinage came from just now?"

"There's more than either of us can carry, where that came from. But we have to act fast."

"This have anything to do with that Nuru guy?"

"He's out of the picture. In fact, I'm trying to stay as far from him as I can at the moment."

"Good. He's too hot for me. I still get funny looks from people at Home Town, and that outfit was a total loss. So what do you want from me?"

"Just need a good thief to cover me out and about. We slip into the place, collect our idiot tax from the masses, and slip out. There's enough eyes we need drawn away for each of us to get our Sneak on, and we can take turns doing it for each other. You in?"

"What's the prize?"

"Legion commander's got a nice jeweled sword for sale to the highest bidder. He just doesn't know it yet."

"Even split, sword goes to the highest contributor?"

"That's right. Sword itself is equivalent to about two hundred currency, black market. Probably double that in ransom."

Deron took a deep swig of his drink. "I do love a good contest. Draw me a contract."

Ace slipped it to the table in front of himself. Deron read sideways while pretending he hadn't even seen it yet. "Start tonight?"

"As soon as you're ready," Ace spun the contract.

Deron signed and the contract vanished into both of their inventories. "Name the place."

"Docks at Quartz Port. They brought a ship in. My bet is, they haven't bothered unloading all the goodies yet."

"See you soon."

Ace stayed and had a drink to steady himself. He felt bad leaving Nuru in the lurch, but there had just been too many Legionnaires out on the road and nearby by the time his mount could have arrived, and there was no telling where he'd gone to now. The only thing he could still do for him was draw attention in another direction. And while he was at it - there was still the quest for money. Two locks, one pick, as the saying went. The Legion would be even more overconfident, having mobilized a significant body of men-at-arms; force was no longer a viable option. Sticky fingers, on the other hand, would profit greatly. He did owe it to Deron, too; there was the unspoken agreement, the professional courtesy, not to sell out your fellow thief, at least among the High Factions, which he'd technically run afoul of when the wards at the Library went off and soaked the man with noxious liquid. So now he'd pay him back, and solidify a friendship - if nothing went horribly wrong. But they were both careful, and Ace had confidence. This could work. They just had to remember not to get greedy, or lazy.

*****

Nuru checked his calendar.

"You leaving us?" the man said from the bed across the room.

"Afraid so," Nuru said. "I'll look you up next time I'm in town, though. You guys have been great."

"Be glad t' have ya," the woman on the bed said sleepily. " 's been fun."

"We're like to be moving on soon, though. Best to leave your audience wanting more. Looking forward to your return, you know," the man said.

"Nooooo, don't get up yet," the woman said, dragging the man back down onto the straw pallet.

"Egads woman, I need the chamber pot, gimme a min."

"Fine, but hurry back, it's cold this mornin'."

"And you don't have to try being quiet this time," Nuru said, sure they could both hear his grin in the dark.

"Oh, gawwwwwds below, I'm so embarrassed!" the woman groaned.

"Come on babe, you're just too sexy to keep to myself," the man.

"Shut up, pig. Don't come back to bed, I don't want you anymore."

"Aw, honey-"

"Don't you 'aw honey' me! You don't get any more snuggles, sexy or otherwise."

"Alright, enjoy being an icicle. That's my blanket and I'm taking it with me."

"You bastard, I'm stealing this blanket, you're not getting it back."

Nuru interjected, "Milady, you have nothing to be ashamed of, you are beautiful in everything you do. If anything, you should be ashamed to hide yourself away, leaving the world deprived of you."

She was quiet for a moment, perhaps surprised; her face was hidden in the dark. "B- but..."

"He's right, my lovely soprano. Your voice is a gift to everyone that hears it, and that doesn't end when you leave the stage," the man said.

"You're just saying that so I don't leave the group," she grumbled.

"No, I don't want to have to fight to keep you, if you don't see how well we play together, how much the crowds love our presence then nothing I say could make you stay. But you've captured my heart as well, and I'd be hard pressed to ever take it back from you."

"Hmm. You're allowed back in my blanket if you keep talking like that."

"See you all around, I hope," Nuru said.

"Bye!" the other two said in chorus.

(My work here is done.)

/And done well. Some EXP, for your help in corrupting her./

(A little more exhibitionism from her from now on?)

/You ever catch up with them again, you'll like what you see in their new material, I think./

(It was nice to work with other musicians for a change. I'll have to do this again sometime.)

/Oh, has it been a week already? I'm excited to see Katlego again./

(You're excited? *I'm* excited!)

/It's not a contest. Although speaking of contests, I talked to Furaha the other day./

(You... how-? Oh, she summoned you.)

/She introduced me to an archon of Samba, Mayeso. Cute guy. I can see why she likes him./

(Ooh, did you double-team him?)

/Patience. He wasn't ready, and there wasn't time with the mana she had available. I think she'll be summoning me again today. Perhaps then the Suggestion will have been planted long enough to blossom. Also, it's cute you think a woman is ready for a threesome at the drop of a hat./

(Hey, when you're there anything's possible.)

Nuru got goosebumps listening to the laughter in his head.

/Gods below, I love my job. Although, you're not completely wrong, I admit. Speaking of which, what do you suppose we should do with Katlego this time?/

(Ooh! Ooh! What other sexy moves have you got for me to learn?!)

/That's the spirit! Let's go see what she's got for us, but maybe I'll introduce you to the Standing Leg Stretch, I think she's flexible enough./

Nuru grabbed a fresh bite to eat on his way out of town, and activated Tusa's Oath.

"!Fassada Girma! I need you to get me to a place," he said, pulling out his map and showing the location of the meeting. "You should know that the Legion was in the area of Quartz Port, just over this way. We need to avoid them completely, they can't see me or know I was there. I just need to reach the place by early evening; whatever it takes."

They set out away from the road at a good pace. Nuru kept his Weightless Foot cooldown at half or less, so that he'd have some ready to go before too long. The first encounter ended up not being the Legion; two centipedes of pygmy trolls wound their way towards him through the trees.

"Lies and damnation!" Nuru cursed. "Tusa! They're here!"

And it wasn't just the centipedes; there were a number of individual pygmy trolls following on foot.

(Haaalp!)

/Prioritize. I'll point out the closest one, you deal with him. You can do this./

Nuru entered the Battle Zone, the place in his head where time dilates and the rest of the world seems to stand still; some people just called it The Zone. Everything became so simple; attack, defend, cast spell, use item, or try to flee. Tusa attacked the centipedes, drivers of which were completely unprepared for the mayhem; the centipedes split into two, then four as he smashed the middle segments and proceeded to hunt the others.

/Four of the sundial!/

Nuru looked to the right, and just behind him, where the fourth mark on a sundial would be if he were the needle facing the top. Sure enough, a pygmy troll was sneaking forward with a rope. Nuru immediately leapt into action and stomped at him and, to his surprise, successfully introduced the troll to an instant death. Squeaks of alarm and outrage poured in from around him, but he pivoted and backhanded a leaping enemy into the distant bushes at the words /nine of the sundial!/.

(They've got poison blades! If they get one hit in, I'm done!)

/So don't let them break the skin. Use your armor. Protect your hands with, I don't know, their bodies or something. Figure it out. Six!/

A shrieking cry streaked in from directly behind Nuru, and he scooped up the broken body of the first troll as he spun, thrusting it forward to take the knife hit of the latest aggressor, which wailed in dismay at piercing its own fallen comrade. It let go of the weapon and fell, and Nuru punted it hard before it touched the ground. Its scream was cut off as Tusa crushed it in his teeth as he ran by, chasing one of the -five?- remaining segments of centipede; Nuru couldn't keep track and didn't try.

/Seven! Cancel, three!/

A pair of trolls came in from opposite sides, one attempting to distract him for another to sneak up and poke him with a needle, but he angled his face to see the second one approaching even as his body was turned to the first, and threw the tiny troll-body-shield down at the second, and stomped it as it instinctively hopped away in a predictable direction. He partially missed, but still dealt it a hard blow, and it scrambled away limping and clutching an arm to its chest.

/Ten! Two! Five! Eight! Six! Six! Six!/

Nuru took each in turn, turning to kick on the ground, shove out of the air with his elbow protected by his fancy blue-and-gold shirt, grabbing the last one straight out of the air and shaking the knife out of its hand, then turning the final time to throw the body at the last attacker, but there was none.

(Buh? Where did it go?)

/Sorry. I just like the number six, especially in threes. I got excited./

Nuru hurled the troll in his hand towards a group of them on the ground running away from Tusa, in annoyance.

/Oh come on, don't be like that, I totally helped you./

He sighed. (Yes, you did. Thank you.)

Tusa growled as he ran around, apparently directing the trolls towards something.

[Come! Follow!]

He engaged Weightless Foot and kept up as best he could. Tusa's blood was hot and his feet were sure; even with the boost and Tusa traveling side to side to corral the ones breaking sideways, Nuru had trouble keeping up.

[Stop. Observe.] Tusa grumbled, skidding to a halt.

The trolls continued frantically fleeing for their lives out into a nearby clearing.

Deeper cries of alarm, human, flew through the air. "Tiny Trouper minions! Kill them!"

"Gah. Legion patrol?" Nuru muttered.

Tusa chuckled darkly.

"Agh, he got me! Help!" one of the Legionnaires called out.

Nuru listened, barely making out the forms of men and women smashing the ground, kicking, and throwing spells, attacking the retreating pygmy trolls. Some of them fell to the ground, poisoned, and were covered by their fellow soldiers.

"Nice. They're going to be slower now," Nuru said. "Say, do you have something in your teeth?"

Tusa grinned widely, showing off the half dozen or so miniature troll corpses he was holding in his mouth.

"That... is horrifying."

Tusa chewed, and swallowed.

[That was the point. You saw how they ran from me.]

"Gross. But, effective, I admit. Good job."

[Come. While they are still distracted.]

They made it to the appointed location without further incident.

[Someone is there. I will wait aside.]

Nuru looked around a tree trunk as Tusa vanished into the underbrush. There was someone there indeed- but it wasn't Katlego. The man wore big brown and green ceremonial armor with a cape, and had a wicked-looking staff with a yellow jewel set in the top. He hadn't noticed Nuru, and was staring off into the sky.

POUFFFSSHHHHH

The smoke portal went off behind Nuru and he whirled, looking left and right.

"Hello, loverboy," Katlego said, frisking him up and down quickly. She pouted. "Didn't bring written directions to trade me?"

"You're a thief. You think I'm that stupid?" Nuru countered.

"Just checking," she said, winking and walking past him. "Come, let me make introductions. This is the man who has your map."

"And, what, he's just going to give it to me?"

"Well, he may not know it yet, but yes. If you're a good boy, mommy's going to make sure you get taken care of. But whatever you do - don't lie."

/Oh, this is going to be fun./

(Wait, what?)

/I'm not sure of the details, but she's going to do something naughty. Play along and you'll get our map, too./

(This guy looks tough. Is it something dangerous?)

/Knowing her - probably./

"Brother Taurai, I present a soul in need."

"Ah, so rarely does the Third Ring need the assistance of the First. Yet we are all one in Nyala's purpose, and I hear you've taken a vow of honesty so I shall see what aid I may provide. Young one, what is your name?"

Nuru glanced quickly at Katlego as she turned back to face him, wearing a ceremonial robe colored and styled like this other man's armor. When she didn't respond, he decided to go with the truth.

"Uh, Nuru, sir."

"Always so polite, the needy. I do find that endearing. Nuru, I am a high priest of Nyala, in whose grace we all prosper. Tell me of your plight."

Katlego mimicked wiping tears from her eyes; the man was focused closely on Nuru and didn't seem to notice.

"Well, ah- beggin' your pardon, I'm sure you have better things to be doing, but well- you're here now so I'll try not to waste too much of your time. I've taken a terrible curse, you see. Frequency Pinning."

He waved the ring.

"Verily, this is a trevail. I know an archon who can help."

"Brother, the curse is complex. Should the first layer be removed, he would be stricken with the second layer, which would do grievous harm," Katlego said.

"Indeed? You have quite a conundrum, quite literally, on your hands," the priest said. "Is it so dire as that?"

"I believe I would end up dead," Nuru agreed. "And sooner, rather than later."

Being tossed through smoke portal right into the Home Town exclusion zone where he'd be immediately struck by lightning would certainly do that. Katlego herself had already tried it on him once, and was nodding with an evil smirk at the unspoken accusation that she'd do it again. The priest failed to catch that subtext, and carried on.

"The omens are dark. Legba sends false smiles and false souls to catch the unwary, with minions to match the Hordes of Imamu-"

"Legions," Katlego corrected him.

The priest waved it off angrily, turning and gesturing dramatically.

"Hordes! A legion should show a little decorum, and discipline. I care not if they profess allegiance to the High Faction Principles, they're little more than buffoons with a license to kill. Why, in times past, they were-"