Crista stretches from her bed, waking late after the events of yesterday.

Crista slowly rises and tentatively stretches her wings, one still stiff from it's recent injury.

Crista quickly dresses, gathers her belongings and goes downstairs. Paying the innkeeper, she reserves the room for another night.

The innkeeper Kavi smiles brilliantly to Crista. "Leaving so quickly for today? You must have urgent business. Please! Come again. Dinner is at six hours after noon." He bows.

Crista chuckles softly to the Kavi… "Thank you. I will return for dinner." She turns to leave the inn.

Outside, several Zelak guards move slowly through the street. They seem to be looking for someone…

Crista sees the guards and pauses a moment, watching. o O {Are they looking for me?}

The guards move down the street, their quiet and deadly serious manners causing the riffraff to move further back into the alleys. No one tackles Zelaks without good reasons – it brings too many enemies and inquiries.

Crista watches until the guards are out of sight, then leaves the inn.

Crista looks carefully at the hut, searching out any possible traps. o O {I wonder if my contact is actually in there.}

Crista hrms to herself a moment, then calls out softly… "Hello? Anyone there?"

Down that way, amidst the murmur and groan of daily life in Downside, a voice calls, "Kaiyoneko-ia-Niaskafa! Kaiyo! I have treat for you, eh?" The source appears to be a creature shrouded head to foot in gray, its head peering this way and that into the alleys and all the tiny nooks formed by the shanty town.

Crista starts at the voice and looks around for the source.

Iaskafa wanders closer, still looking around. "Kaiyo! Nice bit of fish, no? Come! Come!" The robed form moves steadily closer, taking no apparent notice of Crista as it approaches.

Crista moves to intercept the robed figure. "I'd like some fish, please."

A faint little purring noise comes to Crista's and Iaskafa's ears. From inside the hut.

Crista looks from the hut to the robed figure and back again.

Head turning slowly, Iaskafa pauses to assess the visitor… or at least that appears to be what Iaskafa is doing, as even shir eyes are covered, hidden behind goggles of darkened glass. Not even the barest patch of skin shows.

Iaskafa says, "Three day old fish? Mebbe is good for Kaiyo, but mebbe is not so good for you?"

Iaskafa glances toward the hut. "Why you come here?", shih says, voice soft.

Crista laughs softly… "I didn't want it for me. I wanted it for… a pet. A stray I saw down the path."

More purring from inside the hut.

Crista says, "I'm begining to wonder why I'm here as well. I was told to meet someone here. To give them a report.""

"That was my Kaiyo, more like than not." Iaskafa murmurs. "Most strays, they get et 'round here, no? But they no better than touch my Kaiyo."

Crista ahs. She tries to peer into the robes.

Iaskafa nods, slowly. "You are from Hajeem, mebbe?"

Crista nods… "Yes, I am."

"Then mebbe you can say to me, oh, the color of Hajeem's eyes?" Iaskafa says in the same quiet voice.

Iaskafa tucks shir hands into the sleevs of the robe as shih speaks.

Crista blinks and chuckles. "Left is green, right is gold. Most unusual."

Iaskafa nods, and gestures toward the porch. "Sit, and we will take tea."

Crista nods and climbs to the porch, sitting on one of the boxes.

Inside the hut, Kaiyo abandons the fish for a while and prowls to the porch, purring with gustatory pleasure. The small, lithe tabby's breath smells like three-day-old fish.

Crista holds out a finger to the feline. "Hello, there."

Iaskafa disappears into the hut for a moment, emerging with a small battered tea kettle and two porcelain cups that look most out of place amid the squalor. As it is unlikely that shih managed to get the tea prepared so quickly, its very likely Iaskafa was expecting a guest.

Kaiyo looks at Crista blandly, then rubs up against Iaskafa's legs as he brings out tea.

Crista chuckles softly and withdraws her finger.

*purr* *purr* *purr*

Crista watches the tea preparations with mild curiousity.

Iaskafa clucks down to Kaiyo as shih pours the tea. "He find his treat, no?" Shih settles on the other box, placing both cups in front of Crista and waiting.

Crista says, "It would appear he did."

Kaiyo leaps to another crate and proceeds to soak up sunlight, watching the passerbies with languid grace. His ears are always twitching to new sounds, and he mews when someone comes close enough to hear.

Crista watches Kaiyo with some amusement.

Iaskafa inclines shir head. "Choose your cup, no? Or mebbe you not have tea with k'hu'an often 'nuff to make you wary?" Shir voice holds a touch of amusement.

Crista turns her attention back to Iaskafa. "Hmm? I will choose my cup."

Both cups look identical, greenish brown tea wafting steam from within.

Crista chooses the rightmost cup.

Iaskafa nods, and reaches for the other. "You have news?" shih murmurs before tucking the cup up under shir veil to sip.

Crista nods, holding her cup. "Yes. I brought the Exile to the Temple as directed."

Iaskafa pauses, cup half-lowered, listening.

Crista says, "He… was very uncooperative. There was a bit of a fight. He had to be restrained during the … processing."

Iaskafa nods, finally placing the cup on the larger crate that serves as a table.

Iaskafa says, "Does 'uncooperative' include, mebbe, killing a high official?"

Crista says, "No… he just seemed very frightened. Like he didn't understand what was happening to him… and objecting severely."

Crista says, "He hurt some of the guards, I believe. But that's all."

Iaskafa nods, drumming fingers once across the top of the crate.

Crista says, "After the processing, he continued to speak in his native tongue for a bit… I couldn't understand what he was saying. The Inquisitor was not happy about that."

Iaskafa says, "That one is seldom happy about much, no? But I interrupt."

Crista chuckles softly, nodding. "True. Anyway. It went downhill from there. The fox was taken to the dungeon, where I did manage to follow. The order was to shave the fox."

Iaskafa's head cocks to the side. "I doubt the Exile was… pleased."

Crista shakes her head, eyes dark. "That seemed to break him… he seems proud."

Crista sighs softly. "He agreed to answer the questions. He said that his name was Cylan Redtail… he was a trader from offworld."

Iaskafa sighs, lowering shir face a moment. "Pride… it is rare." Shih looks up and turns her head to take in the surroundings, living illustration of shir point. "A trader?"

Crista nods, rattling the cup a little. "A trader. Mostly legal goods, some not so legal. Nothing terribly serious, it seems."

Iaskafa nods slowly.

Crista says, "The Inquisitor seemed to think the fox wasn't telling the truth, but he let the fox speak anyway. "

Iaskafa says, "I mebbe agree with him."

Iaskafa says, "Did you speak with anyone else while you were there?"

Iaskafa leans forward as the question is asked, ever so slightly.

Crista nods a little… "Perhaps." She shakes her head. "No. It was all I could do to remain. I had to bribe someone to get in, and the Inquisitor didn't let me stay. I had to sneak around to listen."

Crista shudders a bit… "I should have charged Hajeem more, for this!"

Iaskafa says, "And you heard?"

Crista says, "What I told you. The Inquisitor decreed a night's rest might clear the fox's head… and he shaved some wrist fur to show they were serious.""

Crista sets her cup down. "You were asking?"

Iaskafa shifts shir robes, moving to get a bit more comfortable on shir crate. "This Exile… " shih says quietly, "Did he perchance have opportunity to kill any of his captors?"

Crista shakes her head… "I don't think he killed anyone, but I think he injured some a bit. I think he would have killed, if he thought it would help him escape."

Iaskafa says, "It has come to my ears that there have been changes afoot among the Inquisitor's staff… brought about by one of this Exile's breed."

Crista raises an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?"

Iaskafa says, "It is just rumors."

Iaskafa says, "Or, more, the mere breath of rumors. Is hard to say the truth, no?"

Crista nods… "Sometimes, yes."

Iaskafa sips at shir tea, carful not to let shir veil slip.

Crista says, "The Inquisitor seemed to think that the Exile was hiding something."

"Indeed?" the k'hu'an asks, voice level and noncomittal. "Of what nature?"

Crista frowns a bit… "Interestingly, he echoed some of Hajeem's suspicions… that the Exile was really some sort of hired killer."

Iaskafa places shir teacup carefully on the makeshift table, head cocked just a hint to the side. "A killer?"

Crista nods… "An assasin."

"Mebbe" Iaskafa murmurs "I should slip into the dungeons to meet this one? Perhaps loosen his tongue in ways the Inquisitor cannot?"

Crista shakes her head… "I just can't believe it. He may be lying, but he's not from our world. No one could have upheld the charade under the circumstances we were under."

Iaskafa says, "It is not too unlikely he comes from… elsewhere. It has, mebbe, happened before, no?"

Crista hmms? "Happened before? What do you mean?"

"But if he is assassin, Hajeem will want to know", the k'hu'an concludes quietly, leaving shir own curiousity in the matter unspoken.

Crista nods. "I know he will. He paid me for information, so I am relaying it. I still do not believe it… there simply must be another explanation."

Iaskafa hmms? "Oh, yes… Exiles, those from beyond… there are tales of such as them, at least among my… among my former people."

Iaskafa says, "If there is other explanation, perhaps we will find it?"

Crista nods… "I know such a thing is possible. He didn't know a word of our language, even when our lives depended on it… I just don't know… anyway… yes, I would like to find it."

Iaskafa says, "I will tell Hajeem what you have said. And I will try to arrange a meeting with this one… mebbe."

Crista nods to Iaskafa. "You know how to contact me. I will continue to watch and listen." She frowns… "I stayed until the danger was too great, then I left. Hajeem is not paying me to risk my life."

Iaskafa casts a glance toward the hut, perhaps lost in momentary thought, and then nods.

Iaskafa says, "Yes… we will speak on this again."

Iaskafa says, "And if I find an answer, I will tell you. Consider it… a favor."

Crista takes a final sip from her cup… "Yes, we most probably shall. Is there anything else you can think of to ask me?" She blinks… "Thank you. I would appreciate knowing."

Iaskafa seems to regard the Solu intently, though it is hard to tell through the veil and the lenses that cover shir eyes.

Crista looks back at the veiled creature. "He saved my life. I don't take that lightly."

Iaskafa says, "Aye."

Crista sets her cup down one last time. "That's it then."

Iaskafa says, "For now."

Crista nods, standing, fluttering her wings a little. "I will be around." She bows slightly, though she seems unsure why she should.

Iaskafa looks pointedly at Crista's cup. "Yes. Thank you… for trusting the tea."

Crista nods… "You are welcome. Thank you for the tea." She starts to leave, then stops… "Hajeem did promised me two gold on completion… "

"That is so?" Iaskafa murmurs, leaning back. "It is more than what is usual… I will take the information to Hajeem, and pay upon his confirmation."

Iaskafa turns shir head back toward the shanty. "I have little gold to spare at the nonce."

Crista nods… "Very well. Thank you. As do we all, as do we all… except maybe Hajeem."

Crista steps off the little porch and heads down into the city.

Iaskafa makes a sound suspiciously close to laughter. "A-ianka-sa, issi o bandi, issi o boune… "

Crista's ear flick at the sound, and she pauses a moment. She looks for a moment back over her shoulder, then continues away.

Iaskafa watches the Solu go, whispering translation, "Alas, the flower… first to bloom, first to pluck… "

Crista's ear flicks again and her wings flap a bit. o O {{Strange little person… I wonder what that phrase meant? Trouble, no doubt… probably for me.}} She disappears into the city.