Seeking the shade and relative quiet of an overhung walkway, the Count Feli Kurai of Blackshire leans against a pillar and tries to clear his head. The flowery perfumes of the gauzily-clad dancing girls and equally flowery language of the Khatta and Zerda guests, along with the sweet xocholatl-based beverages have conspired to make the black Khatta light-headed.

The black Khatta pulls at the collar of his business outfit, letting free some of the heat trapped underneath. "Dagh, I've gotten too used to the cold," he muses to himself. Pulling out a small pad, the feline tallies up some figures, trying to sort out his business progress for the day.

Thanks to the output of the Red Cliffs mines, iron prices continue to drop. The amount needed for expanding the Blackshire timber industry so far falls within the budget Count Feli "Jynx" Kurai has to work with.

Nodding to himself, the cat puts the pad back into his pocket. "Guess I'd better join the rest of the revelry." Smoothing out his suit, the Khatta makes his way back towards the rest of the crowd, silently wishing time would speed up.

A brief smattering of applause drifts over from across the courtyard, where a white-and-gold figure dressed in a blue Himaatian dress breaks away from a cluster of guests, fending off offers of fresh drinks.

A serving girl appears at Jynx's side from wherever it is well-trained servants always appear from. "Is there anything you wish, Master Kurai?" the young Zerda asks of the Khatta.

Jynx looks up in time to notice the figure emerge from the crowd, and squints as a hint of the familiar twinges in his mind. "Huh? Oh!" The feline smiles to the fox. "Just something cold to drink, if you could. I'd be very grateful."

The servant bows and quietly vanishes into one of the hallways leading off of the courtyard.

The black Khatta starts off towards the blue dressed figure. "Envoy? Is that you?"

The Aeolun turns and blinks in surprise, then smiles to the Khatta and walks towards him. "Feli! I hadn't expected to run into you here," she says.

"I didn't expect to see you here either," Jynx replies with a grin. "I'm just stopping by here on a little business trip, seems that's all I do nowadays. How about yourself?"

"Oh, I'm here to reinforce my popularity and see if I can schmooze a ride to Olympia," Envoy replies. "I've had a few setbacks since we last met, I'm afraid."

The serving Zerda appears again, bearing a tray holding several drinks. There's water with actual shaved ice in it, a mildly alcoholic-smelling concoction of fruit-juice and sherbet, and a glass of chilled milk.

The Khatta arches a brow at this. "Reinforce your popularity? What kind of setbacks are you talking about? Nothing serious, I hope."

"Oh, thank you very much." Jynx takes the glass of milk from the tray, and thirstily takes a large swig from it.

"Oh, the usual things," the Exile says, waving a hand dismissively. "Got my brain fried by a Babelite goddess, lost most of my magical ability and then mouthed off at the wrong time and got kicked out of the Mages' Guild."

Wiping his mouth off, Jynx furrows his brow at the Aeolun. "That's 'the usual things?' I'd hate to see what counts for 'strange,' then." The cat takes another sip of the milk. "No longer part of the Guild? What are you doing now then?"

"Right now I'm in the middle of a quest, trying to find some things that I can use on Abaddon to hopefully get my mind working normally again," Envoy says, and plucks the glass of water from the tray. "I've been to Abaddon and Ashtoreth so far, and my next stop is Moltpaa if I can get there. You've been there before, haven't you?"

Jynx nods. "Many times. My sister's railway uses it as a shortcut to get around, although I guess most of the time has been spent going through it as opposed to staying." The cat looks at the Exile curiously. "What do you hope to find there? It's mostly barren, from what I've seen."

Taking a sip of water first, Envoy says, "Well, I need to find something that I saw in a magic vision. There was a rail-car full of Hookas, and what looked like underground lakes of molten rock. My goal is a sort of pillar with bright light streaming from it. I think it will provide a power source that I'll need on Abaddon to bring a mechanical dragon to life."

The black cat blinks, "I know of the hookas and the molten rock, but a dragon? Why in the First Ones' names do you need to power up a dragon?" He smirks. "You're not gonna burn down some village, are you?"

Envoy blinks, and grins. "Oh no, nothing like that. I think the Sifras set up something on Abaddon that makes machines work better the more closely they mimic living things. The dragon, called the Leviathan, is very complex; maybe even enough that it would become intelligent. My hope is that if that happens, I'll be repaired as a side effect. It's a bit slim, I imagine, but I'm pretty sure activating the Leviathan is the purpose of my quest."

Jynx gives Envoy a blank stare, and scratches his head in confusion. "Okay… well, best of luck to you then! How do you plan to get to Moltpaa, though?" The feline finishes off his beverage. "Most of the entrances are blocked off, except to the railroad."

"Blocked off?" the Aeolun says, sounding disappointed. "How did you get out in Olympia before then?"

"We had permission," says the Khatta. "Prince Naochi helped us in Kroz. He had an entrance to one blocked by some kind of monster. He allowed us to go in, and that's how we discovered it." The feline shrugs. "There are still ways in; you just have to be careful."

"There must be maps in Parthos at least," Envoy says, tapping her blunt claws against the sides of her glass of water. "Or I could try to ask some Hookas. I'm sure if I can get there I can find some way in. Do you have any suggestions for finding the entry points?"

"There's always the railroad," Jynx says with a grin. "It runs right through Moltpaa. If you need a helping paw, I could give you a ride on my way back home."

The Aeolun's face lights up at that. "Would you? I'd be really grateful! And if you need any help while you're here in Abu Dhabi, I could lend a hand… uh… why are you here in Abu Dhabi? To buy iron?"

Jynx nods. "As much as I can get. Right now, Blackshire outputs a lot of raw, unprocessed wood, but that only brings in so much. We hope to build better mills to make finished wood and a few products hopefully, which fetch more profit. Plus we need more for the railroad; Eve wants to expand it more."

"Ah, trying to bring Sylvania into the 61st century, then?" Envoy asks with a grin. "The railroad must be handy for getting things in and out of Blackshire. You're probably surrounded by Gallisians by now."

Amongst the various guests reclining on the pillows near the fountain (and nearer to the host of this party), a tan-furred feline in standard Himaatian garb – but his accent sounding as if he might actually be of some other nationality entirely – speaks to a fetching-looking native (a golden lady cat in silks) next to him. A few snippets drift by, now and then, as the cat has a habit of getting louder and louder when he speaks – then suddenly realizing how loud he's become, and dropping down again. He seems to be on another one of his upward climbs. "… so lo and behold, I hear about this dreadful pirate attack on a shipment of some components used in this 'worthless' tonic, on its way to Rephidim! The whole load was lost! Ah, once I make arrangements to get this to Rephidim, I should more than recover my losses, I assure you!" The girl next to him giggles – he looks around furtively, then drops his voice to a whisper again.

The black Khatta frowns, and nods. "On all sides it seems; that's another reason the railroad and timber are so vital. If we can establish good trade relations with other countries, we might gain a few allies to help push the Gallisians back. We also have to prove to Rephidim that we're just not some chaotic backwater, although I don't know how much of a chance there is of that."

"Perhaps simply holding your borders long enough will do the trick," Envoy suggests. "Then you could petition the Temple for recognition as an independent nation, rather than as a county in Sylvania."

Jynx shakes his head. "I couldn't do that. It'd be a backstab to the rest of Sylvania. I may not have been born there, but it's become like home to me. Plus it's where my ancestry lies." He shrugs, then seems to look past Envoy. "That Zerda keeps looking our way – a friend of yours?"

Envoy stiffens momentarily and then looks over her shoulder.

"… but it could have been far worse, even if that hadn't happened," the tan-furred Khatta closer to the fountain says, his voice rising in volume again. "Why, I wonder who was going to buy those munitions that were coming through the Gateway Tower. You know – that exploded? Someone must have really lost – " and then the tan-furred Khatta sees Envoy look back, and seems to mistakenly assume that she's looking at him. He looks quickly away, and his voice drops to a whisper again.

Beyond the tan-furred, occasionally loud-mouthed Khatta, Envoy can see a familiar Zerda with a cold look in his eyes, adorned in Himaatian garb marked with a decorative chain identifying his allegiance.

With a sigh, Envoy makes a half-hearted wave to the Zerda, then turns back to Jynx. "Oh, that's Ra Shrikendune, the witch-hunter. Since I've been dismissed from the Mages' Guild, I'm not allowed to perform any magic. Otherwise, I'll be labeled a rogue mage and executed. And this particular fellow has a bias against me to begin with, and is just waiting for some excuse to have me hauled in."

The black Khatta stares back at the Zerda, arching a brow. "So he just follows you everywhere? That's kind of rude. Here, follow me." The feline starts off towards the fountain, trying to put it between him and the fox.

Envoy follows along behind the Khatta. "He can still probably hear us anyway."

Whether or not the Zerda can hear them, the new position does nicely block off view of him (and presumably vice versa), and there are several people engaged in conversation now directly positioned between them and him.

Jynx takes a seat on the far side of the fountain, near the loud Khatta. "Not if we have a something making more noise than us – or someone. Anyway, I'll be more than happy to give you a ride to Moltpaa, although it'll be slightly tricky. The train doesn't really stop there, just kind of goes through. Plus, some of the areas are really dangerous."

"… and then, lo and behold, just as we were coming in to the docks with our shipment of spices, this … this thing rockets across the sky, with an oversized Jupani riding backwards on its nose, and some Rath'ani in a dress cowering in the back!" a merchant closer to their new position excitedly tells those around him.

"We could switch to hand-sign, but that would just make him suspicious and I'd rather not give him more reason to shadow me," the Aeolun says. "Is there some place where the train passes that the Hooka trains also use? If I could catch one of those, it would probably be safer."

The ebony feline nods. "We use a lot of the Hooka track, as a matter of fact. It was easier than building our own. There are quite a few places you could switch over."

Envoy smiles. "That would be ideal, so long as I catch one going in the right direction. There can't be too many big underground lakes of fire and lava, after all."

"You'd be surprised," cautions Jynx. "But, if that's where you gotta go, then that's where you gotta go. I leave in a few hours; can you be ready by then?"

"… and, believe it or not, this thing landed safely at the docks! I heard that it was all fine and well, until the crazed crew got out. Then, they let loose some fireworks they were keeping in the rocket – I suppose to celebrate their success – but that set fire to what was left of their fuel." The merchant claps his hands together. "Boom! It was blown to pieces, and the whole pier it was parked on!" He shakes his head. His fellows laugh at the conclusion of his wild tale.

"Oh, certainly!" Envoy says, grinning. "I didn't realize all of your business here was done."

The black Khatta nods. "The brunt of it is; I just have a few loose ends to tie up, and some arrangements to make. I used to like Abu Dhabi, but since I've lived in Sylvania I've gotten used to the cooler weather." The feline grins.

"Really?" Envoy asks, listening to the story about the rocket with one ear. "Does it make Rephidim seem warmer as well?"

Another snippet of errant conversation gets loud nearby – at least, another snippet actually in Rephidim Standard, whereas most of the chatter is going on in Khattan: "And do you hear what's going on over in the Golden Peninsula? The son of the mayor of Al Bawaba is going to marry the leader of Naher Mohit – and this even with all those scandals we've all heard about! What is he thinking? … "

"Everything seems warmer," Jynx says with a grin. "Makes the visits home seem more tropical, although I don't get back to Rephidim much." The Khatta sighs, perking his own ears at the conversations.

No rumors about riots in Babel at least, Envoy thinks as she eavesdrops. "Where should I meet you for departure… or would you like to come back with me to see the Gardens before leaving? They're very impressive."

Another overheard snippet from an entirely different group: "… what worries me more is what I've been hearing about the Temple and their grumbling over the Gateway Tower. I mean, of course, you'd expect a bit of that, what with it being a Sifras site and all. But mark my words – with Nagai and Babel gone, the Emirate is the last great nation on the surface, and Rephidim is getting bolder. Sooner or later, they'll formally demand authority over the Gateway. And then what will the Emir do? On that day, may the Fathers grant the Emir wisdom, for I know not what answer would please us all… "

Envoy actually turns to glance at the group talking about the Gateway. If there is going to be a conflict over access, she hopes it isn't in the near future.

The merchant speaking about the Gateway says no more of it, however, and finishes his wondering with a deep sip of his cup. He and his fellows do not seem overly cheery at the prospect, whatever it is that has given him this concern.

The black Khatta smiles. "The Gardens sound nice. If you can bring your things there, I'll have my porters take them and have them loaded, and afterwards we can set out. I'm in no particular hurry, so long as we leave no later than the morning." The feline notices Envoy's glance, and follows it. "More Rephidim troubles. Figures."

"I'm sure the Temple will try for a political solution favorable to the Emirate," Envoy says to Jynx. "My traveling supplies are actually kept in the Gardens, with Mage Barabbas, and I don't have so much that I can't carry it all myself. There are a lot of interesting animals there too… although I imagine you have plenty of those in Sylvania still," she adds with a smirk.

"The weirdest," Jynx replies. "Ever see a four legged Lapi or Cervani? They're strange." The Khatta sets his empty cup on the side of the fountain. "As for the Temple… you'll have to excuse me if I don't have the highest amount of faith in them lately."

"Oh!" cuts in a merchant in the cluster of cats where the dreary talk of the Gateway was going on a moment ago. "Did you hear how the Procession has shown brightly upon our brother Faraquad? Indeed, he acquired a shipment of vintage Saskanar wine … some year in the fifty-nine-hundreds, I believe! And it was only a copper a bottle!"

"Actually, I have seen them… but not on Sinai," Envoy explains. "I promised the Temple I'd invite some Technopriests to come with me when I return to Abaddon. I still have good relations with Rephidim at least, although hardly the influence needed to suggest policy to them."

There are some gasps of disbelief from the cluster of merchants nearby. "Only a copper? Tell Faraquad I will buy the whole lot off him for twice that!" The others laugh, and some make remarks in Khattan rather than Standard.

"Ah, but that is not the least of it," the other merchant says. "His brother, Hasaad, was there to pick up the shipment, and saw … "

The black Khatta smiles, and stands up, taking a stretch and popping his tail. "I wouldn't expect you to, but my problems are mine to deal with. I hate to talk and run, but I still have a few contacts to see before we start off, so I'll have to take my leave." He holds out a paw to help the Aeolun stand. "See you at the Gardens?"

Envoy smiles and bows to Jynx. "I will meet you there, Count Kurai, be sure of it."

Jynx grins, bowing in return. "I won't be late. Until then!" The Khatta turns an about face, and makes his way towards the villa exit, giving the Aeolun a wave before he disappears.

Feli has certainly matured in the past year, Envoy thinks as she waves back to the departing feline.

While Envoy is in mid-wave, someone bumps into her from behind. She hears a feminine squeak, then the sound of a goblet falling to the floor.

"Watch where you're going, girl!" hisses one of the merchants nearby, reverting to Khattan. He then quickly hides his fury with his usual Khattan facade, and apologizes to those with him, almost as if she were his personal servant (which, given that the host is someone else, is unlikely).

Turning around quickly, Envoy's apology is already beginning. "Oh, excuse me! My wings can get in the way sometimes… "

The servant girl who collided with Envoy is a Savanite, and has a collar much like those used by the other slaves Envoy has seen, but the color is slightly off, and the collar is relatively plain, lacking the ornate pattern seen on those collars of the other servants.

Envoy blinks in surprise. She wouldn't have expected a Savanite to be so graceless, not here in Abu Dhabi where slaves are still treated like… well… slaves.

The cheetah scrambles to pick up the goblet, bowing her head several times apologetically. On her tray, oddly enough, is an assortment of spices and h'ors d'oeuvres that look as if they've been carefully arranged: some stuffed spinach rolls formed into a "V" shape in the center, a sprinkling of pala-fruit arranged in one corner into another shape, and some other bits in the others … and then Envoy is able to make a connection. If the tray were turned around, as if she were carrying it, instead of the girl, it just so happens that the central arrangement would look like the sign of Earth … and the four obscure sub-runes of Plant/Wood, Metal, Dirt/Clay/Sand, and Amber.

The Aeolun does better at hiding her surprise this time. "Such clumsiness is an insult. Finish picking up your mess and take me to your supervisor so I may have you reprimanded," she says, trying to sound suitably upset.

The cheetah makes a pathetic attempt at trying to clean up the mess, then finally just sets the goblet on its side on the tray, upsetting the careful arrangement of its contents. She bows several more times, touching her forehead and making a rolling gesture of apology as many times, then turns and moves away, heading toward the far end of the room.

Envoy follows along, keeping up the pretense of going to complain about the servant.

Out of the corner of her eye, Envoy can see a certain Zerda witch-hunter start to move her direction, only to encounter a Savanite servant who just happens to choose that moment to refill the glass of a guest, right in his way.

Meanwhile, the clumsy cheetah girl heads over to a poorly lit section of the courtyard, further away from the central attention of the fountain, and sets her tray down on a pedestal, clasping her hands together and looking as if she fears a whipping to be forthcoming.

Okay, someone wants to talk to me, Envoy thinks, and hurries to keep up with the Savanite. Hopefully there'll be a way to lose Shrikendune before he can follow her again.

So far, it looks like he's being successfully held up somehow or another, because Envoy doesn't notice him again as she navigates her way over to the pedestal. The Savanite glances furtively past Envoy, still keeping an appearance of submission, but even as she looks down, her hands flicker quickly, signing, "You do understand Sign, yes?"

Envoy quickly signs back in the affirmative.

"I am sent by your 'father'," the cheetah signs. "He wishes to warn you that your enemy seeks to waylay you when you are alone, for his masters are alarmed, and wish to halt your quest. Unless you wish to submit to him, you must move in secret and quickly."

Oh great, Envoy thinks. "Can you get me back to the Gardens under cover?" she signs to the faux-servant.

The cheetah makes a show of touching her forehead and bowing apologetically several times. Envoy can hear the shuffling of robes, as a guest goes by, perhaps seeking a place to relieve himself of too much wine. Once he is gone, she signs, "Yes. There is a servant's exit I will lead you to. Go through it – I will leave by a separate way. I will meet you again outside, at the wagon with the red speckled Dromodon."

Nodding, Envoy signs a quick thank-you and gestures for the girl to lead her.

The cheetah immediately makes several more apologetic bows and gestures, and looks for all the world as if she's weeping in shame, and makes haste further back – where there appears to indeed be a servants' gate obscured from easy view, for the moment untended.

The Aeolun hastens to follow, wearing an unforgiving expression – and hoping Ra still hasn't gotten a look as to where she's heading.

The cheetah pauses at the gate, again looking past Envoy. For what it's worth, it seems that the view from here to the place where the guests are is fairly well obscured from view. At the very least, she can't see the Zerda.

Envoy ducks through the gate, and begins to look for the wagon.

As Envoy steps through, she can see that there is a Khattan guard posted just outside the gate, and he snaps to attention as the Aeolun passes through. When he sees Envoy, he quickly ducks his head. "My apologies, o esteemed magess of Earth, if I offend, but you have passed through the servants' gate and out of the festivities! If this is not your intent, I will show you the way back in… " Past him, Envoy can see a wagon just down the street, with a speckled and very bright red Dromodon lazily standing at the front of it, hitched up.

"There is no mistake, but I would be grateful if you forgot that you saw me," Envoy replies to the guard, as she heads for the waiting wagon.

The guard blinks several times, then bows. "Of course, o favored of the Emir!" he gushes, followed by several other polite rambling promises in that general vein.

The Dromodon looks up slowly from where it had been hanging its head, only dully aware that someone is headed its way, and sleepily stirring. "Grunt?"

Stepping around the beast so that it blocks the view of her from the gate, Envoy pats its neck. "Don't mind me, I'm just waiting for someone," she whispers to it.

The Dromodon belches, snuffles at the air, and then seems to lose interest. The guard's Khattan verbosity has since given way to silence … and then the sound of the gate opening again.

She said she'd use a different exit, Envoy recalls as she hears the gate, and hunches down to take a peek between the wagon wheels to see if it is the Savanite.

A sound of the guard stirring … and then Envoy sees that it is not the Savanite, but Ra. "Hold!" he says, as he lifts a hand to forestall the guard, and uses his other hand to present his chain. "I am Ra Shrikendune – this is business of the Caroban Watch and of utmost importance! Has a winged Exile woman, Envoy of Lothrhyn, come through this gate?"

Footsteps sound, but from another direction, rapidly approaching the Dromodon. The guard shakes his head firmly. "No, good sir, and I weep in my heart that I cannot say 'yes', if that would be what you seek, for I am, at the disposal of my master, as your humble servant, and that of the honorable Caroban Watch! I have seen this Envoy before, such a strange one! But this is the servants' gate – not a way for the esteemed guests of my master. If you wish, I will call a servant to help you find her. Surely she is with the other guests… "

While she's hunched down, Envoy examines the underside of the wagon, looking for a way to hold on without revealing herself.

It doesn't look very promising – or, at least, it looks like a risky endeavor, what with her wings and all. However, there are running boards on each side of the wagon that might provide an alternative. Just then, a cloaked feline leaps up into the wagon seat, and picks up the reins.

Envoy quickly clambers onto one of the running boards and gets as firm a grip as she can while trying to keep hidden.

"You there!" Ra calls out, not sounding satisfied with the guard's answer. "Have you seen a winged Exile woman, white and gold, in a blue dress, coming over the wall? She is Envoy of Lothrhyn, and I have urgent need to speak with her!"

The wagon's driver daubs at his or her face with a wadded rag, then says, in a raspy voice, "Oh, apologies, my lord, but I have seen no such one. But if you have any interest, I have many fine spices in the back of my wagon for sale, and it would be but a moment to show you them all. Very poor are they in quality, but therefore at so low a price!"

Keeping very still, Envoy listens for Ra's response. She doesn't dare make any noises that might give her away to the Zerda's hearing.

It sounds as if Ra just spit on the ground in disgust. "Open the gate for me again, guard! And if you see Envoy, you will detain her and send for me immediately! This is grave business!"

The guard makes several verbose Khattan apologies as he opens the gate, and it sounds as if Ra is going through without stopping to hear them all. The driver of the wagon does not wait, but snaps the reins. In a far less raspy and more feminine voice, the driver mrowls, "On, Azar!"

The Dromodon, once more stirred from its stupor, begins to plod forward, pulling the wagon along at a slowly accelerating pace.

Once the wagon seems far enough from the villa, Envoy quietly asks, "Can I get into the back now? I might look out of place if someone sees me clinging to the runner."

"Shhh!" the driver hisses, as the wagon rolls on. Then, as it reaches another corner, the driver nods, and makes several waving and scooping motions with her right hand, urging Envoy on up.

Envoy clambers up into the wagon, and then hunches down again to try and keep out of sight, searching for a blanket or something to hide under.

It so happens that there are indeed a number of blankets, and even an extra cloak lying right behind the driver's seat. By the aroma, the cart does indeed carry salts and spices, with an assortment of tarps and blankets on top to obscure this fact, and perhaps to protect them in the unlikely event of rain.

Pulling a blanket over herself after putting on the cloak, the Aeolun lays flat in the wagon bed and worries. Is Ra acting on his own, or on orders from the Guild? she wonders. Hopefully Barabbas will know.

The ride through the streets of Abu Dhabi goes on for perhaps longer than it really ought to for a ride straight to the Gardens. Odds are that the ride is not taking the most direct route, what with plenty of twists and turns along the way. A couple of times, the driver is questioned by some individuals – presumably guards in the better-kept parts of the city – and she puts on her act of being the humble merchant desperately trying to sell spices even at this late hour, to offset the costs of the cholera that has beset "his" household, and so forth. No one takes "him" up on the offer to examine the spices, and the wagon goes along in short enough order. That is, until the wagon has gone far enough that some of the sounds Envoy hears along the way make her suspect that they must be somewhere near the vicinity of the Gardens. And then, when the driver does "his" schpiel, a guard says, "Perhaps my master would be interested in some… "

"… but not out here," the guard follows up with, and there are the sounds of a gate being opened. "He is a generous soul, but it is late, and not a time to be doing business on the streets in poor light. If you would come into the courtyard… " And the Dromodon's hooves clip-clop again, and the wagon rolls forward, accompanied by the rolling and flowery thanks of the driver.

Envoy begins to breath easier once she thinks the wagon has entered the compound. Still, she remains quiet. No sense in taking chances this far into it.

At last, the wagon rolls to a stop, and the driver dismounts. In her presumably normal voice, she says – and not too loudly – "You may come out now, madame." Envoy can hear the gate being barricaded again.

As quick as she can, Envoy scrambles out from under the blanket and off of the wagon. "I need to recover my traveling supplies and… and work up a quick disguise," she tells the driver.

As Envoy gets a better look at the driver, she can tell it's the same person as the cheetah from the party … only minus a great many spots and tear marks, with semi-golden fur smudged here and there, as if merely dirty, but with a single black "spot" remaining in the middle of her forehead – shaped very much like a teardrop. "Tell me where to find them, and it will be done," the Kattha says, gesturing to a doorway. "Go on inside, and you'll be shown the way. Don't be alarmed. This is an alternate entrance." Indeed, this isn't the same area Envoy usually would pass through to enter the Gardens, though by the tops of buildings she can see over the outer walls, she has to be in the same general area.

Envoy goes where indicated, and says, "Barabbas gave me a room in his tree, my supplies are there. A travel pack, my staff and my… pets. I'm mostly packed, including my Abaddonian apparel, but I'm low on rations."

"Ah," the driver says, nodding. "Then I am sure that has already been taken care of. But a word – do not speak freely of just how you got here. Barabbas will be in enough trouble if it is thought he had anything to do with this. And there are other benefactors who might suffer if it seems they are meddling in the affairs of the Caroban Watch." The cat woman looks around, perhaps out of habit, then motions toward the door. "Quickly."

The Aeolun hurries through, quietly impressed at the Kattha's acting ability.

And the Kattha wastes no time going back to the wagon, though Envoy cannot see what further transpires out in the courtyard, as a male Savanite slave – a genuine Savanite, most probably – closes the door behind Envoy. In the dim lantern light of the interior corridor, he makes a polite and subservient bow, and motions her to follow him, taking the time to phonetically form the name, "Barabbas," and then takes a lantern from a hook on the wall as he heads down a dark, downward-sloping corridor.

Envoy follows along once more, and chews on her lip. She doesn't want to get Barabbas in trouble if she can help it.

The trip down takes even more time than the ride through Abu Dhabi did, as this is obviously not the "express" route – though the attempt here doesn't seem plausibly to be to throw off pursuers, since no other travelers of these corridors can be found. At last, they reach a technological-looking door where the Savanite slave stops and hangs the lantern on a hook to one side. He works a wooden turn-wheel that most assuredly looks like a more recent addition than the door, though aged in its own right, and the door reluctantly cycles open … to reveal the underground gardens beyond. He bows, and does not look inside, having the bearing about him of one who is too low, too unworthy, to gaze upon such beauty.

Signing a quick thank-you to the servant, Envoy steps into the Gardens and looks around to see if anybody sees her.

It does not look like anyone is about. The door cycles closed behind her, and on this side looks so covered in corrosion that from a distance – and with the various plants about to obscure it – it probably would not be easily noticed by anyone not specifically looking for it. Barabbas' tower is not all that far away, though on the other side of running water that cascades down into the artificial valley below.

Shaking out her wings, Envoy launches herself towards the tower. Much easier to get past the river by flying, she figures.

The flight is uneventful, and going by air does not reveal any previously unnoticed individuals lurking about – with the sole exception of Barabbas, who is waiting at the top. He raises a tentacle to wave slowly, looking in his awkward way to try to look cheerful, pushing his antennae up and wiggling them slightly.

Envoy lands next to the elder Mage, and gives him a quick hug before asking, "It's official then, the Guild is out to stop me?"

Barabbas' antennae droop again, and he nods. "I do not know how high up the decision has been made, but high enough. I would advise you to beware of going to the Gateway. I expect traffic there to be monitored, and for the Watch to formally ask the Emir to prohibit you from leaving Sinai."

"I… I have to go to the Gateway, though," Envoy says, her wings drooping. "Still… maybe the Temple can reason with the Guild, since my quest does involve Sifras artifacts and research about them. Can you arrange to send word to them?"

Barabbas shakes his head. "I will try to see that a message is sent to them on your behalf … but if I do, that will most assuredly guarantee that the Watch will know that I spoke with you and did not detain you as I am expected to."

"Forget it, then. I'll send word to them myself from Olympia," Envoy says. "I have a friend ready to take me there, and through to Moltpaa. But I'm supposed to meet him outside the entrance to the Gardens. He is Sylvanian nobility."

Barabbas nods. "I am certain some servant can be persuaded to watch for him. Will anyone of the Watch know he is to meet with you?"

"Shrikendune saw me talking to him at the party, but shouldn't have been able to overhear our conversation. He was also trying to follow me, so should have lost track of my friend when I left," Envoy says. "He is a black Khatta, and if anyone can sneak me out of here, he can."

Barabbas nods yet again. "We shall have him watched for, then. Is he to be here so late at night? Or will he be here on the morrow?"

"Tonight. He had some final arrangements to make, but hadn't planned to stay in the city long," the Aeolun says. "I can double-fold my wings to try and hide them, but I won't be able to fly easily afterwards. Do you think I can be made to look like a Kiriga then? My crown might help hide me from scryers, but I can't be sure."

Barabbas tilts his head to one side, regarding Envoy with segmented eyes. "Perchance a disguise may come to mind. A Kiriga seems not so indigenous to these parts. But perhaps … a Nohbakim?" His antennae wiggle.

"Ah, that would be ideal!" Envoy says, brightening. "Especially if I can reapply it later, to get to the Gateway City and the Rephidim Embassy… and if it doesn't use magic."

The elder mage head-bobs. "I recall you have a pair of well-trained 'bracers'. Could they play the parts of additional appendages … say … antennae?" Barabbas moves over to a worktable even as he speaks, and starts to pull out some papers. The way his antennae work, he must have some ideas forming…

"I believe they can," Envoy says, coming over to help with the planning. I'll have to come up with some sort of insurance against the Guild now. If I succeed, then hopefully Dragon can think of something, she ponders.