It is the day after X took off, and no one has heard from him since. Demes paces about the hotel suite, the orange-and-white Khatta looking frustrated. "He's always very good about being back on time," the merchant says to Chiri and several Savanites nearby.

"Maybe a Rhian beat him up again." Chiri says as she noisily crunches on a fruit from a bowl she's been helping herself too all day.

Demes hmfs. "Again? I was not aware that there had been a first time." He paces before the window, which looks out onto the city of Abu Dhabi, but the pastel minarets do little to sooth his mood. "And the Emir's worried about the Nagai. He says that they're a little *too* interested in our newest find."

"But, we're not getting answers," the merchant continues. "It's an artifact of some kind. Even a Kavi could tell that. Yet all the reports continue to say is that 'More research is necessary before a definitive statement can be rendered'. Bromthen hogwash!"

Chiri chucks the core of her fruit over her shoulder. "So tell the Emir to crack the yiffle gulpers into hurrying up or boot their scaley tails out and get a new band of archey-whatsits in there instead."

Demes shakes his head. "Diplomatic. Can't just throw them out, they'd be insulted. But never mind that, I don't want to leave here without X, call it sentimentality or whatever. If he got waylaid, I want him found." He looks over at Chiri. "Can you do it?"

A Savanite slave takes the fruit core and walks away, presumably to dispose of it.

The Skreek yawns. "I suppose… do you have any idea where he went or am I going to have to go door to door and pester half of Abu Dhabi in my search?"

Demes shrugs. "He said he wanted the day off. Something about seeing relatives. Use your ingenuity… " The Khatta merchant tosses Chiri three copper coins. "Expenses."

Chiri clumsily catches the flying coins. "Relatives… right. Well, if I see a spotted cat I'll have to ask him if he's related to X or not. You haven't the slightest clue what direction he went off to?"

Demes grins wryly. "None… Maybe some of the palace staff would know. I figured that he couldn't possibly get into any trouble in just a day."

"Right." the Skreek says, picking a chunk of fruit from her teeth with a blunt clawtip. "I suppose finding X won't be any harder than finding the perfect Vanderat… "

The Khatta laughs openly. "Ah yes! That was an excellent piece of work." He pats Chiri's back. "Off you go, then. I wish that I could spare you Josef's help, but he's busy on another errand for me."

Chiri starts to head out of the room. "Josef… right. I'd have someone to talk to if he came along." She poses melodramatically in the doorway. "Fear not, I shall manage somehow!" And with that she steps out.

Demes smiles and nods to Chiri. But as she turns to leave, his ears betray the worry that he feels.

Chiri slips down the stairs into the lobby. She peers around and makes a beeline for the front desk. "Heloooooo?" she squeaks.

A brown-furred Khatta with a splotch of black over one eye comes out to the front, her caftan wrapped elegantly. "Yes, ma'am?" she says politely in flawless Rephidim standard.

The Skreek folds her arms over the top of the deck and flicks her tail back and forth. "I'm looking for a Savanite. Big fellow." She gestures above her head, indicating X's approximate height. "Lots of muscles and scars. He belongs to my boss, and has apparently gone missing on us. Have you seen him?"

"A large number of Savanite slaves pass through here," the Khatta says apologetically. "I really don't think that I could remember who you mean. My humble regrets, may the sands of the desert infest my fur and the Dromodons sleep in my bed if I lie."

Chiri itches at the back of her head. "Alrighty… well, if you happen to see him. Tell him Demes sent Chiri after him, and she's none too pleased about having to leave her lunch behind to go hunt him down." She pulls herself back from the counter and heads out the doorway, checking to see if there's any guards or servants outside.

"I'll do that, ma'am," the Khatta says. She starts scratching out a little note on paper.

The Skreek steps out of the doorway and peers around.

Outside the hotel a cougar Khattha adjusts her weapons with a rattling shrug as she talks to the doormouse. "How things is Skeek, been quiets?"

The Abu Dhabian sun is beginning to hit its zenith, making burnooses and other head coverings not just useful, but virtually essential, and the townfolks hurry to finish their midmorning errands before the heat grows unbearable. The Skeek addressed nods. "Yes, very," he says. "Since the trade talks, almost all the traders've left town. Are you looking for a room?"

"Hello Sasta." Chiri squeaks. "X ran off and Demes wants me to find him. You seen him anywhere?"

"No," Sasta replies to the doormouse, then winks as she notices Chiri, "Hnn… X you big Savanite ah? No seen hin since last week." She adjusts a wrist-strap, "I no gots anything specials going on, wants help?"

The Skeek at the door looks disappointed. "Well, our rates are really quite reasonable, ma'am, and our chef has cooked for the Emir himself… "

Chiri grins and jams her hands in her pockets. "Sure. It'll be nice to walk around with someone that can count to thirty for a change." Chiri looks to the Skeek doorman. "Hey, you seen a big burly Savanite around here? He's got two scars scross his face. You'd know him if you saw him."

Sasta nods to the Skeek, "Well I cone stay herre sonetines then, orr ten thousane fleas fine they way into ny shirrt, ane sanestone wearr off the paes of ny feet. Baibai yaa?" The cougar moves to Chiri's side and waits as she deals with the doormouse.

The doorman mms. "Yes. Big fellow. Looks like he wouldn't be out of place in a pit… " The little Skeek shudders delicately, glancing at the somewhat less couth-appearing and larger Skreek. "Not, of course, that I ever visit such places. I have merely heard stories about them."

Chiri itches at her nose. "When and where did you see the Savanite? He belongs to my boss."

The Skeek considers Chiri, and then her larger-yet companion, the Khatta. "As a matter of fact, it was just yesterday morning. He left and went downtown." He gestures down the street. "He seemed quite nervous."

"If you wants pit fight, I know the places ah?" The cougar says, digging in behind an eyetooth with her littlefinger claw.

"Downtown, gotcha." Chiri nods. She grumbles something under her breath and jams her hands back in her pockets. "I guess that's as good a place as any to start."

Sasta says, "You think he go off forr fight?"

The Skreek shakes her head as she begins walking in the direction that the doormouse indicated. "Demes said he was checking up on family… unless he wanted to beat up his mom or something. And here I thought Savanites didn't have families."

The streets of Abu Dhabi wind and twist as they go beyond the more expensive quarter, reflecting the growth of the city. Perhaps this part had once served for textile industries, for the smell of astringent chemicals still clings to the large warehouses, which have been converted to enclosed livestock auction houses. Houses pass by on the other side of the street. Which way could X have gone? A quick glance down the streets comes up with nothing familiar to Chiri.

"Checkings on fanily?" The cougar wrinkles her muzzle as she puts her hands down on her swordbelt, "They just aninals, they no even rrenenberr siblings you separrates then long enough."

Chiri folds her arms up and frowns. "Great… downtown. Now where to?" She looks around for signs of Savanites nearby.

Mostly Khattas, some Skeeks and Skreeks, a scattering of Rath'ani, and even an odd saluki or two walk quickly through the major intersection. A lamp-post carries a candle in a glass enclosure, presently extinguished for the daytime.

"Gots no ieea." The Khattha shrugs, looking around as well. "Thats what happens you lets then alone too long, gets lost. Sane thing like when we bettings, they no snarrt enough rrenenberrs cone back withouts soneone therre to tell then eo so."

Chiri looks around the street and tries to find one that might lead to some shops. Merchants are more likely to have slaves than the little nobodies in their houses. "Well, at the very least I'll get to see some of Abu Dhabi. Demes gave me a bit of cash, maybe we could get some lunch or something on my boss' ticket while we search around."

A long-eared caracal Khatta, expensively dressed, pauses near the Skreek and the cougar, her tail twitching a perfumy silk scarf. She looks about and then crosses the street to a merchant selling fruit ices in the shade.

Sasta nods, walking beside Chiri and letting the Skreek stand on her blindside; she does twist her head to the side to check the rats position frequently. Otherwise she scans the street, fairly positive Chiri's Savanite is a little easier to recognize than the rest of them. "Lunch soune likes gooe ieea. Whats you k'rre forr?" Sasta snorts, watching the caracal.

Chiri elbows Sasta and points to the Caracal as they walk along. She mimics the Caracal's steps, adding a haughty exaggeration to her step and the flick of her tail and then rolls her eyes. "Food? Someplace with spotties in it would probably be good. If I'm caught I can claim to have been working."

The neighborhood starts to look a little more familiar – it seems that Chiri and Sasta were just a block away from the path they took the last time they were here. Tarpaulins held off the ground shade a path where several Savanites walk quickly along, carrying clay jars of water on their heads.

The cougar grins at Chiri's caracal immitation, and returns a single eyeroll, "No thoughts slave fooe was worrth eating, you surre you wants trry stonach it?"

"You're talking to the wrong rat in regards to good taste, Sasta." Chiri squeaks. She points to the Savanite workers and walks up to the closest one, putting her fingers in her mouth and whistling shrilly to get the slave's attention.

The matronly Savanite stops and looks at Chiri worriedly.

The cougar faces the Savanites with a tight lipped sneer, her opinions easily read. Asking a slave for help ranks up asking a desert wind for advice. "If we luckies, naybe they k'n point."

Chiri squeaks to the slave, "I'm looking for a Savanite named X. Big fellow." she holds her arms up and out to indicate his general size. "And he has some scars across his face." She draws an 'x' across her face to demonstrate. "He belongs to my boss and we're trying to track him down. Have you seen him?"

The older Savanite woman shakes her head, and then starts to turn away again.

The Skreek jumps in front of the slave. "Do you know anyone who might help us? Say… a place where you go hang out or something? He was supposed to be visiting his family." She frowns and then drops to handsign, "I understand Savanite sign."

The older Savanite continues to shake her head, then looks startled at the Skreek's handsign. She puts the clay jar she was carrying down, then signs, "So you do, Mistress!"

Chiri looks sidelong at Sasta and smiles sheepishly, "Have you seen the one I described? Big fellow, he used to be a pit fighter. My boss is afraid something happened to him."

The older Savanite frowns and tries to remember. "I am sure that I would remember him if I had seen such a one," she signs. "But perhaps someone else has seen him. I have a friend at an inn down the street. They see many Savanites there."

"Inn, right. What's the name of this place?" Chiri signs, then looks at Sasta. "I think I found a place where we can grab a meal… "

Sasta watches the exchange between Chiri and the Savanite with a glaring curiousity. Very strongly feeling she is missing out on something and not enjoying it. "Yaa? Is gooe."

The older Savanite signs, "It is called the Thief's Boots. It is very popular with traders, because they serve food from many countries there. Let me put this away and then I will take you straight there."

She takes the clay jar and puts it on top of her head again, on the padded burnoose so that her ears flit out to either sides.

Chiri nods to the Savanite and makes an 'after you' gesture. "She says that there's an inn called the Thief's Boots, lots of spotties there. Hopefully we can go in, eat, find X, and then run home with time to spare."

The Savanite and her daughter walk down the street and into a home, where the mother soon steps out again sans water-jug. She bows deferentially to the others, then starts trotting down the street. The buildings look more than a little familiar for the several minutes that Chiri spent staring at the walls…

The cougars ears flick, something was going on. "I no hearr she says anything. If you wants go therre, then we go therre. Hnnn… " The Khattha follows, scowling as she thinks.

"Who knows, naybe you see sone of you ole shipnates therre." Sasta grins.

Yes. This is the very spot where Josef tried to count to thirty. The Savanite heads down the street and past a rugmaker's shop, a somewhat faded carpet on the outside signalling its product. The smell of frying meat and bread reaches to Sasta immediately… Though not to Chiri.

Chiri's ears flatten at the thought of meeting some of her old shipmates. She keeps quiet and tries to bury that thought as deeply as she can. She flashes a discreet 'thank you' sign to the slave and enters the inn without another word.

Sasta drops one hand down on a saberhilt, and enters behind Chiri, giving the room a quick once over before relaxing her guard.

If there are Savanites who eat here, they must do it in the kitchen; the only ones in the dining and bar area are waiting on the customers, who are mostly Khattas with a mixing of other races. Skreek musicians play their instruments lightly in the background. And behind all the other customers, Chiri sees the unmistakable form of two Nagas. One looks familiar…

Chiri winces slightly at the thought of eating near Nagas, buuuuut she does have a job to do. The Skreek nonchalantly makes her way towards the two snakes. "Demes Oresta sends his greetings." she squeaks. "And he wonders if either of you gentlemen have seen his slave around? Big burly fellow, goes by the name of X."

The two Nagai seems to be discussing something, for the moment the bigger one of them, a viper of some sort, is leaning over the table and hissing to the other in Imperial. He seems a little upset, or at least as upset as Naga ever gets. The only thing Chiri can pick up before he shuts up and turns to her is "And if he wasn't a security risk before he is now… "

Shesseth eyes Chiri a while and says "Would you pleasse repeat that?" in standard.

The cougar winds her way through the tables, following the Skreek. She is getting a very bad feeling about this, and both hands now rest on her blade hilts, ready to draw. "Watch youself." She whispers as she comes up behind Chiri, then moves to her side, eyeing the Nagas and letting her presence be felt.

The other Naga, the one that neither Chiri nor Sasta recognize, draws back in distaste. The blue brushy tail on his plate must have once been a yiffle. Now it's just a decoration.

The bigger snake looks up at Sasta and gives her a smile full of self confidence. The looks back at Chiri and repeats "If you do not wissh to tell me, begone, we have matterss to disscuss."

Chiri nods to Sasta and repeats her statement, still speaking in Rephidim standard… only louder this time. "I said I'm looking for my Boss' slave. Big burly fellow with a scar across his face in the shape of an 'X'. Have you seen him anywhere?"

The viper considers this for a while, before he answers "I met him here yessterday. He helped me with a couple of Titanianss, wich I am thankful for. We disscussed it and he then departed." But Chiri notices that his eyes dart for the other snake, maybe just for the fraction of a second, and the other snake makes a slight nod before Shesseth fills in the final "That iss all I know."

The other snake says, "You are intruding on a private disscussssion. Do you mind?" He flicks a forked tongue out.

"Do you have any idea where he's done to? Demes is concerned about him." Chiri squeaks. She sighs and holds up a copper coin. "I'm willing to pay to find out where he's gotten off to."

Shesseth shakes his head with a hiss and says "No. I do not."

The other snake hisses to Shesseth in Imperial. "Tell her to come back in an hour. We will surely be done by then. Pretend that you will ask some friends if they have seen such a creature."

The cougar is still tightly wound, and hasn't moved even a whisker or tailtip. Her one eye is fixed on the viper, and her hands ready in a tight-loose grip on her weapon hilts, "He lyings Chirri."

Chiri arches an eyebrow, but keeps her dumb grin plastered to her face. She's just a stupid Skreek after all, what does she know?

A Savanite appears briefly at the door of the kitchen, her cheeks marked by three stripe-scars on each side. She hands several plates to a younger rail-thin Savanite girl, who brings them to a plump Rath'ani merchant having lunch near the musicians.

Leaning down, closer to Chiri the viper says "But you know what. Thiss plasse have many eyess, I could assk around and ssee if anyone have sseen anything. Let me jusst finissh here, and come back in ssay, an hour or ssoo. If I am not here I will leave a message with the owner."

The other Naga hisses at Sasta's accusation. "You vex me," he hisses. "Iss thiss how the Emir'ss guardss act? Provoking harmlessss travellerss to fight?"

Shesseth fills in "Inssultss will not make me give you my assisstansse. Perhapss I sshall reconssider my offer, until you got a more resspectful attitude."

The Skreek's tailtip pats Sasta's foot as a sign of acknowledgement. "How about we just stay here for awhile? Obviously a place that the Naga consider worthy to dine in must surely be a treat for this humble Skreek's tastes."

"I'll just take a table over here… you won't even notice me." Chiri gestures to a spot a few places away.

The other Naga hisses in Imperial to Shesseth, "She is insolent."

The bigger Naga just nods.

Sasta relaxes her grip on her weapons, pushing them back the centimeters they had started slipping out, "Oh, of courrse, I apologize. I thinks is lots gooe ieea Chirri, but naybe we shoule sits cloerr, so we k'n learrn frron they excellent exanples."

Chiri's tailtip pats Sasta's foot a second time, more gently this time. "Forgive my Kattha friend. She is paid to watch for danger after all and is probably unused to dealing with the Naga. Accept my most humble apologies."

The Naga considers this for a while before he nods and says "For now then. But not a ssecond time."

The Zerda proprietor comes down the stairs. "Ah! Customers," he says happily. "Where would you like to be seated, effendis? The Thief's Boots Inn boasts a kitchen with parallel in this part of town. Why, customers come from all over the world to eat here… "

Chiri bows to the Nagas and then turns to the Zerda. "I've already got the perfect place chosen." She moves and seats herself in a table that is a small distance away from the Nagas' table, but not so far that her keen ears can't catch their hissing whispers. Her nose and sence of taste may be dulled… but her ears remain sensitive as ever.

"Of course," the Zerda says. He claps his hands and the Savanite girl comes up.

The Savanite girl presents menus to Chiri and Sasta, printed on a thick cardboard-like paper.

The cougar moves over, sitting opposite Chiri. Noticeably keeping her back to the Nagas, or perhaps just positioning herself so she can watch the rest of the room. Her constant glancing around suggests the second reason is the case. She takes up the menu and looks it over.

The two Nagai looks after Chiri and Sasta, until they sits down, then returns to their own conversation.

The other Naga whispers to the first in Imperial Nagai, "I do not trust this… Perhaps it was a mistake to order that slave held. But we cannot stop with half-measures now."

Chiri puts a finger to her lips in a 'shush' gesture to Sasta and flicks one of her ears. She signs to the waitress, "There is a servant in the back, with scars on her face. I would like to sign to her if I may. It is very important."

Shesseth leans closer and whispers back, in Imperial " You should have consulted me first, fool. Now we have a lot more trouble on our necks. The Savanite knew nothing, as usual. Now we have to finish him. Which I feel sorry for. I liked him. But I know how"

The waitress looks surprised. She waves her hands around once, not forming any signs, then shakes her head and points to the menus.

Sasta looks over the menu, leaning forward in a 'is this good' gesture, then stopping. She settles back, and just watches the rest of the room for other problems.

Chiri's eyes go wide for a moment, she looks down at her menu and tries to seem engrossed. She signs in formal to the waitress. "Bring her here now, I want her to take our order. If she doesn't, I tell your boss that he missed out on a one copper tip because of you."

The Savanite waitress smiles at Sasta, on more familiar grounds. She gestures to the lamb chops and makes a tummy-rubbing gesture.

Chiri flashes a coin to the Savanite.

The waitress almost drops the menus she is still holding, then uses one to hide her sign to Chiri. "She cannot come out here. Master forbids it. Must go into kitchen to see her."

The cougar nods to the Savanite, accepting that choice. She continues to look around, her gaze lingering on a few individuals. As long as they don't make Chiri and her their business, she's happy to keep them out of her business.

Chiri frowns and nods. She gives Sasta a gentle kick from under the table. "Our Waitress is going to show me the cooking facilities, I want to make sure that the green pepper they use in the Rughrat is fresh and not that bland yellowish stuff I hate. Give a yell if there's any problems?" She kicks Sasta's foot to emphasize certain words, and hopes the cougar gets her real meaning.

The other Naga hisses to Shesseth. "Leave it to me then. I will go speak to some 'friends'. You will assure them that I have gone to ask some friends who might know about this wayward slave, and that when I have come back, we will go look for him." He nibbles the last bit of meat off of the yiffle tail and then slithers out from behind the table.

The Savanite waitress bows low.

Chiri freezes. "Is there an exit from out of the kitchen?" she signs to the waitress.

Quickly grabbing his arm Shesseth says, in Imperial " Make sure it becomes an accident. I do not want this any bigger than it is. Preferably that he meddled in a fight to much, or something. And keep the kid. He might make a good slave." to the other Naga, before he leaves.

The cougar Khattha nods, turning to look at the kitchen, "Is gooe, see if they gots rreepepperr while you backs therre ah?"

The other Naga nods to Shesseth. In Rephidim standard, he says, "It wass a pleassure to sspeak with you again, Shesseth. You are a mosst knowledgeable sscholar."

The Savanite waitress nods to Chiri.

Shesseth nods back and says "I assist in any way possible. Safe journey." back, in Rephidim standard.

The Skreek quickly leans forward and whispers in Sasta's ear, "I'm exiting out of the kitchen… wait a few moments and leave out the front."

The cougar nods again, and remains silent.

The Savanite waitress leads Chiri to the kitchen, pushing through the doors. Inside, a tired-looking cheek-striped barks at the help, looking quite crabby; they scurry back and forth, preparing food with a will. The Savanite waitress begins to sign to her. "Willow-Wind, this one asks that she speak to you… "

The other Naga slithers past Sasta and toward the entrance of the Inn.

Chiri looks out the exit, tensing. "Do you know X?" she signs rapidly.

"Yes!" Willow-Wind signs, one hand full of a heavy-backed knife she was using to cut up some meat. She puts the knife down and with a glower, continues, "I knew he was trouble from the first. I should not have trusted him with Little Reed."

Sasta watches the departing Naga, and the kitchen entrance. She starts to tense again.

"I think his life is in danger. If you can help me, come with me… but his time is short, as is that of Little-Reed if he is the 'child' the Naga's mentioned." The Skreek's hands fly as each moment brings the snakes farther away.

Willow-Wind's ears go back. "Danger! Nagas!" She takes the cleaver up and then signs, "You had better not be wrong. I am freeborn Savanite and I remember what it is like to hunt."

The remaining Naga sits by the tabe, hissing irritably as he drums his fingers to the surface, supporting his head with his other hand. He sits like that for a while before he too gets up and moves towards the exit.

"Follow me, quickly then. I'm a bit of a hunter myself… I'll pay your master if this brings trouble upon you." Chiri looks toward the exit, motions for the Savanite to follow her and darts out as quietly as she can.

Willow-Wind signs swiftly to other Savanites, then follows Chiri.

Just down the debris-strewn alleyway that goes past the side of the inn, it appears that the first Naga is slithering quickly down the street. He hisses ferociously to himself.

Sasta gets up from the table and heads for the main exit, shouting, "Chirri, I goings check on the vaneerrats, brring ne sone waterr ah?"

The cougar forces her way across the room a little too quickly for someone just going to check an animal, then exits to the street, whipping her head around, trying to catch sight of the two Nagas.

Several Khattas near Sasta hiss at her to keep it quiet.

The first Naga continues, in a direction that Sasta recognizes as toward the port where airships dock. The second however, Shesseth, turns about and begins to head back toward the inn's entrance… But too late to catch a rat-shaped shadow on the trail of the first Naga.

Chiri follows the Naga as quietly as she can. Images of boarding pirates sneaking belowdeck flash in her mind. She pats a pouch on her side where her chitin throwing knives are kept.

It appears that the first Naga has completely vanished from sight, followed by his rat-shaped shadow…

The cougar stands outside the Thief's Boot, looking at where you might tie up a Vanderat, "Yeesh, they was just herre." She also looks up as Shesseth returns.

Shesseth slithers directly towards Sasta, quite quickly. Looking sternly at her.

Sasta watches Shesseth approach, standing relaxed and scratching the back of her head.

Coming up to Sasta the Naga simply asks "Sso, what iss all thiss commotion about?"

Sasta says, "I lose Vanerrat. You see which way it go?"

With a smile Shesseth says "If you bring a vanderat in here, you desserve to losse it." then he adds "What iss the true reasson, following me?"

Sasta just eyes the Naga, "I borrree ane gots nothing betters to eo."

Shesseth hisses and says "Sso, where are your comrade? Not running on an errand for hersself iss sshe?" then he adds "I belive thiss hass gone too far. We have thingss to disscuss."

Sasta bows, "Now a thousane parreones be on you pillow tonight, ane nay saneleaches live in ny earrs forr five yearrs if ny wishes forr you continual gooe health be false, but… " then pauses in the middle of turning to go, "… alrrights, whats?"

Shesseth eyes Sasta sternly and says "We have done a greviouss misstake." and then he hisses sharply "And I need to talk to Demess Oressta about ssertain thingss."

Sasta puts her hands down on her belt, still relaxed. "Well you night as well tell ne abouts you nistake, bek'use I no worrks forr Orresta so he no goings to listen to Sasta."

Shesseth says something very sharply in Imperial, but it sounds like a curse. Then he looks up and says, in Rephidim standard "Where can I get in touch with him. Do thiss, get in touch with your comrade, whatever her actionss are. They are not good for any of uss, and tell her I will arrange a meeting with her and Oressta. Could you do me thiss sserivsse?"

Sasta gazes back at the Naga with her one good eye, "Oh, ya, I coule eo serrvice forr you. Though as you say, I just guarre forr the Enirr and toeay I gots off, so, what it worrth to you I eo this serrvice?"

With yet another sharp hiss Shesseth says "I do not walk around with much money upon my persson. But I would pay you twenty sschekelss if you could get in touch with her within one hour, ten of it takess longer."

The cougar nods, "That sounes rreasonable forr a little rrun, well, gots go then, see you in hourr." She locks her weapons down, turns, and bursts into a sprint that would make a Savanite proud. Sasta's feet fly as she takes all the shortcuts she knows straight for the Airship Port.

As Chiri slinks from one shadow to the next, the familiar sights of huge gas bags begin to rise over the buildings, like floating mountains. The Naga slithers to the port official and exchanges a few words with the Skeek, then passes through the gate to the wide-open port area.

Chiri pauses in her shadowing and looks for a way around the Port official while trying to pick out which Airship the Naga is slithering towards.

It might be possible to sneak in over the fence, which is nothing more than lines of posts with net spanning the distance. Or perhaps she could ease the gate open if he's distracted. Or if Chiri could pretend that she was with another group of airship crew, then she could walk in with them… if they didn't point her out immediately.

Chiri sneaks around to the fence, trying to remain in the shadows as much as she can. She gets a little bit of a running start and tries to leap over the fence. ( Join the merchant crew… there's money to be made… I was safer with the bloody pirates. )

And with a prayer to ill-assorted gods… she clears the net with not even a snag on her tail. Chiri hits the ground running, though several Eeees turn around to look askance at the sound of the impact. She flattens herself almost immediately against the curve of an airship, then peeks out to see the first Naga being raised by a gondola over the side of another airship.

This one bears Safar colors. A province of the Naga Empire.

Chiri frowns and makes her way toward the Airship. ( X… if this really is you, and I get you out of this… you're going to owe me big. I don't know how… but I'll think of something. )

Behind Chiri, Willow-Wind stalks carefully and slowly – her hunting reflexes have been dulled by nearly eight years of disuse. She listens and then lays a hand on Chiri's shoulder, urging her to wait.

The Skreek frowns, although inwardly grateful that the Savanite's language is a silent one. "Wait? The Naga could be killing X right now!"

A moment more and footsteps come to Chiri's ears. A port inspection crew of Katthas walks by – Willow-Wind must have smelled them first. They pause at the Imperial Naga ship, then glance up at the large seal that indicates the ship's contents have been checked and sealed by customs as passing through.

Willow-Wind signs, "We do him no good, if we get arrested."

Chiri squints at the seal, trying see if it's removable somehow.

The seal itself is colored wax, melted onto the ship's side and then imprinted with the port seal. Lengths of colored cord have been embedded into the seal, to make it difficult to copy.

The customs crew continues on to the next ship. Once the area seems clear, Willow-Wind signs to Chiri, "Not the closer rope. The farther one. Some people are near the railing."

The airship itself is moored with four ropes anchored to heavy wooden posts driven into the ground; these normally do not serve as access ladders, of course… but the airship is presently not receiving visitors, so the rope ladders have all been rolled up.

The name on the side of the ship reads, "Red Creen of Safar."

Chiri nods to the Savanite and looks around to see if it's safe to bolt for the farthest mooring rope.

Looks clear…

Chiri counts on her fingers, showing them to Willow-Wind… one… two… three… GO! She gets up and runs for the rope, keeping as quiet as she possibly can.

Willow-Wind runs quickly after Chiri. She gives the Skreek a hand up the rope, then starts shinnying up after her, the thick fibers of the ship-rope scratchy against their fur.

Chiri struggles up the rope and tries to climb up to the deck. Her ears are pricked for any noise, and she glances at her cheetah companion for any signs from her.

Willow-Wind pulls on Chiri's foot suddenly, and points to a porthole close to the rope – there is a pile of bodies inside, stinking of fear. And Savanite. Her ears lay back, and she shifts the cleaver she was carrying to one hand.

Chiri reaches out and tries to open the porthole. She taps her nose and then signs "X?" with one hand, hoping that the cheetah can smell the other Savanite.

Willow-Wind signs, "Maybe." She bares her fangs and waits for Chiri to get in, or to pull back so she can go in.

The Skreek frowns and places one of her throwing daggers between her teeth so she can have easy access to it and still keep her hands free. She wiggles into the portal, her eyes looking around nervously.

Savanites. Lots of Savanites. This looks like one of the ship's holds… But none look familiar to her, and her sense of smell being nonexistent, there's no help for it but to make way for Willow-Wind, who slithers in immediately afterward… And shakes her head.

"Not here." the cheek-scarred Savanite signs.

The breathing of the Savanites is faint and shallow, as if they had been drugged with something to keep them docile.

Chiri frowns. "What now? Move to another portal?" She avoids looking at any of the Savanites.

Willow-Wind signs, "Too dangerous. Try inside first?"

Two doors lead out of the hold; one at the side, presumably to a corridor, and the other leading down into a lower hold.

Chiri rubs her chin. "Can you smell the Naga?"

"Many of them," Willow-Wind signs with distaste. "And many of their food-creatures. Yiffles. Yeefs. Yaffs. Trail-signs but none very close."

Chiri points to the lower hold. "They might have stashed him deeper, he is strong after all." She makes her way down the lower hold, still keeping quiet.

Payoff. As Chiri descends the stairs and hesitates near the door opening into the lower compartment, Willow-Wind holds her again and signs, "Two Nagas nearby." Chiri hears them hissing – Imperial Naga, which the Savanite wouldn't understand of course.

"Very well, Frissas," the other Naga says. "You will lure the Skreek into the alleyway. I, with six of your excellent warriors, will then confront her and her Khatta bodyguard, and we will capture them and impress them into service, is that it?"

"Coming this way?" The rat perks her ears, trying to make out the words. "If they come, hide among the Savanites… they'll think you're one of theirs." She looks for a hiding place of her own. Hmmm… she could probably crawl underneath some of the Savanites and hide and they'd never even notice she was there.

Frissas hisses. "We will kill them, but we must make it appear as an accident – that they fell to some trouble of the night in the alleys of the city."

Willow-Wind peeks through the door's crack, then draws breath in quickly. She signs, "They have Little Reed. And X. They are drugged, like all the others."

"And what of the slaves here? That scar is really quite distasteful," the other Naga says. He is of the python type, his fangs impressive as Chiri catches sight of them through the crack. "Also very distinctive."

Chiri frowns. With X drugged, he'll be next to impossible to move. Why did he have to be so Dagh blasted big? And if she kills them, she'll surely make enemies of the Naga empire…

The Skreek looks around for something to use as a club… something to knock the snakes out with. She suddenly blinks and digs through a pouch in her side.

Willow-Wind signs to Chiri, "If you can delay one of them, I can kill the other one. They are fast, but we Savanites are fast too." Her teeth are bared in a grimace.

Frissas says to the other Naga, "Very well, then. Let's go round up some men and take care of the Skreek and her Khatta friend." They begin to slither toward the door.

Willow-Wind puts her hand on the doorknob, cleaver in the other. The light of bloodlust shines in her eyes.

Chiri hefts the knife in her hand and nods to the Savanite. "I hope this works… "

Willow-Wind slams the door open and bolts out onto the deck! The two Nagas turn and draw back with looks of horror as if they had just been spotted molting by peeping toms… "Nessis! Kill them," Frissas says.

The Skreek hurls her knife at Nessis, seeing him as the biggest threat right now.

X has been tied hand and foot to one of the heavy wooden shafts that serves to anchor the spars fo the side-sails inside the ship. He's not going anywhere soon, that's for sure. Little Reed is huddled by his side, hands and feet lashed with cords. Boxes and crates strewn about provide uneven footing.

The knife flies through the air… And bites into Nessis's side! The blade seems to have done little more than to enrage him however, as the python leaps forward, his bulky thirty-foot length allowing him to cover ground toward Chiri in a way that will almost certainly give her nightmares for months, if she survives…

Willow-Wind barks and leaps for Frissas, causing him to jump back in fright from the cleaver-wielding Savanite…

Chiri pulls a second knife and leaps upward, hoping to slam a dagger into the snake's head as he passed below.

Nessis hisses venomously, though his fangs are blades only and not injectors of the deadly sort. As Chiri leaps upward, he passes to the side and coils about, the mark of a python's strike: encircle, then squeeze the victim to death.

Chiri looks into the Python's eye for a moment, then she feints an attack to the side and suddenly jerks in the other direction, winging her dagger straight towards that unblinking serpent's eye.

Nessis hisses, drawing back before Chiri's attack, stretching out his length of scales. "Foolish Skreek," he snarls. "Give up now and we will perhapss let you go."

The sounds of chitin biting into wood indicate to Chiri that Willow-Wind is still energetically trying to kill Frissas, while avoiding his deadly poisonous bite…

Chiri says nothing and just takes a dagger into each hand, intending to cut at any coils that come near. "Come and get me Nessie. I've killed bigger creatures than you." She waits for the snake to make the first move, praying that her own skills can keep her out of harms way long enough to get a killing blow in.

Suddenly, Nessis's tail flicks out from behind Chiri, wrapping her feet. Nessis darts forward with more speed than Chiri had anticipated, pushing the rat off-balance…

And as Nessis pushes forward, Chiri falls backward – deliberately? – and stabs a chitin knife through his tailtip, into the wood of the deck. He hisses loudly, head drawing back and coils thrashing, throwing the rat this way and then that… And then with a snap! the chitin cracks.

A low growl from the hallway turns into a loud snarl and a flash of sand-brown fur. The gleam on her teeth is sharper than the shine off her swords, and her muzzle is snarled back in a killing grin. Sasta! "Surrrenerre! In the nane of the Enirr!" Her look says 'don't, I'll enjoy it more.'

"I musst regretfully decline," Frissas says almost abstractedly as he tries to manhandle Willow-Wind into a position where he can strike, her cleaver fallen on the deck. "Thiss iss Imperial Naga territory. We are defending oursselvess from attackerss. Ssurely you do not dissapprove of sself-defensse?"

Nessis hesitates however, coiling his tail warily away from the rat.

Willow-Wind barks angrily, resisting! She bites Frissas's arm, eliciting an 'OW!'

The Khattha slams her sabers down on the deck, "Fine, I errop ny weapons, you errop yourrs, I takings charrge of you attackerrs."

Frissas hesitates a moment, then turns his gaze toward Chiri. "Yes, perhapss we can ressolve thiss difficulty without violencsee. I point out of coursse, that you initiated it."

Chiri blinks at the distraction, then tries to leap over the python and join Willow-Wind.

"They kidnapped X!" Chiri shouts. "And they intended to kill us as well!" She stabs at Frissas and tries to get Willow-Wind's weapon back.

Sasta hesitates, not sure yet if she should take action.

Frissas scrambles away at the attack! Willow-Wind struggles against his coils, scrambling to kick her way free, and the two go rolling. The coral snake Naga hisses most venomously, *Thunk!* "OW!"

"YOU initiated it when you kidnapped Demes Oresta's rightful property." The Skreek's voice drops to Imperial, "And threatened our livess, sskreekss have earss after all."

"Kidnap? Of whatever could you sspeak?" Frissas looks pained as he rubs his head, then tries to wrestle the kicking and fighting Willow-Wind into a more manageable position. Nessis slithers up behind Chiri, but makes no attack… yet. "Clearly, I am the victim of a monsstrouss missundersstanding!"

Suddenly the door slams open once more. Shesseth enters, and behind him many more Naga heads can be seen. He hisses sharply and demands "What iss going on here?" in standard.

Frissas hisses to Shesseth, "We have been accussed of unlawful abduction of sslavess! Imagine. Such a thing iss laughable, of coursse."

Sasta says, "I arranging the neeting with ny conpanion. I woule likes ny 20 shekels now please."

Chiri mimics the Naga's voice loudly in standard, "We will kill them, but we must make it appear as an accident – that they fell to some trouble of the night in the alleys of the city." She frowns and glares around the room.

"And we have furthermore," Shesseth says. "Been attacked! In our own sship!" He looks at Chiri with a sad look as if for one afflicted with a terminal malady. "Ah. Perhapss you sshould correct your undersstanding of our beautiful tongue."

Simply pointing a finger to Sasta, Shesseth says "Will take care of that later." with a tired voice. Then he looks at Frissas and says "And we have to talk ass well."

Sasta dives, going into a roll that she comes out of with one of her sabers pointed at Shesseth's throat. "You unneerrr arrest forr illegal possession of Enirrate prroperrty."

Sasta says, "You will k'lls off you crrew, stop fightings, ane the porrt authorrity will seize this ship forr illegals activities."

Chiri dives for Willow-Wind, trying to pull her away.

Slowly turning his head to look at Sasta her victim just smiles self-confidently "You have no idea what troubless that would let me get away from, ass well ass putting you in. We have plenty of guardss on thiss sship, and our nation iss sstrong ass well. Do not meddle with uss." the last a sharp hiss.

Frissas yelps! as Willow-Wind finally connects with a solid bite, thrashing about and uncoiling from around her. "Demoness!" he hisses.

Willow-Wind grabs for the cleaver… And comes up with Chiri's tail. She hisses.

Chiri winces but manages to cough out in Imperial, "You are not *IN* your nation right now, sserpent… "

The pit viper clasps his head with one hand as he says "Will jusst everyone be sstill." then adds softly "I have a headache coming." with an agonized look about him.

The cougar presses the sabretip against Shesseth's throat, "Rrights now, you sk'les is verry verry weak, ane you gots eeciee if I thinks I getting out of herre alive orr not. K'll off you guarres."

Nessis hisses from behind both Chiri and Willow-Wind. "Refrain," he whispers in Rephidim standard. "We are peaceful, law-abiding serpentss, but our patiencsse only goess so far." The other Naga crew are staring, but they clearly consider the odds quite favorable to their side of the coin.

Frissas snorts. "You would kill a guest of the Emir?"

Shesseth eyes Sasta, not moving his throat to much as he waves a hand behind himself commanding in Imperial "You can stand back now. We do not need you, yet." then says to Sasta "Let uss clear thiss ssituation peassefully, sshall we." in Rephidim standard.

Chiri points to the drugged Savanite. "He is a guest of the Emir as well. You had no second thoughts about killing him, or me, or one of the Emir's personal guards… "

Shesseth says "It would cosst her her life and a little more. Sshe would not." in standard to Frissas.

"Him? He wass ssold to uss," Frissas says. "The Naga Empire iss alwayss in need of more good hard workerss."

"Cough up the bill of sale then." Chiri growls.

Sasta snarls, "You woule kill ane officerr of the Enirr?" In response, her eye never leaving the Pit Viper, "I feeling quite peaceful now, how abouts you?" Her muzzle twitches.

Placing two fingers by the side of the cougar's weapon Shesseth gently tries to push it away saying "We have a ssituation with no mutual gain here. Sshall we not change that to the contrary?"

"In thiss chaoss?" Frissas chuckles. "Ssurely you undersstand that it iss very difficult to focuss on finding paperss when mayhem is threatened. if you will kindly dessisst from flinging about weaponss and idle accussationss, all will be ressolved mosst expiditioussly."

"Hanes eown!" Sasta snarls, "People behine you upstairrs. NOW!"

Lowering his hands the pit viper asks Sasta "What good would that do. But very well." he again waves a hand backwards and says "Go up the stairs."

The crew hisses as they slither back. Their tones suggest that if things do not end well, the port will be very unsafe.

Chiri says, "X is the property of Demes Oresta, you claim he's your property… I would assume that you wouldn't make such a claim unless you could cough up the evidence. Otherwise you are the one making idle claims."

Shesseth hisses and says "Pleasse, I do not feel all right. I will not ssee you hurt. Insstead I have a propossition of mutual benefit."

Willow-Wind signs in Savanite to Chiri, "What about my son? Make that monster give him back!"

Chiri tosses her last throwing knife to Willow-Wind. "Untie them."

Again turning to Sasta, carefully, her victim says "Lower your weapon, there iss too much trouble killing you anyway."

Frissas inclines his head toward Shesseth. "Perhapss you have a legitimate grievance. If our sshipper wass carelessss or kidnapped slavess off the sstreet to fill hiss quotas… That iss most unacceptable."

Sasta looks like she's hesitating again, doubt, starting to weaken her. Her poise and strike is still ready, but her tail shows she's worried. "Ya… nutual benefit, sounes gooe, I woule likes to hearr norre abouts it. Naybe you supplierr nakes a nistake."

Shesseth smiles and says "You are in fact all sso troublessome if we were to kill you, I have another idea. Of mutual benefit. Let me sstate it, without a blade to my throat, if you may."

"What I want to know is why on Dagh's green earth would you *WANT* to kill us? And no lies… I want to know the truth." Chiri snaps.

Willow-Wind goes quickly to the two tied-up slaves and cuts the ropes efficiently. She hugs the limp Little Reed to herself tightly, stroking his hair and fur, then begins grooming his fur backward to stimulate the circulation.

Shesseth waits, showing his unease with Sasta's blade, waiting till it is lowered, drumming his fingers to his upper arm and thumping his tailtip.

Frissas glances toward Shesseth.

"Yaa… that gooe ieea, we all sit eown, have a talks." Sasta's tail stops flicking, some of the uncertainty going out of her stance, her gaze on Shesseth never wavering as she orders, "You, You! Sit Eown! Overr therre," pointing at Frissass and Nessis with her free hand.

Nessis slithers to one side, and Frissas moves in that direction more slowly. "Of coursse. You will ssoon ssee that thiss iss all a missundersstanding," the coral snake hisses.

Slithering over to the other Nagai Shesseth says "Ssadly, I do not ssit like you do." and curls up "I hope thiss will be good enough for you."

"Or we'll all be dead… " Chiri says, remaining on her feet.

Shesseth starts "Well, it all begun with an unfortunate incident yessterday. The big ssavanite stumbled in on a converssaton we had. And Frissass here dessided he knew to much, and took care of him. Without conssulting me firsst, if I may add."

Sasta closes the door, and picks up her other sabre, listening.

Continuing the Naga says "Which led to a whole lot of more troubless. Sso I dessided that he needed to be expended. But then you interfered. And the resst you know about."

Frissas looks at Shesseth with horror. In Imperial Naga, he speaks, "Dear Shesseth, you will never go far in the Diplomatic Service. Really!"

Shesseth says "So, I give you my pardonss for thiss inconvenensse and ssuggesstss we all keep ssilent about thiss. It iss benefissial for both partiess, don't you ssay. Becausse, you have violated Naga property, in the ssame way we have violated yourss."

"Well, I no plan on eying overr a slave, ane I no thinks you will eitherr. That one no snarrt enough to fine he way hone, so you k'n be surre he forrgots you secrrets alrreay." Sasta says, "But… "

Frissas looks at Chiri as if trying to measure her bribeability, then at Sasta. She spoke of twenty shekels…

Chiri says, "I always had a low opinion of diplomats anyhow. I prefer the cards to be out where I can see them instead of hidden behind a layer of shed snakeskin."

With a hiss Shesseth lets that insult be forgotten.

"… you gots lots ane lots of slaves I rrenenberr being Enirrate prroperrty, ane I rreally woule likes to see sone prroof they yourrs." The cougar adjusts her eyepatch, "I naybe gots one eye, but I prretty surre even I woulen't niss a whole boatloae of slaves being sole off."

"It iss an unfortunate fact of Naga life that we musst molt regularly," Frissas agrees urbanely. "The itching drivess one inssane. Perhapss if a misstake iss disscovered, then a ssum of money sshall be paid over to ease forgetting of trivial problemss. Mm." He looks into Sasta's eyes. "Two gold sshekelss perhapss?"

The Skreek drums her fingers against her sides, her eyes shooting daggers into every Naga they can glare at.

Shesseth nods and says "They are borrowed from the Emirate, ass part of our diplomatic agreement and help with the excavation. To bring in sslavess from Nagai iss much more difficult than borrow from here."

Nessis looks sullen.

With a look at the Skreek, Shesseth asks "What iss troubling you?"

Frissas nods to Shesseth in confirmation.

"So why you takings then hone?" The Khattha guard asks. Her ear, the one with all the holes from her missing rings, flicks. Two gold. Her ear flicks again, it used to make such a lovely jingle and now, almost no noise at all.

"My apologies. Having my life put in danger… especially over a slave does little for mood." Chiri says flatly.

Shesseth smiles to Chiri, although he seems a little tired as he asks "What would cheer you up then?"

Frissas finds the look in Sasta's eyes acceptable, then turns to Chiri. "For Demess's essteemable honor, perhapss two gold?"

Sasta says, "You still no say why you taking things you gets on loan back to Nagai Enpirre."

With another long hiss Shesseth says "They are bound for yet another excavation, that iss all. They are sstill closser than bringing sslavess from Nagai. Sso, we borrow them."

Shesseth says sharply "They are not bound for Nagai Empire! Clear?"

"So… " The cougar asks, "… you gots all this gole on you rrights now?"

Chiri contemplates the thought of gold. "I also want your GUARANTEE that neither I nor any of my crewmembers will have to deal with you again. That includes X, I have enough people on my tail right now as it is… I don't want to watch my back for Naga as well."

The addressed smiles and answers Sasta "Yess."

"Of coursse," Frissas says. "But you musst come to my officsse. And you may verify the bill of lading ass well." He tilts his head toward Chiri. "And I will guarantee your ssafety, ass well as that of your master's sslave and associatess. We have no interesst in the mercantile."

Shesseth turns to Chiri and says "That dependss on how ssilent you can be. One word, and we will be upon you." pointing one finger to Chiri "No word and we will leave you alone."

Frissas flickers his tailtip.

Chiri looks at Sasta. "You will pardon me if I do not feel entirely safe in your office. I would prefer this transaction be on some neutral ground somewhere."

Sasta says, "Yaaa, sane forr Sasta. I quite happy stay herre forr bits. I think naybes we sene Nessis to you office, he k'n fine both the gole ane the bill of laeing."

Shesseth hisses again and says "I told you, we cannot kill you, it iss too much trouble."

The coral snake Naga sighs. "Alwayss, disstrusst."

"Is it common practice for the Naga to put their trust on someone who was talking about their death just a few scant moments previous?" Chiri squeaks.

Chiri says, "My apologies if I seem unfair. But this is how the Skreeks do business."

Explaining the pit viper says "If we have no logical reasson to do anything elsse. We do not bother about hate, or revenge ass much ass you. We do what we have to."

"You have Shesseth to hold a ssword to if you musst," Frissas says. "But only I can find and bring back the gold. And the bill of lading. My ssysstem of organization iss most unique." he flickers his tail in some amusement. "The exigenciess of the ssituation argue againsst pointless betrayal."

Shesseth smiles and says "Well, now you do bussiness with Naga."

"Well I find it more logical to put my trust in myself and myself only. I've lived this long on that philosophy when others met a much more unplesant end." Chiri says, glancing at Willow-Wind for a moment.

Willow-Wind looks up. She signs, "Little Reed will live. So will that big Dromodon of a Savanite, X." Her ears wiggle just a little.

Sasta says, "Whats you think Chirri? You wants stay herre while I go withs that one? Whats you think Shesseth, it safe be left alone in herre while you frriene leave? Orr is it betterr forr hin to cut he loses ane you with then?"

Signing "Good." to the Savanitess Shesseth concentrates on the situation.

Shesseth smiles and says "Nagai sstill needss me. I am not wassted yet. Sso my death would count. He will not betray me." to Sasta.

Chiri looks to the snakes, to X, and then to Sasta. "I'll go. If I don't come back… kill them."

Frissas motions to Chiri. "If you'll come with me, we'll have all thiss ssquared away… "

Chiri wordlessly follows the Naga.

Sasta nods to the Skreek, "How long wait?"

With a snicker and flick of his tongue Shesseth says "I would really fine you for my time as well Skreek."

"Ten minutes at the most." Chiri says as she exits.

"Tch," the snake complains. "We are beings of logic. But at any rate." They reach the stateroom. Frissas rummages through the papers and comes up with the bill of lading for the hundred Savanite slaves being shipped to the Safar for an archaeological dig, countersigned by Wassir Ruhkim, and a scattering of coins. Two gold shekels for Sasta. Two for Demes Oresta. "And an extra, to erasse bad feelingss between uss," Frissas says slyly as he presses the fifth gold shekel into Chiri's hand.

"Now, if you do not mind, I sshould like to have your masster'ss effectss off this sship quickly. Perhapss you would accept my crew's help in bringing your sslave down?" Frissas looks slightly impatient.

Chiri weighs the coins in her hands. She puts three in one pocket and two in another. "Just see that a cart is arranged offship for us. We'll manage.

The cougar keeps watching Shesseth and Nissis, counting minutes.

Frissas escorts Chiri back, and shows Sasta the bill of lading. "Are we quitss?" he says.

The cougar looks over the bill, glad for once at her hesitation. "Yaaa, all seens to be in orrerr. Like you say, nisuneerrstaneing, quicks forrgotten."

"Quits… and may I say that I hope to never run into you gentlemen again for the rest of my life." Chiri squeaks as she presses two gold shekels into Sasta's hand.

Shesseth smiles and says "You cannot complain really. You have earned a lot on thiss." to Chiri adding "And, that iss up to you, ass I ssaid."

The Khattha smiles as she takes the coins, a different kind of gleam in her eye.

Some moments later, a crewnaga reports that a carriage has pulled up in front of the airship. "Firsst class transsportation," Frissas says with self-assurance. "With our complimentss."

Willow-Wind hisses and carries Little Reed herself, refusing to allow the Nagas to touch her son.

With a bow Shesseth says goodbye to the 'guests'.

Chiri bites her tongue on a snide remark about what she's learned about Nagas this day, and instead simply says, "I'm not an idiot… I won't gve you a reason to hunt me. Although I hope you don't give me a reason to tell every Skreek, Skeek, trader, and merchant I know about your hospitality."

Sasta slides her weapons away, and tries to carry X. She staggers under his weight. "No… is okay, I gots hin." After a few steps its obvious the Khattha doesn't, and she isn't going to admit it either by asking for help.

Frissas smiles fangily. "You are well-paid for disscretion. Pleasse do not abusse our trusst."

"Very well paid." Chiri agrees. "And I hope to continue to grow wise in the ways of Nagai trust."

Chiri thinks, . o O ( As opposed to a quick and painful death. )

This brings a raised eyeridge from the coral snake, and a speculative look.

Chiri turns from the snakes and walks over to join Sasta, she grabs X's legs. "You seemed to be doing just fine, but I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"Yaa," grunts Sasta, as the load lightens and she starts up the stairs, "No wants wearr out ourr welcone herre."

Soon enough then, with the cat and mouse working together, X gets loaded into the gondola, and the others hop in… The gondola is lowered, and the chaffeur opens the door. A team of lizardish beasts bolts off with them, safe from Naga reprisal… For now.

Frissas waves godbye to the carriage and turns to Shesseth. "Expensive way to learn that your advice is indeed worthwhile."

During the ride Sasta marvels at something she thought she'd never see, a slave that fought back. She rubs her two coins together, and just smiles.

( I wonder if I'm ever going be able to explain this to Demes. ) Chiri thinks, ( Hopefully by now he's just figured out that it's best to not ask me too many questions and be happy I got the job done. )