It is late at night, and long past the time that most businesses would be closing up for the evening. There is the occasional passing carriage, some absent-minded would-be customer who goes up to a store only to grumble upon seeing that it's closed already, nocturnal strollers – and of course a Zelak scout or Temple Guard patrol, as this part of town is better watched than such places as the Bazaar. The presence of a Vartan and a couple of Eeee is nothing so terribly unusual here, and the average citizen has never heard of a "Srinala", or would think anything unusual of an Eeee with black fur and white hair. (Maybe if they were walking through Little Babel… )

Sukara has done an admirable job of putting on an air of "Everything's fine, everything's all right, nothing unusual about me," despite the circumstances. Thus it is all the more strong a contrast when she comes to an abrupt halt, ears shooting up straight, holding out a hand to signal a halt for Elijah and Srinala/Sunala.

Quietly, she points down the street, taps her ear, then holds up a total of seven fingers, and makes the sign of the Star and Anchor. Then, she subtly gestures toward an alleyway – a rare enough feature on this street, but one is still conveniently nearby – leading off to the left, perpendicular to the path they were taking before the stop.

The street ahead and the alleyway to the left seem equally dark and empty, though there are plenty of alleys and byways branching off from the street, and more than enough storefronts, awnings, and parked and closed-up vendor wagons to conceal several people who wish not to be seen.

Elijah keeps his hand on the hilt of his sword as he nonchalantly changes his path towards the alley, careful not to step on any papers or things that might make noise and alert any listeners to his presence. ( I wonder if Faust alerted the Guard anyway. If I run into any, I hope they're wolves and not poodles. The poodles would love to sink their teeth into a Knight helping a Babelite like this. )

The alley, not surprisingly, is littered with several pieces of paper blown in from the street, though it's nowhere near as bad as Darkside. (The storekeepers tend to pitch in to hire street-sweepers to keep the street looking somewhat decent, but it's less often that they're willing to pay for the alleys and other places that customers are unlikely to see or associate with the storefronts.) Sukara scans left and right with her ears, though she doesn't do any sonar squeaks – Not that doing so would be unusual in and of itself for an Eeee in Rephidim, but it's still the sort of thing that a Jupani would be able to clearly hear, if one were keeping an ear out for such a thing. Srinala/Sunala seems almost ambivalent about the whole thing now, just following along, as if not overly concerned about her fate one way or the other at this point.

A dim glow down the end betrays the opening to a parallel-running street on the other side, but it's a good distance down. The walls stretch high on either side – many of the stores here, after all, have residences on the upper floor.

The Vartan takes a subdued, yet regal grace with Srinala, taking her hand every few paces to help her step over a broken bottle or a puddle. Little gestures of respect, and veiled concern in case her blindness may cause a problem in navigation. Just that the little bit of extra fussing might make her feel treated more like an important diplomat instead of a nurse helping a cripple. He gives Sukara a tap on the shoulder and presses his hands together, motioning her to stay close to the walls where overhangs might provide some cover from the sky and will help them look a bit harder to spot then the middle of the alley might offer.

Sukara nods, comprehending, and moves to the side. Elijah, for his part, is virtually soundless, and his skill even helps Srinala to make less noise. It then comes as a bit unexpected and definitely unexplained when Elijah hears several fluttering wings, heralding Eeee fliers alighting from the rooftops to fly over the alley, and a side-door creaks open, letting out a couple of scruffy-looking Gallahs who really don't look like they belong in this part of town. Elijah's ears alert him to more movement behind. Sukara fixes Elijah with an expressionless gaze, while Srinala jerks straighter, scanning her surroundings at the sounds of new – and unwelcome – arrivals.

Wincing, the Vartan pulls the two bats down as he tries to duck away and hide. He puts a finger to the tip of his beak for Sukara to see and then gently puts his finger to Srinala's lips to quietly pass along his word to be silent.

Sukara looks to Elijah, as she starts to pull away. "There is no need for concern. They are with me," she says in a low voice that is clearly enough heard. The bats alight upon the ground – not Darkside toughs, but dressed up in commoner clothes that happen to be a selection of grayish materials that make them not stand out so much against their surroundings. The Gallahs and a few others who come into the alley via other means, on the other hand, look as if they might have been scraped up from the Docks at best, but for right now, it looks like all they're doing is standing there and looking about, as if waiting for something.

"What? But how?" Elijah dares a whisper, still bristling slightly at the prospect of being boxed in. "They couldn't possibly have known we were going to be coming."

"I took the liberty," Sukara says, "of taking a stop before contacting your compatriots." She turns to Srinala. "Do not fear, my Lady. All will be taken care of now."

The Vartan draws himself back up again. "I am almost at the point that I do not know who to trust anymore. Can these men be trusted?"

"Their loyalty is as strong as the shekel," Sukara says, nonchalantly.

Elijah doesn't seem entirely convinced, but relents for now. "Can they get us out of Rephidim?"

Sukara starts to open her mouth to answer, but then one of the darkly-dressed bats walks over, and bows to Sukara. Once the bat talks, it's evident that the Eeee must be female, though she is dressed in androgynous fashion. "Priestess, the warriors you described left and went to a place known as the 'Shiny Shoppe', and escorted two children and a woman out. Our scout saw them leave for the docks, but did not pursue, as several Guards came to this same store."

Sukara nods. "That is fine." And with that, she dismisses the female Eeee, then looks back to Elijah. "We will take Srinala off of Rephidim. The College will be able to track her much more easily than we were able to find her in the first place."

( So much for disguises. ) The Vartan nods. "I don't know if one of the Paradysian ships are at the docks, but if we can board one we will be less easy to track. They're warded against such." He turns to the messenger bat. "Was any more done at the Shoppe? Any employees arrested, or has it been sequestered by the Temple?"

The messenger looks to Sukara as if for confirmation, then continues, "No … no one was arrested. They were seen to be setting up positions. Perhaps they were expecting to capture the two warriors."

Sukara says, "A ship has been provided. I am sorry, Elijah, but this is where we part ways."

Srinala's eyebrows raise, and she turns to look at Sukara.

"Sukara, I think it would be safer if I went with you right now. If the College is able to track you, you would do well to have someone with experience in fighting magic with you." The Vartan's eyes flick upwards, nervously looking around just in case a surprise might pop out of a shadow or drop from the sky.

"If that is how it must be," Sukara says, "then let us be going. We haven't the time to be discussing this. Please come along, my Lady." She extends a hand to Srinala.

Elijah nods. "You don't seem to be just an initiate anymore, Sukara. Although I understand the reasons for it, I can't help but find your sudden change in demeanor a bit unsettling." He drops his gaze back down. "Where will we be going if there are patrols looking for us?"

"Down," Sukara says. "Not that it is a direction that they have not anticipated, but the Warrens have not been completely obliterated – There are still means of getting to the Underside, if one is so inclined." Once she has Srinala's hand, she leads the way over to the door that the Gallahs came out of. Inside, a section of carpeting has been pulled up to reveal a trap door that looks as if it has not been used for quite some time. Some dim light comes up from below, and a folding stair has been lowered into the hole. "Watch your head," Sukara advises, as she starts to help Srinala toward the stairs leading down.

The Vartan follows after Srinala, trying to offer his support as well. "Where will we go from here. To the docks?"

"Just to the underside," Sukara says. "We'll have a bit of a drop, but I'm sure we can manage." She leads the way down the tunnel, and Elijah can make out a few humanoid shadows in the darkness, scouting ahead, while a few more of Sukara's associates come behind – but not all of them. The trap door is closed and Elijah can hear the sounds of nails being hammered in, and shuffling about, as of carpet being replaced, and furniture moved around.

The walls here are brick at first – possibly the basement, if it were not the suspicious confines, and that the passage must already be heading back under the alley. More stairs lead downward, and the walls take on a less refined appearance, as older construction reveals itself.

Elijah takes Srinala's hand again. "You plan to fly to the surface? Or did you also manage to arrange for a ship?"

"A ship is waiting for us, but it is not going to be sitting in dock," Sukara explains. They make their way down another set of stairs, then down another tunnel. Along the way, there are side passages that look to have been bricked in, or collapsed, and there are instances of fresh support beams that have been constructed in the less stable-looking examples of stonework.

The Vartan trails his fingertips against the walls. "Can you ask the ship to wait for me? If you told my family to wait at the docks I just can't leave them there to get arrested as soon as the first patrol crossed by."

Sukara says, "I must keep to my priorities. The ship will not have time to wait, if the College is looking for us." She ducks under a low-hanging support beam, and Elijah can hear the rumble of sewage water behind one of the walls.

Srinala frowns. "Pouncer and Enos cannot be captured by the Temple. I will not permit it."

"Regardless, my men are also there, as is Moon-Brow. I've already shamed my Lance enough with this, and probably lost any hope of regaining respect with the Temple. I do not feel like striking the killing blow by leaving them behind to deal with the mess that I have stirred up. If you will not wait for me, can I meet you somewhere along the way or join you in Babel later?" The Vartan ducks under a low hanging pipe.

Sukara is quiet for a moment, then says, "If you tell me how I can get a coded message to you, I can send you word once we have reached Babel – or some other safe haven."

Elijah hmmms. "I was intending to seek refuge with the Savanite Empire. I don't wish to press my luck too far, but I believe that their queen would harbor my family and I safely for a time. If you could get a message to Queen Jade-Eyes or Father Testament-Blaze … mmmm … perhaps saying that the patrols have ended or some other boring phrase I would know. Unfortunately I'm not very good with magical messages, nor am I good with codes. Perhaps also send a map of where the 'patrols' were if you end up not going to Babel? I know that the Queen would also be happy to take in anyone whom I say is my guest, and as all themagical-using Savanites are acting outside the Collegia's authority as far as I know, they might be particularly sympathetic to your plight."

Sukara nods. "So it will be done, then." Finally, she passes into another chamber, and wind whips through Elijah's feathers. The reason soon becomes evident. In a rounded chamber, there is a large hole in the floor, and a pit that descends for quite some distance. Dim light can be seen far below – It must drop out of the bottom of the island. The hole is somewhat jagged, and it looks like there was some sort of woodwork at the bottom that may have been recently broken open, judging from a dangling bit that rocks back and forth in the wind. Several Gallahs and Skreeks stand well clear of the pit, holding lanterns and torches. They obviously aren't planning on taking this route.

The Vartan peers down through the hole. "I suppose that this is where we part ways, then?"

Sukara nods. She waves to one of the Gallahs, who timidly walks up to the pit, and drops a strange projectile that looks like a noble's chitin lawn dart. It plummets downward, making a faint whistle as it passes. As it falls through to the Underside, it glints in reflected Procession-light. The Gallah quickly steps back away from the pit.

Srinala looks back to Elijah. "Thank you. I will not forget you. You have done much for me."

Elijah takes Srinala's hand. "You are welcome. Just remember what we spoke of. There are those who will still revere you as a goddess despite any protests you may make. Despite this, do not forget that you are a leader, and not entirely divine. If you wish to thank me and my family in any way … then restore Babel to the way it was during the reign of Prince Boghaz. He was a dear friend of mine who had a noble heart, and his memory deserves to be honored."

Srinala inclines her head. "I will learn more of Boghaz. I do not suppose that the dreams I know of him are untainted by the desires of those who wove them." She puts her other hand on Elijah's and lowers more, touching her forehead against one of his talons.

Sukara says, "I am sorry, my Lady, but we must be going now. Timing is crucial."

Elijah gently kisses Srinala's hand. "If you ever need me, call upon me. I will pray for your safe journey. Goodbye, and I am sorry that Pouncer was not able to say goodbye as well."

Srinala nods quietly at this, and walks over to Sukara. Two bats join them, as Sukara takes Srinala's hand, and they descend into the pit. Srinala's wings are in far better condition than they were when Elijah first saw her, and she is able to glide down on her own, though the others still guide her, lest she falter. It is, after all, a long drop, even down to the small air skiff that glides into view underneath the sky island.

The Vartan kneels down against the lip of the pit and watches the group board the skiff. He drops a hand in his pocket and digs around to see if he happens to have any shekels left after his ordeal. "Can any of you get me to the docks without the guards noticing?"

The Gallahs look to each other, and then a Skreek steps forward. "Yeah. We can show you the way. You just let your friends know we did you an extra favor when we get you there, okay, eh?"

( Five years ago and I would have arrested all of these men… ) "I shall. Thank you." Elijah waves down at the hole, despite the fact that Srinala's blind eyes probably can't see him; and then he gathers himself up and steps away from the pet.

True to his word, such as it is, the Skreek shows Elijah to the docks, then promptly vanishes. At first, it would seem that Elijah is alone here, but his experience with his Lance goes back through many years and many battles, and there are certain things they know about each other – codes, methods, mannerisms – and other things less easily quantified, that almost give them a sort of "sixth sense" on occasion, when it comes to figuring out "What would Shade or Vague do in a situation like this?"

Elijah heads down a certain walkway, past a certain warehouse, and sure enough, there is a messenger waiting for him – Vague, though he is decked out like some ordinary dock-worker, his face obscured with a Himaatian kadiban. He flicks his tail in a quiet signal, and strolls over to a nearby squeeze between a couple of the warehouses.<

The Vartan holds his wings out at an odd angle and walks hunched over, in the shadows he looks like a man carrying a load on his back instead of a winged figure, although if someone were to wander too close or shine a light on him, he wouldn't fool anyone. At first he doesn't seem to notice Vague, but then winds his way towards the alley and slips after him.

Once Elijah is well into the alley, Vague nods faintly to him, leaning up against a wall, and just illuminated enough by Procession-Light that his fingers can be seen. "They're with friends and family down below."

Elijah folds his wings back. "What has been happening? I heard guards came to the Shoppe."

Vague shrugs. "Missed that part. Got your feather. Assumed trouble – assumed worst."

"I think it's as 'worst' as it can get. If you can manage it, start looking for a way out of Rephidim, and get word to the other Lancers to finish the work of stripping down and transporting the Sanctuary. It was all as Sukara said and more. Srinala had been legally arrested and the Collegia planned to turn her into a vegetable again. I don't know if the person leading it was a rogue or not, but he had Temple support regardless, and they have people waiting for us back at the Shoppe." The Vartan pauses to rub his hands. "I should go and check on everyone. I'm very sorry for causing you this trouble, Vague. It was never my intention to turn us into fugitives."

Vague shakes his head. "It was bound to happen eventually. If not this, something would have happened." He scratches his nose in a hidden salute. "I'll pass on the word."

"I'll meet you later. We'll find out how much this cost us later." The Vartan hikes his wings back up again and curls his arms around them, lugging his "bundle" towards one of the platforms leading off the edge of the island.

Elijah spies a few Temple Guards walking rounds, but the docks are large, and there's no way to cover them all … especially since the sight of a Vartan diving off the edge is hardly a rarity. No one interferes with him. And he doesn't see where Vague slips off to. (But then, Vague is good at that.)

His departure is as gentle as a person slipping into a pool of particularly cold water. The Vartan eases himself off the side of the island and starts to glide down, sticking to the clouds as best as he can to conceal his plummet in case there are a few patrols off the island as well.

The clouds are quite useful for that. There are a couple scares, as Elijah spots the inevitable flier who might be intercepting or following him … but they all prove to be false alarms. The air skiff, of course, is long gone, and there's no trace of that at all. Below, through the clouds, the landscape of Safar can be seen. It's not immediately evident just where Elijah is at the moment, but in the distance, he spots a faint glint underneath a gap in the clouds, which might be part of the snaking twists and turns of the Xenean River.

Elijah swoops towards the glint, figuring that even if it's not his target, his men will know how to track him and he knows how to track them from the ground.