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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EVENING
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Louma is picking away at a plate of roast, taking a nibble of the rather dry, flavorless food every once in a while. Her assessment is probably not fair, as May had treated her to another meal from her home country the night before, perhaps beginning to spoil the guard. It could be the other things on her mind that are ruining the unsatisfactory roast as well though.
Gareth wanders into the Minnow, yawning a bit after a day spent exploring outside of the walls of the town again, as well as spending a bit of time with both Sammi and Lianne. Right now, however, he's mostly just seeking a good, hot meal and a big drink as he makes his way to the bar counter and takes a seat.
Louma looks aside as Gareth enters, watching the wolf from her side table, setting her fork down on the meal. She thinks for a few moments before interrupting him, shrugging to herself, she uncoils and slithers to join him at the bar. "Good evening Gareth, how does the day find you?"
Gareth hums curiously as he looks over at the voice after finishing placing his order and smiles a bit upon seeing Louma approaching. "Ah, evenin' Louma. Finished with guard duty fer the day, I take it?"
Louma offers a friendly smile as she shifts a chair out of the way to coil up, nodding. "Yes, a long day actually. Normally I can get out of the barracks by afternoon, but there was much to discuss among the leadership." She settles by him, ordering a half glass of wine from the barkeep.
Gareth raises an eyebrow as he turns a bit more towards Louma just to carry on the conversation. "Busy day, hm? Anythin' of particular interest fer someone o' me profession?"
Louma hums quietly before giving him a short nod. "I suppose there is one thing to keep an eye open for. We've apparently had some relatively infamous privateers land and take up camp somewhere along the roads between Respite and Bairnell's Foothold. Whether or not their identities are confirmed, perhaps you should keep an eye out for the bounty."
Gareth tilts his head curiously, not even really noticing when his food and drink arrives near his elbow. He does spare the barkeep a grateful nod, however. "A group o' pirates or bandits? Interestin'... any details on them?"
Louma tilts her head, recalling the details Nesseth had given her. "Green snake, grey wolf,-" She gives him a joking accusatory glance, "-a jay, brown squirrel, and Jackle."
Gareth treats Louma to a roguish smirk, only to laugh in amusement a moment later. Though his laughter dies off a bit as he listens to the crew being listed. "...Jackle. Yer certain about that?"
Louma nods shortly, taking a sip from her wine. "Yes, we went though some records- not any more interesting than reading reports, honestly- and unless you know another lady who can make pistols materialize from thin air, I think it may be her.
Gareth hums, his expression going a bit sour. "Can't say I know anyone else like that... So, she's set up shop here on Aephix, then? Wouldn't mind takin' a shot at her if a bounty does show up, but that's goin' to take some serious preparation..."
Louma grins, shrugging. "I figured it would help your boredom."
Gareth nods, conceding the point. "Aye... I'll have to keep me eye open fer the bounties, then, when they show up. Might need more than just meself and Fiora, though, if Jackle's entire crew is present..."
Louma nods again, reminded of another discussion from earlier in the day. "Too bad you wouldn't be able to recruit Officer Hatnay to the task." She still says the ranked name with a bit of bile. "Unless you can raise him from his crate before he's shipped off."
Gareth sighs a bit. "Aye, it would have been an amazing boon to have Hatnay helping us. But I doubt he'd be in any fit state to fight, even if we could bring him back to life." He shrugs a bit as he turns to take a small sip of his drink, "But I guess we'll figure that out once a bounty pops up."
Louma nods, taking another sip of her own drink. "That investigation has reached a stall, apparently. They're sure he suffocated, but no ideas have come up on how. He's being sent to Orela for a proper ceremony."
Gareth hums, looking perhaps just a touch discomfited. "So still no marks or anythin' near him, aside from him clawing at the lockers? No witnesses from any o' the staffers at the front desk?"
Louma shakes her head slightly, tapping the bar top and looking at the wine glass. "Nothing. The workers insist they left him to his own devices after he ranted at them, they heard a lot of noise that they assumed was him letting off his temper, and when he didn't come out for a long while someone poked their head in and found him dead." She pauses, shrugging. "At least that lets you fully off the hook, so unless the bath house staff killed Hatnay, we've got no clues."
Gareth lets out a quiet, singular laugh. "Well, good fer me, I suppose, since I can at least start doin' some things without guards breathin' down me neck here and there around town. But... nothin' at all, hm? Guessin' yer trackers in the guard came up empty, too?"
Louma nods, sipping the last of her wine as she thinks. "Not a thing, nobody came in or left between those times. Don't get too comfortable yet, though." She gives him a sideways glance; "Strix still hasn't been spotted by anyone. Some folks are getting a bit tense about that as time passes."
Gareth shakes his head. "He said he'd be hidin' really good fer a bit. Whoever is good friends with him might have a better chance findin' him." He shoots Louma a look, "And no, I'm not acceptin' any bounties to hunt fer him. I like bein' alive, thank ye."
Louma laughs at the look, nodding. "Alright, that's fair enough." She moves her glass away as she calms, her grin fading to a sad smile, then to a more neutral expression. "I don't think he's going to come out any time soon, though. We haven't been putting them up, but new posters were sent for his bounty. It would be funny that the bounties reach us faster than our letters reach Sarn, if it weren't distressing."
Gareth hums. "Mmh... either that, or those researchers out in Sarn are just bein' really stubborn about it. Ye might have to do somethin' to make them stop tryin', especially if those bounties are bein' posted elsewhere on Aephix and Sarn."
Louma grunts, shaking her head as she leans back and relaxes on her coil. "I don't see that happening. Whatever they want from Strix seems to have made them very persistent. I suppose I never thought too much on how effective his inventions are, considering he's probably never been within stones throw of a university."
Gareth shrugs a bit. "Well, speakin' from experience as a bounty hunter, and the info I got from the poster, Strix was wanted fer stealin' anti-gravity tech or somethin' like that, but he insisted he created the stuff himself. If I had to guess, someone in Sarn found out about it and wanted the tech fer themselves."
Louma chuckles, recalling the first incident that brought her attention to Strix. "That kobold is as prone to setting fires as he is to succeeding... Well, that's what I used to think, anyways. As far as they know, whatever they have him make for them will send them to the stars, if it works at all."
Gareth chuckles quietly. "His tech's a bit hit-or-miss, I take it? Those researchers probably figure they can learn enough from it all to make their own, I bet."
Louma: "I think his product is usually good, but his methods getting there are a bit... Interesting. Possibly too interesting for the folks in Sarn, but I'd rather they don't find that out first hand. If his inventions exploded regularly, then I'd say just send a bunch on to them to inspect. Maybe a singed eyebrow or two would change their minds."
Gareth blinks, then raises an eyebrow. "...Or, if you're worried about them figurin' stuff out... how about somethin' that seems like a proper piece o' tech, but is just rigged to explode?"
Louma stares at Gareth for a moment before breaking out in a slight smile. "Ah, of course. An intentional dud, that... Could work. Perhaps." She smiles a bit wider, giggling a bit to herself. "And I know an engineer that is fairly familiar with his work."
Gareth smiles slightly in turn. "Close enough to engineer somethin' that would pass fer his own work?" He laughs again, "Tell ye what. If this works and I get the bounty fer it, I'll split me share o' it with ye and the engineer."
Louma tilts her head, chuckling. "Oh? You're even volunteering to go to Sarn for this little venture? Hm... It would be a good idea to have you there, actually. Some dynamic convincing rather than just a letter."
Gareth grins. "They're still obviously willin' to pay the bounty. I figure I might as well get somethin' extra out o' it. Plus, it'll fund meself and Fiora fer a little while longer around town, at least until we figure somethin' out fer local income."
Louma chuckles, shrugging. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you've got profit in mind foremost, but that works to our favor here. You can keep the share you intend to split with me, or give some of it to May. I just want to see this bit of disruption resolved."
Gareth shrugs in turn as Louma forfeits her share of the bounty. "Ye sure ye don't want some o' the coin, Louma? Suit yerself... but I guess ye'll have to be the one to give the engineer their share, since ye know them personally."
Louma blushes slightly, looking toward her wine glass. "Yes, I suppose I can deliver it to her when you've returned. I think she may not care much for you, in fact, after your part in Strix's disappearance." She pauses, clearing her throat. "Apologies, that was rather blunt and unnecessary."
Gareth raises an eyebrow. "Wait, ye mean Maybelline, the generator's engineer? Heh, well... she can take the funds or not, doesn't matter to me, but she's still gettin' offered a share fer her part in the plan, not fer any other reason."
Louma chuckles, turning back to Gareth. "We shall see, but I'll discuss the idea with her. While I'm sure she wont be thrilled about your involvement, helping Strix should be enough to get something made."
Gareth shrugs again. "She can hate me as much as she wants. I'm no stranger to leavin' folks angry at me and me crew whenever we go to port. But some things, ye just got to grin and bear it while partnerin' up with folks ye'd rather run through fer the best outcome."
Louma nods solemnly, before chuckling to herself. "You know, I told her that you and I sparred occasionally before Strix and everything. She said if we sparred again and you hurt me, she'd come for you."
Gareth eyes Louma for a moment, not looking all too amused. "Ye did tell her that'd probably be a bad idea, right? Me partner and I don't exactly appreciate retributive attacks. Especially unwarranted ones."
Louma shifts a bit, her voice sweetening. "Oh come now, Gareth, what could she do to a big strong wolf like you?" The look in her eye doesn't match, almost daring him to lay a finger on her engineer. "Besides, we never spar anymore anyhow, so it's not really relevant."
Gareth shrugs as he holds his gaze steady, clearly showing no fear for the guard captain. "Well, be that as it may, ye still owe me a sparrin' match eventually. Once yer plate clears up a bit more, though."
Louma eases a bit, sighing. "I suppose so, it would be nice. Unfortunately, we're sending that spear back to Orela along with Hatnay, so it can be given to whatever family he has or set into his tomb."
Gareth hums. "Mmh, proper enough. Well, either way, I guess ye just need to go and tell Maybelline about the plan, since it'll get Sarn off o' Strix's back."
Louma nods, smiling faintly. "I'll let her know tonight. Thank you, Gareth. I know it's not your first reason, but this might mean a lot to several people in Respite." She gives him a slight bow, turning to the bar to set out payment for her wine and abandoned food.
Gareth gives Louma a bit of a salute, probably a Vamese sort, rather than Orelan. "Ye've a willin' party to play the part, even if it's not fer the reasons ye want primarily, but help is help, aye? Let me know when ye have things set up, and I'll get to preparations fer the trip."
Louma nods, uncoiling as she 'stands'. "I'll let you know, then. Thank you Gareth. Enjoy the rest of your evening, and don't let that roast get too cold." She begins slithering toward the door, considering how to bring it up to Maybelline.
Gareth waves as Louma makes her way to the door, then turns his attention back to his own food. "Have yerself a good night, Louma. See ye again soon."