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On the Trail of Copper Bloodhounds… [16August06]
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<blockquote data-quote="Monty Tomasi" data-source="post: 2893424" data-attributes="member: 40137"><p>Part IX:</p><p></p><p></p><p>“So what’s the plan?” Oho asked whilst keeping pace with his companion through the narrow alleyways of the ward.</p><p></p><p>“We go in, kill the bad guys and rescue the girl,” Perrin replied.</p><p></p><p>“I see,” Oho stated quietly. </p><p></p><p>“Do you have a better plan?” Perrin asked coming to a sudden stop.</p><p></p><p>“Well yes, Sarge, as a matter of fact I do.” Oho pointed over the roofs of the nearby houses to the large blade-decorated domes of the Mortuary. The distant sound of grief-filled wailing was carried on the wind with an undercurrent of funeral dirges. “We’re on their turf here, the streets here have less visible crime and few big events go on here that their high-ups are not aware off.”</p><p></p><p>“The Dustmen.”</p><p></p><p>“That’s right, the Dustmen probably don’t care two hoots what is happening to Ella or that she has been kidnapped by an agent of the Baatezu. In their eyes we’re all dead in any case and the sooner we stop struggling the better. But if you’re smart cutter and plan to operate in this district it pays to play by certain rules, strange as that may sound for the usual image of total anarchy in the Hive.”</p><p></p><p>“And you know this exactly how?” Perrin asked, levelling a stare at Oho.</p><p></p><p>“I ran a job once in the Mortuary,” Oho shrugged and looked away.</p><p></p><p>“OK. So what is your plan?”</p><p></p><p>“Simple. We get some Dustmen robes, find where Ella is being held and when we get there… in we’ll walk.” </p><p></p><p>“Walk in just like that?”</p><p></p><p>”Indeed, walk softly and carry a big stick.”</p><p></p><p>“I’m not very happy with this plan,” Perrin said folding his arms.</p><p></p><p>“Just trust me on this Sarge, I’ll be back in a few minutes with some Dustmen robes and some staves. That’s all we’ll need to get Ella back.”</p><p></p><p>Sergeant Perrin nodded his consent and lent against the wall, lighting the stub of a blackweed tar cigar. Oho dashed off in to the hazy rain and was lost from sight within moments.</p><p></p><p>The minutes ticked by and Oho did not return. Perrin’s cigar burnt out and he was forced to light a new one. It was his last cigar, the one he’d been saving for when they’d rescued Ella and Valori.</p><p></p><p>After almost half an hour of standing in the rain, leaning against the wall of an alleyway whilst keeping an eye on the nearby road Perrin heard something slowly rumbling down the road. A cart pulled by an emaciated horse inched its way forward along the muddy street. Two figures dressed in black rags sat on the front of the cart and another man in a black robe rode on the back amongst the mouldering cadavers.</p><p></p><p>The black-robed man leapt off the back of the cart, his feet splashing through the large puddles, hurried over to where Perrin stood and pulled back his hood. Oho grinned from ear to ear, his normally spiky white hair smoothed down and with ash smeared on to his pale skin. The Harmonium officer passed his companion an identical black robe and together they climbed on to the back of the cart.</p><p></p><p>“Nice ride,” Perrin said after awhile. “Can you get this cursed nag to go any faster?”</p><p></p><p>“Thanks but it was the best I could do at such short notice.” Oho responded. “If they try and make the horse go any faster, she’ll be joining us on the back of the cart and suren.”</p><p></p><p>The pair rode in silence on the back of the cart for several hours. The figures on the front occasionally stopped the cart, picked up a body lying in the street and added it to the growing pile before moving on. The deaders cart made its way past numerous sights in the Hive, but as the cart rumbled on at a snails pace deeper in to the ward - no one paid it any attention.</p><p></p><p>Children wearing little more than tattered clothing hunted through the streets looking for rats to eat, armed men and women lurked on a street corner staking out their turf all the while fending off against attacks from rival gangs. Xaosmen fought, drank and howled at odd moments in a tavern that was built from the remains of a collapsed tower. </p><p></p><p>Occasional screams erupted from inside one of the tenements leaning precariously against one another. Between the houses were rows of shanties that covered the roofs, alleys and spilled in to the streets. One of the shanties collapsed when a pile of some heavy material came loose from a nearby roof. People swarmed out of the surrounding buildings covering the remains in the shanty in moments. As the cart rumbled by it was obvious that the locals hadn’t bothered to look for survivors, they were only after valuables to salvage.</p><p></p><p>“My patience is growing thin,” Perrin muttered as the bodies from the crushed shanty were added to the pile.</p><p></p><p>“Just a little longer Sarge, we’re almost there. These cutters know where they are going, it’s all been taken care off. Paid them a fair penny too for getting us here nice and quiet with the minimum of fuss.” Oho smiled. “Don’t suppose the Harmonium will cover my expenses will they Sarge?”</p><p></p><p>“You’ll be lucky Oho. But if we get Fey out in one piece and all of us back to the Lower ward, I’ll buy the first round.”</p><p></p><p>“Well spank me blind and call me Pale Night,” Oho said chuckling loudly. “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you offer anyone a free drink.”</p><p></p><p>Oho glanced at Perrin beneath his hood and saw that his commanding officer was clearly not amused. He coughed and ran his hand up and down the blackwood staff lying on his lap.</p><p></p><p>“Why do you suppose they took Valori?” Oho asked. “Ella knows her way around this city like the back of her hand. Valori is just an alchemist; she’s not even a graduated Harmonium officer.”</p><p></p><p>“Valori is an officer and that’s official, got it? As to why they took Valori… well let’s just get Fey first and we’ll worry about that next.”</p><p></p><p>The cart turned the corner in to a narrow street within sight of the domed structures of the mortuary and Oho leapt off lightly. Perrin stepped off the back of the cart, and with Oho in the lead walked, at a solemn pace towards one of the houses.</p><p></p><p>Oho rapped on the door with his blackwood staff and waited a couple of minutes for a response. Oho rapped a second time and again there was no response.</p><p></p><p>“Let me try,” Perrin stated and straightened his shoulders standing in front of the locked door. With a heave he kicked the wooden door and it gave way with a loud crash.</p><p></p><p>“Whatever happened to walking softly Sarge?” Oho asked.</p><p></p><p>“Easy for you,” Perrin responded pointing to Oho’s bare feet. “Not so easy for me,” he said glancing down at his hobnailed boots.</p><p></p><p>From inside the house sounds of alarm could be heard with people running up and down the stairs accompanied with the sound of swords being drawn.</p><p></p><p>“OK Sarge, we’ll do it your way from here on,” Oho said as he leapt through the broken doorway with his staff leading the charge.</p><p></p><p>“Number five sword,” Sergeant Perrin said quietly, drew the broadsword that had materialised in his rusty scabbard and followed Oho in to the breach.</p><p></p><p>The two Harmonium officers charged in to the main hallway, colliding with a group of tieflings who’d hastily erected a barrier made from broken furniture and metal boxes. Oho ran up the side of the wall, using his long staff for leverage and jumped over the heads of the surprised tieflings. Perrin simply charged forward in to and through the barrier with his broadsword cutting him a path through boxes, chairs and tieflings.</p><p></p><p>The battle in the entrance corridor was over almost before it had started. The tieflings taken by surprise by the ferocity of the attack of two men, who at first glance appeared to be Dustmen, soon gave ground. By the time the third of the dozen tieflings was cut down the scrambled over each other in an effort to get away.</p><p></p><p>“Up or down?” Perrin asked as he wiped his blade on a patchwork cloak from one of the fallen tiefers.</p><p></p><p>“Down I’d say,” Oho replied as he watched the tieflings advance in reverse away from them up the stairs.</p><p></p><p>Perrin pushed forward to the door under the stair and with another heave kicked the door off its hinges. The two Harmonium officers raced down the stairs two at a time and both burst in to the cellar at almost the same instance. A quick look around the room revealed no obvious threats and lying on the wooden pallet was the sleeping form of a copper-haired Harmonium officer whose stomach wound had been expertly treated and bandaged.</p><p></p><p>Oho and Perrin almost knocked each over in their rush to pick Ella.</p><p></p><p>“Please allow me,” Oho said as the two officers stood facing each other over the wooden pallet. “I got her in to this mess and I swore to myself that I would carry her out of this hell hole.”</p><p></p><p>Perrin looked down and saw that Ella was sleeping soundly. He noted the bone scroll case before looking back at the resting officer. After taking a look up and down her resting form, his frown softened somewhat and the edge of his mouth twisted upwards in to crooked smile.</p><p></p><p>“Besides,” Oho continued. “It’d be getting to be a bit of a habit if you carry her for a second time out of the Hive.”</p><p></p><p>“Fair enough,” Perrin responded picking up the scroll-case instead.</p><p></p><p>Oho gently lifted Ella in to his arms and together the three officers walked up and out of the house. When they got outside the surviving tieflings threw down debris, some badly aimed daggers and all manner of insults that the trio of Harmonium officers ignored.</p><p></p><p>Signalling for the cart to come over towards them, Oho gently lay Ella down on top of the pile of bodies and climbed aboard together with Perrin. As the cart rumbled off down the street Ella woke briefly from her nightmares and felt someone squeezing her hand reassuringly.</p><p></p><p>“Where am I?” she asked.</p><p></p><p>“You’re safe,” Oho responded. “We’re taking you out of the Hive in a deader’s cart.”</p><p></p><p>“So am I dead?” Ella’s voice sounded faint.</p><p></p><p>“Of course not, Ella. If you die then who will I have to fight with? Arguing with Sarge is like arguing with a wall. At least with you I can trade insults and have some feeling of satisfaction afterwards.”</p><p></p><p>“Pike it Oho,” Ella retorted weakly. “If you don’t quit rattling such screed I’ll cut our tongue out, got it? Besides, if I die there’ll only be normal humans in the squad and we can’t be having that now can we. Somebody’s got to keep an eye on the Brotherhood spy within our faction.”</p><p></p><p>Oho chuckled softly and squeezed his companion’s hand a second time. Perrin stared off in to space having re-lit his cigar that had gone out during the break-in to the house. After several minutes Ella fell in to a deep sleep and began snoring softly.</p><p></p><p>“And I love you too,” Oho whispered quietly in to Ella’s ear as he gently laid a blanket over the sleeping Harmonium officer.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Once the cart being driven by two figures dressed in rags reached the outskirts of the Hive, the two men and sleeping woman got off the wagon. Silver crossed palms, oaths were sworn of none having witnessed anything in the least bit suspicious and the two groups went their separate ways.</p><p></p><p>Ella was taken to the Barracks were clerics took off her bandages, examined the healed wound and put on fresh bandages. Oho went off to get washed and changed whilst Perrin went to his superior to present his report.</p><p></p><p>“Come in,” a voice called from within the office just as Perrin walked up to the door. </p><p></p><p>Perrin opened the door, stepped in to the office and closed the door behind him. Seated behind the desk was a female dwarf dressed in red leather armour who was in the process of writing out the last part of a lengthy scroll. Piled in a tray on her left was a tray with scrolls with copious notes and in a tray to her right were several sealed scroll cases. The shelves that covered the rear and side walls of the office were stacked high with books going from the floor all the way up to the ceiling. The wall facing the corridor had fewer shelves that held a small number of curious items carefully preserved beneath small glass coverings.</p><p></p><p>“News has just reached me that you have managed to extract Corporal Ella-Morro-Moo Thorn-Willow-Hook from the Hive. Well done Sergeant Perrin uth Mastrantonio.”</p><p></p><p>“Thank you Sir,” Perrin responded.</p><p></p><p>The dwarven officer looked up from her scroll and peered at the tall man looming over her desk. She drew in a deep breath, her ample chest heaving against her leather vest, and slowly put down her ink-covered feather.</p><p></p><p>“Thank you… Ma’am.”</p><p></p><p>“Sir?” Perrin asked with a completely blank face staring straight ahead at the spine of a book labelled with the title ‘Mysteries of Shekinester’s Lost Sisters’.</p><p></p><p>“Ma’am, that’s the word you’re looking for,” the dwarven woman stated acidly. “I believe that we have had this conversation before have we not, Perrin?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes Sir.”</p><p></p><p>“Right,” the dwarf opened her draw, took out a triangular wooden block with a name carved in to it and placed it on the front of her desk with a firm thump. “What does this say?”</p><p></p><p>“I’m sorry Sir, but I don’t read dwarf.”</p><p></p><p>“Dwarven! You imbecile! It says Captain Narcovi. Get it? Narcovi is a woman’s name! No male dwarf in recorded history has ever been called Narcovi!”</p><p></p><p>“If you say so Sir,” Perrin stated still looking straight ahead.</p><p></p><p>“Right!” Narcovi took a deep breath, closed her eyes briefly and then held up her hand. “I believe that you retrieved a scroll from where Ella was left, am I correct?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes Sir,” the Harmonium officer said drawing a bone scroll case from beneath his cloak. </p><p></p><p>“Good,” Narcovi said as she took the scroll-case from her sub-ordinate. “I’m gladdened to see that you’ve not broken the seal.”</p><p></p><p>The dwarf took out the scroll, unfurled it on her desk and spent several long minutes poring over it. “Hmm,” she remarked and re-read the document. “Well, it all seems to be in order.”</p><p></p><p>“What’s in order, Sir?”</p><p></p><p>“The agreement for a joint search to arrest the erinye presently believed to be holding Corporal Valori Vasco.”</p><p></p><p>“Joint… search…” Perrin said finally tearing his gaze away from the books opposite him. “Joint with whom, if I may ask?”</p><p></p><p>“Well, with the Baatorian representative of course, the one who left the scroll next to Officer Thorn-Willow-Hook. This document has been signed up by our high-ups and theirs and it all seems to be in order. So now you in turn have your orders Officer uth Mastrantonio. Find this barbazu, arrest the erinye and bring back Officer Vasco”</p><p></p><p>“Son of a…” </p><p></p><p>“I’ll thank you for not swearing in my office, Perrin.” The dwarven woman stared hard over her horn-rimmed spectacles at the tall Harmonium officer despite the corners of her mouth curling upwards in to a smirk. “You have your orders, now go carry them out. Be sure to do it in the order specified.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes Sir!” Perrin stated forcefully. He saluted, spun on his heel and marched out of the office slamming the door shut behind him. The curious items on the shelf rattled and jumped underneath their protective glass domes, but none of them fell off the shelf. </p><p></p><p>Narcovi waited until she could no longer hear Perrin stomping down the corridor before she felt the harmony of her office had return to a sufficient level where she could continue with her writing.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Monty Tomasi, post: 2893424, member: 40137"] Part IX: “So what’s the plan?” Oho asked whilst keeping pace with his companion through the narrow alleyways of the ward. “We go in, kill the bad guys and rescue the girl,” Perrin replied. “I see,” Oho stated quietly. “Do you have a better plan?” Perrin asked coming to a sudden stop. “Well yes, Sarge, as a matter of fact I do.” Oho pointed over the roofs of the nearby houses to the large blade-decorated domes of the Mortuary. The distant sound of grief-filled wailing was carried on the wind with an undercurrent of funeral dirges. “We’re on their turf here, the streets here have less visible crime and few big events go on here that their high-ups are not aware off.” “The Dustmen.” “That’s right, the Dustmen probably don’t care two hoots what is happening to Ella or that she has been kidnapped by an agent of the Baatezu. In their eyes we’re all dead in any case and the sooner we stop struggling the better. But if you’re smart cutter and plan to operate in this district it pays to play by certain rules, strange as that may sound for the usual image of total anarchy in the Hive.” “And you know this exactly how?” Perrin asked, levelling a stare at Oho. “I ran a job once in the Mortuary,” Oho shrugged and looked away. “OK. So what is your plan?” “Simple. We get some Dustmen robes, find where Ella is being held and when we get there… in we’ll walk.” “Walk in just like that?” ”Indeed, walk softly and carry a big stick.” “I’m not very happy with this plan,” Perrin said folding his arms. “Just trust me on this Sarge, I’ll be back in a few minutes with some Dustmen robes and some staves. That’s all we’ll need to get Ella back.” Sergeant Perrin nodded his consent and lent against the wall, lighting the stub of a blackweed tar cigar. Oho dashed off in to the hazy rain and was lost from sight within moments. The minutes ticked by and Oho did not return. Perrin’s cigar burnt out and he was forced to light a new one. It was his last cigar, the one he’d been saving for when they’d rescued Ella and Valori. After almost half an hour of standing in the rain, leaning against the wall of an alleyway whilst keeping an eye on the nearby road Perrin heard something slowly rumbling down the road. A cart pulled by an emaciated horse inched its way forward along the muddy street. Two figures dressed in black rags sat on the front of the cart and another man in a black robe rode on the back amongst the mouldering cadavers. The black-robed man leapt off the back of the cart, his feet splashing through the large puddles, hurried over to where Perrin stood and pulled back his hood. Oho grinned from ear to ear, his normally spiky white hair smoothed down and with ash smeared on to his pale skin. The Harmonium officer passed his companion an identical black robe and together they climbed on to the back of the cart. “Nice ride,” Perrin said after awhile. “Can you get this cursed nag to go any faster?” “Thanks but it was the best I could do at such short notice.” Oho responded. “If they try and make the horse go any faster, she’ll be joining us on the back of the cart and suren.” The pair rode in silence on the back of the cart for several hours. The figures on the front occasionally stopped the cart, picked up a body lying in the street and added it to the growing pile before moving on. The deaders cart made its way past numerous sights in the Hive, but as the cart rumbled on at a snails pace deeper in to the ward - no one paid it any attention. Children wearing little more than tattered clothing hunted through the streets looking for rats to eat, armed men and women lurked on a street corner staking out their turf all the while fending off against attacks from rival gangs. Xaosmen fought, drank and howled at odd moments in a tavern that was built from the remains of a collapsed tower. Occasional screams erupted from inside one of the tenements leaning precariously against one another. Between the houses were rows of shanties that covered the roofs, alleys and spilled in to the streets. One of the shanties collapsed when a pile of some heavy material came loose from a nearby roof. People swarmed out of the surrounding buildings covering the remains in the shanty in moments. As the cart rumbled by it was obvious that the locals hadn’t bothered to look for survivors, they were only after valuables to salvage. “My patience is growing thin,” Perrin muttered as the bodies from the crushed shanty were added to the pile. “Just a little longer Sarge, we’re almost there. These cutters know where they are going, it’s all been taken care off. Paid them a fair penny too for getting us here nice and quiet with the minimum of fuss.” Oho smiled. “Don’t suppose the Harmonium will cover my expenses will they Sarge?” “You’ll be lucky Oho. But if we get Fey out in one piece and all of us back to the Lower ward, I’ll buy the first round.” “Well spank me blind and call me Pale Night,” Oho said chuckling loudly. “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you offer anyone a free drink.” Oho glanced at Perrin beneath his hood and saw that his commanding officer was clearly not amused. He coughed and ran his hand up and down the blackwood staff lying on his lap. “Why do you suppose they took Valori?” Oho asked. “Ella knows her way around this city like the back of her hand. Valori is just an alchemist; she’s not even a graduated Harmonium officer.” “Valori is an officer and that’s official, got it? As to why they took Valori… well let’s just get Fey first and we’ll worry about that next.” The cart turned the corner in to a narrow street within sight of the domed structures of the mortuary and Oho leapt off lightly. Perrin stepped off the back of the cart, and with Oho in the lead walked, at a solemn pace towards one of the houses. Oho rapped on the door with his blackwood staff and waited a couple of minutes for a response. Oho rapped a second time and again there was no response. “Let me try,” Perrin stated and straightened his shoulders standing in front of the locked door. With a heave he kicked the wooden door and it gave way with a loud crash. “Whatever happened to walking softly Sarge?” Oho asked. “Easy for you,” Perrin responded pointing to Oho’s bare feet. “Not so easy for me,” he said glancing down at his hobnailed boots. From inside the house sounds of alarm could be heard with people running up and down the stairs accompanied with the sound of swords being drawn. “OK Sarge, we’ll do it your way from here on,” Oho said as he leapt through the broken doorway with his staff leading the charge. “Number five sword,” Sergeant Perrin said quietly, drew the broadsword that had materialised in his rusty scabbard and followed Oho in to the breach. The two Harmonium officers charged in to the main hallway, colliding with a group of tieflings who’d hastily erected a barrier made from broken furniture and metal boxes. Oho ran up the side of the wall, using his long staff for leverage and jumped over the heads of the surprised tieflings. Perrin simply charged forward in to and through the barrier with his broadsword cutting him a path through boxes, chairs and tieflings. The battle in the entrance corridor was over almost before it had started. The tieflings taken by surprise by the ferocity of the attack of two men, who at first glance appeared to be Dustmen, soon gave ground. By the time the third of the dozen tieflings was cut down the scrambled over each other in an effort to get away. “Up or down?” Perrin asked as he wiped his blade on a patchwork cloak from one of the fallen tiefers. “Down I’d say,” Oho replied as he watched the tieflings advance in reverse away from them up the stairs. Perrin pushed forward to the door under the stair and with another heave kicked the door off its hinges. The two Harmonium officers raced down the stairs two at a time and both burst in to the cellar at almost the same instance. A quick look around the room revealed no obvious threats and lying on the wooden pallet was the sleeping form of a copper-haired Harmonium officer whose stomach wound had been expertly treated and bandaged. Oho and Perrin almost knocked each over in their rush to pick Ella. “Please allow me,” Oho said as the two officers stood facing each other over the wooden pallet. “I got her in to this mess and I swore to myself that I would carry her out of this hell hole.” Perrin looked down and saw that Ella was sleeping soundly. He noted the bone scroll case before looking back at the resting officer. After taking a look up and down her resting form, his frown softened somewhat and the edge of his mouth twisted upwards in to crooked smile. “Besides,” Oho continued. “It’d be getting to be a bit of a habit if you carry her for a second time out of the Hive.” “Fair enough,” Perrin responded picking up the scroll-case instead. Oho gently lifted Ella in to his arms and together the three officers walked up and out of the house. When they got outside the surviving tieflings threw down debris, some badly aimed daggers and all manner of insults that the trio of Harmonium officers ignored. Signalling for the cart to come over towards them, Oho gently lay Ella down on top of the pile of bodies and climbed aboard together with Perrin. As the cart rumbled off down the street Ella woke briefly from her nightmares and felt someone squeezing her hand reassuringly. “Where am I?” she asked. “You’re safe,” Oho responded. “We’re taking you out of the Hive in a deader’s cart.” “So am I dead?” Ella’s voice sounded faint. “Of course not, Ella. If you die then who will I have to fight with? Arguing with Sarge is like arguing with a wall. At least with you I can trade insults and have some feeling of satisfaction afterwards.” “Pike it Oho,” Ella retorted weakly. “If you don’t quit rattling such screed I’ll cut our tongue out, got it? Besides, if I die there’ll only be normal humans in the squad and we can’t be having that now can we. Somebody’s got to keep an eye on the Brotherhood spy within our faction.” Oho chuckled softly and squeezed his companion’s hand a second time. Perrin stared off in to space having re-lit his cigar that had gone out during the break-in to the house. After several minutes Ella fell in to a deep sleep and began snoring softly. “And I love you too,” Oho whispered quietly in to Ella’s ear as he gently laid a blanket over the sleeping Harmonium officer. Once the cart being driven by two figures dressed in rags reached the outskirts of the Hive, the two men and sleeping woman got off the wagon. Silver crossed palms, oaths were sworn of none having witnessed anything in the least bit suspicious and the two groups went their separate ways. Ella was taken to the Barracks were clerics took off her bandages, examined the healed wound and put on fresh bandages. Oho went off to get washed and changed whilst Perrin went to his superior to present his report. “Come in,” a voice called from within the office just as Perrin walked up to the door. Perrin opened the door, stepped in to the office and closed the door behind him. Seated behind the desk was a female dwarf dressed in red leather armour who was in the process of writing out the last part of a lengthy scroll. Piled in a tray on her left was a tray with scrolls with copious notes and in a tray to her right were several sealed scroll cases. The shelves that covered the rear and side walls of the office were stacked high with books going from the floor all the way up to the ceiling. The wall facing the corridor had fewer shelves that held a small number of curious items carefully preserved beneath small glass coverings. “News has just reached me that you have managed to extract Corporal Ella-Morro-Moo Thorn-Willow-Hook from the Hive. Well done Sergeant Perrin uth Mastrantonio.” “Thank you Sir,” Perrin responded. The dwarven officer looked up from her scroll and peered at the tall man looming over her desk. She drew in a deep breath, her ample chest heaving against her leather vest, and slowly put down her ink-covered feather. “Thank you… Ma’am.” “Sir?” Perrin asked with a completely blank face staring straight ahead at the spine of a book labelled with the title ‘Mysteries of Shekinester’s Lost Sisters’. “Ma’am, that’s the word you’re looking for,” the dwarven woman stated acidly. “I believe that we have had this conversation before have we not, Perrin?” “Yes Sir.” “Right,” the dwarf opened her draw, took out a triangular wooden block with a name carved in to it and placed it on the front of her desk with a firm thump. “What does this say?” “I’m sorry Sir, but I don’t read dwarf.” “Dwarven! You imbecile! It says Captain Narcovi. Get it? Narcovi is a woman’s name! No male dwarf in recorded history has ever been called Narcovi!” “If you say so Sir,” Perrin stated still looking straight ahead. “Right!” Narcovi took a deep breath, closed her eyes briefly and then held up her hand. “I believe that you retrieved a scroll from where Ella was left, am I correct?” “Yes Sir,” the Harmonium officer said drawing a bone scroll case from beneath his cloak. “Good,” Narcovi said as she took the scroll-case from her sub-ordinate. “I’m gladdened to see that you’ve not broken the seal.” The dwarf took out the scroll, unfurled it on her desk and spent several long minutes poring over it. “Hmm,” she remarked and re-read the document. “Well, it all seems to be in order.” “What’s in order, Sir?” “The agreement for a joint search to arrest the erinye presently believed to be holding Corporal Valori Vasco.” “Joint… search…” Perrin said finally tearing his gaze away from the books opposite him. “Joint with whom, if I may ask?” “Well, with the Baatorian representative of course, the one who left the scroll next to Officer Thorn-Willow-Hook. This document has been signed up by our high-ups and theirs and it all seems to be in order. So now you in turn have your orders Officer uth Mastrantonio. Find this barbazu, arrest the erinye and bring back Officer Vasco” “Son of a…” “I’ll thank you for not swearing in my office, Perrin.” The dwarven woman stared hard over her horn-rimmed spectacles at the tall Harmonium officer despite the corners of her mouth curling upwards in to a smirk. “You have your orders, now go carry them out. Be sure to do it in the order specified.” “Yes Sir!” Perrin stated forcefully. He saluted, spun on his heel and marched out of the office slamming the door shut behind him. The curious items on the shelf rattled and jumped underneath their protective glass domes, but none of them fell off the shelf. Narcovi waited until she could no longer hear Perrin stomping down the corridor before she felt the harmony of her office had return to a sufficient level where she could continue with her writing. [/QUOTE]
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