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Aphonion Tales (New posts 6/13, 6/15, 6/19)
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<blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 3253390" data-attributes="member: 3448"><p>“Can you be transferred to the control of another?” asked Alistair.</p><p></p><p>“No. Unless we become free-willed, we cannot be transferred after purchase or gift.”</p><p></p><p>“Unless you become free-willed? How does that happen?”</p><p></p><p>“If we were hired for a specific mission and it becomes impossible, and our owner cannot inform us of what to do. A horrible thing; we must think. Only Queens, drones, and magi should have to think. I fear I am near free will now.”</p><p> </p><p>Kit returned to the issue of the tattoos. “Can you tell us more about the way the humans carved their bodies?”</p><p></p><p>“They acted with great ceremony and carved careful patterns.”</p><p></p><p>“Could you form an image of them? I could lift it out of your mind.”</p><p></p><p>“You are a telepath, but you are not red. They should dye your body to match your function. Yes, I could form images for you to read. I will begin with the commander, follow with the magus, then the other with magus-like power, and last show the ordinary warriors.”</p><p></p><p>Kit scanned the phraint’s mind. The images were the sharpest, cleanest cut images she had ever encountered. The phraint carefully, painstakingly visualized every last detail of the humans. Kit did not recognize any of the humans, but each had many tattoos. In every case, the most prominent tattoo was the head of a vulture, worked in considerable detail.</p><p></p><p>She looked at the others. “Where do people wear heavy tattoos? I know that some of the people in the poorer areas of some of the major cities do-- poor Enclaves, or Ecsilias.”</p><p></p><p>Alistair thought. “Many people in Masque cover themselves with tattoos. Maybe some of the people in the Brown lands, although I’m not sure. The people of Ute, what’s left of them.”</p><p></p><p>“Masque… would members of the Order of the Vulture tattoo a vulture head on themselves?”</p><p></p><p>“Almost certainly,” said Alistair. “What do we know about the Order of the Vulture?”</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna answered. “They are a huge order… there are a million of them.”</p><p></p><p>“When you say a million of them, do you mean ‘many’ or …”</p><p></p><p>“No, your grace. There are literally a million members of the Order of the Vulture. They are mercenaries. But they lack discipline; they have a reputation for breaking combat at the first sign of trouble.”</p><p></p><p>“That’s not consistent with what happened here,” said Alistair. “Based on that, there’s no way that they would have fought to the death. Perhaps someone wanted us to think that it was Masque, if we penetrated the misdirection implicating Thar Ingmath.”</p><p></p><p>“A double feint?” asked Kit, doubtfully. After a little more thought, she said, “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t think it very likely, but my people say that the intelligence service run by Hiktar Ahabi for Hanal is the best offensive intelligence group in the world, so the possibility of multiple layers of misdirection should not be discarded.”</p><p></p><p>“And they may have been aimed at different targets. Surviving threes would not be likely to notice anything but the Thar Ingmathian coins and the symbol of Thar Ingmath on the phraint. But the implication that Masque was actually responsible might have been aimed at our investigation.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cerebral Paladin, post: 3253390, member: 3448"] “Can you be transferred to the control of another?” asked Alistair. “No. Unless we become free-willed, we cannot be transferred after purchase or gift.” “Unless you become free-willed? How does that happen?” “If we were hired for a specific mission and it becomes impossible, and our owner cannot inform us of what to do. A horrible thing; we must think. Only Queens, drones, and magi should have to think. I fear I am near free will now.” Kit returned to the issue of the tattoos. “Can you tell us more about the way the humans carved their bodies?” “They acted with great ceremony and carved careful patterns.” “Could you form an image of them? I could lift it out of your mind.” “You are a telepath, but you are not red. They should dye your body to match your function. Yes, I could form images for you to read. I will begin with the commander, follow with the magus, then the other with magus-like power, and last show the ordinary warriors.” Kit scanned the phraint’s mind. The images were the sharpest, cleanest cut images she had ever encountered. The phraint carefully, painstakingly visualized every last detail of the humans. Kit did not recognize any of the humans, but each had many tattoos. In every case, the most prominent tattoo was the head of a vulture, worked in considerable detail. She looked at the others. “Where do people wear heavy tattoos? I know that some of the people in the poorer areas of some of the major cities do-- poor Enclaves, or Ecsilias.” Alistair thought. “Many people in Masque cover themselves with tattoos. Maybe some of the people in the Brown lands, although I’m not sure. The people of Ute, what’s left of them.” “Masque… would members of the Order of the Vulture tattoo a vulture head on themselves?” “Almost certainly,” said Alistair. “What do we know about the Order of the Vulture?” Dame Brionna answered. “They are a huge order… there are a million of them.” “When you say a million of them, do you mean ‘many’ or …” “No, your grace. There are literally a million members of the Order of the Vulture. They are mercenaries. But they lack discipline; they have a reputation for breaking combat at the first sign of trouble.” “That’s not consistent with what happened here,” said Alistair. “Based on that, there’s no way that they would have fought to the death. Perhaps someone wanted us to think that it was Masque, if we penetrated the misdirection implicating Thar Ingmath.” “A double feint?” asked Kit, doubtfully. After a little more thought, she said, “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t think it very likely, but my people say that the intelligence service run by Hiktar Ahabi for Hanal is the best offensive intelligence group in the world, so the possibility of multiple layers of misdirection should not be discarded.” “And they may have been aimed at different targets. Surviving threes would not be likely to notice anything but the Thar Ingmathian coins and the symbol of Thar Ingmath on the phraint. But the implication that Masque was actually responsible might have been aimed at our investigation.” [/QUOTE]
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