Dr Simon
Explorer
"You'd have considerable autonomy," says Kroft. "Between jobs you are free to conduct whatever business you like. Whislt working for me, use whatever methods necessary, on the proviso that you don't do anything that harms innocents or brings dishonour to the Guard."
She sits back in her chair.
"Perhaps 'embargo' is the wrong word," she says, musing. "I'm sure you're aware that the various carters, dockers, stevedores and others working in transport are operating a go-slow, demanding better pay and lower taxes. This has had the effect of slowing the influx of food to a trickle, raising prices for everyone else. Furthermore, guilds are illegal here in Korvosa, and any activity that smacks of unionisation is, well, treated with contempt by most people. So these dockers and so on haven't won any friends. I've got angry mobs on one hand, flying pickets on the other, plus there's those sent to intimidate any of the haluers who *do* want to work, strike-breakers trying to smash the picket lines....
"Basically, it's a mess. And this ties in with what I need somebody, you, if you want the job, to sort out. My men are stretched thinly as it is, and now I've got some deserters on my hands. A rather charismatic Sergeant of the guards has persuaded four of his associates, that I know of, to desert. They've set themselves up, as far as I can tell, as a sort of butcher's shop, distributing free meat to the needy."
Kroft shrugs.
"Nothing wrong with that, except I need him here, not there. I daren't send any of my men, even if I could spare them, in case he persuades them to desert too, or they get overzealous and kill him outright. I want him brought back here for questioning. There's a thousand gold in it for whoever does so, half that if he's dead."
She sits back in her chair.
"Perhaps 'embargo' is the wrong word," she says, musing. "I'm sure you're aware that the various carters, dockers, stevedores and others working in transport are operating a go-slow, demanding better pay and lower taxes. This has had the effect of slowing the influx of food to a trickle, raising prices for everyone else. Furthermore, guilds are illegal here in Korvosa, and any activity that smacks of unionisation is, well, treated with contempt by most people. So these dockers and so on haven't won any friends. I've got angry mobs on one hand, flying pickets on the other, plus there's those sent to intimidate any of the haluers who *do* want to work, strike-breakers trying to smash the picket lines....
"Basically, it's a mess. And this ties in with what I need somebody, you, if you want the job, to sort out. My men are stretched thinly as it is, and now I've got some deserters on my hands. A rather charismatic Sergeant of the guards has persuaded four of his associates, that I know of, to desert. They've set themselves up, as far as I can tell, as a sort of butcher's shop, distributing free meat to the needy."
Kroft shrugs.
"Nothing wrong with that, except I need him here, not there. I daren't send any of my men, even if I could spare them, in case he persuades them to desert too, or they get overzealous and kill him outright. I want him brought back here for questioning. There's a thousand gold in it for whoever does so, half that if he's dead."
