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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1062314" data-attributes="member: 1210">Sheva, of course, has assassins’ business to attend to.  She thinks back to the job she took- scare off Horly the Rabble-Rouser, one of the councilors- and smiles wickedly.  She goes to the Council chambers, under the influence of both invisibility and nondetection.  She follows Horly around for a few minutes until one of his aides is sent off on an errand, then follows the aid into an empty room and kills her.  Moving with grim efficiency, Sheva changes her appearance to match the victim’s, then cuts off her lips and hides her body.  Soon she’s hunted down another of Horly’s aids and killed him, taking his lips as well.  A third aid will probably be enough, she presumes; and when Horly shortly opens the envelope with the lips and the message inside it, he’s clearly shaken up by it.”Loose lips sink ships.”Really, now.Cicero, meanwhile, shows up for the Foreign Relations Commission’s reception of the new South Forinthian ambassador, Sir Alex Mayflower.  He makes a short speech in which he acknowledges that there have been many strains in the relationships between Forinthia and Tirchond in the past, and explains that Forinthia is undergoing a period of civil war.  “But we of South Forinthia will win; it is only a matter of time.  And when we do, we will remember our friends and allies.  And we would like to count Tirchond among them.”“We have always been neutral,” objects Cicero.  “Why would we join Forinthia now when we’ve only recently gained our independence from it?”Sir Alex smiles.  “We ask little of you; only that you agree to proclaim our faction the legitimate Forinthian authority.  Forinthia will be back on top; it’s inevitable.  Right now there are uncontrolled generals and admirals with armies and fleets who are answering only to themselves.  I think it’s in everyone’s best interests to get them under control, wouldn’t you agree?  Furthermore, as I said, we will remember your aid in these trying times and are prepared to offer you a formal treaty acknowledging Tirchond’s independent status.”Naturally, the Commission wants to chew this over for a while, and most have other business to attend to as well.  Cicero heads over to the Extraplanar Affairs Commission meeting with his traditional retinue, but is forced to leave them all behind.  “Councilors only,” the guard insists, an unusual bit of stiffness obvious in his voice.So Cicero goes in alone, and there are most of his fellow Commissioners- and Estelias, who’s not technically on this commission.  “There’s been trouble,” she announces peremptorily.  “The whole point of this meeting is missing.  The item has been stolen.”  She gives Cicero a hard, suspicious look.“Really?” Cicero says innocently.  “Well, we should certainly do something about that.  Let me get my aides, we’ll convene and-““There’s no meeting; the object is gone,” Estelias says emphatically.“-see if we can get something done, I’ll send people to-““You’re not listening,” Estelias hisses, and says another word that leaves Cicero stunned and reeling, his words dropping to a low groan.  “There’s no meeting.  We’ll discuss this later, at greater length, but this item is of great import to our nation.  It helps to protect us; in fact, it’s driven off the Forinthian forces twice in the past, just by moving it up into the sewers or another place where its influence can extend into their ranks.”  She’s almost growling.  “But it’s gone.”“Oh, uh, well, any luck finding the perpetrators?”  Cicero keeps his face carefully blank. “We’re working on it,” Estelias snaps.  It sounds almost like a threat.  "We should talk about this.""Of course we should," Cicero answers smoothly.  "Say, over lunch tomorrow?"  She nods; and though he's glad to have a date with her, he's a little worried.Cicero slinks away.Glaxo, meanwhile, is congratulated for his success.  He’s officially inducted into the Thieves' Guild, and Walther (his contact and handler) gives him a final piece of action on the egg: he’s to help guard it when it’s auctioned off at 8 pm tomorrow.  “And you’ll get a cut out of it, too, once we sell it off,” the ugly half-elf tells him.“Don’t worry,” Sheva is simultaneously telling Clambake, “we’ll see to it that you get first crack at the rock.” Clambake is annoyed, but he lets it go for now.  He understands how these things work; he’s dealt with plenty of thieves’ guilds in his time.  So he just insists that they let him know when it’s to be sold, to which Sheva agrees (and Walther is more than happy to allow Clambake entrance to the auction as well).Not long after, Cicero arrives at the guildhall, looking for Sheva, and takes her out for a drink at the same bar where they previously met Clambake, who they meet again.  “I’m not so sure we should’ve done what we did,” Cicero confesses.  “After all, that thing did help protect our island.”Sheva snorts.  “It’s more trouble than help, and we’re going to help ‘protect’ our island by getting it out of here.  We’ll be doing Tirchond a favor.”“I’m taking it to Pesh,” Clambake slurs happily over his beer.“Maybe,” Cicero says.  “If you win at the auction.  I wouldn’t be so sure of that just yet.”  Glumly, he toasts “Tirchond as it was.”“Still, it’s helped fight off the Forinthians before...”  The two old companions discuss it at length over a pitcher of beer, and Cicero goes home unsatisfied, his thoughts awhirl.  Has he betrayed his country?  Should he try to buy the stone back?  He doesn’t know, and it keeps him up worrying for more than an hour after he lies down in bed...Next Time: Debating the merits of Forinthia!  Metal hats!  Ambassador Mayflower!</blockquote>

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