The patrol through the lower tunnels was lax. Though the dark tunnels spanned on with the echoing drip seeming to come from a dark depth never seen, there was no sign of life, save the Dhani making his or her way through on errands of their own. Crossing back into the main network, though, Saxani snagged a hiccup of a moment that could have been disastrous. There had been a snakling, a sly hunter for his age, ready to strike at a salamander. Whether he was eager or dumb was not clear, so Saxani quickly drew her bow and sniped the salamander from his range, the quivering body rolling feet through the cave before it stopped dead. The snakelings present returned their stares directly at Saxani, local fauna scattered back into cave recesses. She moved close and grabbed the arrow by the end and showed the snakelings.
"Do you see this color," she asked. While most snakelings seemed to understand him clearly, this one seemed dumb, for he said no. Saxani was unaware if her own kind could be colorblind in inbreeding and such. She played it off as the little one's inaptitude, and instructed he hunt smaller ones, or not hunt salamanders at all. The dead one was tossed away for bugs to destroy, though she pocketed the arrow.
The Distillery was next to check. She found the location insulting, for it reflected much of what she knew of eastern culture. Such revelry should be preserved and kept for only the most sacred occasions like the coming sacrifice to Siku, not ready on the day-to-day basis. Zinrah's common folk surely knew they'd be thrown out if all they did would lunge about drinking, that is if they didn't starve first. Saxani did what she could to stay near the exit, out of sight, and be brief if possible. Eavesdropping was a specialty she sought to train, just not with such common and boring conversation, as if who was messing around with whom in the hot baths was of her concern. This bar was a lie to their reality, a necessary one some might argue, but Saxani could not deny the truth of her world. Who could if they were immersed in the danger and blood shed every day?
"Idiot" and "Dhani" together seemed typical enough for any boastful fool, but the latest bit of the rumor was getting interesting. Saxani made mental notes of the names and faces she may have known. It was coming to a point where she needed to be familiar with everyone as a guard. It made spotting alien faces easier. She expected to see such at the Solstice near mid-season. From what Saxani gathered so far, it seemed Nestra, the "Idiot" had stolen something pretty from Melissent, the "Fence". Kilyss was either a witness or gossiper in the situation, as well as a lead if she was nearby. From the sound of things though, and bare rumor of the Fence's own instability, Saxani might need to move very soon to make sure this Fence wasn't going to kill anyone before action could be taken. Hopefully the Fence could see reason in letting the guard handle this.
Saxani waited patiently for the man to finish his telling of the tale before jumping forward with fifty questions. He was on a roll, and did not want to interrupt his story. There might be more he was willing to tell a friendly face over a guard anyway. She'd give him a few chimes before moving directly over to him to ask the following – the questions seemed standard and would provide some direction:
"I thought I had just overheard something about theft, but was not sure. Would you be so kind as to tell me who had stolen what from whom? The guard would be most pleased with your cooperation. The more detail you can provide the better, of course. Also, my apologies for interrupting your conversation; duty calls, however…" Saxani was infinitely irritated by the lounging of these Dhani, regardless of status. She remained polite and seemingly sincere in her apology however, a liar and a trickster. Her tolerance for stupidity was minimal, and she learned to strike at such things. The loud Myrian does not live long. Saxani viewed herself as an opportunist in this respect.
The man replied, "Melissent is out for Nestra's head. Might have stolen something. That's about all I know."
Saxani asked in reply, "What of Kilyss? How does she fit into all of this?"
"Word got around through her, though I doubt she knew anything else. You know how it is." The customers went back about their business when Saxani left with her lead. She figured she ought to find Melissent first before the psycho did in fact kill someone. Saxani thought it was funny how people got quieter when guards asked questions. Like he said, word gets around sooner or later. |
