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A Simple Inquiry

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  1. #1
    TheMalkCat's Avatar

    The Sewnskin Doctor

    "B-black c-c-coffee. No, th-that'll b-be all."

    Carrying a cup of bitter black in his gloved hands, Thao glanced around Ashby Coffeehouse for a quiet and discrete place to have a conversation away from prying ears. At 5:30 pm, the Coffeehouse wasn't especially drawing in the crowds. The few customers left at this hour kept to themselves, sipping their lattes and mochas while they parsed through a volume of Proust or a tapped away at a manuscript or other. By his reckoning, no one to pay mind to another two patrons shooting the breeze.

    The Chirurgeon saw a couple leave a table in the remote corner of room and quickly claimed the spot (after wiping away the muffin crumbs and a few errant drops of spilled coffee.) He checked once more over his watch. It was the right time and he had messaged the other Autumnal Courtier half an hour prior just to make sure the Darkling wasn't going to blow him off. As he waited, Thao once again asked himself whether this was going too far.

    Beland's been run ragged this entire month. Missed a few nights an' pulled all his sick days an' he's only gettin' worse. Ah know he's sufferin' from depression an' takin' so much Glamour offa him can't be healthy. Ah haven't heard o' anythin' comin' outta his 'proposal' t' Callagher, so he's no threat t' mah job. So why am Ah doin' this?

    He took a sip of his coffee and watched the steam rise. It's cause Ah like it. Ah like doin' this sorta shit t' him. Christ. Either way, here Thao was. Waiting for a Darkling to come by to help him commit a major violation of personal privacy. Fun stuff.

  2. #2
    L
    Lobo Argost

    Conner entered the coffeehouse and went to the counter, ordering some black coffee before joining Thao at the table. "Good evening, Doctor. How have you been lately?"

  3. #3
    TheMalkCat's Avatar

    The Sewnskin Doctor

    The Wizened blew away the steamy mist arising from his coffee and chanced a sip. He burnt his lips with the first taste, a matter of formality for Thao. Wincing, he wiped his cracked lips with a handful of brown napkins which he folded into a neat triangle on the table. His blue and brown eyes darted over Connor in appraisal. The Darkling's physical features fit well enough into his Seeming, a demoniac horror from some forgotten text like the Book of Solomon or whatever that text was called; you just learned the strangest things on the History Channel. Interestingly enough, the disquieting touch of Connor's Mantle brought a sense of familiarity to the Chirurgeon. A reminder that both of them drew power from the Awe and Fear of the Leaden Mirror. It set Thao at ease. He drew another sip of his coffee and this time the hot drink stung his tongue with less vigor.

    "Well enough. B-but this...(mumble)...'re feelin'." Thao leans forward with his hands clasped, elbows on the table, eyebrows knitted. "How g-good are you at m-m-manip-p-pulatin' data st-tructures. 'C-cause Ah need t' d-do some b-b-background research on a...c-colleague o' m-mine in a m-manner that's st-t-trictly c-confidential."

  4. #4
    L
    Lobo Argost

    "I've gotten quite good at hacking and data retrieval since my return." Conner took a pull from his coffee, the heat in his throat feeling quite good. It made him feel more alive. "Get me to the computer, and I can get access."

  5. #5
    TheMalkCat's Avatar

    The Sewnskin Doctor

    Thao worked his jaw as he stared into the depths of his coffee cup. A stream of questions came to mind but the Chirurgeon urged himself to relay them in a steady logical stream. "Will you b-be ab-ble t' k-keep it c-confidential? This isn't somethin' either o' us c-can walk away from iffen we're caught. D-do ya n-need t' be at his c-computer or c-can you access th' d-database from mine? An' th' issue of p-payment. C-cash now, a f-favor afterwords an' only iffen th' information's useful. What sorta r-rate are ya ch-chargin'?"

    He keeps his voice to a low conspiratorial whisper.

  6. #6
    L
    Lobo Argost

    "This deal stays between us. If your computers are on the same network, I can get the files from your computer. My going rate is $500 up front. If you find the information useful, then I want you to teach me your Seeming contract." Conner's voice was low as well. When he finished speaking, he took another pull from his coffee while awaiting Thao's answer.

  7. #7
    TheMalkCat's Avatar

    The Sewnskin Doctor

    Thao's eyes narrow as the Darkling makes his counter offer. His steepled fingers tap quietly as he contemplates the offer. The secrets of the Wizened were kept well. Yet here was an opportunity to learn a Contract of Darkness. One secret for another among members of the Autumn Court. No duplicity.

    "T-t-teach me th' Contracts o' Darkness an' Ah'll teach you m-mah Seemin' Contract. Ah c-can have yer money b-by t-t-tomorrow afternoon, same p-place, same t-time."

  8. #8
    L
    Lobo Argost

    "One Seeming contract for another. A fair trade." Conner nodded and held out his hand to seal the deal with a handshake. "You pay me at the appointed time and place, if your info is useful, we each teach the other his Seeming contract. If either of us reneges, he'll be at the mercy of the other's power. We make this deal on our true names."

  9. #9
    TheMalkCat's Avatar

    The Sewnskin Doctor

    It suddenly dawned on Thao that this was not the time nor place to discuss contracts or Seenings, no matter how private or secluded they appeared to be here. He gestured for Connor to lower his voice. A cursory look over of the Coffeehouse yielded no apparent eavesdroppers or prying eyes. Yer not fresh t' th' Freehold, Thao. Fer that matter, yer not new t' bein' Lost. You cannot slip up like that. Thao clamped up and watched the Darkling as he made the same mistake.

    But more than that, Connor was asking him to Pledge on his True Name. In public. Unacceptable. Not to mention the Pledge was just in a horrible sort of form that indicated that the Darkling had little to no experience with the Pledgecraft. The wording was vague, the terms unclear, and with a swear too grave for something like this. The Wizened pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration with Connor. He began to have doubts regarding how new he was to Lost life in general. His voice was low, but his tone a mixture of incredulous and insulted.

    "First o' all, we c-can't sling out our t-terms like that willy-nilly. M-mah mist(mutter)...chin' myself earlier. Sec-cond. Ah c-can't swear that, Smith. You should know why Ah c-can't swear it. You should know b-b-better than t' ask fer that sort-ta...agreement. An' you should know what comes outta b-breakin' it. Th' only p-people Ah'd t-trust t' finalize those k-kinda d-d-deals 're th'...th' C-club P-president an' even then, only at th' q-q-quarterly meetin's. You can't j-just ask someone t' swear on that."
    He paused to make sure no one was listening in. Never hurt to make sure. The chagrin leaves his voice and is replaced by admonishment.

    "B-besides. Th' t-t-terms o' th' ag-greement 're foggy an' unc-c-clear...(mutter)...b-be p-prety d-damn easy fer you t' weasel out-ta it without d-doin' work. Yer not c-clear on what th' subject o' th' 'rengin'. You said 'yer info' when it should b-be 'mah info. That's not Pled-...err. That's nothin' special, j-just b-basic grammar."

    He leans forward and his voice does not carry above a whisper, yet carries a hard edge.

    "An' d-do y' really...really think it wise t' p-put in th' c-clause 'b-bout leavin' 'nother m-memb-ber o' th' C-club vulnerab-ble t' you? Specifically t' you. Not luck. Not p-poisonin' a b-blessin'. Not demandin' a favor. How would that reflect on yer rep-putation. Assaultin' a m-member o' th' C-club with your Cont-...sp-pecial t-t-talents." The bitter scent of wormwood rises in the air, growing stronger as it mixes with the slight breeze of Connor's own mantle. "One o' yer own. A d-doctor no less."


    Someone o' higher rank then you.

    After a pause, he continued. "Look. Fer now j-just t-trust that Ah'm a m-man o' mah word. No 'sp-p-pecial' agreements. M-man t' man. Iffen you still d-don't t-trust me, Ah c-can write up th' t-terms an' c-conditions."

  10. #10
    L
    Lobo Argost

    Conner retracted his hand. The man made good points. "Alright. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, doctor."

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