>>37289202
>Go talk to Tatiana

>>37289202
You're back! I've missed you Chemlab.
>Go talk to Tatiana

>>37289202
it's not THAT big a secret. I say we ask her about it and relay what information we can to the nitor.
>Go talk to Tatiana

also hey, this is back up.

>>37289257
Also, Marie doesn't really have anyone to blabber to about this. She's on the ranch as much as Tai is.

>>37289202
Talk to Tatiana

File: Noodlesnake.jpg (19 KB, 600x450)

19 KB JPG

"Not like Marie has anyone to blab to, being on the ranch and all." You say with a shrug.

"Not even the folks working on the road and bridge?" McCain retort, eyebrows raised. "Their foreman gets word of this and I've no doubt that Serrak will."

"... and?"

"How quick do you think he'll pull out if complications arise."

"You really don't trust him do you?"

"He's got something going on. The deal he gave you was far too generous."

You laugh, "Be that as it may, a good deal does not mean an ulterior motive. Don't always have to be suspicious of a good thing."

His frown deepens, "Served me well so far."

You just slither out of the house, "Lets go get Tatiana."

You find her out in the fields, on the near side of the herd, with Marie orbiting. McCain goes to saddle up and take her spot watching the herd, whereas you gesture for her to follow you into the bunkhouse. After entering, she performs some complicated spinning, to close the door behind her.

"Is there problem?" She asks, in the terse, somewhat tenous grasp she has on your language.

>How do you want to put this?

>>37290247
No problem with being fairly direct.
Let's explain there was some kind of battle back at her home, and ask where her people might have gone.

>>37290247
"Yes, I'm hoping you can tell me about it."

Tell her what the traders told us, we can be fairly direct about this. Don't jump to any conclusions ourselves though, it might unduly worry her.

File: lamia5.jpg (243 KB, 1215x717)

243 KB JPG

"Yes, I'm hoping you can tell me about it."

You outline all of what the traders told you, the attack on the town near where Ursus was. You also outline what you and Veles surmised, with it possibly being the town of Purobka that got sacked. You're surprised to see the lack of reaction from the centaur. If anything certain muscles in her face set in a hard look of neutrality. You make a mental note of this.

[Now, we don't know much more than what the traders said, and they seemed clueless about the situation. I just figured I'd ask you about this, since the Kozak's said something about it being dangerous and needing you out of here. I figured you might have some idea as to what is going on.] You finish, swapping to the Casimiran tongue halfway through your explanation for the sake of making things easier on the both of you.

Her face is wooden and impassive. [I am sorry, but I do not know what it could be about. It seems rather dire. What do you intend to do?]

[Well, right now we are trying to get grasp of the situation. The more we know, the better informed of a decision we could make.]

She remains silent. You figure she knows something, but is either hesitant, or unwilling, to mention it, whatever it may be.

>Action?

>>37291944
Maybe giving her some information on what we plan to do will make her help out more?
I think we plan on going and checking things out ourselves, if the situation stays as it is. And the nitor after that, most likely, if we don't clear it up.

>>37291944
I don't know how we can get whatever it is out of her, so we should probably leave it then risk having her shutdown completely on us.
Mention that we'll have to go on another expedition sooner or later; see what she thinks about coming with us then.

Other then all this, I don't know what else we have to do until the Nitor arrive.

File: lamiadance.gif (938 KB, 400x289)

938 KB GIF

You figure its not worth pressuring her too much, so you leave it at that.

"We might find ourselves back in the Casimiran lands here soon enough, If you want to come with, the offer is there. That ok with you?"

[I will have to think about it.] She replies.

With that you dismiss her, and head back to talk to McCain. He gives you a questioning look, "Anything new?"

"She knows something about this, but is either unable, or unwilling to talk about it. I didn't want to pressure her. Bright side is, if she's that cagey about it, she's not likely to talk with Marie about it."

"Or if she does, we'll find out."

Harsh.

It takes a three and a half days of waiting before you see Keel riding down the road the the ranch. Flanked by a pair of enlisted, he stops and dismounts, handing his reigns off to the man on his right.

"Came as quick as I could." He says, striding up onto the porch. You're taken aback, he looks incredibly tired.

"You ok?" You ask. He shakes his head and gestures inside before mouthing 'Not here.'

Beckoning him inside, you offer him a seat which he sinks into wearily, before looking up at you. "So what's going on across the mountains?"

>Ask about his troubles first
>Talk about what you know.

>>37293910
>Ask about his troubles first
Sweet gif you found.

>>37293910
Get him something to drink and ask what's wrong.
>Ask about his troubles first

Hopefully we get to continue on to briefing him. Ideally, as soon as he tells us whatever is, we'd segue into getting back to telling HIM about the whole maybe-battle out there.

File: lamia32.jpg (883 KB, 3508x2480)

883 KB JPG

You slide into the kitchen and stoke the stove, the embers of the morning catching alight.

"Coffee all right?" You call out, getting a gratified "Yes, please." In response.

In the meantime your curiosity gets the best of you. "It seems like you've got some troubles of your own."

He tenses, but then relaxes as you fill a pair of cups with the warmed coffee. "We've had no less than seven ships go missing between here and the mainland. Naturally, since the fifth is the only Nitor post stationed here, I've been run ragged trying to find the culprit and signs are..." He hesitates, "Well, you deserve to know. We've found the wrecks of some, and the bodies of the crew. They were in a similar state to the ones you saw with that Phoenix ship you said you saw."

You recall the bloodless bodies that the crew of that massive ship dumped overboard. "So what is it? Pheonix attacks?"

He takes the cup of coffee from your hand, clutching it like an elixir of life and taking a sip before responding. "I should bloody well hope not. Last thing we need is a confrontation with them. It could be pirates. Mer divers report the holds of the ships were barren, so something is looting them."

"Pirates in this day and age?"

"I know, preposterous, right? But nonetheless... and that's not the worst of it."

"Oh?"

"UFK wants to send down the regiments to bolster us." He says, draining the cup.

>I take it that's a problem?
>We've got some raiding across the mountain too it seems.

>>37295466
>We've got some raiding across the mountain too it seems.

>>37295466
Oh crap, missed the update.
>We've got some raiding across the mountain too it seems.

Think they're related at all?

File: lamia8.jpg (49 KB, 400x600)

49 KB JPG

"We've got some raiding across the mountain too it seems." You say off hand.

"I got the report from the traders, or rather, what passed for it. Can you make any sense of it?"

"Veles seems to think it is the town of Purobka, the one we passed by when we went to the Kozak's tent city. Which appears to have packed up and moved by the way."

"And the significance of this city?"

"Well, by Veles' reckoning, its a small town run by one of their noble houses or whatever they are called. They are the ones that make the silk treatment solutions. The secret to making them was so important that they were allowed run of the house, so to speak. That must have changed."

He nods, "Any changes since then?"

"Nothing since to my knowledge. I asked Tatiana about it, but she's not talking. She might know something, but I don't want to pressure her. I was thinking of going on another expedition over there to see what is going on."

"That might be advisable." Keel says, rubbing his chin.

"When do you think would be best?"

"What? Oh, I'm sorry, with this piracy business or whatever, I'm way to busy to participate in an expedition."

"Oh." You say, rather crestfallen. "I just figured-"

"Tell you what," he says interrupting you, "I can post a watch on the other side of the mountain in the valley. 'Surveying' the area. Keep it to your group of 4 and make sure their footprint is small. Would give you a lifeline in case of trouble, is that agreeable Miss Masterson?"

>?

>>37297569
As agreeable as we can get, circumstances as they are.
Thank keel for his trouble, and get to preparing for yet another road trip. More ammo, less trade goods this time.

>>37297569
I can't see any problem with that, makes me think I'm forgetting something. Let's agree and start organizing for the trip I guess.

I hope this pirate mystery desn't get resolved without us, I want to help figure it out.

>>37297774
It probably will. Mysteries only last so long, and we have two on opposite sides of a mountain to investigate.

File: jetstream.png (549 KB, 799x600)

549 KB PNG

>>37297860

>>37298392
Those smarmy fucks.

File: So Searching Lamia Glasse(...).jpg (263 KB, 650x856)

263 KB JPG

"As agreeable as we can get, circumstances as they are."

Bidding him and his entourage farewell, you go and find McCain out in the barn.

"We'll be sans nitor help this time it seems." You say by way of greeting. "Best Keel can do is set up a rescue party to wait and be the cavalry if we do get into trouble."

He frowns, "That leaves us slot open from the old expedition party, if'n we were planning on going with what we had last time."

"True, but we'd also be able to swap out my trade supplies for ammunition. Something tells me we'll need it."

McCain finishes his work, stabbing his pitchfork into the earth and leaning on it, "Well, Miss, may as well get down to it. What's the plan and who're we taking?"

>Well?

(Will be the last post of the night. Will continue with the selection made in the morning, or in the next thread if we fall off the board. Thanks for reading. Its good to be back.)

>>37299794
>I want to bring Marie this time, if only because she wants to go. Maybe we'll need her to fly up and spot for us. Tatiana will probably come, so that accounts for 3. Probably McCain too since he doesn't like leaving us alone and he's undoubtedly useful.
>Veles isn't necessary and he might prefer to stay in his lair instead of having us bother him with everything.

>As for the plan we'll probably just look around for somebody to fill us in and work from there.

Thanks for finding time to finally run, Chemlab! I know you don't get many players, but I appreciate you. See you tomorrow maybe.

>>37299794
Oh, another update.
>>37300061
pretty much sums up my opinions on group composition, with the possibility of the marie/veles slot being switchable if situations change. Marie's fine for now.

Thanks for running, as always.

Bump. I need to get to sleep, this bump is probably pointless.

>>37299794
Damn, completely missed the thread.