Log:Pretty Precious Cargo

A Prince in Hand is Worth Two in a Box 2020/03/05 Arthur Aevus Dialydd 2

The various officers in the room, both Ixendar and robotic, turn to look at you as you burst in and shut the door behind yourself. The prominent brow ridges and noses form a single structure which tends to make Ixendar look stern or even agnry to human eyes. Of course, you've just burst into what seems to be a tactical squad getting ready for something, so, well, they may well be stern and/or angry.

One of them, a grey haired waom with dusky golden skin barks out in a bass voice (their sinuses and ridges make Ixendar voices rather deep), "What is the meaning of this? Who are you?"

At her snapping at you, several of the others turn their blaster weapons in your direction in a covering manuveur (you hope).

Arthur was just leaning back against the closed doors and sighing with relief. Too soon, though. He gulps and looks up at all the blasters pointed at him. He puts his hands up slowly. "I'm a little lost..."

"This is a restricted action zone, alien," states the Ixendar woman as she brings her hand to rest on her (holstered) blaster pistol. "I request and require that you present your -"

She's interrupted by one a floating robitic orb that says, "Force Commander! The alleged slaver vessel is on an approach to the monitored dcking bay. Subcommander Tal requests permission to board upon docking."

"That neophyte wants to steal the thuneer of my operation? I think not," says the Force Commander. "Patch me through to him, now!"

She loses interest in you, for the moment, althoughs everal of the others have an eye on you still.

Arthur would just step out, but there are still eyes on him. He listens quietly. "I believe I have a witness that could help with your case. Someone the 'alleged' slavers have taken."

The Force Commander makes a gesture at one of the younger officers after you speak. The black haired, ochre skinned male steps up to you. "I am Investigator Braso. Who is this witness? And do you know their location?" One of the hovering robot rests just behind his left shoulder, a few feet back from him. "Be advised: anything you say may be used in a prosecution if necessary, alien. But first, your name?"

"The Professor," Arthur answers for his name. "The witness is another species who was abducted from my care."

"Do you have an image of the alleged witness?" asks Braso.

"Yes, if you'd just allow me to move my hands," Arthur offers and holds out the palm of his hand. A holographic representation of Dialydd appears about a foot tall. "He's much taller in person, mind you," he explains.

The robot speaks up. "Alien is of Species 97841, native nomenclature: Humanity or Human, Origin: 3d5 by 5643 down axis anti-spinward." It then states upon seeing the image of Dialydd. "Alien is of...woah, pretty." There is then a buzz of static like it's clearing it's throat. "Species is Jerin. Running analysis...Male is not part of current ambasssdorial party from Conjoined Civilizations Republic. No other Jerin registered on station manifest."

Investigator Braso seems a bit stunned by Dee's appearance as well then rallies. "Um, yes, that sort is exactly what the slavers are looiing for?...Not registered?" This is directed at the robot then his eyes turn to you.

"Well, not registered because he wasn't supposed to be here," Arthur explains. By here he means specifically in this depot as cargo.

"A stowaway with the ambassadorial party then?" says the investigator.

"I don't know anything about the ambassadorial party. I'm just trying to rescue the pretty--I mean poor lad," Arthur coughs.

"The ambassadors from the CCR are here again to negotiate with the Cit-Gov about..." Braso waves a hand. "Well, that's beside the point. You are certain he was taken, not just wandered off? I've found pretty boys...I mean aliens new to the station can get overwhelmed by it all."

"Notation in file on Species: Humanity or Human...Larger than normal proportoin of anamalous individuals in gene pool. Range from 0.1 to 5 rams of power," says the robot.

"He definitely didn't wander off," Arthur says with certainty at the alien's suggestion that Dialydd just wandered on his own. "Can I put my hands down now?"

Investigator Braso nods to you. "Of course you may. Why did you have them up in the first place? Is that a greeting among hoomans?" For a moment, you think he's serious, but the grin that crosses his stern looking face puts a lie to that.

"So, if he didn't just wander off, why are you so certain he's a witness to these slavers?" Unlike the Force Commander or her robot adjutant, Braso doesn't use alleged.

Arthur stares at the investigator and lowers them. "It's customary in my culture to do that when blasters are pointed at oneself. A sign to show one is unarmed and surrendering so they don't get shot," he explains plainly even with the grin. He grins back. "Oh, I see. Good to know humor still translates out here," he chuckles. "I'd left him in a shop to try on clothes while I went to fetch food. When I returned, the store owner claimed he left, but I found an article of his discarded robes protruding from behind a secret door behind a mirror. The accomplice shop owner said he would be here."

Braso's eyes harden for a moment as you describe what happened. "Was this store owner an Arquillian?" he asks then apparently realizes something as he adds, "An avian species, crest on his head?"

"Ah, yes, that's the one," Arthur answers, though his face falls a bit. "You seemed to be expecting that."

"I've had my eye on a certain Arquillian tailor for some time. His shop does little business and always has new wares but he's always gambling and losing. The number don't lie; I knew he was up to something." Braso shakes his head. "I just thought it was something other than slaving. He doesn't seem to have wombas for something that harsh."

The Force Commander snaps from the center of the room, "Investigator Braso! Anytning of use from the alien?"

"Hm. I think it's more a matter of him being either complicit or intimidated, but my lost ward could testify to what happened," Arthur explains.

"Yes, Force Commander, the alien seems to have valuable information. Permission to continue questioning?"

With obvious reluctance, the Force Commander nods, "Be it on your head then, Investigator. We're off to set up the ambush." She signals to the rest and they troop out another door, walking or floating depending on whether Ixendar or robotic.

When they're gone, Braso turns back to you, his robotic ajdutant still behind him. "Let's go back that way," he says indicating the door you came through.

"Ah, and yes." He touches some buttons on the wrist compuyter he wears at which point the robot says, "Confidential informant mode activated."

Arthur walks along with the robot and investigator out the way he came. "They will be careful with that ambush, I hope. I promised my ward he'd be safe in my keeping."

"I doubt your ward is anywhere near the ambush. You said the tailor brought you here to the cargo bay. That makes me think there must be a holding area here. Or containers holding sentients here." He gestures to the way the others seemed to go. "The slaver ship was diverted to another hangar than it's usual one. Fake repairs is the cover."

The two of you are now standing almost where you were talking to the Arquillian earlier. "This, this is where the buried treasures are. Hidden somewhere in plain sight."

Arthur looks around and sighs. "Quite a bit to search through, it would seem. Does this mean we have to do this the manual way?"

"Well, we can if you want...or we can have my adjutant activate it's sensors," says Investigator Braso with a slight smile. "Do you have a preference? And if you choose sensors, can you think of anything, well, unique about your ward that might help narrow down the search parameters?"

Grimm snorts, but can't help but smile. "It would have been infinitely useful to know it had those sensors. Please, by all means." He tilts his head at the thought. "Well, I did show a holographic image of him. He's about this tall," he holds his hand up quite high.

"Well, that rules out a number of the boxes...assuming he's in one piece which given he'd be more valuable that way is the assumption we'll work with," Braso says as the robot turns to observe the general height. "Anything else? Is he, hmm, hotter than you, cooler than you? Does he radiate wsny sort od energy? Is his world filled with certain metals?" Braso asks one question after another with no pause before he says, "Anything?"

"Oh, much hotter," Arthur bemoans. "Er, I mean...I have tot hink about it."

"A bit hotter, I'd say. And he had a bracer that radiates cosmic energy," Arthur says after some thought.

Braso blinks at that. "I didn't think the CCR could harness cosmic energy...we can't, not really." The detective then looks over at the robot. "Well, you've got your parameters. Go ahead."

Despite it being a floating sphere, you somehow get the impression that if it had eyes rather than sensors, they'd be rolling at Braso. A soft humming sound starts to come from the sphere as it floats a bit higher, probably to better scan.

As it commences to scan, Investigator Braso remarks, "Well, what was the reason for your visit to the Grand Bazaar, Professor?"

"A bit of this. A bit of that," Arthur answers vaguely as he looks busy trying to listen for his ward. "I'm exactly sure my ward knows his bracer radiates that energy signature."

"I am hesitant to ask, but how could someone /not/ know something they own radiates cosmic energy? It's not precisely a commonplace occurence. The only race I know that uses it are the Malvans. And they, thankfully are across the galactic core from Ixendar," says Braso with a quirky smile. "I certainly don't expect it of the CCR. They're not as advanced as we are here."

"Well, perhaps he isn't sensitive to that sort of thing. Or he knew but never thought to make comment," Arthur shrugs innocently. "I'm afraid I know very little of the CCR itself, but some of their practices seem a bit archaic on my world."

"Really? They seem far to, hmm, egalatarian for my taste. Too many races in too many levels of government. Even given the drawbaks of the oligarchs, I prefer our system. It's why I think the oligarchs will reject this latest attempt at an alliance. Besides, the CCR prefers to share tech which, well, is just asking for trouble to give higher tech to less developed species. It's a bad idea."

Braso then shrugs. "I'm not certain the CCR can survive long term given the societal differences. The Se'ecra just like meddling too much, the Sholarron are well, creepy, the Jerin Amazons are too prickly, and the Mostreen almost destroyed themselves ecologically to the point the CCR had to rescue them. No, sometimes you need more uniformity."