>>6146719>>6146748>>6146768<span class="mu-r">You don’t deliberate long.
“Deal!” you exclaim, extending your hand to Copperbelt, who clasps it tentatively in his own, as if surprised at your enthusiasm.
You had some other notions of where to go and what to do, but they were just that—notions. If one of them was to charter a ticket south, in some vague notion of reasserting your infuriatingly-insubstantial claim on James Efron… Well, a part of you dreads the thought catching him and <span class="mu-i">Enid</span> act they might be perpetrating behind your back and far away, on the dusky and dusty Southland border. No, no thank you. You’re better than that, and far too smart to turn down a sure thing for a possibility.
Now, to make your crew see the value of your decision.
“…which means <span class="mu-b"><span class="mu-i">33 points</span></span> each, plus whatever we score for clearin’ out the remainin’ drakes.”
“That’s only <span class="mu-b"><span class="mu-i">3 points</span></span> for the Maladoo gang and <span class="mu-b"><span class="mu-i">3 points</span></span> for us beyond what we already got,” An-Yi tabulates with a frown. “That’s bullshit!”
“Well, like… They DID get the big bad,” CZ chimes in.
“An’ whose fault is THAT?” An-Yii snipes back.
“Hey!” you shout, stepping between the medic and your shrinking, sputtering ‘sister’. “I didn’t see YOU divin’ down ta fight a fifty-foot freakazoid in yer birthday suit, did I?”
That shuts An-Yii up at least, and the Maladoo Gang takes the relatively modest gains with easy aplomb. They even gather around to pat Cyrene on her back and shoulders and to celebrate her successful bargaining. Imagine, that level of camaraderie! Humans really are built different, huh?
(You kind of envy them...)
“Well, I think it’s a noble thing, actually.” Khorine looks almost pained to say it, but say it she does. “Staying here to help restore the natural order, and to remove the Darkness.”
“An’ it’s extra coin, too,” Yeb-Uit points out, nudging sullen An-Yii.
“PLUS,” you say remind them, “there’s another job after this, already lined up.”
An-Yii sighs and nods, acknowledging the point. Though with her sour attitude… Well, you’ll decide who you’re bringing with you, closer to the time. And after this Treasuretrove Inc gig, well, let’s just say that when you see Jimmy again, it’ll be as a well-monied woman he’ll be BEGINNING to take him back. You smirk to yourself, imagining the moment of triumph. Will you give him that forgiveness? Well… That remains to be seen.
A more immediate moment of triumph arrives when you two vessels arrive at port, steered by Svanhilda Pearl and by whatever local fisherman the Delvers kitted out with their gear. While the mechanically-inclined munchkins go about reclaiming their boat’s upgrades, you, Cyrene Black, and Copperbelt silently assemble and stride up towards the guards to present the pilfered tendril, dredged up as evidence of your successful enterprise by Cara-Zi.
…</span>
