2017-08-03: Liars and Seekers

• Log: Liars and Seekers
• Cast: Kahm Yugh, Leon Albus, Lily Keil
• Where: Hilton
• Date: August 3, 2017
• Summary: Kahm, back in disguise as Marcus Rider, arrives in Hilton to stake a base of operations from which to pursue his next series of missions. He winds up encountering a woman Lieutenant Voss has mentioned in past reports, along with her hitherto unknown partner.

---

=================================<* Hilton *>=================================

Hilton is the third-largest city of Lacour, and the only port city along the Silver Coast. The harbour provides regular transport of goods to other ports throughout the continent, and was the primary supply line for the military kingdom of Arctica until the latter ceased communication. Since the arrival of the Sorcery Globe, ferries to the other continents have been ceased, with vessels having been converted to fishing and cargo purposes for the time being.

The city itself is laid out along the rise of a tall hill overlooking the harbour, with the mayor's mansion occupying the uppermost plateau. There are relatively few private homes in the city, with most permanent residents working at the harbour, warehouse, or freighting goods to and from the rest of the continent.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eulbVLfWV3M

<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.

496 PC

AVEH-KISLEV FRONT

The Red Quasars were a name of no small import in Kislev's army. Originally gear battlers fighting straight out of D-Block, the three-man team had eventually made a name for themselves in the arena by virtue of their dirty tactics, lewd showmanship, and brutal victories. They'd levied that fame into freedom of a sort, based on the condition that they work their aggression out on the enemies of the state rather than their fellow gladiators. These days they were celebrated for a wholly different reason: rugged local heroes, taking to the battlefield and putting their rough-and-tumble tactics to use for the Kaiser. They were crude, rude, and dangerous.

They were also about to die.

Vasquez's cockpit shook so hard with the force of sudden impact that he could swear what few teeth he had left were about to rattle out of his head. "Did he just use me as a springboard?!" Shouted the former criminal.

His second, Browsky, was too shocked to confirm Vasquez's suspicion. The white gear had launched itself at the last moment, springing off the head of Vasquez's unit and catching Browsky in mid-air. He thought he'd had the upper now he was staring straight down the glowing barrel of the other gear's arm-mounted cannon, powerless to evade under his own momentum.

"How in the fu-?!" He gasped, finally, only to be ended by the blue, pulsed shot that fired from the weapon and pierced his wrecker-class gear like the hodgpodge disaster was. The metal giant collapsed to the ground with a smoke hole where the cockpit had been.

"You bastard!" Raged the third man, Jasper, attempting to jet in from the white gear's flank and catch him off-guard. It was a good plan, but the pilot appeared to have already predicted it, turning the gear 180 degrees with blazingly fast reaction speed, sweeping a heavy blade out like a reaper's scythe. Jasper's gear barely resisted the weapon's nanometer-honed edge before it was cut into.

The gear's explosion silhouetted the white gear malevolent as Vasquez shook in his heat, both his partners gone by the time he could even turn around. "You'll pay..." He promised, "You monster, you'll pay!"

The last of the Red Quasars hurled forth with with it's axe raised, but both pilots new it for an act of desperation. The white gear did not waste time, aiming its energy weapon off-the cuff and consuming Vasquez's gear whole in enormous blast of blue, searing light. The thrusters kicked in, an the gear was off to join the rest of the battle, kicking a few feet off into a casual low-altitude cruise.

Inside, First Lieutenant Kahm E. Yugh ran a few diagnostics checks on the new unit's before being interrupted by a hail from his nearby lance. "Holy hell Lieutenant, that was insane!" The other voice chatted incessantly, "Keep this up and they may actually make you Captain!"

"If that's what our superiors deem best." Kahm answered, flicking off his radio with a sign.

NOW

Captain Kahm Yugh stepped through the streets of Hilton with practiced care, smooth blue eyes on the alert for anything-or anyone-that seemed too out of the ordinary. Recent revelations had suggested the possibility of any number of foreign agents present in the Lacour region, and all Gebler operatives were expected to handle themselves with more awareness than usual. Hilton was just a stop on the way to later destinations, but the time and pitch of the day made it a sensible stopping place unless he planned to camp out on the road.

The man tilted his broad-brimmed, black felt hat in the back of the late afternoon sun. Finding a decent inn would be a good next step, if any of them had vacancies...

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

Leon was there that day. It was before he was the commander of the Black Wolves -- when he was still a Lieutenant, too. He was a distance away, but he saw the way that the Gebler Gear ripped apart three Gears in fast succession. For an infantry, even a commando, there was little he could do besides duck low and hide. But, fortunately, it flew off.

But he remembers.

After the events in Lacour, he decided it was best to head to a neighboring town. He had, quite publicly, used the full capabilities of Argent Divider. He may not know what it is, but he knows what it isn't: a simple Gunsmoke weapon. With all the attention, he decided to move to Hilton for a time.

He steps out into the street, too, and his eyes look to the side -- at the person with him. "Lily," he says. "That was something, in Rujm el-Hiri, wasn't it?"

He pauses, though, before he stops. He wears his usual garb: white collared shirt, vest, trousers, and a grey duster. He turns when he catches sight of those blue eyes. He doesn't quite recognize him, but... something, briefly, feels familiar.

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Back then, Lily Keil had tried to do something; she no Gear, had no way to fight, but when the Gear flew off she sprinted to the wreckage, her medical bag in hand, and attempted to do her duty.

What she saw--what little of bodies remained--was ugly. But that was war.

She remembers, too.

Similarly to Leon's reason for leaving, Lily had a number. The town was starting to edge in on her nerves, but the simple fact is that she used a great deal of her unique sorcery in public, in ways that she could not even pretend to lie was Symbology. Argent Divider, and her abilities...

Neither of them is likely to do well under attention.

The person with Leon as they walk however is a woman in a long black skirt and a wide violet belt, a button-up gray blouse and a black jacket. All are buttoned all the way, with violet gloves as well. Her hair is loose.

And she quietly nods to his statement. "It was," she agrees, reaching up to rest a hand where the pendant about her neck is, hidden. Gold eyes stare forward.

This is where she healed, before. And now she looks as well at blue eyes. She says nothing. She's busy with her usual calculations upon seeing someone new.

<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.

That was the first deployment of the white gear, the Hauteclaire, on the war's front, but it wouldn't be the last. The sight of the gear amidst Gebler's was a frequent occurrence for the next year until Kahm (A Captain, by then) had been re-assigned to Bledavik for greater and better things.

The battlefield stayed with him. He, too, would not forget how senselessly the 'lambs' had broken the earth, how thoughtlessly they wasted one another's lives.

Kahm stops in only the briefest of lock-steps when he makes eye contact with Leon, his face unreadable as he notes the man's dress and mien from beneath the brim of his hat. The Solarian's choice of black vest, white shirt, dark pants would seem a poor one in this day and heat, but he seemed touched by neither dirt nor sweat. Lily he noted as a companion, head tilted in a brief glance of acknowledgement but not lingering.

The pause stretched just a beat shy of overlong before Kahm adjusted his hat, speaking with a professional, un-accented voice, "Good afternoon. I don't suppose either of you know of a proper inn around these parts?"

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

Leon glances at Lily as Kahm approaches. He is used to relying on her to read someone -- to understand a threat they might pose, to assess whether they can be trusted. She tends to be more suspicious than him. It has saved him more than once. He looks back at Kahm when he approaches, though, and he smiles. It isn't especially friendly, but is unfailingly polite. He moves with the sort of bearing and posture that someone who spent time in a military would expect of another officer: slightly rigid, slightly formal, and subtly assertive.

"We just arrived in town," he says. He looks about, before he glances down the street. In a town like Hilton, where there aren't so many Drifters, that might mean something. Leon's eyes fall on one of the nicer hotels.

"The Hotel Rembrandt is nice," he says. "The rooms look out at the harbor, and the interior is well-decorated. It costs some money, though, if that's an obstacle."

A moment passes, then he adds: "Leon Albus." He isn't in the business of hiding his name -- even if it might draw the eye of someone who saw the wanted posters.

He is a terrible liar, though.

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

The battlefield is here with Lily now. She notices the way that Kahm is dressed poorly for the heat, but Lily is the same. But his attention says what his unreadable face doesn't.

She considers how many people are around the.

Unlike Leon, Lily does not smile. Her posture is similarly military, and she looks right back at him, but she does not move to authority. Instead, she waits, and there's teh quesion...

Leon answers first. That's fine. She declines to add anything about where to stay or what to do. She isn't in the business of small alk when she's watching someone, and her golden eyes are similarly hard to read.

She's a rather better liar than Leon is.

"Lily Keil," she does add, her Kislev accent plain. "Good afternoon."

<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.

Kahm's gaze followed Leon's towards the upscale Hotel Rembrandt, inclining his chin at the casual pitch. Money was not an object in truth, but a more modest accommodation was less likely to attract unwanted attention. "Perhaps a bit too rich for my blood. I am not above a lower haunt." He adds.

"Marcus Rider." Kahm gave his alias, all to used to flow of the most fundamental lie off the top of his tongue. Subterfuge was not his preference as a soldier-an identity that suffused his mien and movements as much as it did Leon-but he had grown accomplished at it's myriad forms. Not because he was a natural, but because he had worked at it.

Lily's name, and her Kislevi accent, bear little more than a glance back at her, more for the sake of polity than anything else. "..Fellow travelers, I see." Kahm said, managing welcoming expression that wasn't quite a smile, "Where are you headed from, if you don't mind my asking? Most I meet are headed anywhere but Adlehyde, these days."

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

"I don't blame you," Leon answers. "You might try the Hardiway Inn, too. It's more rustic, but it has much fairer prices."

He quiets after that, considering the question -- with another glance at Lily. He doesn't doubt that he heard their accents. He waits for Kahm to say something about it -- and he doesn't. He has learned, though, that doesn't mean that he doesn't recognize them.

"Lacour," he answers. It's the truth, but that is true of a lot of people these days. The Arms Tournament had worked in their favor, that way -- and the information they found was well worth it. "Hell of a tournament, wasn't it? I hadn't cheered so hard since the Battler Arena. It's a shame what happened at the end, though."

The black-armored man had drawn a lot of attention. "We got out before that, at least."

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Marcus Rider. Lily inclines her head, and doesn't comment about which hotel. It's not important to her, and frankly... Well, that's not important. She lets it go.

Lily glances at Leon in perfect time as he glances at her, and back to Kahm. Their names alone could give a lot of problems. The fact that Kahm looks back at her is noted. It's almost welcoming, that expression, and it will do.

"The tournament was nice," Lily says, and almost sounds pleasant. "Mostly." She remembers going backstage. Leon suggests they got out early...

"It was time to move on."

<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.

"I think i'll look into that, thank you." Kahm said. He lifted his chin with recognition when he mentioned the tournament, "Ah yes, that would be the other source. Quite an event, I was able to catch a few fights when I was there some business the other week."

His brow furrowed a bit at the mention of the tournament's ending, and Lily's comment reflect is as well. "I'd heard of trouble, but I actually hadn't gotten specifics yet. Word travels a bit slowly these days, it seems." He speaks with mounting curiosity. "What happened, exactly?"

While they speak, Kahm will try and move the conversation somewhere a bit more prudent than the middle of the walkway, "Forgive all the questions, comes with the territory. It's my job to investigate, you see."

He keeps his eyes on both of them, but pays particular mind to Lily's actions. She was the harder one to read for sure, but seemed to have softened a bit. The Solarian was also mindful of Lieutenant Voss's report-just as with Xantia, an unregistered ether user deserved a degree of caution, particularly in crowded spaces.

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

"It was," Leon agrees with Lily. He looks sideways at her, then he nods.

He doesn't argue when Kahm moves towards the side, away from the main walkway. He hesitates before he gets too far from the crowd, though. His eyes drift to the side, before he looks at him. "A man in black armor, calling himself the Seeker of Power, attacked the tournament -- and somehow altered two fighters eliminated early. It was... disconcerting, to say the least."

He wrinkles his nose, for a moment. Then, he tilts his head. "Your job?" he asks. "Are you an investigator of some sort?"

He looks at Lily. He knows she will be suspicious. It's a question of how much.

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Kahm seems to Lily to be very much full of questions, though he gives an explanation of that... More or less. The black-haired woman looks to Leon too--up, of course, with their height difference--and back to Kahm again. Moving to the side is fine with her as well, and she does so without comment. She waits for Leon to handle the question, and when he looks at her, she is watching Kahm. She is frowning by this point. If she seemed to soften a moment ago...

"For whom?" the medic asks quickly. Her hands are at her sides, of course, dangerous for an Ether user. "There are a lot of people who could gain something by investigating in this region. If we're helping your job, it's only fair that we ask who we're benefitting."

She doesn't sound pleased, but then, she doesn't sound angry either.

<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.

Black armor. Seeker of power. Interesting. "More strange events. Seems a surplus of those in the last few months. I suppose I can understand why the less rational are making claims of the end times." Kahm said, appreciating a bit of respite from the sun in the conveniently overhanging shade.

His admission brings with it an inherent suspicion, but that was alright. "Yes, i'm employed by the Smith & Luio Agency. Caravan guarding, missing persons, the odd monster extermination request-that kind of thing. We have several branches but headquarters are in Bledavik." He says, quickly adding, "And no, Miss Keil, your Kislevi accent doesn't mean anything to me. We're an independent business, and my business on the Silver Coast has nothing to do with the conflict between our nations."

Not this time, anyways.

"As to your question, you only benefit my personal curiosity." Kahm said, raising his hands peacefully, "Like I said, it's a force of habit."

Her hands didn't escape his notice. Lieutenant Voss said she was surprisingly proficient for a wild user, but he'd never heard of anyone mastering the thoughtforms on self-training alone.

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

Leon's brow furrows. He thinks he recognizes the agency. He needed to know some of Aveh's businesses -- it even made a convenient cover, at times, when they had to slip deep behind Aveh's lines to cause them trouble. He nods, though.

"Quite," he says. "Between that and Adlehyde, I'm not surprised people are frightened." He quiets, though, and glnaces sideways at Lily. He looks back at Kahm, though, apparently satisfied by something. "...That's for the best. We're not with any military, besides. We're not particularly seeking a fight."

That isn't strictly true.

"I imagine satisfying your curiosity isn't the only wealth you're finding, with times like these," he says. "Are you headed away from Lacour, now?"

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

"Not you," Lily points out about claims of the end times. "...People are afraid. Fear affects people in different ways." She almost sounds concerned... Or maybe she's just being contrarian.

The agency is something she thinks about immediately as well, sharing that glance with Leon again and looking bak to Kahm. "Good," she says. "I don't appreciate it when people try to drag me into that conflict because of where I'm from."

Not at all. Her hands stay down, anyway. She's generally seeking a fight, but admits, "I practice medicine," at the subject of fighting.

Kahm raises hs hands, and Lily stares before she nods. "...That's fine, then. I don't know how you bother with that work." She considers the next question. "Mm."

<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.

I'm not so sure about that. Kahm thinks when Leon insists upon their peaceful intent, though he is mainly concerned with Lily. Nonetheless, further suspicion seems to have abated for now. "Experience doctors are always in short supply, particularly in the country." He said towards the woman. "I don't doubt you have plenty of opportunities to practice your craft in these fearful times."

"The work isn't anything a child dreams of doing." He admits then, casting view over the shoulder at a random passerby. "But I appreciate that it allows me to travel, see the world."

"I am obligated to practice a certain amount of discretion on behalf of the company's clients, but in this case I have a few ruins I need to look into around here." Kahm said, shrugging, "Nothing I haven't done before, just hire a few drifters with company funds and have a go at it."

"The man removed his hat under the shade, revealing a head of dark, well-kept hair. "I don't know if you too do that kind of work, but something tells me you'd be skilled at it." He'll say, fanning himself with the hat in effort to keep cool, "I could consider you for it if so, unless you're plans are taking you elsewhere."

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

Leon is, after all, a bad liar.

He glances sideways at Lily. It is a tempting offer -- and it shows on his face. Even with the money from Bart, they aren't flush with cash. The Yggdrasill has limited resources, with all of those Gears. They have their own resources to consider, too; the hunt for Gryndille is not a cheap one. He hesitates, before he looks back at Kahm.

"We'll consider any job," he concludes. "If you're offering. Tell us what you need us to do, and we can get back to you with an answer."

He didn't accept immediately. He is capable of learning.

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Lily's peaceful intent is often concerned more with the peace of the grave than not, when it comes to potential threats. She does not strike, regardless; she instead speaks, "Often enough. People get hurt or sick no matter where you are."

A child's dreams... Lily shrugs. She's fond of travel herself, and even if she doesn't say so, it makes her think of it.

"Hmm." She looks over at Leon, looks back at Kahm. "As he says." Leon is capable of learning. "Our plans don't have to take us away yet."

<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.

"We can talk about the specific details later..." Kahm suggests, keeping an eye on the dipping sun above, "But it would just be that. Exploring a few ruins in the area and working your way past any obstacles. Miss Keil already said she was a medic, and you've the look of man who can handle a weapon or two." He said towards Leon.

"No need to answer me now if you don't know-it's certainly possible we might find ourselves mixed up with unfreindly rivals." The man says, casually stepping away from the pair with an off-handed wave, "But i'll be staying at the inn your recommended for a day or two, if you're looking for me. Leaving a message is fine too."