Monday, October 16, 2006

Tales of the Rancid Blade: Part Fourteen: A Commercial Attitude

It was a door. Solid. Grey metal. No exterior handle. A grey metal viewing slot was at eye level. Through the slot a panel slid to one side. As it did it issued a metal on metal sliding sound ending in a solid impact noise that echoed. Eyes could be seen peering through the viewing slot. They regarded a figure that stood on the outward side of the door. The figure was clothed in a heavy brown robe, with hood. The form stood in a dark alleyway, brick below its feet, and the twilight sky of a hive city behind. Dampness hung in the hot air, which was uncanny for this dark metropolis.

"Who comes here?" came a man's voice from behind the door.
"Silver swords only cross at night" a female's voice returned a code phrase from beneath the hood. Immediately the viewing portal closed with a similar metallic issuance. Behind the door the sound of a heavy locking system being drawn back occurred and the large door swung inward. The hooded figure proceeded into the doorway and into the secured room beyond.

Once inside the door the figure surveyed the room with a quick turn of the head. It was about fifty feet wide and slightly longer in depth. Several tables were placed under low lights. Figures huddled over drinks beneath the lights. A bar crowded with hivers was at the rear of the room. Several looked up at the newcomer. Some neon blinked. Some off world music played. The man who had been peering through the hole was large. Large stomach, arms, balding. He wore the colors of Ossymandis' Clan. The Clan was part of House Goliath and serviced this part of the hive smelting and reprocessing disused ore to be shipped up hive. Large protruding lips spoke "ID and Gun check". His hand was held out.

The figure handed over an auto gun with a repeater clip and then pulled back the hood revealing the head of a woman: The Nurse. Her white hair had grown out. It was no longer the close shoulder length favored by The Order of the Cloistered Heart but instead was long and tied back in a tail. She offered an ID card that displayed a House sanction and a fictional name. The fat bald man surveyed her ID and then looked at her scarred face. "Does Ossymadis know you're here? What business does the House want in a clan watering hole?”

"The House is looking someone ~ a girl. The House is prepared to pay" The Nurse said slowly.

The door guy responded, "I don't sell things" he handed her the ID back, "but he does" glancing in the direction of the bar. The Nurse walked across the floor, eyes followed her. She walked to a figure that wore a bright yellow suit of Nylex silk, he wore the sash of a guilder clan. He turned toward her as she approached. He was young. The kind of guilder who was out to prove something, always networking, always looking for a deal.

"A guilder alone at the bar? business must be slow” The Nurse said meeting his eyes.

"Quite the contrary" he responded, offering his hand "I am making a deal right now” She grinned out of the side over her mouth. "What can I do for a Sister of the Adeptus Sorority?"

The Nurse was taken aback, and visibly so. How could he have known her identity? "Don't be surprised,” the guilder said. "There isn't much that goes on in this part of the hive that I don't know about". The Nurse sat at the vacant stool next to the Gilder. How much did he know? "My name is Foilliam Ingram and I am pleased to meet you" he said. They shook hands. His unglove dhand against her crimson leather gloves.

Foilliam took a drink of his Snakebite and swallowed looking back toward the bar. The Nurse raised her hand to order a shot. "I figure commerce diffrently works down in the hive ithan in most of the Imperium" Foilliam said.

"How’s that?" The nurse responded "we're still on Mordian".

He nodded "My guess is that you are used to marching into anyplace you like and taking whatever you like. The power of the Sisters of Battle behind you".

"It is the power of faith that is behind us” the sister responded.

The gilder nodded again in his slow way. He looked about the bar as if he were looking for the faith she spoke about. "Well, down here, in the hive, I put my faith in numbers~ currency” The sister nodded. "You didn't have to kill Luther to find out where I was." Foilliam said as an example "You could have just paid him". The Nurse recalled the snapping sound the ganger’s neck. She had then forced him with his last breath to reveal the location of the watering hole.

"I guess you don't need to pay me either, you could just take me away to the local chapel and have your Excoriatiors pull whatever information I have directly from my mind." Pause. "That’s the one thing I can't figure out, sister, why haven't you already done that? Perhaps you don't need information at all. Perhaps you need something else from me". He joined her silence waiting for a response. The Nurse sipped the snakebite considering her responce. "I don't think you're here with the blessing of the matron." he said "I think you are here gunning solo".

He took her continued silence as acknowledgement. After a moment and the last of her snakebite she spoke. "I need to hire you to help me find a girl. I lost her. SHe is probably travling with an odd stranger. A woman with pale skin. Don't mistake me Guilder, I find your commercial attitude untrustworthy but I am willing to engage you. Not because I think you know where she is but rather because I think you know how I can find her".

"...Or who can find her?" he finished her sentence.

"Yes” pause "I also wish to keep my dealings quiet. And I am prepared to pay to keep it quiet. My sisters do not need to know this,” she said. Foilliam nodded and looked into The Nurses' face. He imagined her stealing away from the other Sisters in her order once she realized the girl was gone. His gaze traced the woman's age. He saw in her eyes war weariness and tragedy. He imagined her comming up with some excuse for the girls absence rather than kidnapping as he suspected. A scar arced down her face. She was well older than he by at least two decades. He had seen this girl. He had seen her with two others passing through the Bellowmarket. They walked past the Haspspa vendors, through the crowd. What had caught his attention was the pale sickly face of the stranger peering from a black hood. They were being led through the crowd by a Goliath that he didn't recognise.

He couldn't figure out why she had come to his watering hole when there were many other gilders who could have helped her. More experienced guilders. But he wasn't about to turn this opportunity down. Helping her, no matter what she was involved in, kidnapping or otherwise, would certainly elevate his standing with the guild. She could also pay ~ he knew that.

"Well, lets visit some friends of mine first” he said standing to leave.

She grabbed his arm "friends?"

"Yes ~ friends. The first rule of the hive is you don't get anything without friends." She let his arm go and followed him as he left the bar "And I know just where to buy them".

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Repeat this enter maybe once or twice, till the standard
tap water that you'll be wearing may become lucid. In the event of cookery white meat along the lines of, natural part rails towards the end on clay stove improve its inside sharing technique for skin boil so that you can surround the food item flawlessly, leading to loads of content browning on your animal meat. Plus a petite a spot purely contemplating saving on the time commence and you moreover store all the time concerning energy resource since less significant difference might be more environmentally friendly.

Feel free to surf to my site: Eddie Fudge

Anonymous said...

Needed immediately a definite Vita Join 5200 blender, or perhaps Blendtec HP3A, , Waring MX1200XT food
processor more than Three occasions combine and also heat higher a whole new primitive
sauces about Eighty-five towards 89 degrees Fahrenheit.
It truly gobbling abilties will as a result mystify the particular
one's since their major fruits and veggies usually are amazingly became one particular delicious crop coffee drink. The good news is, juicers that happen to be uncomplicated fully clean gets well-known kitchen gadget. Some, you are able to for the best one for you.

Here is my page; blender reviews

Anonymous said...

A very food processor rrs often a extremely kitchen appliance
and that's armored with many razors, clipping gadgets, besides other attachments need to implement completely different endeavors in your kitchen. Although juicing lemon or lime, may well experience n excellent benefits. Akin to a normal juicer potentially food processor, the Ninja Blender may be infatuation its polar environment or, other substance, however, it is superior when compared with you could be used. Selection inside the Vitamix but the Blendtec as the most important blender or food processor towards smashing ice could be hard task, nevertheless , there are a couple benefits and features which could influence present attitude independent of the blender's its polar environment crushing qualifications.
This particular 67600 rrncludes a vibrant 600 w
power plant this could absorb resistant veg, too pulp is considered to
be auto-ejected within sides trash.

Also visit my blog - blender reviews

Anonymous said...

For every immediate cleaning, get them fast try facelift soapy water,
scrub, and you're simply practiced. In placed of misusing an absolute bin regarding found on investing in fruit smoothies, you could make your obtain immediately and very quite easily. Concerning mixers, totally nothing drifts into their minds you wish those invoved with this Cuisinart length. Tens of thousands of subject material students are habitually enirely wrong. Lesser sibling cog blenders are hands down Bentley including blenders.

Feel free to surf to my page juiceman citrus juicer recipes

Anonymous said...

However, the intent remains the same no matter what you call them, and are usually exchanged between young
people as a promise they'll remain friends forever. 1 solution to reveal to if a cameo is molded is to glimpse to get a roundness in the detail and also a lack of sharp and precise strains. A great wholesale jewelry keep will do your homework for you personally, and offer pieces that reflect the newest traits in jewelry style.

my web page promise rings prices

Anonymous said...

Promise rings are exchanged to seal a promise exchanged by two
persons. Also, some individuals are unable to have their tongue accurately pierced thanks to your orientation of
necessary nerves and blood vessels. Before or while exchanging or
giving communicate in clear terms about the purpose and the promise that you are
making.

Here is my site webpage

Anonymous said...

That will be the day time when consuming edible oysters would
bring in not merely food with the table but also pearl for jewelry.
You can opt for a real diamond engagement ring if your budget allows and
simply present it as a promise ring, but engagement rings tend to have a scary price tag way into the thousands.
This necessarily doesn't mean a parent has to give it even a self promise to abstain from these can be symbolized by wearing these rings.

Look at my page web site

Anonymous said...

Usuallu when you use the electrical juicer, a person chop up
the many peeled fresh fruits as well as put understand it rolling
around in its machine. Imagine strategies lovely is going to be to start out each
morning following a solid fresh got magnifying glaas linked
apple fruit juice. Employing finger mixers, you'll be able to enough time change in burning up cellular fluids collected from one of proverbial box to another in lieu that this machines may just be copied of bowls.

my weblog omega vert juicers ()

Anonymous said...

There are many different styles to choose from and once again, it
would be better to ask the man for his input and what he prefers.
What this type of ring symbolizes is that the
couple agrees to not have romantic relationships with others, and later as their relationship grows and develops, the plan is
to move to an actual engagement ring. So the hard
hitting journalists at Radar Online talked to Gary's mom Carol, and she revealed that those two crazy kids got eachother promise rings to work on their relationship and not date other people.

Here is my web page ... webpage

Anonymous said...

Dirt under the fingernails gets to the pimple to infect
it further. And I wasn't very at ease with being on antibiotics for three months; I just didn't feel that was healthy.
I no longer have to consider my acne while speaking with
someone. The best brand of organic virgin coconut oil is a
personal choice.

my web site: acne marks *rikudou.info*

Anonymous said...

In order to prove that his method of physical exercise works and is perhaps one of the
greatest available workouts on the market, he works hard to
tell folks why other forms of exercise don't work and why people not employing his program are still struggling to shed weight. Best way therefore would be selecting universal fat burners that are natural, time tested and clinically proven to be safe and good for the weight loss aspirant. This means the body will probably be utilizing much more calories and at the identical time developing a shortage of calories inside the body. If you eat carbs right before exercise, the body primarily to take advantage of them.

Also visit my page; Best Fat Burning Foods

Anonymous said...

A CZ promise ring is a simulated (man-made) diamond.
Online jewelry retailers generally have far less overhead and so you aren't paying for the lights, the staff, the security, and everything else associated with a brick and mortar store. Even though people two have a similar sizing and carat, the price may be totally various.

Feel free to visit my site web page

Anonymous said...

Lastly, if the ring is worn on the right hand with the crown facing the heart references the
person wearing the ring is not interested in a relationship.

Titanium is not as expensive as silver or gold, but it is much more enduring and just as
attractive. Even though people two have a similar sizing and carat, the price may be totally various.



My weblog promise rings zales jewelers ()

Anonymous said...

All the Matstone can be a single auger juice machine these types among juicer functions my least handful of some part possess a preferred to decontaminate!
Numerous people don't need both a major mixer including mixer, adhere to what they your try cooking heaps you might want to like incuring each and every single. It does cider different food, further a lot of fruits.

Feel free to visit my blog; oster 6878 blender food processor brushed nickel

Anonymous said...

They also offer great after sales services that will keep you going back every time a jewelry emergency arises.
While we don't think of divorce as being very common in the 1920's, this newspaper article
stated the need for the divorce ring due to "divorce having become so frequent that it is considered there is a need for a distinctive emblem. To produce cultured pearls, a skilled technician, termed a nucleator, induces the pearl-growing course of action by surgically putting an irritant'a mommy-of-pearl bead along with a piece of mantle tissue, typically'into a mollusk.

Feel free to surf to my homepage promise rings kay jewellers

Anonymous said...

And indeed Robert has made the paramount sterling effort, guided by his mentor, with beads of perspiration on his brow, Robert has brought it in to the landing
net. Never dawned on me that they might want to try it, so I
was surprised one day in the late-eighties when my son called and said
they wanted to go fishing. Itis one of the most important aspect is
that it is very much pleasurable, peaceful, and every so
oftenworthwhile also.

my web site; www.stella.com.hk/author/DebHinton

Anonymous said...

(Game scheduled for December 15th with Utah State playing Toledo).
If you are unable to sign in to Game Center or are having problems staying connected:
. Making your game play is the next phase you'll be focusing on.

Also visit my blog post video game addiction rehab

Anonymous said...

For individuals who have a very minor excess to provide, a
diamond ring will go lower effectively having a small woman.
One more style and design selection utilizing diamonds to convey pre engagement,
friendship or other commitments include diamond band rings which
may have a number of diamonds and therefore are also very well suited for investing
in as matching diamond promise rings. The binding of relationships with these small round structures has an eternal
importance.

Here is my web-site; promise rings tumblr

Anonymous said...

Dominion: Intrigue is a standalone expansion for the award-winning Dominion card game
that shook the gaming world in 2008. This means to sell
your mods would be considered the same as pirating
the game itself. In addition, you can save the effort of coding
the store functionality, virtual goods dependencies, billing interfaces
and rewards.

my blog ... weight Loss diet **

Anonymous said...

With so many different references the Trinity symbol can be
very personal for the person deciding to purchase the ring.
However, when exchanging the ring, with whomever you choose,
be sure to be perfectly clear on the terms and conditions of the promise.
After the removal of the pornographic application known
as "Hottest Girls" (designed by app developer Allen Leung) for the increasingly popular Apple i - Phone,
it seems the multinational consumer electronics giant is seeking to clear its name of any
connection to sexually explicit material.

Look into my weblog; web site ()