The Dark Operation, Always-He-Lingers-in-the-Sun is back for more... in Cyrodiil. Options

[canis216]

What Revan said is good. I should also add that if you read one of my contributions to The Temple of Lore you'd get some nice background on Al's ad hoc connection to the Shadowscales.

[canis216]

9.

Waterfront District, the Imperial City

You want t’ know about the Cap’n of the Mah-ree Elena? Aye, s’pose I hear some things. He don’t ever come out of that cabin of ‘is, is what I hears. I sure ain’t never seen ‘im, and I’m on the Waterfront all day, if ya’ know what I mean, sir. Oh, yes sir, does all his business through that dark elf mate what patrols the docks. Real hard case, that one. Why, I was making me rounds the other day sir, you knows, singing for me supper, and I swear to old Aka she’d have slew me on the spot if it weren’t for the Watch.

Would I likes to earn some scratch? Aye sir. What’d you ‘ave in mind?

* * *

No doubt about it, Malvulis was agitated. Nervous, even, though her crew would never speak a questioning word; at least not to her face. Not now, on their last evening in port. In the morning they would sail down the Niben, bound for the Abecean. But until they reached the open sea they were vulnerable, and the First Mate knew it better than anyone.

“How many crates left, Hutsei?” It was more a command than a question.

A shirtless, red-scaled argonian answered thus: “Twenty-five, ma’am. Any faster and we’ll damage the cargo!” They were moving brandy, wine, hard booze—skirting tariffs—and a fair helping of skooma, all of it destined for Stros M’kai.

Twenty-five crates would take another three hours, at least, to haul down below deck and secure. Probably four. Malvulis swore, none too softly. Four more hours and she thought she would drive herself batty, imagining every passer-by would get curious and start poking into her cargo, or want to see a manifest. And then there was the other problem. She glanced back to the ship and saw the reassuring candlelight glow from Captain Tussaud’s quarters. She took a deep breath… everything was going to be alright.

“Ma’am,” a redguard’s voice interrupted, “the beggar is skulking about again.” She looked up and saw the fellow pointing dockside with his cutlass.

Letting loose a contemptuous snort, Malvulis turned and saw the bum. This time he had a drink in hand. This was why she hated the charitable. “I’ll take care of it, Bridger,” she groaned, “You just get back to loading. I want to be ready to leave at first light.”

The beggar seemed to be… singing? He must have found quite a benefactor tonight, Malvulis thought. He clearly already had a few in him. She strode quickly down the gangplank, fingering her cutlass, as the beggar staggered up to a stack of cargo.

“O, t’was never better… than to bed her… all ‘long the ‘becean Sea…”

The doddering fool took a deep swig of his libation—Malvulis smelled mead on the air—and then sat down heavily on a strongbox, a chest the dunmer first mate knew contained at least ten vials worth of skooma. The bum’s grimy fingers idly played with the padlock…

“Away from that cargo, s’wit! Now!” Malvulis’ cutlass was drawn, her gaze enough to make an ogre think twice. The bum practically vaulted up from his seat, terror full in his eyes. He looked anything but drunk, now, and stammered, “Many apologies milady, I meant nothing by it, nothing a’tall! Just wetting me whistle, is all!”

The dunmer raised her sword, “Just wetting your whistle! Why—“

The watchman rounded into view. Malvulis froze. The beggar turned and ran, forgetting his mead. And the redguard Bridger shouted, “Ma’am! I hear noises in the Captain’s cabin!”

“What!” The dunmer turned and ran shipboard, shouting. “Open that door! Now!”

Hutsei fumbled with the key, then dropped it, then kicked in the door. Three pirates burst inside, finding the Captain slumped onto a table sticky with his own blood. The aft door was open wide.

All that remained of the killer were the ripples in Lake Rumare.

This post has been edited by canis216: Jul 4 2009, 06:13 PM

[Olen]

Another good update, and a refreshing style telling it from the point of view of a minor character.

Good stuff, but I want more.

[Agent Griff]

Heh, Al handled this assignment much like one of my own Oblivion characters handled it. Only, in my case, the distraction wasn't provided by a beggar but by an Imperial Watch member. As my character tried to hide in one of the crates waiting to be loaded onto the ship, I looked up and saw that all three pirates who were outside the ship were franticly fighting against a lone Watch patrolman. As they killed each other, I carefully sneaked into the Captain's quarters. After the deed was done, I could hear knocks on the door. Realizing that the pirates were onto my scheme, I quickly looked for places to escape. It was, by chance, that I saw the door behind the Captain's desk and opened it to plunge into the waters of the harbour. Much like Al.

Great update. I also liked the point-of-view character. Using minor characters as witnesses to the deeds of the protagonist is a time-proven method and I'm glad to see it pulled off so well. Great work! A tad short though.

[jack cloudy]

Well, that's the good thing about being an Argonian. You can escape underwater real easy. Heck, Al can hide under the boat for over an hour till things cool down. Bet those pirates will never look there. I wonder if Al is going to 'drop an anonymous hint' at the guards about the smuggling, just for fun.

[The Metal Mallet]

Exemplary work as usual canis.

[minque]

Exemplary work as usual canis.

Wha Mallie said.....excellent and very well written, as usual

[canis216]

10.

A Letter

C,

And so this exasperating operation continues. I write from Bruma, where the organization in question has dispatched me to eliminate a bosmer aristocrat. (Is there really such a thing as an aristocratic bosmer? Why not? We are a generous people.)

Booze-addled digressions aside, there is not much to report. Per our agreed protocol, I nosed around town, trying to figure out why Baenlin—the target—was slated to die. I have concluded that the hit was arranged by a relative, looking to inherit the old wood elf’s estate. I base my conclusion upon these facts, listed in no particular order:

1) Baenlin had a substantial estate
2) His manservant was explicitly not be killed
3) His death was arranged as an accident

Once the dust clears from this mission, I suggest that whoever inherits Baenlin’s estate be arrested. Of course, the evidence I list here is completely circumstantial—but the law of the Empire is clear: “All defendants are considered guilty until proven innocent.”

The details of the dirty deed itself are rather dull. I know I was bored. I broke in through the cellar and made my way up to the crawlspace without incident. That was at about four in the afternoon. Then I settled down to wait—Valtieri noted that the target did not settle into his chair, below the minotaur head, until 8:00 PM. I killed time (hopefully without damaging eternity, unlike those crazy Maruhkatis) with that flask of brandy you sent me. (Forward my compliments to Ra’tesh, will you?)

I think I may have drifted off into sleep, which is well enough. The organization in question (are you really that worried that these bloody messages will be intercepted?) isn’t worthy of my wakefulness, anyway. In any case, I woke up at about a quarter past nine, at which point I took another swig of brandy and cut the bindings that held the minotaur head in place. Crash, bang, et cetera, and Baenlin was dead.

That’s about the sight of it. Gromm (the manservant), I last saw standing guard over the wood elf’s corpse. Loyal fellow—probably won’t respond well to whatever scum inherits the place. Speaking of scum, I think I might lay about town a few days and see who shows up… I’ll try to show restraint. Or at least I’ll try to be hung over.

Groggily,

A.H.L.i.t.S.

This post has been edited by canis216: Jul 4 2009, 06:16 PM

[Black Hand]

Hehehe. You seem to have a "This mission isn't everything they cracked it up to be" tone in this great update.

I agree.

[The Metal Mallet]

"Crash, bang, et cetera..."

Haha. Great line. This was definitely an amusing update for sure.

[Agent Griff]

I like how you turn the contemporary law system of "presumed innocent until proven guilty" to a mock-Imperial system of "presumed guilty until proven innocent". Great twist Canis! I also liked how Al considers such missions to be beneath him and how he doubts the power of the Dark Brotherhood. I suspect he shall have a big surprise, since the Brotherhood can be quite resourceful when its back is to the wall.

[canis216]

I like how you turn the contemporary law system of "presumed innocent until proven guilty" to a mock-Imperial system of "presumed guilty until proven innocent". Great twist Canis! I also liked how Al considers such missions to be beneath him and how he doubts the power of the Dark Brotherhood. I suspect he shall have a big surprise, since the Brotherhood can be quite resourceful when its back is to the wall.

Actually, that is the real law of Tamriel. See this book from Daggerfall: "The Tamriel legal system has its basis in the civilized, reasonable credo uttered by the prophet Marukh in the first era: 'All are guilty until they have proven themselves innocent.' Were truer word ever spoke?"

This post has been edited by canis216: Mar 7 2008, 04:47 PM

[Olen]

Well the way things are heading...

Anyway nice update, quite ammusing. I can imagine Al enjoying a certain mission... if you get that far though the quest before diverging. Anyway good stuff.

[jack cloudy]

I love Al.

He does have a point when he critiscizes the censoring, though. Even with the censoring, it's pretty damn obvious the organization is a pack of assassins. And what is the name of the big pack of assassins? That's right, the DB.

[canis216]

11.

Bruma City Watch Report for Fredas, 17 Hearthfire, 3E433

9:15 AM: Chapel of Talos reports Stone of St. Alessia stolen by bandits. Referred to Fighter’s Guild. (Complete complaint attached)

3:31 PM: Bradon Lirrian, vampire, brought to justice by Raynil Dralas, vampire hunter. Lethal action authorized by Carius Runellius, Inquisitor of the Watch. (Complete report due Middas, 22 HF)

4:57 PM: Fetid Jonfhnild, occupation vagrant, cited for vagrancy. No fine assessed, though he was once again encouraged to take a bath.

7:17 PM: Caenlin, noble and nephew of the late Baenlin (investigation still pending), reports assault by unseen assailant. Received broken four broken ribs, broken collarbone, broken jawbone, severe concussion. Both eyes swollen shut. No suspects. Assailant reported to smell of brandy. Possible connection to case 433-01671 being investigated. (Complete complaint attached)

10:51 PM: Skjorta, occupation shopkeeper, cited for public indecency at Olav’s Tap and Tack. 10 septim fine assessed and paid.

11:15 PM: Olfand, occupation shopkeeper, cited for drunk and disorderly conduct. 25 septim fine assessed and paid.

11:18 PM Skjorta, occupation shopkeeper, cited for serial public indecency and for slandering the Watch. 40 septim fine assessed and paid.

Praise be to the Nine!

This post has been edited by canis216: Jul 4 2009, 06:19 PM

[jack cloudy]

Hmm, smelled like Brandy? I wonder who that could have been.

And the last sentence in the report is funny. Sure, the world is apparantly going all to hell, but damn, bless the gods for their mercy!

[Olen]

I like the varienty of different styles and sources you use to tell this story, keeps it really fresh and interesting.

Nice stuff.

[Agent Griff]

Great update! You manage to relay such humour with such updates, I think you should try your hand at comedies, not just assassin fics.

[The Metal Mallet]

I am pleased with this update. My Al thirst is sated for now...

[minque]

Me too...I love Al! Enjoyed the last two updates immensely..so keep'em comin huh!