Ian woke the next morning conflicted. His new friend had some disturbingly callous attitudes and being in business with her meant she would profit if he were to have an accident after they sold their crop. Also their luck with the Scraver's in Lawton wouldn't last forever, sooner or later there'd be a fight over what they did to the smugglers. So he played with his new heavy revolver and rifle stock for a bit and went outside to slice things up with his vibrosaber for a bit until the feeling of anxiety faded. Kira had a mountain of work to catch up on and Cheif Bak had been trying to test batches in her absence and made a mess of her testing area. At the end of her long day Ian showed up to "help her close up the packing house". It turns out he actually wanted to lock up tonight. He wanted to see what happened to the priests.
The pair hiked the five miles out to the Junk Garden in the dark, once more skulking towards the camp with the benefit of knowing the lay of the land this time. The campsite was empty, coals in the firepit still warm. Tents were gone and any sign of what the Avesti left behind was blended in with the other garbage except the distinctly disgusting pools of chunky bodily fluids that told a story of their unrivaled misery. There was no clear path where they had gone and maybe more pleasantly there were no graves they could find of anyone who didn't survive. After investigating the camp they walked down to the old Reclamation Barn and knocked at the window until one of the Scraver's that worked the yard pressed his face against the glass and opened the door. Inside the old barn there was a fire burning and half-worked projects everywhere. Bin was hard at work soldering on some volt workings and Leon seems to have been playing the lyre. Ian and Kira made small talk and asked if they had a decent evaporator or condenser for distilling plant oils. Leon scratched at his chin and said he wished they had shown up before, that they had built an amazing condenser with a 5 gallon vacuum jar for Boss Blue but didn't really have any of the parts but he could make a good evaporation still if they had 3 firebirds and a couple of minutes. While Leon cobbled together and old gas stove with a metal dish Ian asked about rumors of red-robed priests hanging around the Junkyard but Leon claimed he hadn't heard any talk about the priests who had been camping a few dozen yards from their home. Kira, feeling her oats threatened not to buy the evaporator if he didn't tell her where the Avesti had gone. Leon shrugged and kept working and told her he can't tell her what he doesn't know. She started to threaten him before Ian backed her down. He offered an extra firebird if Leon knew anything but Leon just explained he doesn't involve himself in the business of people with flame throwers. They paid for their evaporator and walked back home.
The next day Kira took care of contract work and Ian blew off another day of shuttle maintenance to take in the lay of the town. He had heard rumors about protests but didn't put much stock in them. Sure enough as he got to the town square he found a group of freeman farmers holding signs protesting the Chruch Proclemation and chanting "Let Us Heal!" Soon constables showed up with shields and nightsticks and a Knight addressed the growing group of protesters telling them they would have to disperse. Ian settled into the front window of a noodle shop to watch as the confrontation grew more tense and finally erupted into a brawl in the peaceful town square. The Baron's men were better suited for the fight but outnumbered badly. The fight was over quickly but both sides left men on the bricks, badly injured.
Back at the Packing House Kira was feeling overwhelmed with a tide of harvested crop that was never ending. Cheif Pak was looking stressed out and kept interrupting her to get updates. She understood that he was under more pressure than she was but it wasn't helping. In the middle of another delivery Mistress Aiko walked in through the wide open doors of the Packing House and waltzed into Kira's work area "Blessed Day Miss Kira, my Lady wishes you attend her.." Kira tried to explain she had responsibilities but Misress Aiko just smiled sweetly and shook her head and continued to ask nicely until Kira walked out to sit in Sakura's coach. Sakura seemed troubled, speaking to Kira's reflection in the window "Our decision to attack those priests weighs heavilly on me. I require you to confess your misdeeds" Kira nervously tried to explain she was only following orders but Kira was insistent and simply had her driver began driving to the temple. She told Kira she would wait and afterwards they would have tea. Kira went in, greeted by a Red-Robed Orthodox Priest who apologized for not seeing her earlier, he was in the middle of lunch. Kira offered to come back later but the Priest was no fool. He confessored her into admitting she had come for confession and he led her to the confessional. Inside she made up a line of apologies about disliking the Avesti and feeling guilty. The priest, being accustomed to his line of work explained that he didn't think the fear of a faith that differed from hers didn't drive her to the confessional but she refused to offer more of her sins. The priest merely chuckled and said the confessional wasn't going anywhere and she could return when her burdens troubled her more.
As Kira returned to Sakura's waiting coach the noble lady verified the confession was made and then asked her "Where's that Charioteer friend of yours?" Soon they were cruising the busy streets of Lawton until they found Ian walking up the road and stopped to gather him and bring him to Temple for his own confession. Ian was a bit more trusting, confessing he played part in a conspiracy to drive the Avesti out of town and he's worried his actions may have led to one or more of them being harmed. The priest pressed him for what he felt he did wrong and Ian admitted that he and his friend had brewed a poison for Lady Sakura but didn't know how much she gave them or how. For his honesty he got penance with 100 Oh Light My Redeemers and allowed to walk outside and climb into Sakura's Coach. Seemingly pleased with her employees piety Sakura commanded her coachman to drive the load of them to The Leng Po Tea Market.
Sakura exited her flashy autocoach in the busy market, people all around reacting to her bigger-than-life presence as she led Ian and Kira into the market past the big fragrant baskets of tea. Mistress Aiko following along with an excited smile. They were escorted to a quiet private room and given menus. Both guilders were asked to order their own pot of tea and Sakura ordered enough Dim Sum dishes to cover the table. They ate fattening food and drank excellently brewed teas. Kira tried a 4 Firebird pot of highly caffeinated Yellow Tea and Ian ate dumplings until he thought he would burst. Once Sakura seemed satisfied everyone was sated she began to make the most inane small talk, doing her best to related to the guilders genially without any real understanding of what they do or like. It was two hours of awkward disconnected question and answer with Sakura checking her watch often that finally came to an end when a young boy entered the room and set an Origami pig on the table. Kira noted the boy didn't have an apron like the rest of the employees. Sakura unfolded the pig and read it with a pleased smile, rising to stand "Would you both help me, I must buy a map.." Aiko scrambled to have food wrapped up and bagged for her Lady's guests as Sakura departed, leaving Ian and Kira to chase after her. They followed her to and ancient looking store full of musty books called The Book Temple, where Sakura was being shown maps. She consulted with both of them, looking for a map that showed the path of water from the mountains into the region. Ian found a watershed map that seemed to please her and she glanced between them "I once again have need of your rare talents, would you accompany me into the Ombre woods tomorrow morning? I'll pay you twice our usual arrangement.." Nothing makes a guilder nod like 'twice our usual arrangement' it's not clear if either Ian or Kira understood what they were agreeing to outside of 200 FB for a morning's work. Later, while drinking beers and eating left over Dim Sum on the launch pad, they both spent a lot of time imagining how very bad it could be.
In the early morning Iam and Kira stretched their synthsilk on and loaded their guns, standing ready to go as Sakura's coach rolled up silently to the launch pad. Sakua herself was dressed in fashionable boots and trousers, Mistress Aiko wearing her her ever-present faded purple Kimono. The driver took them onto a dirt road leading up into the hills of Harmony Ridge butting up against the treeline of the foggy and foreboding looking Ombre woods before giving up on getting any further inland with the Autocoach's narrow wheels. They exited and Sakura lead them up into the foothills, following her map until she found the foundation of an old building. Kira reasoned it may have been Second Republic. it was badly damaged from fighting. Sakura found her bearings and led them into the dark canopy of the trees, following a tired little stream by her map. She would stop here and there to get her bearings before requesting that Ian clear a path up onto a hill. Once they crested the hill they found an open clearing that opened on a massive building grown over by the vines and lichen of the rainforrest. As they searched around the grounds of the enormous structure Kira had an epiphany. The building's odd contours formed the characters D and 9. And as Kira was trying to signal Ian to the unique shapes Ian became aware that the forest was advancing on them.
From all around figures spring from the undergrowth wearing hooded cloaks camouflaged with the natural lichen and vines of the region, feet away from them, people with dark sunken eyes, black bestial noses and sharp teeth. Their weapons were primitive, mostly crossbows and hunting rifles, but still dangerous. Sakura had her weapon in hand immediately but gestured for her compatriots to hold as they reached for their own. She lowered her sword as the first of the hounds spoke to her "This is no human place, you are trespassers, what do you want.." "Sakura stood proud and uncompromising as she eyed more Changed moving in the buildings overhead "We are here by invitation.. I come to speak to your elder.. your leader.." A grey-haired female changed lowered her crossbow and approached Sakura, sniffing at the air around her before meeting the eyes of the other Hounds and speaking to the group "You will hand us your weapons and follow.. follow only where I go.." and with that she turned and moved into an entrance of the 9 building. Sakura was first to hand over her sword and gun and follow recklessly into the dark, followed by Ian and Aiko, Kira really didn't like handing over her weapons to these bestial creatures and briefly thought about trying to conceal her pistol but they seemed pretty perceptive so she passed her weapons into the clawed fingers of a nearby hooded Changed and followed.
The path led through the overgrown ruins, twisting through darkenned hallways of bare maxcrete with gutted fixtures until finally the Changed woman led them into a beautiful small garden courtyard with a small tree growing from the broken floor. From one of the four exits to the courtyard walked an older greying man with hound-features and two bodyguards his arrival heralded by his sonorous voice "I have heard you've driven off the Avesti, is this true.." Sakura smiled "I certainly hope so, they're hard to drive out.". The Dogfather's tired features bent into a smile "They have this in common with my kin, what other than recklessness has brought you to us Li-Halan?" Sakura tightened her gloved hands into fists "I have come to remind you of the agreement you made with my family. The Baron needs your help in this time of trial. I have sought you out to ask for that aid.." The Dogfather looked saddened and angered "That alliance died long ago, you drive our people out, you cut down our woods, we have no debt to your House.." Sakura pleaded "This is the gift of good faith, I have acted in your interest and come to you in peace.. hear what I ask before you turn me away.. Let me be the goldflower for our wounds..". Just then there was a distant howl, then another as the Hounds grew tense and two more soldiers rushed from the dark hallway the Dogfather came from, whispering to him. The Dogfather looked to Sakura and the others angrily "The Red Priests come.. your Goldflower is Whitetongue.." with an angry gesture the hounds began to scatter as he retreated down the darkened hallway he entered. The hounds carrying their weapons set them on the ground as they also faded into the darkness. Sakura picked up her Vibroblade and autofeed staring down the hall they entered from and licking her lips "Both of you get Aiko out of here.." Ian was terrified of what would happened if they returned from the forest without the Noble Lady they walked in with. Kira cocked the action on her RipRoarer, excited by an end to the coy games played with the Avesti. She was about to make some dead priests. Aiko was frozen in place, unable to remember if she had loaded the shotgun she was aiming down the hallway and too afraid to check.
When the Avesti came their flameguns cast shadows on the doorframe before they burst into the open. Sakura stood her ground in front of the doorway to the courtyard with Aiko by her side until multiple flameguns pouring flaming Ka oil engulfed her in fire. Aiko flung herself to the far side of the courtyard and scrambled into cover and Kira sprayed the pilgrims at the front of Sakura with automatic fire until he vanished in the smoke. Ian was tucked into cover and couldn't get a good shot on anyone. As the flames swept past Sakura her body sparkled with the energy of her personal shield. She fired a single shot into the Avesti charging, the gun's recoil twisting it neatly out of her grip and fell on the ground. Priests flooded into the courtyard and sprayed Sakura with flames again, two more flamed Ian and Kira, both of them badly burned. Ian shot the arm of a Pilgrim wearing a Stiff Synth arming doublet, crippling it. Kira walked forward into the flames spraying the Avesti that shot Lady Sakura with a stream of automatic fire but the priest stood his ground, his blood sprayed against the wall behind him. Sakura drew her vibrosaber and cut the wounded Avesti down. Ian took another shot and dropped another Avesti emerging from the darkened hall. From across the courtyard from the entry Mistress Aiko had scrambled into there was a loud echoing BOOM followed by two more abrupt booms as fighting seemed to surround them. The three remaining priests with flameguns washed the courtyard in flames again, Sakura consumed by the fire, Ian dodging back behind the corner of the crumbling building and Kira bending out of the flow of flames, her clothes still smoking from the last burning. Kira drew her rapier and lunged into the armored Avesti impaling the pilgrim behind him. Her stab foiled his aim and the flintlock rifle that was pointed at her face missed by inches. The big priest Kira charged began to throw punches at her but he was unable to do more than tighten her synthsilk bodysuit. Ian fired another shot that grazed the shoulder of the armored pilgrim fighting with Kira. From the back of the courtyard where Aiko disappeared there were grunts and fierce cries and the sound of the building collapsing. Sakura cut down the last of the priests with flameguns. The priest with a cripled arm staggered back into the hall, two other priests backing away with him as he drew a grenade out of his pouch. Ian advanced and shot another Avesti in the chest, dropping him instantly. Sakura raised her hand to hold back her aggressive guilders as she stared down the fanatic with the grenade "Yeild, this fight is done..". Kira shoved her rapier in the wounded armored Avesti and began reloading her Rip-Roarer. Behind the wall Aiko was screaming and there was a brutal pounding noise. The Avesti holding the grenade growled "Run" as he dropped the grenade and the last two priests ran down a side passage way. The entire hall exploded with thick choking smoke. Sakura hesitated but Kira and Ian both charged blindly into the smoke. Kira made it about five steps before falling over a dead priest and starting to choke on the vile smoke. Ian powered over the dead bodies and managed blindly chase the sound of fleeing footsteps. Mistress Aiko staggered out of the other side of the courtyard, her face bloodied, her clothes torn, aching and filthy "Did we win?"
Running clear of the smoke Ian bounced against the ruin's walls until he coughed out the smoke. He came out into the foliage growing through the building to see the two fleeing pilgrims struggling through the undergrowth. He took aim and shot one down in the briers. The crippled priest spun around and doused the green vines between them in burning Ka oil obscuring Ian's view with flames and black smoke. Ian was suffused with anger and knew that if the Avesti escaped more would come and they would take their revenge on the innocent Changed. He vaulted forward, sprinting over the trampled undergrowth, leaping through the flames and catching the last Avesti by surprise with a shot to the chest that brought him down before he could try to fire his flamegun again.
At the end eight Avesti Pilgrims were dead, one of them pinned under a collapsed piece of the building and his head beaten in by Aiko's shotgun, their weapons rounded up in a bundle. The changed slowly crept back into view, not eager to startled their deadly guests. The elderly Changed woman approached with her hands open "You shouldn't have done this, you'll bring their wrath down upon us". Sakura sheathed her sword, her finery cooked into rags by heat that bled through her shield "It is done, the enemy of both our people is now our shared enemy, and because of my people they don't know of your home.. will you speak with me now?". The changed woman gritted her teeth before waving for everyone to follow her, down the hallway the Dogfather retreated, down the ramp of a collapsed floor into a wide open space with ancient dilapidated autowagons parked everywhere. Kira's eyes lit up as she began to examine the old wrecks and Ian watched over the Changed. Sakura walked deeper into the room to speak in hushed tones with the Dogfather and his Hounds. Ian noted how her demure and stoic tone before was now replaced by fierce eyes and firm hand gestures as she conversed. In the end she seemed to get what she wanted. The elderly changed woman approached Kira and insisted she let the Hounds treat her burns, and they did the same for Ian. Their medicines were primitive and crude but Kira instantly recognized the scent of pemet root, one of the local crops and a sound antiseptic. Sakura gathered her retinue and thanked the Changed for speaking with her before leading them out guided by two of the Hound rangers. They were led back to the stream and told to follow it back out of the wood and they were back at the Autocoach, burned and exhausted before Lunch.
Sakura had Ian and Kira driven back to their home and handed them each their handsome parcel of Firebirds. Having the shank of the afternoon and work to catch up on they both went back to work lightly singed. Ian continued to prep the shuttle for it's next flight and Kira went back to carefully smuggling botanicals. With two days until the rest day and less than a week from their last smuggling run Kira very much wanted to take a day and and return to Carllion. Ian agreed it would be a good opportunity to unload the weapons from the Avesti where nobody knew them. The conducted their duties as normal for the rest of the week, keeping an ear to the ground for any rumors about Avesti activity in the Barony. Feeling relatively invincible Ian and Kira bought bus tickets once more from the Scravers who were threatening them to travel into Carllion.
They arrived in the swell of Lux Splendor preparations. Shops were bustling, decorations hung everywhere and the streets lit with glowing stars. They worked their way into the gunsmith's crowded shop. He was suspicious of the four flamers they were selling but Ian sold them for such a cheap price he took at as an early Lux Splendor gift. On the way out Kira stopped in the shop where she had previously admired a fine smartweave Kimono. Ian was so laden with coins that he decided to have himself fitted for his own. They both dropped a few coins for a haircut to fully look the part. They charmed their way back into the city library to try to find out more about the D9 facility but new clues weren't easy to find. Later that night they returned to their bus armed and dashingly dressed.
On the road back to Lawton the bus sputtered to a stop on the side of the road. An exchanged look between Ian and Kira didn't help their paranoia. Their driver explained to them and the other couple on the night bus that there was another autowagon in the way to get them into town and they should stay calm and relax. Ian and Kira were anything but calm, trying to figure out how to discretely ready their weapons. About two hours later another Autowagon rolled up and the diver closed the hood of the buss to wave his passengers onto the other transport. As Ian and Kira hesitated the other couple moved towards their ride home. Walking towards the other ride Kira was dazzled by the headlights but Ian spotted the outline of a man with a rifle. He immediately drew his pistrol and put it in the back of the male passenger that was riding with them, using him for a shield, shouting "Put down the gun". Kira drew her machine pistol but was still blinded by the lights. The skraver leveled his gun at Ian and the other Scravers dove for cover from behind the beaming headlights someone shouted "Get out of the way!" Ian lifted his revolver and took aim on the Scraver with the rifle "I'm not warning you again.." The Scraver pushed past Ian, shoving him and his hostage to the roadside as he moved towards the broken down bus. The driver came out of the headlights next calling after him "I told you they weren't on the bus.." The Scraver's searched the bus for a pair wearing the clothes Ian and Kira rode into town in, then loaded the passengers onto the other Autowagon and took them back to Lawton. Ian put his gun away to the annoyance of the passenger he took hostage and they had a long awkwardly silent ride back to town.
