Sounsyy looked on as Shiv'to Vodha left the Coral Tower with his brisk pace. Their meeting had gone well enough, in Sounsyy's mind, at least. Though she was loathe to trust anyone in or outside the Maelstrom, she had little choice but to reach out for help in this matter. An airship pilot and engineer was certainly a good choice of allies at this juncture.
He had provided good insight into her missing Storm Lieutenant, Grin. Shortly before his disappearance, Grin had flagged a shipment bound for House Valeneaux. But with the Lieutenant in the wind, there was no guarantee the shipments still remained at Melvaan's Gate. Shiv'to had provided her a fresh lead that would soon grow cold. She returned her attention to the mess of documents littering her desk. She attempted to manage her thoughts on the subject while also managing the tangle of papers strewn about her. She carefully accounted for all pages and locked them away within her desk drawer. As if her mind was still attached to those documents, she felt suddenly claustrophobic inside the Coral Tower's offices and made all haste for the door.
From the upper decks, the rolling waves entering the Galadion Bay below looked tiny and gentle. Perspective, she thought. Perspective was what she needed for this case. A dead or rogue Storm Lieutenant missing in action, a Garlean host in the heart of Eorzea, and at the center of all things - a mysterious noble House with its fingers in too many pies. She decided she needed to know what was in that crate. Otherwise she had nothing.
A bell later found Sounsyy pushing through the tide streaming from Melvaan's Gate into West Hawker's Alley. The late afternoon sun beat down on the back of her neck as she negotiated a path through the merchants and peddlers. She had forgotten how active the city could become on clear days like today. She would have been eager herself to enjoy the weather had her work not been of paramount importance.
At long last the captain found her way into Melvaan's Gate. A sergeant on duty saluted her as she passed. She returned one before directing the sergeant to take her to an Arcanist in charge of records. The Arcanist, a young Hyur woman hardly any larger than Sounsyy, regarded her inquiries with a strange look.
"I know of the crate in which you speak, Captain."
"Take me to it, if you will," Sounsyy replied quickly.
"My apologies Captain," the Arcanist stammered, "But I'm under strict orders that the shipment not be tampered with until the recipients retrieve it. And they are expected anon."
"My orders come from the Admiral," Sounsyy said, a partially true bluff, "Show me the shipment Lieutenant Grin flagged. If you have records of its contents, bring those as well and the shipment mustn't needs be tampered with."
"Y-yes, of course!" The Arcanist fumbled once more then rushed off into a back room. The Storm sergeant gave Sounsyy a side-long glance before the Arcanist returned, this time with three other Arcanists accompanying her.
"Follow me, the manifest will have been kept with the crate," she said, and the contingent was lead to a warehouse-like structure on the docks. Once inside the stone structure, Sounsyy was lead through a maze of crates and containers bearing various markings from around the world. Eventually they stopped before a small room, barred by an iron gate. One of the Arcanists bid his Carbuncle slide through the gate, and once inside, it unlocked the door from within. The gate swung open and the six entered.
"Why was the shipment flagged? What's inside these crates?" Sounsyy asked. The Arcanist shook her head as she rifled through the manifest in her hands, her expression souring.
"They are listed as medical supplies, but there are pages missing. I- I don't understand."
An uneasiness settled about the room. Without hesitation Sounsyy crossed the room and grabbed a crowbar on the far wall and made for the nearest crate. Suddenly a rise in protest.
"Captain! Stop! Stop immediately! We are under strict orders not to open these crates until the Brass Blades retrieve them!"
"The Brass Blades?!" Sounsyy expression became livid. The Arcanist who had spoken out closed her mouth and retreated a step. The Storm Sergeant looked from Captain to Arcanist and back again in stunned silence.
"A fellow Storm officer who is now either dead or worse, turned traitor, flagged these crates to prevent them reaching Valeneaux hands!" Sounsyy shouted with little reserve, "This goes beyond diplomacy! Do yer duty and inspect these crates!"
"Our duty is to follow orders, Captain! And our orders say to-"
A sudden calm determination filled Sounsyy as the Arcanist pleaded with her. Commander Gavronchette's words resounded in her ears, drowning out the Arcanist's words. I need captains what can look beyond orders to do what must needs be done to ensure the safety of this nation from all threats. Most importantly ones which may not be yet apparent.
"...And it is my duty to go beyond orders, lass. To ensure the safety of our nation."
Sounsyy forced the crowbar between the crate and its lid and leveraged the nails loose. The Arcanists looked on in exasperated silence. With one last heave, one side of the lid came loose, enough to glimpse within. Sounsyy held the lid ajar with a hand as she eyed the forbidden contents of the crate. All that escaped her mouth was a short, "Hm."
"This is outrageous! Are you appeased now?"
"If yer concerned with what they might think, Arcanist, go stand watch fer their arrival."
"Who's arrival?" A new voice said from the doorway. Sounsyy's back straightened and the lid of the crate fell shut in front of her with a loud snap. The captain looked over her shoulder to see the tell-tale rust colored haubergeons of the Brass Blades. A small contingent stood in the doorway, looking on with half-open grins spread across their tanned faces.
"I was under the impression the goods were to remain untouched," the vocal Brass Blade sergeant said with an amused expression.
"Afraid you've got the wrong shipment," Sounsyy retorted coyly, "Ye see, this shipment here's bound fer Valeneaux, not Ul'dah."
"Oh, I'm very much aware o' that. And we're here under orders to seize that shipment. So... iffin you don't mind..."
Sounsyy scoffed. All eyes were on her. The Hyuran Arcanist breathed out, "Captain... We've no grounds to hold the shipment."
Sounsyy looked at the Arcanist and back to the Brass Blade sergeant. The silence lengthening as each stared the other down. Finally, Sounsyy shook her head and pushed her way past the Brass Blade. Their eyes shooting daggers at each other as she passed.
"Take yer bloody crate," she spit, "We got what we came fer."
He had provided good insight into her missing Storm Lieutenant, Grin. Shortly before his disappearance, Grin had flagged a shipment bound for House Valeneaux. But with the Lieutenant in the wind, there was no guarantee the shipments still remained at Melvaan's Gate. Shiv'to had provided her a fresh lead that would soon grow cold. She returned her attention to the mess of documents littering her desk. She attempted to manage her thoughts on the subject while also managing the tangle of papers strewn about her. She carefully accounted for all pages and locked them away within her desk drawer. As if her mind was still attached to those documents, she felt suddenly claustrophobic inside the Coral Tower's offices and made all haste for the door.
From the upper decks, the rolling waves entering the Galadion Bay below looked tiny and gentle. Perspective, she thought. Perspective was what she needed for this case. A dead or rogue Storm Lieutenant missing in action, a Garlean host in the heart of Eorzea, and at the center of all things - a mysterious noble House with its fingers in too many pies. She decided she needed to know what was in that crate. Otherwise she had nothing.
A bell later found Sounsyy pushing through the tide streaming from Melvaan's Gate into West Hawker's Alley. The late afternoon sun beat down on the back of her neck as she negotiated a path through the merchants and peddlers. She had forgotten how active the city could become on clear days like today. She would have been eager herself to enjoy the weather had her work not been of paramount importance.
At long last the captain found her way into Melvaan's Gate. A sergeant on duty saluted her as she passed. She returned one before directing the sergeant to take her to an Arcanist in charge of records. The Arcanist, a young Hyur woman hardly any larger than Sounsyy, regarded her inquiries with a strange look.
"I know of the crate in which you speak, Captain."
"Take me to it, if you will," Sounsyy replied quickly.
"My apologies Captain," the Arcanist stammered, "But I'm under strict orders that the shipment not be tampered with until the recipients retrieve it. And they are expected anon."
"My orders come from the Admiral," Sounsyy said, a partially true bluff, "Show me the shipment Lieutenant Grin flagged. If you have records of its contents, bring those as well and the shipment mustn't needs be tampered with."
"Y-yes, of course!" The Arcanist fumbled once more then rushed off into a back room. The Storm sergeant gave Sounsyy a side-long glance before the Arcanist returned, this time with three other Arcanists accompanying her.
"Follow me, the manifest will have been kept with the crate," she said, and the contingent was lead to a warehouse-like structure on the docks. Once inside the stone structure, Sounsyy was lead through a maze of crates and containers bearing various markings from around the world. Eventually they stopped before a small room, barred by an iron gate. One of the Arcanists bid his Carbuncle slide through the gate, and once inside, it unlocked the door from within. The gate swung open and the six entered.
"Why was the shipment flagged? What's inside these crates?" Sounsyy asked. The Arcanist shook her head as she rifled through the manifest in her hands, her expression souring.
"They are listed as medical supplies, but there are pages missing. I- I don't understand."
An uneasiness settled about the room. Without hesitation Sounsyy crossed the room and grabbed a crowbar on the far wall and made for the nearest crate. Suddenly a rise in protest.
"Captain! Stop! Stop immediately! We are under strict orders not to open these crates until the Brass Blades retrieve them!"
"The Brass Blades?!" Sounsyy expression became livid. The Arcanist who had spoken out closed her mouth and retreated a step. The Storm Sergeant looked from Captain to Arcanist and back again in stunned silence.
"A fellow Storm officer who is now either dead or worse, turned traitor, flagged these crates to prevent them reaching Valeneaux hands!" Sounsyy shouted with little reserve, "This goes beyond diplomacy! Do yer duty and inspect these crates!"
"Our duty is to follow orders, Captain! And our orders say to-"
A sudden calm determination filled Sounsyy as the Arcanist pleaded with her. Commander Gavronchette's words resounded in her ears, drowning out the Arcanist's words. I need captains what can look beyond orders to do what must needs be done to ensure the safety of this nation from all threats. Most importantly ones which may not be yet apparent.
"...And it is my duty to go beyond orders, lass. To ensure the safety of our nation."
Sounsyy forced the crowbar between the crate and its lid and leveraged the nails loose. The Arcanists looked on in exasperated silence. With one last heave, one side of the lid came loose, enough to glimpse within. Sounsyy held the lid ajar with a hand as she eyed the forbidden contents of the crate. All that escaped her mouth was a short, "Hm."
"This is outrageous! Are you appeased now?"
"If yer concerned with what they might think, Arcanist, go stand watch fer their arrival."
"Who's arrival?" A new voice said from the doorway. Sounsyy's back straightened and the lid of the crate fell shut in front of her with a loud snap. The captain looked over her shoulder to see the tell-tale rust colored haubergeons of the Brass Blades. A small contingent stood in the doorway, looking on with half-open grins spread across their tanned faces.
"I was under the impression the goods were to remain untouched," the vocal Brass Blade sergeant said with an amused expression.
"Afraid you've got the wrong shipment," Sounsyy retorted coyly, "Ye see, this shipment here's bound fer Valeneaux, not Ul'dah."
"Oh, I'm very much aware o' that. And we're here under orders to seize that shipment. So... iffin you don't mind..."
Sounsyy scoffed. All eyes were on her. The Hyuran Arcanist breathed out, "Captain... We've no grounds to hold the shipment."
Sounsyy looked at the Arcanist and back to the Brass Blade sergeant. The silence lengthening as each stared the other down. Finally, Sounsyy shook her head and pushed her way past the Brass Blade. Their eyes shooting daggers at each other as she passed.
"Take yer bloody crate," she spit, "We got what we came fer."
