CAST OF PLAYERS:

Aaron Murphy……………..Claws-of-Honor………………….Were-Tiger
Jera Morrison……………….Alseyne Aulaudin…………………Sidhe Changeling
Debora Silkotch…………..Casey Gavin…………………………Human Psionic
Aron Head……………….Story/Setting/Everything Else…….Game Master

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The SUV motored onto sixth street.

“This changes our plans a bit,” Pip said, settling in between Alseyne and Tony. “I think we should breach Sanctuary without Arian. Tim and T-Ray here can take the Spider’s place with Casey as our backup.”

Alseyne nodded. “I think that should do nicely. Casey, would you fill them in on what we don’t get a chance to tell them while you are all waiting in the alley? In the meantime, T-Ray, Tim, here’s the deal — Pip and I need to find out what is going on at an S&M bar called Sanctuary. We need to talk to the owner there about some missing fae that apparently were last seen there prior to their disappearances as well as about the Lady Percyndi who was seen there yesterday and to our knowledge has yet to leave there. The four of us…” she indicated Claws, Wynne, Pip and herself “…will go inside and try to get the information.”

“S&M bar?” Tim raised his bushy eyebrows. “I really should get to the city more. We don’t have those down at the lake.”

“You don’t even have cable down at the lake!” T-Ray complained.

“Once we’re in,” Pip added, “Wynne, you and Claws are responsible for finding out if Percyndi is still on site.”

Claws nodded in understanding.

Pip reached into his bag, withdrawing a scarf of fine silk and handing it to Claws. “That belongs to Percyndi. She was wearing it the last time the Duke saw his daughter. I’m hoping that you can use it to track her scent.”

Alseyne looked at the scarf, “Pip, if the scarf was on Percyndi last time he saw her, how do you come to have it? Was it left behind in her room or something?”

“She wore it the last time the Duke saw her. It was found among her things.”

The Bastet’s nostrils flared drinking in the full flowering fragrance of the young woman who last wore the item. “If she’s there, we’ll find her.”

Pana, the Malamute, sniffed at it as well. :: I have her scent. ::

“Casey?” Pip asked, “does your dog have tracking skills?”

**Your call, Pana. Want me to volunteer you as a tracker?**

:: Sure. If you need me to help. ::

“I’ve never used her for tracking,” Casey considered. “But she has a good nose, she could probably be helpful if you need her.”

“Excellent.” Pip nodded thoughtfully. “We may need to utilize her at some point.” He extended his hand, palm up to Pana — who sniffed at it appreciatively.

Casey stifled a snort. Even the dogs thought he was irresistible.

Alseyne continued, “Originally Casey was going to wait outside with another associate that we don’t have time to wait for so we’d like you two to stay with her as back-up. She has some powers that will help her keep track of what is going on inside so she’ll know if there is any trouble and can alert you two to find some way to get us out of there.” She thinks a moment. “I think that’s the basic gist of the mission before us right now.” She looked at the others, “Can any of you think of anything important that I didn’t cover?”

“While Wynne and Claws sniff out our Princess,” Pip continued, “Alseyne and I will mingle to see what pertinent information we can gather. Roads seem to be leading to – or at least through – Sanctuary. I want to know why.”

“Agreed,” Alseyne nodded. “And getting answers out of the owner is not likely to be easy.”

“Owen and I go way back,” Pip fobbed that off. “He’ll tell us what we need to know.”

“Oh really?” Wynne asked flatly.

“I’m sure he’s over that,” Pip returned.

“Mmm-hmmm.”

“I mean, it’s been years.”

“Right.”

Alseyne frowned at this byplay, “Is this something I should be aware of, Pip?”

“I can’t see any reason to tell you, no.”

“Not a good reason, anyway.” Wynne quirked a smile.

“That’s for sure,” Pip scowled at the Sluagh.

“If it may affect the outcome of our dealings with him perhaps you should share an overview with us?”

“It was a proprietary issue,” Pip explained. “He felt something was his that wound up with me … it was a thing, but I’m sure he’s over it by now.”

“He shot you, Pip!” Wynne exclaimed.

“And who hasn’t shot me?” Pip was incredulous. “Or at least taken a shot?”

“Good point.”

“I haven’t,” Claws commented. “Should I?”

“Maybe later?” Pip suggested.

“Alright, I guess…”

Alseyne sighed. “Pip, if it was over a woman it isn’t going to upset me, you know. Everyone has a history. And if it WAS over a woman and you are taking me in there then it’s very possible that he’s going to make a play for me to try to get back at you. I need to know the best way to play the situation.”

“It would be one thing if it were over *a* woman,” Wynne began.

Pip shot her a look.

“…But no — our Pip here stole three.”

“THREE?” Alseyne was stunned by the response.

Pip cringed.

“One at a time?” T-Ray asked, “or all at once?”

“All at once,” Pip answered.

“Dude!” The Salvanel was clearly impressed.

Alseyne looked shocked. But after several seconds she shook it off and looked over at him with a smile.

He returned the smile, albeit sheepishly.

“I must say, Pip, I’m…impressed. And I can certainly see why he might possibly be holding a bit of a grudge against you. So…two questions: One, is he likely to try and take another shot at you and Two, if he does make a play for me would it be better if I played along or resisted?”

“I doubt he’d take a shot at me. As for you, you can bet he’ll make a pass. It may be best if you play along a little.”

She nodded. “Right. Now, next question – are we going to play up the dom/sub thing? Do you want me to wear the chains or are we just going to ‘be a couple’?”

“The chains are for later. In there, we’re a couple.” He winked.

Alseyne blushed hotly. “That wasn’t my intention when I asked if I should get them. But I am relieved you don’t want me to wear them in there.”

“Umm…” Tim asked, “What exactly are we on the look out for?”

Alseyne shrugged. “Outside you aren’t really on the lookout for anything in particular. You’re just waiting as back-up in case we run into trouble inside.” She looks at Casey. “Although if you get another whiff of the Baron’s men following us please let know inside so we can be prepared.” Back over to Tim, “Other than that, just keep watch, let us know if anything odd happens outside. And watch your backs – we don’t want you three to get hurt.”

“About the Baron’s men,” Casey added to Tim and Tony, “there are twenty of them, and they mean business.  Watch Pana; if they do find us she’ll probably be the first to catch their scent.”

“20?!?” Tony leaned forward and looked to Alseyne, “What did you do?”

“Me? I’m just an innocent bystander here,” Casey quipped. “Alseyne’s the one that, um, lost his dog or something. I’m not clear on all the details.”

Tim nodded. “You do seem rather popular. Does anybody have a candybar?”

Casey looked at him blankly, then shook her head. “Sorry.”

“Actually,” Alseyne commented, “I’m surprised at the number myself. The short answer is: I don’t know. The long answer is that last night we were trying to kill a hag – which was accomplished – and ended up getting attacked by wolves and a fire elemental as well. Two of the Baron’s men were assisting me at one point and I got knocked out. When I woke up they were gone and we haven’t heard or seen anything of them.” She spreads her hands in confusion. “So I have no idea why he is sending 20 men after us and according to Casey they don’t have very friendly intentions. It could be because of something his men told him. It could be because of how Pip was transported out of the freehold earlier tonight. For all I know it’s got nothing to do with any of this and it’s just the Baron being belligerent again.”

Tim blinked. “So no candybars, then?”

Alseyne shrugged. “I don’t know. I may have one in my purse but it’s in Pip’s bag. Why the sudden interest in candy bars?”

“Just… Well…”

“Tim’s got a sweet tooth,” T-Ray answered on the bear’s behalf.

“And a low blood sugar!”

“Right.”

Alseyne frowned. “Sugar is the last thing you should eat unless you are really low. You’re better off with some sort of protein.”

Tim scowled.

She looked at Pip. “Do you have anything to snack on in that bag of yours. I know you and you usually do keep some munchies around.”

Pip rummaged in the bag, “Hrmmm… lemme see… Snickers?”

“Take it!” Tim snatched it from the Satyr’s hand and tore it open, munching away.

T-Ray shook his head.

“Oh well,” Alseyne sighed. “At least it’s got some protein in it from the peanuts. You really should start carrying around some beef jerky or peanut butter crackers or something in your pocket if you have a problem with low blood sugar often.”

Tim wolfed down the remainder of the Snickers. He eyed Pip. “What else you got in that bag?”

“Stuff,” Pip pulled the bag to him protectively. Alseyne chuckled.

“This Baron,” Casey put in, “what’s he like? He must be pretty powerful, are we sure he’s one of the good guys?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say he’s one of the good guys,” Alseyne responded. “There’s a lot of bad blood between him and our liege lord. He’s definitely an adversary but I’m not sure if he would qualify as an enemy. The ones we’re after right now – THEY are enemies. And so far at least, we haven’t seen any signs that point in the Baron’s direction concerning the current investigation.”

Casey absorbed all that, as well as she was able without knowing anything about liege lords or Barons or the Fae social system. “What’s your relationship with the Baron? I thought you were working for him or something like that?”

Alseyne shook her head. “No, we all work for Duke Thorntree. He is the Baron’s superior. Think of him like…hmm…the Baron is head of Marketing for the Austin area and the Duke is the head of Marketing for the tri-state area. That may help you understand the relationship a bit better. To continue the analogy, the Baron is angling for a big promotion so he can replace the Duke and the three of us and Yggthor are some of the Duke’s people that he uses to help put out the fires the Baron’s people start to try to make the Duke look bad. You can think of us as troubleshooters. However, the Baron is obligated to do some things to help us by the laws all Kithain live under. For example, giving us a place to stay if we ask in time of need, which is why Pip was at his place, but he doesn’t exactly have to HELP us except in situations where our secret or the lives of other Kithain are threatened. Under the laws of our kind he cannot kill us directly but he can certainly make it a lot easier for us to be killed by others. I suspect he sent his goon squad out to pick us up and answer some questions and if we got hurt along the way he wasn’t exactly going to be upset.”

“Pretty complicated business,” Casey commented. “So he’s no friend of ours, but he’s not an out-and-out enemy either. Of yours, anyway…I guess he’s allowed to kill me? Since I’m not Kithain?”

That tickled Pip. “Absolutely!”