[adamu]

Al thought for about two second, belched, and said, "That's about the cockamamie idear I heard in a month o' Sundays. But then, hey, ya gotta choose the right tool fer the job, an' since ever'thin' down here's apeshit bonkers, then when in Rome, ya know? Go big or go home. Reckon ya gotta git yer Court o' the Holy on board. Figure that out then, well, long as our lovely lesbian lovebirds don't already have their hearts set on someplace in particular, then there's a lot of advantages ta be had."

He started counting on burn-melted fingers. "Yer after-party's done built in. Holy spot, check. Availabiity of a Guide, check. Place where maybe they ain't supposed ta be stabbin' an' poisonin' one ta another, check. Excuse fer the witnesses an' the happy couple ta all be convergin', check. Beauty is, aside from the principles, no one has ta know what we's cookin'. Hell, even the witnesses don't have ta know, do they? How's that fer yer precious opsec, hey?"

He cracked a third beer. "An' if Iris is back, that'll help with the concert thing considerable. Robyn can sing well enough herself, hell, more'n well enough, but with most of us Philistines playin' roadie or guard, that last show she was lookin' kinda lonely up on stage. Toss a front girl up there alongside the cello action, it'll seem more like the band we done advertised."

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn nods.  "I have an old acoustic cello here at the cottage.  Or we can go get our things from the Harlequins.  In any case I can play.  And yes, I am sure that Iris's voice is better than mine and would welcome her assistance in this.  Now, are we planning on keeping the reason for the concert a secret from the Courts of the Holy as well, or bringing them in as co-conspirators?

[adamu]

"Consarn it, woman. Never said better, jist...more, um, bandlike, ta match the fliers we done made, seein' as they's got her moniker on 'em."

He tossed is third empty at the bin, but was more careful this time and scored an easy two points.

"As fer how we handle our potential hosts, well, reckon it all depends on whether we think they'll say yes. An' since ol' Al ain't got the foggiest what the definition o' 'holy' would even be down here...figured you ladies 'at spent time down here would have a better read on they clerical types...or could go have a sit down, feel 'em out a bit."

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn laughs.  "It is OK.  Her voice is better than mine.  I can sing well enough, but my real talent is in playing.  And, like you said, we did make up the fliers.  But it will be an abbreviated group if we do not recover our equipment.  As for the clerical types; they are another of the Houses and so have their own agenda and are full of "holier than thou" sorts of people.  I would definitely recommend a visit to sound them out before giving them any sort of big reveal."

[adamu]

"Well alrighty then, someone better go talk to 'em. But still reckon first order o' biz is findin' the brides. They's the only two people down here - Cap'n Fate aside - who we know is groovy with this whole deal, and they's also the only two people whose cooperation we absolutely gotta have. Once we git inna room with them, they'll be able ta give us a lot more info'n we's got right now 'bout who's on our side an' who's agin' us. An' seein' as how they don't seem ta believe in no public directories down here, we'd best start beatin' the bushes. We know a little about 'em now, figurin' where they might hang shouldn't be rocket science."

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint sighed: "Alright, I'll think I'll tackle those Holy guys. Al, you and Mrs. Karasu might as well accompany me. Rick can try to track down via the Astral our targets. Jackhammer can guard Rick's body while we are out.
What kind of bribe do you think will be appropriate for those guys?"

#420

[Mercy Merchant]

"I agree, but it means that we need to start looking about.  When did Iris say she was going to be here?  Should I wait or just leave for the Courts of the Holy by myself and let her link up with me later?"

[Jack_Spade]

"Iris didn't say, but I'd give her an hour. If you want to meet up with her somewhere else you'll just have to try calling her link. But no rush - we'll get into trouble soon enough."
Isaint replied sardonically.

[adamu]

Al grabbed his shotgun but left his rifle and bags behind the sofa. He handed the detonator to Jackhammer - it was a simple pull job - in case he and Rick needed to beat a hasty retreat. Splitting up - especially down here - went against his grain. But the sorts of conversations they were planning to have, you couldn't really do them showing up at someone's door with six or seven bodies. And the bane or whatever it was had supposedly been lifted.

Trouble was, some big chief calling off the green light on their asses didn't make the hippie slavers want them any less dead...

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn laughs.  "Bribes?  The normal, I suppose.  Souls for the parish, donations to the roof fund, something like that.  Now you three try to be careful.  And stay in touch."  As the three make their final preparations, Robyn goes to the mantel and removes the bust of Al.  She talks softly, but no softly that the others cannot hear.  "It is into the bin for you.  I guess I do not need you anymore, do I?  The real thing is here for now, and it is so much better."

She smiles at Jackhammer when they are alone with a nearly comatose Deckard then disappears into her bedroom.  The man can hear some strange noises coming from the other room then an "Aha!" from Robyn.  She returrs to the living room carrying a battered cello case.  The leather has cracked in places and most of the latches have been replaced, as has the carrying handle.  She takes it to the table and opens it, removing a wooden cello.  This is very far from the cello he has seen her use before.  The wood glistens and Robyn almost kisses it, running loving fingers along the grain and up the neck.  She carefully pulls a bow from the case and rosins it up before taking the instrument to the living room and sitting down to tune it.  She hesitates for a few moments then draws the bow across the strings and there is no doubt as to the quality of the instrument or the skill of the cellist from the first stroke.  Robyn's mind guides her hands and fingers through some of the greatest music in history.  She has studied professionally and knows songs that date back hundreds of years as well as modern masterpieces.  Her mind is the conductor as she plays.  She has an audience of Jackhammer and the Hell Hound and the unconscious mage, but it matters not a whit.  She plays with every bit of skill she has, as if she were playing to crowded music halls.  It might seem funny to a casual observer, but there is almost no passage of time as she plays, almost as if she can force time to stand still for the music.  By the time she finishes, tears are flowing from sightless eyes and she knows that she has played well, probably as well as she has ever played.

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint shrugged: "Everyone wants something. But we'll find out soon enough. You mentioned getting your equipment back from the Harlequinade. That's also something we should tackle asap. I've got to practice my drummer skills if we really want to pose as a band again."

When Robyn had ended her piece he clapped politely. "Beautiful. Hopefully the Lovebirds will share your taste in music. It would be a shame if they insisted on troll thrash metal..."

#422

[DireRadiant]

[Yukika Karasu - Sunday July 5th, 2076; Somewhere Below, London] #31

The Unending babbling is interrupted by music giving me time to reflect back on what has been said.

I recall the conversation of the past few minutes.

Ah, out of the mouths of Onis!  Depending on the rules of this society it may very well work to gather all the appropriate people in one spot and perform the ceremony. In fact it may function if none of them are aware and it is only revealed after it is accomplished in front of thousands of witnesses. Those of power, such as in these Houses must always have the acceptance of the masses. They will hold their rules if this is done so publicly.

I accept the challenge.

Iris I will deal with later.

[BrickyardBabe]

"Yeah, sweetie, you did."

The voice, low and purring was Iris', and yet unlike her earlier high, clear tones. The stride, too, was different as she came in upon the assembled team, more of a swaying, deliberately sensual gait than the measured, perfect grace of the day before. Her masking was down for the moment, and she seethed with power, rich and wild and passionate, desire and anger and the remains of fear fueling her as befit her tradition.

Iris leaned on the doorframe, cocking a hip and tilting her head, a small, teasing smile on her face, which was far closer to Isaint's eye level than her stature should have allowed, thanks to a pair of high, crimson ankle boots. She wore sheer black stockings that came to mid-thigh with red bows under a Hong Kong silk skirt, a flirty red Vashon Island number that probably cost half as much as her car. An overbust corset, black with red laces went above it, the stiffness of it owing more to delta-amyloid armor coating and kevlar panel inserts than boning, and a floor-length cloak of shimmering black, shot through with little streaks of red like dying stars completed the ensemble.

The blood spatters on her thighs, right arm, and left cheek really tied the whole outfit together.

"Sorry I'm late." Iris said guilelessly, calmly unbuckling the shoulder holster that held her wand and a much-customized Viper Slivergun. "I had a personal problem that needed to be attended to. Creditors, you know?"

[adamu]

"Well lookee lookee," Al said, taking in the stunning yet always somehow disoncerting sight of their erstwhile colleague...and deputy team leader. "Reckon the gang's all here now."

He made a point of not glancing at Karasu as he spoke.

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint looked up as the door opened. "Welcome back, glad to see you alive. Null sweat. The substitute you organized for us helped us secure the transport of the artifact to the buyer. That part is wrapped up. Unfortunately another thing came up: As a quid pro quo we now have to organize a contested wedding.

But, no hurry - do you want the debriefing or a shower first? I think i saw some Peroxide in the bathroom if you want to get the blood out."