Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 04:18 PM
The lamplight kept flickering. While he normally wouldn't care, tonight it annoyed Renaud more than it used to. It was hard enough to read Boulanger's handwriting in daylight, and the twisted scribbles scattered like ants when he tried to focus on them.

In annoyance he leaned over the desk, trying to adjust the wick of the lamp to make the light brighter. Failing that he muttered a string of rather foul curses that broke off in another cough. This time he couldn't swallow it down, and it escalated to a painful hacking, leaving several spots of blood in the handkerchief he always carried with him these days.


Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 04:21 PM
"Um, Comman--" started a voice, a young, girlish voice, before the same voice let out a little cry of alarm. "Oh, Jesus! You're sicker, aren't you?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 04:25 PM
"Merde!" The voice made Renaud jump and reach for his gun in a surprisingly smooth motion for a man that had been hacking his lungs out a moment before. But there were no presence in the room, the door still undisturbed and the window closed. The nights were too chilly for him these days.

"Show yourself." He hadn't aimed the gun at anything, but he held it ready. But that voice... it was familiar. "La petite mademoiselle Romain?"

Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 04:35 PM
"I'm not there,Commandeur," the girl answered. "Look. It's a magic mirror. I'm-- I'm off the coast of Cecilia, all right? With Judith. We've got a problem; she wanted me to talk to you. I'm-- I'm sorry for the interruption, all right?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 04:41 PM
"Magic." The word was spoken as bitterly as a curse, but Renaud lowered the gun at last. It felt stupid to point it at thin air. He left it laying on his desk though... you never knew.

"Cecilia... that's fast sailing for your ship mademoiselle, but it is Judith after all." He dabbed his lips lightly, then removed the handkerchief, leaning back in his chair. "Let's hear your problem then, but I am warning you, I am not taking monsieur Bonet back no matter how much you beg me."

Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 04:43 PM
"Oh, Davide is just fine," Elaine assured Renaud. "And we're not with the ship. We had to leave. Um. To start off, do you know some Grand Commandeur Dieudonne? Because he's dead. And they called Judith in to deal with the situation."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 04:47 PM
"Dieudonne? Dead?" Renaud looked rather dumbfounded for a moment, then shook his head. "That surprises me. The man was always more interested in minimizing the risks to his career than doing his duty."

He had started tapping his finger against the desk, trying to ignore the fact that he could not see the girl. "Please tell me what happened mademoiselle."

Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 04:56 PM
"You know my grandfather?" Elaine asked. "The one who shot me? He happened, apparently, and then they killed him. Because Dieudonne arrested my father for piracy. You haven't met my father. My father isn't capable of piracy, unless piracy is like handing out biscuits to babies."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 05:02 PM
"Piracy... ah, Romain, that's where I had heard it before." Renaud scoffed (and managed not to turn it into a cough). "I knew the name sounded familiar..." It had been on the list, the ship the Verplichting...

"I did meet Admiral Romain, at the time he seemed rather set to kill you if you remember? It's a shame that I let him leave to do this, Dieudonne was not the best and brightest, but he was an officer." Renaud was talking halfway to himself there, putting the facts in order.

"Your father was on the list of known pirates that the navy did circulate. I didn't look into his case very throughly since he was not based in the waters around the Wreath..." He was starting to get a sinking feeling what she might want from him.

He had a feeling he would not like it.

Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 05:06 PM
"Well, look, you want to know why he was on that list?" Elaine asked the man. "He was on that list because Judith owed him a ship. So Judith gave him a dwarven war ship and your idiot Grand Commandeur decided he wanted to dwarven war ship for himself, so he put my father on your damn list. He also put down that my father was seen working with a certain four-armed lady we all know very well-- and which we all know can't be possible. Are you starting to get the bigger picture, Commandeur?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 05:15 PM
"It is not a very comforting picture for your father, is it mademoiselle Romain?" Renaud reached out for the nearly empty bottle of wine, pouring himself a glass.

"I assume you want help with convincing the proper authorities that it is worse hanging a probably innocent man than letting a dwarven warship out of their hands." He signed and shook his head. "It's politics. I don't know who set a fire under the navy's feet, but something is coming. The sad truth is that a single man is worth very little compared to that ship."

There was something there that bothered him... "If he is such a puppy like you say, how come he ended up with a dwarven warship? It's not exactly a peaceful man's vessel."

Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 05:26 PM
"I told you," Elaine answered roughly. "Judith gave it to him. She stole his ship and gave him that one instead. Jesus Christ, it's not that complicated."

She rolled her eyes at the mirror. "Sorry. Look. I don't want help convincing. I want you to take the position of Grand Commandeur in Cecilia when Judith gets them to offer it to you and then nobody needs to be convinced. It would be better for your health, anyway. Nice, dry, sunny climate. Do you see my point?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 05:28 PM
Renaud fell silent for a moment, then spoke again, having lowered his voice somewhat.

"Was this madame Ni Dowd's suggestion?"

Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 05:36 PM
"Some of it," Elaine answered. "Some of it is my own extrapolation. But to be honest, I think it would be kind of shitty of you to let my father hang for consorting with somebody you did consort with when we've been covering for you."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 05:43 PM
Renaud took a rather hefty drink from the glass, looking up at the ceiling since he could not watch her. "Bravo, mademoiselle, she'll make a proper captain out of you yet. Well played." He did appreciate the hints being subtle enough that he might be able to ignore the hidden threat there. He did not need his dirty laundry exposed.

"The reason I asked is that I know that madame Ni Dowd still have friends amongst the pirates, despite her current job. I think she wants me out of the Wreath for that reason. This is just a good opportunity." He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

He felt old and tired right now.

"Why did they think your father was involved with Kuleliti of all people?"

Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 05:46 PM
"They claimed some ship called the Avril was attacked by Kullie and my father. I know that's not true. Kullie-- one of the Kullies-- attacked my father's ship and kidnapped most of the women on their crew. Judith helped Andre get the girls back, and they freed the slaves Kullie was keeping on board the ship. So we know they weren't working together. I think people are being paid off so someone can get the dwarf ship. And personally, I don't care what the reason is. I saw you coughing. You're crazy to stay in the Wreath."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 05:54 PM
Renaud nodded, swirling the wine in his glass back and forth as he pondered. "Alright. You can tell madame Ni Dowd you managed to talk me into it. If they offer me the position I will take it."

Almost as an afterthought he added "Your father, what does he do for a living since he is not a pirate. Merchant captain?"

As always he steadfastly ignored any comments about his health.

Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 06:01 PM
"Yes," Elaine answered. "That's exactly what he is. You want to see his ship, I'm on it right now. The hold's full of linen."

She swallowed. "So, we're good? Judith and I might have to talk to you again; I might have forgotten things, or we might need you to intervene before you can actually get to Cecilia. Is that all right?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Feb 4 2008, 06:06 PM
"Yes we are good, and you mademoiselle, owes me a favour." But Renaud said that with a faint smile that took some of the edge of that statement.

"Contact me again if you need, but not in the presence of others." He shivered a bit, then shook his head.

"Take care."

Posted by: Elaine Romain Feb 4 2008, 06:10 PM
"I'm already doing you a favor," Elaine retorted. "Two, in fact. You want another one, you still owe me one more before I even think about it."

And then there was silence.