Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: aaron@jupiter (Aaron Humphrey)
Subject: [MI] Alfvaen[MI HQ]: The Boss Is Back
Message-ID: <1992Sep17.164409.4069@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca>
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1992 16:44:09 GMT


Alfvaen left the bathroom and went back upstairs to the office, where he found
waiting not only Queriche, but also Moriarty.  The latter immediately started
in on him.  "What's this about you taking another case?"

"C'mon, Moriarty.  It's not like this Mage Guild thing is keeping us extremely
busy.  I only started on it today, and there's a good chance that we can get it
closed up tomorrow at the latest."

Moriarty sighed.  "Yes, but Q tells me that it's Delmara that hired you.  Now I
know Delmara, and I know that the Temple of Aditi is not exactly overflowing
with gold like Ilmater's is.  In fact, I'd say that she probably doesn't have
two gold pieces to rub together.  Have you told her what our fees are?  Are you
expecting to collect from her?  Or is this just something free you're doing in
your spare time?"

Alfvaen bit back an angry reply and merely said, "It's kind of personal, in
this case.  So you can call it spare time if you want."

Moriarty snorted.  "Fine.  Then don't bring Queriche with you.  You left the
office completely unattended for several hours, I hear.  Who knows who stopped
by during that time?  Dee-Jen Djieh could have come by, asking for help, and
then found us not at home.  Okay, maybe not him, but anybody could have.  Okay,
maybe we should hire a receptionist or something--somebody who won't be an
active operative.  But we can't afford that right now, so one of us has to be
here at all times.  Compris?"

Alfvaen nodded.  "Alright.  Okay.  Fine for now.  Meanwhile, since Queriche was
out with me, and he hasn't told me yet what he found out at Ratty's..."

"Right.  Well, nobody at Ratty's knew anymore than what Trawm told us, and most
less.  The closest to that I heard was that a lot of the gangs had been having
a bit of trouble keeping leaders--three or four gang leaders have been found
dead in alleyways in the past week, and who knows how many in the Gaps.  It's
not a job with a lot of future these days.  One guy said that he swore that one
of the new gang leaders that seemed to be holding his job was an ex-Demon
Spider lieutenant, but he was about twelve sheets to the wind, so I don't know
how accurate that is."

Moriarty was looking thoughtful, despite himself.  "Q's already filled me in on
what Trawm said about the Demon Spiders.  I think this job might be a bit
bigger than just your ex-girlfriend being kidnapped.  But if we're not hired to
do more, we won't make a fuss about it--just keep your ears open.  Maybe we
should become regular customers at these places, just to get info.  Q, you can
take Ratty's and the Spitting Cobra, if you feel safe there."  Queriche just
grinned.  "Alfvaen, you can take Nester's and the Dragon's Inn.  I'm busy at
the Mage Guild right now--learned some neat summoning tricks, can't wait to
try them out--but I guess I can take the Chundering Chimera or something.  Or
maybe the Drift Inn...or maybe not.  We need some more leg-men, too."

"Queriche tell you about Little Rat?  There's a good leg-person for us.  If
she's survived this long--six months without a protector, in Low City--she's
probably our best bet.  She'll probably work for us in exchange for protection
and food and such."

Moriarty's eyebrows went up.  "A kid?  Still, I guess she won't expect much in
the way of pay.  Hmmm...I'll think about it."

There were footsteps on the stair, and Delmara returned with a bundle of
clothes.  "Got these from the Floating Market--it's the only place I could get
clothes this time of night.  Some woman was selling them off because her
daughter died of pneumonia.  They might be a bit big for Little Rat just yet,
but she'll grow into them in a few years.  What kind of name is Little Rat for
a girl, anyway?"

Alfvaen shrugged.  "Probably a street name.  She might have another name, but
never use it.   She might not even know what it is.  Look--you go take those
clothes down to her.  She's probably been in the bath long enough by now.  Get
her dressed, and take her back to the storeroom where she was sleeping earlier.
She'll probably feel safer in there than elsewhere around here.  Then I can see
what she knows about Elstree and the Demon Spiders."

Delmara nodded, opened the secret entrance, and went down the stairs.  "Well,
she certainly seems to be expecting Little Rat to be around for a while,"
Moriarty said.  "'She'll grow into them in a few years.'  Yep, I think Rat's
just been adopted."

--
---Alfvaen(Canadian SF Quasi-Activist)
"Etty come around and play Space Invaders
 and she's speaking the language of market traders"  --Savage Progress
Current Album--Red Rider:Breaking Curfew
Current Read--Mary Stewart:Stormy Petrel