JETMODE: * The journey back is slightly less extended, as they are traveling free of a caravan and moving at their own pace. As promised, Ankh parts ways with them when they near the rift, and with money for passage in hand, she vanishes from sight. From there, it's only a few days' journey to Kamaria, and Kain at least regards the city gates with mounting relief.

TIAMAT: * Tai, humming a little as they march through the forests, pauses when she sees the gates sparkling in the distance, eyeing them with interest. "Kamaria?"

JETMODE: "Thank all the gods," Kain mutters, and Luke smiles cheerfully. "No pursuit, after all. Guess things went more smoothly than we supposed." Kain's sole response to that comment is to shake his head. "I suppose they might have sent word ahead," Luke adds consideringly, and he picks up his pace.

TIAMAT: * Tai trots along after, looking a little nervous. "Did someone recognize you?"

JETMODE: * Kain shrugs. "Dunno. But the fact is someone broke out of their prison and stole some stuff, yeah? They'd probably want Adlai to know about it ..." Luke nods, then smiles briefly. "Unless, of course, they fear retribution -- in which case they might have kept things under wraps." Kain snorts. "Optimist."

TIAMAT: * Tai frowns slightly. "I hope we're able to do something to shut them down with the information we got, at least..."

JETMODE: "We shall indeed see," Luke says gently. "In the game of politics, things often take much longer than they should." Kain shakes his head. "I'll just be happy if they find out what this stuff is."

TIAMAT: * Tai falls silent for a few minutes, then glances up at Kain. "Who is Adlai, anyway? Won't you be able to just arrest him with all the evidence we got?"

JETMODE: * Kain jerks his head around to look at her, expression slightly incredulous. "What, just arrest Adlai Todd --?" Luke lifts a placating hand and shakes his head. "I doubt she knows, Kain -- it's not like we told her." He glances at Tai. "The esteemed Lord Adlai Todd is a member of Kamaria's council. Thus we must tread delicately in these matters."

TIAMAT: * Tai looks a little startled, stumbling slightly but quickly regaining her balance and trotting to catch up with the boys. "He's a senator!? But ... but why?"

JETMODE: * Luke's expression flickers with something unreadable, and Kain heaves a long sigh. "Because some of the senators are only worried about their own money and power, yeah? Maybe old Adlai thinks he's gonna raise himself an army and take over the continent." Luke grins at him briefly, then shakes his head. "I doubt that's the case. But corruption is corruption. People in power will often misuse it."

TIAMAT: * Tai frowns worriedly. "That's horrible..." she murmurs. "People in power should work to better the country and the people...I hope Lord Glenn and Lord Kail can stop this."

JETMODE: "That's the general idea," Luke says lightly, and Kain gives her a very odd look, apparently at what she just called his father. He shakes his head, however, and doesn't comment. It's only another couple of hours before they arrive in the city itself, and Luke leads the way rapidly to Glenn's house, apparently feeling more unease the closer they get to completing their assignment.

TIAMAT: * Luke again leads the party inside the senator's house, and a maid working in the parlor sticks her head out to see who's come to call. "Oh! Mister Luke -- Master Kain!" She curtsies politely as she steps out into the entrance hall to meet them. "Lord Glenn is in his study -- shall I inform him of your return?"

JETMODE: "We'll just go in," Luke says, stepping past her with a slight grin. "He's alone, yeah?"

TIAMAT: "Last I knew, sir," she replies with a nod, stepping aside and curtsying again as the party passes.

JETMODE: * Luke continues through the house without hesitation, not sparing a glance for anyone else in the area -- and apparently not paying much attention to whether Kain and Tai are keeping up. He pauses in front of the study, then raps sharply on the door. "Lord Glenn, are you in? We've returned."

TIAMAT: "Luke!" comes an anxious voice from within the study, followed by rapid footsteps and a moment later, the door opens swiftly to reveal a relieved-looking Glenn. "I'm glad you've returned, I was beginnng to get a bit worried since you were gone so long -- oh Kain --" he turns to the taller elf, "I'm afraid your friend disappeared right after you left--" He stops short when Tai appears from behind Kain, sticking her head around his arm and grinning sheepishly. "--ah." the senator finishes.

JETMODE: * Kain gives his head a very weary shake, slinking into the room and dropping into a chair. "Should have tied her up," he says drily, and Luke manages a faint, relieved smile when he enters as well. Once the door is shut behind them, he clears his throat. "Have you heard anything from Lord Todd since we've been gone?"

TIAMAT: * Glenn watches Tai in amusement and interest as she steps quickly into the room and takes a seat next to Kain, avoiding the senator's eye. He doesn't, however, look upset -- not very, anyway -- as he makes his way back behind his desk and sits before answering Luke. "Only while we were in session," he replies, folding his hands. "He asked about the two of you and why you weren't present, but Kail and I simply told him you were off field training -- he didn't inquire further, seeing as this is quite common for the two fo you." He looks at Luke seriously, his smile fading slightly. "What did you find, my friend?"

JETMODE: * Luke unslings his pack, flipping it open and digging inside for the papers he managed to confiscate. He crosses the room to lay them on Glenn's desk, followed shortly by Kain, who hasn't yet revealed what's in his pack. "These are supply orders, for the most part ... they refer to equipment I don't recognize -- but this ..." He sets down another page. "This is a memo signed by Adlai himself referring to the status of criminals -- it states that if they are sentenced thusly, they can be used as fodder for the arena and -- the language is odd here, sir ... 'activities in related facilities'."

TIAMAT: * Glenn nods approvingly, skimming over each sheet briefly, and taking a little more time on the last one Luke handed him. "I see..." he says quietly, frowning slightly. "Very good...this will definitely be of use to our side. Kain? What have you got?" He glances up at the blond-haired elf.

JETMODE: "Well, uh.. I ended up down in the 'related facility' actually." Kain pauses, setting his pack down on the floor and opening it. He reaches inside to produce a thin vial of pale liquid, reddish in hue. "From what I could tell, they were injecting this into the prisoners, and then activating it using some kind of machine ... I didn't see much more than that." He sets the vial on the table and shakes his head. "I dunno what it says about criminals, but all I saw down there were demi-humans."

TIAMAT: * Glenn stares at the vial for a long moment before picking it up gingerly to study it more carefully. He glances quickly up at the boys. "Demi-humans? All of them? Did you see any who had been injected with this?"

JETMODE: "Not in the immediate area ... most of those looked pretty normal. There were more cages farther back, but I didn't want to alert the guards ..." He scratches his head, glancing at Luke, who's looking thoughtful. "What about that Ankh girl?" the shorter elf asks. "Had she had anything done to her?"

TIAMAT: "She did," Tai says suddenly, and Glenn stares at her, causing her to blush slightly, but she stands and takes a timid step toward the group. "I met a demi-human when they caught me--" "Caught you!?" Glenn looks at Luke in alarm, but Tai takes another step further and pushes on. "Please, sir -- it's all right -- I met Ankh in the cells, and she had been 'changed'...as she said. She told me they take demi-humans and make them...less human...and more animal." Glenn stares at her for a moment longer, before lowering his head back down to gaze at the papers and the liquid. "I see..."

JETMODE: "Our fault entirely, sir," Luke says firmly. "Though in retrospect we likely should have brought her back to Kamaria -- we didn't want to lose the time. We left her at an inn and assuemd her safe, but ..." He shakes his head. Kain shrugs. "It would have been handy if Ankh had come back with us, but she didn't. Took off for Detienne."

TIAMAT: * Glenn nods, looking suddenly weary. "I think what we have here will do very nicely for what's coming. You did very well." He glances at Tai, then back at Luke and Kain. "All of you. I'm sure you're all exhausted -- we can talk more later. For now, you should rest. Help yourselves to anything in the kitchen if you're hungry -- just ask the cook, he'll make something if you'd like."

JETMODE: * Kain heaves a sigh. "Yeah, I better go home and face the music ..." He waves a weary farewell to Luke and Tai, throwing Glenn a half-hearted salute as he makes for the door.

TIAMAT: * Tai gives a little wave. "Bye, Kain..." she calls as he leaves. She pauses, looking suddenly uneasy. "Er..." Glenn glances at her questioningly. "Is something wrong, Miss Tai?" "I, um..." she shifts uncomfortably and glances at Luke.

JETMODE: * Luke straightens. "I'll give a full report on our movements later, if that's all right, sir," he says to Glenn, then glances at Tai. "In the meantime, perhaps we could quarter miss Tai temporarily? I'm sure finding family in a city this large won't be an easy task."

TIAMAT: * Glenn nods approvingly at Luke's suggestion. "Of course, of course -- feel free to make yourself comfortable, miss," he says with a smile. Tai flusters a little. "Oh -- are you sure, sir? I don't want to be a burden --" Glenn waves a hand dismissively. "Not at all, miss. Luke, if you could be so kind as to find an empty room for our guest? I would like to read through this a little more thoroughly. I expect your report at your earliest convenience."

JETMODE: "Of course." Luke inclines his head, then turns and starts for the door, waving for Tai to follow him. "We have several guest rooms just up the stairs -- they're all quite suitable."

TIAMAT: * Tai smiles brightly and follows Luke, pausing in the door way to turn and bow a little to Glenn. "Thank you again, Lord Glenn." Glenn smiles and waves, turning to study the papers Luke brought him, and Tai trots after Luke. "Do you stay here, too?"

JETMODE: * Luke nods. "Where Lord Glenn goes, I go, basically." He starts up the stairs, pausing to consult with one of the maids on the way. "All right -- this room's open," he says, gesturing toward the middle room at the top of the stairs. "She says they just cleaned it recently, so it should be ready for you."

TIAMAT: * Tai smiles and pauses at the top of the stairs to look back at Luke. "Thanks for everything, Luke. If there's anything I can do to help around the house, just let me know."

JETMODE: * Luke gives her a slightly weary look, but he does manage to smile. "You're a guest, miss Tai. You needn't do anything at all." With that, he turns away, waving over his shoulder.

TIAMAT: * Tai watches him go for a moment before turning and disappearing into her new room.