In It For The Marks

Writers: Devin, Bree
Date Posted: 11th March 2007

Characters: Marod, Boesyn, Klegen
Description: Four unsavory men meet in an unsavory place to discuss an unsavory business arrangement.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 2, day 16 of Turn 4

The runner station was run down and hardly a popular destination. The tavern attached to it barely deserved the name, and the inebriated man behind the bar spent most of the evening dozing in between refills. It made it a convenient place for people to meet without being noticed.

Three men were sitting around the small, scarred table. A fourth was returning from the bar with a brimming pitcher of cheap ale and four dingy looking mugs. The barkeep had already drifted back to sleep, snoring loudly as he slumped against the wall.

The fourth man set the ale on the table and pulled out a chair. "Old Trintel wouldn't wake up unless we pulled the stool out from under him, so it's safe enough to talk. But if I find out any of you have run your mouths off..." The man glared around the table. "It would be unfortunate."

Klegen glanced at Marod and Boesyn and then reached to fill one of the mugs with ale. "You think any of us are fools? Who would we tell?" He handed the mug to Boesyn and then poured a second one. "We'd be thrown in the mines for breathing a word of it."

The man turned to look at Marod. "And you? Boesyn there says you're trustworthy, but do you really know what you're getting into?"

"I understand the job," Marod answered.

"Do you have a plan?" Klegen after he took a sip of his ale. "A concrete one, I mean. It's all well and good to say--" Klegen glanced around and lowered his voice, in spite of the fact that the room was empty aside from the snoring server. "Abducting the daughter of a Lord Holder is not something you do lightly. Everyone heard the tale of those sharding idiot girls who ran off with Enrizial's children."

The mysterious man smiled smugly. "You're not going to be trying to escape with the girl, or hold her for more than a day or two. Drop her blindfolded on the edge of the Holding after the time is up and let her wander back in on her own."

"Is it okay to have a bit o' fun--" Boesyn started to ask.

"No!" Marod cut him off. "We're in this for the marks. We don't need to complicate things." He glared at Boesyn.

Klegen gave Boesyn a rather rude shove with his shoulder. "Don't be a fool, Boesyn. The girl's only worth anything if she's unharmed."

The fourth man cleared his throat again. "Correct, if inelegantly put. The only thing we want to damage is her reputation. A night or two in the hands of kidnappers... well, it won't matter if she's untouched. No man worth his rank is going to take the chance of being stuck with another man's get."

"When do we get paid?" Marod asked. "Half now." A small cloth pouch appeared from under the man's jacket, and he slid it to the center of the table. "The rest when the girl makes it back to the Hold." His eyes slid to Boesyn. "Unharmed."

Boesyn grumbled and sipped his ale. "Good," Marod said, eyeing the pouch before looking back at the fourth man. "What else do we need to know?"

"The best time will be during the wedding," he replied, glancing at Klegen. "You can probably figure out a way to lure her away."

Klegen grinned and jerked his head in Marod's direction. "He's young enough and has an honest face. We'll sneak him in with the guests and have him invite the girl for a dance."

"Hmmmm..." The man rubbed at his chin as he sized Marod up. "You think you can get her to trust you?"

"No problem," he answered. "I've lured young women before. I can do it again."

"In all the excitement, it could be some time before she's noticed missing," Klegen pointed out. "We'll be far enough away to hole up somewhere while they organize. By the time the search gets intense, it will be time to let her go."

Marod nodded. "And then we'll collect the rest of our marks, and be on our merry way."

Klegen reached forward to take the small pouch holding their payment. "We'll be on the move by tomorrow morning. If there's anything else we need to know, tell us now."

The nameless man shook his head. "Take her, hold her, release her. And know that if anything happens to spoil the deal..." He eyed each of the men in turn. "My benefactor will make sure you're caught and brought to justice."

"There won't be any problems," Marod assured him.

"None at all," Klegen agreed, his eyes glinting as he tested the weight of their reward in one hand. This would do nicely... as a start...

Last updated on the March 13th 2007

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In It For The Marks