|
Post by Silence on Mar 4, 2008 8:43:13 GMT -5
((Ehh...find Shikura in the Waterfront mebbe? And happen to recognize her and haul her off to prison. And then the DB would have excuse for a contract to eliminate Ari. No wait, that wouldn't work...))
|
|
|
Post by M'aiq the Liar on Mar 4, 2008 17:25:51 GMT -5
(Technically, Ariana can't arrest Shikura just for associating with those types, but Ariana could bring her in for questioning. Heheh. "WHERE WERE YOU ON MONDAS NIGHT!?" I'll come up with something. Hopefully before I leave tomorrow.)
|
|
|
Post by Silence on Mar 9, 2008 2:42:09 GMT -5
((Five days later....
From darkness to darkness, my voice echoes in the emptiness....))
|
|
|
Post by M'aiq the Liar on Mar 10, 2008 17:17:27 GMT -5
Being suspicious had proven worthwhile for Ariana. Shikura did eventually turn up in the Waterfront. She visited the home of a known member of the Thieves Guild, as absurd as the idea seemed. A collective group of thieves? Stranger things have happened. Her bitter mind thought, Like a collective group of backstabbing murderers amongst the High Council.
However, visiting the house was not enough evidence to arrest the woman. There was no proof that she was a thief, although Hieronymus would beg to differ. Going by the traditional laws of the Empire, the woman would have had to commit a crime to be arrested. This case called for a simple “detainment with intent to question”. Sure, it was basically the same thing as arresting, but in this case, the prisoner could only be kept for a maximum of 30 days or until the prisoner was proven to have done something wrong, whichever came first.
Ariana was hoping for the latter. Otherwise, she would have been helping a thief get to her fence here in the Imperial City. Ethically, she was helping a (presumed) defenseless citizen keep her life from potential dangers, which was fine and dandy, but Ariana’s job had many layers to it. That was the very basic layer, and doing that—unfortunately—wasn’t enough to put gold into her purse. Catching criminals were where the money was at, and with that in mind, Ariana made her move.
As Shikura was coming around by the docks, Ariana boldly strode forward and stated very formally, “Shikura, on behalf of the Imperial Legion, as ordered by Captain Hieronymus Lex, I am forced to detain you for questioning about your possible association with the Thieves Guild.” She then grabbed the woman’s arms, hoping she wouldn’t struggle or make a scene; Ariana hadn’t the time, energy, or patience to deal with a screaming Khajiit thief.
|
|
|
Post by Silence on Mar 12, 2008 7:41:27 GMT -5
To dear Ariana's dissapointment, Shikura did scream. Loudly too. Her Khajiit ears flattened down against her skull, and her lips curled back, revealing rows of sharp Khajiit teeth. Shikura's tail shot up, and the fur at the back of her neck bristled.
"Assault! Guards, please help!" The Khajiit caterwauled. Suddenly, Shikura stopped. Her nose twitched. "Wait. Did pr -- odd Imperial say she was taking Shikura for questioning? But this Khajiit is called S'kassa..." Shikura was, of course, assuming one of her other identities.
"Who is this odd Imperial that approached S'kassa? This Khajiit would like to know." Shikura's feline eyes gleamed.
|
|
|
Post by M'aiq the Liar on Mar 13, 2008 22:54:18 GMT -5
Ariana groaned audibly as the Khajiit began yowling and protesting the arrest. They always did. Ariana didn’t know why—even after so many years—she expected any law-breaker to just go willingly. The Khajiit was claiming a false identity now. Well, that was at least a start in unraveling the criminal history of this woman.
Khajiit usually were the worst kind of criminals too. Damn lying fleabags, most of them. They were just out to steal or get their fix…and then steal. Sure, it was a bit racist, but given all of Ariana’s experiences, the judgments were roughly fair and based on only slightly exaggerated fact.
There was a small crowd staring at the two. Some of which were fellow guards, looking light on their feet and ready to spring into action to pounce the little thief at any second. Ariana knew whose side they were on without a doubt, despite what the Khajiit was yelling. She didn’t need them however. She had this cat covered. The Imperial did need to be cautious though. She was in the Waterfront District, and if Shikura really was involved with the Thieves Guild, there might be a brawl if her brothers in crime try to defend her.
Ariana pulled the Khajiit’s arm behind her back even further in attempt to calm her. Her yelling did not cease right away, so she threw all her weight on the woman. Shikura was thrown to the ground face down with Ariana landing with a knee right in her back. Ariana hated using that move because she sometimes had a sore knee the next morning. She couldn’t imagine the sore back that the criminals would have though.
“Ma’am! Ma’am!” shouted Ariana. “If you resist arrest now, you’ll only find yourself in prison longer. I know that your name is not S’kassa. Refrain from lying now or find yourself faced with punishment for false identity.”
She then motioned for a nearby guard to gather some rope to tie up the woman. He ran down the docks to find some.
While waiting, Ariana said, “This is your last chance to calm down, Shikura. What is it going to be? The hard way or the easy way?”
|
|
|
Post by Silence on Mar 14, 2008 5:50:10 GMT -5
Shikura let out a loud yelp as she was thrown to the ground. The Khajiit was no fighter, and had little training in even hand-to-hand combat. Still, her claws and teeth could do quite a bit of damage. There was just this small matter of a full-grown Imperial woman sitting on top of her.
Out of the corner of her eye, the Khajiit noticed one of her Guildmates amongst the crowd. Predictably, it was another Khajiit, by the name of Ahish, sometimes called S'raj. Ahsih's ears were flat against her skull. Shikura understood that her sister thief might attack, and shook her head slightly, hiding the movement as she thrashed around. Contrary to the popular Imperial belief, Khajiits were not stupid.
Knowing that her guildmates wouldn't place themselves in any danger for her, nor reveal her connection to the Thieves Guild, Shikura relaxed, slumping onto the ground in apparent defeat. Oh well. At least it was a chance to ask about her Bosmer sister.
"Shikura's name is S'kassa." The Khajiit said sulkily. "S'kassa is what Shikura's friends call Shikura. Shikura does not count you as a friend. The Khajiit may change her mind if you would kindly get off her back.
Shikura's tail twitched in obvious discomfort. "Oh, and Shikura wonders if odd Imperial has seen her dear Bosmer sister. Shikura's Bosmer sister is called Ralen. Ralen is small and quick. She would have made a fine Khajiit. But she had no fur. Only hair. Long auburn hair. Oh and green eyes."
The Khajiit made a low sound that seemed suspiciously like purring.
What Shikura didn't notice was that Ahish's eyes were wide. The other Khajiit's jaw was hanging open.
|
|
|
Post by M'aiq the Liar on Mar 16, 2008 22:00:33 GMT -5
(When I see the word “Shikura”, I always think of Shakira in my mind…which totally changes everything. Lol.)
The Khajiit continued with her story, saying she was someone else. There was only the slightest most infinitesimal chance that this woman was not who Ariana was looking for. As for the rest, Ariana was perfectly sure. She was a trained legionnaire with many years of experience dealing with these types. They would say anything to keep themselves out of the prison cells—or pay anything. Ariana hated it when they’d pay off their fines. She liked seeing them do time. This Khajiit, Shikura, had no choice in the matter however. She had to be pulled in for questioning; that is, if Ariana could finally get her pulled in.
One of her fellow guards finally came back with some rope, and Ariana tied it around Shikura’s neck snugly and arms as two guards held the Khajiit down. Ariana used her shortsword to cut the extra rope and used it to hobble Shikura’s legs. She was completely bound now. The two guards that were assisting Ariana in the arrest forcefully lifted Shikura off the ground and led her towards the prisons.
Ariana stood up, brushed herself off, and said, “Thank you for your help, gentlemen. I appreciate the good work. I’ll be sure and tell your captains about this.” She then averted her attention to Shikura and said, “Ralen? Is she a fellow thief?”
As the small procession moved their way through the city, Ariana could only smile slightly. She was proud of the work she’d done. If this woman turned out to be part of the Thieves Guild, then that meant there was not only one less thief on the street but also the Imperial Legion could have a possible resource for information about the guild. She couldn’t wait to report this to Hieronymus Lex.
|
|
|
Post by Silence on Mar 20, 2008 4:21:56 GMT -5
Shikura was about to snap back a testy reply, when she caught herself. The Khajiit simply gave Ariana an odd stare. "Fellow thief? Shikura is not a thief." She twisted in her bonds, obviously uncomfortable. Shikura hated being tied up. Oh well. At least her tail was still free.
"Pr--Imperial woman obviously has not been listening to Shikura." The Khajiit's tone was reproving. "Ralen is Shikura's dear Bosmer sister. And Ralen is not a thief. Hmph. You are certainly insulting, Imperial." Shikura's tail twitched.
"So has odd Imperial seen Ralen? And when can Shikura go?" The Khajiit asked, with a twitch of her ears. "These ropes are uncomfortable. And Shikura's back hurts." She sighed. The Khajiits wasn't known for complaining much, but perhaps it was just because her complaints got lost amist all her chatter about her 'dear Bosmer sister'.
|
|
|
Post by M'aiq the Liar on Mar 23, 2008 23:05:07 GMT -5
Ariana was starting to get annoyed with the Khajiit’s constant complaining and whining. The Imperial kept her mouth closed and her chin held high as she led the group down into the Imperial City prisons. As they moved down the worn stone steps, the temperature shifted to chilling one. The light changed as well, going from sunny to dim. The room was only equipped with a single window in the far side of the room and housed a number of cells. The first cell on the left as one entered was not to be used—ever. Someone made that mistake once, but as it turned out, it wasn’t a mistake; it was fate.
This Khajiit was no hero though, and the only fate she had was being in prison. Ariana shoved her in the second cell over. Ariana used her Imperial shortsword to cut the excess rope used as a lead rope but nothing else. Shikura remained hobbled. It didn’t matter though. She would only be staying in her cell, so she wasn’t going to need her legs. With a high-pitched squeak, the heavy cell door was shut. The prison guard immediately locked the door and hastily left with all the other guards, leaving Ariana and Shikura alone. Well, save for a very unkempt looking old man in the next cell who was sound asleep.
As Ariana stood outside of Shikura’s cell, she slowly paced the length of the whole room as she informed the Khajiit, her boots hitting the dirt floor with a solid, rhythmic thud, “You will be detained until you either admit to being a thief or we find proof that you are a thief. If neither happens, then we will release you after thirty days. If you want my suggestion—and my mercy—I’d say you better speak up as well as telling us everything you know about the Thieves Guild. If you do, you’ll get a shorter sentence and less of a fine. Heck, one prisoner actually came out ahead because he told us so much information. He was in here only a few weeks, told us everything, and left over five hundred septims richer.”
Ariana’s movement halted briefly as she turned to the woman in the cell; she looked her in the eyes very seriously and said, “It’s your choice. Who’s side are you on? Theirs, the thieves who would sooner leave you for dead and cut your purse than lift a finger to help you…or us, the ones who actually want to help you?”
|
|
|
Post by Silence on Mar 24, 2008 2:18:55 GMT -5
Ariana wasn't the only one getting annoyed. Shikura was getting annoyed at Ariana too. Imperials, always thinking they could do anything with anyone...Shikura's shifty feline eyes...well, shifted. Mimicking the Imperial, Shikura started pacing too. Or rather, she would have had she not been hobbled.
"This is boring." Shikura grumbled under her breath. The tip of her tail twitched.
The Khajiit sighed, her tail drooping sullenly. "Shikura told you already, Shikura is no thief." She snarled ill-temperedly. The Khajiit didn't just hate to be tied up, she also hated to be away from the open sky. It was another thing she had inherited from her adopted Bosmer relatives.
Not to mention the Imperial knew nothing at all of the Thieves Guild. They had their own code, the same as the Imperial Legion. Her brother and sister thieves didn't intervene because Shikura told them, through Ahish, not to. Of course, Shikura wasn't going to correct Ariana.
The Khajiit was reasonably confident that one or more of her guildmates would go and bribe a guard or two to let her out. After all, Shikura was a high-ranking member. She knew lots of secrets.
"Oh and odd Imperial still has not answer Shikura's question. Has odd Imperial seen Shikura's dear Bosmer sister? And what is the Imperial's name again?" Shikura wasn't very certain, but she seemed to recall it was something along the lines of Alicia.
|
|
|
Post by M'aiq the Liar on Mar 25, 2008 23:00:53 GMT -5
Ariana frowned at the Khajiit’s refusal of her generous offer. They were always so stubborn, especially at first. Sometimes the made up story of the thief who got a reward for being a snitch got them going, but it didn’t get this Khajiit going. Heck, maybe she’d heard it before and knew it was just a lie to bribe the money-hungry thieves into ratting on their friends. Ariana hated thieves’ view of justice; it sickened her, or maybe she was just trained to be sickened by it.
“No, I have not seen any Bosmer named Ralen, but if I do, I’ll probably bring her in here for questioning, too,” Ariana stated firmly. She had the sneaking suspicion that this Ralen character wasn’t a law-abiding citizen, even if she wasn’t a thief too. There was something untrustworthy about it all. Ariana answered the Khajiit’s other question promptly, “I am Agent Ariana Craetius.”
Ariana decided that it was best to simply leave the Khajiit for a while. Perhaps she would think about things for a while. Maybe spending time in the cell would get to her, and she’d be more willing to open up later. Ariana wasn’t worried a single bit about her escaping. After all, she was tied up, in a locked cell, in the Imperial City prison which housed a number of prison guards and outside were dozens more guards. The Khajiit would have to be a mastermind of sorts to get out of that.
“I’m going to leave you here for a while. Perhaps you’ll truly think about what I asked of you,” she said with an almost cold tone as she went upstairs.
When the door slammed shut behind her, the unkempt Breton in the next cell over woke with a start, mumbling some incoherent things. He yawned widely and stretched his arms. Then, he quickly jumped up and pulled out a small skull from under his bed. He suddenly looked up, his eyes shifting around the room. He saw a new inmate. It was a female Khajiit right in the next cell.
He turned to his side, where there was obviously nothing, and said, “Hey! Walks-By-Moonlight, that’s not nice!” The Breton then turned to Shikura and said, “Sorry there, Khajiit. Walks-By-Moonlight said you look like you need a comb and a bath. He didn’t mean it. I assure you. Walks-By-Moonlight is a Vampire Argonian. He was born invisible, and he’s bitter. Shut up, Walks! Yes you are! Sorry.” He then help up his skull and said, “This is Murrie. He knows a lot; he’s nice. So why are you in here?”
|
|
|
Post by Silence on Mar 26, 2008 7:19:17 GMT -5
Shikura watch the 'Agent' go without comment. The Khajiit was confused. Weren't Agents people like assassins who wormed their way in and out of everything with sweet, honey-coated words? While Shikura liked honey, the Khajiit didn't like hoey-coated words. Whatever honey-coated words are. How can words be coated with honey anyway?
With a vacant expression on her face, Shikura sighed. It seemed that she had to wait the whole thirty days out. Until someone bribed a guard to get her out of course. She wondered how long that would take. Absently, the kleptomaniac Khajiit's hand picked up a spoon from a small, rickety wooden table, stuffing it into one of her many pouches.
That was when someone spoke. Shikura sprang into the air, and would probably have landed in a rather embarrassing (not to mention painful) way on the floor, had it not been for her cat-like reflexes. As it was, Shikura was still barely keeping her balance. Shikura blinked, staring wierdly at the Breton.
"Shikura does feel sorry for Walks-by-Moonlight, even though Shikura does not much like lizardmen and Vampires." The Khajiit's nose crinkled. This Breton was odd, even by her standards. Not that the word 'odd' was in Shikura's list of vocabulary.
"Oh yes. This Khajiit-Bosmer is in here because the 'Agent' Imperial hauled Shikura in. For questioning. Shikura wonders why." The Khajiit shrugged, then brightened. Perhaps this...Murrie and his invisible Vampire Argonian friend had heard of her dear Bosmer sister.
Her ears pricking up once again, Shikura asked, "Have you seen Shikura's dear Bosmer sister? Her name is Ralen." The Khajiit then proceeded to give a full description of her elusive adopted sister.
|
|
|
Post by M'aiq the Liar on Mar 26, 2008 23:46:03 GMT -5
(The reason for these characters is…well, they were in a story that I never published.)
The Breton looked to the invisible space beside him and raised his brows slightly. He then looked down at the skull in his hands. He scratched his bearded chin in thought for a few moments. His beard was long and scraggly. Colored a sickly grey, the hair fibers looked coated with dirt, and if one looked close enough, one could notice the small bits of things clinging to his wooly facial hair.
The man’s hair was of a very similar nature. It was long and wavy, hanging down past his shoulders. He looked aged, yet the actual number was indiscernible. His clothes consisted of a long tunic, which was stained and tattered. A yarn belt held it close to his thin, frail body. His feet had wrappings around them, which were filthy of course. This haggard Breton would easily scare away any children from the streets for quite some time.
“Nope,” he finally said, “I don’t know anyone named Ralen. Walks-By-Moonlight doesn’t either. However, he’s not very sociable, so he doesn’t know much of anybody anyway. He’s also racist. Murrie might know. You could ask him. There is little he does not know.”
The Breton shuffled over to the bars that separated the cells and held the skull towards the Khajiit, waving it up and down. He was sure Murrie could help this Khajiit find her sister. He gave her a warm smile, which revealed—oddly enough—shining white teeth.
“Go ahead. Just be gentle when you take him, and ask Murrie anything y'like!” he urged happily.
|
|
|
Post by Silence on Apr 2, 2008 7:31:56 GMT -5
"Um, okay." Shikura said, with a touch of uncertainty. Understandable, of course. It wasn't everyday that someone held out a skull for you to ask questions to. Even when you worked for the Thieves Guild, which was home to Sheogorath knows how many crazy Khajiits.
"Oh, and what's your name, friend Breton?" Shikura asked. The Khajiit tried to sound nonchalant and polite at the same time, as she reached out for the skull.
Clutching the skull and trying not to wince, Shikura mumbled, "Please, Murrie, this Khajiit-Bosmer wonders where her sister is. Oh and she also wonders if Murrie knows a way for this Khajmer to fly. Shikura always wanted to soar through to sky like a bird."
Shikura also wanted to ask if 'Murrie' knew about a stash of never-ending supply of Skooma, but decided that it wasn't the best time to ask a question like that, being in prison and all. Who knew if that 'agent' person was spying on them?
|
|