Re: Casual Cafe Conversations (Dated) (Private)

[Manehatten Guard]

Staghaus grinned at Ida, evidently pleased at her knowledge of racing ships.

"Personally, I believe Falchoms are excellent short distance racers. I fly a "Flit" myself, good frame and heavy enough to survive a crash or two." Fondly remembering a race from several years ago, Staghaus saw the "Aces High" in his mind, and signed nostalgically. The good old bird was sitting in a dock, nearby actually. Maybe he would take her for a joyride later... it's been a while since he's piloted, for sure.

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov sat there and watched the two converse. Admittedly he knew almost nothing about Airships. This displeased him, as he liked at least some knowledge on most topics. He reminded himself to get a book or two on the subject when he could. "Well please, why dont you enthrall us with a racing story?" said Jacov, hoping at least for something to make this griffon more amiable to him.

[Ida Fjölnir]

Ida nods with a smile. "I would love to hear one of the racing stories." She grabs an apple from the plate and bites into it. "Mhmm...Jacov you have to taste these apples. They're delicious."

[Manehatten Guard]

Staghaus smiles with modesty, and nods his head at Ida.

"My racing stories, I will indeed share... another time. However, now is not the time nor place for such matters; it's time to get down to business. Commander Feliks has asked me to give you, Jacov, a certain... message, one you will appreciate."

He had a deadly serious cast to his face, as he looked from Jacov to Ida.

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov paused, for a moment, in mid reach for the aforementioned apples. He knew that this griffon wasn't his friend. Nor was he trying, with Jacov anyway. It had been just a way to get into contact with him. He shouldn't have been so naive to think Feliks cared about him enough to pay for dinner and drinks without some business to be had. He continues his reach for the apple, and takes a bite of the sweet, and tart fruit. "Well...Lets have it then." he said, his voice no longer holding its once jolly tone. It was more serious, like Stags.

[Ida Fjölnir]

Ida raises an eyebrow and continues to eat her apple as Staghaus talks to them. Her hopes to study the Everfree forest fade away as she realizes how naive she was, believing that Feliks would send her with unlimited resources to study a forest. Her scientific part already told her that at the meeting, but her childish part, who likes to jump around in mud and study the flora suppressed that until now. It just has been to good to be true.

[Manehatten Guard]

Staghaus passed a worn letter to Jacov.

"This is what the Commander bid me to give to you. You have a letter from Aeryie, lucky griffon that you are." The sergeant said, keeping his expression serious. "Ida, I have nothing for you. Feliks gave me nothing."

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov took the letter. It was a telegraph, obviously. As Jacov read it his face slowly drooped.

"Dear Jacov...

I have sent this telegram on the behest of your father. Things are not going well in the city... something has gone horribly wrong, griffons are dying in the night, and no one knows who... or what, the culprit is. We're all safe Jacov, your father managed to bring us to the council chambers before it got too malevolent. Domovoi...he was injured on the way by a thief. He's recovering, but has come down with a fever.

We had no idea how to contact you, until one of the Tsar's soldiers came to us with a means to contact you. You have friends in high places dear Jacov... please remain where you are.

With love, Francesca Chillfeathers, of the City of Aeryie"

"She...He.." he couldnt form a coherent sentence. His mother...and his father...It was terrible. He put his face in his talons, not looking up for quite some time. When he did speak, he spoke a single sentence. "My father is injured..with a possible infection..And our fair city hasn't faired so well..."

[Ida Fjölnir]

Ida slowly drops her apple as she sees Jacov's face expression, indicating something bad happened."Oh no!" she says in a ligthly saddened voice. There has to be something she can do in this situation to help Jacov and his family. Suddenly she got an inspiration. "I could put together a medical pack for your family to fight the infection. I bet we can send it to them on the same way the letter reached you."

[Manehatten Guard]

Staghaus sipped his "brandy" pensively. He knew not the contents of the letter given to Jacov, and he did not like that in the slightest. However, orders were orders. Staghaus would follow the Commander's given words, whether or not he liked being kept "out of the loop".

Hearing Ida suggest that she send something the same way it came in, the sergeant remembered Feliks' words.

"Insure that Jacov feels that there is no way to send anything along the same path that this letter came from. Without that, the contents of this letter lose all strategic importance to the plan." were the orders regarding the letter. Time to speak up.

Putting down the brandy, Staghaus put on a slightly drunk slur to his voice.

"No way to send things to Aer-ee, I'm afraid. Only reason ya got this was by telegram, which is... not applic-... applicable to herbs. By the Tsar this brandy is strong..."

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov looked to him. "Are you sure?" he asked desperately, grasping at straws at this point. He needed to help his family any way he could.

[Manehatten Guard]

Staghaus gave a quiet burp.

"I'm sure there's a way you can wire things...but I know for certain that Aer-ee is under... a lockdown. Nothing in or out... you're lucky Feliks got that telegram through, for sure. Maybe... ask him tonight?"

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov nods weakly, and sets the letter down. "When...are we going to see him?" he asks, not wanting to waste any time.

[Manehatten Guard]

Staghaus laughed inwardly, Feliks plan going completely on track. Still using the slightly drunk cast to his gravelly voice, the sergeant gave a reassuring smile.

"We can leave right now... and make it to the headquarters with time to spare. I can sleep the drink off, you and Ida can get some rest, and Feliks gets his appointment filled. Win win for all I say!" He raised his brandy, and took a swig, grinning.

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov nodded. "Shall we take our leave Ida?" he asked, hoping she would come along with him, and maybe find out if Feliks himself had anything for her. As for him, he wanted to ensure that his parents were fine, and see if he could send anything to his family.

[Ida Fjölnir]

"Sure." Ida says. "I bet we'll find a way to get the package to your family. I mean how hard can it be, if you have such good contacts like you?" she says, giggling. As she tries to stand up the alcohol in her veins begins to take effect and makes her fall back onto the seat. "Wowie...I think I had one drink too much. I just hope I'll have no problems with flying." she says and stands up again, slightly staggering from one side to the other.

[Manehatten Guard]

Staghaus shook his head at Ida. "We're not flying. I hired a carriage for us. Should be here soon."

He laughed at Ida's attempts to stand, and took a slice of meat from the boar, devouring it hungrily.

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov sighed. "Fly responsibly.." he said with a glum look on his face. He just wanted the coach to arrive and he could have his meeting with Feliks.

[Ida Fjölnir]

Ida shakes her head. "Nah, it's fine and you see we don't even have to fly. I just hope they have strong coffee at the headquarter. I don't want to look too drunk, when we see Feliks."

[Manehatten Guard]

Staghaus stood, looking about at the two inebriated griffons.
“Well then, let’s get going. Come, just glide down to the floor, nice and easy,
I bet the carriage is right outside waiting for us. You’ll see!”

Opening his wings slowly, Staghaus imitated a drunken
griffon’s gliding pattern, leaning a bit more to the right than a normal
griffon should have. Passing the owner of the pub, he gave a conspiratorial wink.






Just as planned…

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov followed the griffon hesitantly, still reeling from the evenings events.

[Ida Fjölnir]

As Ida follows the two griffons, she can feel that she needs to concentrate to fly straight. She really needs a very strong coffee or should sleep for a bit till the meeting with Feliks. She absolutely doesn't want to look unprofessional and doesn't want to risk to lose her possible founding.

[Manehatten Guard]

Landing by the door, Staghaus quickly opened the wooden portal to the outside. He held it open for his two companions, smiling reassuringly at them. The carriage was outside, a nondescript black painted vehicle with two large earthponies pulling it.

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov hopped in quickly, not imagining how much worse tonight could be.

[Ida Fjölnir]

Ida enter the carriage, lightly swaying. "Somehow I have a bad feeling about this. Why would Feliks give all this to us? I mean the things he offered us in the meeting were already enough to get us onto his side, right?" she whispers into Jacov's ear. "I really wonder what all this is about."

[Manehatten Guard]

Staghaus gave a small smile, wondering what Ida's whispered words were. The alcohol-addled had so little volume control, it was sad really. Stepping into the drivers seat, he took out a hidden crossbow and loaded it. Just in case some street tough decided to get "smart". It was almost 11:00 at night, after all. Time flies when you're having fun.

Nodding at the two ponies driving the carriage, they began trotting, moving the carriage... away from the Griffon Headquarters, and towards the Industrial District of Manehatten.

[Jacov Chillfeathers]

Jacov shrugged. "Maybe he isn't as confident in us as the others. Aeyrie have always been posed to meddle in the politics with griffons. And since most are liberal one might assume that he doesn't trust us very much." He said quietly.

[Ida Fjölnir]

Ida nods. "Yeah, it's probably that. Even I don't meddle in politics that much. Too much talking and not enough results." She let out a short sigh. "I'd prefer to sit in a laboratory in front of my measuring instruments."

[Manehatten Guard]

The sergeant looks around cautiously, keeping an eye out for threats as the carriage traveled. The ponies knew their destination, an old office building nestled in the Industrial District. Those two griffons would meet the Commander there... although, Staghaus himself had no idea why Feliks chose a remote location. Why not the security of the Headquarters?

Giving a smug grin, he looked up at the clouded sky. Whatever the case, it was clear that Feliks was planning something. And Staghaus planned to be as useful to Feliks as possible, to insure a fat pouch of gold and a promotion.

Grunting as the carriage hit a pothole in the road, he glared at the stallions pulling the carriage.

"Damn ponies..."

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