Secrets Spilled (The Vestibule)

[Zandelia]

The winds tousled her hair as they made their way into the bitter cold and howling tempest that comprised the outside world. Even with her hood pulled up to shield her it was difficult to see as its strands flickered across her vision like so much flame in a fireplace. She briefly wondered why outside was the place for privacy but her mind turned the wheels of logic to provide the answer as her guide spoke – magic. Not, perhaps, the magic of the elements but a different branch of the arcane. She knew little of such things admittedly but if the Nuit of Sahova were able to make hulking great machines for work it only stood to reason they could watch and listen also.

Crafty…using that which few know to know more than they would like revealed. I will have to be careful. Still…if he is happy to reveal such things he might be persuaded to tell me more… she mused as she tried to watch Thomas through the gales.

She noted, with growing curiosity, that as he explained his notions he was looking over her shoulders – past her in point of fact. It made the space between her shoulder blades itch as if a knife were pricking her. Or needles perhaps, dozens of needles. As Thomas shuddered so did she, her instincts were dulled after so long away from Sunberth but she still knew the feeling of danger from behind – that at least had not died as of yet. She turned to look where he was looking and saw nothing after a long moment of searching. Perhaps Thomas would see it as her thinking upon his proposition.

And an intriguing one it is too. All resources? Is he that foolish…or that desperate? No…desperation would fit him more. But why? With his titles surely he has more than enough means. Unless…unless he wishes to not be seen as the one using them she pondered the proposition in all seriousness.

It paid to know what was on the table.

Never accept out of hand Zandelia. There will always be more than meets the eye, always! Do not be drawn in by greed, it mocks us all. Keep a calm head, consider the risks and the rewards. Your strength will be knowing the other will reveal only half of what they want, at best. Your weakness is that you know not what is hidden. Find out as best you can or you might as well slice your own neck

“Privacy is often overlooked as a virtue, it doesn’t surprise me that you have so little of it here,” she began, wondering how best to tease out some more information from Thomas, “and as for being watched…golems? Things like your Stranger perhaps?” she asked, leaving the point that such information was vital for her operation as a partner unstated – it didn’t need to be.

Besides, she fancied Thomas might enjoy the idea of lecturing her if she were wrong. Either way she hoped he would reveal more than that they were watched constantly. What watched them was a start.

“You risk much but I doubt that the risk for me is any less severe if what you say is true. I have already been seen with you, talking to you. You lead me here where they cannot hear but eyes still see. Either way a neat trap has been woven,” she grinned, the old thrill of risk lending her a frisson, “well played Thomas…well played indeed”

“I suppose, also, that this…gift…of yours can be used upon anyone? Or anything? Should I be worried if we shake hands over a deal?” she asked with an attempt at disarming humour.

The man looked tense, troubled and bitterly cold. She sighed inwardly and knew there was nothing for it – she was not cruel. Many things she was but no that. She took the cloak off of her shoulders and threw it at the man.

“And put that on before you die and I can’t hear any more about this deal of yours” her tone brooked no argument, she held no titles but she could order as and when it was appropriate to do so. She relished the winds whipping her black robes at any rate, they whispered to her of the future.

“Very well, I agree to your terms of silence as long as you pay the same respect to me in kind. If I hear of whisperings of me beyond what I craft myself I will know your signature upon them and then all pacts dissolved. Agreed?” she looked him directly in the eye then.

“But…if I agree to this, if. Well I need more to go upon than suspicions and emotion. I assume that you have your own inclinations as to this TAR and its…accident?” the question was an appropriate one.

She was already reeled in though, already willing to aid the man. She kept up the charade of caution because it was foolish to seem foolish. Only fools played the fool for real, the players played the fool for the fool’s sake.

“Very well, I accept your terms and must thank you for your offer too. Well do I know how terribly things might rebound in retribution. I will do all I can to help you. What then…are your suspicions?”

Magic, resources, information. All in one Bell in Sahova. I wonder if somewhere my stars are shining brightly?

[Thomas Cosa]

He grabbed the cloak eagerly, muttering a quick thanks before wrapping the thick material around his freezing body. Already this woman was proving more than useful, he joked mentally, deciding he could really come to enjoy her company. He sighed, considering her question, wondering how to respond.

"No, uh," he stalled awkwardly, very obviously uncomfortable with questioning towards his mark, but he would answer; after all, he needed to show her he could be trusted as much as he needed to trust her, "Not anyone, and certainly not on things," he emphasized the last word, an offended tone coloring his voice. "Anyone alive, or undead, even, depending on your definition of the words. I see every single memory, feel and experience it through their eyes. Quite the experience, I'll tell you," he decidedly left the explanation up to that, not really caring to list his weaknesses up and front. They were partners, and he would indulge her curiosity with a simple explanation and nothing more. "And you were right on your first guess, to your first question," he smirked, the unwanted curiosity regarding his gnosis causing him to almost complete forget her question regarding the surveillance.

"Witness types, and other more specific surveillance, depending on the lab and more importantly, which wizard operates there," he paused, sharply turning his eyes to behind Dasoma, "Sorry, I thought -- never mind," the pulser decided against telling her the worries and woes of the Testing Grounds, someone else could waste their breath on that, "But if you wanted to get really specific, like capabilities, and what not, we can talk about that inside the Citadel, or better yet, in Lab 15. It would make more sense there...Oh! And it would be better if you kept that little tidbit between us, y'know, if the whole Citadel hears about the witness types, well, let's just say the Council can get information other ways, and they're much less pleasant then just eavesdropping," he smirked, once again deciding to let her imagination fill in the blanks.

She was a very smart woman after all.

Thomas became visibly nervous at the mention of suspicious, kneading at the thick cloak for a quick tick before taking in a deep breath -- it was a bit childish, and perhaps dramatic, but accusing one's idealized hero could do that to a person.

"I don't have a who, not yet," he lied, not wanting to even utter the blasphemous words, at least not until he could be sure, "But I have something -- at least for now, it isn't much, but it's something for you to go on," Thomas sighed, "The TAR was shut down in favor of the judgement in early summer of this year, and more importantly, there was no alert -- which would have certainly happened had it been an outside attempt. I Saw something, before I meet you, someone with a silver chain, giving the shut down command. 7729. I don't know who or why, that's where you come in." He stopped, waiting for her response.

If she pressed him, he would give more information -- truthfully, he wanted to see what she could come up with this information alone, if anything.

[Zandelia]

Once more she listened, watching and waiting for serendipity to manifest itself. It was fickle beast at the best of times and she knew that it did not work that way – however she lived in constant hope. She had spent many years upon her craft and when she had been young had imagined she were one of the fabled web weavers, the knowers of all in a heartbeat. It had been said of Tua that he knew what jobs were needed before he even got the requests – that was how talented he was. With experience had come the realisation that such a feat was the impossible. No…one allowed others to assume that and then secretly investigated that which was not immediately presented as suspicious.

Fear and awe are powerful tools. I suspect many gave Tua exaclty what he wanted just under the threat of being found out – of being sure they would be discovered. It is a useful too, to appear omniscient she told herself as she watched Thomas carefully, knowing she could not lay claim to that trait yet but was perhaps within reach for once in her life.

What interested her most was the way the man acted at the mention of certain conversational points. What she had asked him were natural questions, easily answered and possessed of a certain slant of thinking that should have led to a flowing conversation. They hadn’t and that was interesting. Thomas looked nervous, he fidgeted and looked askance several time. It made her wonder what he was not saying, what he was not wanting to say. It was something to consider at a later time, when more information had been gleaned.

“I would keep that information to yourself I think. Wizard. Silver article. Knows about golems. Sounds like someone I know” she left the suggestion there in the air between them, a possibly deadly beast if what Thomas was saying proved correct. She had little reason to doubt him.

“Surveillance? Well…that will make things more difficult then. We will have to come up with random meeting places where they either do not exist or are difficult to use…if you know any others? Meeting in the same place all the time appears too clandestine for my liking” she continued smoothly, worried at the obstacle but allowing only a frown to cross her brow, “still…a useful talent you have. Had I but met you a few years ago” she smiled a that idea, a silly notion of a dream long passed.

The past could not be changed, the present though…that was possible.

“Yes, I will keep it to myself. Don’t want to meet with any…accidents. I would be happy to get inside, but first,” she turned the puzzle in her mind as she verbally established her line of thought for Thomas to follow, “we have a puzzle. Good. Complicated is better than simple as it limits those of involvement”

“The TAR is not your everyday golem?” she asked, gaining the small nod before continuing, “and so it logically follows that only the exceptional could shut it down…if as you say that is what happened. Your talent confirmed it and so, unless it is capable of lying to you, we must accept that as a fact”

“So not your usual mage, if a resident mage at all. This…Judgement…is interesting too. A change to routine always benefits something, or in this case someone. So two questions present themselves son the scant information you have given me it seems” she paused then as she considered the logic and tested it for flaws.

“Firstly, who gains? And secondly, how many Wizards that you know of could have accomplished it, or…who would know that code you spoke of? Food…for thought” she finished, awaiting either an answer or to be led into the stone once more.

[Thomas Cosa]

"You already have a guess?" Thomas asked, more hopeful than surprised, willingly to believe anything before the dangerous ideas that had been teasing him in the background. Reason brought him back from the far fetched hopes he clung to at Dasoma's suggestion. He would need to explain the situation fully, and unfortunately he would need to trust the strange new arrival with more than he had originally intended.

But, whatever was happening to the TAR was potentially far reaching; his survival was coming into risk, possibly, and Thomas needed to know where he stood in all of this -- he couldn't walk Sahova blind and deaf and hope to get to the other side. Wherever that was.

"A possibly have a way around that, hopefully," he sighed heavily, tapping against Stranger lightly, "Any ideas about counter acting the Citadel's surveillance?"

"Removal or termination of the golem would be the simplest routes, Wizard Cosa."

Thomas rolled his eyes, remembering everything with Stranger had to be direct. "No. That wouldn't work, the Council or the ArchWizard or someone else would find out and come asking questions. We need to do it without anyone finding out. Understood?"

"Who would alert them to the missing golem?"

"Not who, what. They'd be curious Stranger. They'd want to find out why they weren't getting any information from my lab," he snipped, remembering how easily human emotion was lost on the golem. "Never mind. I'll figure it out later, but I should be able to secure my lab," he paused, chewing on his bottom lip, "And without anyone figuring out what I've done." It couldn't have been too hard, could it? Things still managed to stay secret in the Citadel -- surely other wizards before him had managed to silence their watchers?

"And there are a handful of wizards that could benefit, I could go on and name the council head by head," He breathed in, the words coming easier now -- she would have to know. "I think it was the ArchWizard -- the chain is the only thing throwing me off, but otherwise, I'm sure of it. Watch," The pulser gestured towards the golem, "Stranger, please identify TAR," it was a simple command, and Stranger should've easily been able to identify the golem.

Should have.

"There is no record of TAR, Wizard Cosa"

"What about the Temporal Aura Recognition?"

"There is no record of the Temporal Aura Recognition, Wizard Cosa"

Thomas continued his questioning, holding up a hand to tell Dasoma to hold all questions of her own till later. "And the Judgement? What is the Judgement?"

"The Judgement is how Sahova manages new arrivals since the fall of Dranira."

The animator shook his head, signaling something was wrong. Something that had tipped him off originally, that something was happening with in the Citadel. Something that he needed to be involved in, and something he needed to bring to light. "Thank you, Stranger. That will be all for now," he took the golem, pushing it around his neck, and wearing it as collar again.

"TAR, or the Temporal Aura Recognition was how Sahova arranged new arrivals before the Judgement and after the fall of Dranira. It was how my apprenticeship with Lab 15 and the cavern's golem masters started," he swallowed, clearly nervous, "Stranger was a gift from the ArchWizard, and I am told the golem would know every golem created on the isle and even some created off," Thomas gestured to the TAR, still visible from afar, "So by all reasoning, Stranger should know about the TAR."

He sighed, breathing deeply. There were so many questions, too many answer unknown. But she had to know his suspicious if they were ever going to get to the end of it.

"I think it was the ArchWizard. Zarik Mashaen."

[Zandelia]

She listened and absorbed the information, turning it around in her mind and searching for the holes that she knew analytical thought would present to her. It was a flimsy premise that Thomas suggested, something born of scant facts and more suggestion at play than sound logic. It was to be expected really, given the fact that they had little to go upon. It was a strange mystery – and yet not a mystery at the same time. They knew what had happened to the TAR, perhaps were the only ones who did beyond the actual antagonists who deactivated it. She tilted her head in deeper thought.

Surveillance…well we can get around that by meeting where they can’t get to us. If he can disable his own lab and repurpose it…whatever that entails. Well we can use that. Otherwise we should really meet outside the Citadel proper… she mused.

“Outside the Citadel, we should meet there until you are confident that you have got the best of your own surveillance. Best to be cautious if we are sticking our noses into the viper pit” she spoke aloud, still turning his words around in her mind.

“Getting rid of them would be bad, especially if it would alert them. But…but…what if you can disable and repurpose them without them knowing? You could do it in several places, not just your Lab perhaps. Key places. Such as the Vestibule overlooking the TAR?” I’d wager whoever it is would return from time to time just to make sure all is well with their scheme perhaps. They usually do in my experience,” she paused then briefly, “and at the very least we would be able to use them to gather intelligence, information and see if anyone else might suspect what happened to the TAR”

But as to the who…well…he thinks the Arch Wizard…the idea is tempting. He gave Thomas Stranger after all and if what he says is true… she mused.

“Okay, so let us say that it is the Arch Wizard, I cannot refute it and you know Sahova better than I. Well, how would you go about proving it? Can he be spied upon? Does he ever leave his quarters perhaps? Who is he familiar with the most, or rather interact with? The more strings we can recreate of his personal web the more nodes we have to explore”

“The silver chain though…that sounds like the key. Does anyone have such a chain? I presume that Zarek Mashean doesn’t going on what you’re saying?” she asked rhetorically, Thomas’ words were enough to prove that her assumption was correct.

She crossed her arms across her chest and frowned as she processed it all, thinking as rapidly as she could whilst they had the time to do so. It was strange, too strange. Why would the Arch Wizard change Sahova in such a way after so long a time – or she presumed it was a long time. Thomas seemed to imply as much.

“What is this Dranira?” she asked upon impulse, curiosity getting the better of it but she waved it away just as quickly, “so we have a target and your logic seems sound as far as we know so far. We need more information. What would you have me do?” she asked Thomas and then an idea flickered within her mind and she shifted to Stranger.

“Stranger…do you know anything else beyond other Golems? For example…any record of how the Judgement came about and who was most in favour of it?” she tested the theory to see if there would be anything gleaned from the question.

[Thomas Cosa]

CODE: SELECT ALL

He nodded at her suggesting, knowing he would only have to find a solution to the Citadel's surveillance sooner rather than later; the pulser decidedly preferred the wrath of the Council to whatever awaited them outside the time weathered fortress. After all, alive or undead, they could only kill him. It stood to reason that their creations could only do the same -- but he couldn't be certain of that, and at least he could always reason with the Council. Sure, the undead unofficial kings and queen of Alahea long lost certainly were creative in their accidental murders, but rumor had it their broken and wild creations could do far worse.

And who was he to argue against rumor?

"You make it sound so easy," Thomas snorted, poorly attempting to mask his growing unease with dripping condescension "But it isn't -- you can't just repurpose a golem, at least not one I didn't personally oversee to their awakenings," He paused -- but if he could repurpose the watcher types, of he could redirect them, make them work for him, report to him. Well, there were only so many ways to force control over a hierarchy of wizards, and information was a direct way to the throne. "Anyway, taking that many, especially in such a visited place like the Vestibule. No. My lab and a few other private places at most, I won't risk anything more."

"Not yet, at least. Not now, but soon. Soon," The pulser entertained the idea briefly, fingers twisting eagerly around the metal workings of Stranger. It was only a matter of time, really, before he managed to gain some kind of foothold in the politics of the undead. The security to do as he pleased, to not be questioned constantly. Then, and only then would he start working on the other golems. Amassing his own little private army, on that wouldn't betray or question him; one that could stand against the might of the Sahovan wizard.

One that would fight for him.

"He's the ArchWizard. I'd imagine he goes wherever he likes, whenever," he sighed, thinking, "Mashaen's lab is right over mine, and I doubt the entire area isn't constantly under watch -- I mean, he's in charge, and no one in their right mind would ever try anything against him. But that doesn't mean there isn't the idiot that tries anyway." Hopefully, however Dasoma managed to look in on him wouldn't end with both of them on the chopping block. "I haven't seen one. And it seemed important, an heirloom maybe? Or...," he struggled, not entirely sure where he was going with this. It had to be important, he wouldn't have Seen it otherwise.

And then it came to him.

"Or a show of status...," he whispered, he mumbled, looking down at his own ring. "It could be like this," Thomas motioned at his own ring, liquid silver solidified by magic, "To show status, the materials usually do anyway -- bronze for apprentice, silver for wizard, independent or not, and gold for master. The thing was, it wasn't a ring -- but what if the really higher ups, they wouldn't want to be mistaken for a simple master," his words clung hungrily to the cold air, his excitement making his breath visible, "So maybe they don't have the usual things, or rings at any rate. Maybe even a necklace?"

Maybe. Or he could be completely wrong. He wasn't the detective here after all.

He smiled when she asked Stranger, pleased as a peach.

"He won't answer you, only me," He shrugged, "Stranger, answer her question and give her information regarding Dranira."

"I have no knowledge outside animation and golems unless Thomas specifically request that I learn it. I can observe and make logical decisions based on given information or situations, but in the case your question, Dasoma, I know as much or less than you."

The golem clicked, "Dranira is the supervisor created by Zarek Mashaen. In 509, summer, she defected and fled the Citadel. Current whereabouts are unknown."

[Zandelia]

She listened, noting the way in which he spoke and how it had faintly shifted now into a more condescending tone and the fact that he left gaps in his speech. He had been free with information before but now he was more reticent. The lack of clarifying information towards her ignorance told her enough to suspect that the turn in the conversation was not desired – or perhaps was feared. She did not know which but it made sense that Thomas would be reticent towards the idea of working against the Arch Wizard. Clearly he was a man of power and influence and therefore to be treated with caution. She decided not to press the matter further, there was no use driving away an ally when patience would bring her something more profitable.

At any rate, I hold no sway in this citadel and so shouldn’t pick my enemies too highly if at all. No, silence and stealth is best. Let’s start with something simple, something easily given and perhaps eagerly shown off. Mages like displaying their powers it seems she thought to herself as she watched the man before her.

He grew more interesting by the moment and if she liked anything she liked interesting individuals. They were so often capable of being thread together with others, bound perhaps orate last introduced and she knew she would need to start with the cultivation of sources of knowledge. With knowledge she could gain insight and thus enlightenment. Secrets were good but the power of even simple knowledge was known to her well enough for a solid appreciation. Data was all important. She shrugged as the conversation came to a close and tilted her head in thought.

“Very well, I bow to your knowledge of Sahova and your craft. You know best and so I shall follow your lead. I will learn and see what I can do to help you in your endeavours” she responded with simply.

“We should start with the chain then, see if we can’t find some individuals with one and expand a search out from there. It should be a simple enough thing to locate, though perhaps the individual chain may elude us. As you say, there may be many. But it’s somewhere to begin and more than we have upon anything else” she continued, smiling slightly at Thomas to try and ease him.

“Dranira, interesting individual. An enemy of Sahova but perhaps not involved in this mystery. Who knows, I don’t but I will help you find out. If Stranger can learn then so can we, perhaps we will find a trail worth following”

She tried to hide her disappointment that her sudden idea had met with little knowledge of worth concerning their mystery but couldn’t hide it completely. She frowned and her lips pouted slightly in thought. She had not expected much but nothing at all was an annoyance. The idea that Stranger had not been taught about the TAR concerned her but she held no true knowledge with which to access and analyse that concern. It was a nebulous idea, flickering at the edge of her consciousness but she was unable to turn herself mentally to view it – not yet.

“As to where we ca start now, perhaps you can show me this Lab of yours? At least that way I will know where the Arch Wizard’s office is mentally – if not in actuality. And you can teach me of these Golems you talk about. I know little and the more I know then the better if we will be dealing with them,” she suggested gently, attempting to lead him into the idea, “show me? It’s not often you get to teach an ignorant the power of your ways hmm?” she finished, clasping her hands at the small of her back and the corners of her lips upturned.

She couldn’t hide her curiosity concerning the matter either, she lived to learn new things, to ferret out data and secrets. She almost breathed them at times. Information was power and power could be wielded for her purposes.

[Thomas Cosa]

"So, we're looking for a chain," Thomas grumbled, turning back towards the Citadel. It wasn't much, no, but it was something. He couldn't help but feel discouraged, even still, the pulser managed to see reasoning behind Dasoma's thoughts; it gave them a place to start and branch out. They'd be able to single out and research possible suspects, and perhaps even more importantly, Avalis had deemed the chain enough to show him, thus enough to solve the why, to find reasoning behind the TAR's forced retirement.

It wasn't hopeless, but it wouldn't be easy, either.

"It'll be hard to catch any of the masters outside of their labs...," Thomas paused, biting his lip in obvious thought. It wasn't like the Citadel kept an updated picture book of the masters, or any kind of record that would give them any kind of hint as to which one had a penchant for silver chain jewelry. And it wasn't like he could send Dasoma to prowl around the caverns or the Gug Adjak without an apprentice ring, either. "and there's the issue of getting you into the labs. It's not like you can just walk around unsupervised, at least until you get your ring...," the wizard motioned after Dasoma with a lazy flick of a finger, already walking back to the Citadel. "I could always take you in as an apprentice, if you fail your Judgement, of course. Actually, it might be better...if we were to meet together often," he paused, chuckling lightly, "Well, you would be staying in my lab, obviously, so...," he murmured, nodding at his own thoughts, obviously either unaware he wasn't being exactly coherent or too deep in though to even care.

His muttering grew progressively quieter, eventually becoming completely incomprehensible until Thomas suddenly turned around, "Oh, and I suppose this to be obvious, but nothing we've spoken of should ever be repeated inside the Citadel. I'll show you the designs for some of the more common golem types, which will explain how you know of witness types should anyone question you -- I doubt they will, but still. Better safe than sorry, yes?"

"And on that note, if there's anything you want to ask -- about the TAR, or anything you think might alarm others to our very private investigation, ask now.," he added, hoping to answer any and all questions now, away from animated ears.

[Zandelia]

She slipped her hands behind her back, clasping them together as her shoulders raised ever so slightly to dissipate the slight hunch she as beginning to find uncomfortable, it had been a visual cue of body language that suggested a lack of dominance and a deference. It was no longer required truly, the bargain had been struck. It was more a reflex learnt over time, adopted unconsciously in certain situations. Now, however, she was being asked for her assessment and for any queries she might have and it was proper to adapt herself to that scenario, stepping into the boots of the intelligencer and not that investigator. She considered what was said slowly, assessing the situation and what would be required of her. Apprentices were subservient, yet they held a higher position of trust and power than a lone Pulser. What was being offered was large in significance and she respected that.

“I have heard that the Judgement is both risky and garners attention, considering what is required a certain level of discretion would be required. Attention breeds connection but it also breeds curiosity that would be counter-productive. Unless…it was staged. I set myself up to fail and do so convincingly…then you swoop in to take this new woman as an Apprentice for your own reasons. Unstated of course, at first”, she spoke slowly as she followed in his wake and merely nodded at the gesture he made, “this would accomplish the need to define our working relationship outwardly and also be a convincing reasoning. I could of course just take up your offer and not go through a Judgement perhaps?” she asked, she doubted it would be so simple but it was worth the consideration.

She would rather be a relative unknown if she was going to be poking around where she should not be and if these Listening Golems were a key to the lock they wanted to open - or at least one of them - then working under Thomas would allow her a portion of leniency in that regard. You couldn’t understand Golems without studying them after all, as with most things. If she passed a Judgement, as she understood it, she would be assigned a Master. That would be problematic if it meant she was serving two people. Not to mention the forfeiture of herself to another entity and that idea grated against her beliefs and emotions. She’d rather have the risk she knew than the risk she didn’t. She stopped when he did and considered the rest of what had been stated.

“Meeting together often is not a difficult thing, you are one of the few who actually seem to want to interact with others. Least ways myself. As to further cover…let us say I stay in your Lab. Both living, male and female. Perhaps we could cultivate something in the vein of you chose me because there was something more than business there…it would perhaps garner mockery but much less curiosity. People like to know things fit together neatly, if they don’t then they investigate. Carnal desire is an easy excuse” she shrugged at that, nothing would happen between them but it was one possible shield to gossip - if gossip actually existed in Sahova.

“Questions, questions,” she continued smoothly, dodging the opportunity for any form of response to her previous statements, “I have many questions but for the most part I think they will require further information before asking them. Perhaps some of what you show me can be of use in that regard. We have covered the central points of our little problem, going forwards and meeting often there will be much time for questioning and answering. As to where…I am no fool. Such things will only be uttered where they cannot be heard. Who would I tell at any rate?” she asked rhetorically with a small smile.

“Please, show me what you wish to show me Thomas. I am always eager to divine the unknown. You might be surprised, I have an…odd…way of looking at things. Perhaps I might even be able to help insome way with such…experiments” she nodded her head respectfully, lower than required by herself but as they approached the Citadel proper it was good to show the proper decorum.

After all, if they were to press onwards with these possible routes then it would need to be seen that she was deferent to him. His position and abilities demanded it, not to mention if other groundwork was chosen to be lain down then it would service those also.

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas nodded; it wouldn't be exactly difficult to fail a judgement -- purposely or not. Still, there were risks to faking one -- or so he imagined.

"I agree; it would be easier to have you entirely skip the judgment, and have you assigned as my apprentice," he paused, thoughtful. It was true enough, having Dasoma just skip the entire process would keep her relatively unknown -- especially considering she was to be his apprentice, and it wasn't like he was making political waves at the moment. And besides, she might even turn out to be useful as an apprentice. "And true, while certain rumors, spread by ourselves or others, might invite ridicule, it would keep the simpler minds from bothering you. Even so...," he chewed his lip, "I doubt every one would bite so easily. Most don't have the time or the energy for such...activities. Least of all myself, but I suppose as long as we don't invite any serious suspicion, we should be fine."

"Or so I hope," he thought, turning himself back to the Citadel.

"Well, off we go then -- oh, we will be passing through the Courtyard, but try not to talk. I find that it attracts the dead, for whatever reason they seem to find any bit of conversation as an invitation," Thomas scoffed, as if the very idea of spending any time with the captive ghost disgusted him. "Then through the Gug Adjak, where my Lab is -- we'll arrive in no time."

He would pass silently through the gates, and hurriedly through the Courtyard - it would become obvious he was uncomfortable around the ghost and even around the nuit themselves, if less so. The ever mist of the Courtyard would cling wetly to the duo as they passed, unseen hands lightly touching any exposed skin, tugging weakling at their hair and cloaks. Whispers would reach their ears -- telling of fallen apprentices, broken promises and fatal betrayals.

Nothing pleasant, but hopefully Dasoma wasn't expecting a warm re welcome into the Citadel.

They would pass the first floor of the Gug Adjak quickly if not quicker than the Courtyard. Thomas had never the patience to deal with the common labs, Lab 15 too crowded for him, but at least there he had masters. From there it was just stairs upon stairs and more stairs and then some. They would climb nineteen floors until the second, where he would immediately take a right.

It wasn't an impressive entrance by any means, but the room was spacious enough by Sahovan standards.

"So, here we are, Lab 2-A. First impressions? What do you see?