Timestamp: Summer 10, 512 AV Time: Morning Location: The Ravokian Shipyard Who: Jeram Rhakash bent down to pick up a large bundle of wood, already cut into long slabs and ready for building. He gripped the two ropes that held them together, one arm each, and gripped ahold of a single slat. He bounced on the balls of his feet, his knees bent, let loose some air, and began to raise the bundle. Breath coming and going in grunts, he slowly brought it up to his chest, and continued higher and higher, above his head. He didn't lock his elbows, but rather moved the bundle back behind his glistening skull, then lowered the bundle to his shoulders, letting it rest there. He kept a controlling grip on the two rope ties, his other arms resting behind the wood, in case he lost his grip. He turned, the bundle nearly taking the head off of one of the other workers. Rhakash went to utter a fake apology, but the man turned a bright shade of red, and became livid. He got up in Rha's face and began yelling obscenities, spittle flying from his mouth, his voice growing louder and more obnoxious. Rhakash waited until the man was out of breath, then shot one of his loose arms out and gripped him by the throat, a moment before he could breathe in. "Look here you scummy drip of jackal cum, you try this shyke one more time, I'll make sure the next thing to leave your mouth is your innards." Rhakash finished the sentence with a big wad of spit into the man's face, then pushed him over the railing of the cargo ship into the lake. He readjusted the bundle on his shoulders, and began his walk down the gangplank. Upon reaching the bottom, he looked to the man in charge of inventory, who directed him to the far side of the shipyard, where new ships are built. He walked slowly, carefully, keeping his abs and back tight to stay straight, keeping the heavy load balanced. After navigating the crowd, he found his destination, a large pile of identical bundles to the one he carried. There was an open spot high atop the front of the pile, and once more, he used his spare arms to push it upward, up over his head, his arms and upper back straining hard. As he began to lift it forward, he lost his balance, and tipped ahead. The bundle slammed into its destination, and Rhakash was able to get his arms between him and the pile before he crashed into it. He rested there against the pile, regaining the strength in his muscles and the wind in his lungs. He pushed himself up from the pile and turned, and began weaving back through the bustling crowd. As always, his eyes were scanning the people in the crowd, looking for the tell tale marks on people's necks. He wanted to be better prepared for when the next craving struck. He hated this sort of grunt work. It was getting him no closer to his goal, at best it kept his body in shape. Nearing the ship he was working on, he saw a foreign looking woman, her arms long, her skin like ash. But most importantly, she had the mark upon her neck, the mark that indicated that she was in love with another. She was speaking to one of the men in charge of new ship supplies. Rhakash watched her for a bit until she walked away toward where people purchase ships. Rha approached the man, "Hey, who's that woman? I haven't seen her around her before. She's quite.. exotic." The worked rolled his eyes and looked annoyed, "Do you really think I would give you the name of a woman buying a ship that large? Get back to work, laborer." Rhakash held back his annoyance and anger, but decided a different approach. He reached his hand into his coin purse and grabbed about ten golden mizas. Pulling them out, he slipped them into the main's shirt pocket, "Now, who is she?" Once more the man beat back his attempts, kept his coins, and sent Rha back to work. The Eypharian sighed and began to trudge away, when his ears picked up the man's voice, talking to someone else. "Can you believe that fool? Asking about Valena? Questions like that will get him killed one day. Stupid foreigner, thinking he can just know the way of the town." Rhakash smiled, Valena... He had a name, maybe he could find out more. He wasn't paying any mind as he walked away, as he bumped into someone a bit harder than normal. |