*Galen*
*Day 17 - Afternoon*

^îHonesty.  It^ñs an amazing thing.  What seem like problems become 
insignifgant in the face of a little honesty.  Let us have a moment of 
clarity, Mentorn.  I know you have some knowledge about this.^ï  Galen slid 
the dagger out of the top drawer in his desk and placed it in between 
himself and the man across from him, who tired in vain not to look 
appraisingly at the weapon.

^îUmmm...^ï Mentorn looked uncomfortable.

^îI^ñm not going to jump on you, or yell.  In fact, it^ñll probably be to your 
benefit.^ï

^îWhat?^ï

^îI^ñll tip my hand, because I think you^ñll appreicate what is about to be 
offered.  Breezy and I are aware of your, well, past experience in gathering 
information about, to put it bluntly, rare and valuable items.  We are 
interested in discovering more about this dagger and in talking, your name 
was the first we thought of.^ï

^îWait a second.  What exactly are you offering me?^ï

^îA chance to venture outside of Norwall.^ï

^îAnd I would be gone for?^ï

^îHowever long it takes.  It would be nice for you to drop in once in a 
while, let us know you^ñre alive.  At the very least, you could send the 
information along through other means.  Just let us know what you^ñre 
learning.^ï

^îWow.^ï

^îNow, this isn^ñt final.  I^ñm just seeing if you would be interested.^ï

At that moment, there was a knock on the door and Breezy entered.

^îSorry I^ñm late.  What have I missed?^ï

^îI^ñve made an offer and ... ^î

^îI^ñve accepted.^ï

^îIn principle, of course.^ï

Breezy smiled, ^îSomehow I think we^ñll be able to move forward on this.^ï

^îHave a seat Breezy.  Now, Mentorn, why don^ñt you tell us what you already 
know about this....^ï

<Tag Tree ... Anything to add?>

<..>

Breezy sat across from Galen in the wake of Mentorn^ñs departure and sighed.  
^îI think this will work out quite nicely.  He^ñs the perfect man for this 
job.^ï

^îThat^ñs for sure.  The only worry I have is how often he^ñll get back to us.  
Knowing him, it may be a long while before he gets back to us with any 
information.^ï

^îBut it^ñll be worthwhile information.  You know he^ñll do his research and 
get us the best facts out there.^ï

^îTrue, true.^ï  Galen cleared his throat, tried to stop his palms from 
sweating, and said, ^îUm ... Breezy?^ï

She stiffened visibly in the chair and asked, ^îYes?^ï

^îAre you okay?  You seemed ... a little off at lunch.^ï

^îOh, well, ummm ... I^ñve just been really busy and I^ñm afriad I just snapped 
a little earlier.  I^ñm sorry.^ï

^îOh, not a problem.  I was just worried ... ummm .. I mean, I didn^ñt want 
... ^î

^î..me to be awkward around you?^ï

^îYeah.^ï

^îDon^ñt worry about it Galen.  Well, I should be off.  Always more work to 
do.^ï

Galen stared for a while at his desk after she had left, unable to shake the 
feeling that she had been awkward around him and would continue to be 
awkward around him.  This prompted the fuzzy memory of a kiss that he hoped 
hadn^ñt really happened.  Because that would mean things would be even more 
awkward right?  He wished he could know if the unease he senesed in Breezy 
was caused by something she had done while intoxicated that he didn^ñt 
remember, or if it had been because his memory was all to accurate.  It 
would make his life so much easier.

<..>

*T^ñrell*
*Day 17 - Early Evening*

T^ñrell watched the sun setting behind the cliffs and was glad he was out of 
that room in the Med Centre, if only for a little while.  M^ñlent stood to 
the side, watchful as always.

^îThanks for letting me out a bit.^ï

^îAll animals need a little fresh air.^ï

^îThis one is going to become rabid in a second if someone doesn^ñt watch what 
he says.^ï

^îOkay, okay ... where to next?^ï

^îOh, back in I guess.^ï

^îYou don^ñt want to visit your men?^ï

^îThey^ñre not my men anymore.  They^ñve learned all they can from me ... it^ñs 
on to a new class now.^ï

^îAnd I suppose this has nothing to do with the fact that you were 
hospitalized because...^ï

^îNo.^ï

^îYou^ñre going to have to face them sometime you know.  You^ñre going to have 
to face everyone at some point.^ï

^îOh, I know, I just want to live in my isolation a bit longer.  Don^ñt you 
have somewhere you need to be?^ï

^îI^ñm an invalid remember?^ï

^îOh yes, you^ñre sick.  Well, invalid, let^ñs get both of us to bed.^ï

^îSounds good.^ï

<..>

*Cyrus*
*Day 17 - Evening*

And then there was hope.  Cyrus walked out in the night bair, a small smile 
playing on his face.  Things werenm^ñt as bad as he had thought.  Jeneve had 
come looking for him, asked him to help with some administrative stuff while 
Azhdeen was ill, and then there was Mentorn.  Rumours are just that, but 
they were whispering about Mentorn and if the whispers became something with 
a little more substance, then life would be a little more bearable.

He wasn^ñt even that embaressed when he ran into Alex again.  She seemed 
surprised when he hailed her, and asked him how he was feeling.

^îPretty good actually.  And ... and I^ñm sorry for running off earlier.  I 
got a little embaressed ... sorry about that.^ï

^îThat^ñs okay ... I think I understand.^ï

^îReally?  Hey, I haven^ñt had dinner yet ... I could use a little company.^ï

It was spontaneous, another admission of heart rather than head.  But this 
time, Cyrus smiled at the burst of words, looking forward to a short 
conversation with this woman.  There was something about her that made him 
... well, he wasn^ñt uncomfortable in her company, and that was something 
these days.

*Sabian*
*Day 17 - Evening*

Sabian sat in the darkened corner of Antwin^ñs room, smiling at his success.  
^îOh yes, I ^„encouraged^ñ several of his associates that it would be in their 
interests to leave.  When he pops his dirty old head up again, he^ñll be 
mystified.^ï

^îGood.  I^ñll be watching tomorrow.  You know what to do, when we find him 
right?^ï

^îOh yes.  This will be fun.^ï  Sabian couldn^ñt stop a laugh, as he played 
with a dagger.  Tomorrow would be a fun little day.

________________________________________________________
NRPG: More to come soon.

Submitted by Ben Tate

for

Galen, Cyrus, T^ñrell, M'lent and Sabian

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