The Black Gate is Closed

[Brian]

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Bjorn throws them bones: for MIND CRUSH --> 40
Humphrey works his jaw for a minute, and then finally spits out, "You'll understand that it's not my fault?  I was put up to this -- I'll give you the one you want.  Your report will only contain the guilty ... friend?"

[Bjorn]

"Dr. Gladstone," Bjorn replies gravely, "if the truth is revealed, and all goes as it should, then there is never any need for blame.  What use are names then?  You may rest assured."

[Brian]

"Most of them are kept secret from me for just this type of situation; I've suspicions of a few, but absolute knowledge of only one.  The only important one, in my mind," he says hurriedly, glancing at the barracks, and dropping his voice.  "Master Flint Jennings was given a device of my own creation ... it allows one to bypass the Gates."

In Phil's mind, the details suddenly come together; the master Gate technician has no idea what the 'safe' or 'correct' way to use the Gates without risk of change.  He instead made something that would allow the user of the device to move between different points in space.  From what he can grasp, the device requires beacons to home in on, but otherwise, can send the user virtually anywhere.  It does have the side-effect of making a loud enough noise to shatter windows for nearly a mile in any direction, though.

He swallows.  "The Inspector will know more; if I delay here any longer my associates will wonder why."

[Bjorn]

"Well then, we will not hold you.  Go on, then.  Tell them you were useless to us.  Reassure them that all is happy and all is well.  And we will not dispute this, because you will leave us a copy of the device, yes?  And so we will be enraptured by study, by examining your wisdom, your creation, your -- dare I say it? -- your spark, that we will be in no position to argue."

[Brian]

He lips press into a flat line.  "It will take three days to complete," he says, turning to march back into the barracks.  "I'll have it sent to you when it is complete."

[Dracos]

OOC: So I maximized suckatude and rolled bloody month on my response time check.  I blame comfort.  Someone needs to start more fires around me.
IC:
A glance and a quick ~Nicely done.  He doesn't actually know how the gates work and we can be certain though that it can and is what is used to travel between this sphere and the previous one.  We can also be certain that Flint Jennings is a traitor working to gather an army who we should immediately arrange the apprehending of.  Possibly right now.~

"Always good to see how the edge of science is developing," Dracos commented as he lead the way back out of the gates area.

[Brian]

The coachman is standing by the carriage when Phil and Bjorn leave the compound, and the guards quickly snap to attention, realizing that company is around.  Nodding at the pair, the coachman asks, "Where to, Inspectors?"

[Dracos]

"Let us ride to the castle.  Tell us about Flint Jennings and where he might be found, if you would along the way," He asked, sitting in the coach and opening a window so they could hear the coachman as they rode. 

OOC: Figuring this would give us relatively unspyable conversation and hopefully a generic 'who is this person' to the common citizen.  Intent is to make sure the king's uncle is aware of the capabilities of their opponents and go track Jennings down with the correct amount of manpower ("He has a private army you say?") ("Just some noble?")

[Brian]

"Lord Jennings?" the coachman asks, a bit surprised, as the carriage bounces down the cobblestone road.  "He's a, um, composer, conductor....  A patron of the arts and a member of the Greater Council.  I believe he was awarded titles by His Majesty's father, and would have been Steward, if not for the King.  Did you wish to see him?  I believe we could make his estate in an hour, at this time of day."

[Dracos]

"Indeed, I would much like to meet with someone of such calibur, but first to the castle, and then we shall be off to his estate."

[Brian]

"Very good, Sir Inspector!" the coachman replies cheerfully, driving back to the palace.

Shortly, Phil and Bjorn find themselves at the stables, the entrance for the palace standing nearby.  The area is filled with coachmen and stablehands tending to horses and carriages; one corner of the yard houses a smithy, where a smith and his two apprentices work on horseshoes.

[Dracos]

Dracos heads in with barely a glance towards the proceedings, looking for either a convenient go-get-the-important-people servant...or the king's uncle himself.

[Brian]

Aliester is not conveniently standing around in the stable-house entryway, but a likely looking page sitting by the doorway on an overturned bucket seems to be unocupied.  He's currently chewing on a biscuit and gazing rather dreamily at a serving-girl as she brings the smithy and his apprentices a meal -- or maybe it's tea-time, and these folk are excessively civilized.  Either way, he doesn't look terribly busy.

[Dracos]

"You there, boy.  I need to speak with Aliester.  Quickly now, go find him," Dracos wasted no time.

[Bjorn]

"If you would, please," Bjorn adds.  "Pardon my friend, the Church lacks manners and sophistication, and the brutal semi-savagery of his apish upbringing sometimes shines through."

After the boy runs off, Bjorn turns to Philip. "So," he asks conversationally, "what do you think?  Straight for Jennings, or try and trace the connections around him first?"