Hunter Or Huntress

Chapter 126: Code of Conduct

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After the investigator had left for the keep with Tom, Dakota, and Linkosta, conversation had returned. At first, it was slow and cautious, but eventually it developed into a vivid discussion about just what the fuck was going on. After a while, Jortun was forced to separate a few fighting academics when one of them started arguing that it was their duty as servants of the academy and the crown to share this incredible knowledge with the world.

Unsurprisingly, he was alone in this sentiment, as everyone else was of the opinion that they liked breathing.

“I wonder how many know about this?” Saph went, looking to Jackalope, the last member of the keep still down here aside from herself.

“How the hell should I know? If Victoria didn't, wouldn't it be like pretty much no one? I mean look at them, they are supposed to know things, right? And they don’t know shit.”

“And they are bickering like children… no, for once you’re right. I’m guessing that makes us rather privileged then,” Saph retorted, shaking her head a little.

“I don’t really care about them to be honest. I think this is good though. Tom still couldn’t figure out what he was supposed to do, like at all. Now he doesn’t have to anymore,” Jacky replied, rather cheerily, holding up her hands in a shrug.

“I guess that’s true, but they might force us to make something we don’t wanna, or at least Tom thinks we shouldn’t.”

“Meh, it’ll be fine. Besides, don't you think we can get him to make even more awesome things if we kinda already have it?” Jacky continued, sounding almost a little giddy at the thought.

“I’m more worried they'll try and force us into making them whatever they want. I don’t really feel like becoming a factory worker like Tom talked about. We’ve worked our asses off already. What if they take all of it?”

“Well then I guess we have to fight for it,” Jacky went with a shrug.

“You know that won’t end well,” Saph replied with a pained expression before someone shouted at them.

“Yeah, what about you two? Did you know about all this? That we were gonna be stuck here?!” an angry-looking academic, whom Saph didn’t recognize, demanded, interrupting her and Jacky’s little discussion.

“No, we thought she was a priest just like you. If anything, we are in even more trouble.”

“Oh, let me guess: your secret little project for the guard?” another one broke out, but with less venom in their voice.

“Come now, let’s be civil about this. We are in this together whether we like it or not,” Hivon, the engineering guild representative, went, raising his arms up and interposing himself.

“Besides, they clearly just want us to go through all this. I mean look at this,” another academic piped up enthusiastically, holding up a drawing of something Saph had no clue what. “And it sounds like they have more. I don’t know about you, but I want to see that!”

“Do you think they will let us see their whole collection when we are done here?” the first one questioned, voice heavy with disbelief.

“You all heard her, things might change, and I’m guessing they want to try and make some of this stuff. Imagine that, a literal flying machine made out of wood and metal!”

“See, they are gonna need people for that!” Hivon interjected, nodding convincingly.

“I still don’t get how it’s supposed to steer?”

“Well, why don’t you sit down with all this wonderful paper and parchment and… whatever and find out. Exactly as you wanted to do when you came here, and exactly like what the investigator wants you to do,” Jortun went, gesturing at the pile of knowledge like the solution to this was obvious.

“But I don’t wanna be stuck here for years!”

“Look at this place. It's not gonna take years, you idiot. I’m guessing a few weeks if we’re quick about it, maybe a month or two depending on how much copying we are gonna be doing,” the optimist went, seemingly deciding to get to work immediately and let the others bicker away. “We do need more paper though.”

“Shut up, Arndul. Did you forget there are two more vaults still to go?! And we don’t even know what’s in those. What if it’s something they don’t think we should see? What if they just kill us anyway after we are done?!”

“How many of your colleagues have gone missing in the past on field trips?” Jortun questioned harshly, walking over in front of the guy complaining.

“Uhm… none?” the guy finally answered after a few seconds of thought.

“Very good. Now do your job and I’m fairly sure you won’t either. Can’t kill someone without them having done anything wrong. The Inquisition may be harsh, but they are not cruel."

‘Are you sure about that?´ Sapphire questioned to herself, keeping well clear of the conversation. At least the focus had been shifted off of her and Jacky. She hadn’t figured out yet exactly what this meant either. Aside from them apparently now being under the thumb of someone else. To say the Inquisition had a reputation was an understatement, but this definitely wasn’t the reaction she had expected from them. They were supposed to be so clear cut, traitor or not traitor. You live or you die. And now they wanted them to lie and bend the rules?

“She said they hadn’t seen anything like this in her lifetime, so that’s hardly an argument,” the distraught academic replied after having pondered the matter, though with no less determination.

“Well in that case, you lot are about to become unparalleled experts. I say you better get to work making yourselves invaluable to them,” Jortun countered, sounding like he had long since tired of the argument.

The little speech did the trick though. Only the one rather distraught scholar didn't get back to work, instead going into a corner to mope. The rest of them seemed to decide that immersing themselves in their work was superior to arguing a fruitless case.

“Sounds like we are gonna be sticking around for quite a while then,” Maiko went from behind Sapphire, apparently having made his way up behind her as she was thinking.

“Well, didn't you already receive orders to stay put?” Saph questioned, turning back to the corporal, doing her best to look unimpressed without smiling.

“And now we really aren’t going anywhere," Maiko retorted with a cocky smile even if he did faulter slightly, “So I had been chatting with Victoria as to whether or not… maybe… she would need someone.” The soldier went, confidence starting to wain as Saph just stared at him, like a disappointed mother.

‘Holy shit that’s hilarious,’ Saph mused to herself, doing her damndest to keep her best stoneface as Maiko made his case. ‘The quick-mouthed soldier, all weak in the knees.’ Sure, they had shared a really rather nice evening at the last round of festivities, but he sure didn’t feel like this last time around. ‘Now do I play nice… or do I have just a little fun… Fuck it, he can take it.’

“Let me guess, you are looking for a hotel room while the rest are in the tents?” Saph replied after Maiko ran out of run-on sentences.

“No! Definitely not,” Maiko stammered out. “The colonel simply wants someone to, keep an eye on all the important documents going to your beautiful keep while she’s out doing… things. Very important things I’m sure,” he continued clearly fighting to keep his composure. The investigator hadn’t even managed that. “They can’t do all the work down here after all, and it sounded like some copies were supposed to go up there too.”

“So a spy that I should willingly have staying in my room?” Saph went flatly still staring at him as she lowered her head a little.

“No, I didn’t mean… your room?” Maiko questioned, catching himself mid-sentence.

“That is what you were going for, right? Unless you wanted to sleep in the kitchen or something.” Saph replied finally being forced to crack a smile.

“That would be amaz- I mean yes, that would work very well, for my mission.” Maiko responded straightening his back a little again. ‘Good gods and you used to be good at lying.’ Saph mused to herself as she pretended to ponder the proposition chin rub and everything, even if she was now smiling quite badly.

“Deal, you will be helping me do the dishes though, and you are sleeping on the floor, so bring your bag,” Saph continued, crossing her arms and looking at the royal guardsman, who just stood there gawking for a second. “Well?” Saph pushed with an only slightly evil smile as her mask finally cracked.

“Yes, definitely yes, I will have to consult Victoria first obviously… I’m sure there won’t be any problems,” the corporal replied, clearly struggling to remain composed.

“Hah, told you she liked you,” Kolinky shouted at them from a little ways off. “Now that your date is secured, wanna help keep these idiots busy?” Well, that certainly did in what was left of Maiko’s composure as his face contorted one foot scraping a mark in the ground.

‘Oh come on, that's just catastrophically cute,’ Saph snickered to herself, looking at the odd sight. ‘The soldier that got caught with a hand in the honey pot.’

“I have a degree in…” one of the academics piped up in protest, sounding like they were ready to launch a major tirade before Kolinky cut him off.

“Bickering clearly. You want the blue or the red one next? Blue one says… Ore cracking and purification… How riveting. The red one is something about… what is a thrankonari?”

“That means flight core, lard brain. Gimme that, it must say something about the odd flying machines,” the by now rather annoyed academic went, snatching the book from Kolinky’s hand.

“Careful, don’t break it,” the sergeant replied with a smile and a shake of the head as he started paging through the other book.

“So, what do you do day to day at the keep these days?” Maiko questioned, after looking at Kolinky for a second or two, likely to see if he actually had to do anything for the academics.

“Kill, build, eat, sleep, repeat—oh and generally be awesome,” Jacky replied, walking up real close to the, by comparison, rather diminutive corporal, looking down at him with a curious look on her face.

“That doesn’t sound half bad,” he replied, looking up at her for a second before adjusting a pauldron and looking back to Saph, seemingly not bothered.

“You do know you are courting one of the most dangerous women in the world, right?” Jacky questioned, looking genuinely curious. Maiko didn’t look like he knew quite how to respond to that, either that or he didn’t care as he pointedly ignored her. Much to Jacky’s evident annoyance.

“So how much do I need to mess up to get shot?” he questioned, eyes locked on Saph.

“Oh don’t put it like that,” Saph replied with a heavy dose of sarcasm, putting a hand on her hip. “I’m very friendly.”

“Hah, you sent Herron to the infirmary after the guy fell over and buried his face in your crotch. Even I could figure out he wouldn't do that on purpose,” Jacky let out with an exaggerated laugh.

“Hey, I felt violated. I didn’t really ask questions, I just smacked him.”

“Yeah, with a hot frying pan. At least you made sure he was hot and bothered even if he wasn’t to start with” Jacky replied with a laugh, Maiko doing a slightly nervous chuckle.

“The find of the century and you people are making lewd jokes… honestly,” one of the academics went, the disapproval in his voice bordering on disgust.

“That was lewd?” Jacky had to question, looking at Saph who just shrugged in reply. “Right, fine, I’ll look at the funny pictures. Have fun you two,” Jacky replied with an exaggerated sigh. “Do any of them say gun or something like that?”

“What’s a gun?” a bewildered academic asked, looking up from a drawing.

“It’s… never mind, I’ll find it myself.”

“Well, might as well get to it then,” Saph went, looking at Maiko. “I’m thinking anything airship-related… maybe weapons. What about you?”

“I wonder if they have any equipment for dragons. Not that Baron would want to carry any of it… Glira or Jarix might though… Oh, what about armor? They must have some cool armor. Wonder what kind of sword they could make too?” Maiko replied, his enthusiasm growing by the second.

“Well let’s find out, shall we?” Saph went, gesturing towards the vault.

“Hang on… Now I’m not a genius or anything, but doesn’t organic mean it was alive once?” Kolinky let out before the two of them got moving as he looked through his book.

“It does… Why?” the grumpy academic from earlier responded.

“It says the stuff they mined to make the gravity oil was organic… like really old of course, but still… and the stuff is blue.”

“What’s your point here?”

“Well, they called it dragon essence.” That certainly led to a bit of a halt in proceedings as people worked out just how to respond to that.

“So what you're saying is we fed really old dragon juice to a mouse to see what would happen?” Jacky questioned with a chuckle, her attention being turned away from the drawing she had stolen from the guild representative, who was trying his best to get a look at it while she was holding it.

“Why did you do that?” Kolinky demanded, Maiko just looking a touch curious at Saph.

“Well, we had to figure it out somehow,” Saph went with a shrug. “Don’t worry, we haven’t had someone drink it. Tom wouldn’t let us.”

“It went flying by the way,” Jacky added, looking rather proud of the fact. Leading to another rather awkward silence.

“You fed an ancient and possibly priceless liquid to a mouse just to see what would happen.”

“It's called science, duh. Maybe if you read that blue book you’ll learn to make more,” Jacky replied with a shrug, getting back to her drawing gesturing at something. “I wonder what that is for.”

“I think that’s the stove.”

“... I knew that. I meant that thing...”

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“Well, they better be gone by winter. We don’t have the stores to feed them, nor do we have much to spare ourselves. Deriva is in need of aid for winter, and we have already expanded our own numbers this year,” Nunuk countered, the investigator just sitting there calmly.

“I am quite confident we will have all the vaults emptied in time for winter. After that, I’m guessing they will be taken to either the capital to serve in the archives beneath the cathedral, or perhaps another location. If they so desire. After all, we are going to need fresh recruits if our own vaults are to be opened.”

“Won’t the academy be a bit worried they just lost several prominent members? Not to mention the engineering guild?” Apuma questioned, sounding a touch confused.

“I’m sure they will, but that is hardly my responsibility to deal with. I just need to secure what’s in that vault and then get it moved to where it needs to go. Though I doubt I will be in charge for long. Unless Joelina decides I can be trusted with this mission that is.”

“As for what you should do, the answer is nothing. Exactly nothing. You are already keeping secrets I see, and some potent ones at that. I think it’s in our best interest to maintain the only place left that could reasonably produce some of the things we might need. Or at least teach us what you need to do so.”

“Well, knowing what to do and being able to do it is very different,” Tom added with a nod. It had been nerve-racking to say the absolute least to show the investigator around their workshop. ‘Only place left, so they don’t have any big ass hidden workshops then… That’s a relief.’

“As for some of all these marvelous things you have brought from this home of yours, I can only ask that you continue to keep those as secret as possible. Who knows, one day it might become part of our collections.”

“So you are not stealing all my stuff?” Tom tried in a hopeful tone. He had at the very least expected her to try and take some of it… like why would she not?

“I’ll be frank with you here, I would like nothing more than to take it all, including you, to the capital, where you may help us unlock the secrets we preserve. But I cannot. That would raise too many questions, and we have too much opposition still left to break. That and I have a feeling you would make it difficult for us. Also, you just so happen to be in the perfect spot to both help us in our endeavor to try and save this kingdom while staying out of sight and out of mind of the people whom we might not want to know the full truth. I will ask that you are not around should other members of the Inquisition pay this keep a visit, unless I myself or Joelina have verified that they may be trusted with our little secret.” The investigator looked at Tom with a gaze that betrayed she likely wasn’t lying. She almost looked like Jacky after a long day of hunting with little to show for it, though it likely wasn’t stress relief the investigator was after.

“How long will you be staying, Investigator, if you don’t mind me asking?” Nunuk questioned.

“Until they have finished taking inventory down. Then I must report this finding to Joelina; she will decide what we do then. I doubt much more than a week. Besides, it doesn’t feel like my presence will speed up their work. I trust I can rely on you to remind them not to get any creative ideas about letting secrets slip until Joelina has had her say, Colonel?”

“Certainly, Investigator. Though, might I ask how you intend to get home? Am I to provide transport?” Victoria questioned in reply in a very professional tone.

“No, Galaxer was instructed not to stray too far on his travels just in case. He will do a lot of things for coin, including shutting up about where he got it from. A very useful trait if you ask me.”

“It certainly has its uses,” Victoria replied, looking rather relieved despite her very professional demeanor. “Can you contact him, or is he scheduled back?”

“I have already let him know, though I know not exactly when he will be back. Now to reiterate, until Joelina approves this little scheme of ours, don’t let anything off the island, and do please keep the originals down here for now. We don’t want to risk losing one in transport. Besides, it sounds like you have festivities to plan. I think you can calmly invite the workers from down below now.”

“I believe you are right there,” Nunuk replied with a nod. “It’s gonna be a busy day in the kitchen, that’s for sure.”

“I suspect so,” the investigator went with a kind smile.

“Does that mean I will not be allowed to bring notes back with me?” Apuma questioned, almost pleadingly. The old man had only barely been kept from just flying off by himself when he had learned what had been found.

“Just leave them down there, oh and do please try not to sign them or the book, just in case,” the investigator replied, maintaining her friendly demeanor. ”Anywho, keep them in line—that means you too—and nothing bad happens. Now Tom, I believe you promised a demonstration of this weapon you have forged,” she questioned, looking at him.

‘Praised be that she didn’t ask about the laptops,’ Tom went to himself, getting up. “Certainly, we might as well test the mount for Jarix at the same time.”

__________________________________________________________________________________

Saph had honestly become worried they might have to spend the night down in the caves when Victoria had returned with the investigator. She seemed cheery enough, as everything came to a halt expecting her to say something.

“Right then, I trust you have had time to chat a little about what's going on. The keep dwellers will be going back home since they are gonna be very busy, and they’ll leave us to do our work down here. With the exception of this kind old gentleman and of course Linkosta here who will be joining us. the investigator went, gesturing at Apuma and his daughter. “Baron and his crew have the first shift to guard us, and Glira is going to make sure you will continue to sleep on a full belly. I suggest you remember to thank her for it,” Saph couldn’t help but smile at the old man nearly vibrating with excitement.

Jortun, Victoria, and the investigator had a quick chat before Jortun gave a salute as he started gathering up his crew, gesturing for Saph and Jacky to follow. Maiko had come trotting up to Victoria, very unprofessionally whispering into the colonel’s ear while she was still talking with the investigator. ‘Breach of protocol in front of the Inquisition… Well, it explains why he’s still a corporal,’ Saph mused to herself as watching the exchange, quietly appreciating the fact he almost seemed more scared of her than the investigator.

Victoria hadn’t looked terribly amused, waving him off after he had made his case, the investigator just looking at him curiously throughout. Judging by the smile on his face he had gotten what he wanted, joining their little formation next to Saph.

“You know kid, one day we'll make a soldier out of you… but today is not that day,” Jortun went with a chuckle after the group had made it a ways down the tunnel.

Maiko cleared his throat once, straightening his back and fixing into a more proper gait. “Sorry sir, couldn’t help myself. It won’t happen again.”

“Are you calling me an idiot soldier?” Jortun countered sharply, not looking back at the corporal.

“No, sir. Never?” Maiko replied, bewilderedly, looking at the major.

“Well, even an idiot knows it will happen again.”

“I don’t see what the problem is,” Saph added as they kept walking. “He just proved the investigator wasn’t just spouting empty words?”

“Ohh? How so?” Jortun went, turning his head around to look at Saph, revealing a rather wide smile.

“By some of the rumors, she may well have had him whipped or at the very least strongly reprimanded for getting in her way. Yet she did nothing”

“I wasn’t in her way,” Maiko protested, still sounding a touch confused.

“I see, so his barging into the conversation he might not have been allowed to hear was in fact a genius move to cement the investigator’s position. He was simply expressing great bravery by putting himself in such a dangerous situation?” Jortun replied, clearly struggling not to laugh.

“Either that or he’s just a numpty,” Jacky added, leading to Saph having to suppress a snicker.

“I vote for numpty,” Twitch agreed in a tone of forced seriousness.

“Yes definitely,” Kulk added, smacking Maiko’s ass.

“Ha ha, very funny,” The corporal replied, grabbing hold of Kulk’s ear.

“Fuck aoww that hurts!”

“You're a healer, deal with it,” Maiko replied before letting go.

“I can’t fix emotional damage” Kulk replied, rubbing her ear eliciting a few snickers from the group.

“The smart and brave soldier boy,” Saph went, looking over at him. Maiko’s ears flopping down the side of his face. ‘Oh that’s not fair, he’s got Fengi eyes too,’ Saph mused to herself, just making a funny face at him before looking back ahead. “You are still sleeping on the floor though.”

“Careful now, you’ll break the poor man's heart,” Jacky went with a rather evil-sounding snicker.

“Better than you breaking the bed,” Quency went with a laugh as she pointed at Jacky, who in turn just looked back at her furiously.

“Oi, just because it takes someone not of this world to handle me!”

“Well he certainly can’t,” Quency replied nodding at Maiko, who looked like he was somewhere else right now. “I’ve never seen him like this.”

“Would you not just shut up?!” Maiko protested, returning to reality, not improving the situation in the slightest.

“Oh don’t worry it’s not like you to disappoint… much,”

“Can you two get your mind out of the gutter for five seconds?” Saph snapped at them, putting an arm around Maiko to try and safeguard the poor guy. He predictably stiffened for a second before resuming a pace seemingly unbothered.

“Saph and Maiko sitting in a tree,” Jacky let out, giggling like a little girl and doing a ridiculous little dance.

“Hey just because your ass is still too ruined to drag Tom up into one doesn't mean you get to bully the rest of us,” Saph replied, sticking her tongue out at the childish display.

“Come here and I’ll show you whose ass is ruined, miss scaredy pants!” Jacky replied with a laugh.

“What? All of one and a bit meters? I’ll never make the journey.”

“Today has been a strange day,” Twitch interrupted, looking at the major. “Do you think tomorrow will be any more normal?”

“With you around, I hope not. Normal tends to be dangerous.”

“Hey!”

“Would you be surprised if I told you the mood is usually a little different on Baron?” Maiko questioned, walking closely to Saph.

“No, I would not,” Saph replied with a chuckle, looking around at the ‘professional soldiers.’ “Honestly, Dakota often keeps us more disciplined than this,” she replied, as Maiko put an arm around her waist leaning in a bit.

“Oi, breach of protocol, fraternizing at the front!” Quency shouted, with a laugh.

“As your commanding officer, it is my duty to ensure absolute loyalty to the guard and have you refrain from any such activities while deployed, especially not with a possible hostile combatant,” Jortun went with a chuckle.

“Well, won’t be my first dressing down,” Maiko replied uncaringly as they kept walking.

“No it will not.”

Arriving at the cave, both Glira and Baron were rather eager to learn more about what had been found down there, Glira especially being rather disappointed they hadn’t brought anything cool out for her to look at yet.

“Well have you at least gotten a good look at some of it then?” the blue dragon questioned, sounding rather annoyed. “Come on, anything?”

“Well, the gravity oil is made from old dead dragons stuck in the ground somehow, kinda like a mineral. They had a bunch of different flying machines, some even larger than dragons. Like a lot larger. All made of metal and wood and other things,” Jortun responded.

Well, that certainly got Glira’s attention, Baron looking like he had seen a ghost.

“Go on,” Glira beckoned, lowering her head down to the ground.

“Can we do the storytelling in flight?” Jortun questioned with a slight grumble. "It’s gonna go dark before too long."

“No, you may not. What kind of weapons can they carry?” Baron questioned, sitting down on his haunches and looking down at them with a rather intense glare.

“Well probably cannons. Tom showed us those. They're basically just big guns,” Saph went, looking up at the old red, slipping out our Maiko’s grasp.

“I thought guns were cannons, but like all firearms are guns… wait no, that’s wrong,” Jacky added, only managing to confuse herself.

“They are big guns. There were a lot of other strange things on them too. No clue how fast they were either. The little ones looked speedy though,” Saph replied, looking up at Baron, who seemed reluctant to ask any more questions, but he didn’t take his gaze away from them either.

“Surely they would have bombs, no?” Glira went, clearly enthralled.

“I mean, probably? Tom said something about that and rockets too before he got taken away. I think it’s him you want down here.”

“Baron, may I please take my crew to go talk with the weapons expert? Who should definitely be down here right now?” Glira questioned, turning to look at Baron expectantly.

“Fine… I want to know as much as you on this. I want to see those airship drawings.” The old red replied bitterly.

“Sir, yes, sir,” Glira went, lowering a wing for them. ”How long do you think it will take before we can make them?”

“Tom talked about making planes like that would take years. We had sorta gotten started, but, well, then all this happened. I think these might take even longer though. They look really complicated,” Saph replied, trying to sound optimistic.

“What about just a cannon, could that be done?”

“I mean maybe… Okay, I have no clue here,” Saph relented.

“I’ll take that as a yes. I’m soo getting myself a cannon,” Glira replied seeming very pleased with the prospect.

“I’m sure you will. Right now we need to get back home before dark. We will be hunting tomorrow so all those mouths don’t start yapping too loudly. Sounds like Jarix will be too,” Jortun replied, looking to Glira.

“I guess beating that little welp tomorrow is better than thinking about what I can have to beat him someday… Say, you two know Tom very well. What do you have to do to get one of those marvelous killing machines he made?” the dragon questioned, looking down at Jacky and Saph as they boarded.

“I mean for Jarix it was pretty much a lesson on life… and work. Quite a lot of work,” Saph replied, Jacky shrugging as she nodded

“I know a lot about life, mainly how to take it, and my work ethic is impeccable,” Glira responded, holding her head high.

“You have got to be shitting me,” Jortun countered, looking up at the dragon, which did rather take the wind out of Glira’s sails.

“Well for a weapon like that it is. I’ll kill whoever needs killing all day long.”

‘There's a bit more to work than killing,’ Saph went to herself, shaking her head. Jortun and Glira descended into an argument on just what would constitute a good work ethic as they took to the sky and headed for home again.