+- World of Pern (https://pern.second-pass.net/forum)
+-- Forum: Fort Territories (https://pern.second-pass.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=7)
+--- Forum: Fort Weyr (https://pern.second-pass.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=123)
+--- Thread: [G] [C] 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery (/showthread.php?tid=4910)
742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Rh'us - 12.Mar.21
Rhamnus muttered a soft curse as he glared at the locked cabinet and gave the handle a jiggle. Who decided it was fine to lock these things away? Sure, sure, he supposed it was to keep them out of the hands of idiots and those with evil intentions, but he was certainly no idiot and his intentions were nothing if not noble. He scowled again, trying to slip a scalpel between the doors to try and jiggle it open, but stopped in frustration to step back and collect himself.
If he were some sort of scoundrel this would no doubt be easy. Maybe there was a key somewhere. L'gan would be busy for hours still before he could pay the man a proper visit, and whoever used this office was clearly out for the day. It wouldn't hurt to do a little rummaging. Rhamnus began to methodically search the desk, opening drawers, shaking his head as he glared at the terrible unorganized mess inside, filtering through all the odds and ends and... was that trash?! Who put trash in their desk?!
With a grunt of disgust, Rhamnus closed the drawer and turned his attention back to the cabinet. He could always just wait and ask L'gan to open it for him, but he wanted to enjoy his visit with the man and focus more on his latest dragon healing research. That and he was in a rare impatient mood after teasing T'drin (and thus himself) for a ride here.
He studied the villainous cabinet with narrowed eyes, chewing on the tip of his thumb as he paced in front of it. No, he had an idea now, clearly he had just had the scalpel in the wrong place. Rhamnus grabbed it again and moved back into position, letting out a soft, satisfied hum as he felt the latch finally give way. And then he heard movement behind him and he stopped, not quite freezing, as he listened. Someone had definitely joined him in the room. He tilted his head curiously as he turned around, leaving the scalpel wedged between the doors for the moment and blocking it from view with his body.
It was just a shaggy haired young man, holding a tray of food, watching him quizzically. Probably just some candidate helping the kitchens or a drudge, certainly nothing to worry about. Rhamnus waved towards the desk. "Just leave it there and go."
RE: 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Ulliendis - 14.Mar.21
He was not cut out for hard labour, something Ulliendis quickly learned when he got to the Weyr. Perhaps the Harper life and all of that dusty travelling weren’t that bad after all. Too late now! But he had found a way to swindle the easier tasks. Other Candidates didn’t like being in the kitchens, finding it too hot and not that impressed with food delivery. Compared to laundry, the stables, and even churning butter, Ulliendis found delivering trays of food to lazy dragonriders rather delightful. It also helped him meet more people and he could flirt with the kitchen workers and get something to nibble on whenever he was waiting around.
He also didn’t mind how frequent his trips to the infirmary were since the Healers were often busy patching up some person or another—and now they had their dragon research to keep them glued to a desk. He had no interest in doing dragon healing himself (far too messy and too much dedication) but Ulliendis supported their efforts and liked to chat for a few minutes about what their latest discovery was.
But, as he entered one of the few private offices that branched out from the main infirmary, Ulliendis frowned at what he saw. That wasn’t one of the Healers he knew was either from Fort or currently staying to start their study of dragon healing. It was also odd that the man seemed to be struggling with the lock. The way he was barely given even a glance while being dismissed had Ulliendis convinced the man wasn’t supposed to be at that cupboard and he grinned as he set the tray on the desk.
Ulliendis crossed his arms lightly in front of his chest as he leaned a hip against the desk. “Half of your order is complete, but I’d rather stay and watch you with that cupboard. It seems far more interesting than anything happening in the kitchen. They’re all still talking about the new pregnancies in the Weyr and gossiping over who the daddies are or could be. I’ve heard all of that already and actually figured out one of the mysteries but I don’t want to spoil their fun.”
RE: 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Rh'us - 14.Mar.21
Well, that was certainly unfortunate. Rhamnus had hoped the delivery boy hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary but he very clearly had. The fact that he didn't seem bothered at all by it was a bit promising though. Even if he didn't appreciate the amused grin on that face. Now the question was what to do. He studied the young man, giving him a longer appraising eye, especially noting his rather trim build and the eye catching lines of his cheeks. At least the boy was handsome.
"Oh? Mystery fathers and new pregnancies in the Weyr? I'm afraid I'm not at all caught up on the gossip, perhaps you could tell me about it. I'm especially curious about the solved mystery. Perhaps you could tell me about it while we eat this... whatever it is you brought." Rhamnus declined mentioning anything at all about the cabinet for now, casually reaching behind him and grabbing onto the scalpel he'd wedged into it previously to yank it out. Once he had that in hand he tried to subtly deposit it on a shelf on his way to the desk to casually lounge in the chair at it, eyes still keenly fixed on the young man who had found him.
The young man seemed too amused by the situation, and that made things seem a little less serious. Still problematic, but perhaps salvageable. Rhamnus chewed on a thumbnail thoughtfully for a moment before nodding. "You seem like a rather uniquely reasonable individual, unless I'm terribly mistaken. I'm Rhamnus, what's your name?"
RE: 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Ulliendis - 14.Mar.21
Ulliendis tracked the man’s movements as he stepped away from the cabinet. He had been trained to keep an eye out for subtle actions or when someone looked too normal. It usually meant they were trying to hide something and this guy? This guy was trying to hide something. He hadn’t been able to see clearly initially, but Ulliendis had a feeling it wasn’t a key the other man was trying to keep from view. In fact, being caught in the act like he was, it would have been far more beneficial to show off the key he had been using and pass it off as a stubborn lock. Curious.
“Ah, yes. You are clearly a man that is always interested in the lives of the folk that run the lower caverns. I could go on and at great length about what I learn milling about down there but that might distract from other things going on in the Weyr.” He didn’t move from where he still leaned against the desk as the man now with a name sat down. He studied Rhamnus, noting his features and committing them to memory to help keep that face in his mind. No matter how their encounter went, Ulliendis didn’t want to forget a detail, just in case.
Finally, when the nail biting got to him more than the silent stare down, Ulliendis sighed, “Oh all right. Allow me to present you with… someone else’s midday meal!” He grabbed the cloth that had been covering the plates on the tray and yanked it away with a flourish. “I know whose office this is and you are not him, Rhamnus. I suppose he won’t mind you nibbling away, however.” Ulliendis folded the cloth in crisp edges as he spoke until he set the finished product of a bird down beside the tray.
“And my name is Ulliendis and if you haven’t pinpointed it yet, I’m a Harper, specializing in performance.”
RE: 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Rh'us - 14.Mar.21
"Well he seems to be out, and I'm sure he'd rather the food not go to waste. Why don't you join me, have a bite yourself," Rhamnus said with a gesture towards the tray. People always tended to relax when they ate from what he'd noticed, it was why he kept a small supply of sweets in his office for those who were nervous around healers like young children. Maybe that would help smooth things over with this young man.
Though he supposed there were other options to put in his mouth besides food... Rhamnus eyed him again and wondered if he could try to make things a bit more pleasant and distracting. "Well, Ulliendis, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, though I'm sure there are better circumstances we could have met under. And performance you say?" The corner of his lips lifted as he added, "I've been known to dabble in performance as well, though I'm not sure you'd appreciate my particular skills. Unless the stories they say about Harper flexibility are true, that is."
He reached over to steal a piece of food from the tray to nibble on as he alternated his gaze between the young man and the doorway behind him as he considered his options. There was always trying to skulk away in embarrassment, but that didn't suit Rhamnus at all. Another option was to try and menace the young man into silence or perhaps even lash out, but again, that seemed like more work than it was worth. Ulliendis seemed curious and amused more than anything at the moment, and while curiosity could lead to terribly annoying nosiness, the young man didn't seem the sort to just talk. Otherwise he would have taken the bait regarding the gossip.
"As I mentioned earlier, you seem a very reasonable sort, I'm sure we can find some sort of way to keep this silly and insignificant trespass of mine under wraps, yes?"
RE: 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Ulliendis - 15.Mar.21
Ulliendis gave a soft snort and a nod before purposely misunderstanding and missing the innuendo. "Oh, absolutely! Harpers have to be flexible. Do you know how many times you prepare a set for the evening's entertainment, thinking they want fun dancing songs but they really want ballads? Or the amount of times I get asked to play 'Freebird'? I think some genuinely want it and aren't in on the joke associated with it at this point." He shook his head sadly while mourning the intelligence level of some of the people he had the displeasure of crossing paths with.
He let his gaze sweep from plate to Rhamnus as he watched him take a bite. Only once he was certain the food was swallowed Ulliendis finally spoke, ignoring Rhamnus’ attempt at winning him over. "Why would I want to eat something when I know what's been secretly added to it?" Ulliendis watched Rhamnus for his reaction and grinned when he saw the slightest flicker of what might have been worry. "I'm kidding! Maybe. But my pockets are deep and hold many wonders." Really, people were far too trusting of someone new. He hadn't been at the job for long and it really would be easy for him to slip something into a dish or pitcher if he wanted to and then pass the blame to a drudge. He was a Harper and now a dragon-approved Candidate! Surely he wouldn't be so devious.
He should probably be nice and give Rhamnus a straight answer but Ulliendis wasn’t certain that he would receive any in return. It didn’t hurt to test it with a simple and straightforward question. “So what’s so special in the cabinet?”
RE: 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Rh'us - 15.Mar.21
Rhamnus found himself torn between being terribly amused and terribly annoyed as Ulliendis began to ramble on about the trials and tribulations of life as a performing Harper. Clearly the young man wasn't taking this too seriously, and that did help set his mind somewhat at ease. Even if he was the sort to joke about serious matters, that was just another indication that perhaps he could be bargained with in some fashion.
The very casual comment about the food being tampered with did bring him pause though as Rhamnus quickly considered the taste and texture of what he'd just eaten, so far nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A quick check of himself seemed to indicate that as well, though it was possible it was something a bit more subtle. He didn't feel his heart doing anything untoward, his stomach seemed to be acting rather normally, the tiniest headache forming was likely from the fact that his jaw was clenched.
"Very deep pockets eh?" Rhamnus asked before leaning back in his chair again, studying the other man for a moment. "I'm almost curious about those wonders." Maybe the boy was just insane. That was a distinct possibility, he'd always heard Harpers were a bit off. But still, he didn't seem all that bad, even for having just pretended to poison him. He shook his head and chuckled slightly, finding his predicament more and more amusing.
He decided to opt for just giving a rather straightforward answer in the end as he shrugged, "It's really very simple. The cabinet holds things in it that I want and I'm too impatient to wait for someone else to open it for me."
RE: 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Ulliendis - 16.Mar.21
"Well that's not very informative. How do you expect to win me over to your side with details like that? You're not very good at subterfuge." That was extremely disappointing. Rhamnus showed some potential for being fascinating and then he went and said that. It was probably still a ploy, trying to feel him out in turn but Ulliendis still frowned. What didn't Rhamnus trust? He had the most trustworthy face! Was it the poison joke? It was probably the poison joke.
Maybe he could make up for the joke by still offering his assistance. Normally he wasn't one to help shady individuals but his curiosity had been piqued. "It's a real shame because there might be something useful in my deep pockets. Did you know one of the masters helped design these? He calls them cargo pants because the pockets can hold a whole wagon's worth of cargo." Ulliendis chuckled, recalling how proud the old man still was when he told the story. If he had to make a list of people he missed at the Hall, that master would probably top it.
Oh, right. Helping shady individuals.
With a bit of a put out sigh, Ulliendis reached into a thigh pocket, hand disappearing deep within. When it finally withdrew, a small bundle was held and displayed proudly for Rhamnus to see. “You never know when you’ll get locked in somewhere.” Or locked out, but that went without saying given how they met. “If you give me a reason, I can assist you in your endeavour.”
RE: 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Rh'us - 16.Mar.21
Rhamnus couldn't help but smirk at the Harper delivery boy's disappointment, but he did have to admit it had him curious now. "Oh? Are there benefits to winning you over to my side? I am but a humble healer so you're probably right, I don't think it's one of my stronger skills. Perhaps you can teach me a bit more about this particular subject."
Clearly Ulliendis knew he was up to something and it was intriguing that he hadn't tried to blackmail him at all. Either the young man had no plans to, or he was dangerously clever. If that was the case then his talents were being wasted in the kitchen delivering food... unless he was lazy. Rhamnus could work with a clever but lazy man. They usually came up with very good and efficient ideas in order to avoid extra work.
He eyed the cargo pants, giving a polite nod of appreciation. "Very impressive pants indeed. Likely quite useful for someone who travels a lot." Rhamnus became quiet as the deep pockets finally produced something of tangible interest. He first studied the bundle, then the delivery boy's face, then back again to the bundle as he considered the offer.
This was a rather surprising turn of events. He drummed his fingers on the table for a moment and then nodded, giving Ulliendis a much more subdued and rather ordinary pleasant smile. "You are quite the mysterious young man, and as such I'm not exactly sure what to offer you. I can start with a bit more detail as to why I want into the cabinet though. I'm dreadfully short on supplies and need to supplement a few of my more dangerous ingredients for my research. I'm too impatient to wait for a proper restock to reach me so I'm taking advantage of this trip and trying to move things along on my own."
With a sigh he added, "And I wanted to see how they have things organized here. Whether alphabetically, by category, or if things that tend to be used in combination are kept together. I doubt that part is as interesting to you though."
RE: 742.03.09 | Untimely Delivery - Ulliendis - 17.Mar.21
“And I don’t believe that to be a real answer,” Ulliendis replied with a smile. Seeing how they organised their supplies was the answer to give when caught in the act by another healer but it definitely wasn’t the reason for the break in. Even what he suspected was the true answer was kind of weak. Was he truly so impatient that he couldn’t even wait for a Fort healer to show up and unlock the cabinet for him? Ulliendis had to wonder exactly what kind of dangerous ingredients were actually needed. Would a healer just give it out or was it something that was constantly being tracked or came in limited supplies because of its danger or rarity?
With a roll of his eyes, Ulliendis walked around to the cabinet, unrolling his little kit as he did. He pulled out the two required pieces for such a lock and with barely any skill needed, the door was soon swinging open. “And there you go. Browse and pilfer at your leisure.” Ulliendis walked away from the cabinet and headed toward the door but stopped before making a dramatic exit without further word. “I’m sure it’s all so very fascinating and I could grill you for more information like what item specifically you want, what your research is, or why you think I helped you instead of ratting you out or blackmailing you but meals won’t deliver themselves, you know.”
He tucked away the tools and safely rolled the bundle back up and then slipped it back into the proper pocket. He didn’t have to help Rhamnus, they both knew that and Ulliendis almost didn’t. But helping without a fuss would leave a bigger and better impression. An impression for what, he had no idea but friends were always good to have—especially interesting ones. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around again sometime, Rhamnus,” Ulliendis said before turning back to take his leave.