>>43334996
Head into town. Look for our contact in the nitor.

>>43334996
>>43335805
Wanna get this shut settled before more things come up.

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You figure its best if you get this nonsense with the reservists handled first. Flagging down McCain, you explain your intentions to him. He nods appreciatively. "Would be good to get them out of the damned henhouse."

"No doubt, Any idea if I should just drag the buggers there behind the wagon?"

He grimaces. "As appealing as that might be, if they ARE actually reservists. That might cause them to rankle a bit. Your call though. I imagine it'd be kind of funny."

"Also, who's free to do carriage duty. Or should I just head off myself."

"Well Tai's watching the cattle and Marie's tryin' to make up for sleeping in. Don't want you going alone though. Phoenix buggers are still out in the woods somewhere. Maybe you can get one of Liama's boys."

The shadow you actually manage to conscript for your sojourn is Caff, the terse professional one of the bunch. He gets up into the drivers seat without complaint, deferring to McCain as the elf hitches Traveller and Greenbriar to the carriage. You're well and set to go when McCain knocks on the window, and nods towards the makeshift prison.

"Shall I string the buggers up behind?"

>?

>>43336634
Just put them in the carriage, no reason to be overly cruel.

>>43337424
Seconding

>>43337496
>>43337424
Keep em really well bound though

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"Just bind them and throw them in the carriage. No sense in being overly cruel."

He sniffs, "I'll be sure to dust them off first."

It isn't long before your underway with your load. Your three sullen captives bound and crammed into the back seat while you sit with your repeater on your lap against the front wall. To say the least its rather cramped. You sit below the roof hatch, letting it hang open just in case they try anything. You don't expect them to, and you suspect even the scraps Tai's been feeding them is an order of magnitude greater than whatever rations the reserves have for them.

In the meantime you try and question Caff through the hatch as you keep a wary eye on the scruffy 'guests'. Outside of learning that his full first name is Caffran, you get next to nothing from him. He's the model of politeness, but evasive and tends to give terse answers as he drives you towards South Fork.

>Give me a 1d20 roll, lower is better.

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>43338163
nat 20

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>43338163

>>43338244
>>43338163
Prolly the lowest we'll get

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>2

The ride to south fork is uneventful. Almost boring all things considered. It seems the workmen also spent time fixing a few of the potholes between the ranch and the town. Makes sense, since Serrak is betting on the trade between the UFK and the casimiran. Makes you really wish you could resolve the issues with House Krasick. Caff is mostly silent on the way to South Fork, as are the captives. The gags don't help on that front though.

Rolling into South Fork you notice a change in the atmosphere from what you remember. More guards posted. Locals armed up. Everyone giving each other a wary eye as you roll in. Enos' shop has had its glass repaired, again, and the minotaur gives you a nod as you pass before returning to sweeping the porch in front of his store. You don't miss the revolver tucked into his overalls. Its unsettling to say the least. You see that the main road heading east to west, the one that goes to Riverport and Snake's Landing has a cordon on either side of the town as you pass through manned by people in similar uniforms to you captives. The nitor office is curiously free of any reservist though. Just a pair of nitor standing armed.

Caff slows the carriage to a halt outside the office.

>March the three outside, get them into the nitor office as quick as possible.
>Head inside leave the three out there for the time being.
>Other?

>>43339048
>>March the three outside, get them into the nitor office as quick as possible
Ain't taking no shit

>>43339048
>Head inside leave the three out there for the time being.

>>43339048
>March the three outside, get them into the nitor office as quick as possible

>>43339048
>March the three outside, get them into the nitor office as quick as possible.

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Gesturing with your gun, you usher the group of three out onto the street. Ignoring the small crowd that's gathered you frogmarch the group up and into the Nitor office. The guards look to stop you, but you see them give the captives a once over before the right guard quietly opens the door. Ushering the group in, you continue to ignore the sidelong glances the townsfolk give you.

Inside you find Captain Keel's Sergeant sitting behind the desk. "What's the meaning of all this?" he asks, gesturing at the group.

"Cattle Rustlers. UFK Reservists on the lamb. Something. I dunno, they showed up when I was away about a week back. Tried to take my cattle. McCain detained them. They had already showed up before then when the Phoenix bastards attacked the ranch. Tried to take the corpses. I imagine they wanted the bounty."

He looks up from the paper he was writing on. "Didna expect that much. I've seen 'em before though. While back hangin' about with the other reservists."

"Oh, good. I suspected they might be in the phoenix pocket, given the focus they've been giving my ranch. At least its more mundane."

"I'd imagine the captain would like a chat wit' dem." He states, "Sure would be a mar- SAH!" he says, standing up abruptly.

You look behind you and see a woman, or rather, an officer. Wearing a reservist uniform. Major to be specific. She regards the situation in front of her. Then raises and eyebrow at you. An inquisitive rumble emanates from her as her stare almost bores a hole through both you and the wall behind you.

>What do?

>>43340327
Stare at her back and calmly explain the situation.

>>43340368
This

Shoulda brought liama

>>43340327
Supporting >>43340368

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>What do?

You lock gaze with the woman. Not daring to blink, or so much show any sign of weakness. The silence drags on for agonizingly long seconds before, at the sergeants prompting, you begin to relay everything you know about the three. The major remains impassive as you detail the list of offenses the three have committed. She remains silent as she produces a saber, slitting the ropes binding the three before gesturing out the door. The malcontents flee as quickly as decency allows, and then some.

She then turns to you and speaks in a surprisingly low voice. "I will question them on their actions." Before bidding you, and apparently the nitor, goodbye as she exits the building.

"What... was that?" You ask the sergeant.

"One of the commandin' officers of the Reserves here. Scary sort. Don't fancy their chances. She had a pair of reservists thrown in actual stocks last week after they broke Enos' window. Again."

"That's pretty harsh."

"They're still in them." He says, finally sitting back down from attention.

You swallow. Hard.

>Seems that's taken care of. Anything else you wish to do while you're here?

>>43341372
Maybe stock up on some supplies if we're missing anything, we should also check out if anyone is interested in those swords we picked up.

>>43341372
We should sound out the Nitor about the swords first, then see if Enos or any other merchant is interested in the trade goods, maybe show him the new backpack as an example if it is better than local supply.

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"Let us know if Captain Keel comes back, I'm going to run a few errands." You say to the sergeant. Leaving him sitting there, with something of an unsure look on his face.

Heading outside, you manage to cajople Caff into swinging the carriage around to Enos shop, where you have a long conversation with the minotaur over supplies. You pick up a few odds and ends and mention to him picking up a pair of swords in the centaur lands. He shrugs, saying the market for something exotic like that would probably be Snakes Landing. They still get tourists of sorts despite the threat that the Pheonix invasion poses. Speaking of, according to Enos, the number of guerrillas the reservists and the nitor have run into is far more than even that ship you saw would probably carry. How they are getting on the continent is a mystery however, with increased patrols finding nothing on the coastline. The fighting has been centered around the swamps east of Riverport, but occasional raids along the coast have been reported.

Its mid chat with Enos when a pair of nitor soldiers open the door.

"Miss Masterson?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Captain Keel would like to speak to you. About the incident."


>Calling it here for tonight. Internet is cutting out due to weather. Apologies on the abbreviated run.

>>43341909
S'all good, night boss

>>43341909
Good night, thanks for the run.