From: aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Aaron Humphrey)
Subject: [MI] Alfvaen[Low City->Inn]: Cherchez La Femme
Reply-To: aaron@space.ualberta.ca
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 21:03:17 GMT

Alfvaen whistled as he appraised the damage to the Temple of Aditi.  Delmara
was right--it was little more than a small house, and looked extremely out of
place between the more impressive-looking temples to either side.  And now it
looked even shabbier than before, with broken glass and splintered wood all
over the place.  There was a strange sigil inscribed on the walls in several
places, and he studied it in puzzlement.  "Have either of you ever seen this
before?"

Queriche nodded.  "It's the sign of one of the Low City gangs.  Obviously a
very daring one--most of them are too scared to cross the Arcade."  He peered
more closely at the sign.  "It's a spider with horns on it.  Only one gang with
that sign--the Demon Spiders.  Trawm might know more about them--I seen them go
to the Spitting Cobra once or twice."  Queriche looked at Delmara.  "Maybe you
stay here, lady, if we go to the Spitting Cobra.  Not a good place for a lady
like youself."

Delmara chuckled.  "I've probably been in the Spitting Cobra more times than
you have, islander.  On temple business."  The last was said with heavy irony.
Alfvaen nodded, knowing what the business of priestesses of Aditi was, most
often.

"Well, let's go, then," he said.  "Lead the way, Q."

******

Alfvaen hadn't been in Low City before--at least, not in Generica.  Some places
in Delta City were like this.  Although Generica, being more a city of
extremes, was much worse in this respect.  Obviously Delmara was known, too,
and she was greeted with wolf-whistles when they passed one trio of toughs.
"Hey, 'Diti-woman," one called out, "why don't you c'mere and give me some of
that good stuff, eh?"

Alfvaen turned with an assumed sneer.  "Sorry, belchface," he said, "she's mine
first.  So piss off, and wait your turn."

The tough bridled at this.  "Oh, yeah?  I ain't seen you here before, bantam.
You slummin' from th'northeast corner, huh?  Or maybe one of those Dragon's Inn
pansies like what trashed the Scrappy Ram few days back."

Then one of his compatriots said, "Hey, ain't the Queriche from the 'Ram?"
Queriche grinned menacingly and started toying with his harpoon-spear.  "Back
off, man.  Queriche's one mean bastard.  If he's workin' freelance bodyguard
now, he'll tie your entrails in a knot around your ears."  The tough grumbled
but stepped back.

"You got a bit of a rep, Q?" Alfvaen said with admiration.

Queriche shrugged.  "Just a bit.  Anybody who got a bit too rowdy at the Ram
got dealt with pretty good.  There were a few of us, but we took turns.  And I
had my harpoon-gun, of course."  Then he looked a bit concerned.  "I hope that
this doesn't get back to Verdigren.  He probably right pissed that I be gone,
and he probably want to rip my head off with his bare hands about now."

Alfvaen shrugged.  "Don't worry about it.  Hopefully we'll be done and gone
with Elstree before he hears a word.  And once we're outside, we got the Guard
on our side."  He pointed at a nearby building.  "That the Spitting Cobra?  It
would certainly explain that big snake painted on the walls, and the people
laying around outside like they been snake-bit..."

Queriche grinned and nodded.  "That the place.  You sure you want to come in
with us, lady?"  At Delmara's nod, he shrugged.  "You the customer, lady.
Although I think maybe you should pay in advance."  He winced as Alfvaen
elbowed him in the ribs.  "Okay, okay.  We keep you safe."  He pushed open the
door and the other two followed him inside.

A number of patrons looked up irritably as the door admitted light.  Obviously
they would rather pretend it was late instead of feeling like they were wasting
their afternoon away.  A pair near the door said, "Shut that stupid thing,
okay?  Or do we have to rip off your arms and do it for you?"  "Yeah, shut the
stupid door, assholes."

Then the pair had their heads smashed together by a pair of large hands and
they slid senseless to the floor.  "They weren't gonna pay their tabs anyway,"
muttered the owner of the hands.  "Hey, Queriche!  Good to see you.  Been a
while.  Hey, Verdigren, he plenty pissed at you.  But I won't tell him I saw
you.  Neither will anyone else, right?  RIGHT?"  There was a desultory mumble
from the rest of the patrons.  "Right.  And you brought Delmara in--you sly
devil!  And who's your friend?  New in town--probably ain't even been blooded
yet."

"Alfvaen, this is Trawm--he the bartender here.  Trawm, Alfvaen--he work with
me and Moriarty now.  Na, na, I tell you about that later.  We on a job right
now.  We lookin' for a girl of Delmara.  They trash her temple, and they take
the girl.  They leave the sign of the Demon Spiders, and we think it's they.
They getting bold, eh?  Cross the Arcade.  I heard you say they be in here, and
I wonder if you help us."

Trawm considered for a moment.  Then he yelled, "Hey, Sugob, take over the bar.
I find anything missing when I come back and not paid for, I tell Verdigren you
say he short, right?  Then turn you over the the Healer, right?  Let's go
upstairs and talk without hundreds of ears to listen.  These idiots here, they
think we all take turns with Delmara--no 'fense, lady."  The trio followed the
half-troll up the stairs, none of them noting the dark-skinned youth who fled
out the door once they were out sight, the spider sigil being well-hidden under
his hide jacket...

They settled down in a small, poorly-lit chamber with some rickety furniture,
Alfvaen taking the sole chair, Trawm one sturdy bench and Queriche and Delmara
the other.  "Queriche tell you much about the Spiders?  Na, na, I didn't think
so--he don't know them except by rep.  See, I remember when they start up.
Used to be a gang named the Firebrands, not too hot.  Then this guy arrive, he
pretty dark-skinned.  He say he drow, from the Underwurlde, and exiled.  Don't
remember his name, it was plenty long, but he start getting called Noctu, so
he go by that instead.  And he take over the Firebrands real easy--they just
find their leader dead one night, and Noctu say he in charge.  He kill one or
two more, and they accept him.  And he daring, as you say.  He even raided
Merchant's Hill once and got away with it.  We saw the Guard in Low City after
that one, ya, but the Demon Spiders, what they called then, they disappear 'til
the heat's off."

<I can feel your ears perk up, Lassiviren.  Glad to hear of your own kind?>

<It would be nice to talk in the Underspeak, yes.  And perhaps to know one of
the Underwurlde in this place.  Not much chance of that while you're in
control, I suppose?>

<Not really.>

"Don't know why they do something like go for Temple of Aditi, except maybe
'cause she too weak to fight back much.  I didn't even know you had a girl
there, so I don't know how Noctu find out.  Don't know where they headquarter,
since they move around a lot, and since Creft died they disappeared.  Some said
they killed Creft, but not many.  No reason for Noctu do that, but then no
reason for him do what he done to Delmara either.  Anyway.  I don't know how
help right now, but I would like to.  Owe Queriche one or two, eh?  Tell ya
what.  I keep my eyes open, and if I see anything I leave a message for you.
Dragon's Inn, maybe?  Ya, you know where that is.  I say perhaps you go there
and see if the people there can help you, too.  Some of them been around a bit.
Or try Ratty's, maybe.  Anyway, you should scoot.  Na, I know that somebody
probably slipped out to tell Verdigren--I find out, and I give him Orc Ale one
night by mistake--and he's probably on his way here right now.  Na, back stairs
and out the back way.  Nice meeting you, Alfvaen.  See you again, Queriche,
Delmara.  Let me see what Sugob let happen."  The half-troll got up and went
back down to the main room, while Alfvaen followed the other two out the back
of the inn they both knew so well.

Outside, they stood undecided.  Then Queriche said, "Alfvaen, you don't mind if
I go to Ratty's and you to Dragon's Inn?  Somehow I'm not comfortable in that
place.  Too much power for me.  Meet you back at the office, nightfall or so?"

Alfvaen shrugged.  "Fine with me, if you get me out of this place and back to
safe territory.  I don't relish walking through Low City on my own or with just
Delmara.  You are coming with me, right, Delmara?"  She nodded.  "Great.  Well,
lead on, Q."

Shortly and without mishap, they stood on Dragon's Lane.  "Just go east for
the Inn--you know the Plaza?  See you later."  Queriche turned and disappeared
back into the maze of Low City.  Delmara and Alfvaen walked down Dragon's Lane,
through the dinnertime traffic.  Alfvaen more than once had to warn off
careless pickpockets.

"The Thieves' Guild in this town has a discipline problem," he muttered, and
Delmara laughed.

When they arrived at the Inn, they were both hungry, and Alfvaen bought dinner
for Delmara and himself, which Serene brought for them.  Littlefair greeted
them both cheerfully, and Alfvaen nodded in response, noting that Delmara was a
bit distracted and almost seemed a bit embarrassed.  After they had eaten, he
asked, "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head at first, then sighed and nodded.  "You laid a claim on me
in Low City, to keep that other man from claiming me.  And yet you've made no
move on me yet.  This puts me in a quandary.  Was I right to refuse him if your
claim is not real, but mere pretense?  I am troubled, and feel need of penance.
You say you knew Elstree before, and that she was a priestess of Aditi--and
that you loved--love--her.  Surely you must understand?"

Alfvaen nodded, a wry smile on his face.  "Somehow I think she would understand
this, too.  One moment."  He stood up and went to the bar, conversing quietly
with Littlefair.  There was an exchange of money, and Littlefair handed a small
object to Alfvaen.  He returned to the table and said, "Littlefair says that he
has a bed free upstairs that we can use.  That should solve your moral quandary
a bit.  Shall we?"  He extended a hand to her, and helped her up.  She was
blushing like a schoolgirl.

"Thank you," she whispered as they went up the stairs.


--
---Alfvaen(a.k.a. Nysinra, rot13 Psycho)
"Been there, done that
 Been there, don't want to go back"  --Brian Eno & John Cale
Current Album--U2:The Unforgettable Fire
Current Read--Charlotte Bronte:Villette