"Can you give me some names? If he gives us any I'd like a list to check against."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Um… you mean like… people who have hired him? Or, um, people who he contracts?”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Let's start with people he contracts, since you're concerned he's hired assassins to silence you."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Yes sir.” She thought for a moment. “Um… Pratik Chrenko and Isya Hren are his best mercenaries. Um… there’s also Wyl and Jae… er-uh-I mean Jaerek. They’re both good, too.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Gaius blinked. "Pratik Chrenko? Is he a young fellow from the East, dark hair?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky nodded. “Yessir.” She hesitated, furrowing her brow slightly. “… you know him, sir?”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I hired him," he replied. "Very recently. How loyal is he to Aleth?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“He’s not.” Ky shook her head. “Well… I mean… he’s loyal through the completion of an assignment. He’s not the type to sell out and play both sides… but you’ve got to buy his loyalty each time you want it. It ends when his contract does.” She thought for a moment. “He’s very, very good. Good enough Aleth had to hire him for tough jobs, even though they hated each other. But Pratik spent a good chunk of time mocking him most of the time when he came over. I don’t think there’s any loyalty there… unless Aleth paid him in advance.” She shivered at the thought. No one would be able to stop him. Ash included. Pratik was smart and strong and fast. There was no stopping him once his mind was made up. “…hopefully not.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I'll see about him when he returns from his mission," he mused. "What about the others? What are they like?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Isya is quieter. More grounded. Less cocky. But just as good.” She thought for a moment, squinting slightly. “He actually kind of looks like you. Just shorter and…” not half-starved. “A little stockier.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
His brow furrowed. "Is Isya his true name? I have a cousin down there who's a mercenary, as I recall. Arthur."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky thought for a moment, brow furrowed. Well, that was surprising. What an interesting family.
“Um… I’m not sure, sir. The mercenaries all cycle through names as often as they change their shirts… I don’t think I’ve heard the name Arthur, but… he does look pretty similar, sir. So maybe.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I'll keep it in mind." He leaned back, frowning to himself. "Hm. I certainly hope our interests aren't misaligned in this case."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
