Deep, Deep Haven [IC, closed]

[Ostehaar]

He picked up the gun, put it in his holster, looked at Robert, and asked "Do you need anything before we leave?"

Still a bit stunned, Robert turned to collect many of the documents still scattered around on the lab desks. "No," he said, "I think we're fine. Let's head out. Do you have a car outside or something?"

"Lead the way, old age should burn and rave at close of day."

"A nice saying!" Tiuo smiled. "Okay, so let's go then. Whoever is coming, get into the car. If you're staying here I can return to get you back to Minar later... Or somewhere else."

A few minutes later the car was already outside of the compound, leaving an ugly trail of smoke wherever it turned. Tiuo didn't speak during the trip up the mountain, but only silently pointed to the side windows every now and then, signaling the passengers to look and be amazed by the views or recognize the villages. About about an hour of driving the road became narrower and full of holes and bumps, making the journey dangerous and slow.

At that point, almost the entire eastern coast of the island could be seen through the back window, from the North Dock in the north to the villages of Serenity Bay in the south. This was the last wide view on the way - The road then entered between the mountains and was like a snake resting at the feet the two rock giants, hidden behind a cover of dense vegetation.

Tiuo took a left turn a while later. "Down there," he pointed to the west, "is Beta Site. Up here where we're driving, is Sky Station."

When they were only a few minutes from the facility, they could already see its debris, scattered among ugly piles of a few days old snow. Where the facility once stood a large crater was creates, but the lower basement floors remained relatively intact.

"This is it," Tiuo said as he turned the engine off.

[Great Estheria]

Mendoza got out of the car and looked around, noting some charred ruins. He climbed into the crater and motioned for the others to follow.

[Jahe Davmwoem]

He picked up the gun, put it in his holster, looked at Robert, and asked "Do you need anything before we leave?"

Still a bit stunned, Robert turned to collect many of the documents still scattered around on the lab desks. "No," he said, "I think we're fine. Let's head out. Do you have a car outside or something?"

Nope, walked here. Well Rembrandt sat on my shoulder. But I walked. Is walking ok with you?

[Ostehaar]

Nope, walked here. Well Rembrandt sat on my shoulder. But I walked. Is walking ok with you?

Robert sighed and lifted his backpack over his shoulder. "I guess it is. I it will take us a while, though. We'll have to stop about twice in the villages on our way for food and rest."

"Unless..." Robert thought for a bit, "unless you have your own supplies. We can always walk through the hills straight to there."

[Jahe Davmwoem]

"I have a water purifier, and some assorted foods, mostly dried fruits and meats."

[Taziristan]

The sun shown brilliantly on the back of Valshir and Joshua as the Covation deep sea fishing vessel neared the island. The pair of TIC agents had been together for only 24 hours, having met in Adam Ruh the day they flew to Coventry, then hired a fishermen to take them to Deep Haven. They had spoken little, which had produced an awkward feeling between the Mentor and Initiate. Now, as the North Dock of Deep Haven came in to view, Valshir was pacing back and forth as Joshua slept calmly on a bed of nets, seeming somewhat used to the rocking of the boat that had made Valshir so sick hours before. When Valshir saw the dock, he stopped pacing and quickly gathered his things, not bothering to wake Joshua.

As the boat slowly came to a stop, the fisherman came out and woke Joshua up.

"5,000, now."

Joshua sat up slowly, still trying to see if he heard right. "Didn't you say 2,500 when we started?"

"Yes, but that was before I remembered how long this trip was and how long I have to be near this cursed island." The short, greasy fishermen crossed his arms. "I'll need it now if you want a trip home."

Valshir turned on his heel. "What was that? That's double what we said we would give you!"

"Yes, and I had forgot-"

Valshir dropped his bag and stepped forward. "Yeah, Yeah, I heard that. But back in Covonant, you said you had been out here 3 or 4 times this year. What changed, huh?"

Joshua reached for his bag and began to look for the large wad of cash he had been given for the assignment. "It's ok, Talmud. I will pay. Just get your things and get ready to go."

Valshir stood there for a moment, then stepped back over to the edge. The fisherman relaxed, letting out a sigh as he took the cash from Joshua. "Thank you."

After Joshua had gathered his things as the ramp was let down, the pair descended onto the small wooden plank that these Tuomi called a dock. When they had stepped away from the boat, Joshua stopped. "What was that, you idiot?"

"What? The fisherman? He screwed us over! You didn't have to pay!"

"Yes, but do you want to be left stranded here?"

"Ha," Valshir said, waving his mentor off. "We could easily find another fisherman at any of the other islands. There's a shit load of them here and they're all dirt poor." Valshir tried stepping around Joshua, but stepped into the brick wall of his arm.

"Seni aptal! You had the whole world on your phone in Coventry, but you don't take 5 minutes to see if you can find something on the man that's taking your across a hundred Kilometers?"

"There was no need, Mentor. He's just a fisherman!"

Joshua sighed and dropped his arm. "He is one of only 2 Covonant fishermen who ever venture out to this Island for foreigners. The other one died in an accident not 2 days ago. And the fishermen on the islands around here would have charged us 10 or 15 thousand. No one likes this place."

"Oh," Valshir said simply.

"Now come on, lets find a car and get to Kalham."

With that, the pair began walking up the docks toward the road, hopefully to find a guide or a car.

[Ostehaar]

"I have a water purifier, and some assorted foods, mostly dried fruits and meats."

"That'll be fine. You know what, we can go through this facility's cafeteria on our way out - We might find some canned food in there."

Robert walked outside of the lab, hoping Mart-jan would simply follow him. He took the stairs up to the ground floor and took a few turns here and there, kicking around piles of crates which blocked the way.

"There," he announced, "that was the cafeteria. I'm going to check the storage area to see if there's anything we can use. Feel free to look around."

Robert paced quickly into a room near the entrance to the kitchen, and closed it. Right at that moment, a sound of glass breaking was heard from the other side of the cafeteria, and then a few steps.

The pair began walking up the docks toward the road, hopefully to find a guide or a car.

Elai leaned on his car and was enjoying his morning smoke as he noticed the two foreigners approaching. He cleared his throat and threw it away, coming out towards the pair from behind the vehicle.

"Hello! I am Elai. I was told to wait out here for possible arrival of two or three individuals. Were you expecting to find anyone here?"

[Taziristan]

Elai leaned on his car and was enjoying his morning smoke as he noticed the two foreigners approaching. He cleared his throat and threw it away, coming out towards the pair from behind the vehicle.

"Hello! I am Elai. I was told to wait out here for possible arrival of two or three individuals. Were you expecting to find anyone here?"

"I am not one to expect things, Mr. Elai," Joshua said as he approached the man. "Only to appreciate when things come easy."

"Can you take us to Kalham," Valshir said quickly.

Joshua gave Valshir a look, then turned back to the man. "This is Valshir Talmud, I am Joshua Dergo. We are from Taziristan and here about your disappearances. As my..." He looked at Valshir, "friend here said, we would like to get to Kalham to start our investigation."

[Ostehaar]

Mendoza got out of the car and looked around, noting some charred ruins. He climbed into the crater and motioned for the others to follow.

Tiuo stood there, nervously hoping he won't be invited in as well, yet knowing the foreigners would probably wish for his assistance due to their lack of knowledge about the geography and culture of the island.

Contrary to them and to the maps they probably had - He knew about tunnels which were built along with the research facilities, linking several structures on the island to other structures, and giving easy access to parts of the forest on the mountain. Scientists were using the tunnels for quick passage ways between the research facilities and the nature they were researching around those facilities.

Joshua gave Valshir a look, then turned back to the man. "This is Valshir Talmud, I am Joshua Dergo. We are from Taziristan and here about your disappearances. As my..." He looked at Valshir, "friend here said, we would like to get to Kalham to start our investigation."

"Oh, no problem," Elai replied with a wide and annoying looking polite smile, and quickly shook the hands of the two visitors, "please, get inside and we'll go there."

He went around the vehicle again and sat in front, following the two as they entered as well. The ride to Kalham wasn't long, but on the way Elai stopped near a small shop to but Coca Cola for himself. "I'm a big fan of Coca Cola," he admitted, "I drink it all the time!"

When they neared the village, Elai slowed down. "This is the house of the local elder," he pointed directly at one of the large wooden houses in the village, located on top of a small hill, and then shifted his hand to point at another structure, "and this is my father's little shoe shop. He makes great shoes. Anyway, what do you need in the village?"

[Taziristan]

When they neared the village, Elai slowed down. "This is the house of the local elder," he pointed directly at one of the large wooden houses in the village, located on top of a small hill, and then shifted his hand to point at another structure, "and this is my father's little shoe shop. He makes great shoes. Anyway, what do you need in the village?"

"We want to gain a bit of information about the killings, and, failing that, We will go from here to the Delta Site not too far up the road," Joshua said over the engine. "So, what we really need is to talk to the elder and maybe a guide to help us keep along the safe paths."

Valshir watched as Elai pointed out his father's shop. "Does your father have shoes better suited to the island than my shoes? I think I left my boots on the boat..."

[Jahe Davmwoem]

"Yes, that sounds good. Canned food, soon to be check. Emperor Markus, check. Rembrandt, check. Ready when you are..."

He heard the footsteps, and immediately pulled out his pistol and shot once in the air. "I already killed one of you, don't make me do it again."

[Perawin]

Alaynee Taro gingerly stepped foot out of the small craft. "'Ill that be all?" the gruff pilot asked. "E won't be back at the island for least a week, mebbe two." Alaynee swept in her surroundings. Bare, silent, abandoned. She resisted the urge to jump back in the plane; she had chosen this place because it was undiscovered. She's have to suck it up for two weeks. Nervously, she gripped her backpack. "I think I'll be okay but--" before she could finish, the door slammed close. She had been told someone would meet her on the tiny tarmac, but no one was there, so she headed down the path herself.

[Ostehaar]

"We want to gain a bit of information about the killings, and, failing that, We will go from here to the Delta Site not too far up the road," Joshua said over the engine. "So, what we really need is to talk to the elder and maybe a guide to help us keep along the safe paths."
Valshir watched as Elai pointed out his father's shop. "Does your father have shoes better suited to the island than my shoes? I think I left my boots on the boat..."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Elai said regretfully, "Suohu, our elder, isn't around now. He's been away for a few days. He said he was going south to meet Ramun and other elders to discuss these matters. But," he hesitated a bit, "you can ask me. I try to stay informed and I might know some answered."

"And of course," he replied about the shoes, "my father makes the best ones on the island!"

He heard the footsteps, and immediately pulled out his pistol and shot once in the air. "I already killed one of you, don't make me do it again."

The moment the gun was pulled and the words were spoken, a loud shout echoed throughout the room, and a large human figure jumped from a dark corner towards the foreigner. "Shit!" Robert spat out, falling down to the floor, knocking down some of the food boxes.

The human figure charged in full force against the hand with the pistol in an attempt to break it and remove the armed threat as quickly and as forcefully as possible.

She had been told someone would meet her on the tiny tarmac, but no one was there, so she headed down the path herself.

It was high noon in the middle of the summer, and the day was even hotter and more humid than usual. The slow shore waves crashed against the docks and the sound of a casual conversation between several locals walking down the road was heard in the distance.

Indeed, no one came to greet Alaynee Taro. A local young man by the name of Dien has been given instructions to meet here at that noon - but he has been kidnapped the night before, as he went outside to make sure his car could handle the task of carrying another foreigner around.

[Perawin]

Alaynee reached what her map told her must be the village of Kalham an hour and a half later. Belatedly, she wished she had taken the physical portion of her anthropology course more seriously. She was fit enough for the walk but had never paid much attention to survival techniques, and, inwardly, she could not help but shiver at the recent rumors of disappearances among the native population. Her logical mind told her that there must be another, simple reason that no local had greeted her.

Alaynee's trained eye took in the village. It was simple, but signs of isolation from centuries of international colonization were obvious. Inwardly, she snorted to herself. It was ridiculous that she, the most skilled anthropologist in all of Perawin, was the second choice to Xildre University simply because she was a woman. The first choice, Andre Yellanin, was simply an unqualified heir to a TV empire. She'd show them.

The echoes of a shot caught her attention. Obviously, the recent exploration of Deep Haven had led to the spread of modern weapons, but she still doubted the locals would have reason to have a gunfight. Foreigners, most likely, but if it was villagers, the ramifications of violent outbreaks on a cooperative society would be fascinating. Against her better judgement, she sprinted towards the sound of the gun, curious as to how the locals would react.

[Jahe Davmwoem]

In what seemed like forever, but was only a few seconds the two struggled. Then, Mart-jan faked losing his strength and dropped the gun. The man rushed to grab it, but quickly found the edge of a can crashing on his skull. The man, stunned, fell to the floor. Mart-jan then reached his hands around his throat, to attempt to choke him like the last one.

[Ostehaar]

Against her better judgement, she sprinted towards the sound of the gun, curious as to how the locals would react.

"No!"

A Tuomi young woman jumped in front of Alaynee, fearing she might not understand the situation on the island well enough.

"You shouldn't go there, lady. Bad things happen there!"

The man, stunned, fell to the floor. Mart-jan then reached his hands around his throat, to attempt to choke him like the last one.

"I... I must... mmmusssssst..." the man tried to free himself of Mart-jan's grip, but his strength failed him this time and gradually his hands loosened and fell to the sides of his body. "Mussssssst... ffffffffind..." his voice fainted and a last breath of air left his lungs.

Robert, stunned as well and after watching the entire struggle with eyes wide open, had no words to say.

[Perawin]

"You shouldn't go there, lady. Bad things happen there!"

Alaynee halted, her pounding heart relieved to finally find another human being. She caught her breath and gasped out a question. "Bad things happen where?"

[Taziristan]

"Oh, I'm sorry," Elai said regretfully, "Suohu, our elder, isn't around now. He's been away for a few days. He said he was going south to meet Ramun and other elders to discuss these matters. But," he hesitated a bit, "you can ask me. I try to stay informed and I might know some answered."

"And of course," he replied about the shoes, "my father makes the best ones on the island!"

Valshir looked to Joshua. "I'll run in there in get shoes."

Joshua nodded, then turned to Elai. "Well, could you tell me a bit about the situation? Also, about the different sites, like the Alpha and Delta sites?"

[Jahe Davmwoem]

Robert, stunned as well and after watching the entire struggle with eyes wide open, had no words to say.

"Are you ready to go? It looks like we should be heading out."

[Athara Magarat]

It had been two hours since Hrithik Dura had set foot on the island of Deep Haven. His agents had told him that they would come for him the next week. Have to wait until then.

He was one of the Athara Magarati youths who still immigrated to foreign countries. Well, he was on the process of immigration. For days, he had eaten little and drank almost nothing. I will be in paradise the next week.

His destination was Segentova, a nation which had significant Athara Magarati population where he could find a new job. He didn't like the jobs in IT, medicine, tourism, literature and military that most of his friends had chosen. And one of the reasons why he could not find a job in his homeland was because he was extremely lazy and had been always a below average student. Now he was more than happy to be immigrating to a foreign land.

He saw a group of native children looking at him. He felt his backpack which had several fake documents for immigration, some cash and a traditional kukri knife as a gift by his parents. He approached them slowly and asked softly by giving a bow. He tried his English in which he was okay. "Excuse little friends, where am I right now? And where can I find a place to stay for a week?"