AD - Thursday, February 28, 2002, 6:47 PM
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The chamber is quite this afternoon, only a few men visit the smoking lounge.  
Of them is Anhadet Il'Baruun, owner of the well known "Yard" down by the wharf.  
Today he dines alone among the smoke of The Sapphire Arch.  A small plate of 
rare anaconda carbonara sits next to him half eaten.  His robes are folded over 
him comfortably as he leans back, hookah in hand.  The fine smoke from it twirls 
upwards lighty dancing with itself.  He leans forward and takes a slight draw 
from the water pipe, the ember in the bowl burning brightly for a few moments.  

Into the smoking room steps a far different fellow.  A figure not known to visit 
the warf, and often times known to the public of something of an icon amongst 
them.  The self identified Hynsadian Monk, Kostu Tsyzu arrives.  Dressed in a 
long silken robe, colored blue and holding the image of a full moon upon its 
back.  His sandals shuffle across the floor, passing through the smoke that 
lingers at head-level.  His gate is stopped, just before an unoccupied table, 
which he seats himself at leisurely.  

Anhadet lifts his eyes, eyes that seem hollow, and shallow compaired to what 
they were only a year ago.  Taking another long draw from his pipe, the bald 
headed man looks to the arrival of Kostu, The Radiant Dragon.  As a young woman 
passes him, he stops her, "Be a dear and put Kostu's lunch on my account." He 
smiles with a nod of her head, "Yes sir." She them passes through the room 
comming to the table of Kostu for his order, "Can I help you today sir?" 

Not hearing Anhadet's request of the server, Kostu places the glass he was 
carrying atop the table before him.  "Gyhori Squid," he requests, a fairly 
expensive meal local to southern Yaskar.  "And if you could, fill the goblet," 
he says, nodding toward the empty glass at his table.  "Ag-to Wine," is the 
order, a quite expensive drink that can be traced to Hirratak and the Bampo that 
lived their not long ago.  

Looking away from the server, his eyes glance upon Anhadet.  There is a slight 
change in his demeanour, as if his expression wished to change but it was 
constrained not to do so.  

Anhadet lifts himself from the sofa with the help of his cane.  Leaving his pipe 
behind to burn out on its own he makes his way across the small room.  Stopping 
the girl just before he leaves to fill the order, Anhadet adds to it, "Another 
glass of water please as well." The girl scribles down the two orders and 
hurries off out the western door towards the bar and kitchen.  "Expensive lunch, 
but that's fine.  My pockets are deep enough." With that he seats himself 
opposite of Kostu, folding the cane over his lap not saying anymore.  

The Radiant Dragon's eyes follow the aging as he sits, "You are paying?" asks 
the man, looking back toward the server for a moment, but his complaint would 
not have done much good, he knew.  Returning to Anhadet, the captain takes a 
deep breath, "If I knew you were footing the bill I would have chosen something 
of the ...  Durnalian variety." He smiles shortly, "So.  Anhadet.  What do I owe 
this pleasure?" 

Anhadet sits quite a moment, then replys.  "I heard that several merchants, men 
working outside The Consortium, have confessed to that illegal slavetrade.  The 
Consortium does not tollerate such behavior, I was glad to hear these men 
weren't members." He barely moves, sitting perfectly still, too still in fact.  
There is something wrong about it, but you can't put your finger on it yet.  

"Yes.  They have confessed," Kostu crosses his arms, leaning backward in his 
chair.  "They shall be sent to Hirratak for the Hida to judge, or so I am told.  
I am quite sorry that is the case, actually.  The Chieftan will not judge with 
anything but a menacing grip." He waves a hand in dismissal, "So is the way that 
our bonds can be reformed with the Hida." 

Anhadet nods, "So to may the law be observed." He smiles, with a glint of 
something full of malice in it.  "The Consortium has however vowed to keep order 
among these rouge merchants in the city.  To make sure such a thing doesn't 
happen again.  Already four other groups of smugglers have been brought to 
justice by our hand." When he stops talking, that stone visage take over again.  
Finially, it becomes clear why he seems to unnaturally still.  He hasn't blinked 
his eyes since he's sat down.  

"Anhadet," he starts, "Do you not believe that is best left to the King's men?" 
He grins, "I do not know exactly what the Commander would think of you inacting 
your own justice." Sighing, the captain looks over the old man's shoulders into 
the smoke, "What would you say has started the smuggler's boldness?" 

Anhadet shakes his head, "Justice, be it by the hand of The Conortium or by the 
sword of the King's Men is still Justice.  We watch out for our own.  I am glad 
that the Prime Minister of the Consortium has cracked down on these unlawful men 
so that true and honest merchant of the guild may prosper." He stands up, "I do 
not know what the cause is, but certainly the times have changed in past years.  
This is not the Tenigul it once was." he speak out of age, out of longering for 
something that has vanished centuries before, during a time when this man could 
not have lived.  And then he blinks.  "I must be going." He motions towards the 
host who has stuck his head in the room, "My companions have arrived.  Good day 
to you Captain." With his cane tappin gon the floor, he heads out.  

Kostu nods briefly, watching Anhadet stands and bid his farewell.  After all is 
said, and his path toward the exit, he speaks.  "Good day, Anhadet." Like a 
splinter in his mind, the age-old work of a mentalist still stirs.  Though the 
magical realms have been torn asunder, something alerts the Radiant Dragon of 
/something/.  Anhadet is unnatural, the Captain thinks, but for what reason he 
cannot be sure.