Day 022: A Wild Trader Appears
Summary: Gideon brings a Grounder trader (Bruns) to the Delinquent Camp to see what bargains he can make. A bit of miscommunication of wishlists gets in the way, but a start is made to potential trading in the future. (Also, Stone asks an insane question of Gideon at the end about how to end the war)
Date: 11 June 2016
Related: Dig, Dig, Jump
Stone Shi Gideon Bruns Kai Ariadne 


Camp Grounds

With the removal of underbrush and a half-dozen small trees, there is now a tiny clearing around the dropship. It has begun to fill with detritus from the ship, including all of the seating, padding, and removable plates or bulkheads.

Several tents have been set up within the clearing, set close together within the confines of the surrounding trees. A small collection of weapons sits under a parachute-cloth shelter by the door of dropship, open for community use. A three-holer latrine is set up downwind of camp in the prevailing breezes, and a rough wall stretches between trees at the edge of the clearing, dropship plates and felled tree-trunks stacked up and lashed together as best as the Delinquents can manage. There is a gate at the north end, a single panel that can be rolled aside at need.

The forest immediately surrounding the camp has been cowed into near-silence, but is still vibrant and green to a people used to stark metal bulkheads all around them.

It is Morning on Fri May 20, 2149.

The camp is no doubt bustling for all the people preparing for the potential of Groundergeddon in the next day or two, guards always on the wall, some with guns openly displayed and ready. Amidst that, over by the cook tent, an odd pair stand out. Both for their massive height difference and for the fact they're standing next to a strung up corpse of a particularly large buck with nice rack of twisted antlers and a creepy fifth leg growing out of its side.

The so-called Boy Scout Billy Stone's gigantic frame is a few inches shy of seven feet, standing clad only in workboots, black cargo pants, and bandages around his left chest and thickly around his throat where he was pierced fully through by a Grounder arrow a day and change back. Yet for all that injury, he seems to have been one of the hunters to have brought the big buck down, for he's got a big bloody wooden spear thrust in the ground beside him and his already dark skin is streaked with greens and browns of mud used to break up his outline to move through the forest unseen. Beside him, the five foot nothing white-clad Shi with her hood up looks almost child-like probably, but for all their body language, it's the big guy that's the one who is getting a lecture, with her fists on her hips and his posture a bit hunched and defeated.

The tiny white haired girl that only seems around, atleast outside, at night is standing near to the strung up deer and the giant that is Stone with hands on her hips and a slow shake of her head. "Is that not what you just did?" She is back to using her indoor voice, that soft almost sweetly husky tone as she pokes him in the stomach this time. But then he is speaking again and she is about to nod before her eyes widen and she shots him the most adorable of glares, "Males! You both knew you could have killed yourself out there, but you still went to hunt? I.. you.. knowingly!" She snaps her mouth shut before she says more and seems to be vibrating right there near the cook tent. Stone is probably lucky she doesn't have a knife at the moment or she might just test the whole bleeding thing!

Gideon kom Trikru steps into the modest clearing around the dropship with a companion in tow. She still wears the borrowed fatigue pants, but has pulled on her long, heavily mantled duster to help her blend in with the forest. Kai's red and white Devil's jersey is not good for traipsing around in the woods, after all. The pair come in from a random corner of the camp, and she starts to lead Bruns along the outer wall while waving up to the sentries. The gate is already being opened — despite the fact that there's still a mostly-open hole in the wall — and Gideon leads Bruns in. "<In Trigedasleng> They aren't going to like you at first," she warns, probably for the second time on their journey. "<In Trigedasleng> But some of them are not all that different from us."

Some of the younger Grounders could potentially be mistaken for one of the Skaikru under certain circumstances. Bruns kom Trikru is not one of those. For one, he's too old. For two, he just…well, he looks like he belongs to the Ground. He's only carrying a selection of his trade goods rather than the full kit, but he's still too weighed down to be a scout or a warrior - even though he does carry himself with the confidence of one. He grunts softly at Gideon, then, "<In Trigedasleng> I don't need them to like me. I just need them to buy from me. And…not shoot me on sight."

Kai was getting some kip up in the top of the sniper's nest, but when there's a Gideon, with friend, one of the people actually on duty gave the girl a kick. There was definitely a 'hold fire' instruction, the newly shorn ex-C unfolding herself from the top of the dropship with a grimace before she elects to come down the rope from the nest, landing perhaps a little heavily for tired and being newly awake as she tries to get a bearing on her surroundings.

Stone's giving a huge-shouldered shrug of frustration to the smaller Shi at her words, rumble-rasping back in a voice like a horror-movie, gravelly and rough being kind words for it. "Like I said, do as I say, not as I do! I'm a terrible role m…" Stone's words are cutting out though as the gates are opening, drawing his dark eyes that way. When out from it are Grounders, there's admittedly a quick jerk of hand to the table he set his rifle on while getting the buck strung up, but recognizing Gideon causes him to slow his roll a bit. He still snags the weapon up, slinging it over his less injured shoulder, but it's left dangling down, not facing at them as he murmurs to Shi. "Let's go check this out. You met any of the Coesbur Grounders yet?"

Snagging his spear out from the ground, the overlarge ex-C starts that way, only to see Kai drop down. He moves forward with her, looming over the smaller soldier, but lets her do the talking for now. Despite that, he does give an upnodded greeting to the two Grounders and a semi-pleasant if vaguely wary smile their way.

Shi shakes her head at Stone and seems all for going on with the conversation but then there are the gates, and opening to let people in that are clearly none she has seen before. A slow turn and a wrapping of her white hood across her face again, leaving the violet eyes the only thing seen as she moves to follow Stone, answering him softly, "No, most people are busy doing one thing or another at night…" She reminds him softly, a nod towards Kai as that seems to be who Stone is going to follow and then those unusual violet eyes turn towards Gideon and Bruns, her expression hidden behind the fabric for now.

Kai stretches broadly before she even thinks about walking anywhere, eyeing Bruns with flat-grey eyes as she let's her arms drop and rolls her head to loosen up muscles stiff from being curled up in a bad position for hours. Evidently as far as Kai's concerned, Gideon's presence is enough for the female ex-C to offer out a hand in Bruns' direction with the oh-so-informative,"Kai." and the additions of,"Stone. Shi." the question obvious in the loft of her brow and the way her attention flits over Bruns' outfit with a ghost of a smile.

Bruns does his best to look as non-threatening as possible. His hands are loose at his sides. He's not tense (or at least, doesn't appear to be) and isn't projecting any kind of aggression. He does keep a wary eye on any weapons, but for now, there's no movement to appear defensive. He's about to say something to Gideon, but his chaperone is distracted momentarily by someone having a word with her. He turns back to the cluster of delinquents, then upnods. "I'm a trader. Thought you might need some things." And then Kai's doing role call. He pauses a moment, then says, "Bruns." He says his own name with a grunt.

"Jeez Kai, don't talk his ear off. Let the man speak." Have we mentioned that Stone's sarcasm button seems to have been tweaked lately? Especially when he's already a bit twitchy from arguing with Shi. Blame it on Lip. He's clearly a terrible influence on the big ex-C. Course, the rasp of his damaged voice may make the sarcasm sound sinister to someone who doesn't know the big guy as a semi-gentle sort, so who knows what impressions he's making. Either way, at the talk of trading, Stone can't help but flash interest in a way any trader would hone in on like a shark to blood in the water. Dark eyes flitting over the trader's bulky pockets and then glancing past him, as if looking to see if he's got a cart or something that wasn't brought in. He manages to hold his tongue though and let Kai pick up again.

Not normally the silent type, for the moment Shi is a silent white shadow, her eyes only giving away a curious look over both the newcomers, or newcomers to her. The violet makes her gaze hard to hold, but it is sharp as if taking in whatever Bruns is offering and not yet saying. A glance to see where Gid got off towards and then she moves, slowly but she slides around the side of Stone, so she gets a better view.

Kai casts a look at Stone, a single long look before she gestures to one of the lee side of the cook tent,"We do. What sort of stuff do you have and what are you looking for in terms of payment?" she asks of Bruns, leaving Gideon to her chat for the moment and certainly leaving room for the other two to come along definitely,"Harder to see you from the wall over here. It's appreciated, you coming here, and though I'm not.. heda.." she's still trying that word on and it still sounds awkward,"I'll do what I can to make sure that no-one that shouldn't see's you here."

Gideon has been standing back, allowing Bruns to do his thing. Her arms are crossed, hip cocked. She offers a vague nod to those she recognizes or even knows, but remains quiet for a long moment. Then she speaks up, "Their heda is in the sky." She glances upwards almost meaningfully and then looks back to the others. She lets Bruns handle his business, but does seem a bit interested in what sort of goods he has to offer.

The Grounder trader stands with head slightly cocked. There's no cart, but it stands to reason that it would be difficult to dodge the blockade with anything in town. He takes a half step closer to the sky people and takes a moment to size each of them up. "I got cured meat. Some poultices and herbs. Batteries. Seeds. Thread and cloth. Not all of it here. I got…" he struggles to find a translation, then just settles for the word in his native tongue. "Har-takka." Hard tack.

For is part, Stone just gives Kai a shit-eating sort of lopsided grin when she gives him The Look (tm), but he's doing a good job of being quiet after, just leaning on his big spear and watching with interest, seeming a bit too amicable to be intimidating, despite the looming. The list of goods seems to kind of make the big guy's sharp interest deflate slightly. maybe he was hoping for weapons and armor, though it's not like Bruns has an big waraxe hidden in a pocket waiting to be traded. The one thing that does get Stone's attention enough to draw his raspy horror-movie voice out of him is to ask over Kai's shoulder. "Thread for cloth, or thread for…" He gestures to his now unbandaged stomach, where a truly horrible still-healing axe-scar looks like it nearly bisected him. "…stitching flesh? And any needles to go with it?"

A single arched eyebrow is offered to Bruns when he goes about his sizing, and Shi tilts her head to the side before she steps forward and nods towards the table, "If you would show us what you have with you, we can speak about the rest and yes, what you are looking for in return.." That voice is soft and smooth, and while she has been studying their language, each of her words are in English as she watches ht trader now with a little more.. care, as if reading each of his words and movements curiously. Of course a husky voice coming from behind the cloth is probably as unusual as Stone's more scary rocks rolling down a Mountain.

Kai might be disappointed by the list, then again, from the way she smiles, slow and lazy and not reaching her eyes, maybe she's not surprised by it either, attention flitting to Gideon at Har-takka because that one clearly not a word she knows yet,"Not sure where the medtech's are at the moment to know what kind of herbs they might need, thread definitely, seeds definitely. Food plants preferred. Thread beyond a doubt. Meat absolutely. Most of which is going to take consultation and organization with some of the others and I'm presuming you probably don't want to be here longer than necessary." she's shorter than the trader, lean, but between the gun and sword slung across her back the lean creature with the grey eyes clad in a once-white shirt and pants certainly wears more dirt than the average Skaikru with nonchalance,"Do you have a preference on what you would like in return trade? We can see what we can gather now and from whom but.." her eyes shift to Gideon,"Some people and stuff might take time to arrange."

Gideon catches the look in her direction, and her brows arch slightly. There is a definite sense of don't look at me, but she does offer a small nod of her head. "Bruns has a reputation. If you have specific needs, he might be able to find a way to get what you require." Or at least she hopes. She casts a glance toward Bruns, and one shoulder rolls with a slight shrug.

"Cloth," Bruns responds to Stone. "Can't use it on your gut. It'd leak dye and that's not so good for wounds. Best thing for that is sinew, or linen, but that's hard to find." He rolls up his sleeve to reveal an old wound that's puckered, with still the distinct cross marks from where the sutures pressed against scar tissue. "Deer gut to close it." He watches Stone for signs of comprehension or disgust. As for what he wants? He thinks about it for a minute, then "Lotta folks are curious about you. I'm looking for things we don't have down here." Which could mean everything from tech to trinkets. He looks at them all, glances back at Gideon, then adds, "I got maps, too."

"Cam an' I just brought in a buck. Meat's less an immediate, but yeah I know the rest want some of that other stuff." Stone's murmuring to Kai with an idle gesture to the five-legged beast hanging outside the cook tent waiting to be butchered. About five seconds after saying that, Stone's recognizing that he's admitting to having gone off hunting while this badly injured. Then again, if she was up in the Perch this whole time, she probably saw them drag it in (and Stone get lectured like a naughty five year old by Shi).

Either way, the Boy Scout's going on quickly after to cover up that slip, adding to the trader in the horror-voice gravelly sound after looking at the wound without any disgust, just interest. "We've mostly used the gut for other things, but we may come to use it for that then yeah. Lack good stitch needles except for some leather working stuff. Tools of most sort would be good really. Saws for wood especially I'd think, even like a wire saw." Stone gives a kind of stupidly hopeful look, but adds. "Don't suppose armor's something you can pack around easy, eh? Especially something for my size?" Do they even _make_ armor in his size?

As Shi's request to see what Bruns has is not granted, she just shakes her head and places her hands behind her back, a relaxed pose as she turns to listening to the warriors explain wants and desires to the trader. A thought sound comes from her something Stone says but then those eyes flicker back to Bruns and she asks softly, "What what is it you don't have down here? It is hard to know what you might want in truth.."

Oh boy, maps, that actually brings life into Kai's eyes at least, her attention dropping to the scar with comprehension at least and a thoughtful kind of grunt, bobbing her head for his words,"That, I'm interested in. Forget the thread though, for now." her head tilts to listen to Stone with an acknowledging nod for all that her lips purse into a thin line and he gets another one of those long squints from her before she refocuses on Bruns and mentally debates,"Boy Scout, one of us should stay with him for safety. Y'got anything you want to grab for trading? Otherwise I'm going to fetch some shit from my tent."

Gideon ducks her chin, a ghost of a smile touching her lips at Bruns's display. She shakes her head a bit. "Your bracelets," the archer says without missing a beat, "or stuff from your so-called tech tent. Even the stuff that you're Cookie puts together… your fruit leathers." Which she still doesn't quite understand why they are called fruit leathers, but that is neither here nor there. She at least attempts being helpful.

"Naw, sorry," says Bruns to Stone. "Armor's too bulky to pack around and it requires the right fit for the right person. Not worth the space. Got to go to an armorer in Tondc or something." That, and well, frankly…giving these kids who are a potential threat food and thread is one thing. Weapons? Armor? Less wise and more problematic. He glances to Shi, then lifts a shoulder. "Stuff that's not all busted up. Stuff you made up in the sky. Things that fell apart here long ago but you kept together."

"My maps," he says to Kai, "…might take you a little figuring. But at least you'd know who your neighbours are." He glances sidelong to Gideon, then grunts in what's probably a noise of agreement.

"I can stay. I don't got much that'd be of terrible lot of interest. An watch is about it unless they like little carved wooden figurines." Stone snorts at that thought, then he's waving Kai off. "So grab your stuff." He doesn't look too terribly crestfallen at the armor, but there's definitely some disappointment. Given the wound in his neck, it's not all that unexpected probably that he'd feel that way about wanting some protection. With that though, he's turning to glance at the trader and then to Gideon and giving a thick-shouldered shrug. "Sorry I'm not more use with stuff like this. I'm a soldier. Weapons, armor, tactical stuff's the bigger things I've got interest in. But for the rest of people, there's definitely stuff I'm sure we could find to trade."

Shi nods slowly to both the Grounders and then says something that will probably have no less than two people laughing, "I can stay here with them if you both want to go and get something.." This to Kai and Stone as she bites her lower lip under the cover of her hood. "Most things will take abit on both sides, but Might I see the Seeds you have with you?" There is something about her desire to see the goods that is being made clear, in a nice way, but being made clear nevertheless. When Stone speaks of staying she looks up at him, "Since those are not wood from here, they want, if you want something.." It's softly said of course.

"Nothing worth having comes easy." is Kai's assessment regarding map-reading and gives a bob of her head for Stone's words,"I'll be right back." she assures Bruns before the lean girl elects to slip off towards the motley collection of tents in a lazy prowl, not dawdling, but also not endeavoring to run, either.

Gideon arches her brow a bit when Bruns explains his maps, but she then shrugs again. What is the worst that a map could actually show the delinquents? She does rolls her shoulders a bit again, feeling the tension slowly release as she relaxes into her lean against a displayed dropship chair. "<In Trigedasleng> They have some Trikru stuff, too," she says more or less to Bruns. "<In Trigedasleng> Swords, and such. Though I doubt you need that." Then she looks back after Kai, and then to Stone. "You are use enough," she reassures him. "What may not be of value to you might be of greater value to us."

"I haven't met any of your people before. I don't know what you have. But I'll know if it'll trade when I see it." Bruns looks to Shi, then grunts softly. He feels around in the many pockets of his jacket, then digs out a series of satchels. They each have a different colour bit of material which serves as a coding system. He holds up each in turn. "Tomato, lettuce, rosemary. Might have some others in my other pack." He sniffs once, then says to Stone. "Maps are 'tactical stuff." He raises a brow, then looks to Gideon, "<In Trigedasleng> Swords. Did they use swords in the sky? If not, I bet it's funny to watch them try to fight." He grins at his own joke. "<In Trigedasleng> They really are just kids. That makes 'em dangerous. Not because they want to be, but cause they've got to be scared."

"Probably the same the other way." Stone rasps back with easy grin to Gideon. "I'm sure there's stuff you people know about livin' here that you consider child's knowledge, but that we struggle without. I'd like t' think if all this fudging war stuff hadn't cropped up, we might have found some way to work together further." A ragged-throated laugh. "Then again, I'm just an optimist an' I don't like killin' your people. Peace is better." After which he's settling, looming over Shi (perhaps a touch protectively) as she's looking at seeds, nodding a bit to the mention of them. To the maps bit from Bruns, Stone nods. "Course they are. But Kai's got that covered. Though I sorta wonder how interesting you might find satellite imagery of the area. I think someone has an old print out of one." Then realizing that may not mean anything, he's gesturing to the sky and murmuring. "Like…what the ground actually looks like from up there. Better in some ways than hand-drawn maps. Worse in others." As the lapse into that other language, the big ex-C just watches on thoughtfully, not interrupting, clearly lacking understanding but polite enough to let them do as they will.

It's hard to say if anyone can pick out words in Teigdasleng yet, and Shi atleast shows no understanding of what the pair is saying, but she does tilt her head to the side as she watches Bruns and then takes a step closer to the trader. While her tiny height does nothing to be intimidating, the glow of those violet eyes under the shadow of her covered head is unusual as she holds out one delicate hand, "Might I see the Tomato seeds?" It's a request and it's offered softly but there is something in her words, if as if his reaction will be key. As Stone seems to loom behind her, the woman's shoulders un-tense just a little and a hovering outline of a smile appears as she holds her hand out.

Kai doesn't have a lot to trade. So it at least doesn't take her long to go and fetch it. Not that she's in any more of a hurry when she emerges from amongst the collection of tents and starts back towards them, occasionally looking down at her palm as if trying to make sure she really wants to give it up as she makes her way slowly back towards the gathering.

"<In Trigedasleng> I believe they have some… ah… references for swordplay… but yes… they do lack quite a bit of finesse," Gideon says in wry response to Bruns. Then she starts to poke a bit at the chair, looking over its coarse fabric and the heavy thread holding it together. She pushes at it a bit, feeling it yield under the pressure of her palm. She looks thoughtful, only breaking out of her reverie when Stone mentions satellite imagery, her interest looks piqued. If he's trying to tempt Bruns, he may be failing — but Gideon looks genuinely interested. Her shoulders roll beneath her quiver and bow, shifting the weapons.

"You can see them," says Bruns with a grunt. He holds up the bag. "See? Don't know why you need a closer look. They're just seeds." Is that a note of mistrust? It would make sense. If she doesn't return them, then it's his word against a camp full of armed kids. And a bag of seeds is pretty easy to slip away. As expected, most of what Stone says is all Greek to him. Satellite? He looks confused, but the hand-motion seems to clarify it a bit. "Not me, but it's not about what I want. S'about what others might want. I've been travelling through this area for over ten years. Wouldn't be much use to me cept as a curiosity." As an aside, he says to Gideon, "<In Trigedasleng> But they have guns. I guess they don't need swords when they can kill us that way." His words are mumbled and a little dark-sounding.

"She studies plants. Likely wants to make sure they're actually the seeds you say and not weeds." Stone replies to the trader with an open amicably that seems to indicate he finds it amusing rather than is particularly mistrustful himself. Then, as if realizing his words might offend, he's adding a little lamely. "If she confirmed your stuff, it'd go a long way to being able to trust the rest of what you got is all I'm sayin'." He gives a big shrug and glances aside to the reapproaching Kai as if looking for help before he blunders them into another war or something.

Shi let's out a tiny sigh and she slowly reaches up and unhooks the hood that covers her face, she let's the fabric flutter to the side and her pale and lovely features come into view, with Stone's shadow still over her she steps closer to the bag that is being held out and keeps her hands behind her back as she leans close to take a look into the bag, there is a deep breath taken and she tilts her head to the side before those eyes meet Bruns, "How many seeds in total do you have with you?" Again it's soft but she makes eye contact as she asks the question this time, that smile hovering on the corner of her lips. At Stone's words, the tiny woman can't help a soft chuckle and gives a helpful less shrug to the trader but does not agree or disagree with the large man's words. Kai's timing of return let's Shi get a quick look and then very oddly, she reaches out and covers the other girl's hand with her own delicate one and turns her head to give her a look before she shakes her head very gently.

Kai carefully thumbs out a couple of tiny slips of something into her hand and shoves them into the pocket of her grimy pants before thumbing the tiny thing closed as she rejoins the group and smoothing it over in her palm starts to extend it towards Bruns, only to have Shi's hand close over her own. That merits a look, that does, and a frown from the grey-eyed girl that beetles her brows before she grunts and subsides back, at least for now, though the thing stays balled in her fist with only brief glints where a frail chain dangles outside of her grotty fingers.

Gideon's shoulders tense when Bruns mentions guns. "<In Trigedasleng> Yes… they can, and seem to be okay with that… Indra must know this by now, which means…" Gideon grimaces. "<In Trigedasleng> Who knows what this may mean… but I doubt their hope of keeping the Trikru at bay out of fear is going to work." She looks meaningfully at Bruns before she slips back into gonasleng, probably out of politeness, "I wouldn't have brought Bruns here if I didn't think what he had was worth your interests."

Bruns looks insulted by the implication that his seeds might not be genuine. His lip curls. "It's all real. I got a reputation, like she said," he nods towards Gideon. "My stuff is always what I say it is." By way of a compromise, he opens one of the pouches, pulls out a pair of seeds and hands them to Shi. "Got a couple bags of each. Enough to plant a half an acre or so. But this is not a good spot for soil. If it was, there would be a village here." Which may or may not be true, but it seems like solid logic. It's a way of avoiding being blamed if the seeds turn out not to be viable.

He eyes Kai's approach, but he doesn't say anything. He does look at her hand, but doesn't verbalize any curiosity. Instead, he just glances sidelong at Gideon. She too gets a noncommittal grunt.

Stone lifts his hand in a 'I give' or 'I'm unarmed' sort of gesture indicating he didn't mean offense, but what's said is said. Instead he's just keeping mouth shut for now, letting Shi do her thing, glancing over when she stops Kai, curiosity showing, but not enough to ask her about it in mixed company. He does end up tossing out there a quiet. "You're planning to be here how long? Others will no doubt want a chance to discuss trades asssuredly."

Shi let's her hand drift away from Kai's, giving it one more squeeze before she takes the seeds from Bruns, she holds them up to the side and into the sun, her eyes narrowing at the flicker of light, but she still looks at them carefully before there is a tiny move and she holds the seeds back to Bruns and then opens her other palm. Here are two small glowing, sparkling spheres, they are rounded on all sides, and sparkle with a clear texture though within the center are colors, bright bright red that is almost impossible to get with dyes, and the rarest of purples. She holds the red centered one into the light and it sparkles and in truth looks very pretty, "For us all, beauty is hard to come up with, and we all different visions, but any lady would love to have something special and one of a kind on her, in jeweler, or projecting color from the lights around us. In good faith, I will trade you this sphere for all the seeds you have on you right now and if you trade as well for this as I am sure you will, you might remember me fondly when you find other seeds or things like threads.." Her voice is careful and soft but those eyes are on Bruns now and not the others.

Kai isn't going to interfere in Shi's offer, not at all, she'll wait with dull eyed patience until her turn comes around. It's a locket, she has, a tiny, well worn, mostly gold-colored thing that has no doubt seen more than a few owners in it's time and in it's fragility is wholly unsuited to the grubby creature that offers it out,"The maps." is what the grey-eyed one has to say,"And what meat this is worth. It's a locket. You're supposed to put photographs in it."

One of the people on the wall runs up, eyeing the Grounders and then leaning over to whisper in Kai's ear. Whatever it is earns a scowl from the girl as she closes her hand again for the moment,"I'll be back. Sorry. Stone, make sure no-one tries anything." and with an impatient gesture turns to head off after the other kid at a trot.

When Shi presents the marble and her offer, the archer looks somewhat nonplussed. She shifts her gaze to Bruns and then back to Shi. "Those are marbles," she says plainly, brow arched and head tilted a bit. She definitely is the obvious one, that's for sure. She then shrugs slightly, not being a trader herself and not knowing the value of marbles, but she does roll her shoulders slightly. When Kai wanders off, she follows the girl with a tilt of her head.

"Awhile. Been travelling a lot. If Coesbur lets me stay, couple weeks at least." Bruns lifts a shoulder noncommittaly. He watches as Shi unveils her trade item. He looks at it, looks at her, looks at it again. Then, he starts to laugh. It's a snort at first, but then a genuine burst of amusement. He looks at Gideon incredulously, "<In Trigedasleng> She wants to trade a marble for seeds. What does she think I am?" He shakes his head, then reaches into his coat. He pulls out a satchel and opens it up. It's full of a few dozen marbles of various colours and complexity. "You know what we use those for, sky-girl?" He tugs out a slingshot made of wood. "…hunting squirrels. I'm sure the squirrels think they're real pretty before their skulls get crushed with 'em. Sorry, girl. I wanna trade something really rare, or something useful. Your pebble ain't worth two seeds, let alone all I got."

He looks a little more sympathetically to Kai and her offering than Shi and her pebble. He can tell this is something personal and that it's difficult to imagine parting with it. He does her the courtesy of actually inspecting the locket, but then he sucks air between his teeth and shakes his head. "Sorry. Not interested." He grunts softly, then clears his throat to speak a little louder. "OK, so I guess I gotta be clearer on what I want to trade. It's gotta be useful and not just a pretty bauble. Sometimes I'll take something different, but you're not gonna get much for it. This world don't got time for pretty things. We want what will save our lives or feed us." He motions to their feet. "Shoes. Parts like nails and screws. Workable scrap metal, though I don't take that 'cause it's too heavy. Plastic ties that lock in," zip-ties. "Batteries. Small motors. That sky-map, I know some who would be interested."

With the removal of underbrush and a half-dozen small trees, there is now a tiny clearing around the dropship. It has begun to fill with detritus from the ship, including all of the seating, padding, and removable plates or bulkheads.

Several tents have been set up within the clearing, set close together within the confines of the surrounding trees. A small collection of weapons sits under a parachute-cloth shelter by the door of dropship, open for community use. A three-holer latrine is set up downwind of camp in the prevailing breezes, and a rough wall stretches between trees at the edge of the clearing, dropship plates and felled tree-trunks stacked up and lashed together as best as the Delinquents can manage. There is a gate at the north end, a single panel that can be rolled aside at need.

The forest immediately surrounding the camp has been cowed into near-silence, but is still vibrant and green to a people used to stark metal bulkheads all around them.

Stone frowns a little when he sees what Kai's offering, perhaps recognizing it, or at least the significance. He doesn't interfere though, just shaking his head a little and watching to see the reaction to it. When Kai gets dragged off before the trade can conclude, he nods her way, and settles in to take in the trader's words. Before that though, Gideon's reaction to the marble makes the big soldier suppress a snort and bite his lower lip to keep from reacting. The squirrel hunting brings Stone's hand up to his face as he tries to cover the smile before Shi beats him. He does, however, manage to rasp out more seriously after a moment. "They're rare in the sky. See what I mean about the differences in things we know?" He asks the last of Gideon to reference his earlier. After a moment, he's eying the trader with a thoughtful sort of air to his list. "Do you know what a watch is? A time piece?" The gigantic soldier apparently is trying to judge worth since the first two attempts have struck out as non-useful.

Shi does not seem upset by the reaction to the marble, she swirls it around in her fingers for a few moments and then it disappears once more. The marbles that Bruns flaunts, she just give him a tiny smile and then chuckles once, "Rare for one is common for another. But then a trader who laughs and degrades those who offer what they have…" She shrugs then and then turns to look up at Stone, "Maybe others can give up more special things." There is a hint of sadness in her eyes that only he can see, he also might be the only other person who knows the history of what she was offering up. She shifts then, moving with a graceful step to be behind Stone and looking into the camp, and let's him handle the visitors.

Gideon shakes her head very slowly when Shi speaks, and she holds up a hand. "You should not look for pity, but offer something of value." When Stone offers up the watch, she actually nods in modest approval. Closer, she seems to say. Then she rolls her shoulders a bit, and she pokes at the chair again. Then she steps around it and flops into it quite regally despite her brutish nature. She even rests the ankle of one leg across the thigh of the other, and she crosses her arms as she sinks into it, marveling at the cushioning. Sometimes, you just can't replace good foam padding.

The camp is no doubt bustling for all the people preparing for the potential of Groundergeddon in the next day or two, guards always on the wall, some with guns openly displayed and ready. Amidst that, this morning of the twenty-second day since Landing sees host to two figures in the camp that stand out more than all the others, Grounders from Coesbur, the more familiar archer Gideon and an older man in bulky pocketed long coat. In front of them stand two Delinquents distinct as the other pair, but at least familiar to the area. The gigantic so-called Boy Scout Stone and the five-foot-nothing, white-clad hooded herbalist Shi standing near him so their height difference is particularly distinct. The air of the discussion seems to be semi-serious and almost business-like.

Ariadne steps quietly from her tent, stopping just outside of the entrance to study the surroundings warily. She moves toward the gathering of people who look as if they are conducting a trade. It's Gideon she seems to make her way toward but she does it slowly, her steps shuffling as she steps around the people scattered about.

"If you can't take that, girl," says Bruns to Shi, with a nod towards Gideon at the same time. "Then you're gonna have a tough time. I wasn't degrading you. Wouldn't you laugh if someone offered you a bolt for a bakery's worth of bread?" He shrugs and turns his attention back to Stone. "Yeah, I know a timepiece. Some people collect 'em, but I couldn't give you much for it. I'd have to carry it around til I found a buyer." He sucks air between his teeth and bites his thumbnail. "OK, here's the rule. If it don't sting you a bit to give it up, if it doesn't impact your quality of life or your survival, it's probably not worth nothing. Or, it's worth very little. I dunno how it was for you kids up in the sky, but here on the ground…" he points downward. "…stuff that's worth something is what helps you survive."

"I was thinking you'd have more interest in the battery in it or the screen, but your call." Stone rumble-rasps back to the trader with a thick-shouldered shrug, glancing aside at the approaching Ariadne, he looks a touch relieved. "Good, someone who can talk poultices and medicines maybe. Ariadne, this is Bruns, a Trikru trader. He's lookin' mostly for things useful to survival in trade. Tech from above, shoes, nails, screws, zip-ties, batteries, motors, or the such. So not sure how much we'll ultimately have for him, but he mentioned poultices as one of his wares, so maybe something medicinal we could use if we can sort out things to trade for. Bruns kom Trikru, Gideon kom Triku, Ariadne Cole" That introduction done, Stone, who's injured voice rasps like a monsters and who is clad in mud, blood, bandages, and scars from the waist up is turning back to the trader and Gideon, gesturing to the archer. "She mentioned the bracelets. Those don't exactly fit in with your criteria. What would one of them be worth to you that it's the first thing spoken of?"

Shi is pulling her covering back in place as she is settled next to Stone, for the moment instead of getting into more of a conversation about tact and how to handle what the woman let's those violet eyes flicker towards Ariadne and she gives her a little grin. But it's Stone's question that flickers her attention back to the trader and the woman settles regal like in a camp chair.

Approaching the small gathering, Ariadne returns the little grin to Shi. It's Stone and Gideon she's meaning to address. A small smile is given to the rest and she addressed Cole and Gideon, "I'm told there are some bows and arrows in the armory." She then looks at Gideon and says, "And that you might have a spare as well." Her hands are buried deeply in her pockets and she waits for their response before she continues.

Gideon looks over toward Bruns as he explains how this all works, and she breathes out a slow exhale. "You do have things to offer, Skaikru… you just need to think beyond trinkets… take a look around your camp, think about what you have that Grounders do not." She looks up at Stone now, offering him a slight tilt of her head. "Bruns is merely making sure that he does business the same way he always has… you wouldn't want to owe him a favor instead." And she slips her gaze to the trader, probably boasting about his reputation a bit higher than actually exists. Then again, Gideon probably hasn't had that much experience with Bruns… until she found out he has batteries. Then she looks up at Ariadne, and she tilts her head slightly. "You know how to use a bow, skaigirl?" She then glances to Bruns, offering another slight shrug.

"Yeah, maybe," says Bruns to Stone. "People like the small gears for decoration, too. All right. What you want for the watch and the sky map?" He shifts his weight and lifts his chin. Gideon gets a bit of a grin for her assistance with his reputation. "You all have to keep in mind that I'm sticking my neck out even being here. You're seen of as a threat by a lot of people. But I'm not here to be generous. She's right. You have to shift your thinking. You have a ship that came from the sky. You have more than you realize."

He glances to Ariadne and sizes up the newcomer. "Arrows, definitely. The ones we make never fly quite as true as the ones we scavenge."

Ariadne gives a brief nod of her head and says, "It's been a few years, but I think I could hit something if it were close enough." She shuffles slightly and says, much quieter, "Ummm… sorry if I offended you before." Her hands bury deeper into her pockets.

"Yeah, there's some bows. Since few have taken up the offer to learn, which I planned to as soon as I can draw a string without popping a stitch and bleeding to death, they haven't got much use." Stone horror-voices softly over to Ariadne, a little furrow-browed that one of their medics is after bows more than medicines.

He shakes it off though and turns back to listen to Gideon's comments before replying. "I haven't got much experience with your people yet other than on the battle field, so I'm a terrible one to be discussin' all this. We came down with mostly clothes on our back and what little was on the lander. We're not exactly overflowing in useful survival implements, but I'm sure some things can be found once we identify their usefulness and that they aren't things we're relying on too much to part with."

Stone's reaching up wincingly, rubbing at his bloodily-bandaged throat with a grimace, the talking starting to hurt enough for him to notice it. But back to the trader goes his dark eyes, brows a little furrowed. "You didn't answer about the bracelets, but I'll take it as no interest. The sky map isn't mine to trade, so it'll have to be negotiated later." Another rub at throat and grimace. "The watch is working tech passed down for three generations. Winding spring with working battery backup for when not wound. It's kind of a waste to just tear it apart for trinkets, but I guess whatever if it's worth more that way to you. It's not exactly survival important so I guess I get it. What medicinals or poultices is it worth, if any? Barring that, seeds for something edible that might grow here?"

Shi touches Stone's arm and shakes her head, "Ari is more into learning combat right now. It seems we don't have what is needed to be traded at this time. I am sure there are other who can speak more of what is and is not useful to each side. And you were to be in the Med tent hours ago.." She tells the very large man, those eyes looking up at him curiously, and a tad a worry in her eyes. Whatever her feelings for the conversation at hand, that worry seems to hold her attention for now.

Ariadne turns brown eyes to Stone as she says, "Can I get one of them then, please?" Ari hasn't spoken about her training in the healing arts since her arrival on the ground, though some probably know that she has it - the ones that have heard why she was locked up. She glances to Shi and then back to Stone. All she says in response to Shi's words is, "I want to be useful, that's all.

Gideon listens, and then she nods slightly toward Stone. "I meant your… bracelets that talk with your Ark." She points to her own naked wrist. "The silver ones… Grey says they were used to communicate with your Ark." Which is only slightly true, but Gideon doesn't know how they work. Then she looks over toward Ariadne, and she shrugs slightly. She starts to unwind from the chair she has claimed, rubbing her tush once she is standing once more.

"I'm not really looking for jewelery, unless it's really special," answers Bruns regarding the bracelets. He eyes Stone and his bandaged neck, sucks air between his teeth, then digs around in his multi-pockets. He comes out with a small satchel and a smaller package. "Good faith." He nudges it towards the big youth, "…for your throat." If he takes it, he'll find tea taht smells like licorice and something else herbal, no doubt to numb and soothe his damaged larynx, and three small golden losenges that smell of honey. "We don't have to make a trade right now. It'll probably be more efficient if you take a close look at your needs, then look at what you're willing to part with. I can come back." His eyebrows go up at Gideon's explanation of the bracelets. "Yeah." grunt, "…yeah, might be interested in those."

"Sorry, bad assumption then from what I remembered up there. There should be at least one and a quiver left over in the weapons tent. I'm not sure if the ones Gideon brought were added there or already spread. Doubt it. Like I said, not many seem to know how to use them yet." Stone points to an open tent next to the lander where weapons are kept dry, an ex-C probably on watch near it to track who's taking what and if they bring it back eventually. Turning back to the trader again, frowning a little at the start about the bracelets, though Gideon's explanation clears that frown a bit.

The offer of the lozenge thing brings an arch of a thick dark brow, but Stone reaches out unfearful to take it from the man, sniffing at one, eying it, and asking after explanation of it being for throat. "Gotta admit, you're askin' for a big leap of trust here. But…I think I like you, even if we're not on the same page yet about trading stuff. And I suppose you don't have a whole heck of a lot of reason to poison me since all it'll do is set the others off…so, eh, what the heck." Stone pulls out one of the items, sniffs it again and then puts it in his mouth. After a moment, swallowing, he looks a bit impressed. "Handy that." The poor big guy still sounds like death warmed over, but he's not looking quite so discomforted at least. "Soothing even."

Looking between the trader's interest in the bracelets and then Shi's worry, the big man let's out a sigh. "Yeah, I'm not the one who should be talkin' this out anyways, so yeah. Let's put a hold for now. If you have any other wish-list items, let us know, and I guess we'll have to come up with our own, and see where we can meet in the middle. Maybe something with a few of the bracelets, or the sky map, or something else." A thick shouldered shrug, and Stone's doing something perhaps a bit unusual for one of the Delinquent ex-Cadets. He's reaching a hand out to the grounder in offer of a hand-shake. "Either way, been interesting meeting you."

A quiet nod of the head is given and Ariadne makes her way toward the armory tent. She stops to speak to the person documenting who has what and then she disappears inside.

Gideon quirks a small smile as Bruns speaks his interests finally, and she lofts a brow at him in an expression that says: told you so. Then she watches Ariadne disappear, and her shoulders roll again as she reslings the quiver and its attached bow. She then lifts her gaze to Bruns. "<In Trigedasleng> They will offer you guestright if you ask… or I can help get you back to Coesbur." She then looks to Stone, and she sizes up the boy with a flick of her eyes. Then she offers him a small nod.

Bruns snort-laughs. "Yeah, I'm not in the habit of carrying around poison and offering it to strangers." A beat, then, "…waste of good poison." Then, "Just get a message when you're ready to deal, yeah? And if you got anything urgent in the meantime, we might be able to work something out." He looks at the hand skeptically a bit, then steps forward to clasp forearm to forearm. The other kind of handshake is kind of alien to him.

After the shake has completed, he looks to Gideon, "<In Trigedasleng> I can make my own way back. I paid attention on the way," a wry grin. "<In Trigedasleng> Thanks, though." Whatever that exchange was, it seems to be ending his time in the camp. He lifts a hand and waves. "Interesting to meet you all, skaikids." And then with a bit of a grin, he turns to walk away.

After Stone's shake of the hand forearm to forearm, which he takes in stride, Stone's separating and watching the other man go, arching a brow again and rasping to Gideon with the lozange rolling around his tongue. "He could have stayed if you agreed to vouch for him, but whatever works I suppose." Stone's turning to look to Shi. "Back to boredom I go I suppose, eh?" A snort, and he starts to move towards the lander, but then pauses, glancing to Gideon. "Actually, one thing. I'd planned to ask this after gettin' to know you more, but I'm getting sent to heal like a child, so that isn't gonna happen right now. Still it's worth asking if you're willing. Would it cost me anythin' to ask you a question about your people's practices?" Shi's probably gonna drug him with some herbal conconction if the big bastard doesn't get moving, but he may not get another chance before the coming attack.

Shi smirks softly to Stone, "If you call me boredom I guess so.." she says in that husky voice, her fingers still resting on his arm, but she doesn't pout, pull, nor growl as he stops to ask his question, she simply turns her attention to Gideon as the question is asked, and waits to see her reaction. As the wind whips into the camp, she tightens the hood that covers her as she waits in the harshness of the afternoon sun.

"<In Trigedasleng> Show off," Gideon snorts, though she offers the trader an amused smile. "<In Trigedasleng> I'll come see you in time… I'm going to need some… stuff." She crosses her arms at her chest, but remains rooted where she is. She offers Bruns a departing nod of he rhead. She looks over the Skaikru loitering around, head tilted a bit.

"Hey now, I didn't mean it that way. You haven't _always_ been there. Most of the time I've spent entertaining myself going half-blind staring at bullets for duds." Stone's defending his phrasing to Shi's comment, put off foot by her exactly how she probably intended. Regardless, he's resisting being tugged off just yet to keep his dark eyes on Gideon, awaiting her response to whether she'll answer a question or if it'll cost something to ask it.

Shi gives Stone the most innocent of smiles at his words and then gives a graceful shrug, "You were the one who said it. And you knew I was coming along.." She gives him a long sigh, but simply waits to see if he gets his answer, of course, the very tip of her nose is turning a little red or pink through the covering around her face.

"I'm not a trader," Gideon finally states to Stone, offering him a smooth smile. "I usually just ask for favors in turn." Then she glances at Shi, brows raised. "But it looks like you're little sprite there wants to whisk you off." She rolls her shoulders a bit, looking a touch amused. She glides her hands into the pockets of her long, heavily mantled duster. Her eyes flick slightly toward the trees around the camp, and then back to the skaikru.

It is now that Ariadne exits the armory tent with a bow slong over her shoulder, along with a quiver. She stops just outside the exit to the tent and her eyes move to the gathering. It appears as though it's winding down, but she makes her way in that direction anyway. As she approaches she lets a hand rest briefly on Shi's shoulder and then she moves past her. She speaks up to Stone as she says, "Thanks. At least I'll be able to take a few of them with me when I go."

"Favor's a bit too broad for me, but information for information I'd be willing." Stone offers back with a shrug, glancing down to Shi with the 'sprite' comment, shaking his head a bit and deciding not to get in the middle of that. Instead he just turns back to Gideon, the death-voice soft, utterly serious. "I'll just ask it. If you don't want to answer, or think about the answer, that's cool. If you want to ask your own in return, I'll answer if I can and it doesn't hurt anyone else but me. Or you can ask it later…if we all live of course." A breath, a hand on Shi's shoulder gently to indicate hold up just another moment, and then Stone is turning to start asking. "If I were to…" But Ariadne's comment stops Stone short and he's turning with brows furrowed and fixing a hard stare on Ariadne. "Come again? Take a few of what when you go where?" Cause that sounded like she was talking about abandoning the camp and taking weapons with her, which would understandably freak him out.

Shi wrinkles her nose gently at the Sprite comment, but it's better than girl, and really being out as long as she is, she is willing to let alot pass so she can get back into the shadows. So she just nods towards Stone's touch but blinks at Ari and she reaches out to take the other girl's hand, "Don't talk in such a way Ari, you are going to be fine. No looking for death just yet, because then I'd have to come and stand behind you when you shoot the bow on the wall and you know how badly that would go.." She dimples at her friend but then reaches up and squeezes Stone's hand, "Ask your question.." She reminds him softly.

"Well, the way I see it, when we get attacked, even if we manage to make it through the battle we're gonna lose quite a few. If I'm gonna go out, then I'm gonna go out with a fight." She shrugs and drops to the ground to sit on a small piece of tarp on the ground. She pulls the bow around from her shoulder and pulls on the string a few times, getting a feel for the tension. She isn't, of course, talking about leaving camp - she's talking about dying in battle. As she works arm muscles that have not been worked much until recently she settles in to listen. Her head tilts as she does, quite curious about Stone's question.

Gideon smirks then, looking a bit amused. "Yes, ask your question," she says, her tone a touch teasing. Then she glances at the bow-wielding Skaikru, and shrugs again. She had offered — in a Grounder's way — to show the girl how to use it, but got no reply, so she just keeps her mouth shut on that for now even while she idly strokes the fletching of an arrow she has pulled from her quiver.

"Oh! That sorta go. Sorry…on edge." Stone reaches up to scrub at his face a little. "So much fudging nihilism." Casting an apologetic look to Gideon, and a "one second" gesture, Stone turns back to Ariadne, grimly resolute, his horror-movie voice trying for confident, but likely just sounding sinister, but at least it's a confident sinister.

"Listen Ariadne. It's great you're willin' to look at it that way in a way. It's brave. And I'm sure you'll be a help in th' battle. But I have gotten nearly cut in half with a Grounder axe and shot through the throat with a Grounder arrow. I'm still standing and I intend to still be mother fluffin' standing after this batch of Grounders comes for us." A soft sigh and he's adding. "It's one thing to be willin' to die in battle. I'm willin' to die if it protects others. I've made peace with that. It's another thing to go into battle tellin' yourself you're gonna die and so is everyone else. That, girl, is frankly bull sludge! There's always hope, an' I don't care how depressive people get, we will fight and we may or may not win, but by Eden, we should be goin' in with the hope that we will. Take that as you will." Wow. Who knew Stone had inspirational speeches in him. If it was about persuasion or deception, it might have been a problem, but as it was, Stone believes every word he said down to his fundamental core and all he was doing was proclaiming that belief in hope of helping someone else believe it.

Moving his hand to his ragged throat, sighing again and grimacing, Stone turns back to Gideon and rasps. "Sorry Gideon. Now then. If I called out this Sonia or this Indra to single combat before the battle, would their army back off to allow the fight and either accept my blood for what they think they are owed if I lost or accept my victory in place of it if I killed them?" Yup. Stone is officially gone insane. Someone should check his throat for infection and fever setting into his brain. Where did he even get an idea like that? Out of some old story book?

Shi pinches the bridge of her nose as Stone gets through his little speech and then his question, she mutters softly to herself and shakes her head slowly. When she finally looks up again those violet eyes are narrowed and she just looks at the huge male and frowns. A true frown as she gives him another worried look, "Do not even think about it.." She whispers, not caring that others are around, and in this Stone might just have a tiny fight on his hands, no matter Gideon's answer!

Gideon sighed, looking down at her fingers — scarred and calloused from her use with the bow over the last decade or more. She then shakes her head. "You are not their equal," she repeats those same words. "You are a mere child, and they are blooded warriors, hardened by years of combat and war. To challenge them to trial by combat would just earn thier scorn… and if they accepted, it would just earn your death." She frowns deeply, expression honest and concerned. "Stone kom Skaikru, you are young and ill-experienced for this… Indra herself bears forty or more kill marks, and Sonia a fair share of twenty herself… how many have you killed?"

The only response that Ariadne has is, "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst." It's an old saying, but extremely appropriate at the moment. She listens to the question and to Gideon's response. She sighs quietly, but turns her attention back to exercising her arm to prepare for the upcoming battle. She glances to Gideon and asks curiously, "If the battle comes to us Gideon, whose side will you fight on?" The question isn't meant to be offensive, and the voice tone is certainly more curious than anything.

"I didn't stop to check for pulses and your people take their dead and badly wounded, but not twenty." Stone offers back with a simple shrug of the big shoulders. "I didn't ask you what my chances against one of them were. I asked if they'd accept and how their people would handle it if it went either way. If they refuse it for scorn, fine. If they accepted and I died, fine if it meant they accepted that blood. If it just meant they'd roll right over my corpse to kill the rest of us, not fine. If they accept and I win, whether luck or skill, then the question still stands. What would they do? Just shoot me full of arrows and roll over me to the rest? Or would they back off?" It's a serious question and Stone's holding up a hand for Shi to go into lecture mode right then. His dark eyes are fixed on Gideon, belief and hard will behind them. If she says yes they'd accept it, she might very will be signing his death warrant, but he's asking her answer nonetheless. Ari's question of sides is to him less important right then than that matter of potential end to this, however slim.

"We as a group may not have, but I personally acknowledge it was utterly tragic. For both sides." Stone's rasp is strained, but sorrowful genuinely, his words rolling out of him. "Hundreds of your people and some significant number of our own when we don't have that many people to lose. It was horrible and I hope for someone to be able to answer how and why it happened before we die. But for right now, it's about trying to save these people. These eighty five are all I care about right now, because it's my job to protect them. I'm not a leader. I'm not someone who's opinion even matters that it was tragic, but if there's some way I could save them, I'll try to do it, whatever the odds." A deep breathed sigh, his hand rubbing at his throat, his face pained. "Sorry, yeah, ask your question. Fair's fair."

"Do you believe your people purposefully sent something from the Sky to kill my people?" The question is asked flatly, with only the smallest hint of a quaver in her words. "Because if you believe that, then yes… go to Sonia, go to Indra, go to the heda herself, and offer yourself as payment for those lives. But if you do not think your people are truly to blame, then you should not do so." She breathes out a sigh, stepping forward several paces. "I should see to my contributions tonight," she murmurs. "Just something for you to think about."

"Thank you for your answer. And to answer your question. No I don't. It would be a futile and stupid act and while I don't always agree with the Council or our Chancellor, one thing they aren't generally is stupid." Stone offers up in reply to Gideon, then bows his body to her as he can't quite nod properly the way his throat hurts. Stone looks then to Shi, grimacing and murmur-rasping. "Lecture after I'm laying down. I feel like crap from all that talking. What the fudge was I thinking?"

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