Nov 10 21:52:41 108 PA - Valeriya finds Baptiste
From Chronicles
Nov 10 21:52:41 108 PA.
MAGIC DISTRICT: THAUMATURGIC CIRCUITRY
The shop that people have said is owned by the man named 'Baptiste' is located relatively deep in the Magic District. Looking in the display window, it seems clear that it's likely a techno-wizard shop, an idea reinforced by the small wooden sign above the door: "Thaumaturgic Circuitry." It is just about closing time, and the last customer has just exited the shop. Outdoors, the skies have completely opened, dousing the city in freezing rain.
Before the store can be closed for the eve Valeriya steps in. Perhaps much to the chagrin of the shopkeeper as he has probably been watching her loiter in the vicinity since lunch time. And now she chooses to make her entrance. She does so directly though, proceeding straight to the counter. "I'm here to see Baptiste."
There's no one there. But there's a soft answer from behind some curtains. "Baptiste is here. You are welcome to look at the wares, we close in seven minutes."Then there are some shuffling sounds in the back room. Indoors it's quite unimpressive, basically just small electronics. Toasters that operate with Call Lightning spells. Mystic alarms for hovercycles. Objects the size of a garage door opener complete with one button that fires off an Escape spell, popular among young men wanting to get into their date's pants. Shuffle-shuffle-shuffle. Not the kind of place that anyone would think to look for anything interesting, that's for sure.
"I'm not here for any of your wares." Valeriya remarks in reply. Though she does give a curious glance about to double check that there isn’t anything she wants. "I'm here because you want something, something coveted by others."
The curtain remains closed. "Lots of people want lots of things. What do you know about what I want? How did you find me?" A scruffy face, perhaps only thirty-two, but bearded and dirty shoots out from between two curtains, which closed behind it leaving the head seemingly floating in space. "Who are you!?"
Valeriya shrugs casually. "I know you're willing to pay better than others. A lot better. And finding you wasn’t easy if you want that as a credit. But I don’t see how that would be beneficial for someone in retail." She adds, her gaze traveling up and down the man in assessment. "I'm Valeriya, and I'm going to get you what you want."
The as-yet-unnamed man squints his eye at the woman, and silence hangs in the air for a few long seconds. Then the front door locks itself shut with a buzz as an electronic voice says, "Thank you for shopping." He grumbles, "Come back here." The curtain closes as his head is retracted, then a semi-angry shout, "And don't touch anything!"
Valeriya nods and keeps her hands very much to herself as she follows the man behind the curtain. Her eyes, are not nearly so retrained though. They go everywhere and consider every fixture, every component. She takes in everything as if all equally important to the wondrous process that is techno-wizardry.
The back room is quite impressive - that is, when a spell is dropped and its items revealed for what they are. Complex, powerful and impressive. The man keeps to a distant and rather dark corner of the room. "I'm Baptiste. You want to get what I want? You don't know what it is but you want to get it for me?" His voice is low and hissing, and he seems to scratch his torso semi-randomly, his mussed hair flapping about occasionally as he twitches. "I'm suspicious of someone who wants to get me what I want without knowing what it is that I want."
Valeriya smiles freely and gives a shake of her head. "Oh don’t trouble yourself. I do want to know exactly what it is I will be getting you to every possible detail. I want to know why you want it as well. How you would like it delivered could also be crucial. As could where and when. Don’t think I'm blindly agreeing to whatever you want for the lump sum I got quoted. I'm not. What I am saying, is that I confidently believe I am the best possible investment of that sum."
"I want it... because it is.. something very interesting for me to study. That's why. Hmprh." Those words may or may not entirely ring true. "I need it delivered quietly, because the Council wants it, and they don't know what they want, they just don't want anyone else to want it! They're dumb, slow, ignorant, CRAZY!" His eyes go wide. "Did you call me crazy? Don't call me crazy!" Then again, silence. "It needs to be delivered working, or it's no good to me. I haven't decided exactly where to have it delivered, but it will be close here by the city. Maybe out near the farmers."
Valeriya raises a brow at the crazy man, not flinching at his duality. "Right. You know something interesting for me to study doesn’t sound as expensive as it should. I mean an earth elemental would be something very interesting for me to study. But I wouldn't shell out over a hundred thousand credits to do so. So I’m thinking that this is a bit further along than study for you to pay twice that much." She notes calmly. carefully watching his reaction to her logic.
"You wouldn't understand, it's obviously not what you do," he sneers, pulling back into his corner. "Perhaps I'm more powerful than you are because I'm willing to pay for things that I need to study. I don't travel, so I need others to travel for me. I pay people like you to do that traveling for me. Is that sufficient? If I traveled, I would get it myself."
Valeriya smirks, and does not look moved. "You assume a lot about me. Maybe I'm not really powerful because I’m not ready for the baggage that comes with it? I'd be more than willing to pay if the cost was merely credits. But I have the foresight to know better, nothing that I want so much is ever that simple. But that’s probably enough about motives. Agreed I will travel for your money, and pick up something for you on the way. Where am I taking it? Got a nexus outside of KD authority lined up?"
"Just bring it to me here. I have friends who will move it to a safer place. I just need it brought down to me, farther than my associates ever travel," the scruffy man says. "The Council will fight you for it. And the Federation. Maybe Tolkeen. Or the northerners. Everybody wants it, but I need it the most, I *deserve* it the most!" He ends on nearly a shriek before pulling back again. "Many people want power. It *is* power. It *makes* power. It *gives* power! I will have... its.. power..." His eyes narrow like those of a snake. "You will find it? You will bring it back?"
Valeriya nods slowly to confirm then man's question. "Indeed I will. I'll even do it for less than you're asking, in exchange for something a bit different." She offers, testing to see if he is open to such possibilities.
"I doubt I will exchange anything." He comes slightly out of hiding. "What do you want?"
"The plans for the device you intend to make, in advance. Permission to study the device after it's made. As surely I am incapable of comprehending such greatness it would be a definite bargain yes?" Valeriya offers, even adding a bit of meekness to her tone at the end there.
"HA! NO!" That's it, the man laughs and cackles a bit. "Don't play the fool into making me believe that you're dumb enough to be no threat. It's insulting to both of us. I will pay you the money, and you may also take a toaster as a sign of good will."
Valeriya glances at the toaster and shakes her head. "I already know everything about it. But thanks anyway, credits it is." She agrees with a slight shrug. She doesn’t look at all disappointed by him not taking her offer. Maybe she never expected him to.
