(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 7)

[DracoOmega]

>"So you're saying there's no record of sale for the license, nor any entries into an accounting ledger? Nor any master list of people holding these permits?"

>"We keep two copies of the license transaction," she says. "One downstairs here and another in the archives across the row. I've had the archives checked on Murasa's request, but there's no copy to be found there either. The Blue Maiden is registered with us, but the permits she has don't cover all the cargo on the current manifest."

[Hello Purvis]

>Do we know if the permit is a one time only purchase, or something that must be renewed every so often?

[DracoOmega]

>Do we know if the permit is a one time only purchase, or something that must be renewed every so often?

>You're not certain the details in this particular case. You think some permits may require renewal, while others do not.

[Oldmansour]

>"See the fact that every copy of that document has dissapeared tell me that you've had a theft. I was hoping you'd let me examine the scene of the crime, as it were."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And, is it the kind of permit that has to be renewed?"

[DracoOmega]

>"See the fact that every copy of that document has dissapeared tell me that you've had a theft. I was hoping you'd let me examine the scene of the crime, as it were."

>"For something to disappear, it must have existed in the first place. If we have no record of it whatsoever, I think it's far more likely she never held such a permit."

>"And, is it the kind of permit that has to be renewed?"

>"Baring revocation, it is a one-time process," she says.

[Hello Purvis]

>"So, how many do you tend to sell in a month?"

[DracoOmega]

>"So, how many do you tend to sell in a month?"

>"Of that specific kind? Hmm... perhaps a dozen or so."

[Hello Purvis]

>"So,  you'd have a specific account entry for it, I'd imagine? And, with a couple of them a week, it shouldn't be hard to go to a particular point in time and confirm a permit was sold them, right?"

[DracoOmega]

>"So,  you'd have a specific account entry for it, I'd imagine? And, with a couple of them a week, it shouldn't be hard to go to a particular point in time and confirm a permit was sold them, right?"

>"As I said, there is no record of the license on file," she says coolly. "Supposedly it was purchased some years back, before I was in charge of this department."

[Oldmansour]

>"So you've never personally dealt with captain Murasa before? Before today, I mean."
>To our knowledge, has this business ever burned down, had a fire in their records, anything like that?

[DracoOmega]

>"So you've never personally dealt with captain Murasa before? Before today, I mean."
>To our knowledge, has this business ever burned down, had a fire in their records, anything like that?

>"I had not," she replies. "Even now, I don't usually interact with applicants directly. That's handled by the attendants downstairs."
>Not since you've lived here, at least.

[Oldmansour]

>"But the ship's been in and out of port here for years. Surely there must be someone on staff here that can vouch for the fact they had the document before."

[DracoOmega]

>"But the ship's been in and out of port here for years. Surely there must be someone on staff here that can vouch for the fact they had the document before."

>A thin hint of a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, almost indulgent-looking. "A great many ships go in and out of port here every day. It's unreasonable to commit to memory all the licenses each does or doesn't have. That is what the records are for."

[Oldmansour]

>Patronizing little pencil pusher.
>"And I'm guessing getting this particular liscense isn't a particularly... expedient process?"

[DracoOmega]

>Patronizing little pencil pusher.
>"And I'm guessing getting this particular liscense isn't a particularly... expedient process?"

>That smile isn't doing much to foster good will.
>"Hmmm... given the queues at the moment, I would expect about a week turn-around time if she submitted the application today."

[Oldmansour]

>"And this is after a delay already. That would explain her disposition."
>"But something you said got me thinking. You said- Can I sit down?"

[DracoOmega]

>"And this is after a delay already. That would explain her disposition."
>"But something you said got me thinking. You said- Can I sit down?"

>"Of course," she says, gesturing to one of the chairs.

[Oldmansour]

>"Thanks."
>Sit.
>"You said that not ALL of captain Murasa's current load is impeded by this... situation. Which means of course that some of it is. Does that mean that, were she to offload the merchandise that the missing liscence was supposed to cover, she'd be free and clear to launch?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Thanks."
>Sit.
>"You said that not ALL of captain Murasa's current load is impeded by this... situation. Which means of course that some of it is. Does that mean that, were she to offload the merchandise that the missing liscence was supposed to cover, she'd be free and clear to launch?"

>You take a seat. These are actually surprisingly comfy!
>She nods. "That's correct."

[Oldmansour]

>"What sort of goods would that be, exactly?"

[DracoOmega]

>"What sort of goods would that be, exactly?"

>"It was a class B-1 general export license, which covers a multitude of commodities. If I recall her manifest correctly, in this case she would need to offload all her foodstuffs intended for market, as well as the herbal materials and approximately two-thirds of the crafted goods, before being sufficiently covered by the documents we have on file for her ship."

[Oldmansour]

>"Correct me if I'm wrong, but, wouldn't that be basically everything she ONloaded here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Correct me if I'm wrong, but, wouldn't that be basically everything she ONloaded here?"

>"Not quite all," she says. "But a great deal of it, yes."

[Oldmansour]

>"About how much would that be worth on the open market?"

[DracoOmega]

>"About how much would that be worth on the open market?"

>"I'm afraid I'm no merchant," she says, that vague smile hovering on her lips again. "I'm sure Captain Murasa could answer that question far better than I. A considerable sum, no doubt."

[Oldmansour]

>Which means recouping that here's pretty much impossible, reckon.
>What's the going rate for bribes around town?

[DracoOmega]

>Which means recouping that here's pretty much impossible, reckon.
>What's the going rate for bribes around town?

>It does seem likely she'd have to absorb a large loss if she tried this strategy.
>You imagine that depends greatly on the person being bribed. This sort of corruption in Braston is quite low, in fact; the Oni take extremely unkindly to that sort of activity, whether they're the ones directly affected by it or not. While they may lack direct authority over most governmental matters, their influence is still considerable. Over time, this sort of seeped into the cultural norms of the city and the practice isn't nearly as prevalent as you've heard it can be elsewhere. Of course, this doesn't mean that some people mightn't be swayed by greasing their palms...

[Oldmansour]

>Take a moment to gather our thoughts.
>"Other than captain Murasa, have any other ship's captains' had this issue in the past week or so?"

[DracoOmega]

>Take a moment to gather our thoughts.
>"Other than captain Murasa, have any other ship's captains' had this issue in the past week or so?"

>You pause for a moment.
>"If they have," she says, "none of them have brought it to our attention."