(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 7)

[Hello Purvis]

>Presumably there is no law we know of that would allow for us to force the showing of public records?
>"Alright. I need a record of all the permits you have a copy of from that time, Just a number and who they belong to. Then I'd like you to bring out the accounts ledger from that time."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Presumably there is no law we know of that would allow for us to force the showing of public records?
>"Alright. I need a record of all the permits you have a copy of from that time, Just a number and who they belong to. Then I'd like you to bring out the accounts ledger from that time."

>You're not sure of all the legalities. You expect you would have to go through the Watch or the city council, at any rate.
>"I'm afraid our financial records are private," she says. "If you're looking for any irregularities related to this supposed permit, I can have that part of our records audited, provided you can give me a specific time frame."

[Hello Purvis]

So, threaten to go over her head? Or should we cut right to the hot tasty "I know you did this and now I'm going to shove diseased blood in your orifices"?

>"Why wouldn't you be open with that information, given it is a matter of public interest?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Why wouldn't you be open with that information, given it is a matter of public interest?"

>"And I suppose you disclose your own finances freely with anyone who asks, hmmm? I think I'm already being rather gracious to offer to continue expending manpower on this investigation given that no one has yet presented any actual evidence."

[Hello Purvis]

So. Threats of intervention or threats of infection? If nothing else, this is a perfect time to accuse her.

[Oldmansour]

Threats again?

>"That's what I'm trying to find here; more solid evidence."
>"Look, I realize this seems a bit farfetched. The claim of a ships' captain, and a fragment of a clue picked up by a Seeker. But I'm not asking for privilaged information on every ship and transaction that comes through this dock, or anything like that. Just one specific bit of data on one specific liscence issued to one specific ship. If you want to look over my shoulder to make sure I'm not looking at anything I'm not supposed to, that's fine. I'd expect no less. Probably won't even take very long. Just a handful of minutes, and I can get what I came here for, and get out of your hair. Let you get back to your business, and I can get on with mine."

>Do we know of anyone that would be Louise's superior?

[Hello Purvis]

Yeah, threats. When one is dying and being told to sit down quietly and die for reasons that are less than excellent, the reaction one is going to have is going to be anger and defensiveness.

If she doesn't give soon, it's definitely time to accuse her and follow from there. If we're lucky, it'll speed things up in an effort to prove her innocence. If not, it won't do anything to slow things down while we go find Orange to give us some official muscle; she already knows what records we want and the ones we want to alter. But if you have other ideas, let's hear it.

Though thinking on it, I would say we could put the onus of proving things on her if she resists, and lead that into the accusation if she keeps resisting.

[DracoOmega]

>"That's what I'm trying to find here; more solid evidence."
>"Look, I realize this seems a bit farfetched. The claim of a ships' captain, and a fragment of a clue picked up by a Seeker. But I'm not asking for privilaged information on every ship and transaction that comes through this dock, or anything like that. Just one specific bit of data on one specific liscence issued to one specific ship. If you want to look over my shoulder to make sure I'm not looking at anything I'm not supposed to, that's fine. I'd expect no less. Probably won't even take very long. Just a handful of minutes, and I can get what I came here for, and get out of your hair. Let you get back to your business, and I can get on with mine."

>"Do you have the specific date on which the license was supposedly purchased?" she asks.

>Do we know of anyone that would be Louise's superior?

>You're not familiar with the internal organization of the port authority, and whether Louise would have a direct superior within it. You think the port authority as a whole is regulated by the city government, but you again don't know the details; politics isn't your strong suit.

[Oldmansour]

NOW I have an idea. She's given us an opportunity, since Murasa didn't mention the date in question. We go back and ask Murasa, get the date, then come back to Louise. If she complies then, everything'll be fine. But if she's not here, then we'll know something is up. And we should be able to follow her scent to find out where she's gone.

>Did Murasa mention that date?
>Commit this woman's scent to memory.
>Does she smell like youkai or human?
>Does her window afford a good view of the Blue Maiden?

[DracoOmega]

>Did Murasa mention that date?
>Commit this woman's scent to memory.
>Does she smell like youkai or human?
>Does her window afford a good view of the Blue Maiden?

>She did not.
>You take a deliberate but subtle sniff and commit Louise's scent to memory.
>She smells human enough to you, although there's a fair variety among youkai and not all of them smell distinctly non-human.
>While the windows offer a rather picturesque view of a great many ships berthed in the harbor, the Blue Maiden is not one of them. It's a bit too far to the northeast to be seen.

[Oldmansour]

>"The specific date, no. Murasa wasn't specific." Heck, she probably didn't think we'd get THIS much out of you.

[DracoOmega]

>"The specific date, no. Murasa wasn't specific." Heck, she probably didn't think we'd get THIS much out of you.

>"I'll need something more to go on than that," she says. "A complete audit of years worth of records is out of the question, you understand."

[Oldmansour]

>"Of course. But, if Murasa can provide that particular date?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Or a rough date?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Of course. But, if Murasa can provide that particular date?"

>"Then I'll have the ledgers for that date examined," she says.

>"Or a rough date?"

>She smiles faintly. "I imagine that depends on how rough, no?"

[Oldmansour]

>Well, that's SOME progress, at least.
>"Then I suppose I'll be back once I have the information in question."
>"One more thing, though, just a curiousity. How much do one of these liscnces cost?"

[DracoOmega]

>Well, that's SOME progress, at least.
>"Then I suppose I'll be back once I have the information in question."
>"One more thing, though, just a curiousity. How much do one of these liscnces cost?"

>Some acknowledgment is better than being stonewalled entirely.
>She nods. "Of course."
>"That depends on a number of things," she says, "but in this case I believe the fee would be 800 guilders."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod.
>"Thank you for your time."
>Exit the office, barring any objections.

[DracoOmega]

>Nod.
>"Thank you for your time."
>Exit the office, barring any objections.

>You nod and thank Louise for her time.
>"My pleasure," she replies.
>You turn and exit the office.

[Oldmansour]

>Make sure there's no one around.
>Produce dousing rods and, well, douse, if there's no one within sight, or approaching us that we can detect.

[DracoOmega]

>Make sure there's no one around.
>Produce dousing rods and, well, douse, if there's no one within sight, or approaching us that we can detect.

>The hallway is currently unoccupied, though there are a number of doors in sight from which someone might theoretically appear at any moment.
>You take your dowsing rods in hand and do a quick sweep around the building, keeping enough of your focus upon the hallway to detect someone's approach. Preliminary results are spectacularly uninteresting; nothing that you can pick up tweaks your curiosity. There are a few larger pieces of metal here and there, possibly a door or filing cabinets, and a scattered trivial enchantment. Nothing out of the ordinary.

[Oldmansour]

>Perhaps we'll pick up more from those records, assuming magic's at work here.
>Back to the nice boat!

[DracoOmega]

>Perhaps we'll pick up more from those records, assuming magic's at work here.
>Back to the nice boat!

>It's possible.
>You make your way out of the customs office and back across the harbor district to the Blue Maiden.
>Chisato is still standing deck watch when you return, resting on the rail of the ship. She nods to you as you approach. "Back already?" You note the mouse's box sitting on a barrel next to her.

[Oldmansour]

>Nod.
>"It's not bad news, though. I need to check your records for a particular date, see when you folks got the liscense in question. If I ge that, I should be able to get a look at their records myself, be one step closer to resolving this mess."

[DracoOmega]

>Nod.
>"It's not bad news, though. I need to check your records for a particular date, see when you folks got the liscense in question. If I ge that, I should be able to get a look at their records myself, be one step closer to resolving this mess."

>"Well, the cap'n's in her room," she says, jerking her head in the direction of the cabin. "'fraid I don't have a clue."

[Oldmansour]

>"Thanks."
>Start to had off, then pause. Give Chisato a friendly grin.
>"Hasn't escaped again, has she?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Thanks."
>Start to had off, then pause. Give Chisato a friendly grin.
>"Hasn't escaped again, has she?"

>You thank Chisato and start to walk towards the cabin, then pause and give her a grin.
>"Not lettin' her out of my sight 'til shift's over," she says with a rueful expression. "Then I'll see if I can fix things up right this time."

[Oldmansour]

>Was the box right side up when we found it?

[DracoOmega]

>Was the box right side up when we found it?

>The open top of the box was facing upward when you pulled it out from under Chisato's bed. Otherwise the wood shavings would have been all over the floor.

[Oldmansour]

>"I would think moving her to a box with a lid would settle the issue. Unless she's really attached to that one."