Session 40 - The Corporate Cannon Culture

Previously, across the Horizon...
The Starfall successfully completed their first official bounty, retrieving the mysterious box belonging to Robb Hourne and delivering it to their agent, Decker Avant, in Thalatte. The seaside town seemed in no hurry to welcome them back, what with the destruction and the property damage, and Celeste also seemed ready to leave her former home behind for the time being.
The Starfall, one navigator richer, still had some gaps in its equipment, most notably any sort of attack or defensive capability. The harpoon cannon mounted to the front of the Seventh Dawn loomed large in Bast’s mind. The captain had re-established an old contact during the Starfall’s time in the Triad, a weapons dealer by the name of Lumis Krant, and Krant had directed Bast to travel to Kuganepo when available to look into a particular sort of cannon.
A flight within Machanon is the matter of a couple of hours, start to finish, and Kuganepo is one of the easier cities for airship travel. The promise of a city full of universities calls to the very soul of the Theater of the Untranslatable, especially now that they’ve been paid just enough money to make poor decisions. Fortunately, the risks calling to them are of the “poor fashion choices in bulk” variety, over anything more destructive.
We join our crew within the city itself as they prepare to make contact…
**
It is the 17th day of Kuganepo in the Machanon city of the same name, and it is also the second day of a city-wide spring break, as every university within the city has unleashed its student body on the populace at large.
Kuganepo is built tall rather than wide, due to the unique geography of the region. The city stretches up a naturally-formed arch. The gentle western slope holds most of the residential and commercial areas of Kuganepo, with no rhyme or reason to the distribution of buildings as the elevation climbs higher. The main body of the arch itself holds the universities, with each campus painted in vibrant colors to better set it apart from its many competitors. The edges of the arch are covered in hanging vines, billowing banners, and multiple wooden elevators granting quick access to the protected nature reserve underneath the arch itself, as well as black chocobo stables for the flight-capable version of the breed. The eastern side of the arch ends in a sheer cliff, multiple floors built into it to allow for docked airships, as well as multiple laboratories, factories, warehouses, and other opportunities for applied learning.
The Starfall has been docked for an hour, with Marina and Jasper both going over protocol and needed supplies with the aerodrome representatives, leaving the ship's officers to prepare.
From the last communication Bast received from the crew, there are two approaches being hotly debated, and they will be presented to the officers shortly.
Yves is wearing his excellent Adventuring Coat, which is distinct from his dinner jacket in being less sparkly, more practical, and having that X stitched together from where he got stabbed in the back twice; it is also distinct from his Casual Coat, which is a hoody that has seen better days, and also worse days, and might still have emotional scarring from the latter, based on its appearance when he's occasionally seen in it.
Bast is casting the occasional appraising look at the various docking/scientific/industrial arrangements around the ship. "Anyone know their way around this...place?"
Linnet is floating in joy and frequently spinning in place, totally at home in the rush of spring break. It seems like she waves to an old acquaintance every ten steps, though she doesn't break off to chat. "I mean, I got my degree here, so I could probably point you to a few good coffee shops and some excellent places to skive off. Not a lot of help on weapons, though. Are we looking for something more specific than 'big thing that goes boom when you point it at other people'?"
"I think weapons research is more in the line of what we're looking for. 'Fires scientific scrap', if I remember the description right. And a name of J. Zheng to go with it," Bast says.
"...sounds like we're in the right place, then, unless they were very specific about the type of scrap," Linnet says.
Isa has left the confiscated gunblade in her quarters (although she has been spotted practicing with it once or twice in the last few days) and is presenting as Standard Isa. She gives Bast a narrow-eyed look. "Experimental weapons, huh?"
A small throat clears itself at Bast's elbow, revealing the fact that the rail-thin viera spymaster, Chmurka, has been walking between the moogle and Orrey for three minutes without being seen. She's wearing a gray sweaterdress with deep pockets and enough fabric around the neck for it to bunch up almost to her nose.
Orrey is taking in the sights and still hasn't noticed that the viera next to him isn't Bast.
"My contact wanted to talk to this J. character, which might open some doors for us. Not signing up to test anything just yet."
He looks at Chmurka expectantly.
"And we can do that by keeping a low profile and putting a few feelers out," she says in her whisper-quiet way. "I recognize one other ship on the register that we hit-- negotiated with last year, and if they're still flying the same crew, that's the first contact. A few conversations, a small favor or two, and I can find the information we need. No reason for anyone to even know we were here."
"We could do that," Apoc says, draping an arm over Linnet and Orrey's shoulders, "or we could have considerably more fun."
"I am simultaneously intrigued and disturbed."
"Some types of fun in this city are more disturbing than others," Yves says balefully.
"Really going to need more detail," Isa says.
Rahel sweeps in behind him, dressed to the nines in a dress just out of fashion enough to be fashionable, wearing a hat that has at least four pounds of costume jewelry woven into it. "Apoc and I make ourselves known about town," she says as she links her arm inside of his and taps the brim of his chocobo feather-laden hat with her other hand, "and establish the Starfall's identity as flamboyant and excessive -- all identities none of you need to worry yourselves with," she adds.
Yves looks ever so faintly disappointed at the last point.
"To make money, one must first make themselves seem like they don't need money at all," Apoc says with a grin. "We will be notable and memorable, and by association, attractive for hiring."
"It's practically guaranteed to bring in higher-paying jobs and opportunities," Rahel says. "Just like it does donors and patrons."
Isa looks at Bast. "I vote subtlety," she says, unsurprisingly.
Chmurka looks very dubious. "And a lot of attention," she says, slipping into Orrey's shadow.
"Without attention, raven, we don't get paid," Apoc says.
Bast thinks. "Not seeing the contradiction here; flash for attention and reputation, quiet for our real goal this trip. Though - Yves, details?"
"I'm all for flash but not strongly committed either way. If we've got a bit of extra time, though, Rahel and I are hitting the secondhand shops like chocobos in salad season," Linnet says cheerfully.
"Distractions don't work if they're part of the same ship, Bast," Chmurka grumbles. "It'd be a spotlight on me."
"Spotlights are the point, Chmurka!" Rahel says. "Honestly, you can trust us! We do this sort of thing for a living."
Chmurka mutters something under her breath.
"Just... don't try friendly drinks bought by people you don't know, don't accept invitations to 'secret underground bars' unless you're /really/ sure you know what they meant in the vague words they used to describe it, and..." Yves ticks things off on his fingers, thinking. "...be careful about your hat choices if you're at one of the bars from that last point anyway."
Apoc makes a show of taking notes.
"Not like they have to know which ship you're from." Bast grins at Chmurka. "But I suppose it wouldn't be easy to set up in town, fresh off the ship."
"You're the captain," Chmurka says. "Anyone I have to start with is going to be somebody that remembers you. Your name's on the ship register. I have to use the ship's name if anyone's going to care."
Orrey looks over at the Captain and says, "Whatever Cap says, I'm good with."
"Heavy is the head that wears the tricorner," Apoc says solemnly.
"Has he worn the hat yet?" Rahel wonders.
He nods slowly, notably hatless. "Alright. I'd say..." He looks over at Chmurka. "Lie low for now, see if you can find us some useful people for later. We'll see how the troupe handles this one. Apoc? You're responsible for making sure we don't lose anyone around here."
Isa gives Chmurka a look that is equal parts sympathy and "hey, I tried"
"Someday, Isa, we'll get you to tap into your inner actress. And that day will be glorious," Linnet says.
"Absolutely!" Apoc says, grinning ear to ear. "I appreciate the show of faith, Captain, and I'll give you no reason to lose that religion. Miss Sutter, our public awaits."
"Going big does sort of demand we all wear our hats-of-rank, Cap'n Bast." Orrey eyes him hopefully.
Rahel produces a fan from somewhere on that dress and gallavants off.
Yves makes sure he's out of Bast's line of sight when giving Orrey a thumbs up on this line of conversation.
"I'm with Orrey on this one, Cap'n."
"You're not planning to draft me for this dog and chocobo show, are you?" Bast looks mildly horrified.
"When they introduce the crew, we need to look our parts!" Orrey says with a straight face.
Linnet grins. "You're our captain, aren't you? Sorta comes with the territory."
"And you're the centerpiece, the linchpin, the CAPTAIN!" Orrey gesticulates a bit in an attempt to imitate the troupe.
"Look, we promise not to carry you around on an actual pedestal if you promise to wear the hat. Compromise?"
"Parade armor, lots of winged flanges and spikes, and definitely a full-face helm," Isa muses quietly.
"It would be interesting to try to build a mechanized pedestal that could just walk around with him on top," Yves muses in turn.
"What colors, Isa?" Orrey is sketching quickly.
"Osler is silver and red," Isa says, which might be interpreted as an answer.
Orrey swaps pencils out of a little carrying case and fills in his drawing a bit, then hands it over to Isa for inspection. "Let me know if there are adjustments you'd like to see."
The party's path is sending them down a few back streets and around some slightly suspect-looking shops that are very familiar to one certain viera who may or may not be playing the role of idle navigator.
"Mutiny, mutiny everywhere..." Bast looks around dramatically for Chmurka, as if to have her rescue him, but finds no sign of her. He settles for dragging a hand down his face and sighing heavily. "Fine. Should have asked what I was getting into first.
Actors."
Isa examines the sketch, an eyebrow raising. "Not bad. We can talk about adjustments later."
(Linnet spots the aforementioned secondhand shops and disappears for a short time into several.)
Yves is walking more and more slowly as he passes certain shops, and then suddenly says something vague about "supplies" and dashes sidelong into one.
"Should somebody stick with him?" Orrey watches the much more obviously present viera take off.
"Nah, if we hear something boom we'll go investigate," Linnet says.
"You both went to school here, right? How much trouble can he get into?"
Linnet gives Isa a Look.
"That wasn't rhetorical."
"This isn't a military school town, Isa. Trouble is what liberal arts students spend all their off time getting into."
Isa chuckles. "Yeah. Not like us buttoned-up military students. No need to blow off steam, us."
"Really, though, unless something goes boom or starts smoking and we're not actually at the weapons shop yet, I'm not worried. It'll do him some good to get out and wander."
Yves reappears, satchel somewhat more rattly than before over his shoulder, looking awfully pleased with himself. "I got a new earring," he says breezily, "and some pamphlets about upcoming fun stuff if we have time later this evening. Fun stuff that /isn't/ disturbing. Probably. Everyone likes skill-based contests, right?"
"...what skills are we talking about here?" Bast looks wary.
"Competitive open mic poetry is back?" Linnet asks.
"All sorts," Yves says. "Like there's that one where people do a real-time tactics game and if they don't maneuver right, they meet up in the center and have to throw paint-darts at each other. It's a classic. Oh, yeah, that too, but I always found it wasn't very exciting unless it's in teams, and I guess they /still/ have that ban on all the good guild teams, ever since that..." Yves makes a vague gesture. "Last spring? Remember?"
"...no, but you can tell me that story another time."
By the time the group finishes lunch and returns to the Starfall, the Hive delivers word from Rahel and Apoc -- they have arranged a meeting with the elusive J. Zheng at a small coffee shop at 5:30 sharp, if the officers of the ship would be so kind as to attend. The two of them would be taking in a show with another promising target-slash-opportunity, and would rejoin the ship sometime around 9 PM. The coffee shop itself is called Bean Sprouts, as they also specialize in soup. Strangely enough, it doesn't get a lot of traffic.
In his cabin, Bast vents a heavy sigh as he looks over the coat-and-hat ensemble. He'd probably be able to fend off the troupe trying to foist a sword on him if he puts on the bandolier...
Linnet taps on his door and pokes her head in. "Ahoy, cap'n! Found you a few more options." A pile of decorative sword belts, hat badges, miscellaneous weapon sheaths and gaudy sashes tumbles onto Bast's bunk.
A wrathful finger points at Linnet, then at the door. "Out, foul apparition."
Linnet just giggles as she closes the door behind her.
Marina sits on the deck, looking down at the wilderness far, far below the skydock, her eyes following specks that might be black chocobos in flight.
Orrey sips an espresso in between mouthfuls of white bean soup.
Isa has a mug of basic black, and a small plate of cookies that she is prepared to defend with lethal force.
The party has arrived ten minutes early, Yves's directions giving them a better time than anticipated. There is no one else in here at this prime mealtime, though the goateed man behind the counter doesn't seem to mind. After taking the party's order, his attention is back on the newspaper in his hands, pausing his reading only to call out their names when the barista has finished the drinks.
Linnet has foregone coffee for a tall glass of gazpacho.
There's some relaxing bagpipe music playing from the record player spinning away on the counter, and the smell of coffee is almost enough to overwhelm the smell of creamy kale-infused bean soup.
Yves has a turmeric ginger mocha, a bowl of that kale soup, and has laid out two brochures next to each other to weigh the various Multi-Skill Challenge events of the evening against each other.
Bast delegates the selection to Isa and takes a street-facing chair at a sufficiently large table towards the back of the shop, putting some effort into looking at ease despite the coat and the hat and the...everything about this plan.
Orrey high-fives Yves when Bast is not looking. "Mission successful!" he whispers.
"You actually did it," Yves whispers back. "...next time, I'll ask for a fancier hat."
The bell on the door chimes, and a human woman walks in, wearing a smart business suit, a severe expression, and her glasses too low on her nose. Her hair is black without shine, her nails painted matte black, the only acknowledgement of color in her outfit the incongruous gold lipstick.
Her eyes reach Bast, and stop there.
"You must be the Captain," she says, recovering herself immediately. "Just as they told me to expect. I am Jiandie Zheng."
Bast stands up and lifts his hat, sweeping an elaborate if somewhat clumsy bow before dropping it in the center of the table. "The very same, and charmed to make your acquaintance. Would you care to join us?"
She adjusts her glasses and nods. "Of course. And I know you must be busy, so I will keep this brief."
Yves is very slowly sliding down at the table where he sits, staring intently at his horrific coffee item. Gosh. Coffee. Gonna pay all the attention to that.
Zheng gives the other four brief nods in turn before sitting down at one of the tables, setting her briefcase down on the floor next to her. "Your negotiators said you were looking for a particular sort of weapon," she says simply. "A cannon, and not just any standard off-the-shelf cannon."
Isa slides her cookie plate forward just far enough to be considered a polite offer, but not so far that she is likely to lose a cookie.
"I mean, we'd probably put those to good use too..." Linnet mutters to Orrey, but quietly.
"Instead, a cannon that is still in development, not even released to beta testing, and not one that is publicly known or even to rumor." She smiles humorlessly at the cookie gesture. "The sort of cannon that, to my knowledge, was unknown outside of my division until five hours ago."
Bast spreads his hands with a smile. "We have our sources."
Somewhere else, Chmurka is hit with a sudden wave of smug satisfaction at a job well done.
Zheng adjusts her glasses. "Fortunately," she says, "you have come at an excellent time. We do have such a cannon available, though you would have to consider it in a pre-alpha stage. If you would like to test it for us and present us with the findings in one month's time, we would be happy to assist you in installing it and instructing your cannonry teams on its operation."
"Mm." Bast's eyes seem to glint with a more professional amusement. "And how many times has this...prototype been fired, so far?"
"One hundred and five, with the last firing being nineteen days ago," Zheng answers.
"How many times did it hit the target and how many times did it have any negative side effects?" Orrey asks.
Yves says something completely inaudible while drinking his mocha, though the words "bug" and "feature" may be detected by those looking closely.
"Before I can answer those questions, I will need you all to sign a non-disclosure agreement," she says.
"We'll need to have our lawyer look the agreement over first," Yves says, as if the entire sentence is by reflex.
"And before we proceed further, I will tell you of the whereabouts of the cannon. It is currently being tested in the Nagumo Laboratory, four levels down from here in the arch. For nineteen days, it has been inaccessible to us, due to a labor dispute at the adjoining Viesen-Croyle building, and for testing to resume on the cannon, we will need that dispute resolved and access restored. At which point, with the signed agreement, the cannon is yours for testing." Zheng reschedules her attention on Yves.
"Strikebreaking," Isa says flatly.
"Resolve the dispute, and the cannon is yours for testing," Zheng replies instead. Yves has been deleted off of the mental calendar again.
Bast spins the hat idly in the center of the table, stopping with the front corner pointed towards the visitor. "What you get from this arrangement seems clear enough. What about us, once the testing concludes?"
"For a month, you get a cannon that none of your enemies, whoever they may be, will be prepared for or be able to counter. At the end of the testing period, the cannon will be available for purchase at a steep discount, and we will begin working on more. You will have an arms advantage for a considerable length of time."
"And what's happening at Viesen-Croyle?" Isa asks.
"And is either side trying to use the cannon yet?" Linnet adds.
"The workers there have refused to work or grant our researchers access to the warehouse in three weeks," Zheng replies. "We store many of our supplies there, and despite the importance of our work, we have not been able to make any progress on this or other projects there. The exact nature of the dispute is not my concern, only its resolution. My understanding," she says to Linnet, "is that no one has access to the cannon or anything else in the warehouse or laboratory."
"I gather the dispute is not with you specifically?" Bast says.
"Correct," Zheng says.
"Who are the people to talk to on both sides of the dispute?" Orrey asks, notebook ready.
"Serj Tarkan is the workers' representative," Zheng says from memory. "Viesen-Croyle administration is stationed there now as well, and Dyne Racontre is the man you would speak to there."
"Given your terms, it sounds like this is a speculative project for you - something for public sale, not a client waiting in the wings. Do you already have arrangements for distribution?"
"Yes, we do."
Bast nods respectfully. "I do like people who are prepared. An acquaintance of mine is rather interested in your work, should you be interested in expanding those arrangements."
He leans back into a relaxed pose. "Do I assume that the details of the discount we are being offered also wait for our signatures?"
"No. Should you accept, you will be able to purchase the cannon for 45,000 gil, an 80% discount over our expected asking price."
Linnet tries to cover the sound of choking on her gazpacho.
Isa gives an appreciative nod to those numbers.
"Ambitious." Bast is grinning outright. "I do hope it's worth it. Isa? Do you think your friend might have an interest in something like this? And I trust you have a copy of the agreement for us?"
Zheng brings her briefcase up and opens it, revealing a document already signed on her line.
Linnet leans over to Isa. "How much does a normal cannon cost? For perspective's sake."
The top of the paper has a company logo - AZYS.
"We /really/ need to have a lawyer look at this," Yves says to Bast.
Bast takes it with a smile, rotates it a quarter-turn and slides it over towards Team Nerd. "Your preliminary opinion, please. Anything that we would walk away from here and now."
"...my /professional/ opinion is that we should have a real lawyer look at it," Yves says, eyeing the contract dubiously.
Orrey pulls out a pencil and taps the page, circling things lightly as he reads through the paperwork. "Mama Alyon always said we should pay attention to any contract..."
"Wise woman," Isa murmurs.
Linnet tries to speed-read over Orrey's shoulder, but her eyes are glazing over by paragraph three.
"We're not signing on the spot, Yves. I want to see if there's we need to discuss with our guest before we take this with us."
"...you sure this isn't going to end up like last time you tried to lawyer your way into a contract, Cap'n?"
"Seems pretty standard, Captain. Nothing I'd run away from immediately. We won't have to give up our firstborn or anything." Orrey finishes up and returns the paperwork.
"Yves Mjrwin?" Zheng's voice takes on the same slight disbelief as it did roughly a month ago.
Yves' ears droop further, and he is suddenly very interested in his mocha again. Mmm. Mocha. So interesting.
"You know each other?"
"We do indeed," Zheng says. For the first time, she smiles. "Yves is my employee."
Isa looks at Yves, a cookie halfway to her mouth.
"I delivered that package," Yves says. "It's very. Delivered."
Bast looks on at this exchange, not interrupting the moment.
Linnet slides a protective arm around Yves' shoulders, but doesn't interrupt.
"Tremendous work. I knew you were the best man for the job, Yves. Your annual review will reflect that, as will your paycheck." Zheng slides the contract over to Yves, pen resting on top of it. "And we are expanding our definition of remote work, you know. It's important for all of our employees to spend some time outside of the laboratory, after all."
"...my, uh, my supervisor is dead," Yves says, staring at the pen as he might a viper. Well, with rather /more/ concern than he'd have around a viper, really; those can be thundered into paste. "And I was, uh, I mean, when I, they said, I mean, they called it /furlough/ but we all know what that, that usually means..."
"Furlough is not fired, Yves." Zheng's smile spreads, a letter opener drawn from its scabbard. "Your work is valuable. You must not have returned home yet, or you would have seen the letters we sent."
"...pretty sure I got evicted..."
"AZYS has high hopes for you, Yves. Your position is safe, and what's more, you were transferred to my department. You have nothing to worry about. With AZYS, you are secure. Of course, you are under absolutely no pressure to return. I understand that the accident -- and it was just that, Yves, an accident -- was very traumatic. We have therapists on staff if you need to speak to someone, but if you want to remain on your leave of absence, you are welcome to do so for as long as you need. We will, of course, cover your time off. Paid vacation."
Yves seems to have run out of anything more articulate than an anxious mumble.
"Take that contract with you. I know it will be in good hands."
"........"
"I do appreciate happy reunions. Where would you prefer to meet once we've made our decision?"
"Have your delightful actors leave a message at the office, and we can meet here again." Zheng stands up and extends her hand to Bast. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Captain."
(Linnet hugs Thunderbun a little tighter. Her breezes are up.)
Bast stands as well, returning her handshake firmly and looking like he's delighted with the way this meeting has gone.
Yves looks like he's going to need more therapy from this meeting alone.
And with that...
End session.