Phoenix Phire Chapter 268 – Ashobel Endangered (part two)

[Whisper Nix to Nansu] Hey Nan, what can you tell me about Caravan Masters?

[Whisper Nansu to Nix] Lifestyle players who specialize in shipping goods through the gates on Colonial. I think Oasis has a conversion called Master Trader.

[Whisper Nix to Nansu] Do they team up with other Lifestylers?

[Whisper Nansuto Nix] A Caravan Master is an attained Rank, Tradesman—>Caravaner—>Caravan Master. They can slot up to a dozen Caravaners or Tradesman to work directly for them.

[Whisper Nix to Nansu] Thanks.

[Whisper Nansu to Nix] There aren’t many of them among players, mostly they are NPCs. I know of only two.

[Whisper Nix to Nansu] Names, please.

[Whisper Nansu to Nix] Riker and Devi. Riker has become an outlaw in most of the Colonial Kingdoms, he deals with black market equipment.

Nix took a seat in one of the market benches that had a view of both the caravan and the platform gate. Locas, Chiba, and Floyd came through the gate together. All three of them were wearing the black leather Nether-Breaker Armor.

They were an unlikely trio, Nix had chosen them for that very reason. A trickster, a gladiator, and a ranger.

[You have joined the Gemini channel]

Both Locas and Floyd were sporting new haircuts, a drunk Ronnie had offered a kiss to anyone who’d let her cut their hair. Surprisingly Locas was first in line, Floyd had waited until Sharl wasn’t looking before he snuck in also. The Naga teen had a serious crush on the Dark Archer.

“Hey, Nix!” Floyd waved when he saw him. The trickster had a dagger tucked into each boot and wore a two holstered gunbelt strapped around his waist.

“Nice Mohawks guys.” Nix shook hands with all three of them. Chiba’s scraggly gray hair hung over her wrinkled face, but Nix noted that she smelled much better.

“Tossing your Master in the Lake like that Nix. What were you thinking?” Chiba’s eyes were busy, she was only making conversation because she was studying the Caravan Master.

“I was thinking that you needed to get laid. I did toss all those drunk guys in the lake with you.”

Chiba’s ugly face broke into a grin. “You were looking out for me?”

“Yep.” Nix lied with a smile on his face.

/Gemini: Chiba: See the plain copper ring on the Caravan Master’s finger? Does it look familiar?

Chiba held up her own ring, the same one that gave her the ugly old woman form.

/Gemini: Nix: A disguise? Let’s find out about the bounty. Walk around a bit and find out whatever you can regarding the Caravan Master and his sudden interest in the Ashobel.

/Gemini: Chiba: Let’s pair up, that way we can keep an eye on each other’s back.

“Looking for Razir or Nether Rat pelts,” Nix spoke to one of the Caravan Traders that he had seen unloading furs.

The trader was short and a bit round for such an active occupation. His shock of thick white hair and odd-colored eyes made him stand out. He looked right past Nix to Chiba who was a step behind him. “Hello, beautiful.”

Chiba favored him with a creepy smile. “Got what I need handsome?”

The fat white-haired man leered at her. “I do!”

Chiba grabbed his crotch with one hand and squeezed. “Not bad… Let’s go somewhere.”

The trader’s jowls shook when he spoke. “Ri… I mean Bonoci won’t let me leave, or else I’d show you a good time.”

Nix threw an arm around Chiba’s shoulders and pulled her closer. “You don’t know what you’re missing boss. Didn’t realize that Riker had changed so much, I liked him better when he used to deal out of back alleys.”

The trader glanced at the Caravan Master. “You know the boss?”

“Yeah but don’t draw attention to me. I work for Devi now.”

The trader nodded and cursed Riker under his breath.

Nix pulled Chiba away from the overly friendly trader while taking a look around the caravan.

/Gemini: Chiba: See that? It wouldn’t hurt you to be more forward like that.

/Gemini: Nix: I thought I already was.

[Summons: Ducky]

The Water Witch glanced around the market, her short blue hair and eyes drew the stares of nearby workers. “Jenzi?”

Nix leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Talk to this Caravan Master, use a light touch I have a bad feeling.”

Ducky nodded and walked toward the Caravan Master.

[Bewitched]

Bonoci has been convinced that Ducky is his special confidant.

“Hey!” Ducky smiled sweetly and placed a hand on the Caravan Master’s shoulder.

“Ducky!” Bonoci gripped her hand tightly, his average-looking face broke into a big smile.

The blue-haired girl kept a grip on his hand. “Still doing that thing for that person?”

Bonoci’s face instantly broke out into a sweat, even though his expression never changed. “Yes.”

Ducky waved it off. “Don’t worry, there’s no need for you to say anything else. I wouldn’t want my friend to suffer needlessly.”

[Whisper: Ducky to Nix] He’s under a geas, if I press him he might answer or…

[Whisper: Nix to Ducky] Or he might kill himself. Change the topic to his ring. Ask him to give it to you.

Bonoci breathed a sigh of relief. “You are always looking out for me Ducky.”

Duck sighed loudly and looked at the ring on his hand. “Is that the ring you were going to give me before you called it off?”

Bonoci looked down at the ring. “This ring?”

Ducky leaned closer, even from a few steps away Nix could smell her pleasant fragrance. “You said we’d have a life together after you finished, but then you changed your mind.”

“I did?” The Caravan Master slipped the ring off and handed it to her. “We can still do that.”

The Caravan Master’s appearance immediately changed to a younger man with light brown hair and dark intense eyes. He held both of Ducky’s hands in his. “A few more trips for Gearpin and I’ll be done.”

“I’ll find you when you finish.” Ducky stepped into the crowd, instantly fading into the background.

/Gemini: Chiba: Guards are coming. City Security won’t let outlaws walk around without disguises.

The Inferno group watched from nearby as Riker was arrested.

[Whisper Raka to Nix] I’ll follow them and see who shows up.

[Whisper Nix to Raka] Perfect, we’ll head out of town. One mile due west of here is a large boulder on the side of the road. We’ll wait there.

/Gemini: Nix: Mount up, we’re heading out.

Nix summoned Flash since Nightmare was still nursing her foal. The black horse stomped its feet once showing his eagerness to run. He kicked his heels slightly and Flash bolted down the road.

The rest of the group caught up with Nix at the huge flat boulder that rested on the side of the road. The Inferno leader was sitting on the edge of the rock while watching Flash graze.

/Gemini: Locas: That is a fast horse.

/Gemini: Nix: Very. I have someone tailing Riker, if I’m right his boss should turn up to take care of things.

/Gemini: Locas: I’ve never seen your natural form, Floyd. How come you always appear human?

/Gemini: Floyd: The Naga form makes people nervous, it’s the same with my snake form.

/Gemini: Chiba: You have a snake form too? Show me!