#fenixtj

The rumors of Thallian in the area were quite disturbing to say the least. Vali had slain some, but it would appear not all.

Jessica rubs eyes that feel like hot marbles in beds of sand. "Ok." She has to clear her throat. "We're already on double patrols. Maybe we need to talk to the Co-op, get a little heavier firepower." A concession.

"Summerstrike wouldn't work with Thallian," Mitra says "He hates all things Unseelie and they're beyond unseelie."

"Could Tidewater be probing?"

"To what gain?" She ponders

"I don't know. Territory? The Pit?"

"Possibly but... it seems a dangerous way to work. " Mitra says "And TIdemarch has no connections with Thallian that we know of"

A deep breath, and she drinks about half her mug of coffee. "Is it a matter of he has no connections, or we just haven't found them yet? Gut answer."

"My gut answer is it's not Tidemarch."

She nods. "Right."

"Then if it's not either of our neighbors, it's something or someone else. And that's wide open."

"Maybe we should approach Tidemarch and see if he'll ally with us against Summerstrike?" Mitra says

"If we go that route, we conviene the baronies, like the charter says we can. Do we know if Nunnehi deal with the Thallian?"

"Unfortunately the Nunnehi down here is very much a mystery to most" She says "You've had more contact, peaceful contact, than most."

"And I have no idea." She nods heavily. "Right."

"Maybe we should go to the Nunnehi?" She says surprised, "If this goes wrong, it ruins any hope they have for peace here right?"

Tweak stomps in. She's been doing that a lot, lately...stomping, not her usual scuffing. She's got Shuri in a back carrier that looks like it might be armor plated. The little girl is wearing a pith helmet with her goggles. And Mama's packing firepower, a gun on each hip along with her usual gloves. She glares at both Jessica and Mitra. "News?"

"Good luck." Jessica slumps back. "I can't find them when I look for them. They just show up."

Jessica gives Mitra a resigned look.

Mitra looks at Tweak, "Summerstrike is eager to invade under some flimsy excuses. We're swarming in Unseelie refugees. THe Countess is trying to get both sides of the story. Childlings rescued from a reducation camp.. oh, Thallian.. and Duff is on the run for 'kidnapping'"

"Pfft. Knew that last part. Why you think I got babygirl on lockdown up in here?" She nods back over her shoulder. "They try comin' for her somehow, they gotta WORK for it."

Jessica looks away. And looks like hell warmed over.

"Unseelie at the Pit, I knows that. Anywheres else?"

"Oh some in Fenix hold too. "

"Probably a few out on patrol and guard and such."

She nods. "Yeah a'ight. For th' fuckin' record? Shitheads like Summerstrike be why I fuckin' hate nobles. Jus' sayin'."

"Diego has already said 'I told you so' enough for every modernist I think" Mitra sighs

"I don't like him either, Tweak, not since the day we met. Let's move on."

"Like I said...jus' saying."

A deep breath. "Whatchoo need me t' do now?"

Jessica turns to look at her. "I think we're going to need more firepower."

A curt nod and a smirk. "'Bout fuckin' time. I got folks what be strainin' at they damn leashes, wantin' to make th' big boomsticks. I go tell 'em it be game-on."

Then a pause. "Uh...strickly chimerical?"

"Let's try with Chimerical for anything lethal"

"Yes, please." Jessica agrees. "Dame, our people using these have to know not to use them on Nunnehi. Self-defense, fine, but they better be DAMN SURE."

A dubious look. "Who we fightin'? Jus' fae? Or...Summerstrike got himself some mortal grunts?"

"Just kithain I believe, but there are Thallian about. We don't know who put them into play" A frown Mitra says

"I don't have any reports on mortals being involved."

Then she nods, after a lag, to agree with Mitra.

"Yeah...a'ight, but I gonna say, don' put it past him. An' if it come to that, you gots t' be ready."

"Well, the good news is, someone out there is hunting the Thallian for us... not all of them, but whoever it is, they are brutal"

"I gets th' Consortium on it."

"Yeah? Whatchoo mean by 'brutal' 'xactly?"

Jessica stills, trying to think.

"Beheadings, broken ribs... kneecaps shattered... "

She rubs the base of her horns.

"And sometimes barriers of ice... blocking what would have been an exit" Mitra says

"My kinda badass," Tweak smirks her approval.

Shuri coos agreement.

"Do any of us know who this person is?" Mitra says, nose twitching