#fenixtj

Ahpuch says "Death will be coming to sons of Adam soon."

Adler nods "those already dead, they have hinted"

Jessica becomes very serious; like very TROLL serious. "What do you mean?"

"I am Ahpuch, lord of the Dead..." Ahpuch says drawing himself up

"he has to pay them in favors" Adler translates

"And..." Ahpuch glares at the older sluagh boy, then continues "They tell me there are portents, that soon death will be coming in greater number. Someone is going tto remove others like a cancer. Good to cut out a cancer, but... sometimes, a whole limb might be removed?"

"Here? In Renaissance?"

"Si, not in hold, but in Tijuana" Ahpuch says, "I wish I had more to tell you, the ghosts are not always clear"

Adler nods "I thought it wise to tell you too little thann nothing at all, so I talked to him. Do not fear, the debt is mine"

Jessica thinks for a moment. "Would... the spirits tell us more if we gave them something? Could we.... um, buy more information?"

Ahpuch looks at her, "I already give them things. Flowers on the graves. Checking on the people in their lives...It is not easy" He admits "You do not know how desperate some of the restless are. One ghost's son.. he would do anything to save him. I have hands and power the ghost does not so ..if anything, he is glad to have me. I cannot make a ghost see the future. He merely speaks of the danger of the life his son has chosen"

Adler nods "The Cocaine trade.. with the Covid going down, new shipmennts.. is good money"

Jessica nods. "If we had more hands, more power that the ghosts do not have, and used it to help them.... would they help us?"

"As much as the dead CAN Help" Ahpuch considers then nods, "They do not want to be forgotten."

Adler says "Some ghosts do have great power, but they must be careful using it. It can cost them"

Jessica blinks. "What's the worst that could happen to them?"

Ahpuch and Adler exchannge looks, and. actually shiver

"What?" asks the troll, more cautiously.

"Senorita... the ghosts ell stories of their land that are not pleasnt.. secrets you cannnot afford to hear... but oblivion is a constant threat... they can evenn, for a time, become its slaves spreading it further until it finally hollows them out entire"

"Oblivion..... sounds bad. Like Banality?"

"I gather" Ahpuch says, "It is the emptiness beyond the end. A Changeling may forget who they are and pehraps find glamour again, but a ghost is not as likely to come back so they say"

She nods.. ."Well. We don't want that." firmly "You said that putting flowers on their graves, remembering them, Dia de los Muertos.... that helps them? Are there some we should help um.... some who are willing to help us that we could help in particular?"

Adler is surprised "you care so much for dead humans?"

Ahpuch sighs and looks at Adler "She is like this. Her heart is big like her body. You get used to it."

"They helped us when they didn't have to; they have forewarned us. we should help them to repay them. And if we can come to a mutual aid agreement.... why not? It will make Renaissance stronger, yes?"

The sluagh boys look at each other, once more, annd sigh softtly. It's that look Sluagh get when other kith just don't understand and never will

Adler says "You do not want to bind Fenix too closely with the dead"

"Well. No." she agrees.

Then she refocuses. "Death fro the drug trade; that's what they said?"

"The ghost I spoke too, his son works at such"

"Hmph. Thank you, boys." she thinks a moment "Do you know anything about the son? Address?"

"Si, that is EASY to get" a smile

toothless though it is

She nods. "Be careful, and stay away from hazards." she instructs.

Adler nods "We shall look out for each other"

Ahpuch rolls his eyes, "I suppose having other sluagh is nnot ALL bad. "

She smiles a little. "Good."

And the boys bow and go off to gather more intell

Jessica goes to find a quiet place to think.

And then to find Diego.

Diego is not hard to find, fussing a the boggans, "Ladies, I am NOT a miracle worker... annd some wine is cooking wine, and some wine is drinking wine. You will NOT 'borrow' from the best of our stock for whatever recpeie you want to try that requires wine basting. A Table wine will do just as well"

Jessica is willing to wait. And, now that she's there, she finds something to eat.

The boggans see her rooting about for lef overs and GASP in horror

"Comtessa.. you should have siad you were hungry..."

"Yessica, you sit down," the other says "We shall handle this.""

Diego finds himself ignored and shakes his head

"I can serve myself, ladies. Please, finish your converstatio with the Steward."

"CAN serve? Oh.. she can serve..." Maria says mmmphing

"No onne doubts you CAN, Contessa," rosie says "But SHOULD ? No you should not have to. " they have already started cooking a qucik meal of meat and eggs cooking

"As for the Steward, very well, we will not 'sully' his good wine with our cooking " Maria says. A warning note