Cats of the Caribbean ch 1 part 2: A Moonlight Cruise

The Bordelo Anane {Pronounced A Na-mne} was a six floor structure of many different buildings built into it from all angles. The hub of certain activites concerning call girls, if one called them that. The Envoy of Elsiar, a young white haired woman with skills unknown to any she had yet to come acrss, had been in the city for less then a day when the troubles began. First soldiers uniforms were disappearing, then two of her girls had disappeared, kidnapped one said, held for ransome. One of the reasons for sending the letter by way of the Harbor Master. He could indeed be trusted.

the white haired woman wore nothing but black clothing on her person, Tiri had sent her in order to find out what was going on, why the place was falling into disrepair, but it wasn't. The place was thriving and quite alive. In fact, if it were not for Elisar's sending her, the Bordelo would have been taken over by those working within it. The girls were fed up, at least some of them were, with how things were going and wanted things to be better, the living conditions for example were poor and they wanted things better off, so renovations had begun months before, and they had yet to finish. And then there cames the rumors through the ranks at the various Bordelos, rumors of higher experienced girls taking over and running things easier for the rest.

But the truth of the matter was that those girls really just wanted money and nothing else, not even paying their fellow girls within the Bordelo. And it had all started at Bordelo Anane. And Snowfeather Elisar, the grand daughter of Tiri Elisar; was there to set things right.

But she needed help. And that help was from some certain men. She had met Munkus briefly on a voyage not too long before when he was formally introduced to Tiri, or rather, when she was formally introduced to her grandmother through the good Captain. She had to admit, Munkus looked nice and well enough, but she was a call girl, a Bordelos leader. Nothing more then that. She was not allowed to go steady by any means. Unless she was permitted thus. But she did not care then, now however, she cared greatly for the missing girls. They were taken by masked men, taken onboard a ship.

One of the girls who witnessed the kidnapping reported the name of the ship. The Delucia.

That was Snowfeather Elisar's first and only clue.

She hoped that Captain Graymane and his crewmen with him could tell her more.

Munkus folded the letter he was given by the Harbor Master. The Bordelo Anane ey ? Te thought, never been there before. Worth a peek. After all this Snowfeather must be someone important. He wondered how this woman knew of him. Then he figured it. Ah, Tiri, that had to be who introdued him to the other girls in the building at the time. Tiri owned a place now ? That was interesting news.

He made his way to that location. It seemed fitting, dead in the center of East Havanna known as Alamar. Munkus went over his gear, twin swords, twin pistols, twin blades, and a featherstick..... wait a featherstick ? Munkus looked at one of the feathered chopsticks. Only one cat he knew of had such a thing, Cymbals. It was wrwapped with a message. He undid the message and read it carefully. Cymbal was vouching for the Elisar Envoy. though he was also warning of Pollicle Activity in the area as well. He wondered briefly of how Cymbal was able to get one of those feathersticks onto him without getting noticed, or felt by the Captain.

Nevertheless, Munkus turned on the street and waited two blocks from the destination. It was time to meet up with some crewmen and meet their envoy. He hoped everything worked out.

"Not just a cathouse" Came a voice as Munkus appeared next to them in that sneaky way he possessed. Sometimes it made him literally a ghost in some respects. "Relax. Just got off the phone with the Chief; keep your hands to yourself while we're in there and you're fine; but if your paws get happy Atert wont be. You're a gentletom, I trust you, we're here only to meet with our letter writer our, Elisar Envoy. Nothing more, nothing less. For all I know I got me another crewman on this gig." Munkus said.

He stepped forwards to the edge of the corner before stepping on the pavement. "But like I was saying" they were across the corner from their destination, he looked both ways before starting across the intersection, quite literally jaywalking. "This is not just a cathouse, there's humans and pollicles in there too, for whatever the Men get their jollies for." He stepped the last few paces to the font door, the Bordelo Anane was on the corner of the streets as was mentioned in the letter. The place had a massive back yard, or inner courtyard that included a pool of some form. He turned around before opening the door. "Alright look, Manny, if you are sure you want to just step in and wait by the door, keep watch kind of thing, that's my game if its yours. But if you feel safer being within arms reach of me, that's my game too again if its yours. We play ball by your rules. We're here only to speak with one person. I'll do the talking. You two backme up. We good ?"

Munkus smiled, it was settled. "Alright, follow my lead, I'll do the talking." With that he turned around and knocked twice on the door before opening it.

Stepping inside the front door he was greeted first by a desk, and a stairway going up before splitting into two different directions, both stairs going up to the second floor. Girls of all kinds stood around with various paraties, be it men, cars of Pollicles, Munkus went right to the counter and spoke a few words to the pretty young thing at the desk. "We have an appointment with the Elisar Envoy, are they in ?" Tiri owned the place, but she was rarely in Cuba on business, normally sending envoy in her stead.

The pretty young things smiled and motioned for Munkus to wait a brief moment while she contacted someone by phone. Then speaking to Munkus she said, "Up the stairs, take the left set, second door on the right after you make a left at the top" She was pointing out the door in question upstairs. Munkus thanked her and motioned for Manny and Stubinz to follow as he took the steps two at a time to the top.

He went right up to the door and right before he knocked, the door opened for them to enter.

Manny looked confused making Stubby chuckle, "na quite M'lady, though Ah doo handle tha ship's store after a fashion. tha name tis Stubinz an tha Strapping Able Seaman who keeps averting his eye's here tis Manfredd." he said with a grin. Manfredd indeed had been trying not to look at the various young and lovelies that they had passed on the way in and was still keeping them politely down. the inside of his rounded ears reddened and he said in a quite rumble, "hello ma'am."

"How indeed" Snowfeather replied. She moved to the desk and sat on the recently righted chair. "My error; I had assumed your Quartermaster was also along, on shore." She said looking to Munkus. She smiled thinly at the actions of the larger male. Averting his eyes, some of the ladies were ... not overly dressed. "No; Tiri had nothing to do with it. Chalice however, plenty. After all, she wants me to deliver something. However what was to be delivered was; well, this mess can tell you that." Snowfeather said nothing more as two strong looking girls brought in a scruffy looking man.

A third girl was with them. "He had this on him when we grabbed him." The third said, handing a flat package, no larger then a five by seven picture frame to Snowfeather. A transport slate. Once set on a level surface and the proper spell activated, items, and in some cases, people, could go great distances. "Why he went through the trouble of trashing the offices to get it I've no iddea. you might need to ask him. He wont talk to us." She said.

Snowfeather nodded in thanks and waved the three out, leaving the Man within Mannys reach. The human looked nervous around the much larger male. "Nervous ?" Snowfeather asked, the man looked at her, but said nothing. "I don't doubt you on that front. However, there is something else you took when you took the transport slate. What was it." her brown eyes scanned the man carefully. The two that carried, well, more like dragged the Man in still stood at the door, but in the outer office. "Something to be transported. Now. Will you hand over what you took, or will I have my girls in the outer office, gut you for it in order ot transport it."

Snowfeather set the Transport Slate on the desk where it belonged. She brushed her hand over it and very briefly runes lit up on its surace. As she did so she heard Manfredd speak to the Man. Who turned to the massive man next to him and said tautly "Mind yoyur own biz, hairball." Snowfeather smirked at the humans words. It was not often when a Jellicle of any kind were called a hairball. It was actually really silly to even atempt to use the word as a insult. Which it was not. If the Man ment it that way, the insult failed to make its mark.

Snowfeather spoke up, calling to the third girl to come with the Man, Marissa! Kasar marang wiwitan dicokot, wadon dhewek nangani Yen sampeyan kudu; atine ing gentletom massive Nanging, yen mbutuhake kang sepindah, bakal menehi aku manawa. {Marissa! Rough him up a bit, woman handle him if you must; mind the massive gentletom however, if you require his aid, he will give it I am sure.}" She said

The woman stepped into view as she was called. Dressed in pale orange and white, the woman looked strong. She nodded, her hands coming, one hand enclosed into a fist the other covering the fist. "Ya Madam! {Yes Madam!}" She replied. She turned to the Man thyat tried to insult Manny. Reached over and grabbed his left arm as the Man was about to strike at Manfredd. A sickly sounding POP was soon heard as the arm was taken from its socket. The Man never flinched. Nor did he cry out. "Arep diajak ? {You going to talk ?}" Marissa asked as she pretty much broke the humans arm. Turning her gaze to Manny she said sweetly. "Aran bebas Pat iki dork mudhun {Feel free to pat this dork down.}" Basically the Bordelo girl was holding the man in place to get the item the Man had taken.

Munkus had to smile; he enjoyed watching the Man get woman handled by a rather well built young woman. Courtesans they were formally called. Strong and skilled this one was by look of things. He noticed her words were in Javanese, almost exact kin to Saimese. He translated almost all of what the young woman holding the Man had said. But a lot of it he could not understand. He took notice in the Mans weapons, hold out pistols, a sporting pistol, a few USPs, and lastly, a really rusted knife. Munkus picked the weapon up. "You really thought you could take down a Bordelo girl with this ?" Munkus asked while holding the knife. he flicked it to the desk. "Makes me wonder" he said then "How you managed to get in here at all."

The Man just glared daggers at the captain. Munkus crossed his arms and searched through the rest of the belongings the Man carried that Manny had set on the desk. He still awaited Snowfeathers reply to his questions.

the mangeled old toms ears went back and he glared at an empty space next to Snowfeather's desk. "oh belt up!" he declared, "everyonr saw what she did an
catwerwallin about it will na do ya any good! ifin ya see a bloody light do me a favor an get yerrself inta it all ready!" he continued.
then he looked over at Snowfeather with a sour look. "Ah suppose that ah qualify, though Miyagi knows more about tha book learnin end of it than Ah!" he said flatly.
 Manfredd nodded "they're awful smart." then the massive tom blinked but then he thought that most people were smarter than he was!

Snowfeather watched and listened to what Stubinz said, speaking apparently to a spirit of some form to her left as she once more took a seat behind her desk. "Tell me something master Stubinz." She said softly, in perfect Siamese, but in a very odd dialect thereof. "Do you believe in fate. The ablitiy to go from time to time. Or perhaps, save a life of someone once thought dear." Weird questions, yet, they were strongly weighted. The spirit. She had heard it's wail as well. Shye was half tempted to call out the spirit. But did not. "If you were given the chance to save the life of one you love; without a price or strings attached. Would you take it."

She turned to Munkus, Manny who stood next to him was indeed quite the gentletom. "I must apologise, Marissa only speaks fluent Javanese, with a smattering of Saimese and Japanese." She said. She turned to the girl, Marissa stood tall, but not as tall as Manny. Speaking in Javanese to the woman Snowfeather instructed her carefully, the woman nodded and left the offices. "Captain Grayhame. Consider yourself with another crewmember, Marissa is to go with you, not on my request, but that of Tiri; to ensure the safety of this." Once more fingers tapped the surface of the iced box. "When this is safely delievered to the location it is to be sent, Marissa will take odd jobs from there at that location until recalled to me here. This is not a problem for you, is it Captain."

Munkus was quiet as Snowfeather asked Stubinz her question, he mulled it carefully, what she was asking was a rather interesting thing. Changing time, twisting fate to their own ends, changing their path to their destiny. Was that even possible ? "Let me see if I can get this straight" Munkus said, "you want me to transport, a woman, one of your ladies, on my ship with cargo bound for someone, let me guess, Tiri ?" He rubbed an ear as Stubinz voice picked up a bit. "Something tells me, Master Stubz my fellow, that she is skilled in her own way. And something also tells me that what she is asking is actually possible to occur. HYowever unlikely as some will find it." He turned to Snowfeather, nodding he said "Consider it done. Marissa will handle that package, none else, correct ?" As long as Marissa had the package, then all was well.

Manfredd  gave Marissa a friendly nod and said "welcome to the crew!" which Stubinz translated into Siamese.

the old tom did appreciate not having to listen the human's ghost whining, though that sort magic always seemed a bit high handed to him, though he wasn't about to say so, it was the Lady's place after all! and he knew that many practitioners of the Necromantic arts tended to treat spirits that way.

then the two toms waited patiently for their Captain.

Snowfeather smiled, All was well it seemed then. "Good. Marissa will only answer to you, and to the target she is to deliver the package to. Afterwhich she may be requested to remain with you or to remain at her destination, depending on the destination and targets personal needs at the time. I agree to you terms, and I hear the tone in your own voice, that you agree to mine, it is settled." She turned her gaze briefly towards Marissa, who merely nodded in agreement, she too had agreed to the terms. She went and stood next to Captain Munkustrap Grayhame and waited for her next orders.

Snowfeather stood from her desk as the others turned to leave. "A moment Master Stubinz, if you will." She said softly. There was something in her tone, something of wanting to apologise, or at least explain her actions. She was surprised that he did not see the unique markings throughout the Bordelo. She caught a look from Marissa, a brief shake of her head and the other girl nodded, leading the way out. Soon as the door to the inner office closed. Snowfeather spoke again, just as softly. "When I said I could call out the spirit if you wanted me to do so, I never meant for you to get angered about the cultivation of my skills." She said. "Nevertheless, you have the right to be angered at my words. Even though I never meant it in that manner." She turned her gaze towards where the spirit was.

Sme smiled and turned towards the window, still speaking, "My abilities are unique, they make me who I am. you will find others like me, and still others unlike me. I for one, am understanding and skilled with spirits, yet there are others not so understanding and even better skilled than I. Therefore, I want you to do me a favor for Marissa, since you understand her words best. Can you act as her guardian while she is aboard the Ancili ?"

Munkus did not let his worry show, he had no clue whatsoever who Marissa's contact was, but he did want to speak to Tiri, though Tiri was reportedly Snowfeathers elder sister, he had no idea how wrong he was on that mark. Tiri was actually her.... mother was not the right word for it, but close enough. Munkus hated trying to figure out family trees. He nodded his good byes to Snowfeather and then took his leave. Marissa stayed on his tail, about two steps behind and just out of reach of Manny, Munkus observed that Marissa knew her place, she was to act as curiour and nothing more. She had no orders to worry about other then caring for the package. And she only answered to him.

Munkus left the inner office and stepped into the now cleaner outer office. Since he knew Javanese he conversed with Marissa briefly, introducing her formally to Manny. And then to Stubinz as whatever was needed between Snowfeather and his galley keeper was finished and he stepped into the outer office. Leaving Snowfeather at the window, looking out into the streets below. When Stubinz rejoined them Munkus spoke up, this time in Siamese "Shall we ?" He turned and led the way out of the massive Bordelo, it was time to set sail.