Raqisat knocks on the hatch...  "Hello?  We're coming up!" he calls out before starting to try and open the hatch.

(Yes, Cosette is taking the level and the compass.)

Cosette follows along, keeping an eye on their six while Raq knocks at the hatch.

Raqisat shouts and pushes on the hatch, but it doesn't budge.  

From above, a voice shouts through in an unfamiliar accent, 'Vhat's da passvord?"

...

"Just kidding.  You'll have to sit tight for a few minutes while I get the others."

After that there is no response for a good while, perhaps 10 minutes.  It is nerve wracking.  Though you know the Death Kiss is no more, and you have not seen anything else alive down here, these tunnels are starting to feel claustrophobic.  The hatch is either locked or braced with something heavy, and it will not yield to any attempts to open it. 

Eventually there is noise from above, and then two loud clunks.  The hatchway lifts and you see the face of Elton peering down at you.  "Is it done, then?  Did you kill the monster?"

     "Monster?" Raqisat calls out in response.  "Oh, you mean Alouisious?  Of course we didn't kill him!  We're just sitting here with him chatting about racketball like old friends while we wait for you to UNLOCK THE HATCH!"

     "We didn't come knocking because we failed... We'd be dead if we failed.  Or at the very least not waiting while you got your head out of your ass....  It's no wonder it killed so many of you if you are all that bright!"

Sensing that Raqisat might have had enough of dark tunnels and alien creatures for one day, Leelan pipes up.

"I believe what my very…eloquent friend is trying to say is that we have done the deed and are looking forward to report our success."

Rohuzar moves to Raqisat and starts doing a little chop-hand massage on his back and saying "wooo-sahhhh" to relax the poor, overstressed fella. 

Aubrey's eyes widen slightly in surprise over Raqisat's outburst, but keeps his own calm as Leelan and Rohuzar are quickly there to smooth things over in their respective way.

     Raqisat chuckles and shrugs.  “I’m fine, I’m fine… I just have little patience for fools and idiots.”

     “I’ll point out though,” Raqisat adds in a bit of a hushed tone so as not to carry through the hatch, “the sealing of the hatch was quite reasonable.  The rather extended delay between our knock and their willingness to unlock shows an acute disregard for our lives by them… We are obviously disposable in their estimation.”

Elton looks down at all of you, largely ignoring Raqisat's comments, and whistles when his eyes fall on the remains of the Death Kiss.  By now, the bundled and partially vivisected carcass has started to take on the appearance of something that washed up on a beach, with rubbery flesh and limp, drooping tentacles.  "So thats it, then.  I have to say... I am impressed."

He steps back from the opening but waves for you to come up.  

[Please note the order that you climb the ladder, who is first and who is last, and whether you bring the carcass up or leave it for the strangers to collect on their own.]

(Suggested marching order as before; Rohuzar, Raqisat, Cosette, Aubrey, Leelan, and Grugga. Suggest a rope around the carcass, draggging it up behind us. :-)

     Raqisat, having knocked on the hatch, seems positioned to be the first one though.  He starts climbing up and through just as it’s opened.  He has no particular dislike for tunnels, and he’s really just going from one to another, but the hatch having barred against them and then being kept waiting really riled him…

     Raqisat wouldn’t be bringing the bloody thing up himself, that would likely fall to whoever came up last.  Raqisat would have no qualms about going back down to assist with its heft if needed.

I think rohuzar will bring up the rear in that case. He'll watch their rear and help get this thing tied up to pull up once they're ready

Grugga will ascend second to last, then, keeping the marching order intact except for Rohuzar moving from front to back. He has to carry Zap up in its backpack-cage, but Zip flits up the ladder easily, and keeps watch in the back while Rohuzar lugs the dead aberration. He shakes Elton's hand as he passes him. "Good to see you again. I hope we didn't ruin any bets." He grins at the strange man, clearly proud of his group's success.

With Rohuzar and Grugga taking the rear, Cosette decides to go up second. She’d reach a hand up expectantly to Raqisat to help pull her up and out. While his feathers seemed a little ruffled from them being barred in, Cos would dust him off. She remembered hearing them bar the door behind them before they sought out the death kiss, chalking it up to safety precautions and procedures all things considering. Of course they were expendable extras to the King and their people. Only time would tell whether this was a test to earn the King and his people’s respect; simply an effort to eradicate them as threats; or part of an entirely different plan unbeknownst to them. 

Raqisat climbs up with Cosette right behind him.  Aubrey is up next.  As he nears the top of the ladder, Leelan, Grugga and Rohuzar are still below.  The following happens.

Raqisat and Cosette, the small room at the top of the stairs is crowded.  There's just enough space for Aubrey to squeeze up here.  Elton is accompanied by four more of his brethren.  He looks at you with formality and perhaps a bit of pride.  "A deal is a deal.  We asked you to prove yourselves against a terrible foe, and you did so.  Admirably.  And so we bestow upon you the reward: unfettered access to the city,  above and below, and a place beside us in our brotherhood."

He pulls out a small, exceptionally shiny dagger and holds out his left hand.  He cuts deep across his palm, dark blood welling up around the blade and spilling through his fingers.  "We're bound by blood, all of us."  He motions for Raqisat to hold out his hand.  "Soon, so shall you be.  You will have a family here, for all time, and all the wealth and adventure a person could ask for."

[Aubrey, Raqisat and Cosette see and hear all this.  The ones downstairs can hear all of it but can't see past Aubrey.]

"This would be a great honour for us all Elton, but I must insist this ceremony would be performed with our whole team gathered and preferably blessed with the presence of your King." Aubrey says with a polite but firm tone.

Persuasion with inspiration: 17

"In the presence of the king..." Elton exchanges a look with the others, then nods.  "I think that's alright.  We can do something nice and formal.  But someone else is going to have to cut themselves.  I'm down to the bone here already."  He wraps his hand in a silk cloth and some of the strangers back out into the hall to allow the rest of you space to come up.

     Raqisat left the Empire long ago in part because he felt strangled by the social caste system.  He's rambled and fought his way through the rougher parts of the world by not being afraid of trying new things, making new friends and taking risks.  One thing he definitely learned during his years wandering through the domains of strongmen and despots and warlords - Never show fear when it comes to their gestures of friendship.  

     "Let the 'leaders' play at their pomp and circumstance," Raqisat says drawing his own dagger and slicing his opposite hand open to mimic the actions of Elton.  "I've never cared much for formal ceremonies myself."  Raqisat then extends his hand to shake with the other.

Aubrey would help the others up and follow along, but meanwhile he would share his thoughts on this new development with the rest of the team, one member at a time, gently entering their respective minds in the most respectful and non-invasive way possible. "I don't know about you but I would personally prefer not to share blood with these people, we can't rule out that would affect us adversely in some way. I realize you can't communicate back to me the way I communicate with you right now but if you we should find a reason to talk this through before proceeding with the ceremony I will do what I can to make that happen. If this seems like the best course of action you can discreetly nod your head now."

[Let's presume this occurred in the moments before Aubrey stalled for time for the others.]

Elton takes Raqisats hand and there is a firm embrace.  Elton's hand is surprising small, but his grip is hard and strong.  He claps a hand on Raq's shoulder.  "Welcome, brother.  May this bond of blood, friendship, and fraternity never weaken or waver."

[Back to the present...]