The captain steps up to you two, and looks you over: "Might be about half an hour until we get there, ye best get changed, I doubt we can just sail up to the flotilla, and we might need to have you conince them to let us board." He is gruff man with heavy stubble and a lazy eye. He's pointing towards some cabins in the back, where the rest of the items that Magnus procured for you are waiting.

Looking out over the harbour in the foggy night is a chilling sight. With the Brampton docks cloaked in the twisting and roiling fog, the green lanterns of the various establishments close to the waterfront give the entire bay a chilling green tint.

Murph does a little dance in his chair when he hears the device work, and a smile washes over his face after hours of tense concentration. I wonder how far away they'll work, now that I know they work. He spends the rest of the night before sleep takes him trying to improve the design and make tweaks for fit and effectiveness -- and also an examination of the stones and equipment to see how many pairs he'd be able to get working. 

Quickly heading into the indicated cabin to change, Dart and Parker are just about ready, when you hear the shout from another nearby ship: "Halt, no passage allowed through here, the Flotilla is restricted to the Greywater Patrol. Please return to shore, or we will be forced to board!"

From the cabin porthole, all you can see are a few shady figures on a small schooner much like your own, with the figure shouting over to you holding up a lantern, that makes trying to identify anything about the figures impossible. About twenty minutes have passed.

What do you do?

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Blair, as arranged with your client, the twins and you are collected by a small riverbarge just off the Heapside docks, shortly after eleven. Two men in uniform help the three of you on board, but you immediately notice from the way they do so, that this is less than usual for them and that they are a little awkward about it. Once you're settled though, the barge takes off, and under the rhythmic rowing strokes of the crew, quickly makes its way across the bay and towards the Flotilla, a set of swimming piers, dilapidated ships, and other craft anchored to a set of boys in the middle of the Gray harbour.

It takes you about half an hour to reach the ship, and you're quickly welcomed by Manip Orkov, who brings the three of you to the private cabin of Flame Ardent, your client from earlier today. As soon as the Manip has left, she rises from her wooden chair, to inspect you and the twins: "Very well, they will do just fine. The crew's quarters are at the bow, we set up a little divider for the two of them to get ready to entertain the rest of the guards. You" she hooks her finger around a leather strap across Blair's chest, " you are to stay here with me." A lustful grin curls across her face. "Here's half your pay, the other half after the performance." She hands all three of you a hefty coin pouch containing 100 silver coins each.

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Murph, as you start to inspect the stones, it becomes clear to you that they are larger than they need to be and that you might be able to both reduce their size and weight, as well as get more materials for more sets of earpieces. As you start to think about how to split the stones effectively though, you realise quickly that you lack not only the proper tools, but very likely also the experience to do something so delicate, and that you're far better off trying to find a skilled jeweller to help you with this step. At this hour, the only jewellers available would be those with Guild connections though- the numerous gangs and factions banding together to form the criminal underbelly of the city. You don't know any particular names, but below the expansive market place of the Wide is a secondary, equally varied and extensive market referred to only as the Undercellar. Rumour has it that plenty of goods and services are available there. Alternatively, you might find skilled jewellers in Little Calimshan, about an hour's trek outside the city's walls.

Looking over the watches, you figure gears and mechanical parts could easily be cannibalised and used for a fourth set, but you lack a housing, and most crucially, a spring to wind up the watch. You might be able to figure out a way to replicate these with your own tools and materials, but to guarantee a similar performance of the earpiece, you might need to take apart a fourth pocketwatch.

Parker returns to the deck and hails back

"Surprise inspection of the Empress. If you could direct us or point us the right way i can get this done and we all can be about our business"

Deception:  23

Persuasion: 21

The person on the other side shines a light across, to see you standing there, in uniform and looking confidently, with a glint of your own officer's chain. The reply is certainly less self- assured than before: "Surprise inspection? Please come aboard, so we can take you there. Only Greywater Patrol Ships are allowed closer, unfortunately."

"Great another balls up. Come along side so we can talk without all this shouting if you please.

ooc: If they close parker looks for the ranking officer.  Hopefully parker "outranks" them

The boats approach, and after a short while, a few cords are thrown over to your side, before a gangplank is set up between the boats. To set the right tone, you patiently wait on your side for one of their ship to make the way across, and after a bit, you have a manip before you.

"Manip Dermic, I'm commanding this patrol. We had been inspected a day ago by the Blaze himself and were declared ready to cast off on schedule, what's this about?"

You can tell that the woman before you is a grizzled veteran, who is experienced and likely looks down on officers with fewer notches on their belt than she has, and judging by your hands alone, she has you pegged for a desk jockey.

"Look all i know is one of the higher ups got a hair across their ass an i was dumb enough to be home and caught the assignment"

He motions the Manip to walk with him

"Evidently some anonymous rumor in the network about purpously tainted supplies from the resistance.  An i get sent out here to check it out.  Of course they neglected to tell me about you lot. Thing is here is my quandry.  If i find anythin im supposed to take it with me for proof. And im reckoning this will take about 2 hours at least. I wouldnt mind having you lot with me but dont want you being off station more n you need an catching hell for that"

Performance:7

The manip looks you up and down: "Sorry, I don't recognise you- what did you say your name was? An' look, we can take ye there in a rowing boat, an' if ye find something, we can take it with, or dump it straight overboard. So no need to worry, I can keep my crew out here on patrol, an' ready ta help if the need arises. Anyways, they've got more on the ships, they can help too, I'm sure."

Parker sighs

I guess that will have to do. May i keep these lads here on station then.   Names Valjean and this is my aide Javert. Im not usually assigned the harbour. Usually im inspecting the slaughterhouses.  Smells better out here i tell you.

Persuasion/deception 13

I’ll hold out the orders towards Parker along with the letter from the slaughterhouse. “Don’t forget we were given these.” I attempt to disguise my normal speaking voice adopting a more gruff deeper sounding voice. 

performance: 6

"Thank you Javert Right here are the orders if you want to see them"

The advantage.roll with the +5:   17

28    forgot to select advantage

The Manip quickly takes the letter from the slaughterhouse and looks it over: "Damn... and they couldn't have let us know a week ago, before the entire thing has been loaded up? Alright, come along, sounds like something serious enough to require a few extra hands..."

With that, she turns towards her schooner and shouts a few commands. She then turns to your helmsman and gives a few instructions, as the two ships sail within shouting distance towards the Flotilla.

As you get within sight of the improvised swimming docks, you can't help but be baffled. Usually a cheaper mooring option for longer term stays, the Flotilla is now more than appropriately named: You can make out two large threemasted imperial navy frigates and the slightly smaller two-masted sloop, the Empress. As you get closer, you both immediately notice that the ship has undergone refitting, with heavy oaken planks reinforcing the railing to provide greater cover for the crew on the main deck, and with two ballistea mounted onto the poop deck at the aft of the ship, increasing its defences significantly. As you approach, you hear the Manip shout up to the ship, and they quickly send a rowing boat over to collect Flame Valjean with his aide, Manip Javert, and Manip Dermic of the Graywater Patrol. As you get on board the Empress, you're greeted by Gauntlet Voroshnik: "Evening. The officer and crew are currently in their quarters, and they asked not to be disturbed, how can we be of assistance?"

"Surprise inspection of the cargo" Parker says abruptly and in a commanding tone,   "This shouldn't affect the off duty crew at all"

Dart nods along. Doing a quick head count of the number of people on the main deck.

The gauntlet sighs: "We were inspected the other day by the Blaze hiself, all cleared and ready for casting off in two- days time. What's this then?" He seems to gesture towards your order, before the Manip at your side interjects: "It's somethin' about the meat, the butcher did shoddy work, an' it's been tainted. The two here are jus' makin' sure we're not sendin' bad stuff up the coast."

The Gauntlet raises an eybrow at that, before exhaling some. "Let's see the orders, an' get this over with." As he stretches out his hand, he grumbles: "Can't believe it... the night the Flame lets spring for some entertainment, an' I'm stuck out here with a bleedin' inspection. Just my sorta darned luck, I guess..."

Dart, you can count six guards on the main deck, two of them with crossbows. The manip from the Greywater patrol makes seven.

Hearing the Gauntlets dismay at not being able to enjoy the entertainment, “Valjean and I can handle this inspection, if you would like to enjoy the ... festivities.” I say hoping my words will lead to one less pair of eyes watching us. 

"by all means wouldnt want to interfere" Parker adds offhandedly  while making a show of examining the area where they are standing

The trip on the barge wasn't without it's own perks. Although the men in uniforms were awkward, it didn't stop the girls from being extra friendly and giving them a little extra attention. Even if they didn't get full treatment, a thirty minute boat ride was plenty of time for the twins to warm up and test the waters.  Blair simply sat perched, happily watching over them all with a pleased expression as they made their way along.

"Ebony and Ivory will keep your guards obedient.” Blair would watch her Flame prowl around her kits with a confident smile. Feeling her companion tug at her chest strap, Blair would match her grin. Thatta girl. She’d step closer, pressing herself against the Flame, to step back in time with her. “Must we be discrete?” Blair would purr, pulling out her scarf once more, almost with a playful pout.

The Gauntlet clears his throat, seemingly a little annoyed for showing such poor discipline before an officer: "Certainly not. Duty first, always. Now then, I take it you want to inspect the cargo bay, yes?" With that, the Gauntlet grabs the torch from the manip that brought you here. She gives a brief salute before returning to the rowing boat and crossing over to her schooner, to continue her patrols.

Th gauntlet meanwhile has barked some orders to the soldiers on deck, before leading you down to the cargo bay. He is careful to lead you down the steps to the officer's cabins, you assume out of an unwillingness to show you all what sort of "entertainment" was going on. As you pass the closed door to the captain's quarters, now repurposed as the officer's mass and cot, you can hear the sound of something falling on the ground, as if pushed away, before you can hear muffled slaps. The gauntlet loudly clears his throat, doing a very poor job of masking the sounds, and insists on leading you both down below.

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As soon as the twins had been sent away, the flame has all her attention directed to Blair. Her lips lock with yours, and as you push her onto the mass table, you hear the ashtry and the candlesticks tumble to the floor, as you brush the table clean. It doesn't take long for you to tie her hands with your scarf, and using your belt for great effect again, before putting the belt around her neck, using it as a leash to pull her towards the bed in the cot.

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As Dart and Parker enter the cargo bay, see six soldiers guarding the various crates and barrels. Four of them are crowding the stairways up towards the crew quarters at the bow, trying hard to get a glimpse of whatever is going in in there. They quickly turn around when the gauntlet belts out a quick "Officer on deck!". The two guards standing near your end of the cargo hold both salute as the gauntlet takes you both past them. Down here, four lanterns provide rather dim lighting for the entire cargo bay. As you stand in the middle of the room, close to the main mast, the gauntlet looks at you: "Well, how about it then, what do you need to see?"

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Murph, are you making another nightly excursion?