(2022-11-29) The Subtle Art of Setting People on Fire

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Author:	inkie
Summary:	Ben runs into Captain Jo at the Protectorate Watch Post in Netherstorm, and the pair of them join forces to investigate Ethereal technology and murder Ethereals, not necessarily in that order. They discuss reputable warlocks, other people's babies, and the delicate art of corresponding with a hostile Death Knight.
Rating:	T for Teen

Ben salutes Jocoza with respect. “Ma'am. Interested in the Ethereal technology?”

[Jocoza]: Oh, hi Ben! Yeah, I've been trying to learn a little more about how they work. They aren't all that forthcoming, but I figured… maybe if I could get to be friends with them?

[Ben]: Worth a try. Lode has been nosin' around it all too. I can't get my head around none of it but I guess that's no surprise.

Jocoza smiles hopefully. "I was just about to head down and kill some of their enemies, if you'd like to join."

[Ben]: Killin' enemies I can get my head around, no problem. *He grins.*

[Jocoza]: I do a lot with electricity, and this looks similar… just maybe not the same thing moving through the wires.

[Jocoza]: Kind of like… light, maybe? Not Light *the capital is audible* but light.

[Ben]: It ain't electricity though, yeah? Like… it's mana or somethin'?

Ben squints at the lights.

[Jocoza]: My mana's usually blue. Is this like a blood thing?

[Ben]: See, that's what I thought?

[Ben]: But Cressidha said this's mana. Or, at least, in the boxes the pink stuff is.

[Ben]: It's what they're processin' at the mana forge.

[Jocoza]: Yeah, and I trust her assessment. Just seems odd.

[Ben]: Yeah.

[Ben]: It sounds electric though, you know?

[Jocoza]: Yeah, the zzzz sounds.

[Jocoza]: I really find mechanical sounds more comforting, to be honest.

[Ben]: Give you a headache? Kind of gives me a headache.

Jocoza nods.

[Jocoza]: Electricity can bite you, and I bet this stuff too.

[Jocoza]: How've you been doing up here? Squads working out alright this time?

[Ben]: Yeah, pretty smooth all told.

[Ben]: Miss Coit is doin' real good, makin' a lot better impression on Sir Elohad than Sanders done.

[Ben]: So he has eased up a little on all that.

[Jocoza]: Oh, that's good. I'm wary of warlocks, but I would like to give some of them a chance.

[Jocoza]: She always seemed pretty sweet, likes to ask me about whatever gadget I've got around at the moment. She seems really interested.

Ben nods gravely.

[Ben]: She's good with people.

[Ben]: I confess I would like to see us get in at least a couple more of 'em. But I am bias. I got some candidates in mind.

Jocoza looks up at Ben. "Oh? Have you been hanging around with some other warlocks?"

[Ben]: Well. You know May, who comes to your science talks? Sits with me?

[Jocoza]: Oh yeah, always answering questions and volunteering! She seems like a bright girl.

[Ben]: Bright as hell. Me an' her go way back, from kids. She is– uh. Well. We go way back.

[Ben]: And she is a warlock, too. Friend of Miss Coit, in fact.

[Ben]: Studied some with Cal Bennett.

[Jocoza]: Huh, really? And here I thought I heard warlocks didn't hang out all that much, socially.

[Jocoza]: I guess each person is different.

[Jocoza]: That'd be a point in favor, for Elo. I think he trusts Cal, as much as he trusts any warlock.

[Ben]: Miss Coit is a real people person. And May is just sweet as hell.

[Ben]: They are studyin’ now with some Seventh Legion fellow.

[Ben]: Which I reckon Sir Elohad also would like.

[Jocoza]: Oh, yes, Captain Tyrrell.

[Ben]: Yeah, that's the fellow I guess.

[Jocoza]: I talked to him about Lena, before I recommended her for your squad. I know I can be too soft on people, so I had to make sure she was going to be reliable.

[Ben]: I will be honest, ma'am, I was not worried about Miss Coit. But I am glad she has got the credential.

[Jocoza]: If May has the same background, maybe I can convince Elo to give her a chance. But you said you had a few candidates?

[Ben]: There also is a girl called Sabitha Lambert, and one called Sam– hey, you seen Lord Tadget lately?

Jocoza boggles at Ben. "You aren't saying Tadget's a warlock? I know taking care of three babies is hard, but…"

Ben laughs. "Oh, f*ck, can you imagine?"

[Jocoza]: Oh, whew, so not a warlock candidate.

[Ben]: But no I just thought of it because I saw her last night at Bruuk's, where the other warlock girl was.

[Jocoza]: Ah, warlock drinking buddies. *Jo nods, as if this makes sense for where to meet a warlock*

[Ben]: Yeah, this other one, Sam — so she has done some work down to Westfall recently with a Cobalt.

[Jocoza]: Which one?

[Ben]: … Eileen? We got an Eileen?

[Jocoza]: Eeen…. Eeen… Lireen?

[Ben]: Oh, yeah. That sounds right.

[Jocoza]: Wildhammer dwarf? Oranna recommended her.

[Ben]: Think so? Anyhow she went down to Westfall to clear out a demon in the Defias with this Sam girl.

[Jocoza]: A demon in the Defias? Oh, goodness, but we need to get that Cobalt Blade team running. We stop looking at Azeroth for a minute and… *Jo shakes her head*

Ben nods grimly at Jo.

[Ben]: Kind of my thinkin' too. I would not like to hear of the Defias pullin' together in Westfall again.

[Jocoza]: If this Sam can get a Wildhammer dwarf to recommend her, that'd probably go a ways with Elo, too.

[Jocoza]: But… Tadget… She was at Bruuk's?

[Ben]: Yeah, so Tadget shown up.

[Jocoza]: I haven't been by her place in a little while. Was something wrong?

[Ben]: Reckon she is bored or cross or both. She complain about the babies some and then asked if we still need an accountant in Cobalt.

[Ben]: You know she ain't named her babies yet?

Jocoza blinks. "She's kind of weird about the babies. She asked me once, back when they were hypothetical future babies, if I might want them."

Ben eyes Jocoza up and down.

[Ben]: Uh.

[Ben]: What, like just to give 'em to you?

[Jocoza]: I think so? She said I seemed like I'd be a good mom.

[Ben]: I mean, I reckon you would be, ma'am.

[Ben]: But also you can't just go handin' babies at peo– *Ben pauses to consider the two babies he's recently been handed.*

[Jocoza]: I think she was just brainstorming plans, on the babies.

[Ben]: Huh.

[Jocoza]: But okay, she wants to be an accountant again?

[Ben]: Or somethin', I guess.

[Ben]: We told her we are covered for accountants now and she seemed pretty let down.

[Jocoza]: She wasn't an accountant before because she loved it. Why isn't she with the 7th?

[Ben]: On leave.

[Jocoza]: Still?

[Ben]: She said.

[Jocoza]: Huh.

[Ben]: Maybe on account of the babies?

[Jocoza]: Maybe I ought to visit her.

[Ben]: And yeah she said she ought to come talk to you.

Jocoza giggles. "Then we're both on the same page."

[Jocoza]: So, three warlocks and a bored friend.

[Ben]: Yes'm.

[Ben]: Hey, I wanted to ask you about somethin'.

[Jocoza]: Ask away! *Jo smiles*

[Ben]: So, you know the Death Knight that was trouble for Rae? Uh, the first one that was trouble, her old commander. Mondragon?

Jocoza presses her lips together and nods. "Yeah, is he still following her around?"

[Ben]: No, see, that's the other one. Mourn.

[Ben]: This's Kaela Mondragon, that was her commander in the Scarlets.

[Jocoza]: Oh, right, okay. Sorry, Mourn Mondragon Mondragon Mourn.

Ben laughs. “… Yeah, I feel that.”

[Jocoza]: This is the one that's why Rae spooked when she met Alysson, because of his name.

[Ben]: Yeah, that is how come. He, uh. Is related, I guess, kind of? I think? Don't think he knows it. But anyhow.

[Ben]: So there's this girl Alynnra who has come around sometimes. Ain't right in the head, but.

[Ben]: She is the sister of Kaela. If you are followin' me so far.

[Jocoza]: Alright, so she's a Mondragon, too.

[Ben]: Yeah. And like I said, not right in the head, yeah?

[Jocoza]: I do need to keep this straight, because it's all tangled up in Jenzelle, Ralaea and Alysson now. So correct me when I go wrong.

Ben nods. “But it turns out this Alynnra, she been in touch with her sister all this while. She writes Kaela letters. An' Kaela writes back to her. Alleged.”

[Jocoza]: The death knight writes her letters?

[Ben]: Yeah.

[Jocoza]: This is the one who still follows the Lich King, wasn't it?

[Ben]: She is kind of a rogue one, this Kaela. I do not reckon she is hangin' out with the rest of 'em at Acherus. Yeah, I think so.

[Jocoza]: That is… not great for someone who's not right in the head.

[Ben]: Right? No.

[Jocoza]: So… something new's come up? You said you had something to ask.

[Ben]: Yeah, anyhow, I, uh, asked Alynnra for the address. Which she give me, because she ain't see no harm in it. She is– the way she ain't right in the head is she ain't real up on anything that's happened for– a while now.

[Jocoza]: Like amnesia?

[Ben]: Somethin' like, yeah.

[Jocoza]: I take it the address was a surprise, then.

[Ben]: I mean, it is a address in Brill. But I knew that was gonna be it, she told me as much. It’s their house where they grew up. Which Alynnra is under the impression it's still there.

Jocoza frowns. "I suppose the house might be."

[Ben]: What I was wonderin' was if you as captain think it is advisable or not to… write to it.

[Jocoza]: To… engage with the death knight. Who is rogue.

[Ben]: Who is after Rae for some reason.

[Ben]: And who killed Harvey an' all Jenzelle's people.

[Jocoza]: Ben, I don't know. I don't want to try to help Rae by tossing other people in harm's way.

[Ben]: I know. I would not want that neither. That is why I am checkin' with you.

[Ben]: It ain't seem like a kind of thing I could just do for curiosity, you know?

Jocoza nods. "You know… I'm a really trusting person, by nature. I know that. But a death knight, and not even one supposedly on our side…"

[Ben]: I mean I would not invite her by HQ for an apple.

Jocoza bites her lip. "I don't think you should just go off and write to her alone. I think you ought to have a team, if you do it."

[Ben]: I would write her to say what the fuck, leave our people alone. Or, you know, if we could draw her out some way, lay a trap… But I can't think of a clean or smart way to do neither of those things.

[Jocoza]: I think you need people with you who can do that.

[Jocoza]: Maybe some wily SI:7 people there to look over the words, make sure you're not giving her more information than you think. And maybe they can figure out a trap?

[Jocoza]: I'm not really a trap person.

[Ben]: Me neither, ma'am. If I was a trap person I would probably not have to carry a f*cken shield around all the time, you know what I mean.

Jocoza giggles. "And I would have less bombs and not a fire aura shimmering around me."

Ben grins at Jo.

[Jocoza]: Ivrianna? Or who else do we have of that sort?

[Ben]: There is Ivri, yeah. But she is newlywed an' all, I dunno how much subterfuge she is up for.

[Ben]: Tadget might could be a subterfuge type, but she got three babies at home,

Jocoza nods. "And Tadget was always more interested in killing than tricking."

[Jocoza]: I could poke around, see who we've got that's qualified and available. It'd have to be somebody you trust, but I think anybody in Cobalt's past that.

[Ben]: Ma'am, there is people in Cobalt I ain't even know yet, I am still findin' out. But if they got past you an' Sir Elohad, that's good by me.

[Jocoza]: I'd probably better get back to camp. I'll have a look through the personnel files, see what I can find for you? I just don't want you trying to outwit an evil death knight on your own.

[Ben]: Are you suggestin' I do not have the wits of a evil death knight? Ma'am I am affronted in my soul.

[Jocoza]: … Not that you're not smart of course! But… this spy maneuvering stuff is a whole thing, and not a thing I'm good at either.

Ben grins at Jo again.

[Ben]: Maybe you and me just invite her out and then I can hit her and you can set her on fire. Real subtle, how we do.

[Jocoza]: Oh, gosh, could we? I'd like to set one on fire. *Jo clamps a hand over her mouth and giggles.*

Ben 's grin widens.

[Jocoza]: I mean, let's try careful, first. For Rae.

[Ben]: Yes'm.

[Jocoza]: I'll send word when I've got some idea who we might get involved.

[Ben]: Thanks, ma'am. 'Preciate you.

Ben salutes Jocoza with respect.

Jocoza salutes Ben with respect.