Scene #5461: The Conspirators

Owner	Pose
Captain Flint	Against all odds (at least, in the eyes of Nassau locals) the Urca was not only taken, but taken as a prize in and of itself. The huge hulk is currently anchored in the bay, teams of men working to sand off the paint and any identifying marks. Launches travel back and forth between the shore, ferrying cannons to the ship to ensure she's operational. The town itself is abuzz with stories of Flint's success, but the captain isn't one to rest on his laurels, even when faced with wealth beyond reason. To that end, he's taken it upon himself to hire some laborers. The old fort up on the hill is getting a makeover, the battle scars from the Spanish raid years ago slowly undergoing repairs. There's even rumor that he'll consult with the Starbounders to give it an upgrade once it's in full working order. Other captains, too, are starting to consider the possibilities of the Multiverse, and now more than ever, this world's Nassau is beginning to become a blip on the multiversal radar. Extradimensional beings, aliens, robots, cyborgs, wizards, rogues--all sometimes appear in the streets right alongside the native denizens of the port town. It hasn't really done much for the smell, but some on the island are hoping one visitor or another will introduce them to the wonders of a centralized sewage and waste disposal system. Not all of the island's denizens are happy, however. There remains a small, but dedicated undercurrent of negative sentiment towards Flint, and the source of that undercurrent is the man one would expect to be most loyal to him--Hal Gates. It's mostly a secret, suspected by Flint and known only to Gates, Dufresne, Howell and DeGroot... and Sombra. The hacker has been paid for her services--Flint was very forthcoming about that, much to everyone's great relief. But during her time, she intercepted a certain letter, regarding a plot to oust Flint. On the Walrus, Sombra asked for Flint's trust in exchange for her friendship. Now's her chance to prove that friendship.
Sombra	Part of their plan has been successful so far, and the people of Nassau appear to be happy about the newest development. But things are seldom as they seem, from the shadows you see and hear many things that others never hear about. Who else can deal with these things but the Shadow herself? Walking into the tavern in the wake of a few more multiversal travellers who are here for their own reasons, Sombra looks around with a bored look on her face. The last days she's been busy picking up the chatter around town, stealthed and listening to figure out how to best make her next move. First off, she needs to find Gates. Perhaps he's here in a dark corner somewhere. This is a good place to be secretive, that's for sure. With so many people coming and going, not to mention most people don't leave this place with a clear head.
Captain Flint	Gates isn't a hard man to find, at least in terms of appearance. Tall, fat and bald, with a tattoo of the Eye of Providence on the back of his head and a core of muscle beneath that rotund exterior, he does tend to stand out in a crowd, even among multiversal denizens. A glance towards the darker corners of the room reveals a table with the usual suspects. This evening, Gates is drinking with Dufresne, Howell, and DeGroot, the ship's accountant, doctor, and navigator, respectively. They're all huddled around a table, away from the light of the tavern's sparsely placed lanterns. Though a fiddler plays a merry tune in the background, and the tavern is awash with the sounds of boisterous revelry, these men don't appear to have much to celebrate. They also don't appear to have spotted Sombra yet.
Sombra	Ah, there they are. As expected, the man she was looking for is here. Along with his co-conspirators. Even better. Though it's certainly better if she can talk with Gates on her own. Too many cooks, and well... As they haven't spotted her yet, Sombra moves to sit down at the bar, ordering herself a drink and some food from the barkeep, a big smile on her face. Her eyes aren't looking directly at the table, though she's listening as she sips from her mug, watching the other people at the bar area. And if a barmaid heads over towards that general area, then well... perhaps Sombra is lucky enough to be able to slip a bug onto one of the mugs as she passes by her.
Captain Flint	More business means more customers, and more customers means a need for prompt service. It isn't long before a serving girl passes Sombra, giving her the opportunity to plant a bug on a mug. "...has to be some way it can be done without killing him," says a voice that sounds like Gates. "Whose side are you on?" asks Dufresne. "He killed Singleton and Billy and God knows who else, not to mention stealing the men's share... and you want to talk about a peaceful solution?" "Hang him, and hang the thief with him," says Howell. "Now is not the time," says Gates. "There's a spy on the ship. I don't know who it is, but when we made port, the letter I'd written was gone." "Silver?" asks DeGroot. "It doesn't matter," interjects Dufresne. "You do what you need to do, Gates--but you'd better do it fast. Some of us are starting to wonder whose side you're on." With that, Dufresne leaves, followed by Howell and DeGroot shortly after. Gates remains at the table, cradling his head in his hands and staring into his pewter mug.
Sombra	Well, now isn't this interesting chatter to listen in on... Sombra focuses on the bud in her ear, listening in on their talk of mutiny. It appears that they aren't all in agreement, which suits her well. For now the hacker nurses her drink, exchanging a few words with the people at the bar here and there as the four men around the dark table talk amongst themselves. It's only when the other three leave that she rises from her seat, picking up her drink and tray as she walks on over to the table, not bothering to hide her approach. Especially not when she has the nerve to sit down right by him. "Hello there, Gates. You seem to be in need of good company from the looks of it," she greets him, offering him a smile as she raises her mug. "Those three didn't seem to be very nice..."
Captain Flint	Gates laughs sardonically, a meaty hand running over his bald head. "Oh, Jesus Christ. Just what I needed right now." He shakes his head, eyes cast down to the floor. Taking hold of his mug, he downs the rest of it in one go, slapping the pewter back onto the wooden table. With a sigh, he brings his gaze back up to look at Sombra. The Urca hunt has cost this man a lot--not just the loss of Billy, but the extent to which his friendship with Flint has been tested, broken, even. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Sombra?"
Sombra	"Awww, you're not happy to see me?" the hacker pouts, canting her head at Gates where he sits. "Here I thought men liked sharing drinks with the pretty ladies," she adds in an amused tone. Why, she even pushes her tray over to him, indicating that he's free to grab some of her food if he wants to. "Especially one who you ought to be friends with, considering the circumstances." She takes a hefty sip from her drink, then exhales as she leans back in her chair, watching him intently. "Perhaps I'm exactly what you need right now... if you wish to keep your head."
Captain Flint	Gates chuckles darkly, rolling his eyes at the teasing. "That's a young man's game," he says. "And so is this." He gestures with a finger to the tavern, swirling it around and around. Looking down, he notes the offered food with a sigh, taking a roll and pecking at it chastely. "Do you have any idea what it's like, trying to keep them all away from each other's throats? Sometimes I think this prize was the worst thing that ever happened to us." Gates finishes the small roll, rubbing his fingers together and watching the crumbs fall to the table below. "So. What're you selling, and what's your ask?"
Sombra	"Hmmm, having so many worries certainly doesn't make one age well, now does it...?" Sombra points out, sounding almost wistful as she looks around to the tavern. As for his woes, his struggles to maintain order, that is something that Sombra doesn't look too concerned with. "You can't keep everybody happy, amigo. But there is one person you really should be keeping happy, you know..." That's when he askswhy she's here, and Sombra smiles, canting her head as her purple hair falls against her shoulder. "I'm certain you could keep them in check though. Espcially when your lives are on the line. I mean... Capitane Flint doesn't seem to be a forgiving man from what I've seen, and trust me... I've seen a lot. Such anger... I mean, I would hate to see it all unleashed on you, you know? A man he trusts so much..."
Captain Flint	Gates shakes his head. "I know exactly what he's capable of. Did they tell you /how/ he killed Singleton in that duel of theirs?" The quartermaster, easily twice Sombra's size, shudders. "Seemed like Singleton was gonna win. Then, Flint gets him on his back. And he keeps hitting him. Over, and over, and over. The crew stopped cheering, but he just kept... on, and on. Even after Singleton stopped struggling, even after he stopped breathing... when Flint finally stopped the poor bastard's face was a caved-in, bloody mess. Flint just... unraveled. All because he thought what he wanted was at risk." Gates sighs. "I know the dangers of opposing him, but when I accepted this position I took an oath to stand up for the crew's interests. And letting Flint waste their shares on this pipe dream is most assuredly /not/ in their fucking interest." "Maybe I could talk to him about it. Get him to see reason, get him to step down..."
Sombra	The revelation of the duel and how it unfolded doesn't seem to get much of a reaction from Sombra besides her raising an fine and split eyebrow at him, all while picking up a piece of her food that she chews daintily on, as if not to disturb the colourful makeup. "It doesn't surprise me that the Capitane has a problem controlling his temper." She's seen it, how he treated the woman he supposedly loves. "He's... a man who fights for what he believes in, I'm sure we can agree on that." "There are other ways to get through to men like him," Sombra states. "I know you're frustrated, I mean... but honestly, you believe writing letters will solve matters?" she says softly, all while a knowing smile crosses her lips. "Hell, if I were him, I would sooner clear my crew of men who doubt me, and make an example out of them..." The latina hacker pauses, and then lets out a low chuckle, picking up her mug again. "Ah, there are so many possibilities on how to clear up this entire mess, isn't there?" she points out.
Captain Flint	Gates chuckles. "That was you? Jesus." He leans back in his seat, staring at his empty mug. His world was already changing fast before this Multiverse business. Now, it feels like someone pushed the cart downhill. He finds himself wondering if he'll be there to see it when it crashes. "The plan was to read it to the crew and have Flint tried upon our return to Nassau. Your sticky fingers helped Flint out of that mess, didn't they?" He frowns, eyes scanning the tavern for anything of concern before continuing. "Now, he's got the support of most of the crew. And you, too, so it seems. But not me. Not anymore. I'm tired of lying for him, lying to men that risk their lives so we can eat. Once upon a time, I was friends with him--so out of respect for what used to be, I'll use my words despite having very good reason not to. And when I'm done, whether he listens or not, whether it works or not, I'm going to go my separate ways and leave this place far behind me." "That good enough for you?"
Sombra	At that Sombra shrugs, an impish smile crossing her lips. "A girl's gotta know what people whisper about when they're on their own, you know? I can't help it, I'm a curious person..." With that she raises her mug again, watching Gates as he talks about his intentions. Hmmm, seems he's really tired about all of this. "Do you do this on a regular basis?" she asks. "I mean, when you keep on headbutting a wall over and over again, then what do you expect? It will only give you a headache." The woman rolls her eyes. "Seriously, do whatever you want. Skip town, find yourself a job where you don't have to lie. Or if you're /smart/ about it, you use that bullheaded nature of his to your advantage. Perhaps if you had gone about this differently, you could be pulling the strings. I mean, if you were useful on board the Walrus, then I wouldn't have a reason to show the letter to Capitane Flint." Here she leans forward on the table slightly, setting her mug down. "He seemed willing to listen to me when I warned him that his actions would only bring misfortune... fear is a good motivator."
Captain Flint	Gates frowns. It seems Sombra's not only a curious person, but a hard one to read, as well. First it seems like she's sticking up for Flint, and now she's telling him to use Flint's nature against him? For his own gain? Then, recognition flashes in his eyes, interrupting a moment of silence. "I know what you're trying to do," he says neutrally. That neutral expression fades into a relatively easygoing smile, devoid of the tension, if not the fatigue, of the start of this little encounter. "If you get bored of work with the Concord, you'd do just fine as a quartermaster on any ship in Nassau." He smiles. For whatever reason, she's trying to keep stability on the Walrus, something that'd make his job a lot easier. "I'll give it a try--play the fear angle. Something that's valuable to him... like this pipe dream of his. This... independent Nassau." He stands, reaches into his pockets, and tosses a few gold dollars on the table. "There's your food and your tip," he says. "Your idea might work, but it's Flint we're talking about. It's up to him, in the end. In case you don't see me before I leave... it was nice working with you." Gates extends one big hand to Sombra.
Sombra	A slight chuckle leaves the hacker, and she takes the mug in both hands. "There's little use in a machine where the cogs don't move together, you know..." she says calmly. "And please, you don't want me to get bored, now do you? A ship is too small for the likes of me." Besides, there's a major lack of tech here. "He's a fearful man... proud, too much so. But not impossible to steer in the right direction once you know how, amigo." The tossed gold coins earn a brief glance from Sombra before she looks back up at Gates. "Keep them, I don't want gold. Besides, it was about time we had a talk." Otherwise this puppet show would have come to an early close. "And if Capitane won't listen to you, then perhaps he's more afraid of me," she adds with a shrug as she rises from her seat. The big hand is ignored however, as the woman reaches a hand upwards, extending her index finger towards his nose... "I'll be seeing you, even if you won't be seeing me." With that, she touches her finger to his nose. "Boop!" The very next moment, Sombra disappears, leaving Gates alone once more.
Captain Flint	Gates stands in silence. This woman keeps her cards close to her chest. Perhaps that's why she can read Flint so well--it takes one to recognize another. To see his tells. His hand lowers, and he shakes his head, taking the coins back. If he's known Flint for twenty years doesn't know how Flint will react, what does that say about the chances the captain will actually go along with it? Shaking his head with a frown, dismissing those thoughts, the quartermaster makes his way towards the old fort, leaving the tavern behind without looking back.