Tetonbaum returns to Souir with Kasumi, alone and without Thane. First to realize she is not by herself in the east mouth of the caverns, Miranda feels outwards with her aura to find who is waiting, hiding in view and not ready to really be seen…She feels the probe of energy.
Turning from drying her worn clothes, Miranda senses him as he senses her, a violation of her core that only biotics would permit. He feels different…She should know it is not him, but, "…Thane?" Her voice echoes as a figure steps into the light at the mouth of the tunnel, …Or not Thane, she decides. With some unexpected strength, she throws up the air before her, creating a wave of energy that rolls suddenly towards the figure and its source of power, a barrier causing her body to glisten.
She feels her feet slipping backwards over the tunnel floor, chalky ground and smooth rock no purchase from the wave of heat that throws her off, what comes from the other's response to her offensive attack…Tetonbaum's power clashes in a ruddy pool of violet and golden light against Miranda's, thickening, rising to the top of the cavern and flowing back towards each's origin. "I am not your enemy," Tetonbaum's voice echoes through the caverns, "…I came here at the instruction of—"
Grunt barrels out of the tunnel, his shields up and blue, "…I got him!" Tetonbaum turns, adding more power to the conflicting waves of biotics and sending Miranda off her feet as he focuses on the physically incoming threat of armor and shields.
Miranda rubs dust out of her eyes and focuses on the two, locked up in the dimmer area of the tunnel and falling backwards into a wall opposite Grunt's run…She sees the drell is actually nude as he gets a headlock on the krogan—A krogan!—and they fall to the ground, kicking and twisting in the dust and light from the mouth. "Ah, no, get off me," Grunt growls, trying to work his head out of the chokehold.
"Welcome to Rakhana," Tetonbaum hisses as his arms bulge with red, blue and purple sinews, doubling down on his choke of the krogan neck, hump and all, "…Piruza ( Krogan )," he slangs in Rakhïken as Grunt tries to pry the ironlike arms from himself, "…Now submit!"
Tetonbaum's eyes rise to the nozzle of a rifle barrel a few meters away, "…Garrus," Miranda's voice draws the sapphire eyes to the gray woman, aglow with her power, "…Don't shoot him…Not yet." Tetonbaum releases Grunt's head. He steps back from the krogan.
Tetonbaum smiles, "…My power does not prevent such small projectiles," he admits, but to Grunt as he gets up, Tetonbaum whispers, "…That is a submit, by the way, I'm keeping record," and he touches his brow scales to let the krogan know he will not let that go.
Wagon parts aligned against the craggy wall behind him, Tetonbaum stands in partial concealment of stone teeth jutting from the floor…Grunt stands on his legs, "…Who is this pyjak," he growls as he works the muscles in his neck, glaring at the drell with the red, blue, green, purple crests and patak, "…And why doesn't he wear any clothes…Weird," he says, some injury to his dignity, "…He's bigger than Casnar."
"Tetonbaum Soterios," Ylyssus says, passing between Garrus's rifle's aim and the naked drell, he stops and looks at the turian, "…He is no enemy…He is whom Casnar called Thane to help find…"
Miranda's power fades from sight on her body and in her eyes, Garrus lowers his rifle.
"Where are his clothes?" Garrus asks, irritated by the drama and his colleagues being thrown and choked by this lethal killer, "…And where are Goto and Thane."
The drells approach with signs they make over their brow scales to one another, and Tetonbaum clasps wrists with Ylyssus, "…Brother of the Cloth," the bigger drell says.
"Speaking of cloth," Ylyssus holds Tetonbaum's wrist, "…what happened to yours?" He avoids looking anywhere but the high th'ane's face, "…And the human woman, where is she and Thane?"
"The son of Krios stayed behind," Tetonbaum says, noting the concerned expression of the human woman, those of the krogan and turian more mute due to their lack of facial muscles…And if the krogan is not smiling or snarling and baring his teeth, he is limited only slightly less than the avian-type species with the ruined mandible of metal and keratinous material.
"Where is Kasumi then, and is Thane in the Mier or Chiata?" Miranda asks.
"Just outside Chiata Sanctuary," Tetonbaum says, "…where Konis no doubt has found him…Kasumi is here, but hidden outside," he gestures to the light at the mouth of the tunnel, "…I did not want to bring her in here until I was certain there was no danger waiting…"
"Might have helped avoid a confrontation," Garrus chirrups from his mandibles, "…Save a few bruises to body and ego, too," his blue eyes flick back and forth from Grunt to Tetonbaum and Miranda.
"Bring her in, would you," Miranda asks calmly. "We'd like to see that she's in one piece. Please…Tetonbaum," she adds as the sapphires go between her and Garrus and Grunt. "You are among…friendlies," she looks to Grunt and Garrus for a consensus.
"Allies—at max," Garrus concludes and hefts his rifle up to point at the ceiling, relaxed now.
"I'm good with that," Grunt rumbles out the side of his jaw as he scratches it with his claws, "…See if you can put on something too. I'm not squeamish, but now you're just flaunting your assets." Tetonbaum glances down at himself and at the krogan.
"I don't do this regularly," Tetonbaum explains, then looks at Ylyssus, "…But th'anes have no qualms about their bodies, do they."
Ylyssus chuckles, "…I'll see if we have anything in your size, Tetonbaum."
Tetonbaum gives Miranda an approving look and she does not redden her cheeks at all, but stares him hard back in the eyes, "…A human I'lorie…And powerful." Tetonbaum then looks to Grunt, "…You as well, though you withheld your power unlike your physique…Powerful allies," he smiles.
"Charming," Garrus says and tilts his horns up as he looks beside his shoulder at Miranda, "…Casnar did warn us."
"He did," she agrees.
Tetonbaum turns to go fetch his love…His profile gives a full view of his erection, which has reappeared since the fight again…Garrus coughs aside into his glove of talons, "…Ylyssus," he calls after the drell, "…sometime sooner better than later with those accoutrements, hmm?" He looks at Miranda, "…Don't stare too long, you'll go blind."
Miranda makes a coughing sound as she turns away and moves off, Tetonbaum oblivious of their problem with his body's reaction to combat and physical exertion…Grunt starts to laugh, "…It is a natural phenomenon," he remarks, causing Tetonbaum to slow and look back at them…He smiles as Miranda comes towards him, her expression quite remarkably fed up.
Miranda comes from her clothes that lay scattered on the floor of the cavern, post-fight with Tetonbaum, a shirt damp in her hand. She throws it at Tetonbaum and it slaps against his thigh, falls to the ground with a lazy slop as he looks at it with bemusement, "…Use it to cover yourself for crying out loud…I've never been a stickler for modesty, but it's vulgar at this point…Please," she says and turns away as Tetonbaum smiles and picks up the material.
"Do I wear it on my unmentionable," he holds the collar and hem on his arm, his two conjoined digits wiggling through the aligned openings. Grunt laughs a belly growl and looks at Garrus shaking his horned fringe on his head. Miranda stalks farther off to collect her belongings, ignoring the odd expression Tetonbaum gives her. "Kasumi does not complain," he says, to which Miranda makes another throat-clearance…The th'ane smiles and tosses the shirt to the ground as he shakes his head at their unfounded squeamishness. Miranda turns and sees the sapphires smiling at her between the dark eyelids, "…I will go and bring Kasumi here," Tetonbaum says…Without another glance to them or Miranda's shirt, Tetonbaum turns and jogs up the mouth of the cavern entrance, out into the sunlight which brings his colors brighter.
Miranda goes over and picks up her shirt as Garrus quips, "…Seriously, you were trying to dress that monster between his legs?"
"I'd burn it afterwards," Grunt says with a hopping snort from his throat, "…No telling where his prick has been, or who it's been in."
"He is a th'ane like I was," Ylyssus stares at all of them, "…Nakedness does not faze us…Are all off-worlders so uncomfortable about a body?" he asks, incredulous.
"I don't need to see it," Garrus says and Grunt agrees. Miranda, Garrus and Grunt head up to the mouth of the caverns to wait for Kasumi and Tetonbaum. Ylyssus joins them a little later, carrying some bundle of silks for the th'ane.
Worriedly, Miranda touches and dances her fingers over her lower lip, thinking about Thane…The first time, the last time, the many times after they finally started to see each other more than face value. "Why did he stay," she murmurs, "…Why did he stay like an idiot?" Miranda can only think that he foolishly gave into what he had told her he had wanted to do after he found out what had happened to Kolyat, "…Please, Thane," she says behind her fingers, "…please tell me you didn't."
"Didn't what," Garrus says, overhearing.
Miranda shakes her head and does not answer him.
He assumes he has an idea what she is worrying about at least, "…I'm sure he'll be back soon, Miranda," Garrus twitches his mandibles, "…Thane's a capable drell."
"Here they come," Grunt says as Tetonbaum comes out from the dunes, a rolled blanket with the figure of a woman in his arms…He carries Kasumi to them as Miranda moves forward to check on the woman.
Miranda takes her arm and feels her pulse, then checks her head and eyes, "…My god, is she hurt…Her eyes are dilated." She looks at Tetonbaum, suspicious now.
"We…" He hesitates, now confronted with another Human woman who happens to be friends at least with Kasumi, "…we were with each other…It is only my venom, she is well, however." He smiles to assure Miranda this is fine.
Miranda blows out her lips, "…Get her out of the sun. We'll hydrate her inside. It's only your venom?"
Tetonbaum winces and sucks air through his teeth, "…Maybe some other things Konis was giving us…"
"What kind of things," Miranda asks.
"Things that go well with liquid, food, and romantic ambience?" he supplies.
"What…" Garrus shields his eyes with his claw, "…What exactly was he doing with you two while you were kidnapped by him?"
"He wanted to…I'll tell you more once she is more comfortable," Tetonbaum says and hurries inside the caverns' mouth overhang.
Tetonbaum lays Kasumi on the flat rock used for Kolyat, and leaves to check the condition of the fireplace while Miranda checks the woman and runs scans with an omni-tool she clips to her arm. The fire is out and Tetonbaum cleans it, arranges what is left that can be burned and re-rings the stones, "…I'm going to build another fire, stay with her?" He rises and moves off to one of the nearby caves, in which kindling and wood is stored.
"Tetonbaum," Miranda rolls her eyes, "…Please get dressed while you're at it?" Tetonbaum ignores the request, returns with fuel for the fire and sets to preparing it, lighting it, urging it to catch on more of the wood before he takes a seat by Kasumi, sleeping through Miranda's scans and Tetonbaum's bustling. "Here," she tries to ignore his nakedness and hands him a bottled water from a box off the Ni S'pri, "…can you open that and give her some." Tetonbaum examines the bottle and looks inquiringly at Miranda, "…You have to turn the cap until it opens," she explains and Tetonbaum tries his way, which is counter to the universal standard, being on Rakhana—he figures it out though. Miranda patiently waits to see him give water to Kasumi. "Tetonbaum, probably don't—" Miranda stops talking as Tetonbaum lifts up Kasumi to prop her on his thigh, and pouring some water into his mouth, he proceeds to kiss Kasumi and pass the water to her this way. Ylyssus comes over from his check on Tegal and Ki'ana, and his footsteps slow to stop at Miranda's side as his tebris lifts and falls at the sight of the mating ritual, there on that flat rock before the fire in the cave space they have been using to eat and talk and sleep in. Kasumi's hand rises to rest upon Tetonbaum's naked arm.
"Tetonbaum," Ylyssus says, his voice a whisper, "…You are not permitted to enact the rite of Arash…It is forbidden of you…Of all th'anes."
Tetonbaum ignores him and pulls Kasumi up into his arms. "Little Meile," they hear him murmur to her.
"Braith and I, we did not go so far," Ylyssus thinks aloud thoughtfully as Tetonbaum draws back from Kasumi and looks at him.
"You could not, knowing Braith belonged to Casnar and would never have accepted you the way Casnar tells me she accepted him."
"I beg to differ," Ylyssus says, "…but I am no longer a th'ane due to my expulsion…You, however," Ylyssus shakes his head, "…you will be held in contempt for this, Tetonbaum." Ylyssus moves by Garrus to sit across from the lovers on the stone. "You and I, Tetonbaum, are th'anes, whether removed or not…This is unforgivable…Merce'des will declare you infidelitous to the Tierrea and your master…Our master."
"It could not be helped," Tetonbaum says, "…There has to be a way, and if I must be branded Serepta, then so be it…" He looks longingly at Kasumi, eyes closed as she rests in his hold. Watching her eyes open to his, Tetonbaum's smile brightens his features. "I choose you."
"Look, I get you two just came out of a hostile place and are in love, yeah, yeah, yeah," Garrus growls softly, "…but Thane is missing and Tetonbaum, you're supposedly the last one we know of who might have been lucid enough to see him," he gestures at Kasumi, high and addled on venom and aphrodisiacs. "We kind of need everyone back in one piece, so can the mating rituals wait until at least we know Thane's alive, maybe Shepard gets brought out of wherever she's hiding?"
"Is she that unique to you," Ylyssus asks him, staring at Tetonbaum's patak, his thoughts trying to comprehend, "…Is she so unique, you would sacrifice everything for her." Tetonbaum looks away from him, "…For shame, Tetonbaum. You will only call for the punishment of Merce'des—onto both you and her. You yourself realize the ramifications…It will not only be you who suffers for this blatant disregard of all you have been a part of," he admonishes him.
"Then we are forsaken," Tetonbaum says stubbornly. He turns his back on Ylyssus.
Kasumi shifts to set her head against his chest. Garrus and Miranda look at each other, "…Kasumi might be able to talk some sense into him later…Let's go and leave them alone for a bit." They look at Ylyssus and then Grunt who waits impatiently a few feet away.
Ylyssus shakes his head, "…This is not good."
They leave the lovers on the stone to sit in quiet together and recover. Ylyssus takes one more glance behind him as they move away from the pair, seeing the woman, Kasumi, wrapping her hands over Tetonbaum's neck, over the fade of purple from his nape to where the blue and red veining gathers from his back…Tetonbaum lowers his head.
"It is too late to reason with him," Ylyssus says, and the others hear him, "…Tetonbaum is lost to her. We best give them space," he adds with a stern look to them all, "…He will be coupling with her frequently."
"We have to find Thane," Miranda says, "…This is not a honeymoon…Whatever that is back there," she swings her gaze forward them, "…I'm…a bit surprised."
Ylyssus stares at her for a few seconds, causing Miranda to notice and look at him with a severity in her face that tells him to stop. "You and Sered Krios—"
"We haven't," she says, crosser with him that he dared to ask what with her look she gave him. "I will conclude that you have experience with what they are going through…Braith," she says caustically.
"Only in my deepest wishes did I ever hope to be hers, and hers alone…but as Serepta, and what with Casnar," he says melancholically, "…I never stood a chance."
Miranda looks into the desert, wondering where Thane will appear. "Why have you and he not bonded yet," Ylyssus asks, standing next to her and looking out at the same dunes.
Miranda issues a limp wave of dismissal with her hand and wrist, "…It's okay Garrus." Garrus looks from her to Ylyssus, grumbles something and turns away. He legs off to the cavern to head back inside, leaving them alone. Miranda looks at Ylyssus, "…Why do you ask."
"I am only curious," he says, "…I do not mean to come off too personal."
"You're curious…You said yourself you would not bond with Braith."
"We did not, but am I to understand you will not bond with him because there is someone else, or some status or circumstance that forbids it?"
"We're only companions…There are benefits to be enjoyed," she says, "…but nothing more. Thane…had a wife that he already bonded to, and he has a son…Then there are other things I'm not going to tell you simply because you're curious beyond what's acceptable to be asking one you hardly know and hardly knows you."
"He seemed very firm about you two," Ylyssus shares. She remembers when she and Thane first understood what was going on between them…It had been while he and Braith were in the beginning stages of their experimentation…Miranda had had a few drinks with Braith one night on the Citadel, Thane had joined them with the rest and when everyone went to dance, it was Thane and Miranda who abstained from the revelry…Miranda had been talking and was a little too drunk, what with having shared a few shots with Jacob Taylor, her prior love interest for a time. She had moved suddenly, misinterpreting that Jacob was still there and kissed him—only she had kissed Thane on the corner of his mouth…
"Jacob…you need to get away from me…I'm only bad for you…for Oriana…for everyone," she had said.
"Miranda," Thane had said then, "…I am not Jacob." Miranda had muttered something and put her head on the table.
That incident had niggled at her for years…She did not consider herself interested in Thane…The opposite was truly what she thought herself as—Strictly Human-centric…but that did not stop her from wondering…Whether there was something wrong with her, if she would do it again, or it was really an accident…She had thought he was Jacob…
Thane had thought about it, too…The odds that Miranda Lawson was less Terran-centered and xenophobic than she purportedly was to be believed. Then, after Braith and Thane's initial separation, Miranda had helped with the work at the consultancy and Thane had shown up to ask for Braith…They went out for drinks and caught up…Thane waited until Miranda asked him, "…I've had this matter on my mind for some years, Thane…Do you remember when I kissed you, thinking you were Jacob…" He nods slowly, "…I was rather drunk…"
"Yes, a few glasses in…You were upset about your sister…" She leans over on the stool she sits upon at the bartop.
"I've always wondered, if it was just the drinks, that…" She rolls her lips into her mouth, making an unpunctured line with her skin above and below the pale petals…Thane waited. Miranda leaned in and touched her lips to his, and Thane delicately parted his lips and kissed her back. That was how it picked up.
Ylyssus clears his throat, and Miranda returns to the present, "…Yes, I believe it."
…They began to see each other more often after that drink and kiss…
She turns her eyes to Ylyssus, "…But we are not bonded to each other."
Night arrives and finds everyone at the fire again, eating and talking with Tetonbaum and Kasumi about their recent spate of captivity in Chiata Sanctuary…Kasumi is lucid, having been treated by Miranda for the venom and other chemicals she had ingested. Tetonbaum is finally dressed, laying on his side facing the fire and studying the krogan, Turian and Miranda with his bright sapphires…Kasumi reclines against his stomach, her forearm on his waist. A red fruit from the stocks of the Ni S'pri crunches in his mouth rather loudly.
He pauses and turns his head to look at Kasumi, who has stopped talking and now gazes at him, a playful smile in both her eyes. He presses the apple towards her, and as she leans forward to bite the offer, Tetonbaum curls up by his waist to kiss her mouth with the apple piece between their teeth. "Ugh, do they ever take a break," Grunt growls as Tetonbaum comes away with more apple in his mouth, Kasumi tittering.
"Grunt," Kasumi turns her gaze to the krogan, sitting in the mephistophelian flickers of the fire, "…You have anyone back home on Planet Krogan?"
"No, well…" He drops his blue eyes to his knees, covered in silk stretched to their limits by his legs' girth, "…Maybe a couple."
She gives the krogan a wink and lies back against Tetonbaum. Garrus flicks a stray ember back into the fire with a piece of kindling, "…When's the wedding," he asks, if only to pass the time while they wait, and worry, about Thane.
"No wedding," Kasumi replies instantaneously, "…Paperwork and leads a trail."
"Were you two ever in any danger," Miranda squints at Kasumi and Tetonbaum.
"Of course, we were," Kasumi stares wide-eyed at Miranda for even thinking the opposite possible, "…and Konis won't be willing to forget and forgive if what I hear is true," she looks at Tetonbaum who smiles and plays with a black tress of her hair.
"He's still out there, and he'll be looking for us."
"And likely he will be rather injured by your getting the better of him," Ylyssus adds, "…in his very own home."
Tetonbaum's smile persists, though it is less toothy…He is thinking.
"Why did Thane," Miranda's voice peters off, "…Damn it…Konis could be taking out his vengeance on him right now for what you did, Tetonbaum."
Hearing the accusation in her tone, Tetonbaum and Kasumi look across the fire at her, bent over her butterflied knees on the stone floor. "Thane will return," Kasumi assures her, "…He knows what he's doing." Tetonbaum does not say anything to firm up her claim, however. Miranda runs her hand over her hair.
She knew it would be like this…Being involved with him, and what had happened to Kolyat…It was only a matter of time, Miranda thinks unhappily. They all look to her movement as she suddenly stands up, pushing off her hands to straighten her legs under her, "…I'm hot…I'm going outside for some cooler air. I'll be back in a minute or two." Tetonbaum and Kasumi share a glance as Grunt stares at the flames of the fire, and Garrus and Ylyssus turn their heads to see Miranda's gray suit fade into the dimmer upper cave space.
One of the di'leans pokes its feathery head out of the cave the beasts have been relegated to by Ylyssus.
"I'd better check Tegal and Ki'ana, put those two to bed."
Grunt rumbles something like an acknowledgement of this, and Ylyssus parts from Garrus to go to see to the di'leans. Tetonbaum places his hand on Kasumi's far shoulder, his deep breath lifting her forward some as she lays on him.
"Do you think Thane got away from him," she asks, her eyes cast downwards under her lashes. Tetonbaum still says nothing.
He stumbles into the soft sand, feeling it give way and suck his leg downward…Thane fortunately has the firmer ground under his hands and pushes off it without the dangerous yield, as he gets his leg free. An aurora borealis waves mysteriously overhead, greens and hues of oranges that turn into vivid purples and fiery pinks…He is oddly aware of the desert's brightness at night under the moons and numerous stars. Her face calls to him and Thane follows where it guides him, intermittently pausing now and then to gather himself and listen to the rumble in the desert.
Irikah fades as she leads him to the Souir, and he sees her stand in a new spot, just at the mouth of the east cavern entrance…Miranda has not noticed him yet, her facing the cliffs above the mouth. He reaches for Irikah's left sleeve and grasps hold of the firm arm underneath—Miranda gasps and jumps, her biotic energy abuzz.
"Thane," she grabs him under his arms and helps him down onto the sand gently, "…Thane!" She pulls him towards the mouth of the caverns, calling over her shoulder for help. "Garrus!" Miranda calls into the caverns louder, frantically dragging Thane with her, "…He's back!…Help!" Her eyes glow as she remembers to use her power, lifting Thane off the ground and carrying him into the darkness of the cavern opening. Garrus and Grunt are there with Ylyssus, taking hold of Thane by his shoulders and helping guide the floating body of the drell back into the safety of the cavern hollow below. "He needs the medlab on the ship…"
"What happened to his eyes," Grunt says, staring at the wounds, "…Did Konis cut them out?"
"They're not permanent…Not really," she tears a sheath off her shirt hem and places it over Thane's face. "If we get him to the medlab, I can assess the damage and maybe repair it…"
"I'll run ahead and check the way," Ylyssus says, "…He could have led Konis here."
They make it to the Ni S'pri without any catches…Thane is brought directly to the medical room on board. He has been quiet throughout the rushed trip and being set on a med bed.
Miranda closes the glass cover of the healing pod and begins to run scans over his entire body…Her eyes are red and puffy from tears she has been wiping her sleeves with as they hastened through the tunnels to the ship.
The damage is mainly limited to a few fractured bones in the arms and chest, more shocking to see the state of his tintless eyes, removed of the lenses. "Why would they take the covers off," Miranda grits through her teeth, "…Simply to torture him?" She glances from the readout on screen to Garrus and Grunt. "The opticals are fine, thank god. Why would they hurt him like this? What is the meaning of doing this to him?"
"Must be some sick joke," Garrus murmurs, his mandibles tight to his jaw, "…He could have blinded him, but all he took was the covers…"
"Looks like he was held down," Miranda points to the fractures, "…He must have struggled."
Thane's chest continues to steadily rise and fall.
While an automated surgical wand repairs the damage to Thane's body and eyes, Tetonbaum and Miranda confer, "…It is as I feared…Konis has sent him back to us alive…He should be dead."
"I'll kill Konis myself if I have to," she looks at Tetonbaum, "…Why do you say that it's what you feared?"
"It is not that I am unrelieved he has not been executed by Konis." He turns his patak to her from the drell in the glass case. Miranda sees the intensity of the sapphires only Kasumi gets to enjoy the depths of, and the gentility in these as he regards her. "Konis would not have sent him to us without having something else in mind. He is a spider, something that has its silk threads connected to everything, even they who think they have escaped him."
"Thane said he was called something like that, only it was a drell word."
"The Coudre," Tetonbaum informs her, "…and he has also been known as Garinga ( Feline )."
Miranda lowers her eyebrows. "What do you think he sent Thane back alive for?" Tetonbaum looks back into the glass case, Thane still breathing with sedation and anesthetic.
"I do not know, that is what troubles me, Miss Miranda," his eyes come back to hers, "…We will need to keep our eyes on him."
"You think," she works her eyebrows up, "…after what has been done to him, Thane would mean a threat to us?…That he would try and hurt us—for Konis?"
"It is not a far challenge to turn one against his kind," Tetonbaum says, "…if the tongue that whispers the idea is clever and subtle enough to get into the mind."
Miranda looks back at Thane on the table. "I'll keep an eye on him."
Ylyssus joins Garrus and Grunt in Navigation. "We are set, the ship may leave."
"To Nualavera?" Garrus asks.
"Nualavera," Tetonbaum confirms as he and Kasumi join them. "We will need to be obscure for a while," Tetonbaum goes on, "…The ship may land offshore and I can show you a secret way into the city…Nualavera is home, but it is in no way yet safe…Cartira is there, and though he will smile and show you hospitality with his right hand," Tetonbaum lowers his face to them all, "…he will move swiftly with a dagger in his left to lame you."