jeriendhal | Fic: The Summer Intern (cont.)

Skyler brought the flyer down in the landing port and all three of them trudged back to the First One's tree house. When Nan climbed up through the trapdoor, Freya and Skyler following, she found the First One waiting for them in the conversation pit, Lady Brushtail sitting across from him. She was dressed in what Nan supposed was her interpretation of her famous great-grandfather's green and gold striped mercenary uniform. Though Nan was fairly certain that Rufus Brushtail's original never showed that much belly fur or cleavage.

Floating in the holographic projector set in the pit's central table was a florid looking greyfur wearing a noble's house uniform, who was busy haranguing the two of them as the trio entered.

"I told you from the start that you weren't addressing the situation with proper seriousness, and this is the result!" the male noble shouted.

"Count Brokentoe, I took th' situation quite seriously, thanks," the First One answered, his tail flipping in agitation. "As y' perfectly well know I went out t' address it personally and told that buck and his troupe t' back off. Which he did. The Furrows were satisfied about how it worked out an' so was I. We don't know what happened after that."

"I'll tell you what happened!" the Count replied angrily. "They snuck back a week later and murdered two of my oath sworn commoners out of sheer spite! Now I want to know what you are going to do about it! The Holy Den Mother demands justice!"

"She demands a helluva lot. She don't get it very often," the First One replied. "I'll remind ya that at the moment we don't know that the buck or his troupe were actually involved in the... ah... incident."

"You can not seriously think that someone else..." Count Brokentoe began to growl.

"I don't know if anyone else is responsible. I don't know if the buck is responsible either," the First One cut him off. "But I'm gonna find out for ya. I'm orderin' every ferin with a good bion range to start runnin' a search pattern in the area of the Region near the Furrow's farm. We'll find the buck an' question him."

"And if you find him, what then?" Brokentoe demanded.

"If he's not guilty, he goes on his merry way an' you owe me a fraggin' apology. If he is guilty, he any of his troupe that were involved are gonna face my justice," the First One told him.

"Which will be?" Brushtail asked, ears flicked back in obvious anger.

"I don't know yet. This has never happened before." THe First One glanced over to where Nan, Freya and Skyler still stood, waiting. "Now my team who visited the farm is here t' give me their report. I'll pass a summary to ya ASAP as soon as they're done givin' it. Good day, Count Brokentoe." He shut off the holocom before the Count could reply, leaned back in his seat and shouted up to the ceiling, "Fragging arsehole!"

"Who, Uncle? The buck or Brokentoe?" Lady Brushtail asked, leaning back in her own seat, outwardly calm but with her tail curled up between her legs.

"Both of 'em!" the First One said. He turned to Nan and the others. "Well don't just stand around keepin' the floor boards employed. Sit down an' tell me what ya saw. You first, Vix."

TBC