06-27-2023, 06:51 AM
Port Salad, Salad Land
June 26th
The Cosmic Paragon bobbed gently in the harbor. The Thraxian ship had been scouring the nearby lands of Neria for the latest batch of cargo that King Shapur had needed for his "experiments". It was on its way back home, but had stopped in Salad Land for a quick overnight rest and replenishment of supplies.
The Saladian inspections of docking vessels tended to be cursory, especially when the harbormaster received a "gift" in exchange for the docking privileges. This was how the cargo in question would be unnoticed by anyone before it was far too late.
In the wee hours of the night, one of the crates in the cargo hold would topple from the top of a hastily assembled stack of crates. The crash that it made escaped the notice of the night watchman on the ship because he was quite soundly asleep. Dark shapes began to emerge from the crate, slowly making their way to the deck of the ship and then over the side. As they landed on the pier below, they escaped the notice of the Saladian guards of the port because they were all quite drunk. The dark shapes made their way out of the port, into the nearby city.
---
On the seaside promenade that was the main attraction of Port Salad, a couple made their way down the street. They were the only people out at this late hour, having been on a romantic date. As they arrived at the front of the young woman's house, she consented to let her date give her a hug. Suddenly, she reared back and slapped him across the face. "Pinching me bottom, huh? Don't get fresh."
"But I didn't!" he protested.
His date suddenly jumped. "Ouch! Ow!" she shouted, turning around and frantically slapping at her dress. The young man with her at first thought she was going a bit mad, but then he jumped as well and let out a screech.
---
In his rooms above his shop, a shopkeeper on the promenade enjoyed the sort of deep sleep earned by a day of hard work. Suddenly, he bolted upright in his bed, shouting in pain.
---
The Salad Land Police Service office rarely received calls this late. But this night, calls suddenly began pouring in. People reporting something had gotten into their homes. Something bitey and scaly.
---
As night turned slowly into dawn, a frazzled Katherine Rudhall arrived at the dock. The Police Commissioner, a squad in tow, button-holed the harbormaster. "We've tracked the little bastards down to that ship," she snapped. "How in the hell did this cargo escape your notice?"
The harbormaster shrugged. "Busy day?" he tried.
Rudhall gave him a look that could have melted glass. "What did you find in the ship?" she demanded, turning to one of her officers.
"They definitely came from that Thraxian ship, ma'am. They didn't want us to go look in the cargo hold, but we, um, persuaded them. They've got dozens of crates of these things down there. At least one of them broke and the cargo in question escaped into the city. We are trying to track them all down, but, well, they're quick and bitey."
Rudhall turned to her squad. "Impound that ship at once," she ordered, pointing to the Cosmic Paragon. "On charges of violating our ban on dangerous animals. To wit, quick and bitey lizards."
June 26th
The Cosmic Paragon bobbed gently in the harbor. The Thraxian ship had been scouring the nearby lands of Neria for the latest batch of cargo that King Shapur had needed for his "experiments". It was on its way back home, but had stopped in Salad Land for a quick overnight rest and replenishment of supplies.
The Saladian inspections of docking vessels tended to be cursory, especially when the harbormaster received a "gift" in exchange for the docking privileges. This was how the cargo in question would be unnoticed by anyone before it was far too late.
In the wee hours of the night, one of the crates in the cargo hold would topple from the top of a hastily assembled stack of crates. The crash that it made escaped the notice of the night watchman on the ship because he was quite soundly asleep. Dark shapes began to emerge from the crate, slowly making their way to the deck of the ship and then over the side. As they landed on the pier below, they escaped the notice of the Saladian guards of the port because they were all quite drunk. The dark shapes made their way out of the port, into the nearby city.
---
On the seaside promenade that was the main attraction of Port Salad, a couple made their way down the street. They were the only people out at this late hour, having been on a romantic date. As they arrived at the front of the young woman's house, she consented to let her date give her a hug. Suddenly, she reared back and slapped him across the face. "Pinching me bottom, huh? Don't get fresh."
"But I didn't!" he protested.
His date suddenly jumped. "Ouch! Ow!" she shouted, turning around and frantically slapping at her dress. The young man with her at first thought she was going a bit mad, but then he jumped as well and let out a screech.
---
In his rooms above his shop, a shopkeeper on the promenade enjoyed the sort of deep sleep earned by a day of hard work. Suddenly, he bolted upright in his bed, shouting in pain.
---
The Salad Land Police Service office rarely received calls this late. But this night, calls suddenly began pouring in. People reporting something had gotten into their homes. Something bitey and scaly.
---
As night turned slowly into dawn, a frazzled Katherine Rudhall arrived at the dock. The Police Commissioner, a squad in tow, button-holed the harbormaster. "We've tracked the little bastards down to that ship," she snapped. "How in the hell did this cargo escape your notice?"
The harbormaster shrugged. "Busy day?" he tried.
Rudhall gave him a look that could have melted glass. "What did you find in the ship?" she demanded, turning to one of her officers.
"They definitely came from that Thraxian ship, ma'am. They didn't want us to go look in the cargo hold, but we, um, persuaded them. They've got dozens of crates of these things down there. At least one of them broke and the cargo in question escaped into the city. We are trying to track them all down, but, well, they're quick and bitey."
Rudhall turned to her squad. "Impound that ship at once," she ordered, pointing to the Cosmic Paragon. "On charges of violating our ban on dangerous animals. To wit, quick and bitey lizards."
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