Late Night Repairs

Kade climbed the stairs of the recently repaired barracks with a large pack on his back, an iron pot and a bucket mounted on a large stick used by townsfolk to carry two or more large buckets of water or other goods where they were physically able to carry less, each was loaded with bits and bobs, roofing materials and some powders to make a sticky resin that acted as glue and sealant against water and tiny bits of debris. It was dark out in the little town and many were asleep in their various huts or at the Inn. The barracks was still unoccupied for the time being as it still needed repairs done.

Kade himself couldn't sleep and so felt to put himself to work on something he took a bit of enjoyment from. Pushing open the door with his foot whilst balancing precariously on the other he entered into the hut and set the down the Iron Pot and bucket down followed by quietly setting the large bag he had as well down against a wall. The sudden flash of lightning streaking across the sky which was soon after accompanied by a loud sonic boom of thunder. Kade peered out the window and could see roiling clouds in the distance however the sweet moist smell of rain and sudden temperature drop on the wind often acted as a precurser to storms was absent. "Heat Storm. No rain, just thunder and lightning." He spoke to himself as he turned and walked back to his bag and retrieved two candles and set them up on boxes on either side. With a spark from his claws he lit them, casting enough of a glow in the room for a Khajiit to see perfectly with albeit muted colour spectrum from their night vision.

He smiled and set himself up with a smaller pot over some stones which he heated up and set about with a pre-made stew to cook whilst he prepared the Resin in the larger cast Iron pot. Using his own fire to heat and stir the thick gooey liquid and keep it molten. While it bubbled away now he got up and checked the roof tiles from what he could see outside. Some broken, others missing and overall in need of replacement. Heading back in he looked to the planks of wood that made up the inside and set about climbing up there to get at them. Using crates, a bit of acrobatics and a nice handhold on the roof supports he settled in and began to rip them out.

Wasn't long until the denizens of the roof started to come out, the Tiger skinned Khajiit felt the gentle points of a Spider crawling along his right hand. He turned his head and looked at it, big, black with a nasty red stripe along its rather gargantuan abdomen. Grabbing a chisel he'd been using and playing a little bit of a game of chance he stabbed the thing right through said meaty rear. Unfortunately whilst it died, it spawned hundreds of tiny itty bitty black mini-spiders that started crawling everywhere!

"No, No, No.." he trailed as the little swarm started for him, as he shifted to flick them off he lost balance and landed with a loud THUD on his back followed by a groan. I hate spiders he thought and upon feeling some of them on him, Kade quickly surrounded himself in searing heat to kill the little buggers. Though he chose not to move and wait out the subsiding pain that rocked through his butt and back.

Qa'iit approached the scene, his familiar heavy footfall growing closer to the khaj'iit on his back. Each of his steps followed by a the rattling of plates of metal. He stopped his feet standing inches from Kade's head. Qa'iit looked down on Kade his towering Cathay-raht body being fully exposed for its true height to Kade, given the angle at which he would view it. He stood fully armored. The occasional strike of heat lightning momentarily illuminating his features and armor. His well kept and polished metal plates would reflect the great light of the storm. Qa'iit stood like a great orbital body refracting the light of another. Like the moons reflecting the light of the sun, so did Qa'iit reflect the light of the storm.

"Alright?"

Qa'iit said in a familiar stern voice that seemed a command demanding a stats report, over questioning Kade's health.

Qa'iit hunched over as much as his armor would allow, letting one arm dangle from its socket as a extended gesture to assist Kade to his feet. Even with a Khaj'iit's excellent night vision it would be difficult to determine Qa'iit's expression being that his ebony fur so easily blended with the background of the black sky above. In those brief moments of illumination by the lightning, while Kade still lay on atop the dirt. He could see the expression did not bear the hardened, earnest lines in which most are accustom, but Qa'iit looked on with a protective tenderness.

"That is quiet the fall you took there. Do I need to call a healer, or will you be alright?"

The heavy Thump! Thump! Thump! Of metal boots on the ground was not all that expected by the khajiit who lay there, on the floor staring at the roof hole he fell out of. Up until he had the looming Qa'iit standing over him like a phantom of the night. Eyes all a-glow each time the lightning would flash like fingers reaching across the sky. The full height of the Cathay-raht was impressive and for Kade, he didn't mind. Oddly he didn't mind the view he had either from this angle.

He smiled at the large Panther Khajiit in a manner that was definitely happy to see them. Despite the embarrassing circumstance in which he was found. Kade was about to respond when Qa'iit leaned down with an arm out and offered to him as a way of being helped up. For a moment he didn't move and just looked into those eyes of green (Or Yellow) before slowly taking the warrior's hand. "I'm..fine.. just pride hurt. He responded still with that rather evident smile. He managed to stand up with a slight wince as his entire back and backside throbbed from the fall. He was very much thankful that he was not in proper plate armour and rather a softer padded cloth that could go for really light armour at best.

"I..wouldn't mind a bit of company for a bit if you're interested. I got a pot on the rocks inside with stew going. If you're interested." He added, motioning upstairs.

"Well those will both need fixing. The roof and your pride that is."

He said dryly, before hoisting Kade up to his feet with one certain pull on his arm. His grip served as a token describing his past. It was solid and unyielding, that of a man who had earned his existence by clinging to the handle of a weapon. Once certain Kade could stand on his own he released his grip and his hands moved his monstrous paws to Kade's shoulders, holding him in place. Qa'iit turned his head to the side, his amber eyes kept vigilantly fixed on Kade as he inspected him for a moment. Justifying to himself letting Kade return to his task.

"I'll stay and supervise you, lest you do anymore damage to the roof or your pride, than need be done."

Qa'iit let his hands roll of Kade's shoulders, returning them to their dutiful position at his side. He errected his posture and stood at attention before Kade.

"Then lead the way, I'll watch over you until I see fit to relieve myself."

"Well, the roof is easy. I've pulled out all the rotted boards where the roof tiles had been damaged and water got in. So I'll be sitting down and playing a puzzle with the salvageable ones so they can be re-used. With Resin sticking them together. Then I'll put new boards up where the old ones were and hopefully the Spider swarm isn't there anymore." He replies, feeling a bit tense. Though he was carefully watching the Stoic Panther's expression. Each ear twitch, whisker flick and even the motions of his eyes. Trying to read the Khajiit's emotions. The hand contact on his shoulders made Kade involuntarily shiver. He wasn't used to physical contact with others in nearly any sense outside of assault or arrest. Though he did his best to keep that from showing.

He gave a bow of his head to the individual and picked up what roof tiles that fell with him and then headed for the stairs, a slight limp to his walk as he could still feel the occasional throb course up his back from where he landed. "Well, while you're here I was curious about you. You're a strong warrior with a very strong grip, an excellent sense of order and a protective quality second to none." he added as they headed up the stairs, Kade keeping one hand on the railing at all times. Though as he walked one would notice the left arm hanging lower than the right, the poor bugger had dislocated his shoulder without even feeling it.

"Spoken like a regular man of the craft. Tell me have you worked on builds before?"

Qa'iit's face remained still, motionless. Not the detached, apathetic face of a man who did not care, but the austerity of an expression that held a disciplined capacity to feel too deeply. He followed Kade up the old stairs, each board squeaked and bent under the tension, each sound like a cry to be reprieved of burden. He spoke on his assent behind Kade.

"You're looking a little lopsided."

He stated evenly. Upon reaching the second floor of the building he would find himself a sturdy structure or frame to lean his weight against.

"You're going to have to phrase that in the form of a question, the simple notion of curiosity does not warrant a response."

He said in conclusion in a dry voice, directing his head to the threshold of the doorway. He crossed his arms around his barreled chest, tucking each hand in the crux of the opposing arm. His ears pivoted in the direction of Kade awaiting his response.

He tilted his head and looks to Qa'iit "Lops.." He looks at his arm and frowns "...Pain Tolerance..Uhh..Can I get a hand putting it back in?" He asked. "Also I have done this before, as part of the Warrior Guard when we are put out to helping towns we tend to help rebuild as well. If we are able to." He nods. Turning his shoulder to Qa'iit and braced it with his free hand.

"Where did you come from? As for your state as a warrior I've noticed your skill and I'd like to know where you got trained or taught. Did you serve in a military?" He asked bracing for what would be a sharp, terrible pain. His tail flicked slowly about whilst his eyes remained focused on Qa'iit.

"Certainly."

Qa'iit said erecting his posture by pushing himself off of the wall. He placed his hands on Kade's shoulder, and the other hand wrapped around the thick of Kade's arm. "Three...Two..." he didn't wait to count to anything lower before first applying the distracting pressure then forcing the dislocated humerus back into it's socket. Upon completing the task he would instantly and hastily relinquish his grip, letting the tiger khaj'iit have the space he might desire to recover.

"I imagine I came from some Khaj'iit woman's womb. I have trained myself in the art of battle. Over my long years serving as a hired muscle and guard I taught myself how to swing metal at people. Many would say its very complicated stuff in depth the sort that must be learned from some master of one or another techniques."

Brought one of his large paws up to hover over the side of his head. With a slow deliberate motion he tapped his temple, with one grand finger.

"...But if you think of it one motion at a time. It isn't all that complicated, still takes training, years of it. As for the military, no. I served only as a mercenary for various caravans in the deserts of Elsweyr, tavern guard and town guard in the forests of the bosmer, and a personal shield for those Altmer in Auridon. I eventually took a job protecting skooma dealers which eventually lead me here. What of yourself Kad'ra Thorkan?"

Three, Two- Oh Snap! First thoughts that crossed his head followed by a sudden snap and crunch as the joint was socketed back into place after those heavy gauntleted paws gripped him. "Ohhhh two moons that feels good.." he panted out as the feeling slowly subsided. He wasn't into pain but when you have a high threshold it can almost feel good to feel it sometimes. He took a breath in and out and looked to Qa'iit as the Panther Cathay-Raht spoke about his origins. Was there a hint of a joke in the beginning or was he Serious?

He smiled lazily and leaned against the wall happy to make talk with the big guy. "All self taught. That's pretty good. You carry yourself less like Hired Muscle and goon squad and more like a man of Uniform. The confidence you have in yourself and what you do is..enthralling." He nods affirmatively. His eyes remained focused on Qa'iit "I don't bite." he added with a slight grin having noted the distance between the two.

"As for myself.. Born and raised in Torval. Well educated and taught from a young age how to handle a blade and later on how to wield destructive forces with it. Got pretty creative. Best thing about the Antronach blessing are the deep reserves and being a Mages worst nightmare. Almost." He rolled his shoulder to keep movement going in it so things settled before turning and opening the door and leading Qa'iit into the Barracks. "Watch the Resin. Its molten hot on those stones still." He set the bits of roof tile down and took a seat on the floor. "Take a seat! I served Five years within the Warrior Guard of Torval and spent another two as Honor Guard. Both came with more training and other bits of education. Quite fun, aside from the small issues that cropped up."

"I noticed your choice of weapon is a Mace. Any particular preference for it or just adds variety to your repertoire?"

"Respect..." Qa'iit uttered as if the syllables were all he needed to differentiate his performance from the common mercenary."Mercenaries often forget they are little more than glorified servicemen. Usually given their stature they are not used to others using force against them; so, they act like money hungry beasts tolerating just enough of the civil world to see their mouths filled."

He said his head leaning back and a slight disgusted snarl breaking the otherwise vigilant, stalwart expression of his face. Walking across the barrack's floor he found a wall to lean against near where Kade had taken a seat.

"A man of the jungle. I prefer the deserts myself. You're just a young one then. The first reason I use a mace is I have the ability to wield it, few men can swing a piece of metal as large I am willing to put up with. That being you should know how difficult it is to stop a large piece of metal. Too much momentum. Secondly blunt weapons are less likely to leave an opponent bleeding to death. That way those that are worthy of it might be offered a chance to submit. Contrary to what you might hear of me. Those who's very nature is not a threat should be offered a chance for repentance."

"Understandable. But a Mace also tends to shatter bones, cause allot of internal injury such as organ rupture and in some cases lung punctures. So.. It works both for and against it." He nods as he looks to Qa'iit as he held the bits together in his hands to let the resin set enough for him to set them down and move onto the rest. Like a large Jigsaw puzzle. Meticulously checking every piece so it fit almost exactly as it did before whilst accounting for small shards being lost.


"Mercenaries are what they make themselves to be. From Honorable individuals making a way in life to those who would raise a village in the same way they'd defend it if paid enough. You and I sit on the spectrum of being Honorable individuals making our way in life. We have our codes, our desires and wants. We make do with what we have and do what we can with what is offered."