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The Great Coffee Shortage: Team Building or How to Persuade a Double Knight

The first meeting had ended in disaster.  Some of the teams had been half formed at best before she had to leave suddenly.  One moment talking to everyone and next sitting on a tram petting a wild animal that followed her.

The episodes had gotten worse after the prisoners escape.  Wright, Domino, and the detective fellow had caught one of the pirates and tried questioning her.  Beryl visited Nellie, but was caught like others in an explosion.  Doctor Avalon quickly came to assist but administered a medicine that bore a nasty side effect.  The doctor meant well with that anti-toxin, but now her thoughts were even more clouded.

The second meeting got off to a rough start as it moved  from Cuffs, to the Alley cat, and finally the newly rebuilt Gangplank. She missed the old structure, with its familiar angles and curves, but it still carried the same scent of ‘purple sage’.  Emerson rose from the back in surprise at his unexpected guests.  “Sorry about the mess,  I’ve been preoccupied lately!”

Beryl did not notice any mess, nor did a number of others, but it was good to see her old friend again.  She greeted him while the proprietor fumbled in his pockets a moment as he looked around hopefully,”Don’t suppose anyone has a thermos of coffee hidden in a pocket?”

“I’m not that loveable,”  Beryl replied and Emerson agreed to her amusement.  He always could make her laugh.  “Actually, I was hoping to talk to you.”

There were several more rough exchanges between the patrons, but eventually she got to what brought them together.  The coffee shortage, which was also turning into an alcohol and tea shortage.  “Everyone, this is Sir Sir Emerson Lighthouse. A local hero who valiantly destroyed the cure for the Common Cold.  Sir Sir Emerson, Cyan and Tepic have been kidnapped by airship pirates.”

Emerson smiled and waved to everyone from behind his cigar.  She wasn’t sure he had heard her. “I hope people didn’t come here thinking I had booze. I’ve been dry since Mr. Underby yanked my license .  I printed more of course but he kept yanking them.”  Looking out at the sea of new faces he added, “If you don’t know Underby I’l give you a tip, you don’t want to.”

“I might be able to maybe help with that if you’ll do us a teensy-tiny little you’ll-never-regret-it doom favor.”

There were many complications and distractions, but she was eventually able to get everyone on board.  Wright and his team were ready to go as the A-team, or team Assassin hunters.  Emerson would take the B-team to parley with the pirates for the return of Tepic and Cyan, and ending the coffee blockade if he could.  The third team would meet the nautical pirates on the sea and try to blow them out of the water.   Not, though, at the same time.

A note was quickly made so people could refer to it quickly:

A-Team – Assassins hunters
Wright
Aymeric
Ming
Nellie
Dr Avalon

B-Team – Parlay Pirates – Badass/Bomb
Emerson
Rayn
Candance
Loki Gearhead?
Tepic?
Cyan?

C-Team – Navy support – Combat/Sea
Bookworm
Coleen
Russell Firecrest

The teams could still grow, but now they at least had a plan.  Emerson wasted little time in gathering what he think his team needed, “We need drinks!  I heard the word ‘negotiate’ and nothing gets negotiated without liquor.”

Beryl agreed, but Lighthouse wasn’t done, “The B team needs an expense account too.  I have expensive tastes and Underby is auditing me. I suggest we Charge it to Edward Pearse. He’s rich enough not to notice.”

“No, and if you play your cards right Emerson, you might be able to add the Savior of Coffee to your list of accomplishments.”

Emerson considered this a few moments, “I should get my image imprinted on every tin!”

Beryl eventually left the teams to work out what they would do on their own.  She was getting in their way getting distracted every few minutes.  She had gathered people she thought would work well together, though it seemed Domino soon joined Team A.

That was fine, it was the meeting she hadn’t wanted her to attend.  The last thing Beryl needed was the distracting glares or the snide comments derailing her attention.  She hoped the C team would grow quickly or they’d stand no chance.  Ideally the navy would help but the feline did not feel she could go to the militia for a Mondrago problem except Bookworm.

The sun had set and the temperature was slowly dropping.  In the distance she could just make out the setting sun through the clouds.  It was a lovely shade tonight.  She stayed there watching it until long after it faded, her thoughts clouded with her purpose gone.

That was when pirate known as Pan approached her from the warehouse district.  Beryl did not even notice till she spoke.

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