A puppet among researchers

Tighnari 1

"Are you sure that the Vahumana researcher is actually going to show?" Tighnari asked Kaveh.

They were in the desert, help us all!

Both Tighnari and Kaveh don't do well with heat. The last time they were here was to represent their darshans. To Tighnari's horror, the people responsible for cleaning up after the event had left the ley line disruption machines up. It was lucky for their research but it's terribly dangerous to leave machines of this kind out here.

"Actually no, I'm not!" Kaveh answered

"I'm sorry WHAT?"

"He didn't give me a definite answer, he said he'd think about it then left. The directions to this location were in the back of the file." Kaveh said.

Tighnari sighed. Of course, only Kaveh would drag himself in the middle of nowhere because he had faith that someone would show up.

He looked at his stash of water. Not good.

"Well we can't wait for him too much longer! I'm almost out of water. Who is this researcher anyway? You aren't the type to befriend a Vahumana guy." Tighnari asked. As he did so he didn't realize that someone was walking up behind him.

"Should I be offended?" Hat guy said as he walked into their temporary camp site.

"I meant no offense. Kaveh just had some bad blood with one of the Vahumana researchers that are no longer with us." Tighnari answered.

"Oh!" Was all hat guy said.

Tighnari knew next to nothing about hat guy. Only thing he knew was he was the top of his class, his writing style was straight to the point, and that he gave up his own water to help him.

Looking at him now he looked no different then he did during the event but...

"Did you bring water with you?" Tighnari asked

"Why do you care?" Hat guy said in a voice that made Tighnari question what he had said wrong.

Kaveh who had also noticed the lack of water on the guy said. "We are in the middle of the desert. You need something to drink."

Hat guy's eyes rolled.

"Aren't we out here only to move that mechanism?" Hat guy said as he pointed to the ley line disrupter

Both kaveh and Tighnari stared at him

It was quiet for a moment

Then hat guy laughed and said, "you two were just gonna study it out here? Your heat resistance sucks and you, ha I heard you passed out during the interdarson championship!"

"Would moving it just cause it to activate?" Tighnari asked.

"Only If you don't know what you're doing!" Hat guy said.

~

The three of them worked cleaning up camp and moving the disruption device.

Hat guy carried it to Tighnari's surprise

The guy doesn't look like he should be able to carry 5 pounds let alone a over 100 pound machine.

The crew had to stop every few minutes because both Tighnari and kaveh don't do well with heat. But oddly hat guy didn't drink any water this entire trip.

Both of his travel companions offered him but he just said he didn't need any!

But he didn't look like he needed it! Maybe he was just used to high temperatures.

Unfortunately for the team there was a crime scene in the way of the path to Gandharva Vile.

Several Matra present, and of course hat guy looked very suspicious (because he didn't look like a local and was carrying a very suspicious, carrying that ley line disruption device) he was questioned, then because he wasn't cooperating with them was detained until the general arrived.

We waited for about an hour! (Tighnari considered leaving him there, but Kevah wouldn't let him)

"Well what brings you here?" Cyno asked.

"Your men are holding our research partner so you could interrogate him." Kevah said.

"He was being quite uncooperative, he kept saying that lesser lord Kusanali could confirm his whereabouts during the time of the murder." One of the matraz said.

Tighnari face palmed.

Out of all the excuses he has heard over the years.....

"Cyno, would you mind if we tried speaking to him before you get your torture devices out?" Tighnari asked. He's gonna give that idiot a piece of... "TORTURE DEVICE?!" Kevah yelled, interrupting Tighnari's train of thought.

"He was only joking kevah, if you think it will help move the investigation along then go ahead." Cyno said.

We got to the tent that was holding Hat guy (it was previously set up to protect the evidence from getting destroyed in the heat) Tighnari didn't even wait for an explanation

"You told the Matra that you know LESSER LORD KUSANALI?!"

"I was gonna ask if we could leave now but I'm assuming that the answer is no." Hat guy said.

"You just told the Matra that you know the Archron, did you think they would believe you?" Kevah asked

"No! But it's the truth! Why would I say something that could easily be proven a lie?" Hat guy asked.

"I.. good point!" Kevah said.

At that moment Cyno walked into the tent.

"You are free to go!" Cyno said.

"Just like that?" Tighnari asked.

Cyno replied saying, "Well Deya found the criminal and al-"

"I found an eye witness who saw a Absurdly large hat walking around the Sanctuary of Surrasthana." Alhaitham said as he walked into the tent.

"Great now we can leave!" Hat guy said with no explanation for the whys of his whereabouts.

After he left the tent, Cyno said "That man is shady. Do you get it? It's because..."

"I GET IT!" Tighnari said, clearly irritated.

But Cyno had a point.

What on earth would a researcher from Vahumana have to do with the Dendro archon?