Adventure of Tracy 1

The bazaar of Barony Chita hunches under patched awnings and guttering lamps. Traders go quiet as Tracy steps in, and every eye turns toward the center ring.

There, the elder stands rigid beside a fruit stall, both hands flashing sharp little signals. Across from them, a lean mutant negotiator lifts a creased prewar map toward the crowd.

The map catches the firelight, its edges yellowed, a thumbprint of old grease dark on one corner. The negotiator’s other hand stays near a holstered pistol, but he does not draw.

The elder is trying to warn the bazaar without saying too much.

A hard-faced guard from the stalls shifts his weight, waiting for Tracy to pick a side. The negotiator starts to turn, ready to walk if nobody stops him.

Tracy slips between the negotiator and the bazaar exit, close enough to catch the sour edge of his fear. Her focus drops inward, into the shape of his thoughts.

The image in his mind snaps clear, a fake route dressed up with old grime and a stolen seal. He is not delivering proof, he is trying to carry off a planted lure.

A ripple goes through the nearest shoppers. The guard’s posture changes, one hand rising off the weapon as the story in the air turns.

The negotiator freezes, map still raised, but his eyes dart for a gap in the crowd.