Kolath arrives at The Dancing Fish, along with the Karazthani, to find a scene of utter carnage. The restaurant is in flames, as is residential building on the opposite side of the street. The street is filled with burned and bloodied people who have been lucky enough to escape, some giving or receiving first aid, others just staggering around dazed. Kolath has enough experience of battlefield injuries to recognise shrapnel wounds on some of the injured.

Jorlak sees help arrive in the shape of half-a-dozen Karazthan security, accompanied by a Legionnaire. Not a fire-fighting team, but better than nothing.

Kolath

Jorlak looked familiar, but it took a moment to place him. Kolath walked up to him, holding up a hand to get his attention.

"What happened here... and what can we do to help?"

Jorlak

The priest answers, "There was an explosion after something was thrown into the Dancing Fish. Some of the Karazthani are trying to contact the dome now, I think to get people to deal with the fire and injuries."

Kolath

He nodded gravely, then turned to Varuis. "Have your people help as they can until the fire brigade arrives. Kolath pulled a scrap of paper from his clothing and a stylus, then quickly scribbled a note before handing the paper to Jorlak.

"Can you have someone deliver this to Legion headquarters? It's my request they send help."

Jorlak

The priest absently accepts the note. "I think the Karazthani would rather contact the dome than the Legion. And most of the survivors still need to rest."

Kolath

"Perhaps they would, but I'd feel better the sooner the Legion was advised of the situation." He looked around, expression concerned.

"And your guildmaster, Dalarath, was he here when the explosion took place?"

Jorlak

"One of them mentioned that their guildmaster," with careful emphasis, "was next to him at that moment. I do not think anyone has mentioned seeing him since then."

Kolath

"Sorry, I mispoke," he said automatically, even as his expression grew more stern, "their guildmaster. I spoke with him recently and..."

Kolath stopped himself from saying anything further; he didn't really know this priest although he had no reason to distrust the man. He looked around for Varuis.

Varuis is talking agitatedly on one of the Karazthan communicators. Kolath notices a badly-wounded man lying on the ground who seems to be trying unsuccessfully to attract Varuis' attention.

Kolath

He scowled at the Karazthani and gestured for the priest to follow him.

"Come with me," he said and walked across to where the injured man was trying to get Varuis' attention (as a senior Legionaire officer, Kolath was used to giving orders and seldom thought twice about to whom the orders were given). He squatted on his haunches and touched the wounded man.

"Can we help you?"

Jorlak

The priest shrugs and follows Kolath. He looks at the injured man to see whether he is the same one he helped out of the building (and therefore possibly the last one to see Dalarath alive).

Kolath

The Kandar Legionaire looked up at Varuis and then back at the wounded man.

"Did you want to speak to him?" he asked, pointing to Varuis.

It is the same man that Jorlak rescued.

"We need to contact the dome, Legionnaire", the man says, "Dalarath is almost certainly dead; Guriunath must be informed".

Kolath

His face tightened at the mention of Guriunath's name and Dalarath's death. He looked up at Varuis, scowling, then over at the priest before getting back to his feet.

"See to this man's needs," he growled to no one in particular and then froze in place, eyes widening.

The Dome... Gariunath and the Dome... And Varuis had sent Hollis to the Dome for medical care!

[OOC: Does Kolath carry a communicator?]

At times like this it's a pity Legion officers don't have access to the communicators used by the Karazthan; they would work wonders on the battlefield. To contact the barracks would require him to send a runner, or go there himself.

Varuis himself hears Kolath's demand, and runs over to the wounded man.

Kolath

He turned to the priest and spoke curtly.

"I pray you, if something happens to me before I can obtain help, get word to the Legion Barracks that Dalarath has been assassinated and that Hollis, the human assistant of Tavoneyr Kolath is being held prisoner at the Karazthani Dome."

Without waiting for a response, Kolath turned and ran as fast as he could for the Legion Barracks, calling out to any Legionaire he might pass on his way.

Jorlak

The priest nods. Then he looks at the note he accepted earlier. "Do you still need ...?"

Kolath

"Yes," he called back over his shoulder, hoping the priest meant what he thought he meant but in too much of a hurry to seek corroboration.

"It could not hurt... might help."

Kolath's long legs ate up the paving tiles.

The first legionnaires Kolath encounters are the sentries on duty at the gates of the barracks itself.

Out of breath, he passes the message. A messenger immediately hurries to summon the Nir-Urileyr.

Kolath

He was worried about Hollis and he felt responsible for not paying attention when Varuis said where the Karazthani were taking her but, before he could see to her safety, he had to report Dalarath's almost certain death to his superior.

Jorlak

Meanwhile, the priest proceeds to Legion headquarters with the note Kolath handed him.

Jorlak reaches the Legion barracks to find Kolath has got there safely. As he arrives, the nir-Urileyr responds to the summons.

"Kolath, what's the problem?", he asks.

Kolath

The legionaire looked at Jorlak rather puzzledly, then remembered the request he'd made of the priest but, just as he started to speak, the nir-Urileyr arrived and questioned him.

Kolath reported as succinctly as he could, telling of the explosion at the restaurant, the assumed death of Dalarath and his - Kolath's - intention to go back to the Dome to determine what had happened to his human protege, Hollis, and, at the same time, to confront Guruinath with his suspicions.

"This priest," he said, gesturing toward Jorlak, "is a witness."

The officer turns to Jorlak.

"Kolath says you were a witness", he says, "What did you see?".

Jorlak

The priest thinks back. "Something about this large," holding his hands to indicate the size, "came through the glass. There was a smell of smoke, and a short time later a bright flash. Afterwards, I found two others who were still alive, a Karazthani who was trapped under a beam, and another man who helped move the beam."