Having spoken to the guards ahead of time, Sumiko had made her prayer route a little faster this morning. As she often did in the mornings, she had her black kimono, but with the weather being bad the previous day she'd made sure to keep her umbrella close by. Not needed thankfully, and when she got back to the embassy she had a message waiting for her.

Now back at the embassy, Sumiko had moved to the common room and arranged for some tea to be brought in as she waited for her guest.

A short time later her guest arrived, "Good morning Susumu-sama." Dai offers a respectful bow.

Sumiko peeked up from the computer and smiled.

"Ah, Dai-san! Good morning, I hope you are well? Would you like some tea?"

As well as can be expected with such a small haul. But at least I'm not reporting total failure.

"Tea would be lovely, if you have the time."

"Of course!"

Sumiko motioned to a man standing by the door to go get a new pot of tea before motioning to the cushion next to her.

"Please get comfortable. I've been looking forward to hearing from you."

There was a pause as her communicator went off, and she picked it up to read the message. She looked at the message for a few moments with a curious expression, before replying then putting the communicator down.

"My apology for that."

He waves away the apology, "It is no matter, one expects that Susumu-sama is a busy individual, such interruptions come as part of that burden."

Another message arrived, but so did the tea. She moved to pour the tea for Dai then waved the guards away and closed the common room door.

"It does seem to be quite busy lately, however it's not too busy that I can't speak with a friend" she smiled at him "please, enjoy the tea. Allow me a moment to reply and you can let me know how your work is going. Have you been delvin'?"

Sumiko entered a reply into her communicator as she listened to Dai.

He sips the tea and nods, "Not into the Desolation... though I might tomorrow depending on how life treats us. Only into matters that we had previously discussed."

"Ah hai, I remember. I suppose you have good news then?" Sumiko peeked at her communicator and there was a small chuckle.

"It seems the Fortunes have heard us also. I may have another matter to speak to you about also. However, business first."

He nods, "Good new and bad news I fear." Best to not hold back and just tear off the bandage.

"For the good. Both sites were accessed, and egressed, without issue or detection. There is nothing that will lead back to you."

He holds back the sigh over the next part.

"The bad, and the reason I did not reach out to you after the first infiltration, is that little of value was discovered at either property. I'm left to conclude they prefer to spread their sensitive information over multiple defended positions instead of consolidating it. Makes sense for the Crab, really."

He slides over a few holoslates, topped with a small plush of a spine drake, "Here is what I was able to find. It's not much but at least we are not empty handed. As well as a small token of thanks for considering me for these matters."

(4 Information presented)

Sumiko nearly grabbed the plushie immediately. She held back though, just, but the temptation was there.

"With a guard to ensure everything is delivered without an issue?"

After a few moments she picked up the holoslates, and the Drake, then sat the Drake on her lap.

"You sound almost disappointed in yourself Dai-san. So I'll ask you this, as you have provided me with some information I am still willing to continue the agreement. Do you want to take another chance?"

Dai nods, "Disappointed isn't quite the right word. One can only find what is there not what is not there. I had just hoped to be returning with better results. I am not opposed to other endeavors."

"Correct answer. One moment."

Sumiko rose, sutting her machine off and moving to a different part of the wall. Taking a moment while her back was turned to secretly hug the plushie, she then put a hidden code in and after doing some checks removed a decent sized envelope before closing what she was looking at and returning. She slid the envelope over.

"Your reward for the current information as well as initial payment to assist getting the next batch as agreed. Plus a little extra as incentive."

(ooc - envelope contains 10 koku)

Dai accepts the envelope without being so crass as to count it in front of her, "Thank you, Susumu-sama."

"You can call me Sumiko you know" Sumiko chuckled, putting the plushie drake on her computer with a smile then turning back to Dai.

"On a different subject, you mentioned diving into the Desolation. It just so happens I may have something for you in that regard also, if you're interested."

"Ah, certainly, Sumiko-sama." Dai is slightly taken aback if only because overly familiar samurai tended to be buttering him up to take the fall for something. Though he had not detected any ill intent or malice from the Spider yet.

But maybe she's just really good at it....

"I had been thinking of making a run soon, yes, so I'm certainly open to options in that regard."

"Well...there may be a requirement to have someone going into the Desolation in a cameras off way. One of my friends, a Scorpion, has made mention of needing to get to a lab to collect something from there."

Sumiko picked up her communicator to read it again before speaking.

"It seems to be a lab where she was working before everything happened. How far have you been into the Desolation?"

He nods, "I can do discrete especially if the bills are being paid another way then selling the show. I've been into Ground Zero and back a handful of times, that's where the recording you saw originated, and throughout the surrounding Desolation more often than I could count."

"I'm sure Soshi-sama will compensate you for it."

Sumiko smiled and nodded.

"I knew you would be the right person to ask about it. I believe Soshi-sama intends to have a meeting tomorrow, am I ok to pass your details onto her?"

"If you trust her to know we are affiliated then I am certainly not opposed to the opportunity."