(expecting)

As a senior attaché, Rei had an office. It wasn't a particularly impressive office. It didn't have a few. Rei could stretch his arms out and hit two walls. Still, at least it was a private place, or as private as anywhere in this city could get. Regular sweeps for bugs turned up nothing. He hoped this meant that they weren't there, rather than the Scorpion were just really good at hiding them.

The door to his room was casually open. Anyone could walk in, and Rei clearly expected someone to do so. There was even tea and snacks set out, the sort which Crane might disdain, but Yurei had certainly enjoyed.

After having been directed to, what he hoped was, the right office Dai knocks lightly at the door frame before entering in and bowing.

"Usagi Rei-sama? I'm Dai, Hotaru Sakura-sama should have had you expecting me."

He wasn't quite used to the formality but one could never be certain how serious clan samurai took such matters.

Rei gave the visitor a warm smile. "Yes. Please. Come in." Rei gave a somewhat casual seated bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dai-san. Please, have a seat, and shut the door behind you."

Still smiling, Rei gestured towards the low table with open hand. "Would you care for some tea? Rice cakes?"

He waited a moment for the ronin to select something, or not. "Yes, Hotaru-san spoke to me about you. She had some very nice things to say about you, in fact. And she's a good judge of both character and talent, or so I've found."

Dai gladly accepts the tea and cakes. His appetite was coming back and other recent meetings had left a bad taste in his mouth.

"I have found her judgement handy in that past, yes. I shall be sure to tell her you speak highly of her."

Rei smiled. "If you see her before I do." It could go either way, after all; Sakura was probably just down the hall.

Taking a sip from his own mug of tea, Rei studied the ronin. "The Hare are always looking for people with talent. And we understand that, as with many things, it can be found in unlikely places." Another slow sip. "Tell me of your talents if you would, Dai-san."

Dai nods along, "I make most of my coin delving into the Dark Zone. So searching and investigating, avoiding dangers, and some skill with a pistol when the latter fails. I'm also a deft hand with a computer if you need any programming done."

"Hmmm. We may." Rei said, drumming his fingers on his mug thoughtfully. "I'll need to review our needs."

He looked at Dai, tilting his head. "Set of skills like that, I bet you come across some interesting things from time to time. Especially with that programming ability. Seems to me you could do a lot with an improperly secured terminal, eh?"

"I suppose that is true, Usagi-sama." He smiles, "Were I so inclined... of course."

Rei returned the smile with one of his own. "The Usagi are a minor clan, as defined by the Emperor, but we do fairly well for all that. We can afford to pay well for a job well done. I've been permitted to set a rate of 75 koku for a job very well done, and a budget to contract for two jobs at once. If that would incline you, Dai-san."

"That... could certainly provide some inclination." He nods, "There may be another engagement of my time that might prevent me from completing both, however, and I do not wish to mislead Usagi-sama nor waste his time. I will accept one assignment now and may yet do the other... but if you do find another to undertake it in the meantime I will understand."

(The Hare can have Dai's Session 3 heist but his Session 4 might not be available - that is still up in the air)

Rei nodded slowly. "Very well. We'll agree to one for now, then, at the aforementioned rate."

He paused, cupping his hands around his mug. "There are various sorts of places one might find terminals like this. You know the sort of thing we'd be interested in?" He looked at Dai, eyebrows going up. "But we wouldn't be interested in it from our close allies, the Crane or the Crab, or any other minor clan." He considered a moment. "Nor the Scorpion or Spider I think."

Another nod, "Those factors can certainly be kept in mind with little issue. There are many terminals in the city. Was there any field of interest I should be keeping in mind?"

"Hmmm..." Rei considered that question. "I think we'd be especially interested in who is talking to whom. Given what we do, we like to try to stay one step ahead of interclan relations, and communication logs could certainly help with that. The more specific and unencrypted the better."

"That should give me something to work with then. Anything else you feel is relevant for this one to know, Usagi-sama?"

Rei frowned thoughtfully. "I can't help you if you get into big trouble. But a little bit of trouble, drop me an anonymous line, eh? I'll see what I can do. I've been here long enough to make some Scorpion friends."

The ronin nods, "We'll disavow all knowledge is pretty much the expectation anyway. Anything more is always a bonus."

"Yes... well. The Hare are used to jumping in to incredibly risky situations. We do our best to get everyone out of them." Not that the ronin was a fellow Hare, of course. Rei would still try, just not as hard as if one of his cousins ended up in trouble.

Rei smiled. "Well then, it sounds as though we have an agreement, eh? I trust you'll be in touch?"

"Indeed. You'll hear from me soon, I'm sure."

Dai nods as he rises then offers another bow to the Hare.

Politely, Rei rose as well. "I look forward to it, Dai-san."

Smiling he held up another package of rice cakes. "Something for the road? We get these in bulk, and I don't want to bother slipping it back in to the package."

"Well if it will ease Usagi-sama's day how could I say no." Dai accepts the offered snack, "Be seeing you soon."