Baines had already pieced together that Shuphern was entangled with an organization, likely tasked with constructing a ship of immense power. Whether Shuphern aimed to pull Baines into their fold remained unclear.
However, Baines had a thought. 'They must have made some progress, right?' At least a foundation to build from. While awaiting word from the Orion Assembly, he decided to probe how far Shuphern's group had advanced.
"Can I see your progress?" Baines asked, keeping his tone casual.
Shuphern blinked in confusion. "What?"
"I got a message about sourcing some materials you might need," Baines lied smoothly, watching Shuphern's reaction. "But I'd like to see how far you've gotten, to avoid double spending."
'Already?' Shuphern's eyes flickered with surprise, then narrowed as he sank into thought. After a moment, he nodded. "Alright, let's go." He stood, brushing dust from his cloak, and gestured for Baines to follow.
"Now?" Baines raised an eyebrow.
