It barely took any time at all, relatively speaking, for Sly to locate a ravine where Naqahdah could be mined. While the ravine itself was somewhat well hidden, it was hidden by signs that were second nature for a Master Thief to spot...and once inside the ravine, he could see an entire wall of the place glowing faintly with the energies in question. Once he knew the location, he carefully moved back towards the oasis, trying to spy a path that would allow Murray to get there. He had one, barely, but he couldn't help be concerned at what he'd seen of it. It would leave them both too exposed...and it would be too easy for Seft to backtrack to the ravine, and they were meant to keep him from discovering it.
As he reported all this to Wadjet, she hissed softly. "I know the location," she murmured softly. "But you need not worry about leading Sssseft to that location once you have mined the Naqahdah. You will need to retrieve all that is there."
"All?" Murray gasped in surprise. "I'm strong, but not that strong. It'd probably take me several trips..." He glanced at the map Sly had drawn up, describing just how far away the ravine was. "...assuming I can even make it that far in this heat. Hippos may be native to the area, but that's in the rivers by day..."
"Sorry I couldn't find a river, Murray," Sly apologized. "It looks like the only river in the area has dried up...and from the looks of things, rather recently."
"Dissssquieting, but to our advantage," Wadjet murmured. "If hisss actionsss closssed the river, then the areasss affected will be shrouded by the chaosss energiesss created, making him blind to it beyond hissss mortal sssensssesss..."
"So as long as we manage to avoid being seen, we should be fine," Sly deduced. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Pity we don't have the van. A bit of a retrofit might make it a good vehicle..."
"Perhapssss-" Wadjet's voice was cut off as she jerked her head upward in time to see a fish leap out of the River of Time upon the ceiling, only to dive back in somewhere closer further upstream. "...I have no idea what that meansss..." she murmured worriedly.
"This is only a theory," Bentley began carefully, "but I'd guess it's a sign that a self-sustaining and self-containing rogue element in the timestream just performed a time jump." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That would explain everything about the imagery...except it wearing a fez. That eludes me."
"Do you think it has anything to do with that big tent outside?" Penelope called out from the entrance. "It looks like it's been there for a while...but I'd swear it wasn't there a moment ago. I was staring right at the spot, but I can't remember seeing it appear."
Carmelita shook her head with a chuckle as she practiced with her flail, focusing on controlling the generated magic. "Sounds like one of those 'mysterious vendor' places out of stories," she observed as, with a flick of her wrist, she sent the magic gathered in the lashes of the flail out like a blast from her shock pistol. "You know, the sort that appear down a dead end alley and aren't there when you go to make a return?"
"Well, maybe whoever it is can help us," Sly observed thoughtfully. "If they can travel through time without disrupting it, then we shouldn't have to worry about interacting." With that said, he strode confidently out to the tent.
A fennec fox dressed in desert garb complete with turban sprang out of the tent as Sly approached, straightening a fez atop the turban as he grinned widely. "Welcome new and valued customer!" he bellowed as Sly approached. "Welcome to Crazy Hassan's Discount Camels! You need camel? Of course you do! Everyone needs camels! I promise you I have the camel you need, cheap! All camels slightly used but in better than new condition, I guarantee!" Seizing Sly's hand, he pulled him into the tent, revealing an entire host of camels done up in various colors and inexplicable garb.
Before Sly could speak, the fox dragged him to the first paddock. "Need to cross the desert quickly? I have racing camels!" The camels he showed here had racing stripes on their sides, and running shoes on their hooves. Before Sly could speak, he was dragged to the next paddock. "Need to cross the sea? I have sea camels!" These camels wore water wings, inner tubes, and had white spots on the bridge of their muzzles that on closer inspection could be seen to be sunscreen. "Need to retrieve something at the bottom of the sea made of rare metal? I have diving camels!" These next camels were wearing wet suits, goggles, and snorkels. "Need to see the sky? I have sky camels!" These next camels were wearing propeller beanies. "I throw in map of the clouds too! Great deal, great deal, aye?"
"You...really have camels for every possible purpose?" Sly asked in surprise.
"Absolutely, absolutely!" Crazy Hassan declared excitedly. "I see from your mask and cane you are a Cooper Thief! Perhaps I can interest you in my ninja camels?" He gestured to a paddock that at first glance seemed empty...until Sly squinted. Then he was able to make out camels wearing black bodysuits. "Guarantee no one will see them! Great for carrying loot, yes?"
"I'm...not sure that would be a good idea," Sly allowed. "We're trying to avoid disrupting the timestream-"
"Ah, you want my Anachronist Camels!" Crazy Hassan declared, dragging Sly over to an area of several paddocks filled with camels wearing various costumes from various time periods. "Guarantee to leave no evidence of their passage in history or your timeline back! Only seen use at Ren Faires!"
Sly blinked in surprise. "Uh...okay? Well, we need to mine some Naqhadah-"
"Oh, so sorry, all out of Goa'uld camels," Crazy Hassan apologized. "Sold the last of them to a man with a gold symbol on his forehead. Very nice customer, if a little strange. Strong warrior, good with kids."
"Well, we can handle the mining portion," Sly allowed, deciding not to think about...whatever he'd just been told. "We just need some to help carry all of it back and to keep anyone from seeing us do it-"
"Ah, you want my dwarf camels!" Crazy Hassan declared excitedly. He dragged Sly into the 'Anachronist Camels' area to a specific paddock. The camels here were all half the size of others, had thick full beards, and were armored in leather, chain mail, horned helmets, and were carrying large pickaxes and mugs of ale...except for one in the middle who was the size of other camels and somehow managed to look like a king and only carried a sword. "Great for mining, dig great tunnels no one will find, and can carry three times their weight! Good price, good price..." He hesitated, then leaned in close. "But don't take Kaa-Rot," Hassan whispered, gesturing to the normal sized camel. "He's better for police work than mining, not a good match for Master Thief, aye?"
"Well, I am engaged to a rather lovely Interpol Inspector," Sly mused thoughtfully.
"Ah, very nice!" Hassan praised. "My congratulations! Would you like some wedding camels?" He gestured to ones dressed in tuxedos and white dresses, along with one dressed in a priest's robes. "Great for all occasions!" The one in a priest's robe promptly spat on Sly. "See, he like you! I throw in the chapel, no extra charge!"
"I...think I'll focus on the dwarf camels..." Sly suggested ruefully as he wiped himself off. "And here I thought having a tiny talking pony as a daughter would be the height of weirdness in my life when she started doing magic..."
"Ah, I no sell Equestrian camels," Crazy Hassan insisted. "They speak for themselves, and I don't deal in slavery, only mounts." He turned to go get some paperwork.
Several seconds later, what the crazy man had just said clicked in Sly's head. "Wait, what?"