The Briefing

The tech-priestess and the other priestess (who Nekshi, G.S., and Lirassa have already met) lead the party into what appears to be a conference room and gesture for everyone to sit at the large, circular table. As they do so, Bina comes in accompanied by Keil'i and Gaima, who shut the door behind them.

As the tech-priestess looks on passively, the four priestess separate and assume equidistant positions along the circular wall, facing outward. They then assume prayer positions and start chanting. The tech-priestess then holds out her hand and says, "Show," as Mey'Luskar did earlier. An identical point of light appears. However, the tech-priestess starts to sing to it in the strange, priestly way (i.e. providing a psychic harmony to accompany her audible voice). The point of light then blossoms into what looks like a glowing crystal floating in the air in front of her. At the song's conclusion, she makes a gesture, and the crystal flashes blue before vanishing. The four priestesses then turn and face into the room while still maintaining their positions.

The tech-priestess then fixes an intense gaze on Mey'Luskar and pulls something from the folds of her robe, something which she places on the table with a loud thunk.

The dataspike.

"Let's start from the beginning," says the tech-priestess in Yangae. "Tell me everything you know about this."

Mey'Luskar glances around at the party, letting her gaze linger on Mon'Fargret.

"I don't think you need their help!" snaps the tech-priestess. "I'm interested in what you know, not what they think! Start from the beginning!"

Mey'Luskar gulps and says, "First my lodger told me it was 'something really cool' that we needed to see. He didn't say anything about it until it was playing." She starts playing with her hands anxiously.

"Only the two of you were watching it?"

"The first time, yes."

"What did he say about it after that?"

"I asked him where he got it..."

"And?"

"He...told me he got it from Mek."

"Mek?"

"Mek'Logen. One of our co-workers. We were all working for Morva Free Channel. For Mas'Vellaf. We were helping promote the Talent Round-Up."

"What else did he tell you?"

"He said it was a clip-job. A spliced bootleg. The market copies are sealed, and you have to get a special code to see the whole thing. This one was hacked so you can bypass the code."

"And you don't know how your lodger or Mek got it?"

"He didn't say. But Mek works with the coders, so I figured he ran it off himself and sold it, or whatever. He's always done stuff like that. He's good at it. That's why Mas'Vellaf hired him!"

The tech-priestess picks up the dataspike and brandishes it almost like a weapon. With flashing eyes, she says, "If this is just an ordinary clip-job pirated by some thug hoping to make an extra BMU, why does it have a built-in teleport tracer with a code-triggered transponder?"

Stunned, Mey'Luskar tries and fails to speak.

"Par'ai," says the high-ranked priestess calmly, "this is not her doing."

"Forgive me," says the tech-priestess, "but it's not every day that someone tries to abduct me!" She tosses the spike on the table again. "This is no clip-job. It was made from the start with a deliberate purpose! The question is not so much why as who, as in who was the intended target. Right now I have two theories. Either Mek wasn't supposed to have it, and its passing to her lodger and then to her was a matter of blind fate, or we've all been played. There's also the question of who they thought they were teleporting out of here. Maybe the real operators didn't know she had it till now, and they thought they were 'porting her out. Or maybe the whole thing was a trick aimed at us! After all, it started sending out a signal as soon as it was in my hands...a signal that was answered almost immediately by a strong meson scan beam tight-focused on my position. They could have locked on and 'ported me out in an instant with no hope of a trace!" She glances up at the intricate ceiling fixtures and huffs with contempt. "They didn't know what they were dealing with!"

"But there's something we need to find out here and now," says the high-ranked priestess, strolling toward the table. "The source of the poison!"

"Yes," says the tech-priest, picking up the spike again. "The dream was a hint. Now I'd like to test a theory." She passes a hand over the table and says in Her-Galad, "Spike." A glowing spot appears. She presses the spike into it as if it were a port.

"No," says Mey'Luskar, jumping to her feet. "No, no, don't! You CAN'T!"

"Sit...down..." hisses the tech-priestess. "We've warded the room. None of you will be harmed. But it will probably be unpleasant."

"But you don't have to suffer it if you don't want to," says the high-ranked priestess, eying the tech-priestess firmly. "This is very important, possibly a matter of life and death for many, but it's your right. If you want to leave, now is the time."

Yanda Branch Temple: The Tour

(Just for the record, historical items that should be common knowledge are linked to the Wiki.  Otherwise, if you don't know it, neither does your character.)

As the party passes through the lobby and out the entrance, Bina says, "Most of you have probably been here before, so you've probably been in the museum, but just in case...

"Before the Hergoth came to Lyranell, this was the site of an Old Sarkon monastery.  We're not sure which cult it was for because it was already destroyed by the time we got here.  We do know that this whole mountain was declared off limits during the Great Purge, and the Old Sarkon town that stood just across the river was abandoned.  That's something of a mystery, too; this area is perfect for settlement, yet the Old Sarkons never developed it beyond that one, small town.  Mul'ein already extends far beyond its borders."

Dabid yawns.

"Anyway," continues Bina, "this complex, the Yanda Branch Temple, was established about two thousand years ago, and the temple building is the oldest surviving construction on Lyranell."

"Even older than Eribandai or the Main Temple?" asks Lirassa.

"That's right," replies Bina.  "Both of those were badly damaged during the occupation and had to be rebuilt.  Only this one was untouched."

"Not that they didn't try," mutters Dabid.

Ignoring him, Bina gestures toward the dorm building.  "This is the second oldest building.  It's one of very few of the original buildings left.  It was also built almost two thousand years ago, but it has been renovated a number of times.  Its main purpose has always been to house the acolytes.  During the Occupation the Yangae used it as a prison, mainly to keep those of the faithful that weren't killed or exiled."

"And that's why it wasn't destroyed?" asks Pru, drawing laughter from Dabid.  "What?" she moans.

"It was partly destroyed," replies Bina, glaring at Dabid.  "The Occupation used both of the neighboring buildings for target practice."  She gestures at the resort building and Seminary.  "Both of them were leveled.  The dorm took more than a few hits, which is why there are now only two wings.  There were dozens inside at the time."

"Subversives," mutters Pru darkly.

"Speaking of the Seminary," continues Bina, gesturing at the impressive, glittering structure, "as most of you probably know, it's the newest building here.  It was finished only about five years ago.  It was built on the site of the old ceremony hall that was blasted to pieces.  This is a much more useful building.  It has conference rooms, an auditorium, and accommodations which are used not only by the Temple, but also by the general public.  All of its facilities combine Ergothei and Foldorian technology, and its all very state of the art."

"Yes, I know," retorts Lirassa, "and to be honest, this is where I start having a problem with all of this.  I mean, look at that thing!  So much of this colony is still being rebuilt after Ganneth's little romantic tragedy, not to mention the fact that there's a war going on, and the government still dishes out the taxpayers' money to pay for this?"

Bina gestures negative Hergoth style.  "The government paid very little.  Most of the money came from private donations."

"But aren't the Ergotheia ruled basically by mind-control instead of law?" counters Lirassa.  "And if so, can you really say that the people gave all that money of their own, free will?"

"Exactly," says Pru.  "Exactly!  That's what I mean!  The people are slaves!  That's what we tried to save them from! "

"But we didn't understand a damned thing!" comes Mey'Luskar's emotion-packed voice from behind.

"What?" hisses Pru, her brows furrowing her eyes almost fully shut as she whirls around.  "Lady, are your plugs in right?"

Bina clears her throat.  When she has everyone's attention, she says, "The biggest donation by far came directly from His Civilized Eminence, Emperor Ty'Klemmo of the Foldorian Empire, may His wisdom guide us all!  I might also add that he sent Foldorian and Crygan workers to help build it.  We owe him our thanks and our honor as our very lives!"*

"Wow," says Lirassa.

Pru looks like she has been shot.

(*Bina's last statement is filled with traditional Yangae expressions.)

A Matter of Timing

The acolytes that the party has seen on duty so far have all been quiet and reflective, almost as if in a state of waking meditation while carrying out their chores.  How different they are now that they are on break!  The lobby outside the cafeteria entrance quickly fills with the din of youthful exuberance.  Soon the giggling mass begins to flow inside.

Seeing Bina as she rises, the acolytes stop almost as one and offer her a bow and intoned greeting, which she answers with a quiet bow.  Then the youths fall into line near the kitchen and begin assembling their trays.  Their talk is more muted now, and many a wary glance is thrown at the party.  It's not hard to notice that a lot of their attention is focused on Pru and her Night Guard outfit.  Pru replies by fixing a level glare on them as she stands.

The rest of the party all quickly finish whatever remains of their meals and stand to follow Bina out.  They don't get very far when Pru's wrister chimes.

"Sod it," she whispers as she raises the device to her face.  "I knew it had to come sometime."  She makes a hushing gesture to the party, puts on a pleasant face, pushes the receive button, and says, "Trenna!  Pu'Laru here."

"Pu'Laru!" barks a steely-sounding, masculine voice.  "What are you doing?  Where in the moss are you?"

Pru chuckles.  "Would you believe I'm somewhere on the witch mountain?"

"You're what?  Your whole team is in the rack...in pieces...sans you...and you're where?  Report!"

Pru licks her lips anxiously.  "What have they told you?"

"'They?'  You mean your team?  One dead, one in a coma, and two in serious condition and barely lucid?  Not much, I'd say!  All I got was what the punks that brought 'em to the hospital said!"

Pru takes a deep breath.  "We...got a call from a watcher.  Said a bunch of Blues were taking in a Yangae couple down in the tunnel.  We went down, saw the Blues.  Drau and Gatch were really in a socket, 'cause they just started shooting at 'em.  Don't know if they got anyone, but they scattered, and we went down.  Found the main group.  Yangae couple and some friends with the Blues.  Said there was no problem.  The Blues were escorting them.  Drau didn't buy it, sodding ass baked one with no call.  First blood on us.  No call.  They fought back, we got planted.  Probably deserved it, too.  Our bad blood, our loss.  End report."

There's a moment of silence, and then the voice in the wrister replies, "That's pretty much what they told us.  But I still want to know what you're doing over there!"

Pru glances around at the party and replies, "Investigating.  Something's up.  Something big.  I'm not leaving till I find out more.  My blood's on it."

"Alright.  I'll want to hear more.  And soon!"

"You'll get it.  Anything more?"

"Ah, just one more thing.  Got any lead on that Luskar woman?  High end's getting twitchy!"

"I'm on it, Riz.  I'm on a lead!  Like I said, something big!"

"You need backup?"

"No!  Not yet!  I need to work it out.  I'm on it!"

"Where on the mountain are you right now?"

"Can't tell you that.  Not now.  I'll ping it when it's safe."

"You're not in the Temple, are you?"

Pru throws an unconscious glance in Bina's direction.  "And why in peat would I be there, Riz?"

"Just pulling you, Pru.  Just let us know as soon as you find something.  Anything!"

"Got it, Riz!  I'm on it!  Off!"

Just before Pru pushes the close switch on her wrister, the acolytes break into a vibrant pre-meal prayer song.