Zeton and Lirassa are still fussing over the computer when both Widjgleeby and Ham announce that the approaching force has made it to the room outside.
A moment later, an amplified, Hergoth-sounding voice speaking Her-galad blares, "Peace Force! This area is under security! Stand down and present yourselves!" The order is then repeated in Yangae.
"Should we take cover?" whispers Pru anxiously.
"No," says Bina. "We'd better do what they say."
"Show no resistance!" advises Keil'i.
Suddenly Mek screams hysterically, "IN HERE! IN HERE! HELP US! THEY'RE ROBBING THE PLACE!"
Boots can be heard scrambling toward the entrance to the chamber. Then the order to stand down and present is repeated from the doorway.
Mek continues, "STOP THEM! HURRY! THEY'LL RUIN EVERYTHING!"
"We are from the Temple!" shouts Bina. "We offer no violence!"
"Stay where you are," says a relatively deep Hergoth-sounding voice in Her-galad but using a telepathic translator. "Make no aggressive moves! This area is under security!"
Two Peace Force officers in armor step through the door with pistols drawn. Keil'i steps forward carefully to present herself, hands held open. Bina rises painfully to do the same.
"All of you," says one of the officers (though not the deep-voiced one), "move to the open area! Do it now!"
There is a nice, cheerful bleep of confirmation from Lirassa's wrister. Muffling her sigh of relief, she quickly shuts it off.
"You there," says the officer, "move away from the machine! Hands where we can see them!"
As he speaks, a third Peace Force officer swaggers in behind the first two. He is a bit brawnier. His markings also show him to be of higher rank than the others.
"Come on now," he says in the deep voice heard before. "I know you don't want trouble, so don't make any. Let's see all of you move over there so we can see you, nice and easy. And while we're at it, why don't we just see you leave your weapons on the floor as you go. It's safer for all of us that way."
"Superintendent!" says Pru with surprise. Then she smirks. "Why aren't you at your desk?"
"Why aren't you in a hospital bed like the rest of your team, Pru?" asks the superintendent. "Or a box? You, too! With the others! Move!"
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[Looks like I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing airplane glue...uh, I mean, go on a trip to Philly. If things get funky and I don't respond for 24 hours, M'F will follow Par'deth's lead. Info Geek is my proxy. I will be back Sat. late eve. PDT]
[Okay, let me quickly leave you with this tidbit.]
As she moves toward the open area, Pru gasps. Casually moving closer to Mon'Fargret, she whispers, "My lord," and holds up her hand.
As the three Peace Force officers come further into the room, the superintendent looks at the priestesses and says, "You, too! Over there!"
"W-we're representatives of The Path and..." protests Keil'i.
"Now!" barks the superintendent, gesturing angrily. "We'll sort it out later. Right now I want you all where I can see you!"
Ham shrugs (apparently this 'civilization' is a bit less ordered than what he is used to in more standard organized forces - he will have to reevaluate his slight Ibitonian prejudice in that regard - unless....)
and complies by moving into the open....slowly ...hands up
Zeton looks at Lirassa and quietly says, "When we make it out of here, I'm buying us both the tallest and biggest glasses of Âbr'eĕn you've ever seen."
And with that, Zeton slowly and deliberately raises his hands and moves to the part of the room indicated by the superintendent.
"I'll hold you to that!" says Lirassa as she follows.
"That's good," says the superintendent. "Let's all just be nice and calm, shall we? Let's see those weapons on the floor."
"Um," says Par'deth with puzzlement, "didn't you read Inspector Par'ai's report?"
"Read it?" replies the superintendent. "I went over it several times! It really made my day! I'd say we have a situation here, one that calls for drastic action!"
Lifting the visor on his helmet, he swaggers closer to Par'deth. Then he snorts.
"So it's true then," he says. "Par'deth the Hero has returned from the dead!"
Par'deth glares back. "Funny you should put it that way."
"I'll put it a different way, then." The superintendent grins scornfully. "I never learned much about the Heroes, so I did a bit of reading before coming here. As a Hero you're bound to obey the rightful authority, right?"
"That's right," answers Par'deth.
"Especially an appointed representative of the Holy Magistrate, right?"
"Basically."
"Which would include me, right?"
"Naturally."
The superintendent chuckles with contempt. "Well, Par'deth the Hero, we have a problem. There's a standing order on the books naming you as an enemy of society and a fugitive."
Par'deth scoffs. "That's a Yangae order..."
"It's still on the books! It was never rescinded!" The superintendent savors his position for a moment and then adds, "Amazing that, after more than two centuries, I'm the one faced with giving you the order to stand down!"
There is a round of surprised gasps, and then Par'deth says, "You can't possibly be serious!"
"Serious?" echoes the superintendent. He touches his wrister, and more figures quickly come into the room. More officers.
Yangae with the armor and weapons of the Occupation Authority.
"It's time to end this charade," says the superintendent. "As authorized representative of the Holy Magistrate, and for the sake of order and justice, I order you to stand down! You are inactive as of now!"
[Well that would explain the inconsistencies I was seeing ...political corruption at its finest]
Mon'Fargret replies, "If Par'deth is now inactive, then he is no longer bound to recognize that authority. As long we are quoting rules here, honored citizen, I thought I should point out this contradiction which I am sure was inadvertent."
[To Par'deth, he communicates mentally, "It might be a good time to port us all out of here."]
He adds to Par'deth mentally, "If we can, bring Dus'kar and leave Mek."
(Par'deth doesn't reply. He is standing motionless and looks totally defeated.)
The superintendent turns to the Yangae officers and tells them to see to the two restrained men and the machines. Then he turns to Mon'Fargret and says, "Honored Manager, he is still very much bound to my authority, and he knows it! Don't misunderstand me, any of you! I know you mean only good. I know a lot more than you think. You were hoping to save the city from some kind of...evil conspiracy, right? Unfortunately, it is you that have fallen victim to conspiracy!" He throws a venomous glare at Keil'i. "It's time to reveal the truth! You couldn't stand the fact that the Yangae were beating you at your own game, could you? They're the ones winning the hearts of the people while your precious Temple is still just a tourist attraction, am I right? But now they're not the enemy, so there's nothing to fight, is there?" He gestures toward the other members of the party. "Bad enough that you had to fool this lot into doing your dirty work! Trying to deceive the Peace Force into harming successful Yangae citizens is a crime!"
"All lies!" cries Keil'i. "Lies and betrayal! How can you call yourself a representative of..."
There is a flash and crackle of a stun bolt, and Keil'i collapses to the ground, blue sparks playing about her form.
Bina lets out a verbal and psychic scream and runs to her companion's side.
"Just an unfortunate precaution," says the superintendent with a sigh. "She'll be alright. Your name is Bina, right? At least you're a local, so you should understand."
"I'm understanding too much!" hisses Bina in reply.
"Your even being here is a violation of your Covenant!" the superintendent snaps. "You're going to go back to your Temple immediately, and you're going to take both this meddling off-worlder and the Hero with you!"
"I can't!" cries Bina.
"The Hero knows his duty," retorts the superintendent. "There's another order that was never rescinded, isn't there, Par'deth? Ganneth's order! I don't know how you disobeyed it two centuries ago, but it's time you owned up! You'll go to the Temple, and you'll stay there...forever!"
"Don't even think about it, Bina!" says Lirassa.
"You don't understand!" says Bina. "I couldn't do it if I tried! I'm not strong enough...and...I'm exhausted..." She swoons.
Pru runs to her side.
The superintended sighs again. "Alright, we'll do it the hard way." He turns to one of the Hergoth officers with him and says, "We'll have to take them in the van."
"I'm not going up there!" retorts the other officer.
"Just take them as far as the tourist village," says the superintendent. Then he smirks. "They can walk up there like the rest of us mere mortals!"
Zeton thoughts race very fast, but it's hard to think clearly with all those guns pointing at you. Even if he had one one-hundredth of Par'deth's skills he'd never be able to fight his way out of this situation; something about "pride goeth before the fall..."
Zeton calmly clears his throat and asks, "So, we all get to go back to the Temple and Par'deth just has to follow Ganneth's old order of surrender and sequester himself there?"
Right after Zeton says this, a psychic shout like KYAAATH rips through everyone's mind. At that same instant, Par'deth's eyes flare brilliant blue, and he turns on...
...Mon'Fargret.
Fortunately, his attack appears only to be a psychic one, but it sends Mon'Fargret to the floor in a convulsive fit.
Bina immediately moves to Mon'Fargret and puts her hands on his head. His eyes stop trying to pop out of his skull, and his messy spluttering eases.
"What...is...going on here?" demands Pru.
"Good question," says the superintendent. "Maybe he tried to get the Hero to disobey me somehow. Big mistake. His Demon knows its duty." He gestures to the remaining Yangae militiamen standing near him to help Mon'Fargret.
Before they can, however, one of the ones looking after Mek and Dusker suddenly dashes around the table in front of them. "I'll do it," he says in a smooth baritone. "You guys see to them."
Saluting, the other militiamen trot over to the restrained men.
The superintendent gives the Hergoth equivalent of a shrug and says, "Look, I know this is very hard for you to accept, especially after all you've been through. The Temple has gone to great lengths to take you in, like they always do. But before anyone else tries something we'll all regret, let me at least show you the truth."
"What truth?" asks Lirassa.
The superintendent smirks. "Par'ai's report said this supposed snuff video was made at a club called the 'Scarlet Revival'. Am I right? Well, it just so happens that the 'Scarlet Revival' is one floor over our heads, and I have investigators all over it right now. Why don't you ask them what they've found?"
He taps around on his wrister, and then he says, "Inspector, can you come down here and give me an update? Like now?"
While he does this, the Yangae militiaman who has gone to help Mon'Fargret gestures rudely for Bina to clear out and calls for Pru to help instead. As Pru approaches, the militiaman mutters something to her and Mon'Fargret.
Keeping an eye on Mon'Fargret and the new individual attending him, Zeton kicks into journalist mode and begins to ask questions.
"Superintendent, this is very interesting. My editors are always after me to get both sides of the story and you definitely have the angle I'm looking for. Could I have your name please?"
"Also, it seems your theory about the Temple feeling like it's second rate, or... how did you put it, 'the Yangae are winning the hearts of the people', is very plausible. I've seen evidence of what you say, but certainly there more to the story here than just that. What are your personal opinions about what's going on and why Par'deth would be involved?"
The superintendent eyes Zeton warily and says, "Superintendent Br'am, Ekr'in District, at your service! And my personal views have nothing to do with this! I can't speak for the other precincts here, but here in Ekr'in we've had our doubts for a long time!" He glances at his wrister again and then turns to one of the two Hergoth constables with him and says, "Hey, Panith, why don't you talk to the good reporter? I'll go see about our two hackers!"
"Me?" retorts Constable Panith with a huff. "Why don't we take 'em to the station first? And dump those Gothies off at the mountain? If Mas'Vellaf shows up and sees all this we'll be..."
"I'll deal with Mas'Vellaf!" barks the superintendent. "And I don't want this bunch going anywhere till we're sure they've seen the light! I mean, I don't know who that mean-looking Ibitonian guy is, or those two Bolgans, but all these others have reps...and contacts! Too many hassles!"
"There are more efficient ways of dealing with hassles," says one of the Yangae militiamen, flicking a switch on his carbine, which he then levels on Lirassa. "That 'zark' bugs me. Let me have the honor."
"BURN THE ZARK!!!" screams Mek.
"No, you don't!" says the superintendent irritably. "She has contacts, too!"
"They can also be burned," replies the militiaman with the gun.
"No," says the superintendent. "We're doing this my way. No burning unless someone does something really foolish. I want them on the level, especially that reporter!"
Making low "tsk-tsk" sounds Zeton confidently continues, "Superintendent Br'am, Ekr'in District..., your underlings here certainly don't help your case. 'Burn the Zark?'...oh please. This won't reflect well in my piece for my news organization."
Then, Zeton countenance changes, as to reveal a brilliant thought crossing his mind, "Wait a tick... what was that about hackers and the Big Guy? You've had trouble with your security and the Big Guy doesn't know about it?"
Zeton brings his hands up to his face at arms length as if he's trying to frame an imaginary imagine, "Oh, I can't wait to see the look on his face when he finds out superintendent Br'am, Ekr'in District is going to make the lead story, not just with the local planetary news, but the interstellar feeds as well!"
Zeton's smile and energy increases as he turns towards Lirassa, "Lirassa, you're good at creating snappy headlines, what do you think will get my subscribers attention the best?"
Mon'Fargret mutters something about Da'Vid leaving Gol'iath alone from now on and a slurred reference to Terra in there somewhere. He accepts the help given him to stand up and he appears humbled. He appears ready to cooperate.
[No air conditioning in the Philly airport. Arrrgh!]
"The Big Guy had nothing to do with this!" shouts Mek. "We did this on our own!"
"You'll have a chance to tell us everything," says the superintendent as he approaches. "Is that Mey'Luskar woman here?"
"No," replies Dusker quietly. "She's not here. I don't know where she is."
"They're hiding her!" shouts Mek, nodding toward the party. "At the Temple!"
The superintendent throws a sour look toward Bina, who has returned to Keil'i, and says, "So...fraud, slander, trespassing, illegal confinement, and now accessory to theft of intellectual property? The list keeps growing, doesn't it?"
"Hey, superintendent," says one of the Yangae militiamen. "They have immunity, don't they?"
"Technically," replies the superintendent, "but I intend to challenge that to the best of my ability! It's time the whole planet knew the truth about those mind-screwing Gothie off-worlders!"
"The superintendent is not to be bothered," says Constable Panith bitterly as he approaches to within arm's length of Zeton and starts playing with his stun baton. "You will address all questions to me. First of all, we asked for help from this Yangae militia because there is no danger of them being controlled by the Temple. They are a law-abiding group, and we have reason to trust them...even if some of their views are a bit extreme."
"Extreme..." sings Wari in Her-galad (mimicking Constable Panith). "Even more extreme when controlled...not by the Temple, but still controlled! Poison in the air..."
"Shut up!" snaps Constable Panith, switching on his stun baton.
"Who pulls your strings, Constable?" sings Wari as if in a dream.
"I said shut up!" growls Panith, and he moves toward her menacingly.
"Wari, don't!" hisses Blaghl.
"Smile for the cameraaaaaas..." Wari sings, glancing around the room.
Panith hesitates, glancing around, each breath a growl of rage, then, with a most un-Hergoth howl, his control gives way, and he jabs the Bolgan violently with his baton. Her attempt to dodge is unsuccessful. There is a crackle of stun fire, and she quietly collapses.
Breathing as if on the verge of hyperventilation, Constable Panith wheels around, brandishing his baton as if half berserk, and growls, "You...will...all...obey...authority!"
A ripple of laughter spreads through the Yangae militiamen. There are a couple of favorable remarks.
"Panith," says the superintendent, "bring it down. All the kĕl'wòk will stop when they figure it out. Your baton won't do it."
"Then why are we still down here?" demands Panith. "Why do we gotta wait for that flaming inspector? Let's take 'em up and show 'em!"
"Fine!" says the superintendent. "If you're gonna get all out of joint like that, let's move!"
Zeton rushes over to Wari to provide medical attention after constable Panith strikes her. As he attends to her, he asks, "So, Constable... is Panith spelt with one 'n' or two? Am I pronouncing it correctly?"
"I wouldn't want to make any mistakes while telling everyone how efficiently you exert your authority on unarmed Zarks."
(Cultural note [with apologies so I don't have to do the gamemaster override thing]: Zeton is aware that the word "Zark" is a Yangae derogatory term referring to the Sarkons and races descended from them, such as the Besteengs [i.e. Lirassa] and Ehrlathagi. Wari, being Bolgan, is not a "Zark", but rather a "Bolk" or simply a "hairball". Shall we understand that the last word Zeton used was "Bolk"?)
Constable Panith can be heard sucking air through his teeth behind his helmet visor as he turns to confront Zeton, baton in hand. Then he switches the baton off and lowers it with a sigh.
"If you were a...," he starts, and then catches himself with a grunt. "I don't respond well to provocation," he says more calmly. "And you can quote me on that. One 'n'. Pick her up...or get someone else to do it. We're moving out." With that, he turns on his heel and starts stomping toward the exit, gesturing toward the Yangae militiamen.
The militiaman who was helping with Mon'Fargret approaches Zeton and says in his smooth baritone, "You a Bolk-lover, scratcher? You're no Herg. You a Lybolt or something?" Then he leans closer and says something very quietly.
During the verbal exchange, Mon'Fargret moves over to Lirassa and whispers in Hergoth, "The ones with a blue mark on their helmet are on our side. Let Ham and Pru know. Also, one of them told us to prepare for a fight after we get outside."
While preparing to move out, he then works his way over to inform Widj of the same.
Zeton's face twists into a scowl and he sarcastically replies to the militiaman, "Can I quote you just as I'm going to quote Constable Panith?"
Zeton's tone then becomes one of anger, "If you ever bring my mother's honor into question again, so help me..."
He then kneels down and gently scoops Wari into his arms to carry her as the group leaves.
Lirassa just stands there looking confused.
(Mon'Fargret then remembers that she doesn't understand Her-galad. Ham only understands a little.)
(Also, just to make sure there's no misunderstanding, both the superintendent and the two constables with him are Hergoth. They've been speaking Her-galad with telepathic translators. The reason their natural empathy/ESP senses aren't working is that they are using psychic blockers, which protect them from psi but also prevent them from using it.)
Constable Panith, the other constable, and those Yangae that aren't examining the machinery start to herd the party forward toward the exit.
(I'm assuming everyone left his weapons on the floor as ordered.)
[I never said Mon'Fargret complied, but obviously if everyone tried to fake, the whole scene would have turned out differently...so we are probably without at least the difficult to conceal weapons. Knives, etc. might be a different matter. M'F had some of those items back home, but only brought his pistol, so he will have to scavenge the possibly upcoming corpses.
Also, I will have to reread the passage...can Hergoth be "poisoned?"]
M'F repeats quietly in Yangae to Lirassa.
Ham is being completely innocent and quiet. After he laid down the weapon.
[I had laid down the obvious weapon ...namely the submachine gun in plain sight and unloaded and dumped its extra magazines as well. However the sword hilt is concealed as well as the small pistol. I was never searched.
I wont be revealing them unless things go radically different outside.]
[Also, I will have to reread the passage...can Hergoth be "poisoned?"]
[Good point. You were all under the impression that they couldn't.]
[As for the weapons, as ElTigrez said, none of the party was searched. The only really obvious weapons are Ham's "borrowed" submachinegun plus items carried by Pru, Braghl, and Wari. MF also figures the officers know about his pistol since they were scanning everybody. Everything else is either concealed or dismantled. I'll let players make their own decisions on the matter.]
As the party starts to move out, one of the Yangae militiamen thrusts his carbine at Lirassa and says, "Hey, you! Your pocket stunner! Drop it!"
Glaring evilly, Lirassa complies. Then she tosses her head, secures the strap of her bag around her neck, and strides off.
The same militiaman then quickly moves around and plants himself between Lirassa and Mon'Fargret. Once the party has made it out of the chamber and back into the living room/office, he says to Mon'Fargret, "Begging your pardon, my lord. What were you saying about someone being on your side?"
Mon'Fargret quietly replies, "Just a little stress humor, good soldier. Nowadays, it is hard to know who is on your side. With so many different trees, the roots can be tangled, but it wouldn't be the same forest without them, eh?"
"Those roots weren't meant to be tangled, my lord," retorts the militiaman. "Let's just hope you'll be on the right side."
With that, he moves away and starts crowding Bina.
[Can M'F assume that his helmet lacks a blue mark with that retort?]
I'm assuming these "whatever they are and whatever they wants" don't consider cooking knives a threat?
Snabulus-
[MF doesn't see any blue mark on that particular militiaman's helmet.]
Widjgleeby-
[It's impossible to say whether they've taken any note of Widjgleeby's knives or not, but they haven't said anything so far.]
The party proceeds on out of the living room/office and into a hallway, past a number of doors, and finally to a stairway. There they meet...and surprise...a Peace Force inspector coming down, computer/scanner in hand.
When the inspector sees the limp form of Keil'i being carried by a very downcast-looking Bina, he gives off a very tangible wave of surprise. He's obviously not using a blocker.
"Um..." he attempts.
"There's been a change of plans," says the superintendent in a tone of voice that precludes any discussion. "We're taking them up to the club so they can see for themselves. Make your report there."
"But..." tries the detective, gesturing half-heartedly toward the priestesses.
"Later," snaps the superintendent. "Don't let sentiment bend you."
By and by, the procession arrives at the club.
It is clearly NOT the one in the video. The style and decor are all wrong. So is the design of the stage. It also looks like it has seen better days.
"Why don't you make yourselves comfortable?" says the superintendent, gesturing toward a cluster of tables.
"And keep your hands where we can see them," adds Constable Panith.
"Put the two stunned ones on those sofas," directs the other Hergoth constable who is with the superintendent.
There are two other detectives and two other Peace Force constables in the room that look more than a little surprised at the appearance of the party. As if Hergoth eyes weren't large enough, there are some very wide-eyed stares.
There are also three more Yangae militiamen, two of whom have the blue mark on their helmets. They are lounging around, but at the sight of the party they jump up and snap to attention.
"At ease, team," says the superintendent. "We have a job to promote public order and the truth. Let's do just that. Inspector?"
Zeton gently sets Wari down on the couch and then scans the room for possible exit points while waiting for the inspector to begin.
I will behave like the model citizen I am. I will comply....while taking note of any exits, the manner of the new guards..the peace forcers...etc.
while idly mentally comparing "Pan nith" boy to some slime dwelling critter that sure is to be a close relative.
(I'll try to have a map of the room layout online soon.)
Once everyone is seated and (at least pretending to be) comfortable, the superintendent says, "Alright, eyes, give 'em what you got."
The leading detective moves out into the middle of the floor very slowly and uncertainly, his troubled eyes fixed on the priestesses.
"Is there a problem?" demands the superintendent.
"I, uh..." starts the detective.
"They've been playing you," growls the superintendent, slapping his armored hips impatiently, "like they've been playing everyone since they got here! Like they've been playing the whole flaming Ergothei Nation! And now you're going to help prove it! Give them your report...or give me your badge!"
The inspector sighs and throws an apologetic glance around the party before he says, "We've been giving this club, the Scarlet Revival, a thorough examination using visual, mechanical, and image technology means." He sighs again. "There is nothing to report. This club has been out of action except for personal use for more than a year. All sentient life forms that have been in this chamber for at least the past year, not counting today, have been isolated, categorized, and identified. The number is small, and all individuals have been accounted for except for Mas'Vellaf himself and certain of his associates. The stage contains no technology beyond simple light and sound equipment. There is absolutely nothing to indicate that this club was ever used for the Second Chance performances, nor is there any sign it was used for execution-style entertainment of the manner described in Inspector Par'ai's report."
"So...?" demands the superintendent.
The detective sighs again. "Judging by the evidence, there are two possibilities. One is that the location described in the report is incorrect."
"Yet Inspector Par'ai specifically mentioned the 'Scarlet Revival'," scoffs the superintendent. "And the other possibility?"
"The other possibility is that Inspector Par'ai's report was based on flawed or insufficient evidence."
"Or a fabrication!" barks the superintendent, and he begins to pace in front of the detective. "Which leaves us with two more possibilities! Assuming she actually saw the stolen video, we have to wonder whether it was a well-crafted work of fiction on the part of these hackers or..." He stops in front of Bina. "...on the part of the Priesthood! It has been rumored for some time that Par'ai is actually a Kr'embol'ei! I don't know, maybe the Covenant doesn't apply the same way to them, but I still have to wonder what game the Priesthood is playing!"
"It's not a game!" pleads Bina. "The danger is very real!"
"Oh, yes!" The superintendent glances around the room theatrically. "The danger is very real! Of what? Getting brainwashed by dust?" He stomps. "Rubbish! I want that stolen video given to me at once together with the woman that brought it to you!"
"The Seconder Chancer video..." mutters Dabid.
"What about it?" asks the other Peace Force constable.
"Can...we see a copy?" continues Dabid meekly. "A legitimate copy? So we can see the location?"
"Sir?" says Constable Panith.
"No you don't!" retorts the superintendent. "That's still protected intellectual property. Nobody sees it without authorization. If anybody deals with that, it's us, not you!" Then he glares at Dabid. "Why, did you see the stolen one?"
Dabid hesitates, and then he replies, "Part of it."
"He's telling the truth," reports the detective. His eyes widen a bit more. "There's...something wrong..."
The Yangae militiamen start to approach in a menacing manner.
"Enough!" barks the superintendent. "I've had enough of this rubbish! It's time to move!"
"What," scoffs Lirassa. "Is that your whole report? Just that? Is that what you call a thorough investigation?"
The superintendent draws his stun baton in a flash and thrusts at at Lirassa, who flinches at the last second.
"Constable Panith," says the superintendent with a smirk, his eyes boring holes into Lirassa, "take Par'deth and the stunned priestess in one of the cruisers. One of those patrolmen will accompany you. Drop them off at the parking lot outside the Temple and come back here. Constable Ter'nbath, take the two Bolgans, the other priestess, and this Besteeng to the station in one of the vans. Take the other patrolman and the two junior detectives there, too, and then come back. Detective Gar'en, you're with me. Let's go!"
The detectives and two lower-ranked constables glance at each other in confusion.
"Is there a problem?" demands the superintendent.
"This is all highly irregular," says Detective Gar'en.
"Yes, it is!" snaps the superintendent. "It's TOO flaming irregular! Now MOVE!"
Mon'Fargret conjurs up his most managerial voice, "Superintendent Br'am. It would seem you have come into this establishment based on faulty evidence. Now you want to haul a bunch of people away based on evidence you were unable to obtain. I am baffled. Several of your own people are baffled. Exactly what grounds do you have for your actions, why are some of these weapons NOT standard-issue, and why didn't you even identify yourself until you were forced to by a member of the press? I surely can't be the only one curious about your authority to prosecute this operation. I am sure you won't mind if I consult Constable Betham on the matter."
He hails Betham on his wrister.
Zeton prepares himself to lend medical aid, or any other form of assistance to Mon'Fargret, in case his actions cause Superintendent Br'am, or anyone else, to attack him, or prevent him from calling Constable Betham.
As Mon'Fargret raises his wrister to make the call, Constable Panith immediately steps forward and lunges with his stun baton, apparently aiming at the wrister.
(Is Mon'Fargret going to attempt any kind of defense?)
(Or Zeton for that matter?)
(I'm almost finished with a map of the club with everyone's current location, but I won't be able to post it for a few more hours. Suffice to say that Zeton and Mon'Fargret are sitting at separate tables but are only about a meter apart. Constable Panith has to step into the aisle between them.)
"You're planning to kill us all, aren't you?" cries Bina.
From the GM's description, it appears Zeton can't interpose himself between Panith and Mon'Fargret, so Zeton will move to MF defense by tackling Panith (from behind?) to the ground, trying to keep the stun gun away from him and if possible, knocking it out of Panith's hand.
Zeton is very aware that the party is at a huge disadvantage and he has no desire to be shot (again), or stunned, but he also wants to make sure Mon'Fargret can at least get Constable Betham's attention.
Noting the manner of the super ... Ham quickly notes the body language of all the armed and armored guards blue marks or no.
[Humm hopes The constable may trip...now that would be interesting.]
Okay, I have a layout of the club as well as the location of the people before the action started here.
I noticed I forgot to put in Patrolman 2. He's standing halfway between the stage and Constable Ter'nbath.
The Superintendent is now closer to Lirassa. Constable Panith is coming in between Dabid and Zeton to get to Mon'Fargret. (InfoGeek, you can revise your action if you like.)
I'm going to shriek like a little girl and step between the three unnamed Yangae and Dabid and Zeton, babbling about the evils of violence.
Mon'Fargret will leave his chair while engaging his wrister.
He will go behind Pru and towards a position between Ham and Par'deth.
When he gets Betham, "Request immediate assistance at the Scarlet Revival. Superintendent Br'am may have gone rogue and we aren't sure who is legit. We need on-duty officers here quickly."
[2 other questions...where are Dusker and Mek? Where is the exit in this place?]
(Dusker and Mek...OOPS...)
[Dusker and Mek are seated at the second table directly out from the curve of the bar, i.e. to the immediate right of the pair of blue-marked Yangae. I'll fix the picture after I get home, though I'll probably have to revise it completely.]
[The brown rectangles on the walls are doors. The apparent main entrance is the double doors at the upper right near the media booth. The doors on and next to the stage as well as the one to the left of the bar are all marked "employees only". The party entered the room from the white-floored passage between the two rest rooms (set off by a beaded curtain).]
Constable Panith manages to get past Widjgleeby when she starts her fit, but it throws his timing off. (I'm also going to assume Zeton moves into his path based on what was said before.) Mon'Fargret is easily able to duck behind Pru and start transmitting.
One of the three (non-blue) Yangae that Widjgleeby has blocked immediately shoots his carbine at the Farbett. There is a crackle of stun energy and a play of blue sparks. Widjgleeby growls.
"STOP!" barks the superintendent. "EVERYONE BACK OFF!"
The three (actually four) Yangae facing Widjgleeby, all of whom had their carbines leveled, ease from their firing stance (but don't lower their carbines) and back up. Panith stops his charge and backs toward the three (blue-marked) Yangae militiamen to the upper right.
Mon'Fargret is still trying to raise Betham on his wrister. There is no response.
"What," says the superintendent, "have we suddenly all gone paranoid? Let the good lord contact Constable Betham if he wants!"
"Sir, Constable Betham is...engaged," protests Panith evenly.
"He'll deal with it," replies the superintendent. "We all will. And as for you..." He turns to Bina. "Knock off the rash statements. They'll only make things worse."
"It is easier to cooperate when every legitimate concern is NOT met with a stunner. None in our party have made an aggressive move until I did just now to get away, yet we have 2 stuns and a carbine blast" Mon'Fargret begins.
"If you want cooperation, just answer our questions starting with Bina's and then mine. If we feel like we are treating fairly...no fuss. It might just help your detectives understand as well. Are you splitting us up to kill us, especially not returning Bina to the temple? Why are you still acting as if you had evidence when you don't? And why aren't you carrying standard issue weapons if you are an official force? Simple concerns. Simple questions."
He adds, "My roots run deeper than Betham you know."
[M'F needs to knock off the booze...I think he meant "being treated fairly"]
Zeton stares down Panith as he retreats and then takes a few steps over to Widj to make sure she's not seriously hurt. As he stops next to Widj, he turns to face toward Br'am, (who must be a couple meters away by the diagram) and speaks in a clear and loud voice, "So, Superintendent Br'am, Ekr'in District, for the record, have you watched the Second Chancer Video?"
[Widjgleeby is only mildly shaken.]
"No, I have not," replies the superintendent without missing a beat. "It hasn't been released yet, so no one has any business watching it. Have YOU seen it? If you have, you're guilty of theft." Then he looks at Mon'Fargret and gestures confusion Hergoth-style. "You're confusing me, sir artist. Look!" He holds up his weapons. "Standard issue sidearm, standard issue stun baton, right? Or were you talking about the Yangae militia?" He returns his weapons to his belt. "They have their own standards. As for evidence, I've already proven that Par'ai's report is a load of sewage. We also have the hackers that made the bootleg spike. We also have possible accomplices to its theft and distribution right here," he gestures at Bina, "not to mention a conspiracy against the public order. I'm bringing her in for further interrogation. Or are you offering me something better? Like that Mey'Luskar woman and the stolen spike?"
"Why do you Hergs gab so much?" demands one of the Yangae militiamen. "If they're a threat to civilization, why don't we just wipe 'em and be done?"
"Because we wouldn't learn anything," replies the superintendent. He looks around. "You have your orders. Let's move!"
We'll continue on a new post.
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