hexarchate_rpg | Chapter 2.2

yhlee posting in

[Sorry I didn't get this out earlier, y'all. Happy summer/winter holidays!]

The Cantata emerges from the rift on an approach to the Lanterner stronghold called Autumn Pyre. The Cantata hums very quietly to reassure the mothlings, then falls silent; it's been impressed on the Cantata that discretion will be necessary. For their part, the mothlings have free run of an enclosure with Fluffy the Vraselian pseudo-dragon, and both mothlings and dragonet seem to be entertaining each other with games of tag and hide-and-seek. They are happy to play with any humans who stop by, as well.

Scan reveals that Autumn Pyre is heavily fortified by the standards of the day, mostly with invariant weapons like railguns and missiles. A few dozen moths are already docked there, and several more are patrolling the area. Two small Lanterner patrol moths, nearly identical, veer lazily toward the Cantata.

Patrol moth #1 hails the Cantata in several different languages, including the high language. For its part, it transmits the Lanterner emblem--a stylized yellow lantern against a blue background--and the speaker is requesting that you halt and identify yourselves. "This is the Lanterner Federacy in the year 852," the speaker goes on, "under the benevolent rule of the Honorable Aramis kae Pharon. Are you human? What are your hospitality requirements?"

[Feel free to take advantage of the between-moves planning post if you need to, and to make whatever preparations, including rearranging the Cantata's variable layout, you deem necessary.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

zuhrovet

Once the Cantata has docked, Sasha gathers a group of people to visit the Catastrophe Axe: Reshad, posing as the captain, Seyli, posing as second-in-command/security officer, Alaric, posing as an engineer, herself, posing as a tech named Vauri, and Mafyyil, whom she gives a bag full of prototype armor. She checks that everyone has a lokwor, and has received a lesson from Aymad in how to use it. There are two channels, one that can transmit to anyone in the rebellion with a compatible lokwor, and one encrypted for Cantata crew members only.

From:

mafyyil

Mafyyil has successfully resisted the urge to send inspiring poetry to the rest of the group. Instead, she immediately goes through the contents of the bag. "Ohhhh, how does this work?", she asks, curious.

From:

zuhrovet

"You wear it," Sasha tells her. "Probably not you personally--the flowers would get in the way. We may or may not do a demo when we get where we're going."

From:

slybrarian

"Oh, no, the flowers wouldn't get in the way at all," Alaric says. "They wouldn't survive the experience, but it's designed to be thrown on in a hurry. Say, if you're at a fancy dress party and need to put on armor because you snubbed a powerful magnate by not inviting her and she sent mercenaries to express her displeasure. Hypothetically."

From:

zuhrovet

"Whoever is running security for this hypothetical party is fucking incompetent," Sasha observes. "Look, Alaric--I'm going to tell Flute that you're the smart one and the rest of us are just tagging along. Don't let it go to your head."

From:

kese_seyli

Seyli had, in fact, pulled a uniform out of the matter printer. It's a simple combat uniform --although there were designs for an undress option-- they felt more comfortable in tactical clothing. They wear the uniform like a second skin, the gun at their hip another extension of their being. They know Sasha wants them all to look incompetent, but they don't know how to turn that off. (Crashhawk status notwithstanding, who the fuck knows how they turned that off.)

They also aren't comfortable with is being a second in command, even playacting at it, but they keep that information to themselves. Seyli doesn't trust anyone here just yet. Still, with no other option, they align themselves to Reshad's right side.

From:

zuhrovet

[Never fear, Seyli! Your discomfort with the rest of the party will do the work all on its own!]

From:

hoardingpearls

Reshad gives Seyli an approving nod, well aware of their distrust and offering no apology for it. "We've got everything we need," she says, by way of reassurance, aware that they may already be monitored.

Despite the lack of anything to flow in the sensible uniforms the group had fabbed up before arrival, she manages to sweep forward as the hatch opens, and makes a show of being a leader of this group.

From:

yhlee

Checking in at the dock goes smoothly, although the dock workers and other passers-by tend to stare, most obviously at Mafyyil, but Alaric's lab coat also attracts some attention as well. Station control arranged for Cantata to dock near Catastrophe Axe and the rest of her troupe, so it's not even a far walk.

The interior of the dock is surprisingly pleasant: functional, but with more concern for what one might call the "user experience" than h*archate docks tend to have, especially at military facilities. The lights are bright, but not too bright; every bay is painted with a distinct botanical theme, although most of the plants will be unfamiliar. [Easily looked up on Space Internet and identifiable as favored herbs and spices in Lanterner cuisines.]

The Catastrophe Axe is a deceptively compact moth, well-maintained. Two of Flute's minions stand guard at the hatch, which is closed; both look like hired muscle, and wear khaki uniforms with lots of pockets. Neither is obviously armed, per station regulations. At the group's approach, one of them (apparently a man) raises his hand. "Stop," he calls. "Who goes there?"

[ETA: Feel free to circle back to this [4C] after resolving whatever happens in 4A and 4B. I think we all cross-commented!]

Edited Date: 2019-01-05 02:16 am (UTC)

From:

zuhrovet

"We're with the Symphony of Bees," Sasha tells him. "We're expected."

From:

yhlee

Muscle #1's eyes flicker, a usual telltale for someone consulting someone else, or something, via augment. "You're expected indeed," he says, with just a hint of skepticism as he takes in the entire group. "I'll take you in myself."

The hatch opens. Muscle #1 gestures for the group to precede him. "Straight ahead, and into the conference room, which is the one with the panpipes on the wall."

The conference room in question is the second door on the port side of the corridor running down the length of the moth toward its rear, and is indeed marked by a set of bamboo panpipes hung on the wall like a decoration, although it's not inconceivable that someone could take them down and play them. Muscle #1 gestures for everyone to have seats (there are plenty). He grimaces, then adds, "Flute will be with you shortly." He will return to his post unless someone has a question for him.

From:

zuhrovet

Sasha can either sit at a comfortable height for the table, or lower a chair till her feet touch the ground. Fuck that. She perches on top of the table instead, resting her feet on the seat of a chair, and digs out her shiny new tablet. She starts a game with a moderately irritating beepy soundtrack. In the background, she runs the usual network analysis. She's interested in vulnerabilities, signs of Lanterner exploits, and available matter printers.

From:

hoardingpearls

Reshad refrains from sitting, instead standing with her hands neatly folded. Her hipshot stance is deceptively casual, and she fiddles with the fitness tracker and clucks at it under her breath, as if the supposedly convenient technology is misbehaving.

In fact, it is doing no such thing, and she keeps a keen, casual eye on the exits.

From:

yhlee

Flute doesn't keep the group waiting for long. She enters a few moments later, through the exit by which Reshad's people did. She's carrying a slate and a stylus, and there's a period-correct pistol at her hip, holstered for an easy draw. She's accompanied by a servitor bearing canapés and a pitcher of agua fresca.

"Apologies for the wait," Flute says without preamble. "I'm known as Flute. Introduce yourselves, please."

From:

zuhrovet

Sasha hastily pauses her game and shoves her tablet into one of her pockets. It will continue monitoring the local grid, including the other intruder.

"I'm Vauri, and these are Eres"--nodding at Reshad--"and Seyli. I brought our calendrical expert in case you wanted him, and our newest recruit has some of our official merchandise."

[

slybrarian and

mafyyil, let me know if you want a particular fake name, or want to avoid multiplication of pseudonyms.]

From:

yhlee

[...given the possibility of many timelines, if you want to just stick to a given name or pseudonym and we'll all PRETEND that you have new pseudonyms in every place/time, I won't penalize y'all. Sorry I didn't think of this expedient earlier...

Of course, if y'all are enjoying the pseudonyms, by all means. XD ]

From:

zuhrovet

[I personally feel that an average of a new set of fake names per real-world year is fine, but I probably shouldn't be the gauge of these things.]

From:

mafyyil

"Helloooo!", Mafyyil smiles brightly at Flute. "My name is Tiad, very honored to meet you!"

[Mafyyil will enjoy the fake name thing because she can feel like a spy!]

From:

yhlee

Flute smiles with apparently genuine delight; if she's concerned about "Tiad"'s professionalism, she doesn't reveal it outwardly. "Honored to meet you too, Tiad. Your personal mods are quite attractive." This seems truly sincere, although Flute herself looks like an ordinary h*archate citizen.

From:

kese_seyli

Seyli takes the time to visually access the apparent and strength of Flute and any other staff in the room with an obvious once over.

From:

hoardingpearls

Reshad gives a mostly-correct Lanterner bow. "Vhi Eres. Call me Eres. Once our negotiations are complete, I am most interested to see your station."

The servitor and its canapes suggest an intent to do that negotiation right here. She ignores it unless it offers something, and then takes whatever is most decorative by her own standards.

"Would you prefer to see schematics first?"

From:

yhlee

Flute chuckles lowly. "Oh, if only it were our station. But our hosts have given us the run of this corner of it, of a certainty." She returns a Lanterner bow that is mostly-correct to the exact same degree.

The servitor will not insist that anyone take a canape, but Flute grabs a puff pastry of some kind and takes a bite before continuing.

"Pleased to meet you, Eres," she says. "Schematics first, yes. I'm most curious about how you plan on supplementing our offerings to the Lanterners."

From:

zuhrovet

Sasha takes a glass from the servitor. Strategic indifference to social norms is one thing; utter barbarism is another.

"Is there a screen we can put the schematics on?" she asks.

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

yhlee - Date: 2019-01-10 01:30 am (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

zuhrovet - Date: 2019-01-10 01:49 am (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

yhlee - Date: 2019-01-10 02:10 am (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

slybrarian - Date: 2019-01-10 03:43 am (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

yhlee - Date: 2019-01-11 05:09 am (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

zuhrovet - Date: 2019-01-11 04:53 pm (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

yhlee - Date: 2019-01-11 06:02 pm (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

zuhrovet - Date: 2019-01-11 07:53 pm (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

yhlee - Date: 2019-01-11 08:38 pm (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

mafyyil - Date: 2019-01-11 09:50 pm (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

kese_seyli - Date: 2019-01-11 10:03 pm (UTC) - Expand

Re: meeting Flute - paging Reshad, Seyli, Alaric, and Mafyyil

From:

yhlee - Date: 2019-01-12 01:42 am (UTC) - Expand

From:

yhlee

Flute's demeanor is unprepossessing, but the way she moves convinces Seyli that she's got hand-to-hand experience, and that she's at least comfortable with the holster, which suggests that she probably knows how to use that gun as well.

The servitor does not appear to have any weapons, although it's got the usual metal carapace armor of its kind.

What Seyli does notice is that the walls are weirdly pitted, and that it be pretty easy to hide laser emplacement apertures in the rough texture. Even though Flute is apparently alone (save the servitor), she could well signal for an attack if she felt threatened.

From:

yhlee

Sasha gets a little way into the local grid. Flute's moth has not one but three matter printers on board, presumably for presenting mockups. One of them is much more heavily guarded than the others and appears to be a much more recent (or perhaps even a future model) compared to the other two, in terms of advanced features; a casual sweep wouldn't pick it up at all. There appear to be a couple programs running in the background quietly trying to track activity, and...

Hmm. There's another hacker on the network. Sasha's luck is serving her well; they're well-disguised, but they are sitting there quietly observing network activity--including her.