As they march through the area, Trav says: "A warning. If you have to kill him, do it. But killing changes you, even if it was just, even if it was justified, even if it's legal.I know because I've taken more life than anyone I know. This guy should be captured and judged by your Emperor. Please, be careful."

"That is indeed a problem." Stanley whispers. Running into enemies was always a possibility. "We will have to do something about them, but I want to play this safe. I don't doubt your training Kallann, but it is two against one, so in my opinion we should try something less direct. Maybe something that splits them up first."

"I think I have an idea." Stanley starts to take a few steps back the way they came, looking around for something. "There must be a telephone or communication device somewhere around here, maybe inside one of the offices? I want to use that to call their desk. Well, you will call them and pretend to be some high-ranking Draconian stuck in his office. The next step depends on how they react. If they call in reinforcements or they both come and investigate, we will run away, hide, and think of something else. However, if only one of them comes, we'll capture him and convince him to help us. Don't worry about that part, I can be very persuasive if I want to be."

"Next, he'll pretend to have captured you or me or both of us and we'll use the element of surprise to capture the other one and secure the facility. Simple, right?"

The access stairwell that Sereth's group has used to reach the Imperial Sanctum comes out on the fortified perimeter of the palace overall.  Ahead, they can see the structure of the Emperor's residence, partially screened off by the garden around it.  Sereth has been here a handful of times before; the Emperor typically conducts proper business in an audience chamber far below.

As they start to move forward, they see a round structure, mostly comprised of a translucent white material between thin wooden ribs.  One of the Guardsman nods toward it.  "Roof access to the lift, and storage for the grounds crew's equipment," he murmurs to Sereth.

They have come about even with the structure when they all catch a rustling in the topiary off to the left.

The look that Kallann gives to Stanley can best be described as extremely skeptical.

"I will grant that, if you have no proper combat training, a frontal assault seems like a poor choice," he says.  "But in large measure I should think this depends on how deep within the plot they are.  They are quite likely to guess you to be an associate of the Legate, and I would think that they would at least have been warned of you.  You would have to be very persuasive indeed, to sway him in spite of that.  Too, it seems there is a great danger that he will happily take us into custody and 'forget' that he has agreed to be part of this ruse.

He hesitates, then sets his jaw.  "Nevertheless.  We will try this.  If it goes badly, I will try to give you an opportunity to escape.  Only promise me that you will take it and not spare thought for my safety.  Yours is paramount here."

OOC: You can take it as read that the next few bits of the plan go off as intended, and you can lure one of the State guards in your direction.  Just describe where and how you're setting up, and pick it up when he gets to you.

Grimly.

"And it will be my burden to bear. I cannot afford to worry about trying to take him alive; unless by a miracle he surrenders."

His ears twitch, and he turns towards the rustling sound, moving towards it, ever so slowly.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:46, Mon 09 May 2016.

Trav frowns. "That's what I used to say to myself," she mutters. She raises a pistol, ready.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:11, Mon 09 May 2016.

"You sound a lot like the legate." Stanley replies, remembering something similar Sereth had said to him. "In this case that is a compliment. Anyways, I will do my best to get away when things go south."



This section of the building is on lockdown, but Stanley and Kallann manage to gain access to one of the offices of off the main hallway. When Kallann uses the communication device there to call the desk with the Draconians, Stanley gets a bit nervous. This is the part of the plan where they announce their presence to the enemy. Stanley is ready to start running the moment things go wrong. Stanley only hears one side of the conversation and in his opinion Kallann could try to sound a bit more trapped, but after a short while Kallan gives the sign that they are buying it.

Kallann finishes the call and Stanley quickly hides under the desk, whilst the Draconian goes stand next to the door. All they can do now is wait. When the door opens, Stanley is going to make wounded person noises to draw the guard's attention, whilst Kallenn is going to surprise him. Once Kallann has overpowered him, Stanley is going to try and hypnotise him...but for now they have to wait.

The Ministry of State man is clearly wary as he moves in, following Kallann's call: he has a blaster drawn and ready.  But Kallann slips behind in and slaps the door panel: as it whisks shut behind the guard, he stands startled for a moment.

"What-- what is this--?"

OOC: Stanley, you're up.  Presence + Convince + Hypnosis.

Sereth gets within arm's length of the bushes, close enough to make out the shape of the forms  concealed there -- two humanoid figures --  and, with a start, they react, none too deftly.  Tumbling out of the hedge come Taliro -- clutching, of all things, a rake and amateurishly bandaged up like a refugee from a low-budget apocalypse -- and an elderly gardener in white.

Taliro blinks up at Sereth, a little wild-eyed.  "Ah.  Sir!  You're here!  We were, ah, keeping watch, you see: waiting for Smoke Alarm to give us some kind of signal...."

Trav whispers - "Hello, I'm the Traveller. And that's our girl Smoke Alarm. Where is she now?"

Trav chances to look up:



"Huh. Ask a silly question, get a silly answer. You go girl!"

She waves her hat, not knowing if Smoke can see her, but not really caring, happy that Smoke is allright!
This message was last edited by the player at 01:01, Wed 11 May 2016.

With only two floors, it took almost no time for the three guards to foot it up the little tower-top-tower, huffing and growling like dogs as they clambered onto the sloping tiled roof. Fortunately, it also took Smoke Alarm almost no time to set up the kite. So she didn't have to loiter long. No time at all, in fact.

The first egg-shaped Draconian head popped up over the gutter, and eyespied the Blue Kang sitting on the peak of the roof. 'How you do!' she greeted with good cheer. 'I'm the Kang of the Castle!'

He pulled himself the rest of the way up, advancing menacingly upon the girl. 'Outlook!' Smoke cried, because she had to play the game fair, as she aimed her kite launcher at about his head-height, and fired.

Bursting out of the air cannon with a whoosh, a bundle instantly unfolded and snapped into shape, fwoop! It was a bright blue Draconian signal-kite, enhanced by fins and an aerodynamic design, so it could fly for great distances. And rapidly unfurling behind it was a long, long roll of paper. Smoke and Taliro had raided the stationery cupboard, and how.

And written on the paper, in big bold letters, in the finest Draconian clawigraphy Taliro could manage in the circumstances, was a terse message, as much as they could fit in:

LESTASEL & ZEVID CONSPIRE TO DEPOSE EMPEROR, TAKE CROWN, MAKE WAR, KIDNAP WITNESSES.

Smoke had suggested "Lestasel and Zevid sitting in a tree", but she'd let Taliro decide the message. But since there was a little bit of space at the end:

:(

When the kite reached a certain altitude, the attached signal-flare went off, with a dazzling flash of light. It continued to blaze brightly, as the kite drifted away from the Palace, over the palace grounds, and toward the distant city.

'Outlook, Meanister!' she shouted back down to the courtyard. 'I show-and-telled everyone. Everyone knows what you and Zevid do. Legate Sereth heard everything, and he's incoming! Game's over, your honour is stained. Give up now!'


OOC: I'll fire the kite over the guard's head, hoping to startle him into toppling off the roof.
19:47, Today: Smoke Alarm rolled 14 using 2d6+10 with rolls of 2,2. coordination(5) + marksman(3) + Crack Shot(2).
That roll's a bit of a flub, so I'll drop a Story Point on it to make it happen if need be. (Currently at 3/11 Story Points.)

And for the speech:
20:20, Today: Smoke Alarm rolled 13 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 4,6.  presence(2) + convince(1).
That's a second action, so probably 11.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:54, Fri 13 May 2016.

Stanley gets up from behind the desk quickly and rushes over to the guard. "Hold him!"
He uses his phone to shine a bright light in the poor Draconian's eyes, rapidly turning it on and off. In his free time, Stanley had done some initial research on hypnotising Sereth.  If it was ever necessary, he didn't want it to be less effective or fail due to the Draconians reptilian nature. Taking inspiration from how some hypnotists hypnotise chickens and other small pets, Stanley had decided that light might be a good way to try and induce a trance. When they were waiting for the guard to get here, he had prepared a script and gone over it a couple of times. He left out anything referring to heavy eyelids and focused on the feeling of sleepiness. Now it was just a case of reciting the script and hoping it would work.

"Okay listen up, I am going to count to five and at five you will be asleep. One,you are feeling tired. Two you are feeling tired and sleepy. Three" Stanley briefly turns of the light, before alternately shining it only in the guards left or right eye. "Four still very sleepy...and Five, you are completely relaxed."

OOC:Roll (going to spend one SP (I think I now have 6-1=5 left)):
00:59, Today: Stanley Newton rolled 16 using 4d6+7 with rolls of 1,5,1,2.  Presence(3)+Convince(2)+Hypnosis(2)+SP(+2d6).

Oh, two ones :(.
 

The guard struggles a bit in Kallann's grip at first before Stanley begins his routine.  A few times, Stanley senses that the guard is starting to resist and distract himself, but at last their captive stops struggling, and his gun arm drops loosely to his side.

"This... does not feel quite right," Kallann says.  "Well.  Let us attempt to put this into practice, before he comes to his senses."

22:19, Today: The Guardian, for the NPC State Guardsman, rolled 12 using 2d6+7 with rolls of 4,1.  Resisting Hypnosis: Presence(3) + Resolve(4).

Taliro is just starting to explain, "She's up on the roof," when the sizzling of blaster fire comes from somewhere within the building ahead of them!

Smoke's kite-banner rockets out into the sky, plain enough to see for everyone to read its message before it arcs out over the city.

The Draconians of the Palace Guard and the Ministry of Virtue all stiffen at the sight.  Sereth knows exactly why.  There is going to be no covering this up, no quiet shuffling away of the sordid treason planned by Lestasel, nor Zevid's connivance in it -- and the latter, at least, strikes directly to the dignity of the throne.

Whether or not Sereth himself would have stood by and let such a thing happen, whether the Emperor would have judged it right for the welfare of Draconia, is now plainly academic: disavowal at this point would be impossible without charges of capital slander coming to rest on both Smoke Alarm and Taliro.

From Smoke Alarm's perch on the roof, several things become apparent:

Lestasel's henchmen, clambering up an ornamental trellis to close on her, gapes as the rocket flashes past him.  As he flinches back, he loses his grip and topples backwards!

Peeking over the eaves, Smoke sees that everyone in the courtyard is transfixed by the rocket.  But some react more quickly than others.  She sees Lestasel go pale, and apparently makes up his mind that there is nothing more to do but act, as he lunges for the Emperor -- but the Emperor himself has recovered his wits quickly, too, and he springs ahead to grapple with the Minister of State, catching him in a clinch.

The pair of them stand locked and struggling, shifting and staggering around for advantage and it seems to be only Lestasel's hold on the blade -- and his efforts to lever it toward the Emperor's face that are letting him hold his own.

Meanwhile, the seemingly subdued young woman whirls to her feet and takes her own captor down, knocking the weapon from his hand and sending it skittering across the paving stones.

Lestasel's other men (save the one who who has toppled fifteen feet from the rooftop and is trying to pick himself up -- are aiming uncertainly at the wrestling Emperor and Minister.

"Do it, you fools!" Lestasel roars.  "I am doomed!  That was the point!  SHOOT!"

OOC: We will still assume some time dilation here; we're not in strict action rounds yet.

He sighed as the kite is launched. Oh Smoke. He gave a sad smile to Taliro, before proceeding towards the building, his blade gleaming.

"Remember. Take them alive if you can. TO stand trial. But if they refuse, a quick and clean death. Do not risk your own lives further than necessary merely to give them honor which they have given up all rights to."

Sereth is furious. It had come to this. Draconian blood falling in Draconia itself. Shed by other Draconians. Swords and weapons wielded in the Capital; in the presence of the Emperor. And here he was, telling men that that had to be done. Leading men against some of the most powerful political opponents of Draconia. And he did it, for Draconia? All his hopes his dreams, would be gone this day. He was giving up his own honor, for the honor of his home.

Smoke outlooked in dismay, shocked that Lestasel still wanted a to-do, to make these people unalive, and himself. This wasn't how it was meant to be! 'Don't shoot!' she shouted back at the guards, at the same time aiming her arrowgun at the nearest to raise his raygun. She fired, to shoot the nasty thing from his hands before he could use it, against the Emperor or Lestasel.


OOC: Shoot a raygun out of a guard's hand.
13:04, Today: Smoke Alarm rolled 19 using 2d6+12 with rolls of 1,6.  coordination(5) + marksman(3) + crossbows(2) + Crack Shot(2).

Trav draws out her pieces. HM-VREEEEEEEEM. The chambers glow blue for stun.

"Where to? Lead on."

"I can assure you that hypnosis is perfectly normal. A hypnotic trance is just a different, more susceptible, state of mind and I just helped this guy to achieve that state." Stanley says, keeping a close eye on the guard. "But you are right, let's continue with the plan. Can you look at his gun and take out the battery? Or put the safety back on or something."

"You are still feeling sleepy. Listen to my voice." Stanley instructs the guard. He is going to plant the post-hypnotic suggestion that will allow them to get to the desk and the other Draconian. "When I snap my fingers, you will think you have caught us and we are your prisoners. You will point your blaster at me and take us to your colleague. When you hear the word 'banana' you will fall asleep again.  Five...four...three...two...one..."

Stanley snaps his fingers.

The State security officer straightens and comes to attention, his weapon training on Kallann (who has just pocketed the blaster's charge pack.)  The officer backs off to cover both Stanley and Kallann.  "No sudden moves!" he snaps.  He waves the muzzle of the gun.  "Both of you, five paces ahead, at a slow walk.  We'll be taking a left and proceeding to the aid station, where both of you will be held for debriefing."  His manner softens slightly.  "Just follow my instructions and refrain from doing anything foolish.  You have my word that you'll not be harmed, and you should be free to go once the present emergency is over."

Kallann shrugs, holds his hands up in sight, and starts to move out toward the checkpoint and the other guard.

As Sereth stalks purposefully straight toward the residence, the Ministry agents fan out to cover the flanks as the Guardsmen follow in his wake, weapons out.

Shortly the back terrace comes into view.  There's a man in Palace Guard uniform standing there, but when he catches sight of the oncoming group, he back off in a hurry, pudhing through the double doors and into the building proper.

The venerable Draconian arrowgun sings.  The foremost guard, raising his weapon to draw a bead on the Emperor, yelps and pulls back a stinging hand as Smoke's bolt smashes the blaster out of his grip and sends it sailing off to vanish into thick shrubbery.

Despite the Minister's orders, the others continue to angle for a clear shot.  A couple of them actually do get off bursts that go wide, but Smoke's interference creates a gap in their fire coverage, giving the Emperor a little breathing space as he wrestles Lestasel into place as his living shield.

OOC:
22:31, Today: The Guardian, for the NPC State Guardsman, rolled 13 using 2d6+10 ((1,2))

Solid.

'Yes!' Smoke cheered, quickly slotting another bolt into her arrowgun and expertly ratcheting it back. But she didn't shoot, not yet; she'd have to get closer to get the girl and the Emperor sound-and-safe. And it was faster going down than up. She jumped off the roof, before catching the gutter to break her fall. Hanging there, she dangled a moment, then dropped to the next roof down, sneakers crunching on clay tile, hitting the roof running. Smoke footed around the courtyard, seeking another angle, another way, another chance.

There! She fired her bolt, to once again disarm a Guardsman of his raygun.


OOC:
Do: Reload
Move: Drop down to the next roof. Jump check 13 if needed.
14:56, Today: Smoke Alarm rolled 13 using 2d6+11 with rolls of 1,1. coordination(5) + athletics(4) + Jumping(2) + Kang Fu(2); second action(-2)

Fight: Shoot a raygun out of a guard's hand, 17.
15:13, Today: Smoke Alarm rolled 17 using 2d6+12 with rolls of 3,2.  coordination(5) + marksman(3) + crossbows(2) + Crack Shot(2).

Now the situation is reversed and it is Stanley who is following the guard's instructions. He obediently raises his hands and also starts walking. When they get to the desk, he'll have to wait for the right moment to say 'banana'. Maybe when the other guard moves in to handcuff them.