Move 24 (Chapter 1.24)

[yhlee]

[GM note: This is a wrap-up move to close off the Station Moongray arc. Well done, everyone!]

[IMPORTANT: There is a roll call thread in this move. Please respond if you intend to continue as an active player for the next arc. Otherwise I will move you off the active list and to the NPC/inactive list.]

Year 361, Month Three, Day Seventeen (Monday), ~0900

Kaliyan (NPC) successfully guides the Wasp to the rift without complications or interference. She reports that the Rosemallow ship has veered away and chosen not to pursue or harass them further--at least in this timeline. The ship will be spending the next five to seven days in rift travel.

In the Rift:

Ashari orders everyone to catch up on sleep in shifts. After this has happened, they call a meeting that includes Sulen, Virmad, Sasha, Iawa, Alaric, and Mikodez [if pengwern is available], with Gerae (NPC) and Remi (NPC) as guests. The Wasp (NPC) may also venture opinions through Alaric and Sasha as interpreters. Kaliyan (NPC), Ankat (NPC), and Yehan (NPC) oversee the ship in case of emergency, but can be called via the ship's grid if anyone has questions for them specifically.

Tentative agenda as per this thread [Move 23]: (a) addressing problems in teamwork during the Station Moongray mission, (b) how to rectify those issues, and (c) next steps, including any recruitment.

[GM notes: Players are welcome to suggest plot hooks for what they'd like to explore in the next arc. Going after Quill? Rabble-rousing? Crashing the heptarchate's stock market?

Also, I'd really prefer the team leader to be a currently active PC rather than an NPC. If someone would like to volunteer their character for the job, I can move Ashari (NPC) to more of a background/support position, or maybe "shadowy boss who doesn't get involved in the day to day decision-making that much."

For recruitment, I still think the team would benefit from a couple of more fighty/meat shield type characters, and I'm thinking of opening up applications so we can recruit two more PCs. Thoughts on this are welcome, either IC or OOC. I'm personally not opposed to opening up mothlings as adoptable PCs, although they're not really meat shields yet...]

Comments

[venndaai]

Before sleeping, Sulen puts a few hours into making Mikodez's quarters as secure as they can manage, and then unshackles him. If he's in a talkative mood they might have a chat; if not Sulen will leave him and head off to attempt sleep.

[pengwern]

Playing dead has its benefits, like not combusting on the spot from self-disgust. Mikodez concentrates on being as floppy as a drunken weasel. While Sulen binds him in their outdated Rahal fashion, he palms two pieces of tape onto their person, one inside their sleeve and the other onto their shoe sole.

As they leave, he keeps his eyes closed and starts sorting through what was said earlier. Always listen to what the Rahal tell you. He's such a good citizen. Of course, he also noodles away at his augment. Sasha has redecorated her room one too many times out there in the open for him to not notice, and is it only his imagination, or has his augment started to work again with her away?

When Sulen returns, Mikodez is worrisomely relieved to see them and not somebody else. (Sasha.) Sulen, a Rahal Inquisitor! Sulen, with that striking rapport with Ashari. Sulen, who said something that sounded like they cared about what Imsayed-Istradez wants --

No.

He's decided to go along with the assumption everyone on the Wasp is what they appear to be. Mikodez discards the approaches that won't work on a trained Inquisitor, and settles on one he hopes will move a heretic.

"How's...how's the person-with-a-suspicious-familial-resemblance-to-me doing?"

[To GM: does Mikodez manage to sneak the doors open again?]

Mishka's grid access, or lack thereof

[zuhrovet]

[Mikodez definitely doesn't have permission to rearrange the room; his grid access is currently limited to sending verbal messages to Ashari or Sasha. Sasha reset his augment, rooted it, and cleaned out the storage. But if you want, Mikodez should still be able to do whatever you can do with a new-from-the-factory augment that doesn't have broader grid access. I am imagining this as being like having a brand-new version of Windows in your head. Space Minesweeper?]

[venndaai]

"He's in the med bay," Sulen says. "I haven't gotten a chance to check in on him yet." They can't help but feel guilt at that, though it's having some difficulty permeating through the tiredness. "I could relay a message, if you want."

[yhlee]

Just then, Sulen receives a private message via lokwor from Ankat. He indicates that Imsayed [Istradez] is awake and has asked after Mikodez; Ankat wants to know what Sulen's instructions are.

[We can bring Istradez here for some hilarious conversation, if y'all like.]

[venndaai]

"Ah," Sulen says, looking down at their lokwor. "He's awake. And asking after you, it seems."

You can tell him Mikodez is safely confined for now, Sulen sends back. And I'll be by shortly to speak to him.

[yhlee]

Thank you, Ankat sends, I'll do that. Fire's own fortune to you. I don't envy you your job.

[pengwern]

"Tell him to rest, and I'll come over later and bring..." Mikodez trails off. They can hardly play a game together watch shows together like when they were small. Sasha deleted everything off his augment, for a start.*

"Make sure he eats if he's hungry, and bring him rose tea, if there's any? See if he likes it." Neither he nor the Istradez he knows had any particular attachment to it, but it might draw in Ashari! Maybe they will act the trite Andan and feed him a poison with an antidote that only they possess, which they'll use to string him on day after agonizing day, and he will have no compunction about anything that happens to this Imsayed. Since Mikodez has resolved to stop bothering with him already and treat him like Istradez.

"But more importantly." Mikodez smiles with all his teeth. "What are your plans for him? Still going to send him out on missions with this?"

*[LIKE A MASSIVE security conscious person with more than a single ounce of sense KILLJOY]

[venndaai]

Sulen's eyebrows rise a little. "You're a prisoner, not his caretaker. And I am not actually in charge of either of you, simply to some degree responsible." They unshackle him, and step back carefully. "I suspect we will be having a team meeting within the next cycle. Someone will fetch you."

[paging Mikodez]

[yhlee]

[pengwern, feel free to have Mikodez show up in the midst of the team meeting happening in this thread. A wary and prepared Ankat will be Mikodez's escort.]

[pengwern]

"Oh, but of course." Mikodez flops back onto the bed and waves goodbye.

[yhlee]

[Sasha & the rest of the crew will be especially prepared for Mikodez-shenanigans. He will not have any luck opening the doors before Sulen arrives, and will have to come to the conclusion that the best way out of here is cooperation.]