Move 7 (Chapter 1.7)

[yhlee]

Time: 361
Place: Station Moongray, at last!

[GM's note: If your characters wanted to make any preparations or do any interactions in between Move 6 and Move 7, that's totally fine--just start a thread here with an appropriate subject header so everyone knows. If it's more in the nature of character RP than plot-related RP, it's also fine to start a separate character RP post.]

The Wasp
The Wasp is securely docked under Kaliyan's guidance in one of Moongray's bays--pretty roomy, but Moongray must be used to receiving shipments of raw materials for any fabrication, plus any specialty equipment they can't make or replace with what they have on-station.

In response to Alaric's last communication with the Wasp [Move 6], it responds with a box containing the Wasp, a bag-of-water human figure, and the Rebellion's logo and a "1." Then it pauses and sends two juxtaposed illustrations, one of a moth inside a box with a specifically Nirai voidmoth logo, and one of three moths outside the box.

The welcome on-station
When anyone who's coming on-station emerges, Andan Bokali and Nirai Pavn lead the way.

The group is greeted by Station Administrator Nirai Paerani Shan--who watches them from behind a translucent partition. Shan is a short, stumpy woman whose every inch of visible skin is covered with tattoos and/or implants. The lenses covering her eyes combined with the colorful, shimmering shawl she's wearing makes her resemble a butterfly. "So what's this I hear about trade goods?" she says through an intercom system that distorts her voice.

A rather harried looking group of security workers appears at another door that is blocked by yet another translucent partition. Interestingly (and this was not mentioned in the briefing materials), their leader appears to be a broad, muscular lieutenant seconded from the Kel--the Nirai uniform looks like it only barely fits him, and the golden Kel ashhawk at his breast gleams in the lights of the docking bay.

"Before we start negotiating," the lieutenant says after an inscrutable look in Shan's direction, as if he's used to her jumping the gun (so to speak), "I will have to ask you all to submit to a security and medical scan, for everyone's safety. It might tickle if you have any implants." He holds up a handheld scanner.

Bokali looks bemused. "I always do love being the guinea pig for any bored diseases, but I don't even feel so much as a sniffle coming on."

Comments

Re: marching orders? - paging everyone, especially Ashari and Ankat

[smokedetective]

[I don't think Ashari had time to call a meeting, and they're also not posing as one of the smugglers (I think), but as an artist of some means who is paying the ship to take them places.

They did absolutely check in with everyone that they could check in with before leaving for the station, under guise of gathering some items to show the folks at the station. I don't know if they got anything in other than a general "you good?" sort of statement.

Ashari's current plan is definitely to set up the exhibition and to talk to about mangos, or to get Mikodez to talk about mangos for them.]

[marching orders: GM suggestion]

[yhlee]

[Hmm. GM speaking here--player- vs. character-wise, it sounds to me like some of the other players might appreciate firmer guidance as to their roles, though? And since Ashari is the mission leader they might look to Ashari for it, or want to avoid stepping on Ashari's toes? Would Ashari possibly have had time to give a few quick pointers/directives over Space Communicators when they stepped away to "powder their nose" or something? It's fine to discuss even limited planning OOC just so the other players have something to work with.]

Re: [marching orders: GM suggestion]

[smokedetective]

[I think I'll do that in a flashback post where Ashari steps away to quickly review things with the team.

I've been worried about stepping on toes with what the other players would like to do, so I've been trying to let everyone do their own thing.

I think some collective OOC planning would be good to do, too, to make sure everyone's able to do what they want to do with their characters.]

Re: [marching orders: GM suggestion]

[yhlee]

[This may well be a case of everyone being worried about stepping on everyone else's toes! *wry g* Collective OOC planning sounds like a great idea. Thanks for your responsiveness--it's much appreciated.]

Re: marching orders? - paging Ashari, Sulen, GM

[zuhrovet]

[Hmmm, so it sounds like you're thinking Pavn and Bokali rode back to the station with us? And Ashari's feeling a bit flustered?

That sounds like an effective Andan/Shuos move on Bokali's part. Sulen might be worried about Ashari?

GM question: what did the Butterfly Lens do, if Pavn and Bokali came with us? Is it still out near the rift?

Other miscellaneous questions: are we expecting to sleep on ship or on station? Can Sasha have an equipment budget?]

[sleeping arrangements, Butterfly Lens, equipment budget]

[yhlee]

[Players are welcome to either sleep on station in guest quarters or on the ship, even splitting up if y'all like.

As for equipment budget, if Sasha's going to be using materials from the station, she or someone in the group will have to negotiate that with the station--they might be willing, for instance, to give her some kind of budget in exchange for information, or dicker over the whiskey, etc.

ETA: Butterfly Lens is holding position by the rift--to make further observations, Pavn tells you.]

Re: marching orders? - paging Ashari, Sulen, GM

[venndaai]

Sulen is a little concerned, but this whole situation kind of reminds them of past times when they'd attend Ashari's parties as moral support/a mild power move on Ashari's part. They're ready to keep an eye on people's signifiers and subtly indicate to Ashari if someone needs particular watching or is flickering in an alarming manner.

Ashari definitely took a moment on the way to the station to fix Sulen's beehive and spray their hair with product, which is also comfortingly familiar.

Re: marching orders? - paging Ashari, Sulen, GM

[pengwern]

[new icon :D (((A model of stylish rectitude as always)))]

Re: marching orders? - paging Ashari, Sulen, GM

[smokedetective]

Ashari has been trying to not make it look like they're too closely acquainted to Sulen or anyone else from the ship, at least in front of the station folk. That said, they're not failing miserably, but it's still clear to anyone who cares to look closely that they're slightly more attentive to Sulen for the two to just be acquaintances or fellow travelers.

Normally, Ashari is much better than this, but they did think that Sulen was dead until recently, so they're slipping up more than they normally would.

Re: marching orders? - paging everyone, especially Ashari and Ankat

[pengwern]

[Player-wise, I wouldn't mind suggestions, since I'm going to have Mikodez go astray once the exhibit is set up, to find 1) Remi 2)info/records on other visitors through the rift and 3) a lab to analyse a bit of DNA sample he lifted off Istradez, in that order of priority. Character-wise, he's waiting for Ankat or Ashari to make any overtures to Nirai Shan and the Kel before submitting to the scan in good grace.

He will try to be first in contacting Remi regardless of what other characters have planned? Ashari could always have loomed at him again before he gets his hands on their actual loom.]

Re: marching orders? - snipe hunt for fox and spider

[vass]

[Iawa's decided to officiously Keep Avrayen Out Of Trouble, and will be dogging his footsteps. Odds on whether Mikodez can complete all of his errands while accompanied by Iawa, without letting on to Iawa what he's doing?

Or he could always try to ditch Iawa, but wouldn't it be satisfying to be able to innocently report to Ashari and Ankat that he was never out of earshot of another crew member? And besides, if he finds trouble he'd have backup.]

Re: marching orders? - paging everyone, especially Ashari and Ankat

[lleullawgyffes]

[Virmad would LOVE a chance to have, like, an actual briefing, or at least a chance to talk to Ashari privately (well, with Sulen), because there's some key info — namely "Andan" Bokali's Shuos signifier — that he feels it's urgent everyone who's going to the station be aware of.]

[GM reminder: briefings in flashbacks]

[yhlee]

[Just as a note, if y'all felt you could steal time for even a brief consultation/briefing, you can definitely roleplay it as a flashback in this move. Totally allowed!--the GM.]

Re: marching orders? - paging everyone, especially Ashari and Ankat

[zuhrovet]

[May I recommend the memo format? This may not be obvious from Sasha's notes, in which I'm making my best attempt at bad mathematician-style writing, but she's pretty freaked out; Virmad would've gotten her memos about the Rosemallow ship.

The lokwors should be secure even on the station, assuming you don't try to read your messages underneath a security camera.]

[reminder to all players: OOC notes]

[yhlee]

[Just as a reminder, in general you can always include OOC information about your character's move in brackets like this note here, to give other players (or the GM!) additional context.

(Sorry, responding in between nightly TV with my daughter--will catch up in depth after she goes to bed. :p )]

Re: marching orders? - paging everyone, especially Ashari and Ankat

[lleullawgyffes]

[oh, good call!]

Re: marching orders? - paging everyone, especially Ashari and Ankat

[venndaai]

[Memos sound good; if Pavn and Bokali were our guests all the way to Moongray, it would have been difficult for Ashari, Virmad and Sulen to leave their guests alone all at the same time.]