Author Topic: Little Death  (Read 16725 times)

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Offline Libby

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Little Death
« on: August 30, 2017, 08:33:29 PM »
Spoiler: STORY SO FAR • show

Having discovered a list of the paramilitary Truthsayers the ruthless members of the Kaitaine Guard Burureu (Kaitaine's intelligence agency and secret police) committed several assassinations across Mundus in an attempt to harm the Truthsayer network. As part of this several of the Sisterhood were exposed to various problems leading to one young girl to kill herself, which was being investigated by Achkaerin police. More recently it seemed a rouge member of the Truthsayers elite arm, the Swordmasters, attempted to steal nuclear waste from East Moreland seemingly to help the Bene Gesserit make some kind of dirty bomb. This was further deemed to be the case when Kaitaine revealed a member of its nuclear weapons programme had been discovered to be a member of the Bene Gesserit and therefore executed.

Additionally the leadership of the Sisterhood is concerned about a rouge eliment and has sent Nathanial Corrino and Sarah McPherson to Agira Latina to meet an arms dealer, Albanus Ares, who regularly supplies the group. It's hoped he may be able to shed  light on the rouge Swordmaster element.


OOC - Continuing this in the next few days, still not too late to join in just chat with me on Discord or somehing

Offline Libby

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2017, 06:13:26 PM »
OOC- Thanks to Dave and Robert for loans



Nathanial Corrino stood waiting for the Agira Latinan to arrive, this Albanus Ares character would hopefully be able to tell them what the hell had been going on. Meanwhile his companion on the trip [http://w11.zetaboards.com/Independent_Order_NS/single/?p=10062890&t=30231823]the newly graduated Sarah[/url] had taken up a position sitting on a wall surroudning a bright white marble pool. Without moving she tracked three guards she could see, each wearing sunglasses and smart designer suits, to her trained eyes however she could make out the pistols on their hips. "You got the guy pacing in the trees" Nathanial asked her without looking her way in Gaelic, a language he was confident none of the Agirans would speak.

"And check she has the marksman by the garage there" a man asked as he emerged from the pool house behind them, he had a heavily accented Gaelic but his vocabulary was spot on. "Now, I've meet Anna Fremen many times, but she never mentioned you" the man was clearly suspcious and so Nathanial handed over the note that had come from Anna. Albanus read it for a while as he stood there dressed in flip flops swimming shorts and a crisp white shirt clearly they had disturbed his afternoon. "So, what's your connection to the Sisterhood" he asked as he folded the letter up and slipped it into his shirt pocket, "The little one" he pointed to Sarah, "I understand, a shiny new Truthsayer?" he turned to face Sarah who was unsure what to do and so simply nodded. "So, who are you?"

"Just a loyal follower of the Bene Gesserit faith" Nathanial had expected some questions, "You know, equal oppurtunities and the like, can't have women do all the work can we." he shrugged as Albanus laughted.

"Well take a seat" he pointed to one of the cane chairs around the pool and held one out for Sarah, once his guests were seated he himself took a seat. "The letter says you have some questions about some past shipments, I do trust everything was in order" he sounded like a concerned salesman, after all he probably was, the Truthsayers were amongst his best customers, they came to him for small arms, ammunition, uniforms and occassionally some bigger specialist equipment. They were a custom he didn't want to lose and so them sending someone new here was a little unnerving.

"It's not a problem, it just seems that we've a discrepancy in our accounting, some bits and pieces that we need to work out where the hell its gone. You know how business can be" Nathanial explained beginning his probing.

"Ah, yes, how you would say cross the T and dot the I" Albanus poured himself a glass from a newly arrived bottle of wine. He began to move to pour for Sarah and she politely declined, Nathanial however took a small glass. "Now I can probably remember all the transactions, tell me what you think your missing and I'll tell you what happened."

Nathanial took out a pocket book and began reading out the entries, each one a date, an account number used to pay for it and then lists of equipment, all given to him by the Truthsayers for the past two years, each and everyone of their purchases recorded so they could track their stockpile of weapons. "Ah, there is your mistake" Albanus said looking at his tablet rest on his table. "There was not just those weapons that day, but also these" he turned the tablet over and showed Nathanial the screen, "I think your Quartermaster didn't quiet get the paperwork right that day" he chuckled, "Normally that Olivia is so certain" he had never meet her, just traded e-mails with her through their relationship as freedom fighter and arms smuggler.

Nathanial looked at the entry and jotted it down, on the list were explosives, flashbangs, a whole host of other materials, all of which would have been used to attack the convoy in East Moreland, all he needed now was where it went. "I need you to tell me where that shipment was originally delivered to"

"Meh, so maybe you lose things hey" Albanus chuckled once more, "This Missionara girls of yours not so good at maths" he took the tablet back. "They went to Arrakeen, I sent them through a little air conditioning company that fronts for me in East Moreland." He wrote down the name and address, "You think they may be responsible?" he looked serious now.

"Possibly" Nathanial said as he took the information.

"If you find that some of my workers have stolen, then by all means I will replace the goods, you're my best customers and I do not wish to lose you, after all my young wife has expensive taste and all this doesn't come for free." he gestured around his estate. "I would prefer to lose some of my staff than my customer, one can always find new staff, one can not always find as generous" he turned to face Sarah, "and beautiful customers"

"I think if this checks out sir they'll be no issue what so ever." Nathanial stood. "Come on Sarah we've some work to do" he extended a hand to Albanus, it was odd this was a man who would normally have been supplying the terrorists Nathanial and his comrades in the East Moreland Army fought against, but here he was, walking away from someone that probably his commanders would love to have had a chance to capture and he was leaving not saying a word. It was strange this divided loyalty but deep down he knew it was the Sisterhood and not the Cult that he would follow. Sarah stood received a kiss on the hand from Albanus instead of the offered hand shake and then followed Nathanial out the estate gate, she could just hear Albanus wife yelling at him wondering who the girl was as they walked the two streets away to their car.

"So what do we do now?" Sarah asked as she put her seat belt on.

"I'm going to East Moreland, you're going to Ui Cenneslaig" Nathanial pulled out the quiet street checking around them as they went to ensure no one was following. "Not like it'll be tough getting in and getting info on the place" Nathanial was already thinking how he could get the job done, it wouldn't be difficult he considered.

"Why split up?" Sarah was still learning how all this worked and was keen to learn from someone obviously so confident.

"Remember everyone thinks I'm a Morelander" he smiled, "I've got friends who can help, I drop the name Borlander and we're off to the races. "Meanwhile I'm going to need someone in Lifeboat back home to move on any information I send back pretty quick. It may not be pleasant." he prepared her.

"I'll get the job done" she said nervously. They spent most of the drive back to the airport in silence, booked their flights and then returned to the hotel to gather their things ready for the morning."

Offline Norgeras

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2017, 10:53:45 PM »
It took a while for the small patrol ship reaching the rendezvous point several miles off the Uburzian coast. The weather was rainy and a storm was brewing, perfect conditions to stay in harbor unless you have something to hide.

Matilda had been instructing them clearly, the packaged Traitor sitting tied up in a crate ready for delivery. A little thank you to the Benne Gesserit for giving them the spies identity. Officially he had fled the country before the police was able to catch him, in reality he was grabbed from his home in the dead of night.
They didn't even bother interrogating him to much, as a power station technician he never really came close to important people so far. But as a gift for their potential Partners, he was invaluable. While the trouble in Moreland had clouded the potential of this joint venture, the Admiral and the Prince Regent had instructed that the Spy was enough of proof whom was their better potential ally in the future.

And so the crew of the small vessel waited for the pickup to arrive, armed and nervous.

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2017, 08:49:29 PM »
The Red Legion boys were busy tooling up at Northfort barracks, they'd had a tip off about a Borlander front, complete with details of shipments, the intel seemed pretty detailed and so they had been tasked to check it out. The four man team of Sgt.Thomas, Cpl.Barks, Legionnaire Saxby and some guy fresh out of training called Jenkinson. They were busy signing out gear from the quartermaster, "Room for one more" James Gillespie asked as he entered the stores.

"Hey our little wall hero is back" Sgt.Thomas lead the group in a round of applause. "You get your nice shiny medal? Tea and biscuits at the Palace." James just smiled and drew supplies by handing over his list of requirements. The Red Legionnaire missing three fingers who manned the stores got on with finding it all and placing it into a large plastic box.

"Nice to have you back" Saxby patted him on the back, "I would ask if you've brain damage but they'd have had to find it first" Gillespie merely fake laughed at their jibes as he waited for his box. He'd gotten knocked out in Stoneton briefly and had been given time off to recover from a concussion but was back and raring to go.

Three Days Later

The team had spent the last few days observing the target building a small little warehouse on the cities second airports outfield, there were several deliveries each day and Gillespie had intercepted one at the edge of the airfield, it was operated by the national mail company and he was now the Postman. He drove the van up to the front of the warehouse where workers were busy stacking boxes onto pallets and clingfilm wrapping them. "Morning chaps, can I get a signature" he asked as he stepped down and began unloading the back of the van. A guy wearing a pair of black trousers and a uniform polo shirt wandered over, Gillespie kept his eyes moving around the warehouse as the man signed the form. "I'll give you a hand" Gillespie said as he gave the man some of the packages and carried some in of his own, he was looking for the tell take signs of people trying to hide things, he noted a few of the men looking a little shifty as he looked around. "What you sending anyway?" James asked.

"Piping, tubing, hoses, that kind of thing" the man sounded like he didn't really want a conversation as he put his boxes down, James placed his next to them on a table, spotted some spreadsheets and made sure to put his clipboard down over the top.

"Would you believe it" he said looking at the form. "I'm sorry mate but it didn't go through the carbon paper, could you sign the yellow one too, boss would kill me if I come back without a signature." The man tutted and signed it, James ripped off the white one and handed it over. "Thank you very much, enjoy your day" he picked up his clipboard carefully keeping the spreadsheet at the back. He returned to the van and disappeared off back to the main gate of the warehouse.

Gillespie handed over the intel, taken from a camera in his glasses and the spreadsheet to the intelligence boys and girls.

That Night

They'd looked over the images and data, it was clear something odd was going on, one of the image analysts was sure that he'd spotted what looked like mortar rounds being loaded into lengths of lead piping, it was worth checking out and so Barks and Saxby sneaked in after hours. "So Saxby what we got?" Barks asked as they carefully lifted the lid off one of the crates.

"Yeah, we've hardwear, a few rockets for MANPADS, looks like some radio gear too, certainly not water treatment gear." Saxby took images and then they replaced the lid.

The next morning the team hit the place, Gillespie had once again been driving the delivery van but when he opened the rear this time four well trained and aggressive Red Legionnaires burst out, Gillespie grabbed his own pistol and followed them in as two more vehicles screamed in and hit the place, not a single shot was fired and six arrests were made. All in all it was a good bust, as things were being secured James made his way into the warehouses office, there was a pile of guest ID's and he bagged them for evidence however it was the top one that worried him the face was familiar but he couldn't place it. He quickly took a picture of it and then sealed the bag.

"Hey Gilly" Barks was yelling from outside, "You've gotta be our lucky charm, back in the job three days, a good Borland bust and now the boss man's given us a long weekend before sending our asses out to Aland, how you like your whale meat?"

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2017, 01:05:14 AM »
Nina Gliss and her sister Elodie entered Valtheim International Airport, plain clothes armed police in tow, one quick conversation with airport security later and they knew where their man was - gate thirty. They made their way to the gate and surveyed the scene from the upper level.
"There he is third row of seats over from the left right in the middle." Elodie said
"The flights going to Mercia." Nina said
"Do we take him here or do we take him there?" Elodie asked
"If he gets to Mercia he could disappear very easily." Nina said "It's a lot easier to lose a tail disembarking a flight than it is boarding it, right now he's vulnerable, he's exposed. So we'll take him now, you go and sit up near the gate I'll come in from the passageway. With luck he won't make a scene."
"No problem." Elodie said

Once Elodie had made her way into position and sat down Nina made her move, she entered the waiting area by the gate and took the seat behind the target so that her back was to his, there wouldn't be any heroics on this one as soon as the police team entered the area Nina made her move, she had the element of surprise so she drew her pistol and shoved the man forwards in his seat.
"You're under arrest." Nina said as an officer proceeded to put the cuffs on
"On what charge?" the man asked
"The murder of Franchesca Owens." Nina said

Offline Libby

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2017, 11:21:48 PM »
Sarah had laid low for a few days following the attempt to get hold of the nucler material, by the time she'd got to Heyra and the safehouse there her back up phone was full of messages and texts, it took her a few hours to get them straight before she could think. It seemed the leadership of the Sisterhood, those black wearing morons of the Mothers, had taken the attack badly. They were always so worried about things, "Stay hidden. Stay silent, the Kwizach Hadarach is coming." Sarah didn't buy that she believed that if this supreme being was to come back to Mundus they would need to be brought back, legend said they would come at a time when Mundus was plunged into a period of fire and torment, and that was exactly what she'd been trying to create, action and not words were the only way they were going to get Kaitaine back from those godless bastards.

She was thinking of her options, the nuclear one was probably gone now, but there were still other avenues to take, rumour had it there were chemical weapons doing the rounds of Zimalia and Scordisci that you could get through various backdoor avenues, but what she needed now was to retool and head to Zimalia and start that investigation. She used her phone to dial the front they had at the airport and found no answer, it was strange as it should have ben the middile of the working day. She tried three more times and nothing and so was left with little choice other than to phone the airport security. She asked casually about the company "I've tried ringing them four times but its not connecting" she told them.

"Nah, should be working" the security guy said, as he'd been instructed to by Red Legion, one of whom was sat recording the message. "They've been in and out all day."

"OK, thanks" Sarah wondered what was going on and decieded she'd just go to check it out herself.

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2017, 08:44:22 PM »
"Gilly gone anywhere yet?" A rather flustered Barks asked as he ran into the admin block of Red Legion HQ. The clerk opened the app on the computer that showed who was on base and scanned the list.

"He scanned into the language lab about ten minutes ago, he is due off base this evening. Told me he was off to Vaguzia or something." The clerk went back to his duties of filing the stuff for the new arrivals for selection. Barks turned and ran across the bases large central parade square and into the low H block opposite that housed the language lab, Lt. Gillespie seemed to be there a lot recently and Barks found him in no time checking out a phrase book for Gaelic.

"You better be bloody fluent in that, follow me" the Corporal ordered the senior man who left the book and followed at the run as Barks hadn't hung around. Across the parade square once more and round the back of the PT block towards the hangars.

"Where the hell we going?" Gillespie asked as the sound of rotars began to fill the air, Barks didn't look back and simply jumped into the door of the helicopter, Gillespie realised it must be something major, maybe a Borlander attack, and so strapped himself in and put on the head set. Sat opposite him was Saxby who handed him his "Go Bag" a black duffel bag with his webbing, sword and weapon in. "We tooling up?" he asked as the aircraft was already over Aldfield Barrack walls heading South. "Someone tell me what the hells going on" he looked around, everyone was dressed in civvies.

"The standby team went down to Northfort about five minutes ago. The intel boffins have gone through a telephone call the airfield recieved and they wanted us two on scene as we originally hit the location." Saxby explained as he checked his own weapon, it was around a twenty minute flight to the target and the helicopter was keeping low over the forest.

"So why the hell do I get dragged in. I should be in a Vaguzian restaurant in a few hours" he looked at his watch, "Not messing around in a helicopter." Despite his annoyed act it was clear something major was going down.

"Yeah, well the intelligence lot said the caller is going to visit, seems persistant in trying to contact them, and had a Gaelic twang. We need someone who can speak that shit and you've been brushing up." Barks explained, "So next time you get leave just piss off straight away." The team sat preparing themselves mentally for perhaps going into combat when they landed and as the airfield came into view they removed their headsets to allow them a quick exit. "Oh shit I'm gonna get my new Converse messed up" was the last thing Gillespie heard Barks say as they disconnected and began to land.

Offline Libby

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2017, 10:35:19 PM »
"Why the hell are we out here" Lydia Fremen asked as they paddled the kayak along through the sea.

Sarah McPherson checked her GPS and then returned to matching Lydia's strokes. "Nathanial suggested we come." It annoyed Lydia, Nathanial Corrino while not being a Truthsayer, for obvious reasons, was becoming more and more the de facto military leader of the Sisterhood outside of Kaitaine. He was however good at his job and got his hands dirty but centuries of tradition meant some Truthsayers didn't like his interference. Some liked even less the fact that this newer breed of Truthsayer seemed to have his favour, Lydia though was impressed with Sarah, she navigated better than a seasoned Truthsayer and she may appear a petite 19 year old but she had a sinewy strength that took everyone by surprise. The two had been tasked with meeting this patrol ship off the Uburzian coast. The impending storm had provided perfect cover and the survival gear they had stowed would keep them safe if they mistimed it, the large military style inflatable life raft sat deflated in the stern. "We're here" Sarah informed her. "You got the flare?" she asked and Lydia was already loading the gun, as agreed a single red flare was launched into the sky and while it drifted the pair prepared, assault weapons were slung at their back ready should this be something more untoward, each instinctvely checked their ankles for the crystknife and then Lydia pushed a bag on a rope over the side containing some gear, if it went wrong they'd hit the water, grab rebreathers and try and swim away, not something they looked forward to but a plan was a plan. They waited for the boat to come into shouting range and then Sarah yelled. "We have an appointment, something about a package?" she yelled.



Joint Ironside Publication

By the time the Gillespie and his team arrived the standby team were already tooled up and ready to go. They'd temporarily took control of the airfields fire brigade hanger, and were mapping out their plan to snatch the impending visitor they believed was part of the Truthsayers. Gillespie was a little nervous, Saxby noticed the officer seemed a little more tense than normal. "You OK skip?" he asked as he handed him a tin mug full of thick tea.

"Yeah, just a bit concerned this is a come on, I mean they know we have some of their guys for sure, what if this is some revenge attack" he explained, Saxby laughed, they'd done similar operations on Borlanders several times and he'd never seen Gillespie so nervous, perhaps the Stoneton attack where Gillespie had been injured had left some mental scar.

"We'll be 'right" Saxby said patting him on the shoulder, "We've Barks, he'll sort us out if anything goes down" It was true Barks wasn't a Red to be toyed with and he was a quick thinker, nearly as quick as his temper could be. The issue addressed the team slipped into what the Red's did best, taking the piss out of each other until the spotters called it in.

"Single white female, blue car, approaching" the disguised Red's at the gate to the airfield let her in after a check of ID and the car rolled towards the hanger, it was open but no one home. They hoped she'd go in and poke around, being caught in the act of something. They watched as she entered calling a few names, it seemed like she was very familiar with the place. "GO!GO!GO!" words came over the radio and five men hurried across the tarmac between the fire station and the hanger, the woman was taken by surprise as five black clad men balaclava's levelled weapons at her. Barks, Saxby and Gillespie jogged over to find the woman kneeling with hands on her head.

"Who are you?" one of the assault team barked at her, his reply returned with an icey stare. "Tell us who you are or you'll be sorry" the cliche nearly made her laugh, a flicker of her mouth about to say something before stopping and the stare returning. "You speak English?" clearly she did, the early reaction confirming it. "Morelandish?" still nothing but a stare definatly back at the questioner.

"Gaelic?" Gillespie asked knowing the answer already before he walked to face her. Her mouth began to open and then stopped. "Tha fios agam cò thu Sarah[1]" James said as he let his weapon rest on the sling.

"Dè tha thu a 'dèanamh an seo?[2]" the woman said unsure if any of the others could speak the language they were conversing in. Barks stood behind mildly impressed with Gillespie's linguistic abilities.

"Bidh dragh oirbh mu sin nas fhaide air adhart. Airson a-nis feumaidh sinn faighinn a-mach às a seo.[3]" Gillespie said firmly in a tone that masked his message. "Pick her up, put the bitch in the fire brigades landrover while we search this place" They had no large vehicles with them having come in on the helicopter but needed somewhere to stick their prisoner securely. Barks opened the back and Gillespie was about to push their prisoner inside but stopped, "Better search her" he began patting her down in a thorough manner. "Anyone got plasticuffs" A pair were held up and he continued his search, as his hand reached her boot he felt what he had expected to find, a lump, he ignored it and instead pushed her onto the rough metal floor. "Saxby stand stag, I want to ask a few more questions, rest of you start checking that place out again." The men wandered off, knowing Saxby didn't speak word one of Gaelic he knew he was safe. "Fuirich còig mionaidean. Gearr an inneal a 'sgaradh thu bho na suidheachain aghaidh. Tha na h-iuchraichean mu thràth. Tha an fheansa an ear lag dràibheadh troimhe agus a 'cumail a' dol."[4]

"Fuck you Morelander" Sarah said spitting at him, letting a heavy Celtic accent come through.

"Nice" Gillespie said wipping the spit from his face with a gloved hand, a touch he thought a little unneccessary. He climbed down and slammed the door locking it behind him.

"What you say?" Saxby asked.

"I just told her that we thought she was a terrorist and that we hang them here, if she helped us we could see to it that she got a prison sentence, seems she's not interested in self preservation." he smiled as he walked away towards the hanger, "You coming?" he asked and Saxby jogged a few steps to catch up. "OK" Gillespie got the rest of the teams attention. "She's a Celt, seems she's one of these Truthsayers, my bet is she hoped to buy weapons here and move them through various countries. I'm guessing if the Kaitaine government had sleepers here so did the Bene Gesserit nutters" Saxby looked confused, it didn't seem like the woman had said that much but it was hard to disagree with Gillespies assessment.

Back across the tarmac Sarah had managed to get her Crystknife out of her ankle sheath using one hand, she was thankful Gillespie had used plasticuffs and she managed to split them. She glanced out the window of the back of the landrover and spotted the Red's were all in conversation, as quickly and quietly as she could she cut through the tarp that acted as the fire brigade landrovers roof and clambered into the front seat, just as Gillespie had said the keys were in the ignition, she knew she'd not have long as so looked around the cab, a firemans helmet sat on the passenger seat, it wouldn't be the best of cover but it was better than nothing, she placed it on her head, looked up at the sun, worked out which way was east and turned the key, the engine thankfully started first time and she drove off as fast as she could, in the rear view she saw the Red's chasing after her and heard rounds ping off the vehicle and through the cab, she could tell from the sound some where heavier calibre, no doubt sniper rifles and so she zig zagged as she crossed the airfields grass and smashed as told through the eastern fence, she knew she'd have to outrun the authorities but she had a head start and was sure she could get away, after all she was a Swordmaster, one of the Truthsayers elite. She drove quickly down a countrylane she spotted about a mile away, she could hear helicopters now, no doubt the Red's were using their transport to search, she smashed through a farmers hedge drove straight across the field and towards a small river at the edge of some woods. She didn't wait for the vehicle to come to a stop before she was out and running through the woods. Her mind was already racing over her actions, get back into Northfort, get to her safe house, grab her fake ID and get the hell out of East Moreland, and then find out what the hell Nathanial Corrino was doing working for Red Legion.
 1. I know who you are Sarah
 2. What are you doing here
 3. Worry about that later. For now we need to get you out of here
 4. Wait five minutes Cut the canvas separating you from the front seats. The keys are already in. The eastern fence is weak drive through and get away.

Offline Norgeras

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #8 on: September 14, 2017, 09:22:43 PM »
The patrol boat was drawing closer, lighting up small spotlights to get a light on the Kayaks, the Crew chuckling: "Guess we will have to unwrap the package" as they let down a rope ladder for the Kayak to climb. They would allow the group to approach the center of the deck, where they started to open up the crate with the tied up spy inside:
"We hope you find him more useful than us. And thanks for the Tip again."
Kicking the man in chains so he moved out, groaning and gagged protesting, even more as he saw he was about to be exchanged: "take the vermin. It's all yours" the woman said, tossing him on the ground before kicking him again: "We don't need him back later, maybe if your done with him make sure no ones knows we handed him over." one of the others whispered something before she laughed slightly: "Oh right, you might not have been told. He is the so called technician President Pearson had put into our Nation as Spy. So have a nice day with him."

Would they not Protest, the Uburzians would un-gently toss the man into the Kayak, handing over the Keys for the Cuff to Sarah. "Call us if you need anything. Just maybe not Uranium." the woman said laughing as they wondered if the young woman had anything left to say.

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #9 on: September 14, 2017, 10:36:33 PM »
Nina was in a fairly good mood, they'd got their man back to the police station and thrown him into an interview room but as she and Elodie waited in a spare office everything was about to change and in more ways than one, the office door opened and in stepped Nina's friend Maia Leonidas
"What are you doing here?" Nina asked
"Wish I could say I was checking up on you but this is work." Maia said "You've just arrested a man called Thomas Makin?"
"That's the name on his passport." Elodie said
"What is it Maia?" Nina asked
"Me and Alandra brought in a Kaitaine sleeper agent called Alex McArthur yesterday, we've done a full vetting on him and his correspondence" Maia said "Turns out your man was in regular phone and email contact with McArthur
"So the murderer of Francesca Owens is in contact with a Kaitaine Sleeper?" Nina asked "This just went above our pay grade didn't it?"
"Yeah Rion's been told to wait for a decision from the Marble Palace." Maia said "But Namis knows what's going to happen now."

Now the door opened again and in stepped Dr Armstrong.
"I have those DNA results you wanted." Armstrong said "I can confirm that Franchesca Owens was the daughter of Jacob Gliss." Nina and Elodie looked at each other they'd dreaded this moment and then Elodie's phone rang
"Yes?" she asked answering it then she listened "Understood sir." she hung up and put the phone away "I'm shipping out to Tiannaman."
"Be careful." Nina said she looked at Maia "You want to hold my hand while I talk to Wendy Owens?"
"Delighted to." Maia said

Offline Libby

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2017, 09:26:24 PM »
Sarah got back to the safe house on the edge of Northfort after about six hours, she could probably have got there earlier but she was doubly cautious to ensure she hadn't been followed. She checked her watch, she reckoned she had about an hour to get what she needed to do done. She had her mind go over what she would do once inside, even before the key was turned her ears strained for any sense of a trap. Confident none awaited she unlocked the door and made her way inside, as briskly as possible she grabbed some clothing, untaped the pistol and spare magazines from under the sock draw and placed them in the rear of her belt. Next she lifted up one of the floor boards that she kept easy to access for just such times, she took the dusty old ammo box out and unlocked it spinning the combination lock with a sense of purpose. She looked through the various passports and selected one she felt would give her the best cover, next she took a few bundles of different currencies and credit cards. Satisfied she had everything she needed the rest were placed back in the tin and put back under the floorboards. This time she slid the chest of draws over the top once putting the carpet back and checking it was secure. She made her way outside to where the appartment blocks vehicle storage was and unlocked her motorbike, it hadn't been out really in months but she was as meticulous in its care as she was about everything else. She fired up the engine and headed North heading for the border where she was confident she'd get across no problem. As she drove through the dark the roads outside Northfort were lovely and quiet, ideal for getting a serious amount of mileage done. Once she was more relaxed she used her phone app to report in.

"Hello Sarah" one of the Swordmaster operators said recognising the emergency phones number. The voice was reassuringly calm, which was exactly why the handler had been choosen.

"I've news" she tried her best to match the other womans voice despite doing over 80mph on a motorbike.

"Go ahead"

"The warehouse at Northfort Airport has been compromised, assume deliveries are being traced so cut ties, let Albanus Ares know." She realised the whole smuggling operation they had set up over a number of years now had been blown wide open and although the high ups would escape, they always did, the lower rank and file would be gone and that could throw a spanner in the works.

"Roger that"

"One more thing" Sarah wondered if anyone else knew this fact she was about to divulge. "Nathanial Corrino is working as a Morelander, he was at the facility with their Red Legionnaires. I think he maybe betrayed us." she said the words sticking in her throat, the Corrino family where after all one of the most Holy in Kaitaine and surely the brother of the most blessed of the nobles wouldn't betray them, but what else could it be?

There was a long silence over the phone, clearly the woman couldn't understand what she'd been told instantly and her mind was processing it. "Roger that" the call was ended and Sarah tried to relax in the rest of the long drive to Zimalia.



Without much talking Sarah McPherson and Lydia Fremen bundled the man onto their small kayak, literally lashing him between their cockpits, it was only once the sleeper agent was secure that the Truthsayer newcomer spoke, taking Lydia by surprise. "The Corrino family send their regards." she reached into her pocket, "They have sent some recommednations to your nations ambassador in Ui Cenneslaig, perhaps he should go for a drink in the Brokern Harp in Claith, I would recommend a whiskey called Fìrinnagràdh" she handed the laminated piece of paper over and then rejoined Lydia in the kayak silently paddling off into the dark.

"What was that about?" Lydia asked as they made their way back towards the beach.

"Family business" Sarah said looking for the camp fire they'd left two Truthsayers manning as they made the RV.

Offline Libby

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #11 on: September 22, 2017, 08:48:44 PM »
OOC- An Ironside Co-Production

It took Sarah several days to get to Zimalia and another safehouse the Swordmasters used there, it was more a beach shack, it was a useful place to have simply because this stretch of coast was so unpoliced. The place had been an ideal place for the Swordmasters to ship in illicit weapons and equipment it would be brought ashore from fishing boats using kayaks or small motor boats and now Sarah was digging up one of the many caches that were closeby the shack. She'd waited til early morning, before the sun was up so that the digging was easier. It took her a good half an hour to reach the depth of the crate and she carefully popped the lid open. Inside was a black wrapped package and using her crystknife she slit the plastic, inside were several assault rifles and magazines of ammunition. She was stood in the hole that was up to her waist and slid four of the magazines and a rifle into a rucksack before carefully checking that one of the military grade radio systems was working and adding that to her stash, after that she took her time rearranging the plastic and sealing the crate again. It only took her ten minutes to cover the cache once more and with the weapon secure she headed down the coast until she reached one of Zimalia's commercial ports, in twenty minutes she'd found what she was looking for, a ship heading to Ui Cenneslaig. It was carrying exotic fruits and the captain, recognising her celtic accent was only too happy to accept a couple of bundles of her cash in return for passage. She waited until they'd set off south down the Illumic before finding a quiet part of the deck to set up the radio.

"Forge, this is Sword Four" she began talking into the radio knowing that somewhere someone was manning the Swordmasters network.

There was a long pause. "Sword Four authenticate" came back the reply, Sarah wracked her brain trying to recognise the voice at the other end of the line. The Swordmasters were a small select group drawn from the Truthsayers, they had some autonomy and as such seemingly all knew each other.

"Makers Water Fifty Seven Arakeen Shield" she gave her unique code, HQ would have these seemingly random words on record next to her name, proving it was her at the end of the line.

"Pass Message" the stoic voice came over the line.

"I have been compromised at the supply chain in East Moreland. Vender is MIA, assumed captured. Supplies need rerouting" she wondered whether she should continue her message or whether it was something best to take care of herself. "Nathanial Corrino is rouge Over" she felt the uneasiness in the pit of her stomach, the brother of the most Holy of the Dukes was a traitor to their cause, she still couldn't believe it. There was a long silence over the radio, clearly someone at the other end had similar views.

"Please confirm, Nathanial Corrino rogue."

"Confirmed" Sarah replied waiting once more.

"Upon return to Uniform Charlie report to the nest" Sarah was being summouned back to base, clearly a face to face was needed. That would be good, the Corrino's were in Ui Cenneslaig and now she had the equipment to kill them as in her mind if ne was a traitor they'd all be traitors.



At Aldcliffe Barracks things had got out of shape quickly. "What the fuck was going on?" An irrate Brigadier Kelly was yelled at those involved in the debacle at the airfield. He'd made them sit and watch the footage from their body cams twice through and now was demanding answers. In his many years running Special Ops he'd never seen any of his plans end in a police chase and an escape. The next hour saw the various members giving their own point of view, while others sat in silence. As it fell to Lt.Gillespie to speak the Brigadier looked angry, "You serached the bitch didn't you find a knife or a blade or some fucking magic wand." he berated the officer.

"No sir" he said looking down at the ground. "I found nothing" it was a lie but no one picked up on it and so he was spared anymore questioning. The Brigadier slumped in his chair rubbing his temples.

"Right this is what will happen" Kelly began leaning forward in his chair. "Gillespie you and your team are on a weeks administrative leave, you'll piss off for a week and in that time I'm going to determine just how badly fucked your going to get on your return. Expect PT, lots of PT and more continuation training than a Legionnaire ever dreamed possible. Then and only then might I put you back on active duty. Now get out my base." without waiting he stood and exited slamming the door on the way out. Gillespie, Barks, Thomas and Saxby looked at each other but none spoke, it was the first time they'd been on an op that had gone so badly south. They stood and without speaking left and headed back to their respective rooms.

Gillespie headed back to his room in the officers mess and pushed the door open and swore in Gaelic. He hadn't spotted Major Alex Redfern leaving his own room a few doors down and it was only the sound of the wrapped fingernails on the open door that alerted him to the fact Alex had followed him. "You ok?" he asked knowing the answer already.

"Erm, yeah" Gillespie wondered if Redfern had heard him, normally he was so good in controlling his instincts, a result of his time spent at the various Chapterhouses studying Prana Bindu, the method used by the Sisters to control their body and emotions when in fear or under stress. It normally worked brilliantly allowing him to almost compartmentalise his life, once he was around the Morelanders he slipped into being James Gillespie, an identity stolen for him when he was 16 allowing him to become part of the Morelanders military. He even had managed to perfect the Freestone accent and his Morelandish was perfect. But, around the Sisterhood, his real family and when back in Ui Cenneslaig it was like a seperate box, he became Nathanial Corrino, the younger brother of the best and brightest of the Bene Gesserit's holy houses. Now those worlds were merging, the prescence of Sarah Duggan, a woman he knew well had broken down the walls between his neatly organised worlds and had been the cause of his use of Gaelic.

"What the hell was that you said?" Redfern asked sensing something wasn't quiet right.

"Ah...just pissed off we've got re-training. Shouldn't have screwed up" he shrugged the sense of control coming back.

"I see" Alex tried his best to act like he didn't know, Brigadier Kelly had consulted with him before meeting with the team. "Still week off is nice" Alex tried to smile but knew Gillespie would be annoyed, after all he'd only just come back from injury. "What you got planned?"

"I'll have a week in Vaguzia, nice little place I like there, good chance to relax." he was already throwing gear into his rucksack. "I'll pack now, be there by midnight" he tried his best to luck happy at that. Alex sat chatting to him while he packed, a few t-shirts, some jeans, a shirt, but Alex felt something was odd, then it hit him, for someone going away for a week he wasn't packing underwear, he wasn't packing toiletries, for a few seconds Alex tried to put that out of his mind, it wasn't as though Vaguzia didn't have shops and maybe Gillespie just wanted to get out of there quickly. As Gillespie zipped up the pack Alex walked with him down to the gate.

"Safe travels" Alex shook his hand and watched as Gillespie began walking towards the train station. Alex turned headed over to the Admin block. "I need Lt. James Gillespie's file" he instructed the guy on duty who dutifully headed over to the filing cabinet and pulled out a brown folder full of everything they knew about Gillespie, his service history, qualifications and anything else someone would want to know. Alex sat at a desk pouring over it, there was no obvious link to Vaguzia, there had to be more to it than what he made out and so Alex headed to see the boss.



Offline Norgeras

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2017, 10:53:22 PM »
So far Monika had been glad she got positioned in Ui Cenneslaig. Her dayjob as the Ambassadors secretary had given her ample information as to who comes and goes, and the general who is who of Ui Cenneslaig, as well as avoiding the Manhunt ongoing for the Members of the Trinity order avoiding Trial back in the Empire.

That is until she got a special Mission. She was handed a small piece of laminated Paper and ordered to follow the Instructions, without notifying the Ambassador. Even worse, they had hinted she might be in contact with the Benne Gesserit. No one really spelled it out, but saying she should not be afraid of Sandwiches was not only an awful pun, but a clear hint as to whom she was supposed to deal with.

Still, better than hunting Men throughout the Forest where they just had hung a teenager. She really had hoped to see the young Arthur return to the big screen. He had such a sweet smile. For now she cleaned her desk, the Ambassador had just walked out of office, leaving his toga behind as usual. Closing the office up for the day Monika made her way to a car, started the engine, and made her way to Claith.
She was the Secretary trying to get to know local culture, if everything else fell apart, the half truth was never wrong.
She had taken precaution to take several days off, checking her schedule for the next days. She had left a message to the second Agent just in Case this would go bad, not the exact location though. This was top secret, and many parts of the agency probably would never hear about it.

As she entered the Broken Harp Pub, she didn't have to play the part of the weary secretary. She was damn tired after the long drive with additional scenic detours.
Taking a seat at the bar, she smiled. She had a room in a B&B nearby, so even if no one understood the code word, she could have a whisky and slip away later.
It did not take long for the pubs host to walk over to her: "An acquaintance of mine suggested i have a Fìrinnagràdh whiskey should i ever pass through. And excuse me if i pronounced that wrong." She smiled, trying to giver her English a clear enough Uburzian accent, while seeming enough like a strolling through tourist.

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2017, 01:06:57 AM »
Nina opened the door to the interview room and let Maia walk in before closing the door behind them, in the room there was just a table at which Wendy Owens the mother of Franchesca sat.
"I'm Maia Leonidas and this is Nina Gliss." Maia said as the pair took their seats opposite Wendy
"You're not taping this?" Wendy asked
"No this is off the record." Nina said "We don't have a full picture yet but we have arrested a man going by the name of Thomas Makin in connection with the murder of your daughter, he's also under arrest on suspected terrorism offences."
"What does that mean?" Wendy asked
"It means there's more involved than we first thought." Maia said

"And then some." Nina said "You knew my grandfather didn't you?"
"I worked for him." Wendy said, she wasn't a fool by any means the last name Gliss implied the noble line
"You were lovers weren't you?" Nina asked "You had an affair."
"Yes." Wendy said
"And then my grandfather starts giving you extra financial support right up until his suicide." Nina said "At first I thought it was blackmail but then I realized the more unspeakable possibility." she slid the DNA results across the table to Wendy "DNA tests confirm that Franchesca Owens was the daughter of Jacob Gliss. Which makes your daughter my father's half sister and makes her in someway my aunt. That's something I wanted you to know."


At the Marble Palace an emergency briefing was in progress around the round oaken table in one of the rooms sat members of the Royal Family and members of the cabinet. It was decision time they'd been reading the dossier on Alex McArthur and the link to Thomas Makin's crimes. It was all there.
"Why do I not like the sound of this?" Emperor Peter said "Mark give me the National Security assessment."
"Yes Your Majesty." Mark Sharpe said "In short we have our suspicions but they are only suspicions though we believe them well founded and well reasoned ones. We have a Kaitaine sleeper agent apparently supporting a murderer, we have a victim who according to school records has a Mercian ancestry which obviously due to the genocide in that country last year is somewhat difficult to verify, however as I say we have our suspicions."
"Which are?" Peter asked
"Suppose that Thomas Makin was also from Kaitaine." Mark said
"Them both being from Kaitaine would make more sense." Peter said
"You will remember the reports from a while ago in the Pravda about the Bene Gesserit being in hiding across Mundus and how Kaitaine was going to root them out?" Mark asked "Suppose Franchesca Owens was one."
"Then that would be a state sponsored assassination on our soil." Peter said "Nettie?"

"Supposing for the moment that Mark's correct." Nettie Taylor said "It's a rather difficult position we're in, if we're right then Kaitaine by now will know that we've likely taken McArthur into custody. However they cannot claim Makin because the second they do they open the door to accusations as Mark has intimated."
"Tricky." Peter said "Ok let's take a break we'll reconvene in an hour."

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #14 on: September 27, 2017, 09:50:42 PM »
The Brokern Harp pub was an old place, it had polished wooden floors and stained glass windows, at one point in its past it had been an old music hall and when the venue had first been brought to be converted into a pub the only object that was left was an old brokern harp which now hung above the bar that Aislin Pottinger tended bar in. She was a twenty year old University student at Claith where she was studying Anthropology and Literature, the perfect subject for a Missionara Protectiva to work in. She was allocated to a unit of Truthsayers as their scholar and as such often was part of some of the Sisterhood's more covert actions. She had been cleaning down tables when she spotted a new customer take a seat at a table that may have been a little messy. "Hi, let me just get that" she smiled as she took a cloth from her back pocket and gave the table a good clean before removing a few empty glasses left by departed customers. "Now, what can I get you?" she asked.

As the answer came back she smiled, "Good choice" her face not betraying the code. She made her way over to the bar and poured a few fingers of a generic whiskey and placed it on a tray along with a napkin she'd taken from her pocket. Aislin made her way back to the table and put the napkin down flashing it to show some writing between the layers, she put the drink down on top along with a bill. "Pay when you leave" the Bene Gesserit winked as she made her way back to the bar. Her shift finished a few moments later and she left giving the customers, many of whom were regulars a cheerful wave.

She wondered if the stranger would act upon the note which read, "Your name is Agnus McGrey, you wish your daughter Maggie to attend Chapterhouse School. Ask for Erin."

Several hours later at Chapterhouse school the young Mother, Erin had been tipped off by the Truthsayers to expect a visitor and what to do upon arrival. As the guest arrived Erin meet them, she was wearing a long black hooded top that went down to her knees, the hood was so large it was almost impossible to see the lines of her face and the fact that her hair was shaved literally to the scalp, a reminder that just a few weeks ago she had graduated as a Mother of the Sisterhood. "Please follow me, we've been expecting you." with that she turned and walked the guest across the lawn, groups of youngsters were playing some kind of game, most of them having arrived in only the last few days, the newest class of the Bene Gesserit. "You are the first non Bene Gesserit to set foot in here to see us as we are for over 100 years." she took a key and unlocked an old wooden door. "Please in you go" she motioned and waited for Monika to walk in, only then did the lights go on. Four masked and armed Truthsayers stood around a chair. "For security....I'm sure you understand?" she motioned to a chair in the centre of the room. "Take a seat." With the hood still in place Erin sat in a chair opposite, the four Truthsayers forming an almost ring around Monika. "We wish to thank you for your help so far, it has earnt you three questions. Ask when ready?" Erin waited, the ear piece she was wearing obscured by the hood meaning Monika was unaware of the room full of senior members of the Sisterhood sat in a room two floors up. "Either one at a time, or all at once, it makes no difference."

Offline Norgeras

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2017, 09:18:55 PM »
Monika had to admit, she was impressed they had managed to keep their work under wraps for most parts so far, yet, with her mind spinning as she was led down to the room, she did not find leisure to marvel the building.

Was there such a school in Uburzis? Probably not, the isolation for centuries would have weighted their network down and make them vulnerable. Was the Prince Regent and the Military Command planning to set one up? Probably, it would make communication easier by far.

Monika allowed herself being led to the chair, her heart racing. She wasn't a beginner, but it usually was more to get corporate Men to spill details on their latest deals than actual Movie level of work, and this Situation was clearly the later. She had been reading about the Gesserit, got herself Intel from where she could, but ultimately she felt like she was walking into this situation like a child that did not study for a test.
Her head turning, she demonstratively took a deep breath.

Think, what do we really need to know right now.
"Will the embassy be enough to establish safe communications, you would find me there, or do we need to set up a dead drop system?"

She felt her tongue go dry, after all, the whole nations standing in the world was being at stake on the long run:
"Can you ensure us that an incident like East Moreland will be a Single event, half part for the fact using a nuke or a Dirty bomb seems to contradict both our Believes from what i have gathered, and that we would prefer if you would handle the publicity better?"

At this point she was sweating, she might have pushed that one. For all she knew this could be the people behind that attack:
"Do you intend to set up such a school in Neu Uburzis as well? We might have some old Monasteries vacant very soon, and the concept of a military Boarding school is part of everyday life in Uburzis."

Monika crossed her arms and put one leg above the other, she knew it was a very defensive Gesture, but at this point, she should show some reservations. She could only guess where exactly this cooperation was supposed to be leading, but for now she would play her part.

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #16 on: October 01, 2017, 09:50:53 PM »
The final question asked Erin sat silently, her head bowed so all Monika would see was the top of her hood. After what must have seemed like a long time she raised her eyes, her voice sounded different, deeper and with no trace of her Celtic accent.

"You have broken our rules." she began, remembering the instructions given to her by senior Mother Hannah McKey seconds earlier. "We permitted three questions, you asked four, you asked whether the embassy is useful for safe communications, then about a dead drop, next about East Moreland and then finally about the school." she waied for a good minute before continuing.

"I will however reply to all" her voice now got even deeper. "Any communications can come via this school. Should you need to send information to us then you.....and only you.....will be permitted to come here and speak with a representative. This will be done under the guise of you being a guest teacher here." she didn't wait for any response, "We will not open our doors to anyone other than you, should anyone from your nation even approach the school in any form then we shall cut all communications."

"As for the East Moreland incident, we shall not go into operational details. What you must be aware of is that the incident was brought about by a miscommunication and is not part of our strategy. The Bene Gesserit faith wishes to not inflict damage upon that scale on Mundus, for us war is an evil thing but a neccessary evil, the Golden Path suggests we must do all we can to avoid harming people who wish us no harm." There was the sound of an object being removed from beneth the robes, "Which is why we carry these" she flashed a white knife through the air, it disappearing as quickly as it was produced. "The quick knife is all that matters, it is precise and cuts out only what it must, much like how we wage war."

She waited once more as Hannah's voice came into her ear once more. "We will not say where we have schools. And I believe you misunderstand what is going on here." With her normal voice she began speaking again, first asking the Truthsayers to retreat to the edge of the room in Gaelic, she stood and turned the main light in the room on, removing her hood to reveal a smooth bald head. "Let me explain" the ear piece was pulled out, its purpose done it now hung limply from the collar of her hood. "I am no soldier, I attended this school for 14 years and I am not sure I could do half of what these ladies do." she gestured to the women in uniform. "I am a theologian, a Priestess, and one day the Gods willing a mother to the Sisters here." She sat back down, "We have two other types of Sister, the scholars of the Missionara Protectiva, and then the carers of the Honored Matres, the four parts of one Sisterhood." She explained more about the faith to the woman before once more standing and leading them out and into a room next door which was more like a living room. A pitcher of water and glasses sat in the centre. Erin removed the hooded top revealing she was dressed in a simple blue polo shirt and jeans, it was now clear she was a young woman, no more than 18. She waited for Monika to sit, "Why is water important?" she asked as they sat down. Before Monika could reply a door at the far end opened and three women walked in.

"I am Maggie a girl with blonde hair pulled back into a braided pony tail sat down. She was wearing a blue tunic and matching trousers, she unbuttoned the tunic and slid it onto the hook on the back of the door. She took a seat on the sofa next to Monika and opposite Erin.

The second girl now introduced herself, like Erin and Maggie she was young, a newly graduated member of the Sisterhood. "I am Holly" she sat the otherside of Monika, "I am a Honored Matres" she said as she swung the loose end of her long red shirt over her knees. She would soon be off to live with Nathanial Corrino but for now she had been dragged into this little operation.

A woman dressed in camoflague fatigues sat down in the other arm chair opposite Monika, "I am Rita and I'm a Truthsayer" she removed her beret and placed it on the table, the silver cap badge standing out against the black material, it showed a stylised Jerboa with the words "I shall not fear" around it. She removed her own white bone knife and placed it on top of the beret purposely pointing its tip towards their guest. "Has she answered the water question?" she asked Erin.

"I believe she was about to" the youngster pushed the tray of water and glasses towards Monika, "So why is water important?"

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2017, 10:26:40 PM »
An hour later they reconvened, Peter having spent every second of it contemplating his best move, Nettie was right there was little room for maneuver in relation to McArthur because Kaitaine only had to point out he was one of theirs, so there was no real room for creativity there not if one wanted to weigh up factors before making decisions. However there was one avenue open to them. As he retook his seat he glanced around the table.

"Having considered the situation I am minded, should the cabinet agree, to use Makin to our advantage." Peter said "Assuming for the moment the information released by the swordmasters is accurate then we have a Kaitaine sleeper agent at work on our soil, the said agent is then in contact with and providing various types of support to Thomas Makin who is the killer of Franchesca Owens. Assuming for the moment that Makin is also from Kaitaine which is plausible then we get a powerful motive for murder which is that Franchesca Owens was Bene Gesserit and Kaitaine is making good on the threat to root them out unilaterally."

"What do you want to do?" Mark asked
"We've contacted the Truthsayer's previously haven't we?" Peter asked
"Over a satellite phone." Mark said
"Then we need to make contact again." Peter said "You know what I'm getting at Mark?"
"A fully deniable meeting that can't be traced back to us." Mark said "And Seitch?"
"Subject to what we find out." Peter said "Have Nix make that call."

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #18 on: October 02, 2017, 10:32:19 PM »
OOC- An Ironside Joint Production

James Gillespie had done what he usually did when he got any leave of a decent length, he headed to Vaguzia, he tried to keep this quiet but when Alex Redfern was your commanding officer you generally didn't get to keep many secrets. It was a mystery to many within Red Legion how he always seemed to know everything, it lead many to believe that he had used his connections to King David to be able to do things like hack phones or get your e-mails, but in truth he just read people well and had eyes that seemed to miss nothing. It was this that lead to him now sitting in a lovely market place in Vallis Vaguzia. He could see the appeal a beautiful market and pretty stone buildings surrounding it. He had tracked his suspicious Red Legionnaire to here after a few dead ends and now he sat outside in the market enjoying an ice cream and reading a paper. He'd scoped out the apartment that he had discovered Gillespie stayed at and now waited for him to return home.

Penelope Fava had been out shopping for dinner that evening and was on her way back from the fish markets. A row of cafe's and bars stretched up the main street towards the market square over which her apartment was located. She enjoyed living here but she knew it wouldn't last, she was thinking for a moment of how many times she would make this walk before leaving when a wolf whistle came from the bar she passed. "Hola Bella dama" a man yelled at him, she turned about to give him a piece of her mind when she spotted Nathanial Corrino he was sat with a bottle of beer and a glass of wine smiling at her. She shook her head, she had no idea he was coming to visit but she was pleased to see her husband. She backtracked and made her way into the seating area kissing her husband as he wrapped her in his arms.

"When did you get in?" she took hold of his hand across the table as she sat down. They didn't get to spend much time together, it was all part of the problem of living with a man who was from one of the Holy Houses of the Bene Gesserit faith. She didn't mind, it was a great honour to be trusted to be his wife, and although she knew a concubine would soon be joining them she longed for moments like this.

"A few hours ago, by the time I'd dropped my gear off I guessed you'd be at the fish market" she was highly predictable, he'd warned her about that after the Truthsayers began being targeted and while she herself wasn't a soldier of the Bene Gesserit she was potentially known to them, and that worried Nathaniel. He'd therefore known she likely would pass this way and had enjoyed a quiet beer with his book while he waited, she wasn't exactly easy to miss, a beautiful woman with bright red hair attracted attention anyway. They sat and had another drink before Penelope began to worry that the fish would spoil in the heat and so they strolled back home arm in arm.

It was the red head Alex spotted first, her hair stood out amongst the locals and then he spotted Gillespie, he sat and watched from across the square as they entered the 2nd floor apartment he'd tracked them down to. "Now I see why you come here" Alex smiled to himself, he now had to work out why, something wasn't right about the Lieutenant recently and his lack of concern over the recent prisoner escape had a few alarm bells ringing for the Major. Alex made his way up to the 2nd floor, he passed along the outer landing that had six appartments on, he waited outside the door for a moment or two listening at the door.

"I didn't think I'd see you for ages Nate" a woman's voice could be heard.

"I have a week of leave, an op went a little off" Alex recognised the voice as Gillespie, so who was this Nate? He was also worried that he was seemingly sharing information with this woman. "Beside when do I need an excuse to visit my wife?" laughing could be heard inside and Alex was even more confused, had he somehow got the wrong door. He made his way down the landing checking for sounds at each door but knew he had the right place. Worried he went back to the first door and listened while keeping an eye for incase anyone spotted him.

"You heard from the Truthsayers in Seitch?" The woman asked, Alex felt the hairs on his neck stand up, that question was a worry.

"McNeill keeps us informed, its not great" Gillespies voice replied. Alex walked back down to ground level, he was torn, he liked Gillespie and considered him a friend but something was going on here, something he couldn't let slip. That evening he made his way back to his hotel and spoke to Brigadier Kelly, the old man would surely have some good advice and once past the initial shock of the news that one of his best was seemingly not what they thought he gave Redfern clear instructions.

The next morning at sunrise Alex was back in the market square, he knew Gillespie well and didn't have to wait long, the door opened and a running gear clad man exited, what Alex hadn't counted on was the girl, she followed him down, but he wouldn't have much of a chance if they got a head start and so as they turned up a narrow street he got up and sprinted across the street and followed them, the two where twenty meters or so ahead and laughing as they gently jogged, a few seconds longer and Alex was right behind them and threw himself shoulder first at Gillespie's knees buckling them under them. The girl let out a squeal as the two men crumbled into a heap, Alex was straight onto Gillespie's back an arm around his throat. "Stay down Nate" Alex hissed at him.

"Fuck...Alex get off me" Gillespie urged as he felt the arm take control of his head, next he felt himself being raised to his feet. Alex began dragging him down the road keeping his now hostage between himself and a now advancing girl.

"Stay there" Alex reached into his pocket and removed a knife holding it in Gillespie's ribs, Penelope stopped and Alex could see her shaking.

"Ruith"[1] Gillespie yelled in Gaelic, Penelope trusted him without hesitation and turned and ran, Alex hadn't expected that and the slight release around the neck gave Gillespie a chance, he threw himself face first forward, the wind driven out of him but Redfern was now on the ground next to him, Gillespie got a hand on the knife and slid it away. The two wrestled on the ground and while Redfern was proficient in martial arts he wasn't a match for Gillespie, the man was ten years younger and lived in the gym, he managed to get a knee either side of Alex and rained down punches at the senior man. He got a few good ones in spliting Redferns lip before being rolled off. Gillespie placed a kick perfectly into Alex's ribs winding him and giving himself enough time to stand up and land a kick in Redfern's nuts, he crumpled into a heap. Alex saw Gillespie pick up the knife and prepared himself to have to defend himself in his pained state. Gillespie placed a knee gently in Alex's groin and leaned over him. "I'm sorry" he said, Alex could see tears in Gillespie's eyes. "I promise you I never betrayed you guys. You'll understand one day." Gillespie stood and readied himself to run, he turned back folded the knife and placed it back in Alex's pocket as the Legionnaire officer tried to regain his breath. "I can never thank you enough" he turned and ran. Alex got his breath back a few minutes later and tried to track them down, the flat was empty, he asked around the market but got different answers about where they'd gone. He sat down nursing his bruises, he had to smile to himself, clearly Gillespie had made a show of running through the market in different directions, a clear attempt to lose Alex, and it had worked.

Nathaniel had darted straight back to the flat, Penelope was stood holding the door shut and he had to yell for her to open it, he didn't wait, simply grabbing her hand he ran, "Come on" he pulled her along as he darted round the market taking several streets and back tracking before taking off towards the cities main centre, one eye always on the way Alex had come. "Shit!Shit!Shit!" he cursed when eventually they stopped, she held him close. "He was a Morelander, my boss......my friend" Gillespie was crying, he knew this day would come but never thought it would be like this.

"What do we do?" Penelope asked, her whole life had been in that flat.

"We run" Nathanial pulled away from her, "We go to Chapterhouse, we get some documents and we get out of Vaguzia, we head to Nemeria and from there back to Ui Cenneslaig. Then we think what we do next."

"But my stuff" Penelope was crying now.

"It's gone" Nathanial said coldly, "Both our lives have gone, we have to be Bene Gesserit now" he was coming to terms with it quicker than he imagined and releasing her he kissed her on the forehead and then began making their way towards Chapterhouse.
 1. Run

Offline Norgeras

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #19 on: October 11, 2017, 04:04:16 PM »
Monika listened, her expression calm as her mind raced. Did she anger them? She wouldn't have considered them to be this nitpicking in wording. Still, she got valuable information for the next steps.

Pretending to be a Teacher for a school and keeping the Ambassador away from it could be a bit more tricky, but she would find a way, and her goal with the school question was really just trying to get a better insight, so this answer would suffice - she'd have to dissect it later.
Moreland was a different matter. They confirmed the operation was known by the Benne Gesserit as a whole, and not just a single part. The possible conclusions flooded her thoughts, as she idly followed them to the other room.

Monika had been reading up knowledge about the Bene Gesserit, yet she didn't catch any Particular mention of Water. Forcing herself to focus on the Question at hand, her eyes scanned the room. Did the Blue clothing have something to do with Water? Unlikely. But possible. From what she had gathered, their believe was an amalgamation of Faith, always adding to itself. She picked up one of the glasses, curling it around her Hand as she took a more comfortable position. Not that she was relaxed, but her host had decided to soften the mood and she would try to accommodate.

"Since i admittedly didn't come across any Material referencing a specific Water affinity in your Faith, i assume you want to see what kind of Person i am rather than expecting me to give a code word answer."

Putting the Glass back onto the table, Monika crossed her legs folding her hands together in the lap. Her posture more upright, she answered:

"Water is where we come from, keeping it clean is important for our health, and the Health of Mundus. Soiling Water is disrespecting every living Being on the Planet."

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #20 on: October 11, 2017, 07:26:51 PM »
Nix Williams came down from her boss's office, Rion wasn't around so she was presently the senior Justicar on site, she ran the floor day to day anyway but she wasn't the usual leader. Stepping down onto the floor of Justicar Operations Nix made a beeline for the head of tactical operations, the experienced hand Paul Kessel

"What's the word?" Paul asked
"We've got Alex McArthur and the link to Makin suggests that Kaitaine could be behind the murder of Franchesca Owens." Nix said "Implication being..."
"That Franchesca Owens was one of these Truthsayers." Paul said "So what's the action?"
"Deniable Operation, contact the Truthsayers somehow get some answers." Nix said "Mark Sharpe's made it clear that we cannot have state sponsored murder going on unanswered."
"So how are we going to contact them?" Paul asked
"Well the sat phone we used before is dead." Nix said "Amy, Emma."

The two were now joined by Emma Hastings and Amy Taylor.
"We've been tasked with contacting the Truthsayer's." Paul said "Suggestions?"
"We're operating on the assumption that Franchesca Owens was a Truthsayer or a member of the Bene Gesserit?" Amy asked
"Yes." Nix asked
"Then use the mother." Amy said "If she's one of them then she'll pass the message on for us. Meanwhile we set up a dead drop using a cipher..."
"Which we'll have to construct." Emma said
"Well I'll construct it." Amy said "We use the dead drop to bring about a meeting."
"Where?" Nix asked
"Seventeen Delta?" Paul asked
"Agreed." Nix said "Safe and secure. Do it."
"I'll get on the phone to Nina." Paul said
"I'll send something over to her." Emma said

Emma and Amy headed back to their respective desks which sat a few feet apart
"So we give Wendy Owens a message that she doesn't even know she's carrying but is likely to discover later." Amy said "So it's got to be hidden somewhere."
"Got it." Emma said "Item sixteen on Franchesca's personal affects list.", Amy brought it up
"I'll get on it." Amy said "Where do you want it to lead them?"
"Valkyrie Memorial in Vanora." Emma said


A while later Nina walked into the interview room of the police station where Wendy Owens was still sat, Nina was carrying a cardboard box of personal items that had belonged to Franchesca and had formed part of the police investigation.
"I thought you'd probably want these back." Nina said she placed the box into Wendy's waiting hands
"Thank you." Wendy said
"Constable Newton will drive you home when you're ready." Nina said, she smiled and left - the top item in the box was a CD of classical music not something uncommon for an Achkaerinese citizen to have there was an adhesive label on the case that said 'For Mum' on it - it seemed like Franchesca had been thinking about her mother's next birthday, among the tracks on the CD was Ride of the Valkyries, except the arrangement had been changed somewhat from the norm it was some of Amy's best cryptography to hide a message in the music that would, they hoped, point the Truthsayers to the Valkyrie Memorial, it was situated just off the central plaza in the capital of Vanora - Jerusalem, a quick look at Wendy's background had shown musical taste including regular attendances at the last night of Edelweiss where that piece was a crowd favorite so she'd notice the difference that much was highly likely.

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #21 on: October 11, 2017, 11:40:20 PM »
"Couldn't they just have sent a postcard with her or something" Karin Atreides complained as she put the music on, something wasn't right about the unfamiliar piece of music. The handwriting on the note had jumped out to Wendy, it wasn't her daughters and then the CD itself. While it may be nothing anything weird like this was taken along to Chapterhouse and quickly found its way into the possession of the Missionara Protectiva. The music came to an end again and Karin waited for it to loop back to the beginning, she'd drawn the short straw for this job thanks to her musical background and while no longer an active day to day member of the Missionara you never truly left. She jotted down notes that seemed to be missing and then looked at them. "Eight notes are missing" she said as the sound finished again, she began scribbling away, first letters and then numbers, then combinations. She put the music back on and closed her eyes. "I think its some weird old way of transmitting co-ordinates" she concluded, "each note represents one number, the longitude, latitude etc" she clicked the music on one more time and then slid a note over to Sarah McPherson, the young Truthsayer who blinked at the way Karin had casually worked it out, she admired the Missionara for this kind of skills it was no wonder those who saw them work called them "Breathing Computers", her admiration for her friend Maggie just increased.

"So where is it" Sarah asked. Karin ignored her instead walked over to one of the bookshelves and took an atlas down and flicked it open, "Vanora - Jerusalem" Sarah read as she looked at where Karin's finger was placed.

"That's a big city to find something" Sarah mused.

"It would be" Karin departed back to the shelves and picked out a book written sometime at the turn of the 20th Century, she checked the index and then placed it on the table, "The Valkyrie Memorial" she said proudly. "I think they for some reason want to meet there. We should send them a message back. We don't want them hanging around." Karin picked up a pad of paper and began writing using the old Norse runes they used on buildings in Nya Aland, knowing each represented a letter she wrote plainly but each word being in a different language, Achkaerin, then Morelandish, then Gaelic and so on until almost every language on Mundus was represented. "Not as fancy as their code but it does the job" she put the letter in a thick wax envelope and simply wrote in plain letters on the front, "Attention of Franchesca Owens" on it. The envelope was passed on through several members of the Sisterhood before being hand delivered to the Marble Palace by a smartly dressed gentleman who claimed it was for a member of the household staff.



The various members of the Sisterhood looked at each other in response to the answer of Monika. Erin leaned forward and picked up the jug of water which sat in the centre of the table, she poured a glass full and then casually dropped the jug onto the floor sending the glass scattering around the room and leaving a stain of water that soaked into the stone floors. "Water is important because it has no start and no end and therefore extends beyond the life it sustains. That water will rejoin the earth, travel miles and then raise into the sky only to fall again as rain. Water is the perfect simulation of human life, we go round and round joining with the earth to come again." the other three girls sat in silence, this was theological stuff and while there were many answers they would always pay heed to a Mother's reply. "But your answer is good" Erin smiled as she casually stepped over the shards of glass that littered the floor.

"We wish to eventually not remain hidden" Maggie began talking, "For over a hundred years we've all lived lies, so have our parents, and their parents....well you get the picture. We don't get the chance to lead normal lives even if we want to, but what the world doesn't realise is the fact that our lives in the shadows is what has stopped chaos, you see around Mundus we have secreted ourselves. The KGB haven't lied about that, and its not just one or two, there are probably millions of us spread across the globe, and we're all willing to do a great deal to head home.....because that is what Kaitaine is, our home. So this brings me to our question. Why do you guys want to know us and what do you expect of us?" Maggie watched as one of the schools students who was on cleaning duty came in and brushed up the glass, she was careful to pick each bit up and any water remaining on the shards held in miniture bowls the shattering had created was poured into a new jug and even the cloth she wiped the floor with was rung out into the new vessel before she left.



Karin and Sarah had made their way to Jerusalem, the historian part of Karin had seen them trail around several archives and musuems that morning. "So what exactly was in that letter" Sarah asked as they took a seat on a roof top restaurant overlooking the memorial.

"It was an old saying from a tribe that once lived in the desert back home." Karin smiled and closed her eyes trying to remember the words.

"Follow the Jerboa for its path to water is assured. At the epoch of the sun he knows to seek the shelter, learn his ways for he too is a desert creature." Karin opened her eyes.

"What the hell!" Sarah mused, "That is supposed to help them get here because...." she was puzzled but games like this where what the Missionara was all about.

"It's simple" Karin smiled. "You bring your Truthsayer cap badge?" she asked the youngster who nodded, "Then take it out and pin it on your rucksack" Sarah did as instructed, "Look at it" Sarah smiled as she remembered the proverb and recognised the desert rodent that formed the units insignia. A clock began to chime from one of the many churches. "Midday....you better get down there"

"What your not coming?" Sarah asked nervously.

"Nope.....your the combat machine" Karin waved her away. Sarah instinctively checked her ankle to where the white bone knife was kept and wandered down to the memorial and began pacing around her eyes darting around the strangers coming and going. She spotted that Karin had moved now and was playing the part of a tourist looking at some kind of stall in a shop front at the end of a narrow street.

Offline Norgeras

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #22 on: October 12, 2017, 08:44:59 PM »
Monika kept her hands folded, her eyes following Erin as she listened to the explanation. She wasn't a theologian, so as much as she tried, this was not her territory. She'd have to go over Tea with an Acolyte over that one, not her. The Question about why they even where trying to contact them, good grace that was a riddle to her as well:

"I have to admit, i have no Idea. That's currently the decision of i think four People. I can, however offer you a speculation." Monika nodded, her eyes following the student cleaning up the glass:

"From what we have seen of Kaitaine, and Mc Pherson, they go against several of our ideals fundamentally, while we might just get along with you. We want knowledge to be expanded, Questions asked, new Ways discovered, and Traditions respected from understanding, not fear and agony."

Monika paused, trying to find the right words.

"There's a difference between diplomacy where you shake hands, and being actual friends with nations. And a Nation that has shut itself off for as long as ours need the second. The Prince Regent probably considers a possible Nation under your guidance more than just a polite political ally. You would have to discuss this matter with him though. Maybe at the Coronation or close after? I mean he probably is approachable for invited guests. If you wish i will organize a blanco invitation. Though don't take him lightly, he's young, but a capable fighter."

Leaning back Monika added:

"From my point of view, the Question you asked is what we try to answer as well. I think my Superiors would call what we do right now exploratory talks."

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #23 on: October 15, 2017, 05:04:37 PM »
If there was one thing Justicars loved it was a good code breaking exercise, the response from the Truthsayers had been sent directly from the Marble Palace to Justicar Operations where they'd figured it out the meet was on. But that was the easy part of this, the hard part was actually making the meet. Jerusalem had been picked for many reasons, it was a busy city for one and it was neutral ground for another. Robyn Mears was down at street level wandering around the stalls in what appeared to be a market place as the chimes of the clock ticked to midday.
"Time." she said glancing around "Are we clear?" the question was asked over her earpiece
"Looks clear from up here." Joe Ochre said, he was sat in a cafe at a higher level looking out of the window that afforded an excellent view of the Memorial.
"Nothing suspicious at all." Anthony Vilani said from where he sat opposite the Memorial.
"Ash you're clear to approach." Robyn said

From an adjoining street walked Ashley Selvaria, she was playing the part of tourist but her eyes were darting all over the place even though they'd translated the Truthsayer response they now needed to apply it, as expected there was a small crowd around the memorial she couldn't tell who was the contact until her eyes spotted the badge bearing the image of a Jerboa, on the flight down the team had studied what this creature was and what it looked like.
"Eyeball." Ashley said
"Have that." Robyn said "Proceed."

Ashley walked up alongside the girl who wore that rucksack the pair essentially side by side seemingly marveling at the memorial.
"What does a Jerboa do when midday comes?" Ashley asked, but not in her native tongue this she asked in Gaelic

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #24 on: October 17, 2017, 11:10:12 PM »
Erin nodded indicating that she understood, she'd been nervously tapping on the arms of the chair as Monika spoke, however that was only how it looked to the untrained. To the other women in the room a conversation was taking place. "Do we trust her?" Erin signalled to the other girls.

"For now, we take her to see the Mother" Rita signalled back and recieved a sign of confirmation from the other three.

"It has been determined" Erin rose and replaced the hood over her head, "That you shall be permitted to meet Mother McKey. The group got to their feet and opened the next door and waited for Monika to exit and followed. "Our Sisterhood should have one leader, a little like the Pope for Catholics, that woman is known as The Reverned Mother, sadly for that to happen all Mothers heading a Chapterhouse must agree that one of their number is above the others, we haven't had that for twenty years" Erin explained as they made their way up the spiral staircase.

"We should have had" Rita mumbled bringing up the rear.

"Many believe Mother McKey should be the Reverned Mother and not just the Mother of this Chapterhouse" they had reached a large solid oak door and Erin tapped a rhthmic knock.

"Enter" a womans voice called, as Erin opened the door an aging woman, her head smooth and teeth jagged approached with a bony hand extended. "Please come join us, we don't get foreign visitors often, and they tend not to leave" she let the final part sound rather menacing. "Take a seat" She put a hand on the back of a lower read leather arm chair. "I am Hannah McKey, I was orphaned thanks to the KDF and found my way here. Now I'm responsible for these fine young ladies" she was truly proud of them and what they had become. "Have the girls told you off the spice" she placed a box on the table no bigger than a match box, she carefully lifted the lid and placed it upturned on the wooden table next to the one containing a bright red powder. "It is called Melange, it is made only in Seitch and is in rather short supply these days. We believe it allows the Mothers of our order to see the future." she licked her finger and dipped it in, instintivley the four other girls leaned forward in their chairs, they had heard of great visions Hannah had. She sat back and licked the remaining powder from her fingers and then closed her eyes. Moments later her voice was a deep growl.

"I see a path streatching before us splitting two ways. The way to the right shows a path of Gold, it is lined with the glorious ancestors of the Sisterhood and at the end sits a giant sandworm, its great head raising up towards God/Gods. Beneath it I see the twisted metal of humanity. The other path is full of rocks, twists and turns, a dark place at the end the shadows full of hidden dangers and snarling teeth. A noise from the darkness pierces the silence. At the split I see a stone, it is white, it is smooth and it bears my name and two dates." her eyes opened and she rubbed her eyes as though waking up she smiled after a few seconds. "Did I speak?" her voice was back to normal, the four girls eyes were wide, they had never seen a spice vision although Erin had experienced her own and now felt herself trembling as hers had been exceptionally similar two years earlier when she had sneaked into Kaitaine and made her own spice.

"Yes Mother" Erin said nervously. "You spoke of a Golden Path" he was excited.

"So Monika do you have any idea what this could mean?" Hannah waited a moment, "Don't fell compelled to answer, interpretation of the Spice Visions are difficult." She paused a moment, "So as head of the Order in Ui Cenneslaig I am open to discuss many more things than my apprentice here" she pointed to Erin. "What would you like to discuss." before Monika could answer she slid the box towards her, "Would you like to try some, many believe it tastes of cinnamon, personally I find it never tastes the same twice."



Sarah had expected someone to meet but had no pre-planned speech lined up. She turned round slolwy and eyed the woman sternly. "I guess they'd wonder why people are asking them dumb questions, but then again I've never seen one" she shrugged, "Then maybe go get an ice cream" she walked over to the nearby store that had an ice cream stand, "Six please" she ordered and paid for them. She handed three to Ashley and kept three herself. "So your from Achkaerin" she slipped into the agents own language, it was far from grammatically correct and the accent awful but the Chapterhouse students learnt little bits of all languages a Chapterhouse may need. "Follow me, I'll take you to meet the boss" she lead them back through the crowd and seeing them coming Karin settled the bill, left the cafe and moved further down the street to where a low wall had a few tourists sat on.

"Here" Sarah handed the first ice cream to Karin and then sat down next to her.

"Thank you" Karin watched the Justicar with suspicion. "We brought those for you and your team, better than hiding" Karin wasn't however going to wait. "This is the first meeting between our faith and your nation. How long it lasts depends on what you say and do" she explained before tasting her ice cream. "They didn't have mint?" she asked Sarah as though not even at a high level meeting.

"You get what your given" Sarah explained her eyes on the swivel.

"You get to ask us three questions and then I have one for you" Karin began to get to the business end of things, "You may ask one at a time, or all together" her free hand drummed on her knee. "Why three extra ice creams?" she asked Sarah in Doublespeak, the Bene Gesserit Prana Bindu language.

"Because no one comes alone. She'll have friends and we can't look stingy" Sarah responded while still looking up the road.

"Once I have answered your questions you shall answer mine." Karin said this rather like a mother sternly speaking to her children. "Think of it a while" she stood and took a vile from her pocket and placed it next to her on the wall, it was a small thumble of water. "Why is water important is my question?"  she sat back down waiting for the meeting to really get underway

Offline Norgeras

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #25 on: October 18, 2017, 10:19:59 PM »
Monika hesitated being offered the Melange. She wasn't willing to be tripping, yet it seemed incredible tactless to turn down an offer by this Mother.
She decided to buy herself some Time to think:

"While i am no Priestess, i would offer my thoughts on the words we witnessed from your Vision." she said, carefully watching the Melange as her Eyes now met McKey's:

"You spoke of seeing two Paths, one seemingly filled with hardship, obstacles and Temptation. Yet the golden Path seemed to give you an Easy option, a straight Path to Salvation. But i wonder."

Monika paused licked her Lips, they suddenly felt very dry: "The golden Path seemed to show only Death. You spoke of the Dead, that you see the Ancestors, but not the future of your Sisterhood. And of a Worm raising to the Gods on the Remains of Humanity, without us. The other Path promises Hardship, the continued work in the Darkness, that you need to bear yourselves with snarling Teeth and be Hidden Dangers."

Tapping her fingers on the Table, Monika took a deep Breath: "Yet this is only what i heard listening to your Vision, being a Creature of Secrets and Whispers it might just be my Nature to see a dark Path more inviting."

Hovering over the Box with her Finger, she waited for Hannah to give her a silent approval, and after receiving it, mimicked the taking in from before.

Te Results where rather different though. At first she thought it simply tasted like dirt in her mouth, then her Heart raced and sweat dropped from her Face. Breathing was more and more difficult, as Monika grabbed the Table gasping for Air.

Whatever it was exactly that this Melange was made off, she was violently allergic to it.

Offline Libby

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #26 on: October 20, 2017, 12:21:35 AM »
One of the advantages of being one of the planets best trained soldiers was crossing borders became a piece of cake, wishing to leave no evidence of his journey, and the fact that by now Redfern had all his passports, Nathanial and Penny made their way over the border from Vaguzia into Nemeria. They looked deciededly out of place still wearing the gear they'd been out in when Redfern made his surprise appearence. Penny wasn't used to so much walking and could feel herself struggling to stay awake as they made their way towards Chapterhouse here in the south of Alba Karinya. As they approached a woman wearing a private security companies uniform approached and Nathanial spoke first. "I'm Nathanial Corrino and I need your help." The woman's suspicious demener instantly melted as she recognised the man.

"Sir, please follow me" the pair were lead inside and had to relay their story numerous times.

"This is pretty bad news" Libby Morrison The Mother of the Nemeria Chapterhouse shook her head, "How did he know? How did he find you?" she repeated over and over.

"Look Alex Redfern is a respected member of a military elite, he's a nose for bullshit like a bloodhound and we always knew there was a chance of being rumbled, blame that Sarah Duggan" he cursed at the name, his life that he loved was now gone all because he had saved her miserable hide even though he hated what she had done to his adpoted nation, which deep down he loved however what was more unforgivable was she had put Penny into the middle of all this, she was a sweet girl and wasn't equipped for this type of thing as a Truthsayer would have been.

"So what do you need?" Krystina Garner A member of the Fremen family and a Truthsayer instructor asked, she was more practical and was already sensing problems having a Corrino here could build. The Corrino family were the most beloved of the Four Holy Houses and every Bene Gesserit apprentice knew them by sight, Nathanial would be a distraction for the girls and as such it was best he go quickly.

"I need to get to UC" he explained, "Both of us, Redfern will guess I'll either go to ground or head out the country, he'll know I can't go back to East Moreland and so that leaves Nemeria or Zimalia, I wouldn't rule out the fact that he would have contacts." Nathanial felt anxious and just wanted to be back in Claith where the Bene Gesserit diaspora was strong. It took two days to get paperwork together and then find a boat that they could hire a room of boat heading back to their destination.

When he arrived in Claith he went to visit his brother first, Niklaus was the Duke of the family and had built a nice life as Nick O'Hogan, a former child genius turned investor, he'd turned the families already sizeable fortune into an even bigger one and was the most favoured of the nobles in the Bene Gesserit faith. Nathanial planned to rest for a few days, leave Penny in the safe keeping of the families home and then go check in at Chapterhouse here in the capital. What he hadn't expected was to have to wait to see Mother McKey, but she was busy it seemed and his visit was unannounced. He decieded he'd pass the time watching the Year 10 Truthsayers going through their paces on the lawn.

"Make a hole" a Truthsayer Sergeant yelled as they came thundering into the schools offices corridor. Nathanial flattened himself to the wall as the woman sprinted past, a 2nd woman was hurrying the same way a backpack on her shoulder.

"What's happening?" Nathanial asked, the sight of two Truthsayers sprinting a major concern he followed. He reached the Mother's office and feared the worse, had there been a KGB attack, had the school been discovered. As he peered round the door he recognised Rita Faminio kneeling on the floor next to a woman who he didn't recognise, Mother McKey was standing nervously behind her desk as various others stood watching. The two Truthsayers were the duty medics and immediately began treating Monika as she lay on the floor, Rita had kept her airway open and realising quickly this was some kind of reaction the medics popped open the pouch on the backpack with the correct gear in. The first womans hand scanned various items before selecting one, unstrapped it, inspected it and proceeded to jab Monika with the epipen.

"She's responding" the woman continued working as Rita breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.

"Nathanial" Holly spotted him first and literally jumped over the prone Monika flinging her arms around him, feeling instantly safer. The two were due to be go through a ceremony in a few weeks time that would make Holly his Honored Matres, a concubine designed to allow the Corrino DNA to diversify and continue its lineage. The young girl felt him almost casually put her aside once he'd kissed her cheek, he was clearly here for something else and she felt a sadness at his reaction but understood it.

"What's happening Mother" he asked Hannah who retold the story of Monika trying the spice and then having a bad reaction. "Good job we've got some medics then." he chuckled as the still unconcious Monika was taken out on a stretcher, the ambulance wouldn't be called, that was the last thing they needed some outsider sniffing around. Instead she was taken to the Infirmary, not an actual hospital but it could deal with minor injuries and illnesses thanks mainly to the Truthsayers combat medic training. She'd put into a school tracksuit and put to bed, an oxygen mask on her to give her time to recover.

Some time later the woman's eyes opened and she found herself in a long narrow room, she was furthest away from the door, four girls aged between five and sixteen in the beds between her and the door, one was there because she'd sprained her ankle playing hockey, two of the others had clashed heads messing about in their dorm room meaning the eight year olds needed to be kept an eye on, the final girl had some kind of chest infection and was bed ridden to help her recover. Lydia Fremen was one of the duty Truthsayers manning the infirmary, she wasn't yet a fully trained medic but was on her rotation and so was reduced to being the wings orderly. "Wow, you gave everyone a fright" she said as Monika looked around, Lydia sat on the table, "You had some kind of allergic reaction? You know if you have any allegies?" she asked, it would probably be something worth knowing. "Either that or the Sandworm gave you one hell of a vision." she chuckled, "Perhaps we need to get you to start training here." She poured a glass of water and handed it Monika, "The Mother will want to see you" she added as she set about her other duties, "You need anything give me a yell, I'm Lydia" she began sweeping the polished wooden floor.

An hour later McKey arrived and sat in the chair next to Monika having first drawn the curtains. "The Golden Path" she began getting straight down to business, "is a place that holds no fear, you see it is our belief that one day a terrible fate will befall humanity......of that there can be no question, even scientists say in several billion years our planet will be cooked by the sun, when whatever tragedy is to befall mankind we shall ensure it survives, we shall have created the Kwizach Hadrach, and by destroying all evil he shall summoun a giant sandworm, Shai Halud, and ride him to a new future for humanity, where all this will begin again. We shall rise to a greater future following a golden path. The darkness is what awaits us if we fail." she smiled, "although I do find your interpretation intriguing. Have you studied much theology?" she asked. " I find you rather interesting" Hannah continued leaning back and crossing her legs. "Its a shame we didn't find you as a child, trained you in our ways" she shrugged her shoulders. "You've come a long way, suffered a fair bit too, you must be feeling rather badly, I understand if you wish to leave but I'd be happy to extend an invitation for dinner this evening and perhaps stay the evening. While you stay we shall not follow you. You may go where you wish, speak with whom you wish. The girls have been told you are our guest and that they may be honest with you." Hannah stood. "You know the grave was mine, I saw the date" she smiled, "I shall meet Shai Halud much sooner than mankind....much much sooner." she turned and left stopping to talk with the ill girls as she did giving each some comforting words. 

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #27 on: October 20, 2017, 02:52:14 PM »
Ashley viewed both women properly for the first time now there seemed to be a level of complexity and near ritual to it, the water question intrigued her such a question suggested that it was some sort of test, but first she had three questions of her own to ask why do I feel like I'm Aladdin? she thought, well it was only fitting to ask as invited to do so.

"This is our first meeting and while you may know much about Achkaerin, Achkaerin does not know much about you...well not much beyond the words of the Kaitaine Pravda and to be perfectly honest we take that publication with a huge pinch of salt." Ashley said "So my first question is this - How does one judge a man's worth?"

She could hear a chuckle in her ear from Robyn, it wasn't a bad opening gambit.

Offline Libby

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #28 on: October 20, 2017, 11:39:42 PM »
This was the part of the meeting that really didn't need Sarah, once they'd entered some kind of deep philosphical arena she switched off her eyes more focused on the street and those passing by, Karin was more than capable of this. "A man's worth?" she repeated part of the question, "As opposed to a womans?" she shook her head, "I prefer to judge men and women the same, by the risks they take. Life is about discovery, it is our purpose to be here, to discover as much as possible to prepare. Discovery is dangerous… but so is life. A "man" unwilling to take risk is doomed never to learn, never to grow, never to live." she made great play of making air quotation marks. "Satisfied?" Karin asked as she went back to enjoying her ice cream. "How you getting on with that water question? You've two more left before I look forward to your response."

Offline Gadshack

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Re: Little Death
« Reply #29 on: October 21, 2017, 09:14:19 PM »
Central Ahkabnil, Eshtlayyoan City

In the creaky old western part of Eshtlayyoan had an assortment of people who took residence in the venerable houses, many were aging or new blood moving in, enthralled with fascination at the neighborhood’s deep history and architecture. The street Muire lived on was as old as the city itself, perched upon a hill, with the foggy Ahkabnilian valley staring back. It was vibrant yet reserved, with expression and fine artistry in construction everywhere, as usual for a city of this size in Ahkabnil. While Muire wasn’t born here, she had certainly grown to love the country, the people and the land. As she sat, overlooking the hill on a balcony of her adobe residence, she reminisced briefly on how she got here and lavished in it, as memories was all the old woman had now, she had soon expected to leave.



1943, Southern Ahkabnil

Muire and the rest of the Truthsayers had arrived at their assigned airfield, a sad little thing hastily occupied from the Ardians only a few days ago. They hopped off the truck, running to each of their planes like kids in a candy store. Muire was a bit disturbed when she approached her disk of a plane, the ‘Flying Pepen’ they called it, after the Ahkabnilian Flatbread. “It’s riddled with holes? I’m flying this?” she asked the tending ground crew, cockily. Many glanced up, then back down to tend to the Pepen’s engines. The crew chief walked over, giving a greeting nod to Muire while speaking in a heavy Ahkabnilian accent.

“No, you will not fly this, pilot.” he sighed, already impatient with her assuming stature. “It was shot up yesterday and made it home, we should have her fixed up for you in a few days.”

“Good.” Muire said, with a grin on her face. Then she paused. “The pilot who flew her back?”

“Didn’t make it.” the crew chief walked away somberly.

She slid her hand against the outline of the bullet holes made by Ardian cannons, suddenly chilling tingle radiated throughout her body and her knees got weak, realizing these things were made out of paper and wood.




Some memories, Muire didn’t enjoy, one’s she had avoided for the longest. She had lost most of her friends in the war, and those that did survive were no longer around that she knew of. She was nearly 100 at this point, and still kicking. It was her devotion to her faith that kept her going; while she took refuge in a theocracy she kept the Bene Gesserit faith sacrosanct and dear in her heart, though she did partake in local ritual for appearance, she had leeway due to her veteran status. When she was a young pilot she came from Kaitaine to fight in the skies of the Horn of Ardia, one of the most formidable air and ground theatres at the time.

The prestige and experience the Great War had granted Muire made her a respected person among Ahkabnilian society. She met her husband in the country, an infantryman that had come to work where she was stationed manning flak guns, and had six children who had mostly passed away by now. Only her elder and secretive membership in the Truthsayers kept her going, not even her husband or children had known but her antics following the war.

As the sun began to crouch behind the Ahkabnilian mountains, Muire would head inside after finishing the standard cup of wine everyone in this country had every evening. She wouldn’t eat dinner, as she didn’t feel hungry, most Ahkabnilians ate plentiful at the peak of day anyway. For an old woman she stayed up late, mostly because Muire enjoyed watching late night re-runs of Ahkabnilian soap operas called ‘Hintili’s’, they’re melodramtic splendour excelled anything she had ever saw on a ridiculous, entertaining and comical level.

Muire had woken herself up from nodding off however, at the sound of rummaging in the side alley of her building. She stood up and walked over to the back room of her small apartment, only to find the window partially opened. Still in old age, she had a sharp memory and didn’t remember leaving the window open, she wouldn’t have, mosquitos and whatever else the humidity brought in would find an easy way in otherwise. Her nerves peaked, as the apartment was eerily quiet, even with the TV blaring in the other room. She had always kept her old truthsayer knife handy in her accessories, it had somehow kept her comfort and believing she would pass any moment, thought she might as well die with it in her hands.

Suddenly, a heavy drop followed by panicked running sparked conflict, as a large man ran in trying to escape through the window, hardly noticing the small old woman standing there with a ceremonial blade in hand. Muire, was perhaps standing in the right position for the man’s own momentum to force the blade into his chest, as she panicked and held the blade out in front of her. The man tried to deflect, but instead continued to scramble out the window, nearly breaking it in his attempt. As he fell out, he took the blade with him, still punctured deep into his chest. “What a fool…” Muire sighed, watching the man limp away hastily. She looked down as her foot brushed something, a pistol with the serial number scratched out is what she made out when she held it. What memories came back to her holding a gun. The man must’ve dropped it, trying to pull it on Muire, “Incompetent.” she grumbled again, shuffling away from the window after shutting it.

The smell of burning and smoke filled the air, Muire didn’t notice until she could see the fire that was started in the kitchen, she cursed her dulled old senses and grabbed a towel, foolishly fanning the fire. In her haste her glasses swinged off and fell into it, as the flame grew to engulf most of the living area. She quickly ran back to the window, attempting to open it as the flames seemingly chased her. It was jammed, somehow, as her shaking and panicked fingers clawed at it. She hadn’t noticed but she was also on fire, and slowly becoming more engulfed. She let out a panicked wailing, before being entirely engulfed, drowning in the flames.



Speaker Daily News Reports

"Today a large apartment complex fire spread on the west side of Eshtlayyoan. Firefighters contained the fire by morning and only two deaths had been recorded, a small child of smoke inhalation and an older woman in the fire. Authorities are keeping details about the small child minimal in respect to the grieving mother, however brief investigation suggest the fire originated from the elderly woman's apartment. Police are releasing what they can about her, as no dental records were kept. In items found include an old airforce beret roughly and unidentifiable badge, she is hypothesized to be a veteran of 98 years old. As well as a picture from the Great War era, of a woman, presumably her, leaning on an Ahkabnilian fighter aircraft. 'She isn't Ahkabnilan' police remark in a statement. "
« Last Edit: October 21, 2017, 09:30:34 PM by Gadshack »