Signy arrives in the room having found a plain but serviceable sword of the type used by the castle guards somewhere along the way. She finishes buckling the belt as she walks up to Brita. "Hello, again," she offers with a grim smile. "Has Huon said anything about if the rest of the Rebmans are with him?"
The only visible sign of any concern is a slight tightness around her eyes.
"Cousin Signy," Brita states for Huon as she smiles briefly at her cousin. "Our Uncle is Not with the Rebman Archivist at This Moment, But He is Moving to Retrieve Them. Will You Go Through?" Brita asks as she holds out a hand.
Ossian and Jerod arrives in the room. "I hope we came quickly enough. Folly has my card, in case you need us back here."
Brennan comes in on their heels, attired as he was at the meeting in the gazebo. "If we're going to a Klybesian outpost, do we know which one? And is Regenlief close enough to be able to join us?"
Fletcher hurries in after Brennan, straightening his tie. "What's the deal?"
Martin and Edan are also with them.
Conner arrives at this point with Celina, Raven and Merlin at his heels. "You called for assistance Sister?"
Brita's hand that was reaching for Signy flow up into a wait gesture as she smiles widely at her before responding to her cousins, "Thank You, All, for Your Rapid Assistance. Uncle Huon, the Rebman Archivists, and Three New Cousins have been Held at the Klybesian Second Durmurall Outpost. Our Uncle is In The Process of Gathering All With Him, but Wishes to Overrun That Place with Excessive Force and Learn All We Can from It. And I do Not Know where Valkyrie Regenlief is At The Moment, But can Send a Page for Her." She cocks her head to the side as she runs through that recital in her head and then gives a nod of closure before reaching back out to Signy with a raises eyebrow.
In a distant shadow, Huon is speaking to someone. "Delta, Alex, this is Misao, your cousin, probably. Don't mind how they look. Please help them open that trap door while I get us some assistance." He looks away "Carina, can you..." Brita doesn't see who he's with, but the scene is chaotic. Her best guess is that the shadow runs at about double the time of Xanadu.
"Good summary, niece. Warn anyone who comes that they have guns here, but I'll take anyone who wants to answer the call."
Brennan shrugs at Regenlief's absence-- he wasn't even sure if she was in Xanadu. "All right, let's do this."
He waits for anything else Brita might have to say, and abides by her judgment in the order of transfers.
Brita adds, "The Outpost Klysebians Have Guns." She gets a startled 'aha!' look and adds "Machine Guns?" There is definitely still a question there. She glances at Master Brennan and then her brother.
Garrett arrives on the scene, apparently having stopped to grab a sword from a guard chamber. Assessing the situation, he says to Brita, "I'm not going through but I'll help on this end. What do you need?"
Jerod waits on Brita's response, looking at Brennan momentarily. "At least it will be interesting." he says, in reference to the machine gun comment.
Barring that, unless Brita stops him, he'll reach out for a hand to pass through.
Brita smoothly diverts from Signy and grasps Jerod's hand to pass him through to their Uncle.
Celina steps forward to be passed through as Brita manages all this. She's not seen such a large company of transfers before so she takes her cues from the older cousins. "Aren't all guns machined?" Celina asks. "What point am I missing?"
Fletcher steps forward to go follow Jerod. "Machine guns have a much higher rate of fire. More of an industrial killing tool than a weapon of personal honor." If Jerod has already transitioned, Fletcher focuses for a moment then transitions through Brita's trump connect himself.
After Jerod has vanished in rainbow colors, Brita reaches for Fletcher and passes him through as she notes to Celina, "I Wondered That, Too. They Sound Dangerous. Be Careful, Your Majesty." She looks to Conner to see if he would go first before the Rebman Queen.
Vere enters the room silently and moves to a position out of the way of the cousins waiting to be sent through the link before him.
In response to Fletcher's comment, Brennan says, "Think of Corwin's guns, if you've seen those. Extremely dangerous. This," he raps his breastplate with his knuckles, hard enough for it to make a dull clunk, "won't be all that much use, unless I sorcer it up on the other side."
But so saying, it's nothing Brennan hasn't seen before. He goes through.
Signy sighs. No mention of the Rebman contingent, so no clue on how Tomat is.
Hard on Brennan's heels she reaches out to take Brita's hand and pass through the connection.
Conner definitely steps up before his Queen and takes Brita's hand before disappearing with a rainbow flash.
As Brita hands her cousins and brother through and then grasps Celina's hand for her transfer, she says to Garrett (and for Huon's benefit), "Prince Garrett, I do Not Yet Know if there are Injured, but Given it is Klyesbian Zealots we are Dealing With, Injured are Likely. We Should Know More soon."
"There is always the possibility that this is a diversion. Good that some stay here," Ossian says before stepping through.
Vere steps up to Brita. "Cousin, someone should keep the trump contact open, but I am sure you would prefer to join the rescue. Shall I take over the connection for you?" He reaches to take her free hand, and with his other hand he offers to accept the card from her.
Raven is a step or two behind Vere. She comes to stop to wait for the transfer of the call, though, with a nod. "When you're ready, add me to the party on the other side too," she says.
Brita, still holding the Trump, offers Raven her hand and passes her through as she says to Vere, "I Have my Knife, but am Currently Ill Equipped for Full Battle. I will Remain The Doorway for Now. I Wish to Accept our New Cousins Through when They are Ready." She touches a finger of her now free hand to the side of her nose. "Where is Your Robin? We are Off to The Green after This."
As if announced, Corwin, Robin and Pen (assuming Pen stays with them) arrive in the doorway to the Butler's office. Noting the crowd of waiting Cousins, Robin slides out of the doorway and to a neutral corner. If Pen accompanies her, Robin will introduce herself quickly.
"Hi, I'm Robin, ranger of Arden and daughter to Prince Julian. If you're willing to guard my flank, Captain, I can keep you pointed at the enemy."
Pen has been keeping pace with Robin and Corwin and follows Robin to the neutral corner.
"Ranger Robin, I'd be happy to guard your flank," Pen says, positioning herself 45 degrees to Robin, drawing five arrows, notching one, and leaving the other four in easy reach. "Just point me at the target."
Edan comes in with Martin and Brennan, but obviously doesn't want to help create a scrum; he takes his time to get passed through, and is patting his pockets to find a few acorns.
Vere nods in Robin's direction as she enters the room. "She is here now." He allows Brita to pass him through the connection and vanishes in a flash of rainbow light.
Merlin says to Martin, "I will go through with my sister and open a second Trump connection, for casualties."
Martin nods once, and says, "I'll be in the infirmary."
Then Merlin steps through.
Once Merlin has arrived, Huon says to Brita, "No more just yet; we're in a small space and we need to get a safe out of a trap door and open it."
Brita acknowledges this with, "Understood, Uncle. There are a Couple More Cousins and Uncle Corwin Here and Prince Martin has Gone to The Infirmary to Link with Cousin Merlin from There. Send Those Uninjured or Not in need of Tending This Way."
"Hannah will likely head straight for the infirmary when she hears," Garrett says to Brita, "I'll stay here to help with anyone else."
Looking back over his shoulder, Garrett notices a new face in the group and says to Pen, "We haven't met. I'm Prince Garrett. And you are?"
Pen furnishes a genuine smile and nods, "A good shot, even with one bandaged eye. No worries, Your Highness, or is it Your Grace? I'm Captain Penthelisea, an envoy from Pontus, and I probably should've spent more time on noble forms of address."
Brita smiles at Pen, "Captain Penthelisea, I am Brita, Goddess of Clear Waters of Shadow Asgard. Your Arrows need Not Fly True Here, but we shall Wait to See if Prince Huon Needs More Assistance." Brita is tall with green eyes and long red hair braided in two plaits although there is a hank of blond woven in the right side. She is dressed in a red jacket with white fur trim.
Pen is delighted, ponders momentarily the art of addressing a divinity is probably even more complex than nobility, and then reminds herself that this is not a polite court function, but an imminent assault. Pen bows to Brita, "My thanks, Goddess Brita, I stand ready for however I can assist." There's a pause as she keeps her head bowed. She remembers that Chirope was very fond of braiding Pen's hair in a similar fashion years ago when it was longer and days were idle. When it comes to fashion, hair, or face painting, Pen remains a lost cause.
Robin frowns slightly, remembering a similar situation of cousins rushing off on a hunt and leaving the castle undefended.
"Change of plans for me, Captain. You can go through with the King. I think I'll stay here and make sure that Xanadu has enough sword arms."
"We'll see whether Huon needs our help, but that's a good thought, Robin," Corwin says. "In fact, I'm going to step out and touch base with Flora and Llewella." Suiting word to deed, Corwin does step out into the hall and pulls out his Trumps.
While Pen is standing near Brita, Brita gets a good whiff of her. Captain Penthelisea clearly smells of the royal blood.
At about this point, Huon passes Carina through. She is a woman past the first flush of youth but still young, dressed in the remains of what looks like it used to be a fine robe but has been through a lot. Her head is bandaged and the lower part of the robe has bloodstains on one side that clearly came from a leg injury. She probably could use some assistance to get to the infirmary. "Well met, royals; I am Carina of Rebma, one of the archivists," she says by way of explanation.
Garrett immediately reaches out to assist Carina. "Prince Garrett, though I reckon you know that," he says with a gentle smile.
He turns to the Captain. "Captain Penthelisea. Change of plans," he orders. We need you to stay here and help Brita while I get Carina to the infirmary. Brita, I'll be right back."
Brita nods and states, "Cousins Robin and Penthelisea will Help if More Need Aid." She cocks her head to the side as if listening and adds, "Uncle Huon is Mounting a Search and Rescue for the Other Archivists before He Razes the Outpost."
Robin smiles her greeting to Carina. She remembers the archivist from Cambina's funeral. And while a brow raises at Brita's plural of 'Cousins', she doesn't comment on it. As it is, Robin stands ready to assist Brita in whatever way is needed.
Carina smiles brightly as she can at Robin; she clearly recognizes Robin. Huon says to Brita, "Last chance for anyone to come through. There are tunnels underneath and a group going into them and I mean to join them. The rest are gathering the Klybesian prisoners or fighting their enemies. Contact me again in a quarter glass my time; I need my concentration.
Brita relays to those in the room, "Uncle Huon is Taking Any Last Assistance before he Focuses on the Tunnels They Found. Others are Gathering the Rebman Archivists and Fighting the Klybesian Priests. I am to Contact Him Again Soon." She looks inquiringly at the others and Uncle Corwin to see if there are any last takers. "I will Remain Here and Work on a Trump Sketch of My Brother before I Call Uncle Huon in His Quarter Glass."
Robin shakes her head in the negative. She's staying.
Pen holds her position and nods to Ranger Robin. She's unsure of whatever's coming, but she's ready.
If there are no more takers, Brita will close the Trump with a soft, "Good Hunting," to Huon before she moves to the desk and begins to pull out her sketch book, pencils and other supplies from various pockets. She cocks a head to the side as she thinks and then asks Corwin, "Uncle Corwin -- How do I Know when His Time is Done?"
Corwin says, "What's the time flow differential?"
Meanwhile, Garrett is assessing Carina's injuries. "Can you walk with help or do you need me to carry you?" he asks kindly. He'll do whatever she decides and they leave the office to the infirmary.
"I can walk with help if it's not far, thank you, your Highness. I will be slow, though," Carina replies.
Brita watches them prepare to go with a distracted frown. To Corwin she says, Uncle Huon did Not Say what the Time Flow Differential Might Be. Lady Carina, How Long were you in That Outpost?"
On her way out, with Garrett's help, Carina says, "Days before your call. I'm sorry I can't help more."
"Brita?" Robin asks, "How sure are you regarding 'Cousins'?"
Brita gives a shrug and answers, "She Smells of Royal Blood."
Pen smells 100% like an Amberite to Brita. But it's not possible in this case and is in general difficult for Brita to tell which branch of the family by scent.
Corwin sounds annoyed, though probably not with Brita. "You're going to have to guess it. It's hard to tell unless you've checked the calendar on long transits a few times. Caine says everything is fine in Amber."
Robin nods to Brita. Then turns to Pen with a warm friendly smile. "You probably have questions, Captain. Did you want a information dump or did you want to ask them individually?"
Pen ponders for a moment and then smiles. "I was expecting more violence, but I'm happy to see that it's been quiet. As for Goddess Brita's statements, I think I understand the confusion. I'm actually just the envoy for Queen Thalestris of Pontus. I'm not her daughter, so not actually royal in any way. My Mother's name is Myrina and she's not even from Pontus, she just emigrated there when she was pregnant with me." As she stops, the smile fades, "I haven't seen her in a long time."
Brita nods to Corwin to acknowledge his contact with Uncle Caine, but she turns to Pen at the last, "I Meant Royal in the Sense of Of Order, or Of Amber Descent. Like Us," and here Brita gestures between herself, Robin and even Corwin. "The Blood Could come from Your Mother, although 'Myrina' is not a Known Name for Our Aunts or Cousins, or from Your Father. What does Your Mother Look Like?"
Pen reaches into her pouch and withdraws a disc of polished brass, as she flips it you can see a flat smooth stone with an incredible painting of Myrina.
"She arrived thirty years ago, on the run from something..." Pen sighs, "She never really explained what.
"We had a peculiar relationship. I don't think she ever expected to be a mother, but once she accepted the responsibility, she grew to love me. Every great achievement that ever bloomed from me was at least in part seeded by her. I tell you true, I miss her counsel. She was direct, often painfully honest, but brilliant. No wasted words. She disappeared some sixteen years now. We have no idea what happened to her."
There is a bittersweet moment as Pen dwells upon her lost Mother and the artwork of her true love, Chrioppe, whom she has not seen for many years. Pen collects herself and focuses on the business at hand. She wipes away a tear, embarrassed at having let her emotions escape so readily. "My apologies."
Brita gives Pen's shoulder a quick grip in a warriors acknowledgment of pain and offer of comfort.
Robin croons sympathetically at Pen's sorrow. "Do you know who your father by blood may be?" Robin asks gently.
Pen shakes her head. "My Mother set down very few rules when I was growing up, but 'Do not ask me about your Father' was the first rule. I broke it a few times, which I regret, but when you live on an island where the only men that ever appear are either trying to conquer or murder you, the question becomes a lot less important over time."
Corwin sticks his head in. "Brita, who else in the party that went to rescue Huon do you have Trumps of?"
"None as of Yet, Uncle," Brita responds as she moves to take a seat at the desk and clear a space. "I Can have a Sketch of My Brother and Possibly Cousin Celina Shortly. I Will Work on Conner's while we Wait." As an aside, she says to Robin, "It would take Longer for me to Sketch Your Vere as I have More studies of You than Him." Brita then bends her head to work on adding the final touches to a mostly completed sketch of her Conner, thinking of her love and admiration of her Steady, Clever, and Brave brother.
Corwin says "Thank you, Brita," and goes back to what he was doing.
Robin nods her thanks to Brita.
Turning to Pen, she says, "The question is probably about to become more important. If Brita can identify you as a member of the extended Royal Family of Amber or, as some would have it, the Lords of Order, others can too. And our enemies -- like the Klybesian monks that several of our cousins are fighting now -- will seek to constrain or harm you, whether you keep a close relationship with us or not.
"While it is your choice, our enemies are powerful and far-reaching and you'd be safer -- or at least better informed -- if you hung around for a while and got to know what is probably your father's family."
"I've often wondered if I'd learn who my father was, but it's been a while since I'd given it much thought. It seems that question may be more important than I ever guessed."
Pen nods to Robin. "I have a good feeling about this, Ranger Robin. You and Goddess Brita seem earnest in this matter, and I trust you. Perhaps Queen Thalestris suspected this herself when she set my feet on this path. I will abide as more than just a diplomat, and take Amber's enemies as my own. I never had cousins before, and so many all at once..."
Robin answers Pen with a shrug. "Yes and no. I know of around 19 children he fathered, but I only found out about 3 in the last year. So there are probably more out there. And of course many of those children have had children of their own, which makes us a large and unruly herd.
"The 'no' part occurs because Oberon and his children are long-lived. So long-lived that none as yet have died of old age. And it's been centuries, perhaps in some cases millenia.
"There are a lot of us," Robin replies to Pen with a chuckle. "But we are all descended from one man; Oberon, King of Amber. Do you know of him or Amber?"
"Sadly, I don't," says Pen. "What little I know of Amber comes from Ranger Vista and Prince Julian. I spent too little time with Prince Julian to learn much, but he was hospitable. I expect King Oberon must have a constitution like Zeus; a tireless bee that pollinates many flowers."
"One last thing, King Oberon died about five years ago in an important ritual designed to save Amber. Unfortunately, he failed. And the worlds have been troubled since."
Inside the room Huon enters is a moderately sized creature made of red muscle with an angry-looking face. It's trying to break open a trap door on the floor. There's also a woman, in robes like Tomat's, but with a bandage on her head.
Misao shifts into their default form and raises their voice to the maximum volume: "Hainu, Etana-san. It is Misao, with Karina-san. Can you hear me?"
Misao moves over to the safe and, shifting into the form of the oni, uses their enhanced strength to rip it out of the floor. Assuming that they have managed to make contact with Huon, Misao then turns back, nodding at Karina-san to go through the door first.
The trap door in the floor is not as large as the one in the lab, but it's also solidly built. They strain against it, but it's locked and it's hard to get purchase. Perhaps they need tools or help.
"Hainu!", replies Huon from the hallway. The door bursts open, and Misao sees Alex, Delta, and Huon. Huon looks surprised at Misao's appearance. They are armed with clubs and swords, but no one seems hurt.
Alex checks his swing when the monster starts speaking. "Okay..."
"Of course," replies the traditionally dressed and shaped young woman behind the Oni.
He moves aside, expecting more.
"Hello, Huon," he says. He turns to the rest and gives his name: "Brennan."
Huon gestures to Carina and she moves toward him, to be passed through.
Brennan looks like he was expecting more, and scowls, but lets it go.
Misao speaks, "There was an individual calling himself Chew here, yes. I do not know where he is."
The hallway opposite this one has a fire going, only partly under control.
It's definitely possible to use it as a crawl space.
Carina says, "Thank you, your Highness."
Alex grunts, and passes the trap door lid up to whoever will take it. "Someone wanted this?"
Misao stands and nods to Delta. "I also have items that I wish to retrieve. I will go with you."
Celina turns away from Jerod and nods once to Signy. "Rescue."
Celina steps and lightly leaps out of the office through the veil after Conner.
"Yeah, I think so. A couple of wires come out of the muzzle there. I guess aim at skin."
Alex kips up now that the office is less crowded, and picks up his baseball bat. Hefts it a few times. It's still a baseball bat, still isn't wrapped in barbed wire. As always, life is compromise.
"Misao-san, I think the people going through the weird magical -- let's not finish that sentence. But I think they're just going back to the cells me and Delta were in. I'm okay sticking with you and Delta till you both have your things back or until I need to stop getting shot at. You good with that?"
He then prepares himself for a fight; he's clearly content to let Jerod be the first person out the door, but he'll be quick thereafter.
Misao nods and unlimbers the surujin from where it's been hanging on their belt. They position themselves as the fourth to go through the door.
Raven looks around at the group, and then nods. "Right. Down the hole for me, I guess."
And she heads below.
Edan says, "Chances are, if that really is a Shadow tunnel, there's a non-zero chance it will lead to information on the Turcopolier. I will go that way." And he follows below.
Brennan watches the group self-sort into Team Pattern, Team Sorcery, and Team Both then moves to join Team Sorcery behind Conner's parted veil. "No one get killed today," he says just before he moves through it.
Merlin says, loudly, "I will go with Ossian in the form of a snake." Anyone remaining in the room sees him do ... something ... and then he's leaping up to catch the opening that Ossian went through in the ceiling. By the time he's finished getting up in there, all those still below can see is the tail end of a very large black snake. There are no clothes or weapons left behind.
Huon says, "Last chance for anyone to come through. There are tunnels underneath and a group going into them and I mean to join them. The rest are gathering the Klybesian prisoners or fighting their enemies. Contact me again in a quarter glass my time; I need my concentration."
Conner's Parts the Veil to an empty cell with a door ripped off. Might have been a lot of activity here before but no one bothered to guard an empty cell in case the prisoner comes back.
The cell is empty, and the door is ripped from the hinges. Alex must be reasonably strong, if he's the one who did it. There's a cot in each cell (this one and the one across the hall.)
The hall looks like it has been used for a game of "break everything" by some very annoyed Amberites. Because it has. Conner knows the path to the Archivists is down the hall and around a corner.
He doesn't see anyone here, but maybe there are guards left elsewhere.
Vere leaps through the Part after Conner.
Celina arrives with a light barefoot landing. She glances about the cell for heavy items that could be hand weapons.
Celina has no problem finding hand weapons outside the cell, but none within. First to hand is a fire extinguisher. It can be used many ways.
Right after the Queen drops Signy, her legs flexing to absorb the drop as she moves over to the side in case others want to come through. Her hand rests on the handle of the King's Guard sword that she grabbed on her way there, though she doesn't draw it yet. She moves close to the door, but doesn't yet stick her head out into the hallway.
The alarms down here are of the "klaxon" variety. It's very loud and annoying, although it seems as if some of the alarms have been physically damaged. Those, somehow, sound worse.
"...except maybe Huon," Brennan thinks to himself, as he follows through the Veil.
Brennan does what he should have done upstairs, as soon as he's through-- takes a good hard look around through full Astral vision. If nothing else, it should let him get a fix on anything alive down here, prisoner or guard.
This wing is empty. The prisoners who were housed here escaped and the guards are somewhere else. Perhaps they are upstairs shooting your cousins.
Also, struck by a thought based on Misao's question, Brennan takes a quick glance at his own closed pack of Trumps. Do they show up through the case as objects of power?
Astrally, it's nothing special. Brennan avoids looking at his cousins, because they are inherently brighter, and Conner has the Rebman sword.
Brennan looks at his trumps, but doesn't see anything special. Maybe if it was being used.
Conner seals the Part in the Veil and returns his attention to the room. "The archivists are this way." Conner points down the hallway and moves to lead the way down the corridor, listening for any sound around the corner before peeking his head around it.
Celina realizes she's feeling something she'd missed without consideration, she is delighted to be with these people. She feels lighter and full of seething fire. She tries to avoid radiating burning joy and manages to only smile. A slight adjustment in her Takhi stance and she moves out to the hallway, acquiring the first small red canister with the bold instructions and warnings on it. Heavy, yes. She flips it end over end and slides it down the open scoop back of her chemise where it is trapped in the pouch supported by her shoulders. The material will rip out if she moves too much because her muscles and the canister will not give to the tension but the small clothes will.
Celina grabs the next canister of the same design. Ah. She pulls out the retainer clip so it is ready to discharge. Now she's smiling large and her fangs are showing. Staying with the natural moves of Conner and Vere, she offers, "Brennan, there's nothing to suggest Huon has broken his parole yet. But if he has, I'm killing him this time."
Vere follows and whispers, "Are we now off Sorcery, and using only Pattern so as not to interfere with the others? I am unclear as to that."
Celina nods, clearly agreeing she does not need sorcery especially if it will limit her cousins relying on Pattern upstairs.
"It is the other way around." Conner replies. "Their use of Pattern will make Sorcery harder to use. Vere, did you notice those moments where our weave was becoming frayed and I had you focus upon them to keep them steady?" Conner asks. "That was Pattern influence on the Shadow working against our Sorcery. I assume Huon is influencing things in the background."
"Concur," Brennan says. "It is *not* symmetrical, and they'll give us a harder time than us, them. That said, while Huon is doing something, I doubt there will be a lot of Pattern use in the firefight. I'd be a lot more inclined to do something Sorcerous to shut down their guns than to try to get Pattern to jam *all* their guns at the same time. And it's really hard to say how far is far enough. I would tentatively guess that we're far enough for local, minor effects.
"That said: I'm using Astral vision right now to look for signs of life and other surprises, and I'm going to keep doing it as we go along. Nothing yet. And since I'm the only one wearing armor, I'm going to risk toughening it up." Brennan briefly touches a finger to the breastplate and other pieces of armor, with a subtle working of Space and Gravity that increases its meaningful thickness from about a tenth of an inch to as much as he can reasonably make it without increasing its mass or its bulk.
Brennan follows Conner, with a body-language offer to get out in front if Conner wants.
Brennan's armor won't rival Julian's but he feels it might well stop bullets.
Conner leads the way to and down a corridor that connects the two wings of the hospital, which is not there on the ground floor.
Brennan peeks in astrally every time he thinks they may be further along and shortly determines that the corridor they are in is about to end and there are a dozen people who may be in 2-3 rooms at the end of the hall.
Conner reaches a small door with a window in it. They're having a bit of a stand-off with a door, out of which a gun-barrel is occasionally being thrust. They seem to be waiting for someone else to come down, and aren't in a rush to attack.
Brennan astrally sees 4 people in that room, and 5 in another room that the guards aren't confronting.
Brennan quietly points out the numbers and approximate locations of the people he can see, to the rest of the group.
He indicates by gesture that he can part the veil to the group of flunkies in the corridor and deal with them, if someone else can get to the ones in the cell opposite Tomat.
Vere nods and indicates that he will part the veil at the same time to the back of the cell opposite Tomat.
Celina moves behind Vere like a wake and couches. She'll spring through behind him when he goes.
Conner gestures that he shall remain here. "Distraction." As the rest are Parting the Veil, Conner slips to the side of the door where it won't open in his face and then bangs loudly on the door to get the guard's attention.
Signy comes up from the rear, glancing at Connor and Brennan and trying to figure out where she will be most useful, or barring that least in the way. She settles on Brennan, and quietly unsheathes her sword and produces a gleaming dagger for her off-hand as she moves to quickly follow him through when he goes.
Brennan and Signy drop behind the two guards who are looking towards Conner banging on the door. They're raising weapons. Signy slips a dagger into one's side, and that guard staggers, bleeding profusely. The guard drops her weapon and slumps against the wall.
Brennan likewise faces the back of an armed guard and grabs his weapon. The guard is not a serious threat to Brennan, and he can take him out at his convenience.
Meanwhile in the second cell, Vere and Celina step into a much more volatile situation. There are three guards in here, all armed and spread out, and one archivist, Descant, lying unconscious on a cot. The guards are surprised, but not unable to act. The one near the cot points a gun at Descant and says "stay back, demons!"
Brennan conveniently grabs his guard and bangs the guard's head into the door-- not hard enough to kill, hopefully hard enough to incapacitate, but definitely enough to render him ineffective long enough for Brennan to cast an instant spell. Brennan definitely wants at least one of these people alive.
Brennan slams the guard's helmeted head into the door and the guard takes a nap on the floor. He's not likely to die, unless otherwise molested. He's hardly even bleeding.
The spell works on simple brute force to prevent any rapid changes in entropy, of the sort caused by rapidly expanding gases in small metal tubes causing small pieces of metal to move forward rapidly. The gases may get released, but the hack to entropy will prevent them from expanding and pushing the bullet forward, or should at least turn the guns into pathetic pop-guns. That's rather a mouthful to get across in the midst of a fight, though. So what Brennan says is, "Entropy: Gunfire delayed about a minute."
Signy kicks the gun away from the guard that she downed, but otherwise doesn't pay too much attention to her. Brennan has one guard that should be able to go back with them for questioning, so if the other one doesn't quite make it, well....
She pauses to look down the corridor to make sure that there's nobody coming up behind them as she moves closer to Brennan. "Should we check the rest of the cells in this hallway, do you think?"
The guard that Signy is behind is on the floor, far from her gun, and also likely unconscious. They are at least temporarily not a concern. Signy turns and sees two figures running away from them rather than towards them.
Conner also sees the two guards go down under the cousin onslaught, and sees the more distant guards decide to flee rather than face the teleporting death-dealing demons from Amber.
Whatever's going on upstairs, they've created quite a crash. It's hard to imagine what they're doing up there that can be heard down here.
Signy follows Brennan's glance at the retreating soldiers and turns to face the far end of the hallway and makes a flicking gesture at the door, as she reaches out to the metal in the door to talk to it, encourage it, strengthen it.
She then proceeds to move swiftly down the hallway towards the guards.
It either worked or wasn't necessary. Signy reaches the two guards, who are desperately pulling on the door. These two don't even have guns. They raise their hands. "We surrender, don't kill us!"
Brennan opens the door for Conner, so he doesn't have to go to the effort of Parting the Veil just join them all. He glances up toward the sound of the disturbance above and says, "Sounds like they ticked off Jerod-- does not bode well for them."
He then calls out to Tomat, telling him he's been rescued and can come out now.
Tomat opens the door. He looks up and down the hall at the guards on the floor and the three youngers. He bows, and looks exhausted doing so. "Prince Huon called the cavalry? We have wounded, My lord, and we need to send a message to Queen Celina."
Celina's focus narrows to the unfamiliar weapon aimed to destroy a trusted member of her court. This mouthy guard cannot gain the initiative. She gathers the sense of the gun in a second. Metal frame, barrel guide, actuator, and a deadly cargo all controlled by a finger already on the actuator. Celina spells the metal gun with Density.
The gun vanishes in a poof of metallic smelling vapor and the cartridges fall to the floor. It's either hilarious or fascinating, or would be if it wasn't in the midst of a giant, multi-floor brawl.
Vere notes that Celina is concentrating behind him instead of acting, and makes the logical assumption that she is doing something magical to protect her archivist. However he also judges that he cannot wait to see if it is successful, nor concentrate on the two other guards, without risking the life of the archivist. Acting instantly he shouts, an angry, bestial roar designed to focus everyone's attention on him as the greatest threat, and leaps for the guard holding the gun on Descant. The plan is to hit the guard, grapple and roll with him, the come up to his feet swinging him as a weapon and throwing him into the other two guards, before closing with them in a mad scramble, using pure strength to ensure none of them are fit for combat.
The guard's gun disappears, likely because of Celina's sorcery. The guard officer is utterly frozen in the face of Vere's leap and grapple. He rolls once, comes up, and launches the officer into his compatriots, sending them all down in a heap. Vere is close behind and applies adequate violent force to subdue all three. They will need medical attention if they're to be of any use to anyone going forward. If that's a concern.
Celina simply says, "Well done." She pulls the jacket off one unconscious guard and ties it around her waist. The she empties the pockets of the three of any papers and small trifles and transfers things to her jacket/kilt pockets.
Whatever is happening upstairs has caused a tremendous crash. It's hard to imagine what they've done to make so much noise that it's audible down here.
Vere glances once quickly around the chamber to be certain there is no danger that he missed upon first arriving, then dashes to the door and looks out into the corridor. Seeing that Signy and Brennan have everyone subdued he looks past them at the door opposite the one he is looking out from, just to be positive that whoever is standing in there with a gun doesn't turn out to be hostile.
Celina slides up behind Vere glancing in counterpoint to his scans. She then steps back to Descant and attempts to assess her state.
Descant is unconscious and attached to a drip bottle. Whatever it is smells horrible. She may have been overmedicated. Wound-wise, she's got several, consistent with being in a shipwreck, because she was.
Celina frowns at the drip bottle. She considers if cousins are still using Sorcery hereabout or holding off. Celina checks Descant's vitals with her fingertips and doesn't like the manner of her deep heartbeat. She considers Necessity and her living Archives and decides it applies but perhaps something for later. Things are still in motion. Uncles are so unpredictable.
Celina disconnects the drip and stores it in her improvised kilt. She gently hefts Descant into her arms, worries at how light she feels there. Then she moves into the corridor after Vere.
Kyril is in the infirmary with a young woman, and they're clearing space and preparing for arrivals. "Hello Hannah, we came here when we heard the bells. Anyone need us immediately?"
"I hope not. They're taking my cousins through to fight the group who has been kidnapping and experimenting with our family members. They got a new one and he's wicked mean, and they're probably regretting it. It could get quite ugly, I imagine. I was going to take up a trauma bag to try to stabilize anyone who is pulled back here. They're in the butler's office." Hannah refrains from shaking hands with the young woman and gives her a short nod and smile instead. "I'm doctor Le Corbeau, and this is First-to-the-Center, a Geneshee warrior." Hannah motions to Kyril. "This is doctor Ky - is that what you're using these days?"
Hannah scoots around clean areas to wash her hands.
Kyril nods. When she comes fully into the room, she sees that the woman is Kyril's niece, Allie, whom she met before. She didn't know Allie was assisting him, but it's not a big surprise. Allie is dressed in practical clothes (pants, boots, and a closely fitted jacket), perhaps from her home shadow.
"I didn't really like being an army doctor, but I'd rather keep your cousins in one piece if we can." He's looking at First, with that 'I'm too polite to ask to see someone's unusual joints, but I wish I could take a good look at her unusual joints' expression.
Kyril glances at his neice and she goes to a cabinet and pulls out a bag and starts laying out likely supplies for a trauma bag. "What would you like in your kit, Dr. LeCorbeau?"
A few moments later, Martin skids in. "Merlin's going to contact me for direct transfer of any wounded. Nobody had come through when I left." To First he adds, "I'm Martin."
She bows towards him. "Hello Martin, I am First-to-The-Center, a hostage, warrior, and doctor's aide."
And not long behind them are Garrett and Carina. Carina has been through a shipwreck, and has a long gash in her leg that has been cleaned and stitched with what Kyril can identify as suture threads that will dissolve into the wounds. She has been stressing the leg more than she should have, to Hannah's eye. She's also been hit in the head with a metal bedpan, pretty recently. Her clothes are in the Rebman style, probably what she was wearing to Edan's celebration, and have also been through the shipwreck. Kyril moves to help Garrett get her on the table.
Martin huffs out a sigh of relief at seeing Carina and gives her a thumbs up.
As Garrett helps settle Carina onto the table and covers her with a light blanket, he asks, "Can you tell us anything about what happened to you? How long you were there? Who was with you? If you feel up to it, of course."
Carina tells her story as she gets settled and the doctors examine her. "Queen Celina sent the seven of us away by ship with Prince Huon when it seemed that there was danger here in Xanadu. The ship was taken and sunk after our first transit; that was how I received my leg injury. We thought they were simply pirates taking us for ransom, but when we saw the monks, Tomat told us to be silent. They didn't know Prince Huon, and seemed to think he was a mercenary hired to accompany the seven archivists.
"They took us onshore to a temple, and thence through tunnels to the prison we were in, which I think is a hospital prison. Tomat they took away to interrogate, and I think to punish him for treachery to them, based on what he said. They left Prince Huon with us. After several days of imprisonment, he communicated with someone else through the vents the building, and we all broke out. Huon's ally Misao, whom he thinks is a cousin to you, accidentally hit me in the head before realizing who I was.
"There are at least two others whom Prince Huon thought might be your cousins: a man named Alex and a woman named Delta. I had never known either of them before today," Carina finishes.
"Taking this back to 'hit in the head', I'm going to stay out of Doctor Kyril's way and let him ask the concussion questions... if everyone could let him proceed with that before asking follow up questions," Hannah suggests, taking the bag from Allie.
Garrett steps back out of the doctors' way. "Thank you, Carina," he says gently. "We'll do whatever we can to get everyone out safely. Rest well."
Kyril takes over dealing with Carina, asking her some questions and examining her head.
He moves over to Martin and says quietly, "I have to go back to Gilt's office in case anyone else comes through. Have you heard anything from Merlin yet?"
Martin shakes his head once. "Nothing yet. They may all be busy on the other end."
Hannah stops next to First and waits until Martin and Garrett are finished talking. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce all of you to Heckle, the Raven." Hannah gestures up to the bird chilling out on the cradleboard. "He talks, hears, thinks and heckles, mostly Edan. Heckle, these are the princes Martin and Garrett, Kyril's niece Allie, and Lady Carina of Rebma." She gives the princes a little smile, expecting they might want to know that a hearing/talking spy bird is hanging around.
Kyril is too busy to take note of Heckle, but the others do. Carina looks like she wants to be finished with this stupid concussion test so she can talk to him.
Garrett smiles back.
"Garrett, I'm going to head up - are you going back that way? I have questions."
"I am. I'll walk up with you," Garrett answers. With a nod to Martin, he joins Hannah to head back to the office.
First follows Hannah. She doesn't have anything to say, but she did pick up Hannah's medical bag, if she's allowed to.
Once in the hallway, he asks, "What would you like to know?"
"I'm looking for an approximate headcount -- how many people went through? Do we have any idea how violent the situation is on the other side?"
A page runs up and waits for Garrett to acknowledge him. Once Garrett does, the page says, "Prince Garrett, Prince Martin wants you to know that he's got the hostages and he's going to call Queen Celina for the archivists.
Garrett stopped walking when the page arrived. After the message is delivered, he nods once. "Right. Go back to the infirmary," he tells the page. "If Prince Martin leaves, come get me and I'll go cover it."
Once the page departs, Garrett turns back to Hannah. "Let's see...Jerod, Brennan, Edan, Ossian, Celina, Merlin, Vere..." he ticks them off on his fingers and pauses, thinking. "Uh...Raven...Conner. I think that was it. So, nine? Brita, Robin, Corwin, and Captain Pen stayed behind."
This makes Hannah smile. "I almost feel bad for the people on the other side. OK, let's move. I'm sure Kyril will send a page if he needs me back in there."
Hannah hurries along. "I'm hoping for some people to make well so questions can be asked of them."
Hannah does look back at First. "Sorry, we'll get back to the tour eventually. This will likely be more informative than me explaining the refrigerator though. Do you have electricity at home?" Hannah keeps hurrying along. The stubborn ones who insist others go first to the infirmary might end up coming back through Brita.
First shakes her head. "We know of it, through our travels. It's not in Ghenesh." She pauses. "The warriors don't think much of it, but it seems to be transformative in other places."
"Indeed it is," Garrett replies, though his focus is on rushing back to the office. "Hannah, did you have more questions?"
"That was the important stuff." Hannah is also focused on getting to the office. She does say to First, "where I grew up, they were new and exploded too often... I think they were using the wrong chemicals in them, because the one here works fine. Hasn't exploded yet."
First nods. "One thing even a youth such as myself noticed was that in many, many places, people memorialized those who died trying to change the world. It wasn't clear that they made a difference, but what mattered, everywhere, was that they tried."
Last modified: 19 April 2021
