011: The Tarsus Institute

[joertexas]

Frederick shook his head angrily. “Somebody really screwed up or was part of the coup. Dulinor is going to have the throne eventually, though there’s going to be a lot of fighting both on the ground and in space before that happens. If he’s smart, he’s already lifted off the planet and will be making his way to jump out. The imperium is screwed.”

Jaelah nodded unhappily. "That may also hold for the Sword Worlds and others if Ciencia can't pull the Marches together."

[terrymixon]

Frederick shook his head angrily. “Somebody really screwed up or was part of the coup. Dulinor is going to have the throne eventually, though there’s going to be a lot of fighting both on the ground and in space before that happens. If he’s smart, he’s already lifted off the planet and will be making his way to jump out. The imperium is screwed.”

Jaelah nodded unhappily. "That may also hold for the Sword Worlds and others if Ciencia can't pull the Marches together."

“She’ll have no more than a year to do that. Once news of the assassination arrives, everything changes.”

[terrymixon]

Garvin looks pained but leaves Ciencia to William.

Meanwhile he continues to "manage/attempt to manage" the Zhodani.

As you (and Bona and Walt) are there in the common area, none of you fails to hear her screams of anguish and denial. Or her exclamation about her father’s death at the hands of Dulinor.

Or fail to note that the Zho heard everything.

“Perhaps it would be better if we arrange local housing and wait for a better time,” the ambassador said quietly.

Poke

[joertexas]

“Perhaps it would be better if we arrange local housing and wait for a better time,” the ambassador said quietly.

Jaelah stepped up to speak with the Ambassador. "Yes, I think that would be best. We will reach out to you as soon as we can."

[terrymixon]

“Perhaps it would be better if we arrange local housing and wait for a better time,” the ambassador said quietly.

Jaelah stepped up to speak with the Ambassador. "Yes, I think that would be best. We will reach out to you as soon as we can."

The ambassador rose to his feet. "While I cannot claim to understand what is happening, please pass my condolences on to the young empress. If there is anything I can do to ease her situation, you need only ask. I am sure we will have much to speak of when you are ready. I will pass my contact information to Countess Treegarden. Feel free to contact me at any time of the day or night. I am at her disposal."

With that, Bona will escort them off the ship and you are once again alone.

"There are no listening devices," Roscoe said over the overhead speakers. "I think we need to regroup and discuss what has happened."

[terrymixon]

William simply hugged her for a moment and stroked her hair. "You were a lioness today. Never forget that. I am prouder of you than I can imagine." He gently wiped the tears from her face. "Your father is dead. He was killed instantly by Dulinor himself. He claimed the throne by right of assassination.

She stiffened in your arms and then screamed. “Noooooo!!! Dulinor killed my father?!? Nooooooo!!!!”

William wrapped Ciencia in his arms and told her down to rest in his lap. At that moment it was clear to him just how young Ciencia was not that anyone would take the news calmly. "I'm afraid it is true darling. Look at me. Look at me. We are alive. Your mother is alive. We can carry on in your father's name and honor his memory." William hugged her tight to his chest and waved at Teressa to close the door. "Let it out Ciencia. Let the grief out. You are with those who love you. Don't hold back."

Let's see who else wants to get a word in.

I was waiting to see if anyone else interjected.

She's incoherent and wailing. That's pretty much all you get out of her.

[helvorn]

William wrapped Ciencia in his arms and told her down to rest in his lap. At that moment it was clear to him just how young Ciencia was not that anyone would take the news calmly. "I'm afraid it is true darling. Look at me. Look at me. We are alive. Your mother is alive. We can carry on in your father's name and honor his memory." William hugged her tight to his chest and waved at Teressa to close the door. "Let it out Ciencia. Let the grief out. You are with those who love you. Don't hold back."

She's incoherent and wailing. That's pretty much all you get out of her.

William cradled Ciencia and slowly rocked her. He softly sang a lullaby that his father had used when William was a small child. "Hush little baby don't say a word, Papa's going to buy you a Mockingbird, and if that Mockingbird don't sing Papa's going to buy you a diamond ring, and if that diamond ring is brass, Papa's going to buy you a looking glass, and if that looking glass gets broke, Papa's going to buy you a billy goat, and if that billy goat don't pull, Papa's going to buy you a cart and bull, and if that cart and bull tip over, Papa's gonna buy you a dog called Rover, and if that dog called Rover don't bark, Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart, and if that horse and cart turn round you'll still be the sweetest little babe in town..."

I sang this to my children when they were little.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-x1N3 ... gers-Topic

[terrymixon]

William wrapped Ciencia in his arms and told her down to rest in his lap. At that moment it was clear to him just how young Ciencia was not that anyone would take the news calmly. "I'm afraid it is true darling. Look at me. Look at me. We are alive. Your mother is alive. We can carry on in your father's name and honor his memory." William hugged her tight to his chest and waved at Teressa to close the door. "Let it out Ciencia. Let the grief out. You are with those who love you. Don't hold back."

She's incoherent and wailing. That's pretty much all you get out of her.

William cradled Ciencia and slowly rocked her. He softly sang a lullaby that his father had used when William was a small child. "Hush little baby don't say a word, Papa's going to buy you a Mockingbird, and if that Mockingbird don't sing Papa's going to buy you a diamond ring, and if that diamond ring is brass, Papa's going to buy you a looking glass, and if that looking glass gets broke, Papa's going to buy you a billy goat, and if that billy goat don't pull, Papa's going to buy you a cart and bull, and if that cart and bull tip over, Papa's gonna buy you a dog called Rover, and if that dog called Rover don't bark, Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart, and if that horse and cart turn round you'll still be the sweetest little babe in town..."

I sang this to my children when they were little.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-x1N3 ... gers-Topic

She clutches you desperately and doesn't stop.

Metz stepped up behind her and raised an injector and an eyebrow.

[terrymixon]

The ambassador rose to his feet. "While I cannot claim to understand what is happening, please pass my condolences on to the young empress. If there is anything I can do to ease her situation, you need only ask. I am sure we will have much to speak of when you are ready. I will pass my contact information to Countess Treegarden. Feel free to contact me at any time of the day or night. I am at her disposal."

With that, Bona will escort them off the ship and you are once again alone.

"There are no listening devices," Roscoe said over the overhead speakers. "I think we need to regroup and discuss what has happened."

"What do we do?" Aster asked. "They heard way too much. Even what they saw is too much."

[helvorn]

She clutches you desperately and doesn't stop.

Metz stepped up behind her and raised an injector and an eyebrow.

William nodded to Metz. "It's time to get some rest Ciencia. You are surrounded by love."

[terrymixon]

She clutches you desperately and doesn't stop.

Metz stepped up behind her and raised an injector and an eyebrow.

William nodded to Metz. "It's time to get some rest Ciencia. You are surrounded by love."

She doesn't even react when he injects something into her neck. In moments, she sags and then is unconscious.

"That will keep her under for the night," he said gently. "By the time she wakes, her mother will be out of the Autodoc. Her other self would be out sooner, but it might be best to let their memories combine and deal with them after they both remember what happened. Her other self was conscious and angry when she arrived. I would expect her to be so when she wakes as well. The edge will be gone and the rage will be there to deal with. I don't envy you that burden."

[Thumper]

Walt links to the group:
“After all that, and I know you’re all going to think me bi-polar for saying this, but I think we should keep the Ambassador here and at hand. I propose giving the group mine and Bona’s room to stay in until William and Ciencia are ready to entertain them. If that’s ok with you Bona. I’d just need a few minutes to clean out some things…and weapons…I’d prefer them not to have access to.

I guess we should meet up somewhere else aboard where we can privately discuss our options and list our assets.

If we did this, ship-Roscoe, can you keep them entertained in the common room and my, our, room. Alert us if they try to stray?”

[terrymixon]

Walt links to the group:
“After all that, and I know you’re all going to think me bi-polar for saying this, but I think we should keep the Ambassador here and at hand. I propose giving the group mine and Bona’s room to stay in until William and Ciencia are ready to entertain them. If that’s ok with you Bona. I’d just need a few minutes to clean out some things…and weapons…I’d prefer them not to have access to.

I guess we should meet up somewhere else aboard where we can privately discuss our options and list our assets.

If we did this, ship-Roscoe, can you keep them entertained in the common room and my, our, room. Alert us if they try to stray?”

Are you trying to stop their departure? If so, you'll need to act fairly quickly.

"I can, but are you sure that is best?" Roscoe said. "And you don't need to say Roscoe ship. We are the same person and sync memories."

[Thumper]

Walt-
“Yes. Absolutely certain. As long as they stay on this side of the ship internal structure from any sensitive discussions or our secrets, they are psi shielded. And you’re right, they know too much. They can’t be turned out. That would pose a bigger threat.

Now that we know what happened, they are not a threat to us in these locations onboard. Without their interaction with un-shielded imperium Court minds, we can better control the dialogue and discussion.”

He’ll pause momentarily to hear any dissenting voices. But he’ll be sure to act before the Ambassador reaches the airlock unless he’s quickly convinced otherwise.

Holding here to permit other players input

[terrymixon]

Walt-
“Yes. Absolutely certain. As long as they stay on this side of the ship internal structure from any sensitive discussions or our secrets, they are psi shielded. And you’re right, they know too much. They can’t be turned out. That would pose a bigger threat.

Now that we know what happened, they are not a threat to us in these locations onboard. Without their interaction with un-shielded imperium Court minds, we can better control the dialogue and discussion.”

He’ll pause momentarily to hear any dissenting voices. But he’ll be sure to act before the Ambassador reaches the airlock unless he’s quickly convinced otherwise.

Holding here to permit other players input

"I hope you have a better pitch than I fear you have," Bona said. "That sounds like being detained. Which, in effect, it is. If that isn't one of the strong reasons they're decamping, I'd be shocked."

[Thumper]

Walt:
“An invitation only. I won’t detain them. They came here for a reason. That remains unresolved. I suspect they may want to do so.”

On the link
”Shall we offer up Spicoli’s room as well? It’s been empty for some time.”

[terrymixon]

Walt:
“An invitation only. I won’t detain them. They came here for a reason. That remains unresolved. I suspect they may want to do so.”

On the link
”Shall we offer up Spicoli’s room as well? It’s been empty for some time.”

I'll give folks until Saturday evening to chime in on this before we move forward.

[Tiglath]

Garvin says "I think I can see where you're goin' Walt but I reckon diplomacy's not your game. You've already put 'em out in the rain - that's fekkin' acid rain, mind! Makes a statement - I'm amazed they're still 'ere. An' then we've brought 'em back in. If we now attempt to restrict their movements or their minds, which I understand they're quite big on, or give 'em any more "Hokey Cokey" I think we might just as well declare war an' 'ave done with it! This actually can't get any worse... unless we do something else. So, 'avin' done what we've done... let's not make it any worse, eh?"

He adds "Look, I'm sorry if I sound "off message" on this. I love the poor kid next door to bits an' now she's lost 'er Dad - an' just when she needs 'im. But this is not my Empire an' every ongoing experience I've 'ad of it is that it's broadly run by ruddy nut jobs 'oo should all be in the "rubber walls wing" of some 'ospice for those incurably off their loaf. When this kicked off I asked if the Counts Vincenzo were to be some sort of "black bag team" to tidy things up but I was told that was not 'ow things worked. Apparently it is - an' we are now playin' ruddy catch up!"

"I suggest that we should stop with the flannel, 'ave a straight word with the Zhodani an' then send 'em on their way, like gentlemen. They came a long way 'ere to 'ave a conversation so they might at least give us some credit for that".

[helvorn]

She doesn't even react when he injects something into her neck. In moments, she sags and then is unconscious.

"That will keep her under for the night," he said gently. "By the time she wakes, her mother will be out of the Autodoc. Her other self would be out sooner, but it might be best to let their memories combine and deal with them after they both remember what happened. Her other self was conscious and angry when she arrived. I would expect her to be so when she wakes as well. The edge will be gone and the rage will be there to deal with. I don't envy you that burden."

William scoops Ciencia up in his arms. "Wake them up together. I want to speak to her mother first. I'm going to put this one to bed in our quarters." He paused. "There will be hell and damnation to pay." William looked Metz in the eyes. "Overwhelming force and clever diplomacy will be needed or billions may die. Or we walk away from it all and let Dulinor have it. I fear that Civil War may still break out even if Ciencia and her mother disappear. I will not walk away and let the walls come crashing down in a new Long Night. We need her." He thought for a moment as he looked down at Ciencia. "How quickly can you get me to Dlan?"

[terrymixon]

She doesn't even react when he injects something into her neck. In moments, she sags and then is unconscious.

"That will keep her under for the night," he said gently. "By the time she wakes, her mother will be out of the Autodoc. Her other self would be out sooner, but it might be best to let their memories combine and deal with them after they both remember what happened. Her other self was conscious and angry when she arrived. I would expect her to be so when she wakes as well. The edge will be gone and the rage will be there to deal with. I don't envy you that burden."

William scoops Ciencia up in his arms. "Wake them up together. I want to speak to her mother first. I'm going to put this one to bed in our quarters." He paused. "There will be hell and damnation to pay." William looked Metz in the eyes. "Overwhelming force and clever diplomacy will be needed or billions may die. Or we walk away from it all and let Dulinor have it. I fear that Civil War may still break out even if Ciencia and her mother disappear. I will not walk away and let the walls come crashing down in a new Long Night. We need her." He thought for a moment as he looked down at Ciencia. "How quickly can you get me to Dlan?"

“Will do. We could be there in a week, but he won’t be there. Even if he were, it’s too late. The cracks have been there for a long time and now blood has been spilled. Even if you kill Dulinor, others will fight for the throne. The genie is out of the bottle and there is no stuffing it back in.”