Goraya hears Lingston talking and offers to translate if he wishes. "The plane of water's a big place, though. He might not know of your people, but I'm happy to ask him for you."
"Gratitude: It would be most appreciated if you could."
The elemental splashes Rush again. "Hello friend Shrimp. I share water with you." It pauses. "I have seen many creatures in the plane of water, some like you, and others not. Have you seen our glamous cities? You would like them!"
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Goraya's eyes light up when you talk of visiting the mine, but then she frowns. "It's several days travel from here, unless you fly, and flying on a clear day like this will attract all the wrong attention." She points at the distant mountains. "That's where the Blue Tin ridge is, over there. When you go, I'm coming with you. But I think Airbretta's right," she admits reluctantly. "If we don't weaken the Azlanti position here first, it'll be a suicide mission."
"This water thing seems like a nice person. Is it happy here or can we free it? Could you please ask it what it wants us to do? We should help it if we possibly could. Or him. Or her. What pronoun do I use, anyway?. Oh, does it like tea? I could put some tea into the water if it would like that"
Pon looks slightly disapprovingly at Wint, "Now is not the time for that Wint. That it is safe enough and that the colonists can now get water is good enough for now. Time is of the essence. Let's hurry up and grab whatever information the administrator has and continue." As he says this he pulls out the Azlanti rifle once more and starts heading in the direction of the office.
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"Oh gosh, the mine is that far away? We need to free Madelon's Landing fast then. Who knows, maybe they're even trapped and starving right now? Thirsty for some of the water the friendly water elemental here could give them" Prosper waves at the water elemental, transforming his arm into a almost transparent pseudopod that looks a little like the elemental's own limbs.
He walks over to the water collector. "Do you want out, big guy? To see the world? Encounter another beautiful water elemental and float off together into the sunset?" He cocks his head at the tank. "Goraya, maybe you can ask later in that weird language?"
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Prosper gives Spec and Pon a thumbs up. "I'm in! Let's go check Madelon's pad out."
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Goraya translates for the little elemental to both Wint and Prosper. "Spritz -- um, that's this elemental's name, and he says that he's a 'he' -- says that the water collector is an awfully small home. He doesn't mind visiting here, but would rather be free to explore the river and see the sights." She burbles with him a moment or two, and then says, "But Spritz says that he's okay waiting another day or two, if that's what you need. He also says that he's curious about that tea that you're offering, but that can wait too."
Then Goraya takes her leave of you. "I have about twenty families that need this water, and now that I have the key to getting it... I've got to spread the word!" She pauses, turning back to you. "Madelon always felt weird taking the two modules that were allotted to him, so he converted one to a chapel. When he was here, he addressed colony business from either entrance." She bites her lip. "I hope he and Cedona are still okay. If you find anything helpful in there... let me know."
The elemental playfully leaps on you a moment and then burbles as it circles round and round your shoulders. Through Goraya's translation, it says, "Maybe we can travel together to Vialesk some day. You'd like the city. The homes are all half-submerged, and there are tons of places to swim, and so many things to see!
There are great doctors, and the waters are healing. You should swim them with me!"
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With the passcode that Aibretta gave you, you approach. Madelon’s private residence consists of two connected prefabricated modules, linked up in an 'L' shape. There is a separate entrance to each module. One of the entrances is painted with an elaborate cityscape in gold above the words All Are Welcome Before the Master of the First Vault while the other has a small sign reading Private Business. Each entrance has a keypad next to the door. The building is well maintained, but its lights are out and it carries a general air of abandonment.
Which door do you try first, and how do you approach?
Minos spends a good few minutes trying to figure out how they are doing the limiting, even after being shown the water elemental it takes a while for his brain to catch up. "Oh, well that is a much simpler solution"
"A house of Abadar." looking around. "Shall we be proper supplicants and go though the chapel door?"
When Minos cautiously types the access code on the Chapel door, he discovers that it doesn't work.
Then he notices there's no acknowledging light on the keypad. After a couple minutes of looking around Madelon's place, he discovers the cause. Someone has cut power to the whole module. The wiring to this L-shaped module has been cleanly cut off with a laser cutter.
Minos fishes out some tools and attempts to patch the system
"Well that should hold. But it looks like someone wanted to disable the unit. "
Minos patches the system expertly. Once the code is tapped in, you step inside. The chapel contains several simple benches and an altar bearing a golden key. The benches are askew, cushions thrown off them. This place has clearly been searched before you.
Minos notices that though the chapel has been searched, it wasn't done particularly well; he reveals a hidden niche in the altar, behind the holy symbol and discovers a datapad.
Behind the altar is a small room that has been trashed. It looks like it was a conference room for small group discussions. There are empty data shelves, and signs that communication gear and maps were once attached to the walls, but now taken. Spec notes that one cupboard door had been kicked off it's hinges, and still has a heavy bootprint on it.
Beyond that room is a swinging door leading into Madelon's personal quarters. Every room is in complete disarray. Drawers have been pulled out of the desks and cabinets, the bed has been tossed, there are broken pieces of furniture, a small amount of blood and a dent on one wall and papers strewn all over the floor.
Dalinar immediately notices a pressure pad by the main door of the entrance, that looks like its set to go off if anyone goes through it. Spec and Prosper find amongst the other paper detritus a report on the accident at the Blue Tin Range.
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Madelon:
We've had a cave-in at BTEP-3. The good news is that most of our people are out, and those that got caught in the mines appear to be still alive. They've got air, and can communicate by tapping on our pipes with Cedona's code, and they have some food supplies because they were going to be surveying for a while.
The bad news is that there's something else between us and them -- not sure what but Belli and Kyrian Li came screaming out of there about something attacking them when they tried to get through to their dad, Toren. We could sure use some of Cedona and Quorsica's military expertise. Hell, I'd even take Garik's help.
We can dig 'em out, but we don't have enough weapons to handle anything hardier than hobgars.
Those trapped include:
Palgo
Sue Bliss
Clikchik
Toren Li
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sam Chang
Pon begins on one side of the L-shaped containers and carefully searches the whole place.
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Spec looks excitedly at Prosper and shakes the paper at him. "Hey, hey, isn't this exactly the report that Goraya was asking about? It looks like her family is ok! ...at least for now"
He then hops over to Minos and asks "Umm, Minos? Could you take a look at this cupboard door for a minute? There is a boot print on it that I'm curious if it belongs to a standard jackbooted thug, or something bigger? .... or, I suppose comparing it to Pon's might be easier.."
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"Oh look, a datapad ... is that new?"
Pon's search brings up little. What weapons Madelon had are long gone. Still there enough bits of papers to make him realize that Madelon had shredded a few personnel records of colonists before the Azlantis took him away. The pieces he finds are tiny and partially burnt, but he can recognize the ubiquitous fonts of Abadar Corp personnel records.
And yes, Spec found a datapad, and notes that Pon's boot and the mark on the cabinet were a close but not exact match.
"Ok Spritz. Nice to meet you. I'll come back later and introduce you to all the wonders that are tea"
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"ok, after we look at the data pad, shall we go kill more Azlanti? While we may still have the element of surprise?"
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"Gosh Spec, it does seem like this is it! Sure is a good thing that they're still alive and have supplies, I guess that means we've got time!" Prosper taps the report with a finger. "And I'd guess if they have something in there that needs to be killed, our group can probably help them! Dalinar, Pon and the rest seem like really expert fighters."
Prosper calls out to the rest of the team. "Hey! Look what we found!" and shows them the report. He also adds "Um, after all the crazy things we've already done today, my memory's a bit foggy. But wasn't there supposed to be something here about the ship and relic Cedona found? I guess the azlantis took those."
He leans over Wint and takes a look at the datapad with the rest of the team. "Yeah, looks like a datapad!" He grins, then sobers a little. "Oh, yeah, I have absolutely no training with fiddling with those things. What do you think Minos?"
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While someone with the right expertise takes a look at the datapad Dalinar addresses the crew, "The final job Aibretta suggested is releasing the hobgars. Shall we do that now and then meet with the resistance? We could wait until we are ready to storm the castle, as it were. I like the sound of letting them out now, what say you?"
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At the very strange term "storming the castle" Wint consults his datapad and is then even MORE confused
"uh, I don't think now is the time for that. I'm not judging, but now really isn't the time. I think we should kill Azlanti instead. After talking to the rebels. They'll want to help and we shouldn't be selfish"
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The professor sees Wint's confusion over the "storming the castle" term, and waddles over to try and teach the young skittermander about the wondrous history of so many planets' medieval ages. He comes up behind Wint and gets a glimpse of the entry on the datapad. His beak slowly drops open and he staggers off shaking his head while muttering "Oh,... oh my, oh my... I've never ... Why would they.. Oi, young mammals these days.." his original purpose completely forgotten...
He eventually snaps out of his daze, although he eyes Dalinar somewhat appraisingly. "Well then, ahem, recreational habits of modern youth aside, maybe the decision regarding the hobgars' trap might depend on what we want them to do. It seems if we wanted their newly-released antics to distract Garrison while we went in the back, the only releasing them before the assault would be prudent. On the other hand, if we want them to provide general cover and various sensor-related malfeasance, then releasing them now and taking a break to let them spread out might be better."
He looks around "I am personally in favor of creating general mayhem and using that to rendezvous with the resistance and ensure we are not out of the loop of developments."
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Prosper openly giggles at Spec's reaction, a response that looks totally out of place with his ruggedly handsome face. "What, xaursi don't have some neat and creative, uh, 'recreational mating habits'. Because I am seriously putting down mad credits on you guys being hella kinky." He snerks. "Yeah I bet you are. Why don't you share, Mr. Spec." Before bursting out laughing.
He winks at Dalinar while holding back another giggle. "Go look up pink waffles Dalinar. It'll make total sense. I uh, totally swear."
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Once he's managed to recover from the childish outburst, he pulls out his map of the town and pokes at the Hobgar cells. "So Dalinar, if we let these cute little blue guys out now, won't the azlantis capture or kill all of them before we can strike? Jeez, I don't want to sound like an expert when we've got, like, Pon here, but shouldn't we talk to the rebels first?"
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Pon takes a hold of the datapad and begins tapping on it. "Yes well, mating habits aside, I agree that we should unleash the hobgars. As...helpful as the colonists may be, they are just that, colonists. I do not relish the idea of meeting with them, but it will be helpful in assuring them that we have things under control so that they do not do anything foolish because they are motivated that we're here now. Civilians can do some truly foolish things in the name of help when you reveal yourself, which is why I make a point not to."
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"Gods help me, you people will drive me to drink. I am talking about our mission here and nothing else. Yes Mister Starr, they will surely catch the hobgars quickly but my hope is that we do not have to worry about them finding our meeting while they are busy doing so."
After Pon's comments Dalinar seems agitated, again. "I hate that word, 'just'. They are not 'just colonists'. We would have not gotten nearly as far as we have, at least not without more work, without Aibretta and Goraya's help. And you do realise that we are mostly civilians as well right?"
Pulled from his study of the altar Minos takes stab at the datapad
Though it seems to elude him for now.
Even working together, the datapad eludes both Minos and Pon for now. All they glean from it was that it belongs to Madelon, not the Azlanti.
As the party comes to the consensus that it's time to release hooting hobgars, there comes a frantic pounding at the front door of Madelon's private residence.
POUND-pound-POUND-pound-POUND!
Minos lost in thought misses most of the banter around him. At one point he mutters..."We will need a miracle" at nothing in particular. "I suspect time is of the essence, we can try again to tap in to it later."
Listening in a bit with Dalinar and Pon. "No one is just anything. If that were the case, I am just a storyteller. But I tend to collect them as well. In my travels, Colonists are brave bunch of people. And resourceful. The are always fighting to survive. This time their enemy has a face. Normally it is just the location itself trying to kill them. No, we are their guests. Our only advantage right now, is not being fully known by our enemy. Otherwise we have nothing more then they don't already have. This is their home and they are leading and fighting. So we will meet with them and work with them."
He pauses for a bit. "After releasing the Hogbars. I think that should keep our occupiers busy while we plan the final liberation"
Minos goes to the door, careful to not trigger the pressure plate and sees if there is any way to see who is knocking.
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Wint goes to the door and, helpful as always, opens it
"Hello. Can I help you?"
Wint opens the door, the pressure pad goes off, and the sound of the alarm is overwhelming. The entire party takes sonic damage.
On the other side of the door, Goraya is holding her ears, which have blood trickling from them. "Aaaaaagh! What was THAT?!" Then she shakes her head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter! They've got them! They've got them!" She's frantic and terrified.
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Spec's tiny frame is essentially crushed to the floor by the force of the sound. When he drags himself to his feet a few seconds later, there is more red than grey in his feathers.
He groans out "Li ser serê te xezeb dike Wint!" into the alarm's din, then after shaking some of the blood away moves for the door as he triggers his comm unit, hoping the AbadarTech noise filters work like the salesrat said they would.
"Let's regroup a few units north where we might actually be able to hear what Goraya's saying"
"Curses upon your impetuous head Wint!"
"They got them!" She gasps. As you regroup to the north, Goraya calms down and fills you in with more details. "The Azlanti, I mean. They caught Jellik. The idiot snuck out for some ill-advised sabotage, and a pair of those damned soldiers caught him. They're blaming him for some dead soldiers they found! They're not going to imprison him—no, they want to make him into some sort of example. So they pulled Aibretta kicking and screaming out of the junkshop, and said that they're going to execute her slowly while he gets to watch. Then they're going to execute him too, just southeast of here. I think they'll wait only long enough for a small crowd to gather, and then make a lesson out of both of them. Oh, what do we do?”
Minos looks down at the Wint while covering his ears. "You, are not a Squox."
"The hobgars can wait. Our timeline has been moved forward time to fight." Minos makes his way to go prevent the execution.
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As Wint is about to open the door, Pon just barely notices in time to cover his ears. He looks quite irritated as he faces Dalinar again. "Yes, I know that you all are mostly civilians. I am reminded often. And now, we have to save one of your glorious colonists. Forgive me if I am not eating my words." Pon coldly turns toward the door and beings walking as he pulls out his rifle and checks its readiness.
Also, you all notice that while you were searching Madelon's module, the fog has been rolling in. It's getting close to sunset.
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After an instinctive leap for cover behind a large chair, Prosper peeks his head out at the rest of the party while Goraya delivers her story. "Hey if we're quick, the Hobgars can be an even better distraction than before - its not going to be much of a showy execution if hobgars are running around inside their barracks. Plus, the alarm here'll be distracting too, right?"
Prosper heads out of the module, adding "I, uh, think we should probably get away from here first anyway."
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Spec pours one of his healing serums into his beak with a shuddering claw.
"Ow. Right then. If you'll give me one of those electric guns you salvaged off the drones, I can fly up and try to short out the hobgar cage to sow some discord. Meanwhile, the rest of you combat-inclined folks can rush straight to the execution site and stop it. I'll meet you there as soon as possible afterwards.
Would that help?"
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Pondering the lay of the land. "Since I am not the heavy hitter, even given my size. I can head and wrangle the hogbars. I tend to do well enough with such creatures. Though I think with Wint's help we could coax them away while the rest of you delay the execution."
Okay, so the plan is to have Minos and Spec handle the hobgars while the rest of you rush to the execution site?
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Dalinar stares at Pon for a while, even watching his back as he walks off. He looks furious. If steam literally started flying out of his ears it wouldn't look that cartoonish.
After hearing Goraya's story he stalks after Pon. Matching his pace he speaks quietly, intensity oozing out of his pores. "I was beggining to believe that we had different personalities but that you at least were here to help people. Obviously not, so why are you here? Nevermind, I don't care. If saving the lives of innocent people rankles you so then just return to the ship. I would rather fight alongside Wint, he at least is trying to be helpful."
He then draws his sword and heads off towards the executions. He ignores everything anyone has to say, Pon included.
"Wow, it's like we're a real strike team from the movies! See you two at the execution site!" Prosper takes out his flare gun and joins the rest of the team heading towards the urgent rescue.