Emma - technically, mechanical lockpicking is covered under Thievery, and you need a set of tools specifically for the job (which you don't have listed in your "Stuff". But don't fret, help is on the way...
Daisy look at the door an whispers.
"Think ya can jimmy it and then repair in in... about 8 minutes?"
Harold loses himself in the dance with Arabella, and he also encourages everyone to join in the dancing once the first couple of dances are done.
It takes Emma a while to pick the lock, but she and Daisy finally enter the study.
Both of you make Search-2 rolls, please. Keep rolling until you each get a Success, whoever gets it first determines how long the search took.
If that last one doesn't do it... :)
Conrad moves away from his wall flower position to dance. He is not a good dancer, but bad dancing can add to the spectacle, right?
It takes 3 minutes, but Daisy finally finds a false bottom in one of the massive desk's drawers. Sliding it back, you see the widget.
Please tell me what you do from this point, all the way to getting back to the party....
You both need to make another Stealth roll to get by the guards.
Daisy will help Emma in any way she needs, although her tech skills are.. limited. She will stand near the door, listening intently for anyone approaching. Once Emma is done she will listen again and , if hearing nothing, will take a quick peek out the door. If clear she will hsutle Emma out as quickly as possible. If someone is there nad she is seen she will quickly walk out, an uncomftotable look on her face and go with something like "I'm so sorry, i'm looking for the little ladies room..." and act like she is, you know, in a hurry.
When they make it to the stairs she will signal the lovely couple, who (and we should have planned this better up front) give one last toast or something similar to garner attention again, and then head down.
Arabella will try to sing a song to express her joy and to entertain the crowd that is so graciously helping them celebrate. She still knows lots of love songs from her companion days and selects one that tells a bit of a story with a number of verses to keep the distraction going.
I forgot the roll:
Daisy and Emma discreetly re-join the crowd. Arabella's song is not bad (no flat notes, etc.), but it doesn't thrill the crowd as much as their dance did.
After the crowd disperses, Betsy asks Emma if she made the switch, then tells everyone that they should stay to enjoy the party because leaving right after the performance might look suspicious.
Anyone want to do anything specific at the party?
Daisy will act the part of a wallflower, not actively trying to stay unseen but not making an effort to BE seen. She will act shy if talked to.
Having seen this timeline stretch out before her, she ducks back out the door.
I took this to mean that your roll indicated you didn't see anything of interest, and so left the room.
Keep in mind, Betsy stressed that nothing else should be stolen or damaged, or Bart would know someone's been tampering with his things...
Arabella plays the part of a newly engaged woman, moving toward the edge of the crowd, pretending to want some degree of privacy to discuss things with her 'fiance.'
Anybody else want to do anything while at the party?
Many people come up to the happy couple, congratulate them on their engagement, and wish them well.
So, you stay at the party until a few guests have left, so that you won't draw (any more) attention to yourselves.
Back at Betsy's friend's house, Betsy comes over a few hours later and asks to see the device. Assuming you show it to her, she is delighted, and hands you a bag full of platinum pieces in exchange for the device.
"I can't tell you how grateful I am, this will make a fool out of Bart when he turns over a fake controller."
If anyone wants to say any last words to her, now's the time.
"Ah just hope this all ends as peacefully as you hope it will. If you can, reach out and let us know!"
"In mah experience," Arabella returns to speaking in spacer drawl, "this will win ya some tayme but y'all better be ready fer more power plays. He sounds like a bully and embarrassin' a bully rarely inspires him ta play nicer the next time. But good luck."
She leaves a note for the mayor to read after the group departs.
Whenever you advise a ruler in the way of Tao,
Counsel him not to use force to conquer the universe.
For this would only cause resistance.
Thorn bushes spring up wherever the army has passed.
Lean years follow in the wake of a great war.
Just do what needs to be done.
Never take advantage of power.
Achieve results,
But never glory in them.
Achieve results,
But never boast.
Achieve results,
But never be proud.
Achieve results,
Because this is the natural way.
Achieve results,
But not through violence.
Force is followed by loss of strength.
This is not the way of Tao.
That which goes against the Tao
comes to an early end.
Back on the ship, as they are breaking orbit Daisy lets out an audible sigh.
"Well, that went a lot smoother than I reckoned it would. Good job everyone.Emma, Harold and Arabella, you were all rock stars!"
She then gives an evil grin.
"So, where we goin' for the honeymoon?"
With a laugh.
Well, how about the next ball o dirt on the list where the job takes us.
Conrad settles into his cabin. He doesn't have much. A few scarves, his coat, his guns, a gun cleaning kit. It doesn't take long for him to unpack. Once he does, he makes his way out into the ship to familiarize himself with the ship and its crew.
Once the chaos of the mission settles down on the ship, Harold takes his time, heads over and cleans up his guns.
I really need to get a lot of 9mm ammo
He stows them, and heads up to the kitchen for food and conversation.
Arabella returns from mingling with some other space ships near the good ship Stargazer with news. "There's a ship here that left the border planet of Beaumonde with a sister ship, bringing manufactured goods to sell out in the rim. Along the way to this planet, the two ships were attacked. The captain isn't sure who the attackers were. Might be reavers or just space pirates. One of the ships was disabled and the other was damaged but was able to limp to this planet. Her ship needs repairs. She wants us to try to locate the other ship and see if there are any survivors and any cargo that can be salvaged."
Arabella arranges a meeting with the two ship captains to discuss the situation and work out an agreement about compensation if the Stargazer accepts the job.
The captains meet with Arabella (anybody else who wants to attend make a post after this), and tell her this :
"We were just cruising thru space, when one ship was hit by a blaster. That means it must have been Alliance, pirates, or Reavers. We were hit too, and our sensors were damaged among other things, so we couldn't identify the kind of ship. Comms were down on the other ship, so we didn't know what their status was, and we regretfully had to leave to avoid further damage.
We'll pay you 800p up-front to go and investigate, and one-third of the price of whatever cargo you can bring back. If there are any survivors, please give them any emergency treatment needed to keep them alive, when you get back we'll put them in a hospital. We'll reimburse you for any medical supplies you use in their treatment."
Daisy will sit and listen and try the old sense motive thing.
She nods sagely as everything sounds perfectly kosher to her!
Will they know that we are there to help them, or will they assume that we are there to strip the ship and space them, therefore they start shooting.
Arabella asks, "Would you give us some information about yourselves that we can relate to any survivors that will let them know we are there to help and sent by you? That might help if we do encounter survivors. If the survivors have turned into reavers, however, I would be inclined to put them out of their misery. I don't think there is any known cure for reavers."
The captains tell you all information only they and the ship's crew would know, and tell you to tell the crew before you board as proof you're working for them. If the crew has turned to Reavers, the captains give you permission to kill them.
Arabella retreats to her room, gets out her coins, does a mission reading, and then consults the I Ching.
Bryce curses under his breath and tries again, taking a few minutes :
This time he curses out loud, and tries again :
= Success
days
You arrive at a desolate section of space, the stars and planets of the system mere pinpricks of light. Sensors eventually locate a large massive body, and Bryce steers the ship towards it.
You eventually see a badly damaged spaceship of the class describes by the captains. Bryce says "Well, shall we dock?"
What do you do?
Daisy grabs her gear and suits up.
"Well, big ship. Reckon i'll go aboard this time.."
|
Emma also suits up and prepares to board.
"I recommend that we keep as much of the ship de-pressurized as possible. After we have searched an area for survivors, we should ensure all oxygen is removed.
This way, in the highly unlikely event of reavers or insane survivors we can simply retreat to an area in vacuum and wait until the reaver dies by asphyxiation."
"The hard part is going to be killing some folks and saving some folks, and making sure we get the right folks sorted into the right category. Everybody get their d&%ks screwed on right..."
Conrad checks his gear and licks his lips nervously.
So, who's going into the other ship? What weapons are you taking? If you're not going, please say so, so that I know you've responded.
Daisy can't hold in a serious guffaw of a laugh after Emma's last words.
"Oh. Emma, you're a darling.."
Daisy is going this time. Will take ALL her weapons. Um.. Rifle, derringer, dagger and pepper spray. She looks extremely unprepared compared to most of the group...
Arabella suits up and arms herself with a stun baton. She plans to stay to the back and mainly help by being an extra set of sensory apparatus. She also has the ship's portable medkit so she can help with the wounded, if there are any.
She doesn't say much, focusing on keeping her breathing steady and slow. Combat tends to trigger old PTSD symptoms.
Just before going in, she says, "Just so y'all know, I've been in a few too many battles. The sounds of weapons firing can trigger me into a state where I mostly cower and wait for my symptoms to abate. Not that I'm all that effective in combat, but just sayin'."