andres ♔ lining up for the grand illusion

[diplomatics]

♬ we are - ana johansson

WHO || Colin Banks, Emma Frost, Lissa Dragomir, Alex Karamazov, Cordelia Chase, Zoe Weiss, Adam Weiss, Leia Organa, Nessa Harvey, Alisha Daniels
WHAT || A team of Knights is tasked to rally the human populace of the Isle, gather them in a safe place, and keep Dimitris' supporters from causing trouble.
WHERE || Andres Isle
WHEN || September 19th, 2014
HOW || Actionspam

[ Meanwhile, a group of ten lands on... the roof of a building in the upscale sector of town. The half-moon lights the sky around them enough for any of them to get a good glance at what surrounds them. In the distance, moonlight plays across the river dividing the city, and the roofs of the Shadow village homes can be barely made out. But here, there are opulent old-money homes scattered here and there, and a number of commercial buildings coursing up and down the main thoroughfare. Colin doublechecks the location on the phone, which lights up his face eerily as he checks the screen, and then he slides it into his pocket, turning to nod the others. ]

We find ourselves on scenic Andres Isle, atop the historic Grand Hotel.  The very heart of the Island, ladies and gentlemen.  Advising caution seems unnecessary.  

Comments

[telepathy]

Oh, for Heaven's sake. A gas leak? If that bleeding raccoon were going to terrorize the privileged and entitled, do you honestly believe he'd go for something so simple?

[ She waves a hand, sighing it off. ]

Our interests lie in keeping your people safe—the same as you. However, we'd like to consider your people to include more than this side of the bridge. [ She points across the bridge to the Shadowkind village. ] Look at them. Look at the squalor that half this Isle has been forced to suffer for the decadence offered to the elite. A burden they've carried for no reason other than their birth. There are children across that bridge who've known nothing else, and you've allowed it to happen.

I'm telling you this because I believe, given an alternative, you'll make the right choice. And I do loathe to be wrong, Sergeant, so I suggest you think carefully on what you do next.

[ Lovingly puts chips on charm person being effective enough for this. TRUSTED ALLY, SERGEANT STONE. TRUSTED ALLY. ]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he pales a bit, mouth hanging slightly open as he follows her gesture, and stares across the river. he looks lost for a moment, and it's difficult to tell which way he's going to go on this, so tense are his shoulders.

but finally, he looks back at her, with a newfound determination in the set of his lips. ] Who are you, really?

[telepathy]

Dimitris Sarandis' worst nightmare.

[ A wicked smirk, the sort that only a one-time-villain could perfect, twists on her lips. Reeking of smug, assured victory. ]

It's, well. [ She raises a hand, waving it dismissively. ] I'm sure you've seen Hamlet. [ She drops the hand. ] The rightful King of Andres has returned, and we're his liberation army. I wonder whose side you'd rather be on. [ She casts a look back out at the Shadowkind village. ] The man responsible for all that suffering ... or the one who plans to depose him.

[behindcloseddoors]

The rightful-- [ his jaw drops further, disbelief evident on his features ] Are you talking about the Prince?

[telepathy]

Quite.

[ Said in the uppity voice of you really do need everything spelled out for you. ]

Alive and well, I'm afraid. And quite dissatisfied with what Sarandis has done with the place.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he doesn't look quick to believe it, and her grasp on his thoughts is enough to register that it's mostly the product of his optimism being battered away by what he's seen here. putting too much stock in this too soon seems like it might just lead to the biggest letdown of his life. ] Marcus Andres... And he's brought an army. [he shakes his head] Does he have any idea what he's up against? The Prime Minister is nothing if not... well prepared. If there was any chance he were still alive, he would have to have known. He was the one who spread the word that he'd been executed.

[telepathy]

[ Slow blink.

Oh heavens, no wonder his mind had been so easy to win. ]

Of course he's prepared. It's a probability that we took into thorough consideration. That's why the first thing we did was cut your communications.

Now, if you'd please, we'll need to insure that those who would support the King's return, well, rally to do so. Are you going to continue behaving as though I've grown a second-head, or might I get a few names of Shadowkind sympathizers and the disaffected nobles from you that I might pass on to my colleagues still in the country club?

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he looks over his shoulder at the village again, and she can feel the struggle in him between duty and between what he knows is the right thing to do.

finally, he has one very clear thought that decides it for him:

I know what my father would do. ] Denton James. Lord Peter of Greenwich - Dana's father. The de Collins nobles as well, and even Countess Jaron Tamon and his wife, although few of them have been willing to do as much as their sons and daughter. Lord and Lady Pirtle. The De Lyons family: they lost a son, Percival, a friend of Marcus' who was outspoken about believing he wasn't the traitor Sarandis painted him to be. Maybe the Gardinis or the Laurents.

[telepathy]

We'll need your assistance, of course, in pointing these individuals out and spreading the word amongst them that Marcus has returned. Perhaps even swaying those who would stand closer to the fence—the Gardinis and the Laurents, and the like.

And of course, in all likelihood, Lana, Michael, and Dana have already joined our fight. It won't do to distract them.

[behindcloseddoors]

We need something to tell their parents that's going to calm them down, and I'm not sure the truth's going to be the best course of action.

[telepathy]

Is there a safe place nearby? One that we might lead them to believe their children are hiding safely.

[behindcloseddoors]

The police station, perhaps. We could claim it was too dangerous to try to transport them, when they were already safe.

[telepathy]

Excellent. There's a dangerous criminal roaming these parts: moving them would only open them to being his victims. They'll do better thinking their loved ones are safely locked inside. Now, these sympathetic nobles you've mentioned, are they all back at the club?

[behindcloseddoors]

I saw all of them there, yeah. For the rest... well. You're going to need more than just words to convince them.

[telepathy]

Believe me. Before the night is through, they'll have seen far more. All we need is enough members of the ruling class to support Marcus' return for us to be assured he won't suffer another coup before his lifetime's out. This Isle needs cooperation, not civil war.

[behindcloseddoors]

Couldn't say it better myself.

There's a few who aren't going to be happy about this. The Von Eckridges might be the most outspoken.

[telepathy]

Splendid. We'll isolate them from the others. Anyone else?

[behindcloseddoors]

The Slinns. Anyone else should fall in line with the majority, but they're both strong voices in support of Sarandis' regime, and very persuasive.

[telepathy]

Not as persuasive as me. Might they be baited into sabotaging themselves? Sarandis is hardly known for his pacifism.

[behindcloseddoors]

Sabotaging themselves how?

[telepathy]

Perhaps provocation to attack or reveal themselves for what they might have done in Sarandis' service. I'd wager they could easily be baited to strike out at my people, but I'd like to avoid it, if possible, given that yours have far more reason to side with Slinn and the Von Eckridges than the specter of King Marcus.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he shakes his head ] These people are highborn nobles, but that's about all. You're not going to prompt any of them into physical violence - they're too interested in saving their own asses.

[telepathy]

You'd be surprised how low the highborn will sink with the right prodding.

[ Emma would know, after all. She's seen the dirtiest parts of it in her own world. There's no love lost in her tone, but she waves it off. ]

Hmm. But you're probably right. Which means our best chance lies in keeping them well out of the other nobles' ears until Marcus has secured his seat.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he hesitates a moment, rubbing at his chin before he says carefully ] I... could take them aside for questioning. Make them wait for me to finish up with someone else, buy us some time. Who's going to turn down a Sergeant's interrogation? They're all familiar enough with red tape that it wouldn't look suspicious.

[telepathy]

It could work. I don't imagine my people would have a problem isolating those we can immediately sway by alerting them to Marcus' presence, and then allow them to dispense the information to the others.