Space Oddity

[Dracos]

"It's been a wild day...we all should retire and take things with a fresh approach," Dracos suggested.

OOC: I totally move for sleepy timeskip of goodness

[Brian]

OOC: Time rushes forward:

After general agreement, the group wanders back to their respective quarters (even Seven and Quincy have private rooms -- this is a palace, after all), and try to get some rest.  All of the rooms are very plush, with balconies and windows that look out over the city.  At night, the clouds are lit from below by the lights of the city.  Not too far away, the tower where Tom worked until just recently is visible, lit up with spotlights.  Some smoke is still emerging from the top, but it could probably be attributed to the distant, flickering sparks of anabaric torches as they try to repair the station.

A few dark spots in the cityscape indicate likely parks, and a single very dark line suggests a river.

After finally giving into sleep, everyone finds themselves awakened refreshed, but from a totally dreamless sleep.

Only Tom recalls anything of his dreams, and that's just a fleeting glimpse of Pandora's prison through a thick fog.

Servants rouse everyone from their sleep to enjoy the light of early day (with no visible sun), and then everyone is ushered into a dining hall.  Quincy has taken to bed, too disturbed by recent events -- a doctor (who, in this world, is called a 'doctor') says it's nerves, and he'll be fine with a day or so of rest.  Seven has already left to patrol, leaving just the Order to enjoy breakfast with Inspector Holmes.

The dining hall is smaller than the royal one from last night, but still fairly spacious.  The breakfast spread has apparent bacon, apparent jelly, and apparent English (Anabaric?) muffins.  Serving himself only a few eggs and two of the bready-things, Holmes starts the morning conversation off:

"I hope you rested well, but I would like to discuss the current state of affairs in Anabara with you, if you've the time."

[Bjorn]

"You need out.  That means you need to figure out how the Gates work, and then cripple the Church.  We need to do that.  Let's work together."  Bjorn thinks, then nods, apparently satisfied with his summary.

[Rezantis]

"It's a little more complicated than that," Nathan comments, "So yes, we have the time."

[Brian]

"Excellent," Holmes says.  "I believe by now you've a passing familiarity with the situation here.  I know you come from a distant place, so much of this may seem strange and different to you.  But the essence of our position is the necessary strengthening of the king's position.  The issues at hand amount to those who are out to sabotage His Majesty, which includes apparent and possible spies with access to anabaric devices which we ourselves are not ... which is of great concern.  Solving the mystery of the Gates is an issue which might allow us to expand our territory -- likely into Windhurst, since it seems we may find allies among the natives.

"There is also at this point the possible risk of assassination, which I expect to be unlikely if you remain together in numbers ... but in the name of efficiency, it would probably be reasonable to divide into at least groups.  The goals I would set on the table -- aside from your own, of course -- are investigation into the traitors, whomever they are, and investigating the Gates themselves.  I also expect you will have questions, so please take this opportunity while we have relative privacy to ask them."

Nathan and Bjorn (if he took his medicine) are aware of the ghostly Molly standing in a dim corner, towards the doors, though she returned the pendant to him before he went to his quarters the night before.  The elder Shuker is still absent.

OOC: Bjorn still has a supply of the spirit-vision-compound from Windhurst.  Enough for probably one hundred doses lasting (presumably) a fully day each.

[Dracos]

OOC: Rails, yay rails. =)
IC:
"Agreed on the objectives.  And...perhaps we should have a spirit go with each of us.  If they're invisible elsewhere, they can carry on the message to the other group if something is wrong.  I'll head to the gate.  I've been meaning to go there on this side anyway."

[Brian]

"I'll attend Master Shuker," Molly supplies helpfully, though only Nathan and Bjorn can hear her.

[Rezantis]

"Thanks you," Nathan says to that, giving the ghost a smile before turning to disagree with the Dracos.

"Well, we only have Molly," Nathan points out, "and there's no real point overplanning right now.  Between us we can handle most things, this isn't the icefields where we're going to wander around lost."

[Carthrat]

"Well, it's not a bad idea, but whether it's practical or not is up to Bjorn," responds Tom, before turning to Holmes.

"I'm sorry, you asked me about that fellow I saw in Windhurst yesterday? I'm pretty sure I'd recognize him again, if it came down to it."

OOC: Conversations taking place over several days GO

[Brian]

"Equally simple for him to recognize you, I expect.  Still, one who had a way to cross the Shroud without the Gates wouldn't likely have cause to go near them.  So which cause you follow will be your choice."

[Rezantis]

"Well, either way," Nathan says to Holmes, "We can be pretty certain who one of the traitors is already.  Have you found out anything from the man you arrested at my home?"

[Brian]

Holmes grimaces.  "I wish I had a better answer, but he was murdered in his cell, before questioning.  It was arranged to appear a suicide."

[Rezantis]

"I won't pretend I'm sorry," Nathan says with uncharacteristic nonchalance for the subject, "and besides, he told me what we needed anyway.  We know where to look, we'll just have to get our evidence elsewhere."

He pauses.

"Did I tell you what he told me, or did I not have the chance?  I can't remember, I'm sorry - it was rather hectic."

[Brian]

"Best to repeat it for your companions," Holmes says, gesturing to the rest of the breakfast table.

Molly looks torn between gushing at Nathan's comment and turning pale at the reminder that, yeah, she's dead.  She finally settles on simpering and giving a girlish giggle.

[Rezantis]

Nathan nods.

"The rough synopsis is basically this.  I was being held by Hathoway in the asylum, until the Maestro and Inspector here came to retrieve me.  If he'd held me for another day, or possibly two, my ownership of my estate would have been forfeited - which appears to have been his aim.  When I did return to my estate, I found Molly . . . well . . . dead at the base of the stairs.  The upshot is, I overheard the thugs talking before putting them down: they were talking, and they referred to having been sent by Hathoway - and not knowing what they were looking for, but that they'd know it when they saw it."

"The obvious conclusion there is that Hathoway wanted my estate so that he could find what he correctly thought I'd hidden there - a stone tablet that's a relic of the church, that I brought back with me from Windhurst.  However . . . firstly, why would Hathoway want it - and secondly nobody on this side of the gate knew that I had it.  The obvious conclusion is that he found out another way."

"If we want to find out what foothold the Church has on this side of the gate, we're best off getting it by interrogating Hathoway - proving it would be preferable, because frankly given the ham-handed way he's handled the rest of it I doubt he's covered his tracks very well."

A slight pause.

"But either way, I intend on having his head."