"What are we going to do tonight, Nadia?"

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> Evening's falling by the time you step outside again, the sun gone, only glimmers of red in the sky now. "What are we going to do tonight, Nadia?" Rena asks once you're out on the street.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Well, we could wander around and see what entertainment a dismal colonial outpost has for two fun-loving foreign women such as ourselves," Nadia offers, albeit not particularly enthused on that possibility. "I did have another thought, though. Would you like a better sword, Rena?"
<El-Cideon> "Better weapons are always welcome to use against those who inconvenience us," Rena agrees. "What did you have in mind? Is there something wrong with the sword I have?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Not particularly," Nadia shakes her head. "But I haven't seen any problems with Yomi's sword either and that doesn't stop her from constantly trying to get a better one. And it just so happens, I saw a far better one in the office of that general we visited earlier."
<El-Cideon> "Oh? Do you think he will give it to us?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "No..." Nadia drawls out her reply. "But I was thinking of sneaking in and stealing it instead. Apparently it's some sort of priceless national treasure," she sighs happily at the thought of stealing something so precious, "Just imagine the looks on Yomi and Sayuri's faces when you show it off!"
<El-Cideon> "Ah. I have not been on a nighttime excursion to steal something before. This will be a new experience for me." She nods. "Yes, let's go. And I am sure Sayuri will be very upset when we get back, but isn't she always?"
* Nadia_Chekova nods. "She is a disagreeable sort," she agrees. "Anyway, we won't be able to sneak in until it's late and the general has went to bed, but we should go and take a look at the headquarters now anyway - us thieves call it 'casing the joint'. I did so earlier when I went inside with Erin and Yomi, but we can take another look and study the exterior together," she offers, eager to share her knowledge to a receptive audience.
<El-Cideon> Another nod. It's a fairly short walk across town to get back to the army headquarters. The air is humid, the summer's heat still lingering over the town. As you arrive at the building, Rena speaks again. "So this is similar to what you do every time we go to a new place, finding the things we want and the people we need to talk to?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Somewhat," Nadia smiles, pleased at Rena's recognition of her efforts. "Except instead of getting to know the people, know we're getting to know the building," she gestures to the headquarters. "It's important not to be obvious or suspicious, which might put the guards on... guard," she pauses momentarily, wishing she had a better synonym.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Anyway, right now we want to both study the layout to determine possible entrances and exits, and also study the movements of the guards to find out when they *won't* be in certain places. This is the same approach I used when I stole you," she concludes with a proud smile.
<El-Cideon> "Then we know it works." The building is somewhat reminiscent of a fort in its aesthetics, the windows infrequent and not giving wide views of the interior, but you can tell a little from the front: there's probably space for one room on either side of the main lobby, or maybe a couple smaller ones. (more)
<El-Cideon> You don't see lights on in any of these, though a broad window above the front door makes it plain that there's still a light on in the wide-open lobby. From this side, at least, that's the only entrance, barring the windows.
<Nadia_Chekova> It's just the single building on the street with no exterior walls/courtyard or annexes?
<El-Cideon> No exterior walls. There's some manner of parade ground to either side of the building, giving it some space from its neighbors; a ways down the street is what looks like a barracks. You can't tell from here what might be behind the building. There are some small trees lining the walk to the front door, but it's otherwise fairly plain.
<Nadia_Chekova> How tall is the headquarters and what floor is the general's office on? Can said office be seen from the street from any direction?
<El-Cideon> You know you could see the rightmost parade grounds from the general's window, so  his office must be on that side of the building. You don't recall it having a view of the street. The building is only two floors tall, but the interiors were rather cavernous--call it thirty feet to the roof.
* Nadia_Chekova decides to find a better vantage for watching exterior guard movements and so considers the surrounding buildings, looking for one at least two storeys tall with an exterior fire escape she could use to get to the roof.
<El-Cideon> The barracks down the street is about the right height, though it'd put you a couple hundred feet from the HQ's windows. Across the street from the headquarters is what looks like a library; there's a second-floor terrace out front that could give you a look inside the headquarters, though only from the front.
<El-Cideon> There's motion at the front of the building as you look around, the front door opening, someone exiting.
<Nadia_Chekova> Nothing too suitable, so Nadia decides to make do with the ground perspective, making use of distance and alleys to not seem too obviously loitering near the Imperial administrative centre. As the front door opens, she takes careful note - it could be a guard changeover, or someone important leaving. Or just a regular visitor leaving... she won't know without looking!
<El-Cideon> It's a knot of officers, most like, judging by the extensive rank and decoration. It's easy enough to dart away before they take notice and hide in the shadows next to the library--they seem pretty involved in their own conversation anyway. The last one, obviously lower-ranking, pauses to lock up the building's front door before following his betters down the street.
<Nadia_Chekova> Locking up? Goodness, these are lazy colonial overlords if ever Nadia saw them. "Do you see that, Rena?" Nadia points out the door, "They just locked the building. What does that tell you?"
<El-Cideon> "They don't want anyone going inside?"
<El-Cideon> That light in the lobby is clearly still on, though no other windows you can see are lit.
<Nadia_Chekova> That's close enough for Nadia to give her partial credit. "Exactly," she nods, "Ordinarily you'd expect an army headquarters to be open twenty four hours a day, with guards and officers running constant shifts. If the Japanese here are working to 'office' hours, that means they're terribly complacent and not really expecting any trouble."
<Nadia_Chekova> "In one sense this limits our options, because one way of gaining entry is to disguise yourself as someone who belongs there, but I wasn't planning to do that anyway. They've instead made sneaking in far easier."
<El-Cideon> "Then what do we do?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "We want to wait a bit longer - there's still likely a night watchman or two in there, and they'll be quite alert having just started their shift," Nadia explains. "Also it'll get darker if we wait, and that's helpful as well to avoid being seen, because we'll need to sneak around that parade ground on the right so we can gain entry close to the general's office where the sword is being kept."
<El-Cideon> Rena nods and settles in to wait. Sitting and waiting are things she can handle! Darkness comes soon, starlight from the clear sky above providing most of the illumination around you now. The lack of competing light sources makes it easier to see inside the building, or at least the scant portion of it that contains illumination.
<El-Cideon> OOC: how long are you waiting? also, roll spot?
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20 spot
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20 spot and gets 10."12 [1d20=10]
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: lets say an hour
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-1 Rena!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-1 Rena! and gets 12."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> The light in the lobby remains on constantly. The other rooms, though...about every fifteen minutes you get a glimpse of light in one, dim, as though let in from another room.
<Nadia_Chekova> Is there a sequential pattern to which the windows are illuminateed in this fashion?
<El-Cideon> It seems like it, but you weren't paying quite enough attention to pick it out--too many times you'd just notice something out of the corner of your eye. Just a moment ago, though, it was on the left side of the building, second floor.
<Nadia_Chekova> Nadia elects to wait a bit longer and try to follow the pattern, watching either side of the window that just lit up, and telling Rena to do the same. If an adjacent one lights up, and then the next one along after it, that should confirm the theory.
<El-Cideon> This helps. Putting together your observations, it seems to go something like...top left, bottom left...long pause...bottom right, top right...long pause...repeat. That seems to be about the fifteen-minute loop.
<Nadia_Chekova> "You see how the lights come on like that?" Nadia asks Rena, "The night watchman is likely walking the corridors and opening the door of each room long enough to briefly peek in. With fifteen minutes between such checks, that's more than enough time for me to get in and out with the sword. Your job will be to remain outside and act as a lookout so no one can catch me while I'm inside or leaving, alright?"
<El-Cideon> "Alright. What should I do if someone else enters the building?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Hold on," Nadia takes out the master telepathy orb and has it disgorge a secondary orb, which she slips under her blouse before handing the master to Rena. "If you see someone enter, just think towards me while holding the orb, and we can coordinate from there."
<El-Cideon> A nod. "Alright. I will wait here until you come back." No Good Luck or anything like that. Either Rena has complete confidence in Nadia's abilities, or no use for such gestures.
<Nadia_Chekova> Nadia has surely given Rena no cause to doubt her abilities! Giving the German a brief smile, she starts to make her way to the army headquarters on its right-hand side, steering well clear of any streetlights en route...
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+17 hide
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+17 hide and gets 18."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 ?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 ? and gets 21."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> Steering clear of streetlights isn't enough, apparently--maybe Nadia's too concerned about impressing her German friend to keep an eye out for passersby? In any event, she quickly finds a passing soldier trailing her. Looks to have been heading back to the barracks, seems a little tipsy and weaving a bit. Fortunately he's not clearheaded enough to call an alarm, simply marching towards Nadia with a grunted "Hey, what are you doing here?"
<El-Cideon>  "Hey, what are you doing here?"
<Nadia_Chekova> Luckily she's still in her Natsu disguise, and the soldier seems somewhat suggestible. "Oh, excuse me, sir," she simpers in perfect Japanese, making a show of looking at the ground, "I was looking for my hairpiece, I think I dropped it when I visited General Oshiro earlier today."
<El-Cideon> OOC: bluff the drunk guy~
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+19 you may have beat my hide but never my bluff!
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+19 you may have beat my hide but never my bluff! and gets 33."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: it is impossible to beat that without you rolling a 1, really
<El-Cideon> "Yeah?" he wonders. "Yeah!" Standing up straighter. The gentlemanly thing to do is help out a woman in distress, right? Right! He wanders over, closer, half taking admiring looks and half scanning the ground.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, thank you!" Nadia smiles eagerly at him, surreptitiously removing one of the clasps holding her hair up and negligently dropping it behind her back as she steps to his side and continues looking down at the ground, stepping back on her path a moment later and hoping he'll spot the decoy she left...
<El-Cideon> It takes him a moment, being inebriated, but the impressionable young man eventually finds what he was meant to find. "Ah, here!" He crouches down to pick it up.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, you found it!" Nadia beams, embracing him and giving him an affectionate but chaste kiss. "I thought I'd never find it in this dark!"
<El-Cideon> "Oh, you're welcome!" There's enough light to make out an obvious red tint to his face, probably only partly due to the alcohol surging through his system. "Could I...could I ask your name, miss?" It doesn't seem like he wants to let go, now.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Natsu," Nadia smiles demurely. "What's yours?" she asks, intending to offer him some hope for the future before she extricates herself in order to make the process easier.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, Hayashi. Private Hiro Hayashi. Natsu, could I...have the honor of meeting you for dinner tomorrow night!" It tumbles out in a rush.
<Nadia_Chekova> "I'd like that," Nadia smiles as she plays with her hair clasp. "I'm here with my parents... is there someplace I can meet you?"
<El-Cideon> "Ah, the train station? There are many restaraunts to be found there. I will select one for tomorrow. I...I should go now!" He stumbles off, a little panicked and a little eager at the same time.
<Nadia_Chekova> Nadia waves at him and wanders a little aimlessly away herself and then a few minutes later circles back on her original course towards the side of the headquarters, hairclasp back in place!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+17 more hiding!
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+17 more hiding! and gets 31."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> Nadia makes it safely to her destination, this time. There are plenty of shadows in the lee of the building, but Nadia can see enough to get an idea of the possible entrances. There's a ground floor window here, leading into what looks like the front right room of the building. Up above, on the second floor, are two, one at the front of the building and one at the right.
<El-Cideon> *one at the back
<Nadia_Chekova> On the side facing the patrol ground, Nadia looks up to try and estimate where the General's office is based on what she recalls from seeing it from the inside.
<El-Cideon> The back window above you seems like it might fit. It's fairly broad and would command a good view of the surroundings. Bit of a sheer climb to reach it, though. Probably possible for an expert thief like Nadia, but the building exterior is a pretty uniform brick surface.
<Nadia_Chekova> Climbing up to that window then hanging on long enough to pick it open will be a trick worthy of her skills! Keeping herself low and out of direct line from the ground floor windows, she looks up and patiently waits until a light comes on in her target window...
<El-Cideon> Patience is a virtue in Nadia's line of work! Maybe another five minutes and that faint light winks on, off.
<Nadia_Chekova> Now is the time! Getting some dirt on her hands for added friction, she vaults up onto a nearby windowsill, and then scrambles up the rest of the distance towards the window she wants where she can hang off it while she works her unlocking magic. Prevailing over such adverse circumstances are what seperates the noble thief from the base ninja!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+13 climb
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+13 climb and gets 26."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> If only a certain ninja were actually around to see this display! Nadia's hands and feet find every tiny break in the wall and propel her upwards like a spider. Soon enough she's at her goal.
<Nadia_Chekova> Hanging on with one hand on the windowframe and her feet securely braced beneath her, Nadia fiddles in her underarm bag for her lockpicks, holding them in her mouth momentarily as she gets all her tools in order before she sets to unlatching the window despite whatever its builder may have intended for it to deny such unauthorised access!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+13 disable device
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+13 disable device and gets 22."12 [1d20=9]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 2d6 action!
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 2d6 action! and gets 11."12 [2d6=5, 6]
<El-Cideon> A soft *click* sees the lock pop and the latch release on the other side. It could be pushed up with a little effort.
<Nadia_Chekova> Putting the lockpicks back in her mouth for safekeeping, Nadia slides the window up and then hops inside!
<El-Cideon> This is indeed the general's office. It's just like you left it. Well, minus one general. Wall full of weapons, desk and chairs at the far end.
<Nadia_Chekova> Recalling the sword that he showed off earlier, Nadia slinks along to the wall and locates the masamune, half-removing it from its sheath to confirm its the blade in question with the sparkly bits embedded in the steel.
<El-Cideon> It's still there, and easy enough to find. It was centered to show it off, after all.
* Nadia_Chekova wishes she had a decoy to replace it and delay recognition of her crime, but they're leaving Manchuria first thing tomorrow anyway. Replacing the sheath, Nadia secures the sword between her belt and her waist behind her, and then moves one of the swords of similar size from the fringes into the position once held by the Masamune - it won't fool the general but a weary glance from the night watchman is unlikely to pick up on much.
<Nadia_Chekova>  That done, she climbs back out, closes the window, and then drops back down to the ground!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+13 climb #2
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+13 climb #2 and gets 23."12 [1d20=10]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 2d6 action
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 2d6 action and gets 9."12 [2d6=6, 3]
<El-Cideon> Nadia's escape is smooth and without incident. She touches down on the ground with nary a misstep.
<Nadia_Chekova> Now she just needs to creep back along to find Rena - of course making sure no one is passing by before crossing the street - and then they can go back to the hotel and show off the results of a productive evening!
<El-Cideon> The street looks clear this time.
* Nadia_Chekova crosses over without further ado, ready to accept all of Rena's gushing praise and adulation!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+17 hide anyway
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+17 hide anyway and gets 31."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> And finally, away without a hitch! Rena's waiting, sitting crosslegged in the alley and keeping a lazy watch on the street. "Oh," she says, not even noticing Nadia until the thief is right upon her. "You did it?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "I did!" Nadia grins proudly. "But a thief doesn't relax until away from the scene of the crime. Lets go back to the hotel and then we can enjoy our take?"
<El-Cideon> "Yes." Rena accompanies you back to the hotel, where rampant bragging will surely ensue!
<El-Cideon> ~