Start of the Dream

[Bjorn]

Bjorn shrugs, and then points at the terminal.  "So why not ask our dear Oracle?"  He grins wryly.  "I'll go kill a lamb, if it'll help.

"But seriously, it's a valid criticism to the example.  We should be able to come up with other ideas, though.  That was the original question I asked Relm, way back... whenever it was by this timeline.  What are Pax and Cabal doing in the world? Where are their operations in such a place that we can push them up against each other?"

[Carthrat]

"Knowing what they're doing at all would be nice," muses Tom. "All we can be completely certain of is that they want to get inside the Fire Dream and the Wind Dream.. but the Cabal has already done the Wind Dream, so we can't push them there.

Hmm. We're the only ones who know where the Fire Dream is, right? I'm not saying we should do this right away, but when we get.. er, in there, would we be able to find away to push them against each other there?"

[Dracos]

"If Earth was any suggestion, rigging a dream is a phenomenially poor idea for us." Dracos answered.

Dracos

[Bjorn]

"That might be an overstatement," Bjorn says, "but it'd be difficult to do at best, and no way to predict it.  What we're better off trying to do is hiding the Fire Dream from them, which means that when we head there, we make sure they're not watching us."

[Brian]

"We've had some time," Jim says in answer to this.  "Sterling's leading us out in two teams at the end of today -- me and Carlos are going to try and figure out who's in charge of the Forge and Home Guard.  I expect we'll be able to make a lot of noise, that way...."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn nods at that.  In fact, he nods before Jim speaks, but this isn't an important issue.  "Unless the Oracle has something else to contribute, then, I'd say our plans are as developed as they can get for the information we have."

He frowns.  "So what we need, more than anything, is more information.  Home Guard and Forge are definitely the right places to start on that.  Cabal should be the top priority for now; Pax seems comparatively easy to flush out.

"In the meantime, though, I think we need to head for the Fire Dream, as soon as Bigfire," with a nod at Jim, "can set up a smokescreen."

[Dracos]

"Sounds acceptable to me."  Dracos agreed.

Dracos

[Brian]

"We're leaving today, and going in two directions.  If you're willing to wait, we can probably just have Ryan get you all to Japan in a day, though, it wouldn't be through any legal means."  Jim shrugs at that.  "Your call."

[Bjorn]

"I have a fake passport," Bjorn points.  "Wasn't really going to be legal means no matter what."

[Carthrat]

"Anything that spares a 24-hour plane trip is pretty good," replies Tom, nodding.

[Dracos]

"I'd say any plane trip that does not involve fighter jets tailing us is a good plane trip.  Query: Does this not so legal means involve not having fighter jets tail us?"

Dracos

[Carthrat]

"No, Drac. That only happens if we do something silly, like teleport into an airbase. Which, I might add, is *not* outside the realm of possibility."

[Brian]

"It involves dark magic," Jim says.  After an uncomfortable pause, he explains, "'cause, you know.  Shadows are literally dark."  Victor blinks at Jim and raises an eyebrow.  "Anyway," Jim continues, "for those of you who aren't familiar with it, you'll step in one shadow, and out in Japan.  He'll probably take two or three people at a time to avoid wearing himself out, and then leave you someplace dark and reasonably close to where you want to be."

He frowns.  "You'll need to let us know when to get you back, and if you're spotted after Ryan drops you off, that could also end up revealing the fact that we're working together," he adds.

[Dracos]

"Well, unless they've got super shadowtransmission sensing powers, which isn't entirely out of the question, I don't see how warping into a shadow in an alley somewhere will be picked up.  And yeah, that sounds like it'd work.  We could get rather close to fuji and possibly make the whole trip from here to the dream entrance in a day?"

Dracos

[Halbarad]

"Doesn't seem like an unreasonable plan," Tim replies. "Where at Fuji do we go, though, or do we have any idea?"