'Not offended, just amused,' Xavier said, 'What's available for entertainment around here? Some unwinding after the day I've head would be wonderful.'
Xenephon doesn't stop her, either too focused on the soldiers, or perhaps he doesn't see her as a threat. Spoiler: Yannika's Attack Roll d100: 46 (Fail) Grabbing Gamba's heavy pistol from its holster, the priestess feels recoil reverberate up her arm. However, though the shots are powerful, they bounce off the barrier, ricocheting. Spoiler: Xenephon's Attack Roll D100:56+15(Order of Sorcerers)=71 (Pass) Spoiler: Yannika's Forces Attack Roll D100: 65+15 (Xenephon's Barrier Damaged)=80 (Pass) Four of the men Yannika made love to earlier die instantly as Xenephon sends a burst of white hot flame at them, incinerating them. The survivors respond with a massive burst of bullets and plasma. Unbeknownst to the sorcerer, the barrier was significantly weakened by the powerful shots of the heavy pistol, and it relents under the attack, breaking. A bolt of plasma burns away one of his hands, and several bullets his his torso. Hastily erecting another barrier, the sorcerer creates a portal in the back wall of the stage, and moves to retreat.
Yannika gets up, takes aim, and fires more rounds at Xenephon before she finds the courage to charge and attempt to tackle him.
"Of course, sir." She nods. "It depends on what your tastes are. We often put on plays here at the palace, as well as musical shows and fights, both bare knuckle and armed. If you'd rather not leave the room, I could also soothe you, through massage, or perhaps something more intimate."
"So then, his majesty has left your fate to me." Vizelle cooed, "Now, will you play nice, or do I have to use force?" She asked with a grin, letting Iona know full well "force" meant being brainwashed further.
With a little laugh, she takes the pills and swallows them down with some of the coffee. After that, she changes into a slightly more ornate outfit and makes her way to the throne room to report in.
Spoiler: Xenephon's Escape Roll D100: 58 Spoiler: Yannika's Attack Roll D100: 95 (Crit) Xenophon hobbles his way to the portal, but not before Yannika can bring the heavy pistol back up. She feels like the recoil will break her arms, but she keeps firing until she hears the gun click. Looking at her target, Xenephon stumbles, two massive holes in his chest, before he collapses at the foot of the portal, which dissipates quickly.
Yannika let the gun drop from her trembling hands and collapsed to the ground wailing. She stayed like that for a moment, hugging herself and rocking back and forth before thought of others entered her mind. She had to see if there was anyone still alive, and tend to the wounded.
"I want you to use your abilities for the empire. But mostly for me." Vizelle said with a grin, using telepathy for the last part. "Now then, your answer?"
Entering the cavernous throne room, she sees the young man waiting for her, standing in front of the throne. The room is empty besides them, and the guards. "You're back! Are you okay?" He walks over to her. "If they harmed you, I'll have the whole planet orbitally bombarded."
'The emperor has a fighting pit in his palace?' Xavier laughed, 'What else? A race track, a zoo and a brothel?'
As she trembles, the planetary defence lieutenant and the leader of her guards both approach. Silently, they simply hold her, comforting her until she's calmed down. Looking around, she sees that the fight was bloody. Of over 20 men assigned to her personal guard, only five still live, and half of the 8 planetary guard men are dead. The two soldiers continue to hug her until she pushes them away.
"Good. Release her." Vizelle tells the guard, and once Iona is free, she leads the spy into her current home.
"Err, the race track isn't too far from here, but it's outside the palace. It's customary for the emperor and his court to go there to enjoy races, with the common people. There is a private zoo here, in the opposite wing. There's no brothel within the palace walls. If my services are insufficient for you, though, I can list some highly recommended establishments for a man of your calibre." She sounds businesslike as she lists the options off.
Yannika sniffled and then wiped at her tears. "Ugh..." she uttered after finding her voice. "Thank you." she said quietly to the two men. She quickly composed herself then, and stood. She knew her duty was to attend to the wounded and suffering. She moved to every man still alive and attempted to tend to their wounds, she lingered on Commander Gamba perhaps longer than she should have but eventually addressed both the lieutenant and her guard commander. "Thank you again gentlemen." she swallowed, picturing it as her grief. "That was... horrific. I-I've never..." she couldn't bring herself to finish that statement. "I must attend to the priestess. With Xenephon... gone, I may be better able to save her. I-I don't want to put either of your men through any more. They've suffered far, far too much... I hate to ask more of them. But I'm uncertain how the priestess will receive me at the temple now that I've- now that Xenephon is lost to her. I must press forward."
'I was joking about that,' Xavier said, 'I'm sure your services are more than sufficient.' 'Do you have a programme schedule for the plays and fights?' Xavier asked.
Stepping into the elaborate suite given to Vizelle, Iona looks at her new employer. "Very well. So, what exactly will I be doing for you?"
"As I said, you will be working for me." Vizelle replied, "However, I am not a slave driver. So, name your price." She grins.
