"I hope so, too. Not too often I meet with royals, but if they're all like you, maybe you lot aren't so bad as I thought." She chuckles. "I look forward to seeing you back here, to finalise everything."
The men give a cheer, holding up their weapons. When she mentions paying 'homage', the cheer grows louder. Spoiler: Awareness Roll D100: 24 (Fail) In the midst of the cheering soldiers, Yannika doesn't notice anything amiss.
Elena shook her head. "The traitor died before she could give any information. I think she was brainwashed." She added. "How is the situation?" She asked. "Any news of our allies? Or enemies?"
While waiting for Xavier to continue the interrogation, Vizelle decides to telepathically speak to Iona. "You, where did you get that sphere?"
"A shame." He nods remorsefully. "The traitor managed to send her message, the false information about which planet we'd be travelling to, and if its anything like last time, there'll be an ambush waiting for us there. We're strategising on how best to utilise our advantage."
Iona looks to Vizelle, surprised that she's going over her partner's back. "I don't want to talk until I've gotten a deal."
"Please. You know I can easily make you talk. So you can negotiate with my partner here, and tell me what I want. Or I make you confess your crimes as I search for the information I need. Your choice." Vizelle replied, still closing her eyes as she "rests."
She's silent for a moment, before Vizelle hears "From my superiors. I picked it up from a dead drop they established. I didn't know what it was, they just told me to give it to the colonel." She refers to the dead man.
Yannika couldn't help a feeling of pride swell within her, but she knew that emotion was premature. She stepped down from the stage and made her way to Gamba. "Commander, we will first need to detain Xenephon. Do we know where he is?"
"I was considering a hammer and anvil strategy." He taps some buttons, and a hologram appears, depicting a gas giant planet. "The message you conveyed is that our fleet would be dropping out of FTL travel and going here to inspect the planet." Holographic displays of the fleet move to the dark side of the gas giant. "I assume that the enemy will have their ships waiting for us on the far side of the gas giant." A red icon indicates the enemy. "They'll come out when we get close enough to the planet, and ambush us. That's when we have the XVth fleet strike, coming in from behind the enemy, and trapping them between our two fleets." A green marker depicting the XVth fleet appears, on the other side of the red enemy marker.
Gamba shakes his head. "Unfortunately, no. I assume that he's in his offices at the temple of the Holy Mother, near the city center, but I have no way of confirming that."
"Your superior from the north then. And who might that be? I doubt you'd know where they got it. So your superior's name will suffice." Vizelle asked.
"Then we'll start at the temple." Yannika stated simply. "Organize the men, and let's depart." With her instructions given, the priestess intended to depart for the temple.
"I can't say for certain who made the decision. I've been on my mission for over a year, and most of my contact was by dead drop. If I had to put a name to it, though, I'd say it would be Colonel Osman. He was my CO when I left, and probably still is." She avoids eye contact, so Xavier doesn't cotton on to the secret conversation.
Elena frowned. "And we managed to contact the XVth plane?" She asked. It was an interesting plan, from her perspective of a novice.
The men begin to move out, leaving Gamba and Yannika alone on stage. "Right, we just have to sort out what you'll be doing. I'd rather have you in a protected posi-" Gamba begins to say. Spoiler: Awareness Roll D100: 30 (Fail) Spoiler: Attack Roll D100: 12+30 (Undetected)=42 (Fail) "Get down!" Gamba grabs Yannika and tosses her to the ground, moments before a red flash erupts, and Gamba goes flying off. "You were looking for me?" Xenephon's voice chuckles, and suddenly he appears in front of her. Yannika's guards shout and begin running to the stage to help, but they're still too far to help right now.
Thrax nods. "Yes, I tested communications with them just before you arrived, though I didn't give them any information."
Elena nodded. "So, I will leave the battle to you, admiral." She said as she decided to become observant from now on and not interfere in what the admiral was doing.
"Thank you, ma'am. I won't let you down." He nods. "I'll go make some preparations, and then do some of my pre-battle rituals. If you'd like, feel free to use the comm system to speak to the crews. It might give them some more fighting spirit. A boost to morale is never a bad thing."
