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[/div][div class=title]Verillis[/div]
[div class=mentions]Mentioned: Everyone[/div]
[/div][/div]There was a storm brewing outside. The occupants of the small space station's second-biggest conference room could see it gathering strength just beyond the room's large, reinforced bay windows. All incoming ships were being diverted away from the visual distortion that was growing in size and intensity by the second, as contradicting laws fought it out for dominance.
"Do not worry, we are safe here, blessings to Mizen," came the soft, sibilant voice of the tiefling representative from where he sat at the ring table. "The weather is always bad so close to the border around this time of year. Something to do with an old rivalry, I am told." His gaze lingered on the perturbation for a moment longer before he went back to scanning the text on his tablet. He was short for a tiefling, and, at least to Verillis's eyes, a little portly. He made an odd contrast to the imposing nearby figures, sporting all the hallmarks of the pencil-pushing bureaucrat. "In any case, I think I have said all that needed to be said. Naturally, this meeting never happened, we will disavow any connection with you if confronted, etc., etc.. You will be searched for recording devices or enchantments a second time on your way out. If you have worked with us before, you will know the procedure."
The man got up and paced to the side of the room, still holding his tablet in hand, which he plugged into a cable hanging from the ceiling. Several lights turned on as a formless hologram began to fade in above the center of the table, before resolving into a blue sphere ringed by the circling words "Source Not Found." "Oh, for the love of..." the tiefling muttered as he grabbed a nearby remote and tried pressing several buttons. "It was working this morning."
"You need to press the--", chimed in Verillis helpfully. "I know which button to press!" the tiefling hissed back, as he continued to fiddle with the remote. Finally, he seemed to press the right combination, the hologram flickered and transformed into a 3D map of Isyn, complete with glowing depictions of its skyward scarring. A button press on his tablet added several multi-colored dots in orbit around the planet. "Right," resumed the representative. "Isyn. We're approaching the eighth year since the Commonwealth declared war on Onnedias, and three months since the target was excavated. So getting in and out won't be easy. But there are ways."
He pressed another button and several points were highlighted on the surface of the planet. "Deals have been made at the highest level to allow some traffic to continue flowing. Academics and researchers for one, particularly archaeologists, though these require pretty strong credentials, and some of you may have..." He glanced at a few of the more imposing mercenaries before returning his gaze to the hologram. "... difficulty passing off as academics. But an option nonetheless. There is also still a booming market for tourism to see the Aureate Skies, much of which is actually illegal and thus easier to infiltrate. Of course, we can always try to obtain a special permit if you can procure a ship for yourselves, but you'll be under much closer scrutiny then."
"So." He looked up at the assembled group, letting his eyes linger briefly on all of them. "Questions? Ideas?"
"Do not worry, we are safe here, blessings to Mizen," came the soft, sibilant voice of the tiefling representative from where he sat at the ring table. "The weather is always bad so close to the border around this time of year. Something to do with an old rivalry, I am told." His gaze lingered on the perturbation for a moment longer before he went back to scanning the text on his tablet. He was short for a tiefling, and, at least to Verillis's eyes, a little portly. He made an odd contrast to the imposing nearby figures, sporting all the hallmarks of the pencil-pushing bureaucrat. "In any case, I think I have said all that needed to be said. Naturally, this meeting never happened, we will disavow any connection with you if confronted, etc., etc.. You will be searched for recording devices or enchantments a second time on your way out. If you have worked with us before, you will know the procedure."
The man got up and paced to the side of the room, still holding his tablet in hand, which he plugged into a cable hanging from the ceiling. Several lights turned on as a formless hologram began to fade in above the center of the table, before resolving into a blue sphere ringed by the circling words "Source Not Found." "Oh, for the love of..." the tiefling muttered as he grabbed a nearby remote and tried pressing several buttons. "It was working this morning."
"You need to press the--", chimed in Verillis helpfully. "I know which button to press!" the tiefling hissed back, as he continued to fiddle with the remote. Finally, he seemed to press the right combination, the hologram flickered and transformed into a 3D map of Isyn, complete with glowing depictions of its skyward scarring. A button press on his tablet added several multi-colored dots in orbit around the planet. "Right," resumed the representative. "Isyn. We're approaching the eighth year since the Commonwealth declared war on Onnedias, and three months since the target was excavated. So getting in and out won't be easy. But there are ways."
He pressed another button and several points were highlighted on the surface of the planet. "Deals have been made at the highest level to allow some traffic to continue flowing. Academics and researchers for one, particularly archaeologists, though these require pretty strong credentials, and some of you may have..." He glanced at a few of the more imposing mercenaries before returning his gaze to the hologram. "... difficulty passing off as academics. But an option nonetheless. There is also still a booming market for tourism to see the Aureate Skies, much of which is actually illegal and thus easier to infiltrate. Of course, we can always try to obtain a special permit if you can procure a ship for yourselves, but you'll be under much closer scrutiny then."
"So." He looked up at the assembled group, letting his eyes linger briefly on all of them. "Questions? Ideas?"