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Where is the baby? 6/1/21
((OOC - I was encouraged by Mike to start this so that when we game on Thursday, we can pick up right away on this situation. @Lady Ryne Roke - You will be involved in this but we might need to pull in others. I will start the thread now but wanted you to know what I'm doing before just jumping in head first.))
Tesara Anerin — 06/01/2021
Tesara stood within the greenhouse, feeling sweat begin to drip down the back of her neck. The heat didn't help her frustration any. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to recall everything that Nova had told her about what Shmi had said that day in the temple. Everything that had gone on there, alongside the admin building and the market had made it very difficult to remember. The statue of Lord Hoth had shocked her. But that wasn't what she needed to remember now. Shmi had told Nova that a female servant at the Summer Palace had the baby. No, she didn't know the woman's name. But there was something....something else. It slid around the outside of her mind, slippery and taunting. Something about treasures. Two treasures? Tesara bit down on her tongue - it was an old trick she had learned as a child to help bring focus in where chaos was overwhelming. Breathe....one...two....three....what was it about treasures? One would lead to the other? Tesara inhaled sharply. That had to be it! One treasure was obviously the baby prince, and the other....what was it? Tesara frowned, thinking back to what she knew of the Queen. She had come from a military background. She had taken the throne and the cathedral had blown. Tesara had met Lord Serreno as he was dying. She and he had been secretly in love. They had created a place where they could meet! We had found that long tunnel leading to the home! Was that where the baby was? She glanced at Nova, then at Vinh. It was painfully obvious that he knew something important but was waiting on them to reveal some kind of clue or code word. It could be about this path, it could be about the swing, anything. He had dropped SO many hints and clues.
She bit her lip. Asking about the tunnel or house would only get her another confused look from Vinh. There had to be something else. What else? The lightsaber she was supposed to have…no one knew where it was, but Tesara was pretty sure it was Lord Serreno’s. There had been the book of love poems he had written for her that she had given Durro on Lanus. Why? She had trusted him with it, but WHY? And did the book or the lightsaber qualify as a treasure? The lightsaber was lost, Angel knew where. The book was with Durro’s things. If they had the book, would Vinh recognize that they were trusted by the Queen? How would she even get it? Taking a huge risk, she pulled out her commlink and sent a message to Durro.
Do you have the book that the Queen Delphinium gave you? The love poems?
@Durro Thel-Tanis
Durro Thel-Tanis — 06/01/2021
Durro feels his communicator vibrate and glances around. Lady Loran had been ignoring him all night, though now she was so drunk that even if she had been attentive, she would not be now. He discretely reads the message, then fires back a response:
"Of course I do. It's in my bag, in the hotel room. Why? Is it important?"
Tesara Anerin — 06/01/2021
Tesara messages him back "We're desperately trying to get the baby but I think he's waiting on some kind of code word or phrase or proof that we're someone the Queen trusts. Is there anything in the book that says anything about treasures?"
"Shmi said that the queen's two treasures, one would lead to the other. We're in the greenhouse with the gardner. He's the only one left. Can you think of anything that would help us?"
Durro Thel-Tanis — 06/01/2021
Durro, who was already letting the Force flow through him to investigate the room, checks his comm. He closes his eyes and enters the Jedi Archives of his Mental Temple. Accessing the "file" on the book of Dooku's poetry, he searches for anything he has read that could be an answer to the problem at hand...
(OOC: @TheTraveler, do I need to roll for anything? I have made it clear that Durro has read this book almost every day he has had it with him but OOC I have not been given anything it says. Is there anything in there, obvious or otherwise, that will be helpful?)
TheTraveler — 06/01/2021
(OOC: Dice roll result, Durro rolled a 3. Sadly, he can't recall anything beyond general feelings from the book. Nothing of use.)
Durro Thel-Tanis — 06/01/2021
After a moment, Durro messages Tesara again;
"I'm sorry Tesara, I don't recall. I feel like there was a note, a dedication in the front cover that may be it, but I can't remember what it says. Silly of me, seeing as I read it every time I open the book. If you can get my bag from Kaleb, the book is inside. I'm sorry I'm not of more help to you."
@Tesara Anerin
Tesara Anerin — 06/01/2021
Frustration fills her. The book is at the hotel. They are here, now. Their chances of getting this opportunity again are slim to none. She can hear noises and see lights flashing above the greenhouse roof. The grime covering them is a result of the moisture and plant life, but alarm is now skittering up her spine. She looks at Nova. "We have to try." She whispers. She looks at Vinh. "It's time for me to tell you the truth about why we are here and what we are about. Time is short. We were sent on a mission by Queen Lenora Delphinium. She gave Shmi instructions that she wanted us to come to Austerity to get her son and take him to safety. We know that he was publicly declared dead at birth, but Shmi said he had lived. The queen is off world, and her situation is desperate. As is ours." She glances at the roof again, speaking more quickly. "Shmi said there would be a woman here at the Summer Palace who had the baby. Shmi did not know her name, but she told us that the Queen had two treasures, and that one would lead to the other. I can only assume that the second is the prince, but the first is something we can only guess at. It might be a book. She gave my friend a book of poetry written by her lover." Tesara swallows, saying a prayer to the spirits, then continues. "Dooku Sorreno. He wrote the book, because he loved her, and she loved him. The book is with my friends' things, but there." She points towards where the hotel is. "And as you can tell, the situation has just grown very urgent. Here." She pulls our her commlink to show him the conversation with Durro. Thankfully, his name is not anywhere on the screen. She waits until Vinh has read the message, then pockets the commlink. "If you require proof, it would mean going to the hotel, retrieving the book and returning here, and our chances of doing that just went to zero." She swallows again. "Please, Vinh. Please help the Queen by helping us rescue her son!"
@TheTraveler @Lady Ryne Roke
TheTraveler — 06/01/2021
He frowned as he looked at her, "if Shmi said that the infant survived, she is lying," he said. He pointed over to a set of family graves, "I buried the body over there," he said. The hint of dishonesty in his voice. His eyes searched the two women before him, "I don't know why she would lie about this," he said with a frown. "As for Lord Sorreno, I can't recall a single time I have ever seen him on these grounds," he explained.
Beyond his eyes, his fear rose. He couldn't help but worry for Shmi's safety. Had she been tortured to reveal her secrets. Were they going to torture him now. He righted himself and did his best not to lean too heavy on his cane. If they were going to torture him, he would die before he betrayed his Queen or her son. "I don't know why you think I can help you," he said then looked to the Hotel. There sure was a light show going on. "I am just a gardener," he said. The only truthful thing he said in this exchange. "I think its best for you to go now," he said softly, determined that if those were going to be his last words, he would face that fate with honor and dignity.
@Lady Ryne Roke
@Tesara Anerin
Lady Ryne Roke — 06/01/2021
Nova sighed. "Screw it." She gave the doll back to Tesara and messaged Shmi on her bracelet, 'Can't receive package of precious goods due to not being able to show proof of purchase. Any identification that you can give so I pick up your package of precious goods?' End text message. "Well hopefully that won't cause more trouble than what it already has done. She was being heavily monitored the last time I spoke to her." She gave a deep sigh as she looked at the mess outside. "Such a mess." After a brief moment of thought, she called Ryan and gave him no room to talk. "Ryan, find me Kaleb. Last known place was Tower Hotel in Austerity. I can't leave my task and he has something I need. And do this quickly." She hanged up as everyone who had heard her could tell she wasn't going to put up with anything soon.
@Tesara Anerin @TheTraveler
Tesara Anerin — 06/02/2021
Tesara's shoulders slumped and she closed her eyes. Heaviness settled around her. "Angel help me." She whispered. She glanced at Nova to see what she was doing. She glanced again at the roof of the greenhouse and then back at Vinh. "I know you don't trust us. You have every right not to. We can provide no proof of what I am saying. My friend is trying to get you the proof." She sighed and continued. "It proves your loyalty to the Queen and I am sure she would be grateful for it. Will you at least wait for a little while with us while we try and obtain the book? There might be something inside it written by her that would give you what you need. Will you at least give us a chance? Our intentions are only to follow the Queen's orders and save her son from whoever would do him harm." She said. From her tone and body language, it was obvious that she was only sad, not angry.
((OOC can Tesara roll friendship?))
@TheTraveler @Lady Ryne Roke
Tesara Anerin — 06/02/2021
((OOC heard from TheTraveler via text, am rolling Friendship on Roll 20))
((OOC I rolled a 15, am waiting on TheTraveler))
Tesara Anerin — 06/02/2021
((OOC I rolled a 12 for Intelligence))
TheTraveler — 06/02/2021
His face changed noticeable as the force washed over him. A smile returned to his playful lips, "I like you, your friend over there not too much." He leans in and smiles, "she is a bit too fast and loose for my taste. But you I like."
He hobbled over to an old wooden work bench and opened one of the drawers. He pulled out a small box, "I craved this for her when she was but a little girl." He walked over to her and opened the box. It contained dozen of hand carved wooden puzzle pieces. "She loved her puzzles," he said with pride. "It took me more than a year to plan this puzzle out for her."
His face softened and his eyes filled with memories of better times, "she finished it in an afternoon." He wiped away the tears, "I shouldn't have surprised me when she joined the Jedi Elite Games and Puzzle Group."
He laughed, "thats them fancy words for spying on people."
He looked back at Tesara as he closed the box, "if all of what you said is true, I can't help you even if I wanted to."
He gave her a nod, and felt good about his decision, "you see, you got the name all wrong. You are not looking for Las Cryt." He frowned once more. "You found the right person, just at the wrong time I reckon. But don't fear, if what you said is true. Then I am sure she trusted you because she knew you could solve her puzzle."
He started to walk away with a heavy limp, "and don't worry, I ain't going no where. I was born here. And here is where I will take my last breath." He made his way towards the door.
(OOC: the old man had been totally honest in this post)
Tesara Anerin — 06/02/2021
Tesara bit her lip as he began to hobble away. She knew if she stopped him now, it might break the fragile bond of trust he had just put in her. She glanced at Nova. He had given the name Las Cryt but said that wasn't who she was looking for. He had helped her, and he had not lied. She was certain of it. "You got the name all wrong. You found the right person just at the wrong time." Did that mean that the baby had been removed from the Summer Palace and had gone with whomever that woman had been that Shmi had told Nova about? Tesara turned to Nova. "I think the baby might have been taken from the Summer Palace. We were too late. I think he's with whoever had him here and she had to take him when she left. She likely had no choice." Tesara glanced around, feeling helpless and frustrated. The only thing they could do now was to find Kaleb, Reine, Durro and Ava and get on the Jupiter One to try and follow her trail. It worried her that Kaleb or Reine weren't answering. "Any word?" She asked Nova. She had seen Nova typing furiously on her commlink.
@Lady Ryne Roke
Tesara Anerin — 06/02/2021
Tesara picked up the box of puzzles Vinh had left on the table and looks at it.
Lady Ryne Roke — 06/02/2021
Nova softly grumbled to herself before sighing. "Well we did find the wrong person then we will have to find a way to find them. Sadly it will have to come down to asking around for her as natives and if Ava was trying to warn you about the Tower Hotel about Reine, having Reine call us earlier means she is in trouble." She took a look at the puzzle box, "We should probably solve this then see if Ryan found Kaleb and Reine. We will have to report about the package being missing once we meet up with Lady Forma ... And her lover." As Nova figured that was the route Ava went with Durro's disguise.
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