Celestia's Finest: Comrades in Arms

[userpay]

Brazen follows quietly behind Longshot. The earth pony's own track record with talking others down not all that good so he just observes.

"Ah still don't like the direction this is goin. We seriously goin to hand over ah live one?" Brazen comms.

[Miltonian]

The captain nods slowly and moves off, taking his two escorts with him. Longshot has passed through that encounter relatively unscathed.

----

The marine sizes her up. "Be interesting to hear how you propose to do that," he says, giving her an odd, slightly suspicious look.

But she manages to disentangle herself from that engagement without trouble. And so, Rose steps onto the deck just in time to come face to face with the Captain. He huffs. "Oh, don't tell me. The water isn't hot enough or something, right?"

----

The shutter is locked and the marine laughs a little at her eagerness. "Of course, of course, comrade. Head right through that door there. I will sit and have a little break while you make friends, da?"

[D.KnightSpider]

"I don't like this either." Longshot hisses back to Brazen. "It smells all wrong but we don't have much choice. We have to play the game, but that doesn't mean we can't cheat the rules a little."

He passes the package to Brazen and continues: "Get this defused but make it look like a simple reconnect. Be quick about it."

Silent comm. to Love: Need you topside and running Changeling checks quick. We have to play the game. Brazen defusing. Going to get Rose delivering. Like to know if the captain has been the same throughout our dealings.

Finally, Longshot tries to catch Rose's eye. He signals a query if she can get free and regroup asap.

[DigoDragon]

Rose tilts her head at the captains query. "No sir, your ship is in fine order."

She'll salute and step aside to let him pass her.

[Elbeyon]

Love can't peek in through the window. A door is a door too far away. Love would love to meet the chef but jobs a calling. "The door?" There is a difference between peeking through a service window and walking into the kitchen. "It smells like she is busy, and I wouldn't want to bother her while she is working. Perhaps, later." Love looks back to the way her three friends left. She starts walking that way.

Scomm, "Changeling checks on everypony? I might need some assistance. I can locate Brazen's tools if needed, but if they are sealed in the hold it may be difficult to gather them. We're not done with the tour, but finding a quiet place for him to work would be a good idea. A bathroom? I'll check on the Captain."

She says, "A pony should always know where to find a restroom. Did we pass one on the way down?" She nervously chuckles, "This boat has more than one restroom?" She asks if she isn't sure that she would.

Love watches the Captain on the trail she already laid, and tries to get close enough to work her magic without being nearby him. She'd like to magic the trio and the officer if the opportunity presents itself. Has she seen the officer yet?

[Miltonian]

The Captain and his posse pass Rose by, heading up towards the bridge of the ship. She, Longshot, and Brazen are free to collaborate and work together how they wish. However, it might not be best to fiddle with a bomb on the open deck.

----

The marine seems slightly disappointed by Love's refusal, though does a good job of not pressing her. He nods. "Da, there is a bathroom on his ship. Would be a poor ship without one. I'll show you."

He leads the way through a hallway down to a small, communal bathroom, one for mares and one for stallions. Unfortunately, this does not carry her close enough to cast spells on him. As for the officer, he's supposedly on the bridge and Love has had no opportunity to get near that yet.

[DigoDragon]

Rose walks over to Longshot and Brazen. "So, you called for me?"

[D.KnightSpider]

Longshot nods and maintains his quiet whisper.

"We either play the game or swim back to shore so we're committed. I figure it's best to start getting crafty. Do you mind finding a place where Brazen can tinker and you can check your makeup before making the delivery for us?"

Silent comm. to Love: "Not every pony. I'd like to know if there's any discrepancies between the captain then and the captain now. It's possible, albeit unlikely, that our initial meeting with him was actually with a Changeling agent."

[Elbeyon]

Aw, Love wants to be a good sport about being pranked, but there is always later for everyone. "I'll let you introduce me to her later." She gives him a slight bit of a smile.

As long as he is leading her in the correct direction she'll follow along. "Oh! A communal bathroom." She is a little surprised, but that fades once she remembers this ship is filled with military ponies. She asks a bit nervous, "Do we," she hesitates, "get private bedrooms?"

Love keeps her remote eye on the captain and walks off towards his direction unless the bedrooms are in the same direction (in which case Love will follow the marine).

Scomm, "This charm requires us to see the pony, through technology works, and be within five or so yards. I'm trying to get below the Captain. I haven't been able to get the Officer on screen yet." Everypony has the exact same charms so Longshot can check as well. "I can check his current identity, but I didn't check when we first met. I've been watching them almost the entire time - I didn't see a switch." She thinks, "The package has his scent; it's from before we met." She adds, "The ship has a single communal bathroom." Love sends him an incomplete 3d map of the ship with the bathrooms marked.

[DigoDragon]

"We either play the game or swim back to shore so we're committed. I figure it's best to start getting crafty. Do you mind finding a place where Brazen can tinker and you can check your makeup before making the delivery for us?"

Rose nods to the affirmative. She looks to Brazen. "Come with me, we'll find you a room," she whispered. Rose goes to find a secluded spot, like their room.

Airship crew skill might defaults to seaship? (3d6)[9]

[Miltonian]

And so, with the captain onboard and ensconced in the bridge, the ship begins to cast off and pull away from the dock! They are up a creek with almost no paddle now.

The marine tilts his head and looks at Love curiously. "Why would you need a room? You won't be onboard overnight."

Love's remote eye, however, follows the captain all the way to his ready room, where she at last finds their target...at the head of the table and wearing the sash of an admiral! The captain salutes him instead of the other way around, then nods to the secretary. She begins casting that same spell...

----

However...despite having no bedrooms, Rose knows that, with the departure from port, everypony will be working. Which means that they are not in the break room. She leads Brazen there and keeps watch while he defuses the bomb expertly. It's one of those simple types that, when the timer reaches zero, sends an electric current into the explosive to trigger it. Not hard to defuse at all. Just cut the wire. It is ready for...shenanigans.

[DigoDragon]

Rose sends text to EDF, 'I think Brazen diffused the thing. Do we deliver?'

[D.KnightSpider]

EDF Text: "Hold on until we can confirm a location. We're working on it."

S.comm to Love: "If you can do it without being detected then go ahead and check. Afterward, we'll start searching for the package recipient."

Longshot moves to the railing and watches the retreating shoreline. His mind works overtime. Trust a griffon/ally and look at what it gets them.

They needed more evidence to make an informed decision. The only question was where to get it?

[Elbeyon]

Love keeps walking forward while she looks around. Her hoof rubs her chin. "So, we don't have rooms? We won't need a place to sleep." She points at the marine like he has a really good point. "You have a very good point." If her guide starts to fall behind, she ushers him to catch up.

Love hooflessly texts, "You found a place? Good work!"

Scomm, "I think I can pull this off without being detected." She says, "I haven't detected any spells or magic items aside from the stated while aboard."

Love directs the BugBots to move away. She doesn't want any robots unsupervised or trapped in the observation zone. This mage runs a tight ship. Love likes that. She plays the same game by watching the area outside the area to detect changes within the area without directly watching the area.

She walks and when she gets a chance seamlessly activates the magic in the bracelet before the bugbots are away and the spell goes into effect.

Love switches to a newer encryption. Scomm, "The group is meeting with the package recipient." Love sends her footage to Longshot showing the Captain saluting the officer/Admiral. "Him and the three are, I assume, having a chat on the bridge. They aren't talking unless they are sure they're talking in private."

She asks the solider, "How have you been feeling lately?"

Spoiler: Spell

Show

Captain! You've been chosen!

(3d6)[14]
"Tells if the subject is under any kind of Shapeshifting spell or similar magical effect, including Alter Visage, Alter Body, and illusions. The caster must be able to see the subject. The spell also gives a general idea of the subject’s true shape; on a critical success, it identifies the subject’s true nature (including a common name or description) and the magic used to disguise it. It does not reveal the nature of Hallucinations."

[DigoDragon]

Rose texts the EDF, 'Ok, will wait in mess hall.'

[Miltonian]

Love's magic goes off without a hitch. And it reveals...absolutely nothing. The captain is who he says he is, as is everyone else. There are no illusions or changelings in the room.

The marine eyes Love with a curious eye. There is suspicion there, but it is a soldier's suspicion, the gaze of someone who is used to keeping an eye on everyone and never truly letting down his guard. "No complaints," he answers, "Is there some reason I should be feeling poorly? Poison in my drink or the like?"

He will lead the way back to the messhall, where she can join with Rose again. Longshot, meanwhile, ponders the situation on the railings of the ship. At least, with the bomb deactivated, the ship is not due to explode.

[D.KnightSpider]

Longshot forwards Love's information via text to Rose.

There wasn't any sense in delaying further. It was time to let the cud hit the fan.

[userpay]

Once safely away from prying eyes Brazen tweaks the package so that it won't go off. "Well, ah suppose it's time to see how this plays out... Please tell me we have recordins of the package bein passed to us?"

[DigoDragon]

Rose scratches her head. "I didn't record anything, but maybe Love did."

Rose texts Love, 'Did you record us getting the package from the captain?'

[Elbeyon]

Scomm/Text, "No changelings and double confirmation on the no illusions."

Love is taken aback by the solder's reaction. She almost wants to tilt her head in bewilderment. She tries to liven up the solider's morale and jokes, "I didn't think the food here was that bad."

Scomm/Text, "Yes."

Spoiler: Guard

Show

(3d6)[13] vs 14 (Body Language)

[D.KnightSpider]

Longshot takes another look at the shore. For a sea cruise, this was feeling very much like stepping off a cliff. Either the wings would catch you or you'd crash and burn.

Text to the EDF: "Make the drop."

[Miltonian]

The marine keeps his serious expression for five more seconds, glowering at Love. Then, he grins and bursts out laughing. "It's good, comrade! Just a joke. You have not been near anything I've eaten." His eyes twinkle. "And if you did poison me, you would have a very hard time! Ha! Strong as a horse, I am."

The time is now. The stage is set! Now for...the EDF's counterstroke.

[DigoDragon]

Rose sounds a quick message on silent comm to @Everyone. 'Delivering now.'

Rose breaks out some magic and weaves a 'bland' male disguise based on the sailors on this ship. She then takes the package up and begins the walk over for the delivery.

[D.KnightSpider]

Longshot holds his position, watches and waits.

[Miltonian]

As Rose ascends to the door, she is fortunate enough to arrive right as they are all stepping outside, talking with each other. They do not take immediate notice of her, given her disguise. Not even the secretary.

Perfect.

[D.KnightSpider]

Longshot holds his position.

[Elbeyon]

Scomm/Text, "I'll keep an eye open." Love probably bugs Rose on her way through the hall.

---------

Love has a good laugh at the guide's deadpan delivery. She jokes, "Would you like to change that?" Love will walk with him back towards the kitchen. She chuckles, "You look strong. I wanted to get to know you. Have you been doing 'this'", she motions towards the ship, "for a while?" Love will settle back towards the kitchen. She motions her head back over to the kitchen door.

Love probably continues to research the group and sniffs around the ship to try to catch the Captain's living corridors.

[DigoDragon]

Love probably bugs Rose on her way through the hall.

Rose accepts being bugged. It is the closest she will ever be to her final form.


She walks over to the target recipient. Rose salutes and holds out the package. "Package for you, sir," she says in a deeper tone.

Soldier (to try and get their salute custom correct) (3d6)[11] v. 16

[Miltonian]

"A package?" the admiral replies. Rose's salute and disguise seem to work to her advantage. The admiral isn't obviously suspicious. He takes the package in a claw and smiles. "Did my wife send this? She is such a dear."

Captain Stormwind clears his throat. "Excuse me," he mutters and pulls out a small flask, the opaque kind you put whiskey in. Behind him, the secretary produces a similar flask while Seaworthy salutes and steps out of the bridge entirely.

---

The marine slaps his own chest. "Would not change my hearty constitution and strong, Vedinian physique, comrade. However, you getting near the food before it is served would be entertaining."

He grins. "I am a son with a proud father. Been serving in the navy since I was a fresh-faced colt. They keep trying to put me behind a desk, to which I say 'Ha!' So long as I can meet the physicals they throw at me, they cannot force me into an office."

Love's research is...going very slow now. There are few modems out in the middle of the sea.

[D.KnightSpider]

Silent comm. to Love: "Just in case this goes bad, and me a copy of the Stormwind video. Admiral is opening the package in three to five seconds."

Longshot begins approaching the bridge and, by extension, the site of imminent disaster. Come on, Rose, get out of there.

Spoiler: Trio of Rolls

Show

Body Language VS 16

Admiral
(3d6)[3][1][3](7)

Secretary
(3d6)[5][6][1](12)

Stormwind
(3d6)[5][4][4](13)