exsiliumlogs | [OPEN] DEFENSE MEETING

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[OPEN] DEFENSE MEETING

Date & Time: Five days after the completion of the bombing event. Starting early morning.
Location: Whatever area is decently clear of debris.
Characters: Anyone, whether it was previously arranged with Fiona, someone else did the convincing, or they just happen to be around the cleared area at the right time.
Summary: First “Defense” Group Meeting. Some chatting, some sparring, a little showing off, and everything in between.
Warnings: Violence and swearing, I guarantee it.

[When most have gathered Fiona will find some small piles of debris to climb on so she can at least be eye level with everyone else. It’s not the biggest of groups but it will hardly do if no one can see whoever is speaking. She’ll tap her staff to get some attention.]

Thank you all for coming and taking an interest. I’m Fiona, the one who spoke on the network before. Sorry there was a delay but I appreciate everyone coming nonetheless. [Detecting a little anger here…]

If what’s happened this past week has proved anything, it’s proved we need to work together and defend ourselves and each other. Those bastards aren’t going to help us no matter what lies they feed us. They can’t defend us, they have proven that again and again. They say they’re glad we survived, but how many of us didn’t make it through this last endeavor? We’re dealing with complete fools and we have only ourselves to rely on. So we need to find a way to help each other. You don’t have to agree with all of my opinions, but at least stay long enough to try and see if this will work.

[She’ll take a deep breath] This is only our first meeting, none of us really know each other or what each other is capable of. If we actually intend to defend each other then that is the first thing we need to fix. Use this meeting time to get to know the person next to you and what they’re capable of. And if you can fight then show everyone else what you’ve got. [She’ll hold up her hand and produce a tiny ball of fire, whirl it around a moment and wink it out as quickly as she made it.] Lets not be caught off-guard by those bastards again.

[And then she'll start hopping off the debris. Ah, wait. Almost forgot something.] Thank you.

[OOC: Behold the tiny organization abilities. All right so, here’s how I’m thinking this can roll. We’ve got a little fighting and a little chatting for threads. If conversation leads to battle you are welcome to keep it to the talking thread, just maybe tack it into the subject line “Chat -> Fighting” or hop to the Battle thread! Feel free to jump in as you please, opened, closed, whatever. This is a fantastic chance for CR, spoil it rotten! And thanks for being patient with me despite the OOC delays. :)

Edit: Okay so. People are on hiatus and stuff and that's okay. If your character would happen to be here, but you just can't toss them in, try putting down a placeholder reply or something. I am gonna be doing a headcount from the tags list when this wraps up so leader picking later on is easier to handle. :)]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I enjoy a good buttering, I must admit. [Mischievous grin accompanies that as he crosses his own arms across his chest.]

I won't know for certain until I talk to her myself, but what she said I can agree with. [At least the base sentiment. The degree may vary.] Of course, I've only been here some odd week and the bombings are a new thing, so I've heard.

[He snorts.] I'll bet. [Dry.]

I've known her a long time. Longer than she has known me now.

[Something else that doesn't sit well with him about this place, the strange timelines.]

She has been here a while. Long enough to know they don't have our interest at heart.

They would sooner see us rely on them but fend for ourselves. I did not see any Initiative warriors or defenses engaging the enemy as we did.

[Because they are supposed to be their recruits.]

It's something to be cautious of.

[There's a quick huff of air out of him and a wry grin that flashes fast across his face] We are their warriors, aren't we? Their interests are supposed to be our interests.

They have an interesting way of trying to cultivate loyalty. [If not trying at all could be considered a way.]

Their interests are survival, as are ours. But we're their captives. We have no rights nor any voice here.

[Not yet.]

[There is a light shrug of his shoulders.] We organize for our protection, but how big does this party get before the Initiative takes notice? Do you think they'll stand by and let their soldiers set up into camps against them? Obviously against them, anyway.

They don't want our loyalty. They want our power. [Looks at Elissa first and then Duncan.] Most of the fighting was done by Transports. Why do you think that is? They have troops of their own, I'm sure, but there's no better way to see the results of training than in battle. They may not have expected the UE to attack, but if they aren't complete idiots they've got a hell of a lot of information about every single person who went out on the attack during the bombings. People who held back during training went all out against those UE clones and the ships. This isn't going to be a fight about numbers. This is going to be who knows the most, and we are sorely lacking in-

[Pause, huffs out a breath and waves a hand.] Sorry, getting carried away there.

[[OOC: GDI HTML fail. DX]]

That's a good question. Then it becomes a matter of what's more important to them, defeating their larger enemy or ridding themselves of troublesome elements. They can't be stupid. They have to know that bringing people in to fight a war against their will is going to make some of us uncooperative.

I don't think anyone is suggesting we rush in before we know much more than we do at the moment. Part of this will be about gathering intelligence, not fighting. A large part of this.

[He had suspected Blaine had a lot going on behind the blitheness. Now he knows for certain.]

[She watches Blaine, recognizing the drive and the strength in his words. Holding up a hand, she shakes her head and smiles.]

No, you aren't getting carried away. You're absolutely right. We're lacking in supplies, in manpower, and in training. The people here are untempered and unprepared. We're at a very heavy disadvantage to be fighting a war that is not our own.

[And yet, how easily had they slipped into their roles and gone to fight with minimal prompting?]

I merely wonder how much is the United Earth and how much can be attributed to the ones holding our leashes.

[It had been awfully convenient for them to be able to house them in such a small location and to keep them safe. It seemed suspicious to her.]

How much of what? This whole situation? [When it comes to planning and strategy he can't help but get a little into the discussion. It was what he did. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his folded tablet.]

I'm sure it's a mix of things, but as far as communication goes we shouldn't be using these tablets for any important planning, including setting up these meetings. [Unfolds it and points at the tiny slots where the speakers were.] The picture and audio functions on these can probably be turned on without our knowing and be used as spying devices. Even if we wait a year from now to move, we'll have to figure out a really secure way to communicate.

[Folds it back up and puts it in his pocket.] If we meet, we need to turn them off, if not leave them at home.

I wondered about that, too. What was really going on with this attack.

[Not only was the timing convenient, the defense for it was rather one-sided for his liking.]

Good thinking. I haven't paid much attention to the wildlife. If there are pigeons, we can begin training them for bearing messages at a distance. We can also set up local drop points and codes for written messages.

[It was commonplace for thieves in Val Royeaux as well as for Wardens all over Thedas. It was a good system to duplicate as far as he was concerned.]

How much was orchestrated and what truly was a surprise. I don't know if I can trust too much of what the Initiative says just yet.

[Pigeons. Elissa fights to keep her smile from showing.]

I wonder how many people we can coax into trying such things.

[All right, she can't help but smirk now.]

Passing off notes directly, leaving them in places... I could speak to a few people about other ideas. It's doable, I know, and it would be safer than relying solely on these devices.

Well, there was a spy who escaped with information. They admitted to that much, so perhaps they weren't all that surprised by the attack, but still weren't prepared like they should have been. [He shrugs his shoulders.]

They've been so busy looking into the past for missions, they could have slipped up on current preparations. The Initiative isn't some centralized government. I keep forgetting that. [He would bet that his Organization was better equipped, cohesive, and informed than the Initiative.]

Speaking of the past. [He gives Duncan a smile] I'll leave all the training of pigeons and other flying, shitting machines to you.

That was what I was wondering. [He nods at Elissa.]

No, they're not centralized. They may be even more fractured than they like to let on if some here are to be believed.

[He rolls his eyes, but it's a good natured sort of tease.]

In this we might have an advantage, coming from a place where no one relied on things like these devices but still having a pressing need for the exchange of clandestine information.

If they were so easily distracted, then building an army is the least of their troubles. We are barely a coherent force and no one has taken the time to train us in any sense, not in combat nor in tactics. We are fighting blind and unwilling.

[And if they're not centralized, then there could be pockets of them everywhere. It would make hiding difficult.]

We could train hawks too. I wouldn't begin to know how, though.

[Zevran might. Or Leliana.]

I have no idea what the training is like. It's supposed to be twice a week at least, but that was put on hold for a while. [He plans on doing as little training in their presence as possible. Blaine doesn't really even want his allies to know, but he figures that won't last anyway.]

Code words can easily be added to normal conversations so the tablets can still be used. We just can't be so blunt about it. I really have no idea about training any animals except for maybe a dog. [Holds up hands] Totally leaving that to you. I'll stick with markers on random landmarks to indicate places and times.

I won't be showing them everything. That's a given.

[He looks thoughtful.]

We might not want to mix hawks and pigeons. I'd hate to spend all that time training one only to have the other eat them the first chance they get.

Code words are a good idea, too. Perhaps a rotating system so they don't have the chance to discern a pattern.

I don't suspect we'll need to show them everything. We were brought here specifically, each of us individually selected. They probably already know. And if they do not, they will find ways of finding out.

[Like that blighted VR program.]

I like the idea of code words too. That's creative. The problem will be in being able to inform people of their changes.

[Cocks his head towards her, contemplative.] Did they? I've heard otherwise about the accuracy of who they pick. I suppose they need negotiators, but there are people here who wouldn't be good for that, either. Do you need to import chefs and builders when you have your own population?

[A smile] A code keeper. Or several. You put up a sign that means the keyword has changed before the next meeting. Everyone goes to their code keeper to update their password bank. Or we just tell everyone during the meeting what the new keywords are.

Looking around, I'd say builders will come in handy at this point. [A little dryly.]

Yes, signs or marks. We can work out the details for the next meeting as to how it works.

I suppose they'll bring in whomever they feel is necessary. If we are changing the past, perhaps the world will change around us when we return. I have to admit, it leaves me curious.

[Not curious enough to help their captors, however.]

Yes, next time. Perhaps you could show us.

[She's not certain how ready she is to trust everyone there.]

[You get a short bark of a laugh for that one, Duncan.] Maybe. Negotiators, builders, scientists, I get all of that, but some of us don't fall so neatly into a useable category.

[Smile for Elissa] I'd like to see these changes, too, but I'm betting most of them are small or just happen somewhere else.

I'll have to find something that'll wash off after a few hours. More important is the places we'd put the markings.

My question is how would they know there are changes? If you go to the past and do something that makes the present different, aren't you part of that present? Wouldn't it seem like it had always been that way for you?

[He's having a hard time wrapping his mind around that paradox.]

Good plan. I'm sure it will be easy enough to find something like that. As for the places, somewhere people won't have to go out of their way to see but that won't attract too much undue attention.

I wish I understood it nearly half so well as others seem to. Perhaps we'll be the ones to know the difference as this is not our home.

[But that would be silly, wouldn't it? And she doesn't really understand how time paradoxes can even work.]

Maybe somewhere in the apartments, in one of the back stairwells?

A good question. I'm not sure how the people who were left behind would know. I'm sure they have a goal in mind, so maybe the people sent with us come back and compare notes on how things were when they left and how they are now after they changed it?

[Just shrugs and shakes his head. He has no idea.] One day they'll make a change and come back and it bit them in the ass.

The back stairwell. A corner of a building close to the shopping district. Somewhere it wouldn't be odd to stop for a second and adjust your shoe or something. The sign could be a circle with a hash on it to say what time. [Draws a circle in the air with his finger and then draws a line from the center to the right.] Three o'clock. Six o'clock. Nine o'clock. Make the assumption that it's night time unless it's an emergency.

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