[handmaiden of unsheathed swords] voice posted:

[darkeststars]

This is Darth Imperius. I will be brief.

By now you've presumably all heard the details of Karsa's proposal. I don't have her ability to block out extra ears, so if you haven't, take it up directly with her.

I intend to organize our half of this operation. Some of you have already told me you're coming, but I would like a count of heads to know the size of our force and what skills we'll have at our disposal. We will likely be taking point on the more dangerous part of this op, so if you cannot fight, stay home. I will speak with you all about the schedule in person and deliver a full briefing on the day of.

Any actionable details or useful intelligence are welcome, preferably not over the quartz. Bai Mingyu or Eleven generally know where to find me.


[ Anyone is welcome. If you already signed up OOCly to participate, feel free to assume your character volunteered offscreen rather than replying here. Arche will be delivering info about scheduling and operational plans to everybody offscreen for players' convenience.

I will have to pause tags on this at some point but I'll be back tomorrow (Sunday)! ]

Comments

[topoiran]

I can find you in the city, yes.

[darkeststars]

Perfect. Please speak to Eleven, he can tell you a spot to find me in. I will be waiting.

[ for expediency, though: Eleven will almost certainly direct Xunxian to a wide alleyway near a common tavern, not the most pleasant but relatively inconspicuous. Likely not the sort of place Xunxian would normally be caught dead in, but then again, who knows (certainly not the person writing this tag, whoops).

Right at the spot where the shadow of the neighboring building falls over the tavern wall, there's a fairly skinny boy dressed in black leaned against it, examining some papers. ]

[topoiran]

[ Don't judge where he might be found dead. And don't phrase it like that out loud in Moran's hearing, please.

Xunxian ... doesn't ask Eleven, though he does nod at the youth before slipping out.

His hair is tied up in a ponytail without ornaments, and he's wearing a weather-appropriate cloak, dark and easy to miss in the darkness, though he's only keeping quiet
- he's far from invisible. ]

Darth Imperius? [ The pronunciation is pitch-perfect to how it was spoken over the network, and also there is not a hint of fear or any other suggestion that he knows what the name might imply. ]

[darkeststars]

[ his brows raise to hear his Imperial Basic accent replicated so utterly perfectly by someone who, if the general trend in this place holds true, has probably never heard of a "Dromund Kaas" or a "Korriban" in their life. Now that is not an experience he can say he's had around here before today.

He gives a brief nod of greeting as he pushes away from the wall, folding those papers to tuck into a pocket on his dark robes. A brief glimpse reveals nothing that interesting -- some writing in the local language apparently, next to which are different handwritten scribblings in an unfamiliar script. ]

Good of you to come on short notice. You had no trouble finding the spot?

[ he's assuming the stranger had to ask directions, of course. Though he's briefly spoken with Beitang Moran -- a short enough acquaintance that Xunxian may or may not have heard about it -- he certainly hasn't heard anything about the capabilities of the Star Masters. ]

The tavern is decent enough-- [ jerking his head briefly toward the building next to them ] We can have a seat and a drink if you like, or simply speak here.

[ he seems polite enough, but he's definitely no practiced courtesan full of social niceties; his courtesy ends there. He hasn't even quite asked for the stranger's name yet as he waits for a reply. ]

[topoiran]

[ Xunxian smiles slightly, then hums. ]

I think... it might be best to tell the gist of it out here, in case I need to demonstrate. That would probably be unfortunate inside, especially if the tavern is nice.

See, I can help, because I have the gift of languages - specifically, nonhuman languages.

The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the mice and even insects on the land. They can tell what I ask.

So I can know exactly when the ship will approach, for example. More details, too, perhaps.

[darkeststars]

[ once again his brows shoot to the sky, with a look of mingled surprise and interest ]

So when you say nonhuman -- you mean non-sentient? Animals, creatures?

[ He strokes his chin thoughtfully with a gloved hand. No skepticism about the idea, apparently, but Xunxian can probably already see the gears turning in his head as he tries to make sense of the description and calculate how this might be used to best benefit. ]

And they can collect such detailed information? Hm. I had no idea. Fascinating--... [ he's filing this thought away to take back home later. He can think of a couple spy friends of his acquaintance who'd jump at such a thing. ]

Oh. But I should ask your name.

[topoiran]

... well, if they have a language, they would not be entirely non-sentient, would they? But yes, in what I believe is the spirit of what you asked. Birds, rodents, insects, fish, for example - if I ask, they will answer.

As to how detailed the information they can give is, that depends. There are some birds I am familiar with back home who will know how to find specific people that I spend time with, for example - with those I am less acquainted with, I need to be able to explain. [ Xunxian's eyes crinkle in a smile. ] And what a place of food is like, they would naturally know and easily talk about - as well as other places where they live. Truly, it can make people uncomfortable, hence preferring to talk about it with fewer ears listening, at first.

[ He cups his hands in front of his chest in polite though not overly formal greeting. ]

Surname Su, called Su Xunxian.