MSNPC Leda: With Any Luck
Sarah Terry
((At the Orion Perimeter, Drakos Prime))
That the Orions could have been manipulating her so completely all this time… it was too much to bear. Without a word, without a thought, Leda reached into her canvas bag and felt her hand curl around the cold metal grenade inside. She wanted to hurt them, to tear them to shreds, to spill them like rain on the hungry ground. But her grip slackened. And then her arms grew weak. What good would it do? She could kill a few of these heedless dullards, but others would get away and take the truth of whatever was in all those crates with them. Slowly, reluctantly, she sank down to her knees in the evergreen needles.
And then, suddenly, she was pulled into a tight embrace that took her completely by surprise.
Ivalyan: St-st-...p-p-...
Oh that sweet girl… She pressed her cheek to the top of Leda’s head, and Leda let out a shaky breath as she wrapped her arms around Ivalyan. For a moment, neither spoke. It had been a long time since anyone had shown her such unabashed compassion. And an even longer time since she had deserved it.
Leda: Dear, dear girl…
Ivalyan: I won't tell you it's ok-k-kay. You d-d-deserve better. But one d-day, it will be. And we will help make it so. I p-p-promise.
She gently patted Ivalyan’s back as they stood up together. The deep, persistent ache in Leda’s chest pulsed with fresh pain, but she nodded despite it.
Leda: One day, it will be. ::softly:: Thank you.
Ivalyan looked back to her colleagues.
Ivalyan: On your command.
The Trill turned to her, and she knew she needed to try to come up with a better plan than mindlessly attacking the camp.
Leda: What can we do? Distract them long enough to get closer? Maybe I… I could speak to them. They may not know me personally, but they know of me. They know they’re breaking our deal by leaving. It would make sense for me to have questions.
Willow: Perhaps not until after we consider it through more thoroughly.
Sylvax looked out over the camp with a serious, calculating expression.
Sylvax: Leda... ::His voice remained quiet.:: if you go down there right now, can you honestly tell me you're doing it because it's the best plan? ::A small pause.:: Or because you're angry?
She was angry, that was true, but their options were also limited.
Ivlayan: ?
Leda: ::biting her lip:: And if they’re distracted, we might be able to disable the shuttle. Keep them grounded as long as possible. Or even get in the cockpit and figure out their destination. Their watch on the perimeter is slack at best - if I approach them from the western side of camp and you sneak through the woods on the eastern side, you might be able to access the back of the shuttle without them noticing.
Willow: Likely, though what would occur if they became aware of our presence?
Sylvax frowned thoughtfully.
Sylvax: Then we adapt. ::He kept his voice low.:: We've spent the entire mission responding to incomplete information. ::A beat.:: I'd prefer not to add panic to that list.
Ivlayan: ?
Leda: ::with a steely gaze:: This is my fault. ::far more than they knew:: I owe my people something better. Let me help you do this. Please.
Willow: Explain to me what it is you wish us to do.
He looked directly at her.
Sylvax: Before we decide who does what... ::His eyes moved between the group.:: I'd like to know what we're trying to accomplish. Are we gathering evidence? Learning where they're going? Holding them here? Confronting them? ::He glanced toward the camp below. Depending on that answer, the plan changes.
Leda: Our priority is gathering evidence. But I don’t see how we do that without confronting them in some way. We aren’t going to get much closer otherwise.
Ivalyan: ?
Willow: I only guard you against using your emotions to fuel a rash course of action. I sympathize with how this is particularly difficult for you, a perceived failure for your people, yet, we must plan logically in order to avoid catching the attention of the Orion. I fear for your safety and that of your people too.
Leda: My safety is nothing against the safety of my people.
It was a belief she held deeply and sincerely. And one that had allowed her to commit atrocities in the name of the collective good.
Ivalyan: Response
Sylvax: We're not going to solve this in the next five minutes. But we may only have five minutes to gather evidence before they leave. Let's make sure we're chasing facts and not just anger.
Willow: Take it slow and explain it one more time. Please.
Sylvax: Start with what success looks like. What exactly do you want us to accomplish before those shuttles take off?
Leda: ::shortly:: As you said - we have five minutes and time ticks ever forward. We need to figure out what the Orions have done with the Grevad and if it can be reversed or changed or Traveler knows what else. We need some kind of distraction. Whether it’s me or something else - we have to do something to get them away from that shuttle!
Ivalyan: ?
Sylvax: Take it slow. ::His voice remained low.:: Walk us through it. What does the plan look like in your head?
Her mind raced through possibilities.
Leda: How about this? I understand the risk of walking into camp and starting to ask questions, so let’s do this differently. ::turning to Willow:: You give me your cloak. I’m small, and these Orions are barely paying attention. While you sneak around toward the shuttle, I’ll sneak toward the mouth of the cave. There’s enough tree cover that I should be able to get close without being seen. I can throw a flashbang into the cave - that should very quickly grab all of their attention, and give you a chance to take what evidence you can and run with it. Worst case scenario, there’s an angry Grevad down there, but it’ll be blinded by the flashbang either way, and we can escape back up the cliff before it - or the Orions - find us.
Ivalyan/Willow: ?
She knew it was risky but this was an opportunity they couldn’t squander.
Leda: Good, I agree. Anything you can grab will be of value.
She gave the group a final nod, and then split with them to disappear into the woods. The camouflage that had done nothing for her people in the generations they’d lived in space was finally an asset again. She made it to the top of the cave mouth without arousing any suspicion and waited there until she could see Sylvax, Willow, and Keros crouching in the shadows behind the shuttle. With any luck, they would be able to grab samples of whatever that mysterious liquid was, stasis tubes, notes and manifests… anything they could get their hands on. With any luck, she’d meet them at the cliffside and they could return together to Camp Hemera. With any luck, the Grevad could be subdued, removed, relocated, whatever it took, and her people could make a home here. With any luck, someday they would understand her, even if they could never forgive her.
She saw the signal from Sylvax, pulled the pin from the grenade, and hurled it into the depths of the cave.
Ivalyan/Willow/Sylvax: ?