On Ezra - Part 3
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A RolePlay Log by | |
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Title |
On Ezra - Part 3 |
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Date |
2014 May 23 |
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IC Date |
2534 Nov 08 |
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Location |
Ezra - MacIvers School |
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Appearing |
Mia Daniels Michio Maxim Vargas 'Cal' Calira Dumont Wash Special Guest Star NPC's from the MacIver School Nathan Urbanek, Principal Amy MacDonald, Secretary |
The DarkStar Security Company continues its investigation on Ezra.
As with all things related to large numbers of people, organizing a meeting of the families of the missing children was not as simple as snapping ones fingers and calling the meeting to order. It did, in truth, take a few hours to sort out by by late afternoon - early evening - at least one family member of each student had gathered in the gymnasium of the school. They stood, collectively, in huddled groups talking in low voices, and though Amy had set out a large urn of coffee and another of hot water to go with the ubiquitous packets of instant tea, not many had indulged in the offer of beverage.
"I don't know whether or not they could all use a mild sedative or if having them all keyed up like this is going to be a good thing or a bad thing," Calira remarks in a quiet voice as she observes the gathered crowd from just outside the door of the gym. The hallway, with it's walls decorated with pictures and class projects, banners and cases of student artwork on display, is by comparison to the gym very quiet and at the moment very calmer in comparison. She shares a sidelong glance with Mia, "You don't happen to have a aerosol version of a sedative you could aim at the crowd just in case, right?" mild humor in her tone of voice and the hint of a smile lurking on her face.
Mia eyes the crowd, "You do nothing in half measures do you? I take them as they are, people's mood tells as much as their helpfulness-or lack thereof." <English>
Calira rubs one hand against the back of her neck while thinking her way forward, "One at a time, as needed, for follow ups. There's always a number, statistically speaking, who know more than the rest. Even if it's out of sheer determination on their own to do what they could to fact find. It's always like that, with any investigation, be it murder or anything else. The variables, the statistical anomalies, are usually the trick to solving any case. Look for what is and isn't there, something is always out of place, no matter how neat. And," she nods to Maxim once he returns from walking the perimeter, "everyone lies. Big or small, everyone lies about something. Spotting the lies and unraveling them to the truth they conceal, that's part of the process." Calira lifts both hands then and smooths her hair back from her face, tugs the hair tie out while she's talking, then winds her hair back in a sleek queue before rolling it into a bun at the nape of her neck. "I'm not a mother so I can't speak to them from that angle. But I know how to solve crimes and resolve issues, so I'll take that avenue." She spots the principal, Nathan, and his assistant, Amy, moving through the crowd and the gathered family members making their way to the seats available in the gym. "Alright. We're on." <English>
Mia hrrrms, "Well I'm a mother. Best you do the talking. If anyone recognizes me it'll not help your credibility." <English>
Calira makes a sound that is suspiciously like a snerk of amusement, maybe a snort. "And if any of them recognize me, you think that'll make it better?" wondered en sotto voice, sidelong, to Mia in immediate return. <English>
Making his way into the gym, Max stays out of the way. He finds a spot on the wall to watch the crowd and lets Cal do her work. <English>
Calira rolls her shoulders subtly, easing the tense set of her left shoulder while standing with Mia and Maxim in the entryway to the Gym as the principal begins to address the crowd. The gathered family members do settle down, or at least quiet, once Nathan begins to talk. His introduction is brief and he yields the stage, such as it is, with only a handful of remarks.
"Just think, it's just addressing a crowd, not walking in front of a firing squad. Or teaching recruits how to assemble weapons. Or how to not blow themselves up by accident," she mutters - as much to herself as to Mia and Maxim then strolls out to address the crowd.
"Good afternoon, my name is Cal Dumont and on behalf of DarkStar Security Company I'd like to thank you for taking the time to meet with us today. We know that the investigation into the abduction of your children has yielded very little in the way of actionable," she pauses slightly and alters course verbally, "usable leads. We're here to help change that. Each of you has lost a child already," some of them have lost more than one, by the odds at least, "and all of you have speculation, questions, and honest reason to fear for the safety of your missing children. We're here today to talk about what you know, about what you've found out since then, to share information. The more we know, ladies and gentlemen, the more we can help." <English>
The parents and other assorted family members to the missing children mill around the gymnasium. They're not comfortable, and they're not happy. But they're here, because being here means that there may be hope for their children. And, for their children being found. As Calira introduces herself, many of them fall quiet from the talk amongst themselves, and they look over to her. Many of them frown as they listen, and there are some murmurs at her name. But nothing that seems obviously negative. One, at least, of the woman in the crowd, can be heard crying. One of the men near the back of the room shouts out: "We just want our kids back!" <English>
Mia comes to stand beside Calira, "Answering Mrs. Dumont's questions to your best ability is the best means to make that happen. I'm a mother myself. To think to be in your shoes and be left without answers is...unthinkable. We are not toying with you. There are NO ulterior motives. I-Mrs. Dumont and I-want to help you get your children back. Please, help us to return your children home where they belong." <English>
Mia tests her Persuasion against a 75 difficulty. The result is unsuccessful (-29).
Mia tests her Persuasion against a 104 difficulty. The result is successful (43).
Calira tests her Persuasion against a 75 difficulty. The result is successful (10).
Calira waits quietly through the first murmurs, the crying, the shouted remark, both biding her time and holding on to her own words while moving a step to the side to make room for Mia to face the crowd with her. "In order to find your children, we need to determine why they were taken. Why will help us understand who. Who will help us learn where they are and from there, we make a plan on how to retrieve them," she speaks in that matter-of-fact tone of voice, outlining the mission objectives and known variables. No battle plan... of course, but she's utterly reasonable all the same. <English>
The people listen to both Mia and Calira, but they don't seem entirely trusting. After all, both of these women are strangers. Why should they care about the missing children? What's in it for the pair of them? "You can't know what it's like!" shouts a woman in the crowd. Some of the people are more agitated than others, it would seem. "How can you expect us to know why they were taken?" calls out a father near the back of the room. "Or by who?" adds another. Despite the questions they throw out, though, they're not violent or negative at all. They're just upset and worried a lot. <English>
Calira holds up one hand, waiting until the crowd settles again, before she speaks. "Most crimes," her voice pitched to carry all the way to the back of the room, "are committed for a handful of reasons. Money. Power. Greed. Manipulation. Religion. Politics. Or some mental issue that is tied to the former reasons. Your children were abducted," she emphasizes the word 'Your', "for a reason. This class. This group. This school. This planet. Now, the common denominators are all in this room," she pauses, again, letting that settle in. "Each of you have ties to the community, to this school, to your employers, to your families, to other family members on other worlds, and so on and so forth. None of you, not a single person in this room, is a solitary island without a network surrounding you, however small." She searches through the sea of faces to pick out the father near the back of the room, "Why do you think your child was taken?" she asks, point blank. "Who do you think took your child?" She asks the other that had spoken to near to the first, returning their questions in kind. <English>
It's about this time that Michio comes in to the gym, The japanese man shadowed as he had been most always recently by the form of Hachiman. As he hears the woman call out not knowing what it's like his voice sounds out with those accented words of Japanese and Sihnon upbringing, "You are wrong but not wrong there. Though my daughter has never been taken.. I know fully well what it is like to be in the same shoes as your children. I know what your children are going through and far worse, And we will find them.. And make sure those responsible pay. Now you can think my words are meaningless.. But this I promise you, Will do anything in my power to help find and get your kids returned. As will they, But you need to answer the questions they have for you. This is there place of experience.. this is what they know. If you want your children back.. answer the questions. Is as simple as that.." The man's shoulders raise and roll back into a shrug as he settles in at the back of the gym. <English>
Mia is silent, scanning faces and standing just to the side and beside Calira. <English>
From his spot against the wall Maxim merely watches the crowd, and around the crowd, in case anything is out of place from the distraught parents. His bronze coin slips into his hand, flipping idly over the fingers as he watches and lets the others talk to them. He has more in common with the children than they know, but that could open far more questions then he should answer on this planet. <English>
The crowd settles, but it takes a bit of time for them to do so. They are understandably agitated. After all, it's been more than three months with no results, and the most minimum of communication imaginable from the authorities. There are murmurs at the reasons that Calira poses, and some of the people shake their heads. It seems to them to be unlikely that any of these could be motives for stealing their children away. Looks are exchanged, and there are a few shrugs. "We don't know who took them. Or why. We haven't been able to find a reason for it," answers one of the mothers. The one who speaks is a middle aged woman with graying red hair, blue eyes. She's leaning against a support pillar within the gymnasium, looking tired and worn out. But she's here, and there's a fire in her that can't be denied -- one that's echoed in each of the parents who refuses to believe that the worst could have happened to their children. "How will you find them, when the authorities haven't been able to?" she adds, asking the question that every one of the parents is thinking. <English>
"To the authorities, your case is just one case among the many that they have to juggle. They have a set budget, set resources, set schedule, they have men and women they have to answer to, and have to account for every single credit and man hour they spend on this case," Calira says, keeping her answer simple. Honest. "DarkStar Security Company takes one case at a time. One. We focus all of our effort, all of our resources. Una alla volta," she quotes. "One at a time. We'll find them because we won't stop until we do."
Unsaid is the equally quiet undertone: one way or another. <English>
Michio raises his hand, "Oh let me answer this one.. Please.." His eyes settling upon Calira briefly as he offers her a small smile just barely edged in mischief. After a moment to think over how to phrase it Michio finally offers in addition to Calira's own words, "Also, Might I add. The authorities.. /lovely/ as they are.." A single word there holding more than a bit of sarcasm, "Also have to follow rules, regulations. They have red tape, They have to keep with their uniform code and all that shit. We.. Don't have those issues, We don't have to deal with juridictional bullshit. And we.. Least this.." His hand motioning to himself, "part of we, Don't mind breaking a few rules or laws while dealing with things. Or making sure that those responsible pay for what they have done..and payment is painful.." With that said Michio falls silent reaching down to give a quick scritch to Hachiman. <English>
The coin stops in his hand at the mention of the question. He looks to the group and then Calira's response. Finally he speaks, it takes a bit to not be quiet and project his voice as it's the opposite of his training, but he eventually uses the Gym to get his voice to project, and more of an Ezra accent, if slight. "Children have been taken on this planet before. It has always had dark things in the shadows. I have had to deal with such, growing up as a child here. Believe me when I say I know where to look, and if they are still here on this planet I /will/ find them." The resolve in his voice is absolute, though he seems to catch himself from expounding further on something and goes back to being quiet. <English>
Mia looks at Michio and the notes, "As gun ho as some of our personel rest assured we are professionals, we are the best at what we do and while we are no ruled by beaucracy, every precaution and consideration for due dilligence and the safe return of your children will be weighed." She nods to Maxim, "Your children are, to those who took them, valueable commodities. IT's wrong and appalling and as a mother myself I can hardly fathom-but the important fact remains that the odds are very high your child are alive. Even if they are not onthis planet-I am confident in our ability to local your children and bring them home. Safety. Mrs. Dumont has experience and insight that cannot be matched, god forbid my children go missing-Mrs. Dumont is the woman I want handling the situation." <English>
Murmurs pass through the crowd, and the families seem perhaps a bit more disturbed at the words shared by the people here to help them. "Then find them. And bring them back to us safe," says the redheaded woman, giving a sharp nod at that. She folds her arms in front of her, waiting and listening. Many of the others murmur assent to those words, and there are echoes of: "Find our children, bring them home." <English>
Calira tests her Perception against a 75 difficulty. The result is successful (8).
Calira tests her Gather_Information against a 75 difficulty. The result is unsuccessful (-3).
Mia tests her Gather_Information against a 75 difficulty. The result is successful (31).
Stepping back so that she is standing alongside the rest of the crew, Calira makes this deliberate placement of position to rank them as a unit in front of the crowd, thereby cementing the impression of solidarity in the eyes of the family members. It may be one of the oldest working tactics in the book, but the old ones are good ones for a reason. She shares a nod with the Principal and he moves back into place in front of the crowd, fielding some more remarks before explaining that Dr. Daniels would be speaking with each family briefly to request a DNA sample that will be used to help further their investigation.
While the principal is talking, Calira speaks in a low voice to Mia, Maxim and Michio (who she is now thinking of a 3M, for the record), "Any one standing out, in particular, in the crowd?" she murmurs, keeping her attention on the gathered family members, sweeping from face to face. <English>
Mia tests her Perception against a 75 difficulty. The result is successful (9).
Odell comes from the landing pad, having known this is primarily where his team has been doing most of their research into the disappearance of the kids. Due to the dangeres of the mission and the planet Odell arrives pretty much loaded for anything. <English>
Maxim tests his Perception against a 75 difficulty. The result is successful (29).
Michio tests his Perception against a 75 difficulty. The result is successful (30).
The members of the Dark Star Security company notice is that the parents are understandably emotional. After all, it's their children who are missing. They seem uneasy, and they aren't sure if the security personnel are trustworthy or not, if they can accomplish what they're claiming to be able to do. The redheaded woman sticks out but that's likely because she's vocal. Others, as well, would stick out for being vocal as well. But overall, there seems to be a sense of not having answers, of wanting answers, of having too many questions... and they are all tired and worn from it all. They've been getting the run around from the authorities -- answers that aren't answers but that are supposed to make them feel better by making it sound as though they're doing something and accomplishing things. They're frustrated at the lack of results, and as more than one of them had voiced -- they just want their children back.
Return to RP Logs at Dark Star Security
Return to Part 1 - On Ezra - The Newly formed Dark Star Security Company heads to Ezra to begin investigating the missing children.
Return to Part 2 - On Ezra - Part 2 - Dark Star Security Company continues its investigation on Ezra.
