05 Tatu's Gambit
Set the Scene
The blueprints are ready. Izel can almost fill them in with enough details, or at least they think they can once they find the specific pixel printer they are working with. now they just need to find that tech cache. Tatu is sure it exists now but otherwise things have stalled and all safe options exhausted. the SDA is slowly running out of battery and Izel and Tatu spend a whole day arguing about possible options. They need a plan.
Complication: 5 All is not as it seems
Altered Scene: 2 Normal
Tatu seems extra tense, even compared to their normal level of hostility. Something is up and Izel presses them on it.
diplomacy 18 - Izel forces Tatu to explain without resorting to threats. Baby steps.
Topic Focus
What is Tatu hiding?
6C Future Plans (physical)
Tatu explains their grand vision for overthrowing Kalrath. They always wanted power but ever since Izel arrived they had the support of most of the citizens because they were always pro technology, which for Palehaven meant maybe basic industry. Maybe. Enough to be comfortable but not to call down ruin once again. That plan is in jeopardy and they are getting anxious. Forced to consider destructive measures to take power and ask forgiveness later.
Pacing Move
5 Advance a Plot
Tatu is about to be vulnerable but then a guard rushes in and calls her outside. The star is angry. The normally calm white sun is visible pulsing with brilliant blue energy creating cascades of quick moving aurora across the daytime sky. Izel has seen it many times before. It's a coronal mass ejection caused by his warp drive escape from the Dead Arm. Harmless on planets with active cores and an electromagnetic field but hell in space.
Sovereignty 4 - Kalrath and likely most of Palehaven looks on in horror as their deep seated religious fears of space flash across the sky like sparks. The world stops. Tatu plots. This is the moment. The entire world is panicking and hiding. It's time to make a big play and become a hero. If they stop this, or even appear to stop it, they will dethrone Kalrath without a fight.
Tatu explains little but drags Izel out by the arm and marches them directly to the main temple entrance. Directly to the panicked guards.
Competence 2 - The guards spot Izel and draw arms but Tatu just stares them down as she walks and never breaks stride. "Not. Now." And with that the guards cover and back down. Once inside they go directly to Kalrath's quarters where even if they are not present the elite guards will be. Tatu demands to be taken to the archives with no explanation offered.
Sovereignty 5 - The guards obey without question. given the context they know it's the wrong time to ask questions. Unfortunately for them Tatu is bluffing.
Yes/No (Likely)
Once in the archives Tatu fetches Izel's repair tool and motions briefly to old world tech. "What else do you need?" Again no context, not in front of the guards. No story needs no explanation and no lies.
Is there a pixel printer?
3,4 Yes
Izel points to the pixel printer and one of the elite guards wheels it over on a cart at Tatu's command.
Yes/No (Unlikely)
Is there a cloning pod?
3,4 No
Izel looks around for a cloning pod, one of the most valuable old world technologies but finding nothing else of major value or worth while condition he shakes his head and Tatu leads them next to the hanger.
Action Focus
how does Tatu get rid of the guard?
5D Move (technical)
Tatu sends the guard away to secure the doors so the temple doesn't fill with fire from the engines of the ship. Izel does their best not to laugh until they realize Tatu doesn't actually know either way and might be perfectly accepting of such consequences, maybe even happy about them.
How Much
Once alone Izel pilots the ship through the stone roof. The Ashbound will be fine, they can repair it later.
Then Tatu turns and asks the first question that leads into their scheming. "How long is this storm going to last?"
1 Surprisingly lacking
"I'm surprised it's lasted this long"
"Good. Rise high enough they will believe we did something to make it stop"
Leverage 1 vs 5 - Izel turns back to Tatu and smiles. "Why should I? You are in my ship. Without the SDA we both need to do the job of 3 to keep it flying. That's why. Otherwise I would be jumping out of this backwater system at this very moment. Fuck! You didn't even plan this you don't know enough about the ship. Fine were headed back I'll finish the plans we can print a ship and then we are done. I leave and you play dictator. Deal?"
Tatu is stunned by honesty and cruelty that he would just happily kidnap her without a second thought. She respects that. She might need to kill him later.
They land outside the lesser temple and Izel starts loading the SDA back Tatu is dealing with the crowd and making her play. Izel is ready to escape if needed. If she fails to sell her blasphemous space ship rescue they are both doomed.
Leverage 2.4 - Tatu stirs the crowd and deftly makes her claim. Few challenge her as a savior and they even commend her for her quick thinking and saving them all. willing to forgive her for her blasphemy and maybe, just maybe accept her as the new head of state.
sovereignty 6 - Kalrath falls into anarchy as some call for Tatu to ascend and others call for her to be commended by Kalrath.
Yes/No (Likely)
Does Kalrath call for Tatu to be punished?
2,6 No and...
Kalrath agrees on Tatu ascending, giving up his own position to her heroism and wisdom. Tatu is on edge, something is wrong. but she doesn't know what.
Yes/No (Likely)
Does Kalrath sacrifice a loyal elite guard to assassinate Tatu?
3,5 Yes
As Tatu is trying to figure out what she has missed she feels the knife enter her back as one of Kalrath's elite guards yell out against her blasphemy. check mate. well played Kalrath. well played.
Resolve 1 - Tatu stumbles away as the angry crowd dismembers the guard in anger. She is bleeding and knows being treated by Kalrath's loyal is a death sentence. she has lost. so in a desperate gambit she stumbles up into the Ashbound where Izel is already preparing to escape. Having no reason to leave her to die he takes off. As they fly into space Tatu looks out into the blackness of space with a look of disgust on her face and passes out.