Stardate 2365.02.12
USS Peregrine, Deck 2, XO’s Office – 11:48

There was a momentary silence in the wake of his hailing Asovil that brought a faint smile to Tochi’s face. Head down in research or one of her experiments, most likely, the Trill easily imagined. Just as easy to envision, too, were the expression of rapt intensity that played on her face, the way her antennae might be tipped forward, and the way an errant wisp of silky, white hair fell across her elegant features only to be absently tucked away behind her ear…

=/=Uh, yes? I mean, this is Lt Sh'iraolnas,=/= the Andorian woman’s vaguely distracted voice finally responded, then, with a shift in tone toward realized familiarity, =/=Tochi! Hello.=/=

“Good afternoon, Asovil,” his smile brightened at the sound of her voice, “If you’re not busy with more important things, we were hoping you might consider having lunch with me.”

There was another brief instant of silence and Tochi couldn’t help but chuckle as he waited it out. We definitely interrupted while she was deep in thought.

=/=Yes,=/ she answered, pensively, at first, but, then, affirmed with more force, =/=Yes. I would enjoy that. Shall I meet you in the galley?=/=

Tochi was already rising from his desk, his smile spreading all the more in anticipation of seeing her. “The galley or The Aerie,” he answered, making his way toward the door, “which ever you prefer. We were just hoping to steal a few minutes of your day to say hello…”

((OOC: Up to you, Brom, as to where the pair have lunch and/or if we even wish to play the whole thing out. Tochi is really just looking to “catch up,” congratulate her on being awarded the Cross of Alexander, and enjoy Asovil’s company for a bit.))

Stardate 2365.02.13
USS Peregrine, Bridge - 17:35

From his spot at the helm, Tochi eyed the starbase where it loomed on the viewscreen and watched the flight patterns of the various craft that swarmed about the station. He had already queued up the Peregrine’s pre-docking protocols but wasn’t precisely anxious to engage them; he’d already seen to it that the Saber’s arrival, here, would be delayed by altering course and velocity and, if the truth of it were to be spoken, he would be perfectly content to keep the ship in its current holding pattern indefinitely but…

“Captain,” Lieutenant Lasad floated across the bridge from the OPS station, “Starbase 118 has given us clearance to dock.”

“Very well,” Silas’ voice came from behind him, then, “Commander Zai, please complete docking procedures.”

“Aye, sir,” Zai replied, nudging the engines to half-impulse and guiding the Peregrine to her approach vector, “Docking procedures engaged.”

His fingers danced across the console, making minor corrections to heading and velocity while, at the same time, opening a comm channel. “Starbase 118 Approach Control,” he said following the acknowledging chime from the comm, “USS Peregrine requesting lock on.”

=/=Affirmative, Peregrine=/= came the reply, =/=Systems locked. Proceed to Docking Bay Six.=/=

“Acknowledged,” the Trill sighed faintly, drawing the impulse engines down incrementally as he maneuvered toward the yawning spacedoor, “On final approach, Bay Six.”

Soon enough (perhaps too soon for his own liking given the circumstances) the Peregrine was safely roosted in the starbase’s docking bay. Tochi’s console had scarcely registered that the stations gravitational and umbilical support systems had been engaged when Dio called out another report. “Captain, we've been hailed again,” the OPS Chief said, “Commander Jennings has requested that you and Commander Zai meet with him at once.”

“Understood,” Silas responded even as Tochi climbed out of his own seat and moved to stand beside the Captain. “Mister Lasad, you have the conn.” 

Zai offered a faint nod when Silas’ eyes met his but said nothing, electing, instead, to simply walk in silence at the man’s side as he took his leave of the bridge. When they entered the turbolift, though, and as much as he might have tried to stifle it, a faint sigh whispered over the Trill’s lips as he wondered exactly whom Starfleet might deem worthy enough to sit in the Peregrine’s now empty command chair. They’ll have a hard time finding anyone as laudable as Silas Drake, he mused as the lift door closed, obscuring the bridge just as Lasad approached the Big Chair, of that we have no doubt.

The trip from the frigate’s bridge to the head of the starbase gantry was passed in silence and was woefully short. The hatch whisked away and the Peregrine’s Captain and Executive Officer stepped onto the gantry to see a small party awaiting their arrival. It was then that Silas paused, turned his eyes to the Trill at his side and said; “Thank you, again, Tochi. For everything. May the wind forever be at your back.”

“And may the sun shine warm upon your face,” Zai returned, a warm if somewhat dejected smile playing on his lips as he turned to face his friend. He clasped Drake’s hand, then, and gave it a firm shake. “We don’t think you have anything to thank us for, Silas, but you’re welcome all the same.” As he released Drake’s hand, Tochi turned his eyes toward the obvious security retinue awaiting them at the gantry’s far end. He let out another sigh, echoing the one that escaped him on the lift just moments ago, then, clasping his hands behind his back, the Trill pasted an ambiguous smile on his features. “It has been our honor to serve with you, Captain,” he added as they strode across the gantry, “and my privilege to call you friend.”

And then, the time had arrived.  “Commander Silas Drake,” spoke a red-uniformed human Captain with wavy black hair.  “I'm Captain Richards, in command of Starbase 118.”  In his hand, he offered a PADD.  “I have orders from Admiralty.  You are hereby relieved of command of the USS Peregrine; your first officer, Lieutenant... er, Commander Zai is nominally in charge for the time being.”  Three officers in Security gold stood behind him, and he glanced at Tochi.  “Commander, the Peregrine is ordered to undergo repair and refit at this time; please see to it that this is handled.”

Zai pursed his lips and offered Richards a curt nod in reply; “Aye, sir. Right away.”

He turned to face Silas, then, and rendered a crisp salute. “Captain Drake,” he intoned, a sly wink hiding under the shade of his saluting hand, “we’ll see you soon, sir.” As much as it pained him to do so, Tochi turned and, without another word or so much as a glance back, strode purposefully back toward the Peregrine. A tumult of emotion flooded him as the hatch opened ahead of him but he was able to swallow the bitter lump they had tied in his throat and managed to step over the threshold without allowing any of it to register on his face.

Stepping back onto the turbolift, he ordered it back to the bridge and made the ride in silence. When the door whisked away before him, again, he strode back onto the bridge, making straight for the command chair. Lasad had scarcely gotten out of the thing and travelled two steps back toward OPS before Zai had sat himself in the chair and, wordlessly, keyed a few commands into the console built into one arm of the thing. When the computer beeped it’s acknowledgement of those commands, Lt Commander Zai tapped one more key and an address whistle sounded over the ship’s general comms. “Attention, all hands,” he stated, matter-of-factly, “this is Lt Commander Zai. In spite of our mission’s success and in absence of common sense, Starfleet has seen fit to relieve Captain Drake of command of the Peregrine. Until further notice, I will serve as acting Captain of this vessel.

Our current orders are to undergo repairs and refit while we are docked, here, at Starbase 118. Engineering: please compile and submit your damage reports and upgrade requests; Operations: coordinate and facilitate repair and resupply efforts with station OPS as soon as possible; Security: establish in-port details per your discretion. All non-essential personnel are hereby granted on-base liberty for the duration of our stay. Captain Zai, out.”

Cutting the comm channel, Tochi hauled himself out of the chair and, ignoring the eyes that may or may not have been on him, just then, strode toward the Ready Room door. “Mister Lasad,” he said, more gruffly than he had likely intended, “once again, you have the CONN. We will be in the Ready Room.” He neither expected nor awaited a response. Instead, he veritably stomped (much as Silas had often done in past days) toward and, as it slide away ahead of him, through the door. As he stepped into the room, stopping just short of rounding to the business side of the desk, his gaze swept slowly over the various ship models that hung on the walls… The Golden Hind was, now, notably absent from the collection… Tochi drew in a deep breath as he resigned himself to, finally, skirting the desk and depositing himself in the seat to which, by rights, Silas should still lay claim. He held that breath, his eyes again finding the empty spot where The Hind should have been, and, after a long moment, leaned heavily back into the chair, closed his eyes, and pinched at the bridge of his nose as, shakily, he allowed that long held breath to escape.

((OOC: Could probably come up with more but decided to stop there - I still have at least one more post to write for another game, after all. Anyhoo... Tochi will be lingering in the Ready Room for a bit. Interrupt at your own discretion.  ... I may have a bit more from some NPCs (and possibly Tochi) a bit later...))

I've had some grand adventures that stafrted with stumbling, myself!

Anyhooo... *ka-jingle-pounce*

If there's anything I (or any of our other Innmates) can do to help you out or show you around, don't hesitate to drop a line or a post or whathaveyou. We're odd but we're darn helpful.

It wasn’t long that Ch’dau, flanked by Kithran and Midge, stood his watch at the edge of the wizard’s garden. Mere moments had passed, it seemed, when Gib’s voice sounded from the charred doorway; “There’s no threat, here, but mind yourselves as it is rank within.”

As his shaggy head turned in the direction of Athandar’s house, the Kazari’s nose wrinkled, scenting the air that still bore the smells of the funerary fires from last night, and he chuffed out a faint sneezing sound. “It does not exactly smell like a garden out here, either,” he rumbled, waving a paw at the wizard’s patch of lawn, “despite all of this.”

“Shall we,” Kithran asked, sheathing her blades and turning to stride for the door.

Ch’dau’s gaze flicked to Midge, then back to Kith, and, with a faint grunt, he returned her nod and followed along behind her. As they entered the wizard’s ruined abode and the rankness Gib had forewarned of fully assailed them, the cat-man’s nose wrinkled, again, with enough intensity, this time, to pull lips away from teeth. Another chuffing sneeze followed and Ch’dau shook his head in a vain attempt to clear the stench from his nostrils. “Merciful Kh’ra,” he snarled, his eyes sweeping the carnage even as he fought to ignore the putrid smells permeating the place, “someone has marked this territory with a vengeance!”

“This man fought and died bravely,” Kith murmured as she crouched to inspect the mage’s mutilated corpse.

Given the number of zombie bodies strewn about the room, Ch’dau could do little else but grunt in agreement. From the looks of things, though, something more than just a fight happened here. The way the wizard’s belongings and sundries were strewn about, someone or something had ransacked the place either during or after the battle. Curious, the Silver Cat mused, as he watched Kithran move from point to point, carefully inspecting the scene, Surely, it could not have been these twice and thrice dead creatures. Their thoughts, should they have any, seem only inclined to destruction, not discovery. He let the thought go unvoiced for the time being, content to let Kithran go about her own study of the place before he concerned himself with lofting opinions of his own. He stayed close to her while she did so, though not so close to be in her way, and, hands on the hilts of his blades, loomed in the doorway between living area and bedchamber as the half-syl girl inspected the sleeping quarters.

“So, Little Kitten,” he rumbled softly as Kith wrapped up her examination of the ruined bedroom and moved to rejoin the rest of the party, “what have your keen eyes uncovered?”

((OOC: Not really much for the battle-beast to do, here, I suppose. If his sense of smell is sharp enough to do so, though, he'll remember this particular urine smell just in case he chances upon it elsewhere - not sure if his hunting NWP might play into that or not - otherwise, he'll simply proceed as posted and/or as directed... heavy lifting, that kind of thing.))

I'm already serving aboard the Peregrine, otherwise I'd certanly take a run at this one, myself! That's not to say our paths won't cross as the RDI Fleet grows, though.

Best of luck, Captain Butterfly!

...playing nursemaid to one's mother isn't the easiest of tasks.

Looking to get caught up on all my posting today.

That's why Ch'dau loves her!

Kith's skills may just be more useful than the rest, in this case, now that I think about it... so, yeah, do that forensics roll.

Anyhoo... got things settled around here. (Mom is medicated and resting; I'm caught up with work from being out, today, and now I can look into doing some postiliciousness! Try to have something ready to go soon.

...just not for us... yet!

And who peed the bed? That's naaaaaaaasty!

I'll hang back on posting for a bit... wait to be summoned, you know?

Nicely done, breebles! Welcome to the nightmare.

Buuuuut there it is, for what it's worth... fluff mostly, but it did go a good way to getting me back into Tochi's head.

Stardate 2365.02.12
USS Peregrine, Captain's Ready Room - 09:55

“You are our friend, Silas Drake,” Tochi Zai smiled softly, reaching a hand across the desk to shake Silas’, “and that is more an honor than any medal, rank, or badge could ever hope to confirm. In the event that they do assign you to a penal colony, rest assured that we will visit you regularly and often.”

Captain Drake cleared his throat before reaching out to accept the Trill’s handshake. “Thank you, Tochi,” he said, the emotion in his voice tactfully masked though not unnoticed, “Your kindness is very much appreciated.”

“And more than deserved, Silas,” Zai replied with a smile and a nod.

“I wish that Michelle could have known you,” Drake added pensively as the two men’s hands unclasped, “She would have liked you.”

“And, likely, held us accountable for any trouble we allowed you to get into,” Tochi chuckled. “We’re sure that we would have liked her, as well,” he added, “and that, wherever she may be, now, she is as proud of you as we are.”

If there’s nothing else, sir,” the Trill said, straightening his uniform as he got to his feet, “we are supposed to be on duty at the CONN…” He offered a roguish grin and a quick wink, then. “…We should probably get back to it and make sure that we’ve laid in a sufficiently roundabout course back to Starbase 118.”

((OOC: Anything else from Silas on this goes here… backposts as needed, of course.))

USS Peregrine, Bridge - 09:59

Tochi Zai emerged from the Captain’s Ready Room, still with only two pips on his collar, and strode toward the CONN. As he approached, the diminutive form sporting the mass of red curls that occupied the helm bounced in the seat once before turning and blinking up at the Trill now standing behind her…

“H’lo, Lt Zai,” Megan grinned, her eyes darting quickly between Zai and the console at her fingertips, possibly unsure of exactly where they should be at the moment, “Everythin’okay?Meetin’wit’th’Cap’nwentwellan’all?”

…Tochi couldn’t help but grin in the face of the girl’s enthusiasm and uncertain excitement. “Relax, Mr Owen,” he chuckled softly, tipping his head a bit to indicate that it was okay for her to pay attention to her instruments and the viewscreen, “Take a breath and fly your ship.”

“Yessir…Ayesir…Jus’ wasn’ prepared fer ye ta…” Megan tittered as her eyes flittered back toward her controls and her fingers sped over the console. The little woman’s back straightened, then, and the mass of curls held behind her head in a tenuous ponytail bobbed as she forced herself to suck in a long, slow breath. “Anaway,” she almost sighed on the exhalation of that breath, her eyes now keen on the console and screens before her, “Meeting wit’ th’ ol’ man go a’right, sir?”

“Both better and worse than we’d imagined it might, Megan,” Tochi grinned, resting a reassuring hand on the girl’s shoulder, “Thank you for asking.” He glanced over her shoulder at the CONN, then, and, following that, let his eyes drift to the viewer. “Course and speed?” he asked after a moment, his hand falling away from the tiny pilot’s shoulder.

“En route to Starbase 118, sir,” PO Owen answered almost instantly, “per the Captain’s orders. Stan’ard Starfleet nav-paths, gi’en oor current position. Currently cruisin’ a’ warp five…”

Tochi reached passed her and made a slight adjustment to the currently plotted course but didn’t commit it to the controls, right away. “Drop us to warp three, Mr Owen,” he murmured as his cold fingers withdrew from the console, “and adjust Peregrine’s course per our input. I don’t think any of us are in that big a hurry to get back to 118.”

…Her eyes following Tochi’s hand, Megan did let her gaze drift away from the CONN for an instant, and she blinked, again. Then, realization dawned on her elfin features and she turned her face back to the controls to hide the smile that had started to tug at the corners of her mouth.

“Do you mind extra time at the CONN, Petty Officer,” the CFCO’s voice asked from over her shoulder, “or do we need to release you to your regular detail and take the helm, ourself?”

“Nosir. O’coursesir! I dinnae mind at all, sir,” Megan replied, tapping the icon that would commit Tochi’s adjusted flightplan to the computer and drawing the warp drive down to the suggested velocity, “Course correction’s laid in. Ye take all th’ time ye need, Lt Zai. I’ll mind th’ shop, ‘ere, til someone relieves me.”

“We’ll leave you to it, then,” Tochi winked, backing away from the CONN and pointing himself toward the turbolift, “Carry on, Mr Owen. Thank you.”

USS Peregrine; Deck 2 – XO’s Office - 10:09

Tochi whisked through the door to his office and, before the thing could close, flopped himself down in the chair behind the comparatively expansive desk that bisected the room. Why, Silas? Why are you so quick to give up on yourself? The question went unspoken save for in his mind as his feet went up on the desk and his hands pressed to his forehead. The Trill’s eyes scrunched closed, though, behind his eyelids, his gaze was still firmly fixed on the blank slab of his office’s ceiling. He sighed, long and loud, letting the tension seep from him on each bit of that expelled breath and, as it went, so, too, did the phantom view of the ceiling of his office. At first, it was just a blurring of the curves and lines that defined the ‘pattern’ of the office’s overhead but, soon enough, the blurring melded into the soothing gray-black of unimagined sight… and the realizations started to come…

“My very first real command led to the death of several people, Tochi. Including Michelle's," Drake’s voice echoed in his memory; the conversation recalled hadn’t occurred even two weeks ago. “I know what you are going to say. The matter was investigated, it was concluded that I did everything possible, that I chose the correct course of action. I know what they say; they gave me a frilling medal for it.”

…Tochi’s eyes shot open, then, and, as his hands came away from his head, one of them fumbled for the felt-lined box in his pocket. He thumbed the box open, sat it on the desk, and stared at the single, hollow rank pip nestled inside. Have you accepted a fate that has not yet come to pass as some sort of self-loathing act of contrition, Silas? The Trill wondered, pinching the little gold dot between his fingers and removing it from the box. Is your fatalistic outlook based solely on Jacobs’ political standing or, instead, is it something that you, yourself, hope for… a desire to make amends for some shadow of guilt that haunts your thoughts? He pursed his lips as he eyed the pip that now balanced on the tip of one finger and, after a moment, let out another sigh, accompanied by a rueful shaking of his head. It troubles us that we’re even considering that to be the case, Tochi’s thoughts continued as, at last, he affixed the Lieutenant Commander’s pip to his collar, We know you to be a stronger and wiser man than that, Silas, but we can’t help but wonder…

“Well, there’s little we can do about your personal demons, my friend,” LtCmdr Zai said aloud, his fingers falling away from his collar and coming to rest on the console built into his desk, “but we do know a thing or two about politics and how tenuous perceptions of power can be in that arena. Why don’t we see if we can’t get demoted by going against your orders, hmm?

Computer,” the Trill called, “Access all First Officer and Personal log entries from stardate 42132.4 to present; filter for any and all mentions of Captain Jacobs and/or the Coronado.”

The computer chirped in acknowledgement and, soon enough, a summary of the data he had requested was scrolling across his display. As he examined the information and flagged specific items for a more in depth review, he called out another command; “Access ship communications for the same date range. Flag all communiques between myself and Commander Bethany Farr…”

=/=Acknowledged,=/= the computer responded. A status indicator appeared on Tochi’s console as the requested communication records were accessed and sorted.

“…Also, give us a capture of all bridge to bridge communications between the Peregrine and the Coronado from stardate 42143.7 forward…”

=/=Secure and encrypted bridge communications requires verification of security level nine or higher,=/= the computer replied, =/=Input your code to proceed.=/=

“…Zai- sigma-lambda-nine-zero-four-eight-six,” Tochi called back.

There was a brief series of blips followed by a similarly brief silence before the computer acknowledged his clearance; =/=Code authenticated,=/= it said, even as the files began to appear on his console, =/=Thank you, Lt Commander Zai.=/=

Over the course of the next hour and a half, Tochi went through the logs and comm files in excruciating detail, compiling every last bit of data that might be used to show that it had been Jacobs and not Drake who had been in the wrong where the Gamera debacle was concerned – policy, procedure, and chain of command be damned – and, also, those snippets of conversation between himself and Commander Farr in which she, herself, had questioned her Captain’s motivations, maneuverings, and malice toward Drake. When he finished, all the information he could find was consolidated and copied into a single file which he attached to an outgoing message…

To: Office of the Judge Advocate General, Starfleet Headquarters
From: LtCdr Zai, T.
Subject: Captain Silas Drake

Sirs,

By the time this message reaches you, I am sure you will have received other communiques regarding the activities and actions carried out by the crews of both the USS Coronado and the USS Peregrine where they concern the peace summit between the Rytian and Kuldar, held recently in the Gamera system. While, in the end, the mission was a success, tensions ran high between not only the respective delegates but, also, the Commanding Officers of the Starfleet vessels assigned as escort. Regrettably, the frictions between Captains Drake and Jacobs were not resolved as amicably as those of the Kuldar and Rytians. In the end, Captain Jacobs came to threaten bringing numerous charges against Captain Drake for actions which, quite honestly, sirs, saved not only numerous lives aboard both vessels but also the summit, itself.

Attached you will find secure, unaltered copies of my own log entries and communications in regards to this matter, as well as copies of bridge to bridge communications between Captain Drake and Captain Jacobs that transpired during the time Starfleet assets were engaged with saboteurs who sought to subvert the peace conference. I ask that, in your consideration of charges, should any be brought, that you consider the contents of these files before finalizing such decisions as I am sure they will provide an enlightening counterpoint to any allegations Captain Jacobs might have already made.

Sincerely,

Lt Commander Tochi Zai
(Executive Officer; USS Peregrine – NCC-79288 )

…Tochi blinked once as he re-read the message, then, with a confident nod, stabbed a finger at the console and sent the thing on its way. “And if the political machine in Starfleet wishes to ignore it,” he murmured, reclining back into his seat, “Perhaps GNN might care for a look.”

He stared at his display for a moment longer, wondering how much trouble he’d just managed to get himself into… particularly with Silas… but, after that fleeting instant of uncertainty in what he’d just done, the Trill shrugged and rose from his seat. Glancing at the time and feeling the slight rumble of a stomach nearing empty, he tapped his commbadge and strode for the door; “Zai to Lt Sh’iraolnas…”

=/= ((OOC: assuming a response)) =/=

“Good afternoon, Asovil,” his smile brightened just at the sound of her voice, “If you’re not busy with more important things, we were hoping you might consider having lunch with me.”

Ch'dau will stand watch while Gib and Aranwen approach/enter Athandar's place, keeping his eyes keen on the streets and such for any signs of trouble. If any commotion rises from within the wizard's house, though, he'll be quick to charge in.

Once the decision was made to leave Cedric to his rest and Nya had offered up directions to the dwelling of the wizard, Athandar, it wasn’t long until the party found themselves standing in front of the place. Ch’dau’s gaze skimmed over the well-tended garden, briefly musing over what some of the strange looking plants there might be used for, then his eyes settled on the little house’s blue door… The thing stood ajar, the planks from which it was constructed, along with the jamb in which it hung and even the grounds just outside the threshold appeared charred and scorched.

“Blessed Battle Father,” Gib murmured, unsheathing his sword and readying his shield as his own eyes registered the apparent damage.

“Mmm,” the Silver Cat rumbled softly with a scant nod, glancing sidelong at the warrior-priest, “It does not bode well, does it?” His hands moved to the hilts of his own blades but, as yet, did not pull them from their scabbards.

“Be on guard, friends,” Aranwen advised, then, “Something is amiss.”

“Let us hope it is not the wizard, yes,” the cat-man muttered, his gaze travelling a wary circuit along the streets and alleyways that passed in front of Athandar’s abode.

“Gib, you're with me,” Aranwen stated, then, taking a step further toward the wizard’s door. The bladesinger then paused momentarily and looked to Ch'dau, “You hang back along with the others. We don't want to scare the occupant, if he's still alive, with a giant cat warrior barging into his home.”

The big Kazari chuffed out a mildly amused chuckle in the wake of Aranwen’s wink and, as the bladesinger turned toward the door, Ch’dau nodded confirmation of the order he’d been given. “Of course, Aranwen-khatun,” he replied as he moved toward the front of the garden in order to stand watch at its edge.

...there's a face I haven't seen in quite some time! Welcome back, Avrielle!

I'm clattering around a bit, this morning! Need extra coffee to chase away the medicine induced fog, I think. Anyhoo, nice thinking with having Ch'dau hang back... definitely don't want to freak out a guy who can fling fireballs, right?

I'll get a post tacked up soon.

Nice work, there, butterfly! Would love to see more when you're up to sharing!

And I'm sure I have better stuff to do... just not as much fun!

"Steam was effectively unsettled and was about to suggest the Comm Officer go communicate with with the inside of his a**hole..."

I. Am. DYING over here!

Oh, my neck! Oh my back! Oh my neck and my back!!!

Just kidding! I'm still here... long, annoying day... just now getting back to "settled." If I don't manage a post tonight, I'll have one ASAP in the morning.

I'm on mobile at the moment but plan on a post once I get home. 

Hoped? Sure... even though I know better!

Dangit! Now I want magic eggs... and some eldritch bacon... and bewitched biscuits!

...Athandar's doorway is charred and ajar! Why wouldn't it be???

If the wizard is in there and has become a giggler, I'm gonna need a bigger litter box! Juuuuuust sayin'!

Good deal... I figured the order based on the last couple of posts. Steam's "relinquishing" of the lead spot, Blowz "whispering" in Steam's ear, and Brighte's proximity considered in that order. Slipp and Artie bring up the rear since Slipp was the most recently recycled and Artie having been somewhat quiet.

...I imagine our order presently looks like this:

1. Ammpe
2. Steam
3. Blowz
4. Brighte
5. Artie
6. Slipp

Anyone else see it otherwise?

...if anything, it just added another layer of RP fodder to the mix and I never oppose that.

Truth of it is that none of the party got a full night's sleep/rest before the zombies attacked and we spent the rest of the night clearing the town of the cursed things. Cedric likely had the right idea where getting his rest caught up is concerned.