Lirath - Noncombatants

[cityship]

 As the battle raged on far away on Lirath, the crew that remained on Balisair faced a different challenge.

The planet itself was bleak and simple, a rugged landscape covered with sparse forests. The colony itself wasn't very large, but a massive refugee camp was already being set up outside the walls. Numerous tents were already filling up with wounded and scared refugees, and more were coming. They would need help to take all of them in.

Numerous evacuation ships, still scarred from their close calls back at Lirath, were pouring in from the Bleed-Gate that appeared in orbit above the colony, bringing even more refugees with them.

On top of all this, there was yet another problem: Some of the colonists, concerned the sudden influx of refugees would tax the small colony's already small reserve of supplies, were holding back critical supplies the refugee camp needed. It would take someone to convince them to help out for the greater good to get them to part with these supplies.

The crew had their work cut out for them.

[ooc: Open!]

Comments

[badluckbabe.livejournal.com]

"No problem." Jinx tried to express the confidence and capability she knew she was capable of while she ran through her options. Traditionally to get people to do what she wanted she either manipulated them in a sneaky way...or threatened them with violence. Somehow she didn't think the second option would be as effective with this crew.

She glanced at her fellow diplomats suspecting it might be better to let them take the lead from here on out though. She was a thief, these two had more experience and she could tell. "Right?"

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

It was probably the slight look of assurance on the man's face that led Inara to realize that was the only humanoid adult of the three of them. Not that the realization affected any change on her expression. She nodded at Jinx and smiled reassuringly at her. "I've met seldom few people who haven't wanted to listen to a pretty face and a promising smile," she said. She watched as another piece of rotten fruit sailed by their heads. "I hope that isn't going to change now," she said as she turned to survey the worried - and angry - townsfolk. "Rhiow. Do you have any ideas?" Inara found that she trusted the cat, instinctively. If anything, Rhiow seemed to possess a good head on her shoulders, and she was clearly strong.

Skip NPCs for this turn?

[on_errantry]

"We know what they're afraid of," Rhiow said. "It's best to address those fears directly. Introduce ourselves first of course - and expect some anger for being the ship to bring all of these people here."

The anger would probably lead to more rotten fruit throwing. "Give me a moment to put up a barrier," she said, and reached out with her claws outstretched. She hooked them deep into a nearby bundle of hyperstrings, invisible to ehhif eyes, and pulled.

Around the three of them, a golden circle of swooping, curled script materialized. The language looked similar to Arabic, but closer inspection would reveal that it wasn't anything of the kind. "This is a localized solid-matter reflection barrier," Rhiow began, and spoke the rest of the spell quickly. The characters flared with light and then disappeared, leaving an invisible shell around the diplomats. "Let's go," she said, and trotted forward on her path of solid air, about shoulder level with the others.

[badluckbabe.livejournal.com]

"You're just full of neat tricks." Jinx remarked casually in a complimentary fashion as they approached the angry mob. After a pause she smiled softly to Inara, "After you?" There was a part of her that hated to admit that the older woman and the cat seemed to have a better grasp on the situation. But she could learn and do her best to help as they carried on.

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

Inara smiled at Rhiow's little display of power. Where she came from, no such abilities existed. At least, none that Inara knew of. She nodded at Jinx and walked towards the angry mob, exuding as much calmness as she could. "Let's hope they decide not to mob us with flaming torches and whatever they have that may pass for a pitchfork," she said. Granted, Mal wasn't there, which usually boded well. It was usually him who had the profound ability to really tick someone off. Once she reached the crowd, Inara put her hands up tried to shush the crowd. It was, clearly, not an easy thing to do. They were an angry, scared people, and Inara knew that anger and fear never made very good emotional mates.

"I don't suppose either of you have a spell handy to calm these people down?" She paused. "No. That may not be the best course of action. It would be against their wishes."

She turned back to the crowd. "People, please. Quiet down. We come to you in peace." It was, she knew, one of the most cliched things to say, but at the moment, she was unable to think of a better way to introduce her and her comrades to these people.