Planning a rebllion

[Rocky]

"Sure."

He cleared his throat then began, "We're all her because we want to kill that fat stoat, right?" Hs words weren't meant as a question, merely confirmation of some sort or just saying it declaritively. "What I think should happen would go like this: You two assassinate his guards, I move in for the kill, pass over leadership to someone else, free the slaves, then go back to a life of marauding."

He concluding with a grin, and leaned back, crossing his arms in back of his head as he rested against the wall behind.

He looked over at Vselvolod, sensing he wouldn't like his idea, then looked at Lorna, nodding, "Lorna? You next."

OOC: Sorry... Dont know what else to post really. lol

[Treble Tiderunner]

"We're all here because we want to kill that fat stoat, right?"

Lorna didn’t dignify that with an answer, instead she picked at a piece of lint, crossing her ankles and looking about the room from under her eyelashes.

"What I think should happen would go like this: You two assassinate his guards, I move in for the kill, pass over leadership to someone else, free the slaves, then go back to a life of marauding."

Well, that was certainly something she could do. By herself, and still go on to murder N’Tashi. But why work when one doesn’t have to?

"Lorna? You next.”

“Oh no,” Lorna simpered, batting her eyelashes from one male to the other, “I’d much rather hear captain Vselvolod’s plan.”

[Maxodis]

The ferret in question had picked up a drinking glass and was examining it as he absently listened to the other two captains. The glass wasn't particularly clean persay, it was clear that Captain Shadowclaw was not a drinker. He whisked away the dust from inside the small glass before holding it up to the light once more. The small vessel caught the dim light well, the irregular planes of the glass breaking the light in peculiar patterns. Shame that it was empty.

"Oh no, I’d much rather hear captain Vselvolod’s plan.”

Vsevolod gave the empty drinking glass a mournful look, pointedly hesitating for a long moment before sighing deeply and reluctantly placing the small glass on the table beside him. Falling into silence, he briefly considered Shadowclaw's plan; briefly, as there wasn't much to it. Surely this couldn't be it, he wouldn't have been requested if the master "plan" was a brusque as that. His eyes shifted to Captain Lorna. She clearly had something planned, or at least, would be well able to formulate something better. Why she had insisted on hearing his advice was ambiguous. Not that there was anything he could do about the matter.

He traversed around the quarters, taking slow steps as he stroked his muzzle in thought. He spoke in low tones, his eyes locked on the ground immediately infront of him. "You forget, Captain Shadowclaw," he pointed to the fox in question, "That while its true that the simplest plans are usually the most effective, were we to go about the task at paw in such a direct manner, there would be nothing to say that some other beast couldn't do the same to us, in the same simple manner." He hesitated for a moment and looked up, flashing an apologetic smile to Captain Shadowclaw. "No offense intended."

He retrieved the drinking glass as he strode past it once more and fell silent in contemplation. There were endless ways that the task could get done, it wasn't a matter of which would be most effective in its purpose, but rather, which one would leave the conspirators in the best position after the deed was done. There wasn't, however, any particular reason to begin to lay out the plans within his head until he was more aware of the other's purposes. Sighing deeply, he observed the glass once more. "Such a piteous vessel, to be so empty, so piteously empty..."

[Rocky]

"Oh no, I’d much rather hear captain Vselvolod’s plan.”

Nodding, Jakk turned to look at the ferret. He raised an eyebrow as he saw a cup in Vselvolod's hand, a mournful look imprinted on the ferret's features. Then, he began his plan, placing the up on the table next to him and Jakk listened intently.

He looked from Vselvolod to Lorna looking for a sign of emotion or anything towards his words. He looked back to the ferret as Vselevolod ended, for the moment.

"You forget, Captain Shadowclaw," he pointed to the fox in question, "That while its true that the simplest plans are usually the most effective, were we to go about the task at paw in such a direct manner, there would be nothing to say that some other beast couldn't do the same to us, in the same simple manner."

''Oh, I'd highly disagree.. We have more skill, us three, more then almost every other beast in this damned fort including N'Tashi.''

He cracked his neck, then continued, ''Just think of it, Vselvolod, Lorna, we're pretty much the strongest ones in this fort individually, but imagine if we join together in like a... triple alliance. We could rule the fort and not need personal guard. Although... I'm not going to rule with you... Just help in taking out N'Tashi.''

Jakk had to admit, he was being a bit c ocky and overconfident, but sometimes those were good to have. He liked that feeling. The feeling like being on top of the world and nothing can bring you back down.

''No offense taken, by the way.''

There was still the question of who was going to kill N'Tashi. ''Who'll kill the stoat? I'd like to do that but I believe, so would you two.''

[Maxodis]

''Oh, I'd highly disagree.. We have more skill, us three, more then almost every other beast in this damned fort including N'Tashi.''

"Be that as it may," Vsevolod continued, placing the drinking glass back down on the table, audibly. Jakk may have perceived the request for a drink as merely a cover for their plotting, but the ferret had been genuine in asking. "There are many, many more of the inexperienced masses than there are of us. If you honestly believe that you can defend yourself against hundreds, you're free to test your endurance, but know that a warlord without those to rule over is nothing more than a glorified fool. No, that will not do."

He made no attempt to apologize for his sharp tone. Some sort of authority would have to be exercised over the other two conspiritors. Over Lorna, perhaps less so, but this one... It came back down to a matter of experience. The younger fox clearly did not realize the inadvisability of his plans. His priorities were a bit out of line as well.

"Nor is it a matter of whom kills N'Tashi as it is a matter of first getting to that point. Now, if you would be so kind..." He retrieved the glass and held it out resolutely. "A drink, to soothe my parched throat?"

[Rocky]

Vselvods words stuck in Jakks mind, flushing out all his other thoughts. Either the ferret was right or Jakk was right. He wanted to believe the latter of the two and not the former, mainly because he didn't like being wrong. Ever. The fox decided to voice his thoughts, "Either you, Vselvolod are right or Im right. Id like to believe I was right but i think Im going to have to have to say you're right. There are more of them then there are us."

It took a lot of Jakk to say that but he did. Being wrong always annoyed the fox. It was something Jakk hated a lot because it made him feel dumb, and he wasn't dumb. Or so he thinks.

The tone of the ferret, however, was what made Jakk angrier. Vselvolod was definitely the one with more experience and probably the one that he should be listening to, but, the ferret was getting on Jakks bad side - something many beasts entered but also something that few left unscathed. Jakk stared at Vselvolod and looked at the drinking glass in his hand. It was true that Jakk was no drinker, and he made no move to become one. Alcohol, Jakk thought, was a pirates drink that poisoned creature minds.

As the ferret asked for a drink, Jakk folded his arms across his chest and leaned back. "You want a drink? Im no drinker, Captain Petrenko." Jakks words came out sharp and in a tone caught between anger at the ferret and disgust at alcohol. "However, there may be some liquor in the cabinet next to you on the left wall."

Jakk didn't drink, as many knew, so why would the alcohol be there?

"I keep some for wounds" he explained, "Dont drain the bottle." His last words came out as sort of a dare that Jakk had no doubt the ferret would accept. However, Jakk has been surprised before.

[Maxodis]

"I keep some for wounds, don't drain the bottle."

Vsevolod chuckled lightly as he poured some of the translucent liquid into his glass, mostly to mask his disgust at the grimy appearance of the bottle and the equally poor quality of its contents. Given nothing but alcohol of this inferior quality, the ferret doubted he'd be a drinker either. It was a particularly sad thing, to be alone in his refined appreciation of good alcohol in a society of creatures whom viewed the stuff as either a poison or a means to soak their mind in liquid oblivion. Vsevolod was no alcoholic, he felt no overbearing desires to drink. He did not depend on a measure a day to function properly. His appreciation, however, had caused others to associate him with those that did. Sipping daintily at the foul liquid, he had half a mind to go off on a tangent of where exactly the errant fox was wrong. This was not the time not the place to agitate his fellow conspirator. Failing to suppress a wince as he downed the harsh liquid, Vsevolod continued.

"Indeed, our plan of action would have to be one which we have no fear of ourselves. Essentially this means we would have to kill N'Tashi in a fashion that would have no effect upon us, in the event of somebeast plotting against us as we are plotting now.
"I have no need to remind you that we, like all creatures, are by no means immortal. It would then be inadvisable to be so... forward, about his execution. As much as I'm sure the two of you would enjoy having his blood flow over your paws, that is simply not an option. Neither is poison. We must, then, contrive to rid ourselves of our beloved commander in an unconventional fashion.” Vsevolod poured himself a second measure of the liquor. The stuff didn't really taste like anything, besides grime. It burned violently on the way down, to the extent that even the long-time drinker was having trouble stomaching the liquid. But liquor was liquor.

“No doubt, the both of you have already borne witness to N'Tashi's... peculiar behavior. His spontaneous seclusion to his quarters, his instable mental state. Perhaps you have also noticed how quickly he shies away from the door, how he will irrationally insist that the door be closed before allowing a creature to talk to him. Perhaps you've noted the shrill quality of his voice when demanding so, the underlying tones of fear.” He paused for a moment to take another sip of the fluid. “They say the simplest plans are the most effective. Our method of killing him, then, will remain simple. We kill him with fear.”

[Treble Tiderunner]

“No doubt, the both of you have already borne witness to N'Tashi's... peculiar behavior. His spontaneous seclusion to his quarters, his instable mental state. Perhaps you have also noticed how quickly he shies away from the door, how he will irrationally insist that the door be closed before allowing a creature to talk to him. Perhaps you've noted the shrill quality of his voice when demanding so, the underlying tones of fear.” He paused for a moment to take another sip of the fluid. “They say the simplest plans are the most effective. Our method of killing him, then, will remain simple. We kill him with fear.”

“Excellent.” Lorna purred, “It so happens that fear is my particular,” she paused, “skill.” She slipped daintily off the dresser and paced the room, stopping briefly next to Vsevolod. “You may find this more… palatable.” She said, depositing a small bottle in front of him. “I did promise you a drink among comrades, after all.” Pulling a cloth from her sleeve, she polished the cleanest glass she could find, grimacing at the dirt. “Really, Jakk. It would not hurt you to clean a little.” Pouring from her small bottle, she saluted Vsevolod with it and took a sip.

“Now.” She continued pacing, this time with glass in paw. “Vsevolod has a point. You plan is… brutal. Unrefined. It is true. We are the strongest in the fort. But even the strongest fall with the correct pressure.” She took another sip of her liquor. “Sometimes it is numbers. Sometimes it is strength. Pain.” She looked at Vsevolod. “Fear.”

“Now, I myself, I don’t really care for this place, no real horizon, no real loot or wonderful maleficent storms. So as soon as N’Tashi is dead, I am gone.” She drank the rest in a gulp, meeting the eyes of both males in the room slowly.

“I’d be gone now, but that leaves loose ends. I so hate leaving loose ends untied.”

[Maxodis]

“Excellent.” Lorna purred, “It so happens that fear is my particular,” she paused, “skill.”

Captian Vsevolod smiled quietly to himself as he tilted the hazy drinking glass back and downed the rest of the harsh contents. I'm sure it is, fox. I'm sure it is. The ferret was well aware of Captain Lorna's brutal method of command. Not even the dimmest hordebeast could be convinced to serve under her direct command, despite the amount of wealth or ale offered. A destructive method if anything, her method was nevertheless effective. Vsevolod gave a mental shrug; different schools of thought. But then again, perhaps his own particular commanding technique wasn't so far detached from her own.

He had drained the last of the distasteful liquor from the glass as Lorna slid from her perch and resumed pacing the small room. Setting the empty vessel down on the table beside him, he followed her movements with his eyes, arcing an eyebrow as she deposited the small flask beside him.

“You may find this more… palatable. I did promise you a drink among comrades, after all.”

The ferret silently regarded the Vixen for a long moment as he considered the intent of her action. It felt as if he were missing some obscure part of the picture, and confusion briefly clouded his features. Unable to come up with a satisfactory answer, Vsevolod gave a slight shrug to no one in particular and collected the flask from the table. Hesitating for a moment, he held the small glass container to the light, as he observed the way the light passed through the liquid. He continued his silent inspection of the flask's contents, pouring a small measure into his drinking glass and holding it up to the light once more and pivoting his wrist gently to swish the contents in the glass slightly. Finally satisfied, he carefully tilted the glass to his lips and sipped a small part of the measure. Savoring the smooth burn as the alcohol slid down his throat, the ferret returned the salute and listened attentively as the Vixen continued.

“Now.” She continued pacing, this time with glass in paw. “Vsevolod has a point. You plan is… brutal. Unrefined. It is true. We are the strongest in the fort. But even the strongest fall with the correct pressure.” She took another sip of her liquor. “Sometimes it is numbers. Sometimes it is strength. Pain.” She looked at Vsevolod. “Fear.”

The Ferret took another sip of the liquor, his eyes flashing briefly at Lorna over his glass as he watched her. It was at that moment that he decided she was to dangerous to let live. If not for her special 'talents', then for her fearlessness. If he were to safely secure power in this uprising, he would have to eliminate all potential threats. Any creature left independent with such self-confidence could ultimately undermine all that his authority would stand for.

“Now, I myself, I don’t really care for this place, no real horizon, no real loot or wonderful maleficent storms. So as soon as N’Tashi is dead, I am gone. I’d be gone now, but that leaves loose ends. I so hate leaving loose ends untied.”

Again the easy smile slid over Vsevolod's features, hiding the menacing grin underneath. Already things were falling into place, a master plot was formulating in the devious Captain's mind. It was hard to stifle his elation, it was all so simple. He allowed some of his cheer to infect his voice as he bowed his head slightly to Captain Lorna. "Let me to assure you, madame, that I know a way which will quickly settle this small matter. You will once again be back where you belong in no time at all." He quickly downed the rest of his liquor and rubbed his paws together with uncharacteristic vigor.

"Now please allow me to relate to the both of you what I have in mind..."


((Fin? Unless you want one last post, I suppose.))