Ereni welcomes the butterfly with a smile that is quickly doused as the first orc walks in, followed by the others.

Holding swords and blowing whistles, disregarding orders from civilian leaders, not even denying this Cole's association with Lord Vader and instead calling him a freedom fighter... something isn't right here.

She looks apologetically at Malenia and declines her offer to examine the weapon which probably wasn't strange to anyone except Ereni.

"Maybe another time.  And... ah, sorry?  I'm better with arrows than words.  Thinking you should hold the weapon yourself.  Might need it just now."

Instinctively she walks to the other side of the desk (the mayor's side).  Facing the orcs and dropping to a crouch to get cover from the desk.

The Orc, who is well spoken and surprisingly cordial for an Orc, looks down at Ereni as she squats.  The Mayor watches his eyes follow her, and he begins to sweat profusely, barbling something about whatever.  

The Orc, a big, bad looking fellow, reaches up and unclips his cloak, letting it fall away before pulling an axe from his back.  The words "Tenderizer" are painted across the broad head of the weapon...

Thea frowns and mutters, “Skot? Why did you have to choose today to get squashed?” Looking around at the others, she sends her butterflies to fly past the orc to try and distract his gaze from her. Her body shimmers with iridescent light as her mage armor activates. She then casts Hex on the lead orc. She glances to the group watching and waiting. (Hex for strength)

Seeing the axe, Ereni is thankful that her party and the desk stand between her and the lead orc.  Face grim, she drawls:

"Learn something every day.  Next I'm going to hear that Vader is a freedom fighter too."

She does not hesitate one instant before mumbling "Thraen" as she casts Hunter's Mark as a bonus action, and drawing and nocking, ready to begin firing arrows at Mr. Tenderizer... when she hears Stasolya, the AURYN bearer, cry out to stop.

She backs up behind the desk and keeps the arrows trained on the orc, attacking if the orc attacks, but not quite yet otherwise.  They cannot be trusted.  They are pillagers and murderers and Vader is a villain.  My parents...

Stasolya rears up as arrows fly past her. Despite the gargantuan axe much too close to her backside, she leaps sidewise. "Stop!" she cries out, both to Ereni and the orc. "There is no need for this!"

Persuasion: 11 

Thea just holds her position and maintains her concentration on her spell. Her butterflies flutter to land safely nearby. 

The Orc hefts the axe with one hand and waves butterflies away with the other as he frowns, unsure of what is happening in the moments leading up to the Centaur's demand.  Still fanning the butterflies, he backs toward the door, Tenderizer still in his hand.  

He says something to the others on the porch.  Something in Orcish.  

There are more blasts of the whistle as they step away.  One of the Orcs dashes off to do...something.  

Ereni mutters to herself, keeping the arrow trained on the orc leader.  Face frozen in the snarl of a cornered animal.

"Mr. Tenderizer there just said 'Get the wagons to the mine. Now!' in orcish.  Still think we shouldn't attack them Stasolya?  The hell is this, mayor?  Thea, you or our butterflies know what's going on here?  That big guy work for Cole?"

Unfortunately, Ereni can't figure out what the orc leader is trying to do from what she's seeing and hearing.  (Insight:  8, visible in campaign log.)

Thea finds her voice. “I’ve seen them around, yes. But as part of the City Watch. But they aren’t acting like the regular members of the watch. What if- what if they are infiltrators? Can we catch them for questioning?!”

Stasolya looks somber. "This is serious enough that questioning is surely in order," she says, looking at the mayor. She then turns to the orc. "You must answer the mayor's challenge... what is going on with the mine? It has been dug too deep. The Kruthiks have already routed the miners for this deed. From who is the foreman taking his orders?"

Thea mutters again, “Skot! Again! Today of all days.” She shakes her head and looks as cross as she can, really. Looking outside at the hurried activity of the orcs she asks the group, “Anyone speak orc and can understand what they are saying out there?”

Ereni's brow furrows and she steals a brief glance at Thea.

Huh?  New girl hard of hearing or something?  Talking to this 'Skot' friend inside her head?  I already translated what I heard!...  Oh, she means outside!

Ereni tries to look past the door listen to what the voices outside are saying, beyond what the orc leader said.
((Languages known:  Common, Dwarvish, Elvish, Goblin, Orc.))

Perception:  28 (Natural 20) - (rolled on character sheet, visible in campaign log.)

Cinder stands with the rest of the group flames flickering along her open hand. "I'd suggest you answer the question," she says looking at the orc. "Otherwise it's about to get uncomfortably hot in here."

Malenia holds her unignited weapon within her dominant hand, more taking in what had just occured. Truthfully she is taken aback by how quickly things had escalated and had been searching for any point of egress in the case the group would need to make a hasty retreat. "Mayor, clear to enlighten us? Just what is this?" She takes a couple steps closer, ready to ignite her weapon if the need should arise. 

The Orc flat out ignores threats and even Cinder's flames as they continue to pull away from the Mayor's office.  They pull away and start cutting into alleyways and other avenues of egress.

"Ayup, been suspectin' that Cole was up to something with that mine."  The Mayor said.  He reached up and wiped sweat from his jowls with the palm of his hand.  "That mine is our lifeblood and it's been bringing in less and less money.  They'uh...well.  Weird things goin' on out there, ayah.  Shoulda known hiring to cut pays was a bad idea."  

Ereni's senses are on full alert.  Orcs on the move.  Likely planning something with Vader.  Reluctant to let us in on the secret - obviously!

She strains to hear the orcs outside.  The ones the big brute just ordered to get the wagons to the mine.

Wagons to fill with what?  Not lemoncakes and love letters, I'll warrant.

Suddenly Ereni is back in in Fantasia.  Scouting the woods near the Ivory Tower for her unit in her mind.  Listening to the faintest sounds, hearing their voices through the bustle of the town.  Her face hardens even further.

"I can understand the workers talking outside.  Some just idle talk.  But some of 'em think they've been 'found out'.  Another wondering where the 'banthas' are.  Pack animals for the desert.  Sounds like an escape plan.  I am going to take shots Mr. Tenderizer unless one of you stops me."

She immediately moves to the exit at surprisingly quick speed (45' movement first round) and fires off a couple arrows unless someone stops her.  Her Sharpshooter instincts kick into place as any partial cover the orc has provides them no protection.

Longbow, +1 Attack 1:  13 to hit, 15 magical piercing damage on hit (14 for bow, 1 forHunter's Mark.)
Longbow, +1 Attack 2:  19 to hit, 19 magical piercing damage on hit (9 for bow, 2 for Hunter's Mark, 8 for Gloom Stalker first round 2nd attack bonus.)

After taking her shots, Ereni continues in pursuit roughly 80' behind if she thinks she can still continue to take shots at the orc leader without full cover.  If not, she tries to find a raised position she can vault up so as to act as a sniper and start picking off the other orcs.

The first arrow clatters uselessly against the Orc's armor, but the other sticks in through a gap near his armpit.  He roars as he ducks into the alley.  He shouts something, and the other Orcs shout back and forth with him.

Malenia dashes out the door after Ereni, A beam of golden light extends from her weapon as her thumb flicks over the ignition. The blade roars to life in her hand, she dashes towards the Orcs. 

Cinder runs out the door after the other two, chasing after the orcs.