The aristocrat gives the Astral Elf a polite nod and a small acknowledging smile in return, then listening attentively as the captain finishes her mission briefing, then looking over to the two Ember Knights to take the lead, emptying his glass of wine and leaving it to be collected by the captain's servants.

Raeksalos rubs his chin as he thinks, "I am not 100% sure of the exact height of the towers, and their distance from each other, assuming both measurements are less than 500 feet that will be fine. Do we have knowledge of a security hub, somewhere we can go to disable alarms and ensure our path is clear?".

"You mentioned a week from now we will be finished with this mission. When do we leave?", he adds.

He will try and use his knowledge of navigation and piloting to determine how long it will take to reach Iketer.

"There's almost certainly one in there, but we have no schematics of the inside. None of the original staff made it out when the Terminal was first captured, so we're working with very general knowledge here."

You would know the Seraph is currently floating idle just outside the system containing Iketer, while the rest of the fleet is currently halfway between it and the neighboring Republic system of Pavoni. From where you are now, it would take little less than a day to reach the planet.

"We're going to wait right here for the pilot. In about six days he'll pass by and we'll transfer you to his ship. His name is Darien Xoryos, and is scheduled to drop of his shipment during the night."

Raeksalos inclines his head to the Captain and wanders back over to the wall where he left his bag.

"Six days of down time. How can we best be productive whilst we wait for this Darien Xoryos?", he asks looking from the Captain to the two Ember Knights. Having been travelling for some time on his return to the core systems and then on to their current location, he is keen to make himself useful.

"You can familiarize yourself with Iketer. We have maps of the exterior structure and layout of the Aeon Terminal, the surrounding landscape, the minor townships between it and Khemsa(the capital), and a map of the city itself." Captain Veda says, gesturing towards the crystal orb she had been using as a display. 

"Other than that, we hang tight and rest well."

((if there's anything in particular you wish to pursue or do on the ship in the next 6 days in-game time let me know, otherwise I'll skip us forward))

Zania will mostly spend the next few days doing her best to get used to being surrounded by witches on all sides. She doesn't have anything in particular that she really needs to do, except maybe train a bit and observe her new teammates' capabilities to get a feel for them.

Raeksalos will take the Captain up on the offer of examining the maps during the six days. He will also ask to familiarise himself with the explosives they intend to give them. He will mostly be found on deck though, keeping a watchful eye out towards the stars for trouble, his ever wary blaster rifle, Iris, strapped to his back. He only ever appears to wear regular clothes, although if anyone can detect magic they will see his outfit is an illusion.

If Zania requests to train together, he will accept the offer to spar with his rapier and dagger from time to time, but only going through forms and stances. He doesn't generally use magic that  often, if at all during the six days.

Other than this, he can sometimes be found tinkering with Iris.

The aristocrat too spends some time studying the maps and honing his skills with the Voidblade and it's magic, also engaging in pleasant conversation with the others and offering to play a friendly game of Dragon Chess in the evenings.

Salvor will likewise familiarize himself with the maps and diagrams offered by Captain Veda. If possible, he would also try to find information about the planet's local customs\religions. The people of Iketer likely did not ask for this war, and he was sure some sincerity and thoughtfulness would go a long way if they needed their assistance at any point during the operation. 

Beyond that, he spends some time getting to know the other members of the Seraph's crew, as well as conversing with his new squad. He absolutely takes Daryos up on the game of Dragon Chess.

In the final days before his operation, he spends much of his time in meditation, either alone or with Raia as company.

In a short span, this war has taken much from her already. Now a great number of lives rest on their shoulders, a weight that she feels quite heavily. So for most of the time before their mission, Raia can be found on the ship's upperdeck, legs folded underneath her as she sits under the stars in quiet contemplation. 

((I'm DMing under the influence muahahahha 😈))

Whether you find something to keep yourselves busy or not, the days aboard the R.S. Seraph pass quickly as you await for the day of the operation. Shortly after you've awoken on the final day and eaten a quick breakfast, you're summoned to the top deck by one of the crew.

Captain Veda awaits there, and you see another Spelljammer craft pulled up close to the Seraph, a small temporary bridge erected between the two. Next to the captain is a slender half-elven man in an OA pilot's uniform. He stands with his arms crossed, those particularly insightful (Passive Insight: 15 or greater) notice that while he appears to be trying to keep up an impassive air, behind that mask he is a bundle of nerves.

As you approach, Veda begins to speak. "This is our defector, Miko Cynder. He'll get you down to the surface and into the Aeon Terminal." She hands a bag filled of the explosive devices to Raeksalos, whom had taken the time to learn about them during the wait(Add 9 sticks of dynamite to your inventory as placeholders).

The pilot clears his throat nervously, briefly glancing over you all. "You'll be hidden in the crates of luxury items for some of the facility management. It should get you fairly high up into the facility control building."

Zania can't help but smile as she notes the defector's uneasiness. Not that she bears him any ill-will... but she does find his false bravado amusing.

"I hope those are some big crates... otherwise, I'm not sure that I'm gonna fit too well."

Raeksalos accepts the bag of explosives, placing them in his bag of holding.

He also notices how nervous the pilot is under their facade of impassiveness, as he appraises the person they are trusting with their lives.

"The plan seems simple enough, but how will we know when we get to our final destination? Will we have sight of what is outside the crate? Do they search the crates?", he asks of the pilot, as usual getting straight to business and forgoing pleasantries.

He has more questions, but most of them are likely irrelevant as if the pilot knew more it would have been included in Captain Veda's briefing.

The aristocrat greets the defector with a polite nod. If time admits he would ask Mr. Cynder about more details on what they will face once on the ground, what kind of security they are likely to encounter for instance, hoping to find out enough from him to be able to talk his way through when at all possible.

Persuasion if needed: 24

The half-elf makes an attempt at a quick smile, nodding. "Of course ah, some these items are like furniture. You might be uncomfortable but you'll fit."

"Won't have a way to let you see outside the crates unfortunately, and no they never search them..." He shifts uncomfortably, adding. "A year of straight victories has made the Outer Alliance overconfident and complacent.'

"They should take you straight to Rhysio's quarters. His name is the one on the manifest - he's one of the facility's upper management types. From what I understand he's in charge of the refinery processes." Nervously, he also adds. "I don't know if they're going to open the crates themselves or if you'll need to do it."  

The Captain nods along, "So be ready for a fight right out of the gate." She says.

There isn't a whole lot for the pilot to add to what's already been said about the Terminal security. He mentions to Daryos that he's never been allowed beyond the docks, and from what he's seen that would be a very bad place to get caught as it's crawling with security.

"In the event we're left alone in the crates, I presume we'll have a crowbar or something of the sort to let ourselves out." Salvor says, raising an eyebrow at the captain. 

He turns his attention to the pilot next, starting off with a respectful bow. "What you're doing is very brave, turning against the Alliance like this. It would have been effortless for you to merely continue on the status quo. We won't let this opportunity you've given us go to waste."

Towards his companions he mentions the beginnings of a plan that had been forming in his mind. "If we run into an isolated worker somewhere in there, I may be able to...suggest they show us around the facility and take us where we need to go. I'd like to give it a shot unless any of you object?"

Raeksalos notes the use of the word suggest, but does not react, nor does he say anything to object.

”Do not worry about being stuck in the crate”, he says cryptically but with total confidence. The others might realise he does not wish to say too much in front of the pilot, as he glances in his direction.

"Thank you Miko, for the opportunity to strike back against the Outer Alliance." Raia eyes his ship from where they stand on the deck, hands clasped behind her back. "Their arrogance will only blind them once, I promise we'll make the most of it."

"Time for us to go then, I presume?"

The pilot looks down to the deck of the ship sheepishly under praise from the Ember Knights, shaking his head. "When the OA took my world, no one asked if we actually wanted to join their cause. They just presumed we all did. I'm just doing what I this is right."

Veda gives a sharp nod, stepping out of your way and motioning for you to board the other ship. "Correct Ember, time for you to go."

As you cross the small temporary bridge connecting the craft, you hear her call from behind you. "I've already impressed upon you the importance of your success, so I'll wax on that no further." One hand goes behind her back and the other she curls into a fist, thumping it on her chest in a salute. "For the Republic!"

You file onto the ship, and Miko takes his place at the Spelljammer Helm. The craft turns towards Iketer and begins to pull away from the Seraph, the Republic ship growing smaller and smaller until it is indistinguishable against the void of space. 

For the next several hours you make your journey towards the Alliance held world. At some point Miko approaches you, "I'd recommend getting in the crates now. We're close enough to have to worry about patrols. I've not been stopped before...But there's a first time for everything."

He's already opened some of them for people to crawl in. Some are filled with fluffy cloths to protect fragile items - such as the wines and liquors. He hands you a crowbar when you go inside your crate, that you can use to get out later. For Zania's, he opens up a large, long crate containing a luxurious couch. It'll be somewhat of a tight squeeze, but the warrior should be able to lay on the couch with the crate closed.

After another few hours in the cramped space, you hear the pilot call out. "We're landing now, stay quiet until you're alone or you feel there's an opportunity." You feel the craft come to a gentle stop against solid ground. You hear bootsteps on the deck above, and you can just barely make out Miko's voice mingling with others. After a few laughs, you hear the footfalls come down the stairs to the storage deck.

"Good gods," you hear a masculine voice whine. "Does he really need all of this crap?" Another voice cuts them off, "stuff it Roscoe, let's just get this crap up to his suite and get it over with."

You hear murmurs of agreement and conversations about the logistics of moving all the crates - by your estimate there's maybe a little over a dozen people involved in this endeavor. Your crates are loaded up onto a trolley of some kind, and after about ten minutes of rearranging you feel yourselves moving. 

While out in what you presume is the open, the workers are mostly quiet as they walk. Eventually you hear them exchange words with someone close by, and you hear the outside environment change. Gone is the howl of the wind, replaced with a rhythmic squeaking as the trolley's wheels roll across a tiled floor. 

You might begin to feel a little disorientated as you feel the trolley turn corner after corner after corner. At one point you feel a strange weightless sensation as the workers take the crates containing your party onto a lift of some kind, though how high up you've gone you have no idea.

Eventually you hear a final door open, and the trolley is wheeled to a stop. The crates are rather roughly dropped onto solid ground, and you hear the workers let out sighs of relief. After another brief round of complaining about their work, you hear their footsteps retreat and a door close.

You're left in silence.

Raek does as he is bidden and starts to walk across the makeshift bridge between Spelljammer ships, calling back to the Captain after her exclamation without looking back, "We'll see you at the rendezvous point Captain".

Whilst on the other ship, he he his time tracking their route to ensure the pilot is doing exactly as expected, before taking his place in one of the crates at the appointed time. As he enters the crate he gives Miko a hard stare, appraising the defector and memorising his appearance in case he has cause to track the man down. Once in the crate he squats down with his back against one of the walls, and goes into a trance for the remainder of the journey.

When Miko alerts them to the fact they are landing, he concentrates on his breathing and makes sure he is well balanced, not wanting to either be heard or to lose his balance and fall causing a noise. When they are loaded up onto some kind of trolley, he relaxes slightly, thankful that the jounrey is smooth. He then tries to track in his mind the path they are taking, and perhaps determine the number of floors they traversed in the elevator.

When he feels the crate he is in being roughly pushed from the trolley, he braces himself against the wall so as not to draw attention by falling, and then waits a little time to ensure they are indeed in a room devoid of people.

If he is certain they are alone, he will pick up his crowbar and carefully pry open the crate enough to see through and get sight of their surroundings.

Perception: 5+9=14 (Passive: 19)