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It's a hurried, late-night meeting, so there's a huge pot of coffee brewing in the spare, neat cottage with a left-hand white handprint on the front door, as if at some point in the past someone just stuck their hand in white paint and slapped it on the door. That's the sloppiest thing about the place, as the interior is neat as a pin. The scent of coffee hits the nose even before the door's knocked on.
Inside, the Spring Monarch sits quietly in a chair, the Crown not currently manifested on their brow, holding a mug of heavily-sugared coffee in their large, green-marble hands. Lumi sits across from him. They're both just... sort of waiting, as if their idle animation is playing. Lumi's the sort that doesn't even look like she's GOT idle animation. She's so still. At least Ari takes occasional sips of coffee.
Mearcstapa's come to the meeting in casual attire; not bothering to change out of the cargo pants and t-shirt he's worn all day, his hair bobby-pinned out of his face neatly. He waits for the rest of his cohort to arrive, rather than knocking. It's only proper.
Lux is actually... already in the Winter Hollow. They wander from another part of it, expression a little troubled, but it smooths out when Lux sees the others, lips even twitching up into a small grin and giving a small wiggle-fingered wave to the group. They fall into step with them to wait outside the cottage, leaning over to give Mearc a quick smooch on the cheek, their hands hooking behind their back after.
Mearc's response to the kiss is a surprised little look, but he doesn't comment aloud on it.
Sturm ducks as she enters the cottage - better to not bang her head/horns on the door frame if she wants to look even remotely competent. She's wearing her black overcoat - fists shoved into the pockets - over a t-shirt with a red lampost on it, and black denim skinny jeans. She's also wearing a mighty frown... until she smells the coffee, and looks at the pot hungrily.
Wren came straight over, and as a result is just in boring jeans and a tank top. She's got a newsboy cap on but that's about as far as interesting wardrobe goes right now. She beelines to stand a carefully measured distance from Mearc, just a half-pace further than Lux.
When Sturm enters, Lumi rises, again, a little bit like her actions are playing on remote. "I would say good evening, but it is an evening, in any case. Please. Everyone, come in. Let us get to work without delay." There are chairs enough for everyone, but not an awful lot of room once everyone's inside: people will have to learn to be friendly with one another's Mantles, if not one another's persons.
Ari's Crown slowly manifests, and they rise, shoulders hunched. A crown of local wildflowers: black-eyed susans, asters, orange day-lilies, young daisies, bachelor's buttons, and the Crown itself trails ivy and flowers down over them in a regal robe. "Thank you for coming to us," they offer quietly, but then are seated shortly thereafter -- the cabin is small, and they tilt their head toward Lumi. "I hear from the Left-Hand Knight there's been some news. I was in a meeting earlier this evening and missed the broadcast."
Mearc makes sure it's Lux's space he's infringing, primarily. "There were two encoded messages sent, over Radio Free Fae. One in binary, one in hexdecimal. Which is similar to binary, but the base is sixteen instead of two, so that each letter is encoded into 2 digits instead of eight. Neither cipher is particularly difficult, simple decoders are available online. So, it's...safe to assume the messages that were sent could potentially be in just about everyone's hands, if they'd put in the effort to decode."
Wren melts into the background a bit. She's not large, so that's easy, and someone else has the information in need of presentation, and she's happy to let them present it.
Lux settles into a chair, looking between Ari and Lumi. Though they pause to stare at Mearc, brows creasing a moment at something before they puff out a breath. "Ah, well--one of them... the second one? Was a threat. The right to dream is the right to die. The right to dream is the right to a prison. The right to dream is the right to bleed." A beat pause. "Me, Sturm, and Asbolus have been looking into this matter already. It was previously just a Winter matter, but--well, this is clearly a lot bigger than we expected it to be." Lux glances towards Sturm to see if she wants to info dump.
"Diplomatic meetings are important," Lumi offers aside to Ari in her usual toneless speech, and she pours herself a massive cup of coffee, adding, "Who needs caffeine? Help yourself." The Snowskin's attention swivels back to Mearcstapa, and she sighs. "It was barely encoded. I just... listened." Yeah, okay, she decrypted hexadecimal by listening. Mmhmm.
"... that is definitely a threat," Ari agrees, taking in a slow breath and letting it out. Their attention swivels to Sturm, and the Spring Monarch gives the Ogre their full, undivided attention.
Sturm eyes Lumi with reverence for the invitation, and pours herself a cup. Looking at the remaining chair - given the tight quarters in the cottage - Strurm elects to stand instead. Far enough back that she won't be in anybody's space.
"Yeah, uhh. Lux and I had been poking around with shit and I had an idea. We knew there was something about an iron dreamcatcher, and uhh. I figured, well, maybe if someone wants to stop a large group of people from dreaming then maybe it wasn't totally malicious - like they were just spooked and didn't know how we did shit yet." She clears her throat. "This was before the broadcast tonight when they hijacked our signal, so obviously the maybe they just don't know how shit works hypothesis was disproved." She leans back against a nearby wall. "Anyway. We think there's a conspiracy to cut Philadelphia off from the Hedge - and... the shit we've dug up seems to prove that."
Mearc does get himself a coffee, before glancing over to see if anyone else wants one. "They're working with too many resources at hand to be new to the game, also. It takes a lot of pull to set up a whole wheel of buildings, all in the same style of architecture, all around the city."
Lux pours themself a cup of coffee as well, nodding along. "The TL-DR of it all is that there's these gentrified housing projects popping up all over the city. Me and Asbolus gathered together all the locations, and Mearcstapa figured out that they form the shape of a dreamcatcher. And that all of them have these window bars and balconies that we suspect are made of iron. So--yeah, we assume that everyone inside the dreamcatcher, which takes up pretty much the whole city, might be at risk of just having their dreams... turned off? And whoever sent that message is behind this."
"It does seem likely that the same individual responsible for sending the broadcast about the "danger" behind the right to dream being responsible for an act designed to prevent exactly that," Wren offers. "Lux has got a list of the companies responsible for the financing of the various developments. We were thinking of three primary moves right now- identifying the culprit without sending them scurrying to ground or trying again elsewhere- arranging a strike of the workers, which should be easy with the absurd turnover and workplace injury levels at these sites- and seeing if we can disrupt the activity with some sort of positive vandalism that conflicts with the brutalist aesthetic powering the catcher. We've got the ability to interfere more directly, through having proposed construction zones declared heritage sites or requiring safety inspections- but we're concerned that moving forward that obviously would drive the culprit to just relocate and try again someplace less aware."
"Oh," Sturm clears her throat and lowers the coffee cup from her mouth. "... and I want to know how the Radio works, because I'd like to figure out how to triangulate the signal, set up some groups to transmitter hunt for whoever the fuck hijacked our broadcast to say that shit, and break their fucking legs." Beat. "Y'know. While we're being candid."
"The radio cannot be triangulated," Lumi explains, sitting back in her chair and wrapping her pale blue fingers around her mug. "The voices cannot be identified and the radio cannot be triangulated. It's part of the workings of Radio Free Fae itself. That's why the DJ is a position of trust within the Court."
The Monarch turns their head to look at Lumi for a moment, and presses their lips into a line. Their attention turns back to Lux, and then to the group as a whole. "I see." What, exactly, they see, is another matter entirely. "Lux, you were taking lead on this, I understand. Is there anything else that we're missing in terms of base facts, before we move on to actions?"
Mearcstapa sits back in his chair, sipping at his coffee as his Vantablack gaze bores into Lux.
Lux has been very, very stone faced throughout this conversation. Ignore previous descriptions.
"There's been a lot of work sight injuries, too. The management of the projects are pushing for things to get done at a quick pace, but the workers are resisting, wanting to stop work cause they're getting hurt so much. Otherwise... everything is about covered, yeah."
Wren goes still abruptly. "Oh. Oh- ohhhhh, shit." The word sounds atrocious coming from the tiny little Beast. "Massive amounts of workplace accidents, right? Okay, so, maybe I'm wrong, I really hope I'm wrong, but what if the dreamcatch is already working? What if the workers aren't getting any rapid-eye movement sleep, the stuff where you- y'know- dream?" She looks around at everyone, swallowing hard as her rabbit ears wilt down either side of her head. "Without REM sleep, you end up sleep deprived no matter how long you're unconscious- and that leaves you clumsier than a drunkard."
Lux frowns quietly at that, brows knitting together.
Mearcstapa frowns. "That...would make a lot of sense. Which means this could be literally deadly for people in the catcher, in time."
Sturm groans, crossing her arms over her chest. "... fuckin' a."
Lumi sets down her coffee, then, and turns her attention to Wren. "That's a good theory, and it would explain a lot." The Left-Hand Knight rests her hands in her lap. "I'll pass on to Izzy, so that zie can talk with the DJs, and see if whoever might currently have that mantle has any ideas -- who was running the station at that time, and whether it might be possible for another token to hijack the signal. That is, another token other than the existing radios in the hands of the DJ or DJs that Shackamaxon already has." Her attention swivels to Sturm, then, adding, "The triangulation idea was a good one -- unfortunately, it simply won't work. The only way we can get this level of security is with non-mundane solutions, and the tokens are measured in the security of the hands that they're in. As long as we can trust the hands they're in, they're secure. If we can't trust them, then we're kind of screwed, because it might be possible to make another one. I don't know. I'm not a token crafter."
At that, she swivels her attention to Mearcstapa. "With that in mind, I think it makes the most sense for this to be a joint operation, don't you? Autumn and Winter, at minimum. And you're an infosec guy," like me, is the unspoken addendum, "so let's get you working on the token question."
"Who wants to take lead on organizing a strike? Who thinks they can pull it off without alerting our quarry?"
The Spring Monarch is quiet, now -- perhaps Ari defers to Lumi in this matter of her expertise, or maybe he's just thinking.
"The current plan was to bring in Jack Martingale - he's a Spring, but he's on Winter's good side, too. He's got a union connection, and I imagine between his contacts and Wren's expertise at... social shit, they can probably do it quietly and competently." Sturm crosses her arms over her chest, waiting for Mearc to answer the other question.
Lux is quiet, keeping their eyes squarely on Lumi with laser-light focus.
"Physical security first, but I can do my best with the infosec aspect, within my court." He nods his head solemnly, before giving Ari a small, quiet look. "Your Majesty? The last time you and I met, you mentioned recent events showing you something about trust. Is there any chance the event you were referring to is related to this situation?"
Wren nods at Sturm's comment. "It'd be ideal if Jack got the credit for this to bolster his standing as a Union advocate- it'd be only natural he'd stand up for the injured workers, all things considered- but worst case scenario, I just need to get in the same room as someone with some pull in the Unions and as far as anyone will ever remember, it'll be them who ordered the strike. I can do it with my mask raised and with another face- shouldn't cause any alarm at all, if it comes to that."
"If Jack is your ... man... Jack... " Lumi begins, and then sort of slows down when she realizes that the English phrase 'our man Jack' meaning 'the go to person' sounds very strange in context, "then go to. If there's a question of security, then work it out together, Wren. For Winter, Wren takes point on the strikes and organizes with Jack. The two of you decide who takes actual point."
"Mearcstapa, token research. Either do it yourself or marshal the resources of your Court and Shackamaxon as a whole, or both. Your call." Lumi picks up her coffee again, taking a swallow of it. "Sturm, take coordination between both points, and lead up the direct action against the projects. You'll be reporting to me directly, since rumor has it that's something you're interested in anyway." All of this said without her expression changing once. She might as well be deciding what she wants for dinner.
Ari takes in a deep breath, and lets it out; that gesture causes small illusory petals to shimmer down through the air from the Spring Crown. "I have my theories," they answer Mearcstapa, "and I dislike my theories. I would not want to cause you to look in the wrong direction, however."
"Aye, sir. I'll contact him securely, discuss the matter, and engage discretely to ensure no flags are raised and work halts as soon as possible." Wren's tone is perfectly confident. This is her wheelhouse and she's not afraid of taking the helm.
"Ari, I respect your intention not to color the investigation. However, you shouldn't be holding onto your theories all alone, if possible. We're all working from incomplete information and a separate perspective. Your theories are informed, more than likely, by information we don't have. While I'm not asking you to tell us what cards you're holding...be thoughtful about keeping everything locked away, please. Communication is key."
...and then all at once he seems to catch that he's been pretty much lecturing the standing Crown, and his freckles turn all sorts of bright red. "...sorry, that was out of line."
"Yeah, I can do that." Sturm grunts, lifting the mug of coffee back up to her lips. Whether she's actually drinking it, or just holding it there to enjoy the warmth is unclear. "... but if the Radio's signal can't be hijacked or triangulated - and there's a limited number of people with access to the Token - shouldn't we be looking inward? 'Cause what you're saying makes it sound like we've got a rat..." Beat. "Or, at least, someone that was careless enough to lose something very valuable."
She may or may not have looked at the Oathbreaker in the room. It's hard to tell from behind her coffee cup. Sorry Lux, but your hands are painted red...
Lux doesn't visibly react to any glances that may or may not have been given in their direction, still just watching Ari with a frown.
Wren wobbles her head a little. "I mean... maybe. I don't know how the DJ position works, but the sound of the DJs always sounds like they're sort of taken over? In a trance? I don't at all know how they receive their messages, but it seems more likely that the capability is just in the hands of the malfeasant here. If it was as simple as someone being crooked, it seems all too easy to pin them down if there's a bottleneck on how those messages get through. I'd put money on a pirate "signal", so to speak."
She looks to Ari when Mearc asks for more info, but doesn't press.
"It was," Ari offers with a chuckle that's unusually -- for them -- mirthless. "It was extremely out of line. But fortunately for you, you're not wrong." They let out a long, slow sigh. "I know of a very limited number of people within the Freehold who might have those kinds of influence in the areas we're talking about. I know exactly one who has that sort of influence and also is owed a life debt by the Winter Regent."
"The trouble with divination," they opine quietly, "is that you can see what you want to see, and not see what you don't want to see." The sigh that follows is bone-deep, and bone-weary, as they pick up their coffee mug.
The Left-Hand Knight cuts in. "It's possible that there are tokens out there that were stolen from other Courts in other cities," Lumi points out. "The ability to make the Radio Free Fae tokens is one that's passed through the Court, yes, but that's not to say someone couldn't have stolen one. That's a powerful accusation you're not quite making, Your Highness."
Sturm quirks a brow... and then she goes back to sipping her coffee in silence.
Lux's brows knit, then refocuses on Lumi. "Any other orders, for now?"
He takes the scolding from Ari quietly, with a nod, finishing his coffee and setting the mug down, before crossing his arms over his chest.
"It's possible," the Spring Monarch answers Lumi, and that's all that they have to say about that.
Lumi just stares at Ari for a long moment, and then slowly turns her attention to Lux. "No. You can work with Sturm on whatever she thinks is an appropriate task for you in this project. My understanding is that some destruction may soon be in order." She finishes her coffee, sets aside the empty mug. "Any last thoughts?"
"Be extremely careful?" Wren offers. "Around any of the construction sites. It sounds like there's large amounts of iron on site, and that's all different sorts of dangerous, so."
Lux flinches, jaw flexing briefly before giving a simple nod in reply.
Up until now, Sturm's mouth has been completely hidden behind the rim of her coffee cup - and when she finally lowers it, there's a frown deeply etched on her features. "One last question - do you believe that we'll need to destroy or remove the iron in order to disrupt the project? I'd like our quarry to remain unaware of our pursuit until we're ready to catch it, so if not, we have other ideas that might not show our intent so explicitly..."
"I can't imagine that leaving it in place is going to be good for the people working there. That's going to be your judgment call, however, Sturm, since that's part of your agenda." Lumi blinks slowly, resting her hands on her lap. "Yes. Be extremely careful. If that is in fact iron, accidental injuries are as good as an attack on yourself. Don't do anything stupid."
"Let's keep in mind that for all we know- and my understanding of occult matters is admittedly limited- the balconies and bars might not even be integral to the effect. They could be there to make it harder for us to interfere. I think we'd probably need more insight into the method through which this effect is actually propagating to know what components are vital to dismantling the effect. If we luck out and the actual components can be more discretely removed? Some internal architecture or artifact? All the better, right?"
"It's possible. If our assumption is true - about the reasons they want to prevent people from dreaming - it's possible the bars are just there for further protection from the Gentry..." Sturm sighs pretty heavily. "That said, Lux and Marjorie pretty explicitly said the iron dream-catcher was preventing people from dreaming. So. If the coordinates of the buildings are creating a dream-catcher... it'd stand to reason it probably has something to do with it."
The Spring Monarch rises, turning their attention to Lumi. "Thank you for your hospitality. Please keep me informed." And that, it seems, is that.
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