Move 2.3 Recap

At the security conference, the team kidnaps Jedao.

The Operation

The team's initial plan places Reshad, Seyli, and Sulen in the hall where the Lanterner attack on Jedao will take place. Reshad is at the team's booth, posing as a salesperson. She can trigger a jet of gas that will drug everyone in the hall and render them compliant, using a drug that Ione and Remi formulated. (The team members on station are prepared with an antidote.) A cleaning drone with more of the drug is present as backup. The drone has been programmed to look like the work of a minor heptarchate heretical sect, using data gleaned from Sulen and Virmad's Rahal accesses. The plan is for Seyli, disguised as a Kel, to walk Jedao away from the scene after he has been drugged. Sulen is present to scry and monitor the situation. Ione is waiting outside with a delivery vehicle, ready to pick up Seyli and Jedao. Alaric is outside the hall, waiting to retrieve the supposedly drugged Reshad and Sulen. Meanwhile, Aymad has hacked the Lanterner team's lokwors, rendering their information unreliable, and Sasha is hacking the security cameras in the hall and trying to prevent the rebellion hackers Spider and Firecracker from interfering.

In the hall, the assassin posing as a duelist cosplayer corners Jedao and enthusiastically asks him for an autograph. Sulen notices that her signifier is Bed of Roses, which indicates her enthusiasm may be genuine. They also see a second assassin, dressed as an analyst, with a Shuos signifier. Its flicker indicates she will make a move shortly. Meanwhile, someone with pink hair corners Reshad and enthuses about the product she is supposedly selling. She describes the product, leading the pink-haired person to declare tearfully, "That's so amazing! Can I--can I hug you? Or do your people not do hugs? I just, you don't know how frustrating it's been, our intranet and the tech support and that one time with the ransomware and everything."

Via the group communications channel, Sulen says, "I believe I've spotted a backup. Analyst under the QuickEat Ration Bar banner." Sasha pages Gerae, who traveled with the Lanterner ship, and asks whether he recognizes her; he confirms that she posed as the cook. Sasha also checks rebellion and local databases for information about this person, but finds nothing useful. Sulen asks, "Would you like me to distract her?" Sasha instructs, "Watch her and the collector, and alert us the second either one starts to make a move. Seyli, there are more Lanterners here than we anticipated, and we don't want you recognized. Stay back until we activate the drug." Seyli listens but, worried about onlookers, does not respond aloud. Sasha asks Gerae whether he can identify the pink-haired person speaking to Reshad; he does not recognize him. Jedao points down the hall and declares, "I think I see the famous duelist Kel Isha. I bet you could get them to sign cards, too!" When the cosplayer turns to look, Jedao starts running in the opposite direction.

Sasha instructs Reshad to release the sedative gas, and tells Seyli to keep pace with Jedao. Reshad confirms receipt of the instruction, and triggers the command. Gas jets out spectacularly, and people begin to scream and panic. Jedao heads toward a booth and grabs a communicator, attempting to call station security. Sasha re-routes the call and pages Virmad: "I've got Jedao on Line Seven. He thinks we're station security. I need you to stall him until the drug kicks in." Virmad acknowledges, running a hand through his hair. On Line Seven, Jedao describes a "situation": "Some kind of gas leak right by the SkipTrack booth. Not sure if it's toxic or what, and people are panicking." Virmad promises to send someone, and asks Jedao to remain calm. Jedao says, "This place doesn't lack for people with technical expertise, but we're concerned that we'll set off your internal security if we try to fix the problem." His usual drawl slides into a slur as the drug starts to take effect. Virmad agrees, "We wouldn’t want to trigger an alarm and set off even more of a panic than what I'm hearing." He promises to stay on the line with Jedao until the supposed security team arrives. Jedao's slur increases, and he asks, "I'm sorry, what were we talking about again? Did I miss a date or something?"

On the team's lokwor channel, Sasha says, "Drug is active. Seyli, grab Jedao and let's move." She instructs Alaric to fetch the other team members, and lets the station cameras see her altered cleaning drone. Meanwhile, Virmad smoothly adjusts his conversation with Jedao: "Actually, it was me — I just wanted to let you know I’m not sure I’m going to be able to make it to dinner tonight. I hope we'll be able to see each other soon, though." Jedao agrees, "Whenever you want to have dinner is fine. Did I mislay my utensils?" Sasha displays the word "FOCUS" on Virmad's screen and then, after a brief pause, "thx".

Reshad messages that she is almost done, then approaches the pink-haired person at her booth and asks for his name, prompting a long story about his relatives. At the same time, Seyli approaches Jedao and says, "Dinner...hasn't been served yet. If you'll come with me, I'll show you to the dining hall." Jedao agrees and asks who else will be there.

Reshad waves goodbye to the pink-haired person and

Assessment and Future Challenges

hands-on approach to coordination

differing takes on Jedao