[Day 7, Evening] Rallying the Troops

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

Uminushi didn't pace. His eyes swept over the gathered samurai as they took their seats. A half dozen of the kshatriya stood to the side, glancing between the Mantis and his people with wary looks. The Yoritomo began without preamble.

"There's a ship in the harbor. One that belongs House Rafiq. It was the one responsible, in part, for the mess we found right before hitting port. House Rafiq, for those of you who haven't been paying attention, are the one's responsible for this mess here. A mess that I've been assured will spill in to the Empire. We have evidence that they are maho users." He continues grimly, not giving them a moment to comment.

"The ship, by the way, is likely a trap. The people in charge here have had their hands tied in regards to the ship. If they try and take care of it, the refugees will riot in fear because that's what people do when they allow themselves to despair. Then the Maharaja has the choice of either spending lives to stop the riots and weaken their defenses when the real fight comes or watch their city burn." The man's hands lift to indicate the people in the room.

"We are not helping out of a sense of pity. We're helping because it's going to save our asses. If and when we leave this port, they will do their best to make sure we don't. So, consider this a pre-emptive strike. Questions?"

[Kakita Sugita]

Aha... Odd. "That answers the why, cap'n. What about the how?"

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko nods. "Do we have any information on the kind of maho they utilize?"

The Hare has a rather serious face upon him. "I have some training in fighting those who do such."

(Roll is a just in case my work tomorrow means I'm not able to get online until the evening.)

[Hida Musasha]

The big man shrugs, "Do I get ta wear my armor as I liquify their tainted skulls?"

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

Qian-Fan joined in the flurry of questions.

"I assume we can take for granted that we have permission to call on the kami for this?"

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

No, and you have to wear these charming local bags over your heads so you don't have to look at the locals. Nobuyoshi thinks listening to the somewhat inane questions. Rather than get smacked about for disrespect, he simply listens to the orders to come dispassionately. It didn't really matter why the captain wanted someone dead, who was enough for him, though when and how was always welcome as well.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Sir, why don't we just burn their ship? And make sure that the fire doesn't spread... " Xiao Hua wasn't a master tactician, but the idea of having to board a ship filled with tsukai didn't appeal to him. "This way we could pick those make out out alive at ease.."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi was present and nodded in approval of an element of Xiao Hua's idea. "If it's going to be a trap, and they have likely been waiting for a while, then we can at least tip the balance and catch them off guard before we charge in. Are we getting any support from the ruler on this assault?" ...Likely not, as he probably doesn't want to look like he's giving his blessings to gaijin at a time like this...

[Bayushi Kichirou]

Kichirou was also worried about a possible ambush. The ship was obviously a trap the question was what kind of trap. Still as the questions were being asked he kept quiet and attentive. Knowing how the Captain was planning on assaulting the ship was second most pressing to the Scorpion's mind.

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi closed his eyes, already praying to Bishamon to protect those that would make the assault.

[Ichiro Yakusoku]

Having heard about the attack, Yakusoku makes her way back to the Embassy. Standing on the edge of the group, the Badger doesn't look particularly pleased, the bag of armor laying at her side in case she ends up needing it.

"Agasha-san's questions a good one. Us bushi gonna be allowed to wear armor for this here attack?" She had other questions but wasn't about to ask them in a room full of gaijin soldiers. What was to stop the Maha... the guy running the place from scapegoating them? After all, he'd already made it look like any foreigner using magic or wearing armor was part of an invading force. While she didn't speak the latter question allowed she'd never had much of an On and the suspicion in her voice was rather evident.

[Toritaka Punchiru]

"Now, we pay a fee to the city to use the harbor, correct Captain?"

Punchiru is eating a withered apple, standing near the wall.

"If that is the case then these must have done so as well. Someone will at least have seen some of the occupants."

[Akodo Amuro]

Amuro listens to the instructions quietly, and evidence of what he thought he kept strictly to himself.

[Akodo Jishaku]

Jishaku stands beside Amuro, equally calm and quiet. Perhaps it helped that he knew what was happening in advance.

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

Finally some action. We will make some of the dark scum pay. Tomoe watches over proceedings with interest, but stays away from the discussion feeling she has no right to demand information or suggest strategies. She was new to the crew and had been surrounded by bad luck since setting foot on the land here. The Captain would have a plan and he would outline it.

[Mirumoto Itsuho]

Itsuho was present, but silent, her arms folded. There were plenty of questions being thrown around, and any she had were bound to be answered soon enough.

[Kitsuki Kotsu]

Kotsu listens quietly. He was not a bushi, so he was as yet unsure what his role in the upcoming "battle" would be.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"You may make your prayers to the kami. You may wear your armor. No, we do not know the exact sort of maho they're using or even if it's similar to our own," the man continues to patiently answer questions. When asked about fire he frowns and starts to list points off, "No, we are not burning the ship down with the people in it. First, a fire takes time which means people can escape and if you haven't stepped outside, I'd like to know how you got here and how you missed the rice-porridge passing itself off as fog. It's almost possible to lose an elephant in that mess. Second, the prayer that calls the fire kami to destroy the structure will not harm anything living. Third, setting a fire in the harbor will alert the enemy that we're on to their game... which utterly defeats the purpose of doing this as covertly as possible."

"Yes, these gentlemen here," he gestures to the men standing around the wall, "Will be assisting us as members of their guard strike at other locations in the city. There are also other small units waiting in the wings to do clean up on both people leaving and returning to the ship from other strike locations."

Uminushi pauses and gives the mercantile Crab a flat look, but just manages to keep from saying anything impolitic. "Toritaka-san, I suggest you don't try to teach your grandmother how to suck eggs. Now, I might not have the bosom for it but I believe I've been at this a touch longer than yourself."

The man takes a surreptitious look down his shirt before continuing calmly.

"The plan is to get on the ship as quietly as possible under cover of the fog. There are likely two in the nest and between six to eight making rotations. Eliminate them quietly if you can. I'm not going to tell you what to do from there because I have a feeling that things are going to get hairy. I will simply say that the mission is to eliminate anyone on board. And according to our intelligence, there are at least 30 people on board, potentially more. "

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko nods at that. "Do we have any idea of the number and location of entry points for going below decks on their ship, based on observations from our nearest ships or otherwise?"

[Akodo Jishaku]

Jishaku looked to the Captain to see if he would get the nod for a briefing regarding the layout of the enemy ship.