(2022-04-14) No One Ever Suspects The Invisible Gnome Engineer

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Author:	Athena
Summary:	Colson asks Captain Jo for help creating a work around for Mordred's possible schemes using t e c h n o l o g y.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: The Fall of the House of Harbrooke

04/14/2022

Just outside the Telredor inn, by the mailbox.

Jo walks down through the common room of the inn. She peers out at the rain, and pulls out her big red hat, pulling it low on her head. She nods in satisfaction, and steps out.

Colson turns at the movement. Not a startle, but an awareness of his surroundings, his eyes catching on the hat. "Captain," he says with a faint smile, before he moves to check a pocket watch, with a slight frown. "Am I late?"

Jo smiles faintly when she sees the pocket watch. "No, I don't think so. I didn't remember exactly where we were supposed to meet, but I figured Telredor is not so large. And here you are!"

Colson nods, and closes his mailbox. He doesn't seem to notice or care about the rain. "Indeed. Let us step out of the rain, shall we?" He gestures with a hand to the inn. "Unless you would prefer elsewhere?"

“To be honest, the rain barely hits me, with the hat. But I wouldn't want you to catch cold.”

They move inside, by the fire…thingy.

Colson takes a seat gracefully by the fire, using one hand to push back his hair off his face. He gives Jo a faint, rueful smile. "I cannot truly catch a cold, not any longer." He settles his hands on his knees as he stretches out his legs.

Jo comes over to sit next to Colson on the bench. "So, what is it? More problems with Rae and Sandy?"

“No, a personal matter this time, of sorts.”

Jo looks at him with concern. "Is it to do with Mordecai? I thought I'd heard he was getting along pretty well… he seemed alright on Sunday."

Colson smiles softly at Mordecai's name, but his expression grows serious and grim. "Something like that, yes. It is a matter of his family. They are…well. I am uncertain how much you know of human noble society, but the Harbrookes are one of the worst possible outcomes of this particular structuring of class and rank. They have done terrible things, and continue to do so, with no consequences, due to their rank and power. I have vowed to enforce those consequences, as Mordecai's husband, as a paladin in pursuit of Justice.

Jo frowns. "So what's the mechanism, for kicking out a bad noble family? I mean, they're just one out of many, surely the rest of you can meet together and make it happen."

Colson shakes his head. "No. It is not…as easy as that. The things they do to remain as they are cannot be easily proven, or I would have already done so. I have secured the assistance of Mr. Foxglove, who has laid a trap for one of Mordecai's brothers. However. Mordecai has pressed upon me that his brother Mordred poses a potential real danger to those who may assist me, and…several of the Company will, or may do so. I would not put them in danger without attempting to ensure I did all I could to prevent it.”

Jo raises an eyebrow. "That all seems very elaborate… and dangerous? Is it really necessary? In gnomish society, we would just vote them out or ostracize them."

Colson's lips tighten. "I have something of that nature in mind for Mordecai's father, per Mordecai's wishes. A trial for the crimes he has commited against Mordecai. But, no. The rest? That is…not how it works for us. We work on a system of honor. And they have none. They use their position to harm others, and in ways that I cannot possibly bring to the courts to say, remove them. Not yet. Not until they make enough errors that I may petition Stormwind to remove the nobility of their house.”

Jo expression hardens at that. "Wait, to Mordecai? What has he done?"

Colson looks down at his hands, and there is a faint glow of the Light around them before the paladin gets it back under control. There is a rise of cold, hard tension in Colson, even as his voice is soft. "They hurt him, as a child. And as an adult.”

Jo's eyes go cold. "Assault on a Company member. There should be consequences for that."

Colson inclines his head. "Yes. He was attacked by his father at Nethergarde Keep while under our employ. You will…likely hear of that, soon enough. I believe Sandy's father was a witness."

“Taking away their imagin.. their title doesn't really seem sufficient. But if you say it is…" Jo lets that trail off.

Colson exhales slowly, forcing some of the tension back. "I abide by Mordecai's wishes. I will take away their power over him for the rest of his life, and it is…what he wants. The Light will see to the rest, in time."

Jo sits quietly, her lips pressed in a thin line. Finally, she says, "We were ready to kill Kenna Warrington, simply for making threats. If the others knew he'd been attacked…"

“Mordecai would not thank them for it. I will ensure the others know what he wishes for his father. As for his brother…” Colson's jaw clenches briefly. “Mordecai has informed me that his brother, Mordred, is the most dangerous in some ways, for he may retaliate if he realizes he has been…tricked. He has killed before, and not been caught. That is what I hope to prevent, if I may. I do not know how much Mordred may speak out loud, or if he will reveal his plots at all, but I would not let that door remain open while I may yet shut it.”

“And he's also attacked our Company members, and may do so again? Well, we do have excellent assassins in our employ. If he takes action against us, his concern should not be in getting caught.

“No, Mordred has not attacked any of ours. He may, for those who assist me in this endeavor.”

“Which is to… cause him to make mistakes in a public way, so his title can be stripped?”

“He killed…a baker. In Lordaeron, when Mordecai was young. The baker encouraged Mordecai to…stand up for himself. Mordred either killed the baker himself, or had it done. Mordecai still does not know.”

Jo makes a small sound of dismay. "Either would be simple enough. What baker is going to stop a man with a blade?"

“It will put the family in a precarious position, if Mordred were to fail to play his part in their scheme. It will then allow me to make the next move. Desperate people do not have the luxury of being clever, and waiting for the best choice. They will slip, and they will fall.”

Jo looks as though she hopes when they do, it is off a cliff.

Colson looks a lot like he's more than willing to toss them off the cliff. Metaphorical or literal.

“So what did you want to ask me about? Would it help if some of them turned into livestock, or caught on fire?”

“Those gnome talking boxes we use in the field — it is possible to create something that would allow us to hear Mordred, but he would not hear us, that would be small enough to possibly secure on his person or personal affects? If he spoke of his plans, we would know of them. If you could make more than one, we could get another to place one in his home, perhaps.”

“Huh. That's… less dramatic.” She sits back, thinking. “Making it one way is simple enough, I think. Just disable one of the data paths. The thing is still…” She makes a shape with her hands, roughly the size of a buzzbox. “Is that too large? Could you slip it into… a satchel? Do lords carry satchels?”

Colson nods like, sure, yes. The data paths. Of course. "Hm. I certainly do, but that…I think Mordred would notice. Unless it looked like something else. A gold bar, for example, but then he would only have it on his person until he sold it."

“Hm. I could do some sort of short term illusion like that. Or invisibility? I did mess around with invisibility fields for a while. It would still have weight, though.” Jo tilts her head back, looks in the air. "What if it was invisible and flying? Set to follow him around?"

Colson shakes his head. "A man like Mordred that attuned to discernment to be able to do what he does with cards…no. He is clever, and perceptive. Perhaps then, only one at his home."

“What does he do with cards?” Jo looks puzzled. Perhaps he makes machines with… punch cards?

“He cheats. Mr. Foxglove's…information suggests that he counts cards, and uses some sleight of hand to manipulate the deck. Mordecai believes he also uses poison, on occasion, against his opponents. Mordred is clever, and good at what he does to have never been caught, not even by goblins. He is a coward, and weak at heart, but he will not be easily fooled.”

Cards, deck, sleight of hand. Jo pulls her mind back from machine with an effort. Card games, right. "Okay, so he'd notice my invisible flying machine because he cheats at card games."

“He may even notice something in his house that was not there before. I do not know how perceptive he is. But, he might notice something following him, even concealed temporarily. And, that would tip our hand completely that he was set up.”

“So it needs to be something invisible and stationary in his home, or something light enough to attach to him without his noticing…”

“I shall be doing all I can to convince him that he simply was too distracted by trying to win against me, in a card game meant to secure new funds for his family. If he believes it, nothing shall happen. If I fail, or he suspects one of the others at the table, he may attack them. I have…asked some to help me, and I will ask a few more, ensuring they know what they are commiting to. Dane has agreed.”

“I would favor Dane against any homicidal lord, to be honest. And I think if he tried a blade in the dark, he'd find Ivri put one in his back for him.”

“Yes. But Mordred would not strike at Dane. Or Ivri. He would look for someone vulnerable, close enough to Dane to hurt.” Colson looks down at his hands. “Mordecai believes if Mordred decides it was me behind it, he would go for my father. Not for me directly. My father, whose disability would make him easy prey, and whose death would hurt me, for thwarting Mordred.”

Jo furrows her brow. "Oh. I see. I'm not sure who he would target for Dane… maybe Elo and Niris? How they are now, I'm not sure if they'd…" Jo shivers. "Right, so he can't notice."

Colson inclines his head. "It is in part why I…may not ask Ben at all. His mother…it would take nothing but poison too subtle, or when Sir Ference was out, and she would not be able to…" He breaks off. "That is the kind of man Mordred is."

Jo's face goes a little blank for a moment. "If he were to kill Elo or Niris, I would burn their house to the ground. Title or no title." Jo shakes her head, and takes a breath. "But anyway, that's not happening. Because we'll be very careful."

Colson adjusts his gloves. There is a faint sense of the Light rising in the room. "If Mordred attacks any of ours, or he tries to run to escape his fate, I will stop him, Captain. I have vowed to do so. Mordecai has given his approval, for that."

“Okay, so let's stop the hypotheticals about who Mordred may or may not try to kill. What do you think is best? Invisible and stationary in his house? It could come with some other delivery, or we could have someone place it while he's out.”

Colson pushes the Light back down. "Yes. I think invisible and stationary at his house, will ensure it is not found the longest. I have no idea how fast Mordred might work, or what he may be driven to do, as things continue their fall. When Mordred fails, his brother, Gavin, will fall first. That is his wife's Justice to have. With Gavin gone, and his scheme exposed, Mordred will be in a precarious position. If we know what he says, we may know what he will do. I assume his house is the best place for that.”

Jo nods. "Do you want me to blink in, place the thing, teleport out? I do have an invisibility field for myself, you know."

Colson makes a small thoughtful sound. "If you believe it best, to know exactly what the range would be, and how to ensure it looks natural, there will be times when Mordred is out. You would need to be careful. His servants are not loyal to him, but they are afraid of him. Fear can be very powerful. If you are spotted, they will report it.”

“I can make sure there are no witnesses.” Jo nods, thinking. “When does this need to happen?”

“As soon as possible. In fact, we already know that Mordred will be out at that time, for the game. The house would be empty. That, I imagine, would be your best time to act.”

“This Sunday?” Jo frowns. “That's not a lot of time, but I guess it's only a few tweaks.” Jo looks over at Colson. "I should probably get to work then. I don't want to leave things to the last minute. There's always some unforeseen bugs to work out."

Colson nods at Jo. "I appreciate your assistance, Captain. I am in your debt." He takes out his Baffled Sheep notebook and turns to near the back. He's going to need a new notebook soon. "This is the time, and the place, where Mordred will be. At worst, he will leave within twenty minutes. At best, two hours."

“Twenty minutes should be plenty, if I get to the house in advance. I'll make sure it's done.” Jo stands up, stretches her arms above her head. "And now, to the workshop!"

Colson inclines his head, and then salutes Jo as she leaves.