[D9, Mid Morning] Scorpion Embassy, Smoke, Mirrors & Masks (Closed)

[Bayushi Hinata]

The message had come in late, but it's seriousness was not dimished by it's tardiness, he'd have to adjust his morning workout to something briefer it seemed. Hinata had pinged back quickly to the young racer.

"Mid Morning. Meeting room 8. I'll let the others know."

*Ding!*

*Ping!*

Dressed in the full formal regalia of his station, which is to say a full three piece suit in clan colors topped with a daisho and remaining gear as he awaits the arrival of the others, seated at one of the sides of the dicreet meeting room. Enough room to seat six people, enough for their purposes. Network connection, a pot of coffee, and some of the unsweetend green tea cans he had won at the Oshidama tournament completed his preparations.

Not bad for a wall flower pretty boy.

[Bayushi Senshuken]

It doesn't take long for Senshuken to arrive. She bows in haste and heads towards the coffee stand.

"Good morning. How are you doing, Hinata san?"

[Bayushi Hinata]

He bows his head casually as she enters.

"I'm doing well...." He follows her around the room with his eyes, raising an eyebrow at the haste.

"Are you sure coffee will make this any less urgent? Or help make up for the sleep you clearly haven't gotten?"

[Bayushi Kazushi]

Kazushi enters, his outfit understated as usual...



...and as usual followed by Katsumi and Kurumi.

"Good morning, everyone. I take it there is a matter of some urgency to discuss?"

[Soshi Kotori]

Kotori quickly navigated the halls of the Embassy, pausing outside the door to smooth her skirt and right her veil to at least give the illusion that she didn't have to run to make it. Even so she was slightly late. She hated being late.

She knocked, paused, and excused herself as she entered.

"Sorry I'm late..." She says quietly with a polite bow in getting before relegating herself to the wall.

[Bayushi Senshuken]

Senshu was about to difuse the notion that she's either in a hurry or that she didn't sleep well, when the other two arrive one by the other. She just smirks to Hinata while pouring a cup of coffee for herself and taking a long sip before offering bows and greetings alike.

"Good morning, everyone. Forgive the urgency of the meeting. I hope that I didn't interrupt any important abductions about to happen." She obviously jokes and takes another sip of her coffee.

"I asked for this meeting because I stumbled across some intelligence that could coome very handy for us in Nakahama. I was investigating the rumors regarding the incompetence of the current governor and apparently they have begun from various sources and expanded online through bots. Soshi san is already investigating those bots. What's peculiar is that one of the initial sources seems to be the governor's sister, Yasuki Umiko sama."

[Bayushi Hinata]

The Bushi of the assembled scorpion raised an eyebrow at the revealed information, a hand moving to cover his lips.

"That's a damn interesting find... So it's either Ron purpose, or someone who shouldn't, had access to the Kari's personal computer..."

He considered the available information. "She did mention her relationship with the Governor was beginning to grow distant. She is perceived very well among the populace for being competent in her duties compared with Yasuki Ayame-sama. Maybe this reputation is somewhat manufactured..."

[Bayushi Senshuken]

"Exactly!" Senshu agrees. "It is either a big favor for saving her ass or us owning her ass. But we need to plan and work on how we will get there. Especially since..." She pauses for a moment. "I have started working on getting myself a more permanent seat at the island through a marriage with the governor. My esteemed mother is considering my suggestion and I intended to make it known to the suitable official, as well, who seems to be Umiko sama."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

"A bot net rumor mill?" asks Kazushi drily. "How positively twenty-first century. In any case, I suppose the question is how to deal with this troublesome sister."

[Bayushi Senshuken]

"We need to find out which of the case mentioned by Hinata san we are talking about. The approach will be different. But we need to be fast. I already spread a counter rumor that is easily linked back to me. A bait, let's say. And we are waiting on Kotori san's investigation to bear fruits, as well."

"Perhaps... Kotori san, how about looking into this thing I heard in the morning. Something about Umiko sama and a temple. What's the deal with this temple?" She looks all three of them carefully. "I don't suppose we have an asset that could discreetly keep an eye on her? Like seeing who she's meeting? Perhaps, what they talk about in those meetings?" A shrug. "We could also try to bait her during a face to face meeting. Go all in and see what this gets us."

[Soshi Kotori]

"I should be able to make arrangements for such an asset." Kotori gave a little nod from where she stood by the wall. "Do you have any more information about the temple? Is there more than one temple...? Or will I need to ensure the asset is capable of tailing them...?"

Sneaking about wasn't particularly an issue for the... asset... that Kotori had in mind. But for the love of the Kami, if she lost the tail it was a nightmare to find again...

[Bayushi Hinata]

"I do have to arrange a meeting with Umiko-sama. She was very generous with merchandise from her idol years to gift my sister. I offered to repay with a vinyl album of a band she likes."

He says as he toys with the mask between his hands. "Be warned, she has begun to have a ronin escort with herm they aren't completely obvious, so we may need sharper eyes than mine to ascertain their identity, and connection to the Yasuki."

He settles the mask on his face. The golden eyes lighting up, the distorted tone invading the quiet of the room. "Such a shame. If she turns out to be against us I'll have a lot of explaining to do for my sister."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

"Temple? The Temple of Light in Tenjin Town?" asks Kazushi. "That crew is definitely up to something - they've got armed guards on the grounds, aren't particularly friendly, and..."

The designer pauses, then his face lights up and he snaps his fingers.

"...and they were stockpiling computer hardware! I'd bet koku to kagami mochi that they're running the rumor-bot network out of that place, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were planning something bigger..."

[Bayushi Senshuken]

"Have you already visited the temple, Bayushi sama?" She asks Kazushi. "If you have connections perhaps you could facilitate Kotori san's entrance?" Her gaze goes to the Soshi. "Wouldn't that facilitate your investigation? Hinata san could keep an eye on both of you. They won't attack visitors, right? Not if we don't provoke them. If Kotori san isn't caught."

She stays silent for a few moments. "Hinata san can also have his date. And I could randomly be there at the shops. For extra pressure on Yasuki sama. She's a seasoned courtier, but you never know. If she's working against her sister and weapons are involved... This isn't as simple as a few rumors. We could throw small pieces of intelligence into the conversation and see if she breaks and reveals something additional."

"Are we in agreement in employing the asset Kotori san knows?" She asks in the end after a sip of her coffee.

[Bayushi Kazushi]

"My 'contacts' aren't the subtle sort," Kazushi says, shaking his head, "unless you consider Souta and the Detective likely partners in the endeavor. As it is, I've already left a message with the governor on the topic, although it's likely to have been intercepted - no response yet. I think Kitsune-san said he was planning on a return visit, though, so it might be worth checking in with him, anyway. At the very least, he might be able to provide a distraction. Still, I'd suggest going there ready for a fight unless we've got someone with some local authority behind us, because they didn't show a whole lot of patience toward visitors when I was there."

Kazushi turns to Kotori, asking, "Would it be possible to get our necessary evidence without needing to actually infiltrate the Temple? Trace the bot-net back to them or something? I'm willing to put myself on the line as a distraction if we have to get in there, but if there's any other way..."

[Soshi Kotori]

"I'll know more about the source of the bots this evening -it's doable, just time consuming. That being said it won't necessarily tell me who was responsible, just where it traces back to." Kotori straightens slightly as she looks to Kazushi. "My assets are should be subtle enough, should that approach prove necessary."

Truthfully, Kotori couldn't help but think about perhaps she'd been a little lax in her duties, too busy lamenting over the strangeness of the experience. Things were far from as peaceful and leisurely as they seem.

[Bayushi Senshuken]

"I have a... personal meeting with the governor later today at [ME]. From our previous conversations I have come to understand that she's oblivious to the power of rumors. Additionally she doesn't seem to believe that there's anyone threatening her position, but if her sister started these rumors, which seems very likely, she cannot have any other goal, but to take her place. It's only that... it's hereditary not a vote for the commoners."

She scratches the back of her head in an effort to make sense of this. "She seems sweet, not the type to plan an assassination and use the rumor mill to smooth the succession. She could just be jealous and say all those things with no ulterior goal in mind. Perhaps? But the temple and the armed guards..." She looks at them for opinions. "Do you think that the governor should be warned instead of us trying to.... okay, it's just us. We will try to blackmail the karo otherwise."

[Bayushi Kazushi]

Kazushi nods, agreeing with Senshuken's assessment.

"Knowing that we could reveal all should be enough to put an end to any threat that may or may not exist," he agrees. "Or, at least, it will redirect any aggression toward us and away from the governor."

[Bayushi Senshuken]

"Or make the karo move faster." She comments. "Our intelligence will become invalid and our position too weak if she manages to replace her sister."

[Bayushi Hinata]

Hinata's mask seems to almost make the same expressions as his face naturally would. This wouldn't be new to Kazushi, having worked together for so long. To the others, the mask must have been terribly sophisticated to achieve such feats. An eyeborw raises, somehow, towards Senshuken, the golden eyes shifting to look at her.
"We need all our cards on the table. What's the specifics on this 'Asste' Kotori has. Favours are owed or repaid, we're working on a budget at the end of the day. Secondly, we've already begun painting a target on Senshuken-sama's back, she needs around the clock escort just in case. If we're making a move against the Temple, and they have armed guards, *plural*, I won't be much protection. I can take on any bushi one on one, more than one opponent and I won't be able to much keep up...."

His eyes shift to the ceiling, the lower lip of the mask's mouth moving to match a pensive expression before it spreads into a toothy, devilish grin.

"We've already made deals with the Unicorn have we not? Did you notice they brought a delegation chock full of Bushi?"