Umgul City

Entin & Orlov Residence

At Atlantis’ dubious and apprehensive expression, Mace showed nothing outwardly, she only had that placid expression on her features when she looked at the man and blinked once as if to tell him that it’d be all right one way or the other. After all, despite Atlantis’ reservations, or what had he, she would always have his back one way or the other. She owed that much to him even if she had never said a thing, she still did due to the fact that often when she felt like she wanted to give it all up because it was turning to be pointless, she often thought of how he would approach that or what he would say to himself to just push through. . .

If he thought that he still wasn’t fit to lead the Mist Order, in her humble opinion really, she thought that he was deadly wrong. Out of the two of them, he was far more compassionate and very understanding and if he asked for the whys, she’d only end up saying that he always thought of the others before himself and she would even take the example of disassembling his lightsaber in order to hand Elikapeka the Kasha it contained.

He cared, maybe more than she will ever do, but Atlantis Vyridian did care that much and that was undeniable. . .

When they were finally facing the estate that belonged to their potential suspect, Mace slightly played with her gloves that were still on her hands. This was one of the things that she preferred not getting into especially when she knew that there were consequences to all of her actions but she had to know one way or the other. After hearing Atlantis’ spoken words through the intercom so that they could gain the access, she no longer heard any thoughts from him at all, it was just blank and just like him, she cleared her mind briefly and made sure that she securely had that medallion of her ancestor around her neck touching her bare skin.

Mace remembered the Ranger’s suggestion on how they should approach this but clearly Atlantis didn’t even go through that route yet due to the fact that maybe he just wanted to see their reaction first hand too. To make sure though, a just in case kind of thing, Mace grabbed her datapad and sent an encrypted message to Ayla, Horsea, Franz and even Andros to let them all know of her current location with Atlantis. She knew that they would all understand and that she wasn’t the type of person to just send a message mindlessly without a valid reason.

Finally returning her datapad back to her pouch, she looked at Atlantis briefly and inclined her head. “Just four, nothing excessive really.” Said Mace with a somewhat playful smile, although it was just for show just in case if some cams were watching but she knew that Atlantis would understand in a way.

Soon enough though a reply came through that intercom and she followed the instructions as requested until both she and Atlantis were led indoors, she did not spend her time to look around, she wasn’t the kind to do so when she had a sole purpose in mind anyways and once they were shown inside and led to the residents of this estate, Mace kept her expression peaceful and it even somewhat turned apologetic naturally when she saw that they had clearly interrupted the couple who were preparing some lunch.

“Good afternoon,” Said Mace with a warm smile although clearly she could perceive nothing whatsoever from them but just being the welcoming kind, no nervousness at all, Mace knew that could have been a possibility. It was a possibility one that she had expected but it did not stop her from keeping the pleasant smile on her face as after all they had been invited inside. “Thank you for having us but also apologies for interrupting you. . .”

This clearly was going to be a tough one to crack although she was thankful for a fact right now, considering that she had never been exposed to the press, and her name had never been splattered on the holonews as to who she really was, there really was a chance that Lyov and Helaine did not even know that not only she was part of the Mist Order, although the fact that she was currently here with Atlantis could have been a dead giveaway but one thing remained, she had no overt signs or tattoos on her face that indicated that she was part Kiffar and even if her last name could have been another dead giveaway considering from which line she descended really, still that could have been a random name amongst many other names. Fact was, she was half Kiffar but she did not look like it.

“If we are here today, it’s because we do have something to ask you,” Began to say Mace as she focused her attention onto Lyov really this time considering that he was the one with that knowledge on paper and then she looked up at Atlantis with a knowing smile. “But I am sure that the Grandmaster will be far more eloquent than I, so I shall let him express himself. . .” For now, Mace was buying some time in a way, but she had been speaking without hesitation really although she did notice that Helaine had been cutting some vegetables while Lyov had been glazing some ribs, now all she needed really was to just keep on observing inconspicuously which hand the two of them, or Helaine mainly used the most in their tasks.

Of the sixty five beings that Nuala and Nazani contact to ask whether they had noticed Helaine around the time of the murders at Sike's estate, forty eight recall seeing Miss Orlov throughout the evening and feel positive she was not absent at any time; twelve report that while they cannot be absolutely sure that Miss Orlov was present at the time of the killings as they were engaged in conversation with other guests during the time frame in question, they find it doubtful that Miss Orlov was absent at any time due to the fact she had always been seen engaged with other guests and would be unlikely to leave her own party; and five guests, who are unaware their memories had been tampered with, state with absolute certainty that they were part of a group speaking with Miss Orlov during the time frame in question, their certainty due to the fact that a scheduled speaker for one of the shelters that donations from the benefit dinner would help was asked to address the guests during the same span of time.


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"Oh really, Helaine assures Mace with a wave of her hand, there is absolutely no need to apologize at all. Favoring her left hand just as roughly ten percent of any given population also do, or just like approximately 600,000,000 individuals in the case of Umgul, as she finishes slicing the vegetables she has been preparing, Helaine puts them into a bowl as she listens to Mace begin to explain why she and Atlantis are here, her expression the mixture of curiosity and confusion one would expect from someone being informed there is something they need to be asked without being given any further explanation. Smiling as, after Atlantis thanks them for receiving him and Mace on short notice, Helaine says, It's quite alright, then looks over to tell Lyov, The ribs are ready to be put into the oven love. Returning her attention to Atlantis, Helaine says, And please, do call us Lyov and Helaine. Mister and Miss just sounds so dreadfully stuffy and formal. Frowning in mild confusion after Atlantis has asked whether they had seen anything out of the ordinary, Helaine shakes her head after appearing to consult her memory for a moment and says, No, no I can't say that I remember anything strange happening last night. Looking over at Lyov as he returns from the oven, she asks him, Can you think of anything love?"

Picking up one of the vegetable slices from the bowl with his right hand, Lyov looks as though he is thinking back to the previous evening as he bites into the vegetable slice. Finished chewing, Lyov wipes his hands on a towel as he says, "I'm sorry, but no, nothing comes to mind. Since it would be normal to wonder what the question was about for one who had no guilty knowledge, and certainly odd if such a one were not wondering what the question concerned, Lyov asks with the expected amount of curiosity and concern, What kind of thing might we have noticed, if I may ask?"

A logical follow up question any one in their position and with no guilty knowledge would have would be whether any of their guests were involved in whatever might have been seen, and so Helaine asks in a concerned tone, "Has something happened concerning one of our guests?"

Entin & Orlov Residence

Smiling amiably at Helaine’s reassurances, Mace did not look anywhere in particular although she did notice from the corner of her eyes that Helaine always used in majority her left hand. Considering the odds, despite the percentage of left handed in any given population, Mace still liked those odds.

And thus it began. . .

Considering that Atlantis was doing all the talking, to which she really had no apprehension with for Mace did tell him that she was going to follow his lead. While he did talk, she had her attention on both Lyov and Helaine with a placid expression. Truth be told she did not even try to get into their mind because anyone with enough training could bypass any mind readers and she was definitely going to bank on the fact that she would find nothing substantial from them, let alone would be able to access Lyov’s mind to begin with considering she did went through over his profile last night and therefore she knew where he hailed from as for Helaine, really, she didn’t even want to start and begin to get inside of her head because if she calqued her thoughts like her public persona, it really was something Mace preferred not to get into.

Mace let things play out and preferred to not even talk for the time being until Atlantis asked her if she had a piece of paper and a pen. “Let me check,” Said Mace as she removed her gloves and tucked those to her belt before looking for what Atlantis was asking for, she did find a piece of paper, but the pen, no such luck. “You don’t have by any chance a pen lying around or on yourselves, right now?”

Either way, if it really had to come to that she really was ready to assume the consequences and if that did not happen right now, she still had another plan which would probably get her to be in trouble with a few that she knew, but really what did she care about that. . .

TaSpa!

"Don't give her any ideas, Elikapeka teases Franz in a theatrically worried, warning moan when he says that Lily will soon have invited enough guests to her bikini fantasy party to make her own calendar, laughing while covering her face with a hand when Lily jokes about broadcasting the party right before telling Franz his idea is a good one. Now look what you've done, Elika tells Franz with a playfully stern expression complete with a wagging finger, I hope you're happy. Giving Crystal a playful do you really need to ask look when asked if she would vote in favor or Lily's calendar or broadcasting ideas, Elika says, Um, no. Looks like that motion is denied beautiful, she tells Lily, So sorry," she says with a theatrically apologetic look followed by blowing Lily a consolation kiss.

Smiling as Lily describes how her relationship with Ryan came to its present state, Elika nods in agreement as she repeats Crystal's, "Obviously," since it seems to her that Lily and Ryan do compliment one another, and from what she has observed from the few times she has seen them together it seems clear that they care for one another and make one another happy.

Smiling as she looks at Delaana when they are asked if it would be an imposition for her to join them, Elika shakes her head and says cheerily, "It's neither an imposition nor an intrusion, then, worried that she might be looking into Delaana's eyes too long, looks down and removes some imaginary lint from a sleeve as she begins to go on, and, so . . . unable to recall what she had been planning to say, Elika laughs at herself as she pushes an errant lock of hair behind an ear and essentially repeats herself, It wouldn't be an imposition at all, really."