An Inconvenient Accident (Closed)

[New Freedomstan]

"Kylon?" 623-369 replied "Cool. Sounds weird. I suggest you just remove your name, though, especially if you will live here in #14. Most people don't have name anymore, y'see. It'd make you fit in more, and you seem to need it ever here in Pub #86. And yeah, they've closed the Collective unless you have adequate reason to leave now. Was an announcement about it earlier. They don't talk about it often, but everyone knows the Commissariat have some sort of camps or something a bit further north, with..."

She paused a bit for dramatic effect "Subhumans. Like those talking ponies and half-human half-animal people. One of them escaped, but they don't say what it looks like. Have you seen those SCS uniforms? Well, they are everywhere now. They don't want people to go looking for it, since it's dangerous. I bet it's one of those ponies. Are there any subhumans in the country you left? I've always wondered what they are really like, y'know. I mean, I know all that about them being a threat to socialism and the fatherland, but I'm still curious. Imagine an animal talking back to you!"

"They have closed the entire Collective?" 472-474 said "We haven't heard of that."

623-369 turned to 472-474, and said.
"Yeah, no-one gets out until they've either found that subhuman or a week has passed. Well, except transport workers of course. Foreman Johansen held a public appearance... a few hours ago? Was on the tv, at least. And they said we are to respect the SCS officers like SSS and AS officers. I mean, I passed three on my way here."

[Crystal Spires]

"We had almost no non-humans where I came from. The very thought of them were almost like a silly urban myth, but I heard in the country next to mine that there are a lot of them there. That they're... imagine the joke... actually running the government and reach throughout the whole of parliament. 'Tis funny to imagine, I can hardly imagine an animal running through the house speaking much less one running a government so all this claims that they are a threat to socialism seems just silly to me. From what I remember though they are very strange when I actually saw them for myself. Talking horses are just one thing, animal people too, but they're nothing like what one would expect in real life. Many of them are very gentle, while a small bit of them are as brutal as they come, but I think they act just like us. 'Tis strange, but for example, I mean imagine something that looks like a giant man 9 feet tall, with eyes the color of old sea glass and white hair covered with feathers with giant white wings trying to speak like a normal person. 'Tis folly, and yet a man just like that is High Chancellor of their parliament. How very odd that things like that are possible." Maven said as 472-474 was slowly made aware of the horrible truth. Maven wasn't just part of the Spirean Parliament, he was akin to the Premier and the Prime Minister of the nation. He was the High Chancellor.

"So they've closed the collective then, that's dangerous isn't it? It locks us in with it, and it could be anywhere and we can't do anything about it. I had hoped we'd be able to get much further in our travels but I suppose if the nonhuman is dangerous we should hope that they find and kill it soon for the safety of all of us."Maven said with the look of irony to 472-474.

[New Freedomstan]

"Kill it?" 623-369 "Nah. I've got a friend in the Commissariat. She says that when they encounter subhumans, they have to capture them alive and hand 'em over to the SCS. Well, unless they start killing people, like what happened in People's Collective #1 here in #14. I have no idea what it was, but it managed to kill three people before the SSS managed to gun it down. It just kept going. It was horrible." 623-369 shuddered "Nine feet tall? Sounds like a monster. But it's cool that you've met some, one of my friends works in the SCS so she's seen some but she can't say what she's seen. But those ponies don't really look like a threat, but I've heard from a friend who heard it from her cousin who heard it from an SCS Commissar that they can mind-control you and... wipe you clean! Y'know, like those movies where..."

"So, this high chancellor of your neighbours," 472-474 said, interrupting 623-369. If he had been overly surprised by the revelation, he didn't show it, although he had started looking over his shoulder slightly more frequently. "So you've seen the country and it's ruler then? Must be a mess if the country is ruled by subhumans."

"Yeah, that's what I though." 623-369 "Everyone know's that some of them are intelligent, but not to the level of humans. I mean, if they were real smart, we would know about it, yeah? And everyone knows those SCS labs are full of 'em. I mean, if I joined the Commissariat I'd join the SCS just to get a look at them. It's a bit exciting, I mean you probably didn't hear it, Comrade Kylon" 623-369 said to Maven "But it was only about a year or so ago the Party even said intelligent non-humans existed, and that we got 'em. 'course, everyone knew some the people in Region #3 weren't quite... y'know, human."

472-474 coughed "Now, there's no need to mess around in children's stories to our new countryman? All our comrades in Region #3 are human. Perhaps not Homo Sapiens, but human still."

"Well, of course they are human," 623-369 said quickly "I mean, that's what the Party says and all. But some of them do kinda sorta not look like you and me, to say it like that." she said while looking at Kylon "But what are you doing with these Greys anyway? Let's get you to a real party, comrade Kylon!"

[Crystal Spires]

"I would love to join you, but I'm really beginning to feel jet lag upon me, and the exhaustion is overwhelming. A raincheck, perhaps?" He said with his usual warm and gentle demeanor.

Maven was sure now that perhaps 472-474 understood his true fear and why he had desired to try and keep out of sight. Maven was also beginning to feel the edge of spell fatigue kick in. It had been too long of holding the spell nonstop with his body damaged and little sleep that was had. The consequence of the illusory spell is that Maven would slowly begin to make people uneasy with the spell and it would spread the feeling of fear around him as he slowly becomes overwhelmed by fear itself. The ultimate consequence would be that the illusion would backfire and create horrifying delusions to all, and Maven would have full blown crushing anxiety until his heart would give up from the fear. He had never forced his energy that far, but he knew it was possible, and likely.

Maven bowed before 623-369 apologetically and approached 472-474 and tapped his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "I'm pushing the limits of my spellpower too far, I need to dispel it soon. We need somewhere safe so that I can rest and recover and perhaps recover the lost mana. It will take some time to cool down, but I need to desperately. We can talk more about important things when we have complete and total privacy. Right now however, we must move. it is essential comrade." Maven said as he smiled at the doctor as well.

[New Freedomstan]

"Sure, Comrade Kylon," 623-369 "See you around!" she said, and headed to the second floor of the pub. Meanwhile, 472-474 had downed his pint, and clapped Bauer on the back.

"Was good to see you again, comrade," he said to Bauer "But we have to be off. We'll have to do this again some time, although not in a Mask pub. I can't help but feel that a third of them would rather stab a Commissar in the back than salute him."

"Ja, genosse," Bauer said and shook 472-474's hand firmly "Not gut for you two with ze Kommissariat running about, und die Kollektiv closed. Es is late. Goodbye, comrade 'Kylon'," Bauer said to Maven "Hope you won't be needing meine services. I'll just be finishing meine drink und the chips."

As they headed out of the pub, the streets seemed somewhat more empty. Streetlights now lined the street in the cold, white, glow of electricity. You could see the occasional Commissar team patrolling, but none of them seemed to wear the SCS uniform. The other pubs, restaurants and a nightclub in the distance seemed to be full of people, but the factories in the distance still seemed to spew out smoke and toil. The occasional truck also passed by, in addition to the tram-lines and buses. 472-474 seemed to know exactly which tram-line to take, and it didn't take long before you were back in the hotel. 472-474 suddenly stopped.

"Quiet," 472-474 said "Those are SCS Commissars."

Inside the hotel, more than dozen SCS Commissars were standing. In the lead were a rather large, heavy-set Commissar whose left hand had been replaced with three crude steel claws who were talking to the smiling receptionist.

"Shit!" 472-474 said "I recognise those Commissars! They're from Station #2 in Arnskog, and the one in lead is Comrade-Overseer Trymsen."

[Crystal Spires]

"Comrade-Overseer Trymsen? I don't suppose he'd welcome us for a tea and a warm bed. We need to find somewhere else, someplace safe. If we can't, I want you to point your gun at me, and tell them that you have captured me. It will give you plausible deniability. You will be safe, and they will not question your loyalty. I didn't want to get you killed, and chances are, that will happen if you are found with me and we can't escape." Maven whispered, "I'm the Head of State of Crystal Spires, I'm quite aware of what will happen to me. No amount of posturing will save me if I am discovered, but you can live. You remember? Death to the Beastlovers, Death to the Beasts, I am the beast king then. Capture me and you are no beastlover. As I said, point your gun at me if it comes to it. " Maven whispered with a hint of desperation leaking from his voice.

Maven felt the handgun and held it in his hand clenching it with fear beginning to set in, his pride refusing to show it.

[New Freedomstan]

"I'm afraid that won't work," 472-474 whispered "A Commissar is expected to die rather than aid a foreign spy or any danger to Nefreedia. And I'll be considered a commissar till the day I die, by our laws. It would have worked if we were discovered in Arnskog, but not this far away. But it seems like... they are getting rooms? I don't think they know we are here. Do you have some way of knowing what they are saying?"

Trymsen is a he, by the way. Sørensen is a she.

[Crystal Spires]

"My hearing is above normal human hearing but I am afraid I have no spell to further enhance it. I could increase the illusory spell to make you unable to be seen, but I'm beginning to be hit by spell fatigue. They'll become paranoid the longer you stay there and listen. Fear can be a powerful motivator though, so I'm counting on you." Maven of course neglected to explain the physical cost to him for use of the spell. He was taking a big risk, but he was hoping that he would be able to overhear something. "Are you ready? It will feel like being covered in morning mist, but you will not be seen. Remember however you can be heard. You can still back down now, and capture me, take me to them, and wash your hands of me but I would say that since I have an interest in living, I am begging for your help." Maven held his hand out over 472-474. "Say you will if you wish to proceed, or perhaps you have a better idea?"

[New Freedomstan]

"I think the best bet would be just waiting," 472-474 whispered back "Since you can't hear it from here. I'm not sure if the cameras in PC-2 have been upgraded. One of the things we discovered in Station #2 before I left was that that magic you people could give some kind of disturbance over some of our cameras. We started designing cameras made for detecting it, and I know they were put up in Arnskog. I don't want to risk them having done the same here, although I highly doubt they have."

472-474 was visibly sweating now, the first sign of unease he had given since they left. When one of the Commissars waiting inside turned, he quickly threw himself to the ground and dragged Maven with. The Commissar didn't seem to have seen them.

"Hopefully," 472-474 said "They won't be notified we hid outside the door until we're gone from the city." he pointed at a camera right over the entrance "The SSS and AS do not have the manpower to monitor every single camera at all times, of course, and they mostly process it later. Mostly. You never know... It seems like Trymsen is arguing about the price, typical... there, they left."

472-474 waited for a full minute, before heading in. He had dried off the sweat, and there was no sign of nervousness about him. He went up to the receptionist, the same smiling young man as earlier.
"Hello, Comrade-Citizen." 472-474 said "Which floor did you say that restaurant was?"
"Hello, Comrade-Commissar." the young man replied "Is it cold outside? When you opened the door some kind of chill came in. The restaurant is on the second-floor. Seems like we're getting overrun by SCS today."
"Oh?" 472-474 said
"Yes, Comrade-Commissar." the young man replied "Twenty-one of them signed in just now. I guess they are back-up for the hunt for that Subhuman, eh? They are up in third floor if you want to speak to them."
"Well, I can't say that Comrade-Citizen," 472-474 replied, but gave a small wink to the receptionist "Commissariat needs to keep some secrets, you know."
"Did your friend grow wings, Comrade-Commissar?" the young man said, noticing Maven's wings "Is it..."
"We checked out the Masks, Comrade-Citizen" 472-474 said "That's all I can say. You know how not all of those have their loyalties in the right place. I trust you're not involved in..?"
"Of course not, Comrade-Commissar!" the young man said, slightly agitated "Never set foot in one of... their pubs. We should be sending the whole lot to Region #8, if you ask me Comrade-Commissar!"
"Good, Comrade-Citizen." 472-474 said "We'll be off. Good night!"
"Good night, Comrade-Commissars!" the young man said "Good luck catching that Subhuman freak on the loose!"

Entering the room, 472-474 opened the door very slowly and peeked in. He then opened it entirely, and collapsed on the bed.
"That went about as well as it could, eh?" he said

[Crystal Spires]

"Surprisingly so. I need to release the spell. Are we safe? Please tell me we are." Maven asked as he began to feel the adrenaline slowly run through his body and his mind become completely unable to stop its progression.

"I need to release the spell....Comrade, please check and make sure there is no way this can be discovered."

[New Freedomstan]

"We're not safe until we're out of the country," 472-474 said "But it's about the safest we can be, considering the situation. I can check if the cameras have been re-activated."

472-474 went right besides the door again, withdrew his commissarial badge and pushed it into the same nearly impossible to see hole. He listened closely, but there were no whirring.

"Good, that means they haven't activated the cameras." 472-474 said while he breathed a sigh of relief "And that means Trymsen either don't know another SCS Commissar have got a room here, or he doesn't suspect it's me. That's the only thing about the Commissariat that works in our favour. It's not possible to remove a specific badge from the registries, so this little thing" he said while holding up the badge "Opens up quite a few doors that would otherwise remain locked. We can't stay in any one place for twenty-four hours though. The badge can be tracked to me."

[Crystal Spires]

Maven dispelled the illusion and now 472-474 could see that Maven was visibly exhausted. It is indeed a powerful illusion, as Maven looked rather ill from the effects of holding the spell for so long, but not under the power of the spell. And without and verbal cues, or a cue from his proud and confident stance shift, there was little way to tell his physical condition under the illusion, but out of it, Maven clearly looked physically rattled.

"Even remaining 24 hours in one place is a great risk. It is of my opinion that after I regain mana that we leave immediately. The SCS being here reels of extra danger. They may know more of me, or worse the DNA may come back. At least I can be sure that there is no way they could tell it is me, but being one of the last of the Storkii does not bode well. I do not even know if they would be able to tell what kind of species a storkii is. I pray that they don't come to find out." Maven said with a weak groan. He was regaining mana slowly and without sweets it would be a painful endeavor.

"Oh... We need to plan how to get out of here. The ones we started out with may need change as we go along." Maven said as he lay down.

[New Freedomstan]

"Hmm," 472-474 said "You don't look too good, comrade. Is it the wound? I would rather not have to contact Bauer again. Idon't want to risk him more than what's absolutely necessary. And yeah, we may have to make a change of plans. Heading over to the contact is walking right into a trap at this point." 472-474 said as he walked over ot the window "The criminal syndicates are all riddled with informants and Commissars. They know we're coming, so we need to find another way to get out of the city. The only ones who gets out or in at this point is transport workers..."

472-474 looked at Maven "Could you mimic us into how two others looks like? We could board a truck to get out. It's risky, but I think it's our best shot. Or we could head to the contact. We'll get out of the city, most likely, but we'd have to... take care of the smugglers once we're out. Ultimately, they work for the Commissariat, even if they do not know it. There's also the question of where we should go after we get out..."

472-474 retrieved a rather crude map of New Freedomstan from his suitcase, showing the regional and political divisions of the country.

"They'll expect," 472-474 said "That we'll go to Region #13. That's the most direct route to Region #8. However, it's more difficult to get between the border of #14 and #13, than #14 and #3. It would also serve us well to not do what they probably suspect. It's not much longer to the #14-#3 border either. From #3, we could move through #4 and #6 to to #9, which also have some degree of shipping although it would be more difficult to board a ship there. #8 is still in a reconstruction phase following the secession, and thus restrictions are more lax than in #9. What do you think?"

[Crystal Spires]

"I trust you, Comrade, and my illusions do what I ask them to, but I must know whom I am mimicking. And if it is any indication, I know very little about Nfreedia, and I am putting my whole faith in your ability to know your surroundings better than I can while you can count on me to use the proper illusion magic to disguise us, and if necessary I will use all the spells at my disposal to save our lives." Maven said as he put his hand over his heart. "I will do my best to get us both to Crystal Spires in one piece. This I swear. However I am completely unfamiliar with the terrain. If we go the longer route to avoid the SCS, what kind of terrain would we be expecting. Treking that way could be treacherous or if we are lucky it can be easy and simple. It will take time for my wings to heal and when it does we can make better distance and time if I have the strength to lift you, and I think I do." Maven said with a puzzled expression as he examined the map.

We have a long way to go, but I'm expecting that we will do this well. We have to. Voldok, Lord of Courage, give us strength to go the distance and may we not catch the eye of our enemies. Maven prayed as he struggled to calm his troubled mind.

[New Freedomstan]

"The South-Western regions..." 472-474 said, as he looked at the map "Is called the Redlands and it is very desolate. While the North-West is also quite desolate for the most part, as you have seen, it's nothing like the Redlands. The land itself is red, due to the massive iron deposits in the very grounditself and in the mountain ranges. Little vegetation grows there. The only hint of civilization are mining towns, sprawling industrial cities and military bases. While there are greenspots, particularily in the border areas, they are few and far between the further into the Redlands one gets. It's winter now, but the further south we'll get there'll be less and less snow, and thus less and less water. There are rivers and inland lakes, but they are very polluted. Even with cleansers, it is hazardous to drink from them. It's lethal without cleansers. We'd need to enter the cities or mining-towns to get water, as the treatment plants are all in them."

"Food may also prove to be a problem." 472-474 said as he observed the map "Only Region #6 is self-sufficient in food, because of the fisheries, and the quality of food there is somewhat lower than in the rest of the country. Canned food mostly, or plants grown in the great underground biodomes. The land holds little nutrition for plantlife in most of the Redlands, so there will be few farms to stock up on supplies. The rationing is much harsher there due to this, although it shouldn't prove too much of a problem. It would be... disastrous if something happens to the truck, although if you can flee with any speed it shouldn't be as bad as normally. We cannot risk taking the train, although we could drive by the raillines. Of course, the desolation of the Redlands may prove to our advantage as it would be harder for the SCS to track us down. We could also move by the border areas, which are greener and the population is more spread out and less urban. There are farms there who aren't utterly reliant on industrial fertilizers. Although that would mean more people see us pass by and more Commissariat agents observing us. Moving further from the border areas means less vegetation, nearly no settlements outside of the Collectives and mining-towns but also fewer Commissariat agents."

"I grew up in the Redlands," 472-474 said "I only moved to Region #14 after I joined the Commissariat. I was assigned to Subhuman research quite quickly, and all of that was determined to take place in #14. The North-West is certainly desolate as well, but not to the levels of the Redlands. The Redlands was the only area that wasn't populated by humans before Zeelanian settlers got there. The people of the Redlands are tough and very communal. The name is not only due to the iron in the soil, but also the political affiliations. It's the home of the trade union movements, of the socialdemocratic movements and of the bolshevik movements of old. It has always been the main area of support for the Communist Party, and now the Party Of Nefreedian Socialism. The Commissariat also have a strong level of integration with the people, somewhat like you've seen here in #14."

"The Midlands," 472-474 swiped his hand over roughly the central Regions on the map "Is quite different from the Redlands. Very agricultural, and some of the people of Region #12 have even taken up a somewhat nomadic lifestyle. Horses are very important in Region #12, both as a hobby, a lifestyle and a meat source. Farms, both small-farms and cooperatives, dot the landscape. Lush forests, living villages and towns and relatively few industrial Collectives exist. The exception, of course, is Region #1."

He pointed on the map at Region #1 "That is the Central People's Collective and it's outlying territories. One big city, dwarfing any other city you can find in New Freedomstan. The people in the farming areas, villages and towns are much more traditional than you've seen elsewhere. Old customs are held in high regard, and the Commissariat is not... as accepted as they are in the west. Don't get me wrong, people still respect the Commissariat immensely, but the PCC is not as integrated as we... they are here. Not dissent, as such, just... a bit more scepticism from the majority of the people. I can't say as much for this area as I can for the Redlands, my birthhome, but it's quite different. In short there is far more living nature, you could say. The general perception of the Redlands as a whole is dead soil, sprawling industrial cities and very communal people. The general perception of the Midlands, by comparison, is living nature, spread-out settlements and a more traditional people. The PCC will expect us to go through the Midlands though. I think you should make the decision on this one."

[Crystal Spires]

"Let us go proceed through the Redlands. You seem to know it well considering you originate from there, 'twould be like returning home, and I believe we can withstand the extreme weather, and the lesser Commissariat agents we see the less magic energy I have to use. This is crucial when it comes to extended disguise. If I overuse the magic, the consequences are dire." Maven said as he examined the map. This was an understatement. Spell fatigue is almost always lethal. "Yes, I think the redlands will take more time, but it is a safer option and I think safety is incredibly crucial."

Maven folded the map and gave it to 472-474 as he spoke with a determined voice. "We need to prepare and take what we will need before we go. If it is as extreme as you say we must stock up on what we can to ensure that we do not allow ourselves to become unnecessarily dependent on the populace which would force us to interact with the locals and put them into trouble. I'm a little exhausted, and so I'm hoping you are able and willing. I will repay your kindness in full Comrade, this I swear it." Maven said as he put his fist over his heart and bowed his head as he lie exhausted in bed.

[New Freedomstan]

Seven hours later, at 05:12
"Comrade, are you fit to wake up?" 472-474 said "We should leave. We should be out before Trymsen and his gang wakes up."
472-474 seemed to have cleaned up the room, taken a shower... and switched into another grey uniform looking exactly like the other one. Except clean. He had another grey uniform of the same kind on a stool in front of Maven's bed.
"Get this on once you got the 'disguise' ready," 472-474 said "It'll make you fit more in. You may not have seen it, but people have noticed your clothing. If you can, it'd be good if the disguise hid your wings as well. I've taken the contents of the bag we got back in Arnskog in my suitcade. They may prove useful in a pinch, and the Syndicate is nothing compared to the Commissariat. Hell, the Syndicate is de facto a part of the Commissariat."

While waiting for Maven to properly get up, 472-474 turned around and watched the television. He watched it in english, seemingly as much for Maven's benefit as anything.
"... and is looking for any Comrade-Citizens to report any sightings of potential subhuman activity. In other news, another batch of eager volunteers have been despatched to the Colony who is becoming increasingly adapted to life. The total population is currently at thirty thousand, and with the new batch will grow to an impressive thirtyeight thousand. None of the capitalist-fascist countries of Paradoxia have managed to emulate our great triumph and are languishing back here in..."

"Seems like they haven't found anything," 472-474 said "To ask for Comrade-Citizens to provide aid to the Commissariat is unusual... It may be simply to put us at ease. We should be off soon though. The Commissariat's eyes are everywhere, and I fear there is but a matter of time before they track us to this hotel."

[Crystal Spires]

Maven got up dizzily and cast the illusion spell which gave him black hair and brown eyes and facial hair giving him the appearance of an aged man. " 'Tis as I suspected... but we still must move quickly" Maven said as he looked at 472-474. "I cannot disguise you until we get out of the hotel. Once we do that, it is worth using the enchantment, but for the moment we have much more to worry about. Let us go before we find ourselves in the hands of the Commissariat." Maven changed quickly and helped carry the bags and kept his handgun close at hand.

Don't want to have to use this, but this is our lives we have to lose. He thought as he looked ahead.

[New Freedomstan]

"I checked around on the intranet after you went to sleep," 472-474 said as they headed down the hallway to the elevator 472-474 carrying the suitcase with only minor difficulty "There's a warehouse not too far off. All we have to do is find two male truck drivers, put them to sleep, take their workclothes and ID an you can make us look like them. I know how to drive a truck, so that shouldn't be a problem. When the mass-scale Pony experiments started we needed truckdrivers, and we couldn't have Comrade-Citizens drive them."

Entering the elevator, the building seemed quite empty and silent. The elevator made it's way down, and another man stood behind the reception desk. He was half sleeping, but smiled at them and wished them good morning and then good-bye.

"We can walk to the warehouse I saw." 472-474 "It deals with transport down to the Redlands. We need to drive in the general area of where the transport should go, or they will detect it. All trucks are GPS tracked, and it's a short step from the transport sector to the Commissariat. Do you have any kind of magics that can knock someone out for a few hours, without giving them a concussion or something like that? I fear I'm not the fighter I were in my youth, and I'm not sure if you could overpower anyone quickly either."

[Crystal Spires]

"I may look weak, but I'm actually a Knight of the Order of Idealists and not only do I know martial combat, but I am skilled with the blade. I usually wield a sword, but I do have spells at my disposal which can do that, but I feel like it would be overkill to use the soul scatter spell which has the potential to knock them out without trouble. It has a tendency to create a lot of destruction at its use for the recoil and blow-back even if I use minimal mana." Maven said as he followed behind. "I'm also 9 feet tall, I think despite being light, I have the advantage of reach. Give me an iron bar and I'll make them sleep like a baby with a concussion they'll remember for weeks." Maven said as he followed behind 472-474.

[New Freedomstan]

The streets were nearly empty, only a few people walking about most in some kind of work-clothing it seemed. The occasional Commissar duo also inspected the locals, but they mostly seemed to be chattering. The sun was nowhere to be seen, and the light only came from the electrical lights and the occasional window. The occasional camera seemed to eye them, and there were only brief periods of time where it didn't seem like their lenses inspected you. Of course, most of the time there weren't anyone actually watching, but one never knew.

"You surprise me," 472-474 said "I know how tall you are, obviously, but I didn't think foreign politicians had military experience as a rule. 'course, most people of a certain age in New Freedomstan have some experience of war. The Civil War was... unpleasant business for all involved. That little secession in the south is nothing. I pray the youth will never know the horrors of civil war... but it seems like that is the direction we are headed unless we can unite behi..." 472-474 stopped, pointed ahead at two somewhat drunk fellas walking towards them "Perfect. They wear the uniform of the Transport Worker's Union. Let's see if we can trick them into an alleyway, you do your bit and then we taken their IDs and uniforms."

472-474 went ahead, and met head-on the two inebriated men.
"Halla, Kamratborgere!" 472-474 said cheerfully, and with an ever-so-slight slurr
"Halla, kamratkommissær," one of the men said automatically "Erre?"
"Errikke litt tilig å dra heim allere'e?" 472-474 replied "Veit jo om en fet pøbb ikke langt unna, vett."
"Vetikke, vi ska jo dra ut omn stund," one of the men replied
"En drink te kanke skade," 472-474 replied "Kommissaren spanderer!"
"Åkeia," the same man replied "En drink på Kommissariatets regning!"

472-474 went into the closest alley, while saying:
"Er en snarvei, vett."
The two men followed into the alleyway, with but a single camera inspecting and no live Commissars watching.

"Hello, Comrade-Citizens!" 472-474 said cheerfully, and with an ever-so-slight slurr
"Hello, Comrade-Commissar," one of the men said automatically "What is it?"
"Isn't it a bit early to go home already?" 472-474 replied "I know of a good pub not too far away, y'know."
"Dunno, we're heading out in a little while/not too long till," one of the men replied
"One more drink can't hurt," 472-474 replied "It's on the Commissar!"
"Okey then," the same man replied "On drink on the Commissariat's tab!"

472-474 went into the closest alley, while saying:
"It's a shortcut, y'know."

[Crystal Spires]

Maven took a metal bar and with a flick of his wrist he gauged the weight and carefully gripped it with a tight fencer's grip. He tightened his stance and brought his rear leg in front of the front leg then with a Flèche he did a sprint past the two men and flicked his wrist doing a strike upside the head of the man being careful to make sure that the blow was hard enough not to leave permanent damage and yet knocking him out with that single strike. He anticipated the surprise from the other man and did a Passe Arriere jumping backwards as he leapt right into recovery and riposted with another fierce blow to the other man which was still done with poise and precision. He didn't want to hurt the men more than he had to, but if he didn't hit them hard enough they'd alert someone but he also knew and was painfully aware that if he struck too hard it could be a fatal strike or one that left brain damage. He didn't want to kill or cripple these men.

Maven immediately swiped the bar through the air and set it on the ground as he bowed to the men. "I apologize... but it had to be done." He said as he looked at 472-474. "I think this will do for now." Maven examined the men and took note of their physical features and used the distorted reality spell and began to change their appearance to look like the transport workers.

"Thankfully it will be a while before I will get spell fatigue. The rest did me good, but we mustn't stay long. They will eventually wake up. Let us move." Maven said as he contemplated taking the metal bar with him.

[New Freedomstan]

"Nicely done," 472-474 said, and hurried over to the two men. He started by checking their pulse, then quickly removed their clothing and put it into the suitcase. He also found two IDs, as well as two ration cards he promptly laid next to the two men. He took up one of the bottles with the red liquid, opened it and started pouring the contents over the now half-naked transport workers. They started to smell of alcohol. 472-474 took a sip himself, and offered the bottle to Maven:
"Want a sip?" 472-474 asked "Believe me, it's not easy getting wine in New Freedomstan."

[Crystal Spires]

"I'm a complete lightweight. The last thing you want me to be is drunk. I'll end up singing the ballad of Bales and the Song of Eranor really loudly and telling tales like a veritable bard, except they will be incredibly embarrassing and though I'm not one who cares about privacy much, I have the reputation of Crystal Spires to uphold. I already get blackmailed as much as I do by simply being a good leader, imagine if everyone was to know of all my embarrassing stories?" Maven said with a chuckle as he remembered that last time he went to Terradin and got so drunk that he woke up in the fountain in the Central Square covered in Orange paint. He didn't know how it happened, but the Thane remembers to this day and calls him Sunbeam because of it.

Maven took the ID and carefully considered taking the clothes of the men, but he was unsure if he'd even fit at all. He couldn't enchant the clothes to fit, so he was better off not worrying about it and keeping what he had on. The Spellpower could hold for a long enough time not to worry about the clothing being visible. Or so he hoped.

[New Freedomstan]

"Suit yourself," 472-474 said and took another sip, then emtied the bottle over the men "Hopefully, the first passersby will just smell the alcohol and get some Commissars to get them to a warm enough place. Lucky that the streets are warmed up, eh?"

He put the idea card in his new pocket. He didn't seem entirely at comfort in the new skin, but tried his best not too show it. Walking out of the alleyway, he rushed past the first camera then proceeded slowly ahead.
"There's the warehouse," 472-474 said "Just leave the talking to me."

The warehouse was a quite large building, larger than most of the factories and even apartment complexes, with large doors in three places where trucks came and went regularily. They entered the door. Inside were a large, open, room with with hundreds, if not thousands, of boxes of various sizes. Boxes were lined up or taken down and stored in the trucks, who promptly left as soon as they were filled with both drivers and goods. The efficient running of each and every warehouse was integral to the logistical nightmare that was the New Freedomstani Economy, and barking foremen ran about to make sure the running was as sleek and efficient as they could manage. The warehouse was full of noise of machinery, unloading and shouting men and women, yet it seemed that everyone was where they were supposed to be at all times.

472-474 went up to the closest foreman, and said:
"Reporting for transfer DC-1402-0301." 472-474 said while handing over the ID card, no hesitation in his voice
"You're early," the foreman said, a heavy-set man in his late forties. He hardly seemed to look up at 472-474 while checking the ID card, and didn't give Maven a second look "Good, so are we. That's your truck over there." he said and pointed out a nearly filled truck a little ways ahead. It was a somewhat old model, with a brownish grey paintwork. It could transport ten tonnes of goods, and was continuosly being filled with new boxes. On the side of the boxes were written:
"Canned Food"

"Well, we're headed out," 472-474 said as he headed to the truck, not too fast and not too slow. The truck seemed to be nearly full at this point "Ain't no Commissarial lockdown stopping the machinery of the Nefreedian economy."

472-474 climbed up on the truck, and seated himself in the driver's seat. As Maven got in, he said:
"You may be a new to this business, Comrade Andersen," 472-474 "But didya know the PCC actually installs microphones in about half the trucks? It's like they don't trust us or something! But as true as my name is 732-484, I've never taken a single piece of goods in my career as a trucker and neither shall you. Do you see if they have finished hauling, newbie? If they are, one of them should be raising a small red flag."

Behind one of the transport workers were holding up a piece of red cloth, and waving it. 472-474 had written a small note, which he had put on the seat between you. It read:
'We deactivate microphones when we out of Collective.'