The bats bring worrying news to the Inescapable Professor. Special Constables and Neddy Men meeting to discuss an attack plan in Flowerdene? Is it possible that the whispered ‘Flowerdene Initiative’ was going to make another move? Normally, the Professor was all for criminals being brought to Justice, and to violence to be quenched, so peace could operate its daily job. But she didn’t trust Special Constables and Neddy Men. There was another bloodbath in the making, she could feel it in her bones.
“Derek!” He came at once, and she explained the news, outlining her fears. He didn’t care much, he probably would never understand how grave the danger could be.
“The School is too close to Flowerdene. I do not want the children to be in the line of fire. I do not trust those people in not using them to their ends. You will move it to my house in the Marshes for a while, until things have calmed down again. Go there, take everyone, and bring your marsh-wolf with you. Do not let anyone come too close without stating what they want, and do not let the children wander too far in the Marshes. I will instruct the teachers to give their lectures there.”
“You aren’t sending me there with the children because you want me protected too, are you?” He asks, suspiciously.
“If I thought you were weak and needing any protection, I would not have put my biggest treasures under your wings. You are the only person I trust to take care of them. Now, go.”
He nods and kisses her hand respectfully, before running to fulfil his orders. The Professor whistles loudly. Two urchins, a boy and a girl, and a handful of bats enter the window.
“Alex and Alex!” The urchins become attentive. “I want you to send this message to everyone you can reach: There is a big conflict about to start in Spite. All that do not want to fight is welcome at my lodgings. My rooftops are open to all urchins. I offer sanctuary to anyone, as long as they do not bring the fight to those grounds. I have a flophouse room in Ladybones, a cottage in Watchmaker’s Hill, a decommissioned steamer near the Docks and a shack in the same level as the Flit and my new office at the Bazaar Sidestreets, so people can reach me from everywhere. My old office in Veilgarden will be open to anyone wanting to have a no-aggressive discussion in neutral grounds. My school in Spite will be repurposed to a make-shift hospital, that will take any injured or temporarily dead person. I will defend it with my own teeth, if need be.” She makes a mental check to make sure she said everything, then she adds: “The urchins are free to do what they want, but I would advise you to stay away from the grown-ups this time. The Bazaar forces are involved. It will not be just a common brawl. We do not know how ruthless their forces will be.”
The children repeat the message a few times until they get it right and are sent in their way. The Professor discuss some tactics with her chief bats: how to avoid too much damage from sonic traps, how to dodge bullets and lizards, the best routes to link all her lodgings… After she sends them to their positions, she visits all her lodgings, warning her companions of the incoming refugees and explaining some defence strategies. She takes all the mirrors from her lodgings, except the one in the steamer, in case someone from Parabola needed help. Her dream hound is sent to patrol her dreamscape. Her old office in Veilgarden gains a big table, to receive meetings.
There is still much to be done, but she will be ready when needed.
[[OOC: Anyone can go to my office to discuss neutral matters and negotiate, but if they become violent, my giant toadbeast will eat them. It has more than one tongue, so it can and will neutralize all brawlers. You are warned.
In a serious note, now: Anyone wanting to offer neutral grounds and sanctuaries, as I did, can do so in this topic. The neutral meetings can be described here, even if they don’t happen in my lodgings, I just offered them to jumpstart the thing.]]