Several months after the incident at Grace Tower, things have quieted, relatively. Several attempts to defame Eleven have been put down pretty definitively. It's put them far more in the public eye than they should be, though, enough that large changes are on the horizon.

Troix's lung condition is more than helped by a certain intrepid and quirky doctor. She's reached a lovely transitional stage where, though not at full independence yet, she is free of the bulky respirator in favor of a lighter and significantly more effective piece, which is temporarily aiding her lungs while they finish finally agreeing with her body. Thus, she and Alou have been given custody of the fourth, top floor of a certain albino dragoon's house--reachable via a well-established series of webs on one side outside--while she undergoes treatment. Yin doesn't use it all that much, anyway. Actually also thanks to Troix, it probably feels homier and more lived-in than any other part of the too-perfect abode. Yin--and, for that matter, Arux, though he's less likely to admit to it--have enjoyed the spiders' company, especially Troix's.

Today, Yinxirziji is unusually quiet. Her usual relaxed smugness has been chipped away by weeks of a scathing court martial where one party has brutally and publically assaulted every aspect of her life and character, while another tries to put her aside as "well-intentioned." A "victim of circumstances."

A nitwit.

Still...this is the day. A decision will be announced. A very formal event, certainly. It's taking forever and help to get into her full armor. Her mood is more or less blank. "Hey, Troix, can you hand me that pauldron?"

"Sure! You gotta relax, Yin. You're all... zombie. And you're not a zombie at all!" The spiderling zips around the room, picking up Yin's various accessories and delivering them to her with a bright, hopeful smile. "It's gonna be okay."

Yin smiles a bit for the spider. "Thanks, Troix. And...we can certainly hope, huh?" Sets this over her shoulder, and sets to fastening it. "How are you feeling today, kiddo?" Besides grateful that I finally have a microwave, that goes without saying." She winks, grinning

"I feel okay. This thing still itches, but, I can run around better still!" She smiles, bowing her head some. "Alou's coming up in a minute. Is that okay?"

"Sure. Have everything he's not allowed to be interested in covered, so no problems there." She smirks. She really is grateful for the spiders' support, as well as Arux's and everyone previously under her command. Whatever else happens, the rally has been...reaffirming.

"Oh, he's not really interested ya know. He misses Mommy." The little girl's smile holds. Kids just deal with it differently. Troix works on putting Yin's pauldron into place, standing ona stool -- she's actually grown a lot in the last months, so the stool is only just necessary when Yin's sitting.

"Oh, I know. I just pick on him." She smiles reassuringly at Troix. Has learned already that too much sympathy when not prompted hurts more than helps. "You're the only thing more important to him than your mom, and she's going to be his everything for a long time. Hey, would you buckle this back piece for me?"

"Nope!" She does. She's midway through chattering about something else when Alou shows up, a small bottle of cognac tucked into his pocket, as ever these days, and dressed in a suit. Looks sharp, too, and has a smile befitting a lying bastard spy type.

"Ready to go?" he asks of Yin, beaming at her.

"Just about." Yin smiles in return. "Troix helped quite a lot. You look nice."

"These are my 'oh God, he's got to be seen in public?' clothes. And Troix, you're a regular seamstress." 

Troix nods. "I don't know anything about boats, though."

He blinks. She smiles. "Can I go too, Yin?"

"That's up to Alou, Troix. But I promise that if things go well, you'll go along for the celebration dinner. 'Kay?" Finishes fastening her last pauldron...and, of course, ruffles Troix's hair.

Troix, of course, can't resist lifting her hair-antennae and rubbing them around Yin's hand... it's something she'd done to Tuleau, but she doesn't really connect it with that. Alou does, but he never talks about it openly.

"I don't see why not. Troix, go change into something nice."

"But I'm already nice."

"Clothes, honey."

"Oh!" And the spiderling skitters to her room to change. Getting some spider-girl clothes for her hadn't turned out to be too problematic, and she's quite well stocked.

"Nervous, Yin?" the spy asks once the girl is gone.

She nods slightly, breathing out and letting her false smile fade for the most part. Checks her hair in a mirror. "Yeah. The long deliberation bothers me. Either it was a hotly debated decision or there was a sentencing hearing. Or both." Pauses. Ruefully: "and possibly extended vacations by the judges."

"A long deliberation is a good thing," Alou points out. "A fast decision means a gut instinct or emotional decision, which would favor those pictures of Arux attacking Embriel and a Wyvern man swearing revenge for his wounded son."

Yin rolls her eyes. "Ugh. I thought I was going to jump out of my chair and hope that somehow shredding a picture of him would do the voodoo doll thing. Mounted a good defense, though. Shredded him figuratively, anyway." Touches up a spot on her lipliner, and she's ready. Turns to face him. "Thanks again for your help in all this. Several of the important 'happy thoughts' in the council's minds are to the credit of you and yours."

"Hey. Troix likes you. And I'm sure I could justify it all politically if I had the patience." He nods some. "You look fine. Let's get there and tell them all to go straight to hell." Smiles. "Figuratively."

She smirks. "Of course that's what you meant." Hears a loud thunk upstairs. Not a soft sound like someone falling, either, and she doesn't hear shattering, either. "Troix? You okay, kiddo?"

"...aaawwaaaaaaa!"

Alou stiffens. "Wonder what she's crying about? C'mon, you're better with her than me." He doesn't wait for her, though, heading upstairs to check on his 'daughter'.

YIn's worried, anyway, and follows along, matching his clip.

Inside of Troix's room, the little spiderling is sitting on a web Alou built for her, and struggling to reach around her back as though trying to scratch a terrible itch between her shoulderblades.

"It hurts!" she whimpers. "My back hurts, Yin!"

Just past where her fingers can reach, a soft blue glow shines through the back of her dress.

The dragoon narrows her eyes, hurrying over to Troix. "Now what in the hell...? Is that her pack...?" Unzips the back of the dress. "How exactly does it hurt, Troix? Can you tell me more?"

"It hurts like something's pushing." Troix sniffles, antannae raising and waving about in agitation. "Something's in me!"

Alou looks at her skin, swollen and pink behind the strange phosphorescence. "Shit is that?"

"It's getting her to the doctor right bloody now. Can you walk all right, Troix? Do you feel funny in the head at all?" the dragoon inquires as she sets her fingers gently to the edge on the edge of the redness.

The strange swelling is quite warm to the touch, but not hot yet. Troix looks at her as though she's insane for suggesting it. "I don't know, Yin, I don't, it hurts."

"Yin, you don't have time to take her to the doctor. We're gonna be cutting it pretty close on time as it is."

Yin bites her lip. He's right...and skipping it could mean her whole career even if they'd ruled in her favor. "This is odd enough to merit an emergency. I'm sure Doctor Iunxen..." voice trails off. Blinks. "Actually, is going to be at the hearing today. Right." Zips up the dress. "No worries, Troix, we'll get you fixed up." Looks to Alou. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah, let's go quick. Troix, c'mere. I'll carry you to the car." Alou reaches for her, and though she looks at Yin first, she lets him pick her up and haul her downstairs. He's not sure where he's gone wrong in trying to fill in for Tuleau, but it's become more than a little obvious to him that Troix isn't all that interested in him.

Yin's noticed...and it bothers her, really. She likes Troix, a whole hell of a lot actually, but the last thing she wants is to come between she and her dad. She doesn't necessarily think it's odd, though...Alou is still Alou, her dad. He can't magically become her mom, the hole she's looking to fill. Still...

That's the least of the worries right now. As soon as Alou has Troix as comfortably, she hits the ignition codes and the car hums to life. "Everyone okay back there?"

"Yeah," Alou assures her, soothing Troix's shivering shoulders a little bit. "We're good, for now."

"It doesn't hurt as much now," Troix assures her. "I think I'm good."

Yin smiles just a little, and nods. "Mmkay. We'll do our best to see that it stays that way, all right?" And they start off towards the Capitol.

It's a pretty long ride for Troix, whose discomfort fluctuates the whole time they're out. By the time they roll into the lot in front of the court halls, she's descended into a pretty sour mood.

"Now Yin," Alou coaches, looking over the vast doorway and the throngs spilling inside, "remember, you're golden. This is going to go right."

Yin smiles faintly, and nods. She has a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach...but still, is worried about Troix. "Hopefully. Also on the bright side, I did see the doctor's car...you okay on these steps, Troix?" This she would have asked regardless of the recent oddity. There are a lot of them, and she takes care to not take them too fast.

"I can do it," Troix nods, though she has a bit of trouble climbing them as she proceeds. "Yin, are you gonna have to do some other work after this?"

"Today, you mean? I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"

"I dunno." Troix looks at her. "I just felt like it was important to ask."

Alou lays a hand on her little shoulder. "Let's get inside and find the doctor. I think Troix's not quite herself, right now."

Yin nods. "I'm sure he'll be happy to step aside and see Troix." Sees Arux waiting far off to the side when they enter the hall. Sight quietly. "Meanwhile, I really need to go. See you two in a little while, huh? And Troix, make sure you dad behaves, right?" She uses 'your dad' as often as possible, so that it just gets too old to always correct her. It drives her nuts that Troix won't refer to Alou as her dad, she just doesn't get it.

Troix looks at her with a sort of tired frustration. "Yin, I told you a million times. He's Alou, and..."

"... he's taking you to get checked out. C'mon." Alou leads her off towards where he thinks he might've spotted the doctor a minute ago, but only after wishing Yin luck.

Yin heads over to her commanding officer. Doesn't really try to smile. He doesn't, either.

"You'll be fine." He nods, and they start to walk. He squeezes her hand gently when his fingers find his, and they're simply walking side by side again just before they step into the courtroom. Arux into the front spectator's row, and Yin for the seat that any military rat hopes to never end up in.

It's not too long before the justices' herald orders a rise in the courtroom. A stuffy man, perfect for his toadying position, the herlad speaks with a warbling prick's voice and does so splendidly.

"It's been a long, complicated several months since the heartless bombing of Grace Tower took place," he begins, getting everyone's attention as best he can. "The court is embarrassed that this particular case took so long to sort out; however, extenuating circumstances have been working against us throughout -- the suicide of Arthex Jeger not the least of them, as much of the trial's preparatory work seemed to be his. Regardless... now that I have your attention, it is time that the charges levied against Aovbi Yin Iejir be faced. Please stand."

Yin breathes a slow breath breath, and does this, face still and blank. Her hands fall to the small of her back in a loose, unconscious parade rest. She's very military, to an extent.

"Dragoon. Despite your previously competent service and the testimony of those in the know of the plot against you," the herald glances to the stands at Embriel, whose left arm is still in a sling from the beating she took for revealing the defamation plot at last - turns out she really did have a thing for Yin, "it is the decision of this body that you be discharged from your position and stripped of your rank and titles."

On the other side of the room, Alou's gaze jerks away from the doctor and Troix, filled with disbelief.

Yin closes her eyes for several long moments. Opens them again. Starts to speak. Fails. Again... "indefinitely?"

"Dragon society employs dragoons in the limited capacity of mediocre jobs unfit for the hands of pure bloods. Even given the gifts of the high society, the Aovbi have proven that their great value pales before their impurity and incompetence in key situations. Nothing has been heard of the missing egg, after all of this time. It is the will of the justices that, while all Dragoons are guilty, only you will be punished for their weakness. But don't worry." The herald pauses. Smirks. "We are currently debating legislation to have the Dragoons permanently disbanded. You won't be alone for long."

Yinxirziji is...stunned. Absolutely...without words, to hear all that she's worked for all of these years, everything that she's believed in, spat upon by an other ingrate. Her hands, balled into fists behind her back, tremble.

Then, after a few moments, fall still. She opens her eyes again, icy blue gazing unabashedly back up at the herald. "Speaking as someone with no particular hope of getting her job back...you, herald, are a short-sighted fool. Dragoons have been around for millenia. Longer. We are integral to this society's continuing to function in its comfortable norms and place in the world. We are half your society. You can spit on this cog in the wheel all you like. Many lower level officials do. But watch what happens if you try to remove it. I challenge you to name a member of the High Council who does not treat dragoons with respect. There isn't one. They understand. And because of that, your misguided legislation will never pass." She bows her head quite respectfully to punctuate this.

Arux cringes slightly from behind her. That was so Yin. Exactly what he'd wanted to hear someone say, but... so much for an appeal.

The herald, of course, flushes with indignation. "Say what you will, the decision stands. You will report to your superior officer to give up your official articles and possessions, and will of course be given preferential treatment in the unemployment line, good day."

Yin breathes a slow breath, thunderstruck. Feeling a little giddy after her years-overdue outburst, but...that's quickly buckling under the weight of reality. Glances to the back of the courtroom. No one really leaving yet. Heh. They're a bit messed up at how quickly something so decisive can start and be over. Nice. Looks forward again. Closes her eyes. Brow creased...just lightly, for now.

"This case is closed. Court is adjourned."

Arux stands...leans over the dividing wall to set a hand on her shoulder on the one spot she can probably feel it through her armor. Just...doesn't know what else to say or do. Just...damnit. Damnit damnit fuck it. Yin....

Troix sniffles a little bit-- partly due to Yin's plight, and partly to a suddenly renewed pain in her back. Alou, for his part, just heads over to Yin's side, quiet. He doesn't know what to say.

She doesn't look at the spider at first. Finally..."What did the doctor say?" Looks up at him.

"There's something in Troix's back," Alou notes, knowing when it's time to think about something else. "She'll need surgery to have it removed. It could be a lot of things, but I'm worried it's something that they planted in her when she was worked on before."

"'They' being...the more recent stuff in Okarthel, or the original stuff?" Manages a small, fake smile at Troix, trying to reassure. It's a good fake, anyway.

"The original stuff. Or I dunno, maybe something more recent than that."

Yin nods. "Well...we'll get you taken care of as quickly as possible, anyway. Besides, Troix, you're tougher than the average cookie. And I bet you didn't even know you were a cookie."

Troix nods a bit. Blinks, and shudders. "Yin..."

Alou's reaching for her even before she slumps down, the spot on her back throbbing and casting of shafts of pale blue light.

Yin's eyes widen a bit. It's awful, and she begrudges and banishes the feeling immediately, but...she's almost glad for something else to focus on. Before she realizes this is Troix in question, when it stops even pretending to be good. She sweeps paperwork off of this table. "Alou, lay her down. Arux, grab Iunxen."

The doctor, for his part, is already hurrying over at a quick clip when he sees the girl go down.

Yin's hands cool quickly, and her immediate response is to set them to the girl's back to relieve pain...even as she's leery of that light, unzipping the dress again to get a look at what's going on.

At the touch, Troix's head snaps up. She looks at Yin for just a moment before the spinnerets at either side of her head abruptly stand to life, spewing webbing in wide, silky-soft strings.

"The hell!" Alou jumps out the way as the table is swiftly enveloped in the unnatural webbings. The entire glob of web fills with blue light, and inside Troix's strange whimpers cease.

Yin jumps, but once she manages to tear her hand loose from what had gotten caught--it hadn't been much; she'd frozen webs away from her--and her forearm is encased in a wickedly sharp blade of hardened ice just a moment later. Hesitates. She glances to Arux, who has a knife drawn already. "But to cut, or not to cut?" Pause. Glances to Alou. It is his daughter, after all, and they don't know the risk.

Alou's half-open mouth sets off a thunderstruck expression. He looks at the case of silk and thread lying on the court table, then around at those who hadn't left yet, staring at the spectacle.

"Cut it open," he pleads, "something's wrong. Spiders don't make cocoons!"

Yin nods. As soon as she tries...tugs. And again. Growls, and the blade melts away. Looks up at her compatriot, setting her hands into the sticky stuff in what hopefully won't be a comedically self-defeating attempt. "Arux. I'm going to put an extreme chill on part of this to freeze the adhesive. Try to cut near my hands, right?"

He nods.

Yin lets out her breath, then narrows her eyes, concentrating hard on doing this right...on the freeze being intense beyond anything natural, but that it's too contained to harm Troix within. Arux waits a few moments, and then tries his hand at cutting.

At first the webbing strains and severs, but as Alou and the others look the strans wind and twist themselves back together, surrounding the cold with a fresh layer of sticky string.

Yin growls. She doesn't have to give instructions, she and Arux work together too well for that. Her ice-knife forms again and, pushing the freezing spells harder and harder, and Arux's now quickly-flashing dagger along with a quick-moving, slicing dark-based spell tries to keep her hand and arm clear while she works her way inward.

Still, Yin's sweating at the exertion. She won't be able to keep this up but a minute or so longer.

The cocoon keeps trying to regenerate, but the spells are beginning to make some headway. Interestingly enough, the cocoon's color slowly changes to mimic that of Arux's spells. With every cut, a spew of draconic energies spurts from the cocoon, almost as though the thing itself is taking on the characteristics of its aggressors. Still, it resists.

Yin's breathing is ragged...but she's sure that she's nearing Troix, and she keeps doggedly on.

"Is there anyone else here competent in ice elemental magic?" Arux calls through the courtroom.

No one has time to respond before strands of webbing shoot from the cocoon en swift route to Yin and Arux's faces.

They stiffen, but both react swiftly. A thin ice shield forms in front of Yin, mostly blocking Arux, too...this divides her concentration too much, though. He jerks so that he gets a mouth instead of his eyes full of webbing, reaches down to grab Yin's buried arm, and tries to snatch it back and away from the cocoon before it jerks shut around her.

The threading struggles against Arux for Yin's arm as though it has a mind of its own. Alou reaches out to help pull her free, tugging with as much of his strength as he can without hurting her. The mass relinquishes its hold at last, its strands popping back into smooth alignment.

Yin rubs her arm, working on catching her breath after teh power expenditure, glaring at the thing. "To state the obvious: that thing is goddamn alive. Or something to the same effect. Now what?"

Alou shakes hs, completely bamboozled by this. "She's too young to spin webs. What did you..."

Everything halts in an instant. The entire courthouse quivers to the beat of concussive thumps outside, drawing every eye to the doors and windows.

"Okarthel's under attack!" someone shouts. "The city's being shelled!"

There's the barest of pauses, a split second's shock. "All dragoons within two minutes of your unit commanders; get to them right now! All other dragoons, get all dragons and civilians secure! Six secure this building, the rest of you outside, now!"

Yin and Arux are both sprinting for the outside not two seconds after the declaration. Don't look at each other, don't communicate. Don't need to, and the court ruling means nothing right now. They have a job to do.

Alou and the doctor remain with Troix, of course... neither would be much use in an artilllery attack until afterward.

Outside, [Okarthel]'s pristine streets are flooding with waves of flying, spear-bearing gargoyles, their faces hidden beneath aquiline facemasks. Fire elemental bomblets strike now and again with searing efficiency, erasing light poles and transformers instantly.

One of the gargoyle-men bears down upon Yin and Arux, its thick frame as black as the darkest of moonless nights.

Yin's fangs bare in a snarl approaching feral. Her previous fatigue is forgotten, and a crescent-esque blade nearly as long as she is tall crystalizes into place as her stance sets. "Go. I'll handle these freaks."

He nods once, quite trusting her to hold her own. "Get the south and east sides secured." takes off in the other direction, shouting orders and trying to organize the chaotic non-defense into something useful.

The gargoyle's feet plow into the earth where it lands. It faces Yin and lunges powerfully, spearhead aimed in a deadly piercing motion.

Usually she loves fighting. Plays with opponents, even. Not so, here. The mood needle is on "ruthless bitch." She growls, fangs thoroughly bared, and springs up, relying on speed. She wants to end up with her feet on top of that spear for the second it will take to cut his ugly goddamn throat open.

She lands on the spear, and her movement is enough to slice the gargoyle just as she'd planned. It gurgles, but doesn't bleed when it's cut-- just falls, and shrivels into a dried-out husk.

All around, waves of gargoyles descend upon Okarthel. There are great dragons here, but the sky is dotted with lumbering black warships and vicious waves of attack choppers-- someone is going all out on this day.

"They're attacking the courthouse!" Someone shouts. A gargoyle rushing the door catapults backwards, flung by the colossal arm of a muscle-bound, defiant cyclops. Embriel steps out behind the colossal beast, her good arm flowing with ensorcelled waves.

Yin growls when she sees this, landing in a fighting position from the gargoyle encounter. More reassuringly, though, a purple field shoots across the sky until the entire city is bathed in a faint, eerie purple. The shields...things can get out, but not in.

A few of the choppers made it inside, and are quick to unload their payload of swirling rockets and machine gun fire towards the courthouse. The attack forces seem to be focusing their efforts there, for certain. Embriel shouts for Yin to come into the courthouse and take shelter as 40mm bullets rain down all around.

A small group of dragoons working with a couple of dragons are rapidly trying to build shields around the courthouse. Yin knows better than to stand out here and retreats back towards the courthouse--taking out a couple of more gargoyles on her way--as two earth-element dragoons--one Aovbi, one not, but both determined--summon a formidable wall a couple feet in front of the door, blocking it from battery.

Inside, the summoned cyclops sits quietly next to its maker. Embriel pats its muscular arm, eyes glazed over in thought and worry. Alou is still puzzling over Troix's cocoon with the doctor, as the shells and bullets continue to pound the structure.

"What are we going to do?" Embriel asks at last, looking to Yin.  She's not sure that Yin's forgiven her for what she did those many months ago. She hopes so, but would understand if not.

Not entirely, no. "Spiteful" is not beyond the spy. Still... "Defend, decipher, counter." Into a closed network: "Arux, we need troop support at the courthouse. Is any other area being targetted specifically?"

As it turns out, the entire bulk of the 'attack' is being carried directly to the courthouse at Okarthel. Structures outside of that zone remain untouched, and the gargoyles circle that building alone. The warships have begun firing compact electromagnetic pulse weapons towards the shield in effort to ruin its power source and gain access.

"No. The entire visible attack is right on the courthouse. I'm arranging counter measures now. Hold your position, keep everyone safe. Also remember that the timing with Troix's condition is very convenient, so keep your eyes open for trouble from within, too."

Yin nods. "Take care." Looks back up to Embriel. "The front doors are one of three truly large entrances to the courthouse. Have your cyclops covering it and be ready to repel intruders, but be aware that civilians may come running in for cover."

"We're ready." The prettily bald woman pats her monster's arm again. "He can handle anything." The beast lumbers to the door, followed after a moment by its summoner. Things are too chaotic right now, but later she'll realize how much that bit of trust from Yin means to her.

Gargoyles pound the obstructions to little effect. The choppers, fresh out of rockets and without serious targets for their heavy machine guns, circle the house to repel potential help. Eventually, on of the three speeds off only to turn and line itself up with the front gate of the courthouse. It sets off, picking up speed without giving any indication of changing course.

By now, Yin's pretty much taken stock of who's here and put herself solidly in charge of the civilians and non-dragon soldiers. Everyone's somewhere, doing something assigned. There's no activity in any of the entrances except soldiers with guns or, when magic or preference requires, arrows trained on the doors.

"...good. The table with the girl glued to it needs to be moved to a lower level. Also..."

A watchman's eyes snap open and his voice almost as quickly slices into Yin's voice. "Helicopter charging door! Down!"

"Everyone down! Get the fuck away from the door! Water elements, do it now!"

Two dragoons and a dragon later, a massive blast of water bursts from the stone barricade in front of the door, slamming towards the helicopter. A couple of seconds in, just long enough to get a solid charge of just water attacking, Yin holds out a hand, fangs bared again, and the water barrier freezes solid...she hopes for at least six feet of ice before impact. And will know in half a moment.

Ice shards spray everywhere, hurtling outward from the collision point. Gargoyles squeal with laughter, caring nothing that one of their own just lost his life in the kamikaze attack. Inside, the walls of the courthouse rumble; bookshelves topple, lamps fall, Embriel is thrown from her feet, but overall the building suffers little damage.

"Yin, you're gonna kill yourself if you keep up," Alou shouts at her.

Yin, still on her feet, folds her arms. "It worked. That blockade would take another helicopter with minimal damage...at least until they whittle it down with their fire attacks." And things go dark. Or mostly, anyway since it's daytime. "Someone find the backup generator and get it up now! Alou, is there any change in Troix?"

"She's moving. I think? It's hard to tell through all that goop." Alou pokes the cocoon, beyond thinking that he can change anything that's going on right now. "We have to get to safety. Is there a way out of here? Like a sewer, or something?"

"We'll have to blow our way into it to get an entry big enough for the dragons. The trick will be distracting the jokers outside from the sound enough to cover our exit plans. Anyone have any ideas?"

"Well, I was thinking that..." Alou's voice fades into silence when the cocoon solidifies and cracks open. "Yin, look." Shafts of that blue light snake from the shell as a set of colorfully scaled spider legs emerge from within. A creature pulls itself from the shell, bearing only some resemblance to the Troix of yesterday. it looks rather like a draconic butterly, and its antennae are unmistakably Troix's.

Yin blinks slowly. She's on the defense, for sure, but..."Troix?" Glances back over things in here to make sure things are in order for this exact moment, and then walks cautiously towards the girl to investigate. She's worried about Troix...but at this point, she doesn't know that the girl doesn't pose a threat to anyone or everyone here, yet. "Are you okay, kiddo...?"

The butterfly-dragon-person-thing blinks its monochromatic silver eyes. "I... am?" Her wings stretch out a little. "What happened to me? Where are my clothes?"

Outside, the attack slows. Embriel peeks out a window, and sees the gargoyles just circling, squawking.

"We're not sure, Troix. Things got a little crazy after your back went nuts again, and we haven't had time to look into it yet." Yin's relieved that the girl sounds like herself, though, and heads right up to the table. For the same reasons as before, in part...if something does happen, she wants to take the brunt of it and thus warn the others. Attention is half on the sound of a lull. "You look...very pretty, though." That's quite true. "Can you tell me about how you're feeling?"

"Good." Troix nods. "I feel good. I feel better, whatever you guys did."

"Yin, they're running away!" Embriel looks over at the dragoon and the creature-Troix.  "The Gargoyles are leaving!"

"That might be bad news, Embriel. Just watch, okay?" Alou peeks out another window. "Damned if I have any idea what's going on."

"They attacked when the cocoon formed. They retreated when it opened," Yin observes as dryly as possible, considering." Picks up a soft hum on the horizon. "Great. Now reinforcements arrive." Into the communicator. "Arux, they're leaving. For whatever reason. Just finish escorting them out. And blow a few up for me? Also, the retreat coincided with Troix's emerging from her webs and...well...you have to see it, okay?"

The gargoyles and choppers haul ass towards the warships, whose massive vulcan cannons lay sheets of cover fire towards the shields. The ships themselves are unlike any Wyvern, Spider, or human crafts on the modern market, spherical monstrosities the size of aircraft carriers.

Embriel stares out the window, watching the retreat with her cyclops. "Can it really be over, that quickly?"

"No. A wave may be over, something or other got accomplished. But this random-ass attack won't be an isolated event, one way or the other." Yin looks up to the gathered soldiers. "Were there any injuries?"

"Nothing serious. Debilitating stuff," Alou reports from his place near the doctor. "But nothing that'll be permanent."

"That's good news," Troix chirps, as the warships swing out into a crescent shaped formation and take in the returning choppers and gargoyles while firing at the Dragon defense forces. "I hope nothing else happens."

At about this point, the proverbial "big guns" are finally and belatedly ready for action, and laser-esque energy shots enhanced with potent magic begin firing shots about ten seconds apart per cannon at the warships.

"I hope not, kiddo." Yin walks cautiously to a window, braving a look outside. "Heh. Cavalry's here. Good timing, huh?"

"Better late than later?" Embriel lowers her eyes from her window. One of the warships has sustained heavy damage and looks to be going down, but quickly rights itself. The others backpedal, still firing, and strike out to the north.

Troix stands up and hops to the floor. "I'm still naked." And a bit more well-endowed than before. It looks like she's matured a few years inside that cocoon. "Yin, my eyes hurt a little." She looks at the dragon, as her colorless silver eyes slowly take on a gorgeous aquamarine tint.

Yin looks back over that way. Observes quietly a few moments. Interesting...that's...pretty much her eye color, though more vivid. And quite pale...thus...

She walks over and kneels in front of Troix, setting her hands over her eyes to shade them. "Is that any better?"

Troix sighs quietly, and nods. "Yes, so much better!"

Yin smiles a little at her, though she's of course puzzled as all hell. "Okay. Keep your eyes closed for a few seconds until I tell you otherwise, okay?"

Troix smiles a bit. A game! Kickass. "Sure!" Her little eyes close, and she starts singing with 'la la' and 'dee dee'.

The vampiress's smile has to turn a little genuine, if just for a moment. Troix is cute. She gets into a tiny slot on her belt to retrieve something: a plain ring. She's wearing a similarly enchanted one that allows her to move around in the daytime safely, even if the aesthetic of bright light remains a touch repulsive. This little white gold band is her backup. She doesn't want to die because she lost a hand or finger, after all. Manages to fit it onto Troix's right thumb. "There you go, kiddo. Make sure to keep this on, all right? It should make your eyes stop hurting. Alou, can she borrow your jacket?"

"Sure." He pulls it off and starts to wrap it around her, but pauses. "Uh... what about her wings?" That's weird. "Troix, honey, are you cold?"

"No. I'm just naked. And I have thingies." She pokes her new boobs. "Squishy."

"Hookay, covered it is." Yin smirks. Down comes a curtain, and on goes a toga. "There you go."

This is about when Arux, flanked dby two other operatives, shows up as the door-barriers crumble aside. Blinks slowly when he sees Troix. "Er...right. Does anyone have any idea what just happened here?"

Alou raises his hand. "A bunch of crazy shit?"

Troix glares at him. "Watch your language! I'm children present!"

Embriel rolls her eyes. "Troix went into that cocoon, out of nowhere. Then, almost immediately, those ships showed up and started bombarding the courthouse. Then they left when she came out."

"Also, gargoyles...pretty obscure aggressors, but unless I'm off the mark, they can be either sentient...or under the control of some spellcaster," Yin observes. "Did anyone recognize the type of...carrier ships, though?"

"They looked like Revilier's fleet," Embriel quietly puts in. "I saw it once, when they came to me about the photo job. Just one ship, but it looked like one of the big ones."

"Hmm." Yin frowns a bit, considering. Looks to Arux and Alou. "You know, Brandt was pointed in mentioning Troix, and now this..." she lets it trail off. "We need people on this."

"Not you." Arux is loathe to say it, especially since Yin looks rather like she's been slapped in the face when she realizes what he means. But...it just can't be done, yet. "There's no way I could get away with sanctioning it. You're not even allowed on base."

Yin glares at him for a moment, before glancing to Alou. "Suppose you could bankroll an independent contractor for the situation?"

"Pssh. Do you have any idea what kind of paperwork I'd have to make someone else do for that?" The spy-spider nods some. "Sorry. Wrong time for jokes. Tell you what, Yin. You'll have to meet with my superior officer, but I think if we can convince Kaz that you're not a double agent against Spider-kind I can give you any rank you want."

Yin smiles slightly, and nods. "I'm not asking for any sensitive information, or any not related to the situation at hand. Don't care if I'm kept at an arm's length." Glances to the debris outside. "I'm just a cute little girl with the humble wish to set a piece of a certain wyvern's skullcap into a shiny necklace."

"Then we need to go see Kaz. He's always had a beef with Revilier since the moron started sending spy drones into our city. We could smell the damn things a mile away, but he keeps sending them."

Yin nods. "Thanks."

"I'll...make sure the record updates are expedited from our end." Not something Arux is thrilled to say. "We will try to contest the judgement, Yin, and if we can nail Revilier, we get a lot more foothold to do so. In the meantime...stripped of your rank and titles...we've got to play it by the book."

She mock-glares at her semi-lover. "You're dancing around something like it's toxic."

"Just so long as it doesn't hit me. Yin..." pauses. "Remember, we do have to go to the letter of the law on this one to get you reinstated. Your...name is a title, Yin. A dragoon one." Cringes.

She actually gains a shade of white at this, and the look that flashes across her face makes him feel like a woman-beater. Sputters a moment, before gathering herself. "What are you saying? You can't take my name. I've been Yinxirziji almost as long as you've been alive!" Her eyes actually sting a bit at this one. It never occurred to her...of all the things she's tossed in her head as possible, she didn't think of this one.

"By the book," Arux repeats, softly. "Or you're going to blow your chance of an appeal, which is already shakey after telling off the herald. They'll be looking for reasons to deny you."

She closes her eyes a few moments, and just nods after. "Fine." Opens them, and glances to Alou. When do we leave?"

"If the coast is clear, let's leave right away. I'll get one of my contacts to arrange clandestine transport." Alou glares at Arux. "Laws are fine, but getting around them is faster."

Troix looks at the both of them. "What about me?"

Yin glances briefly at Alou, then back to the doctor, who's still nearby.

Iunxen shrugs. "She's not wheezing at all since she came out of there. I definitely wouldn't mind a solid check-up, but my beer gut says she'll be fine."

"I feel great. I feel too great!" Troix's mostly wondering what happened to her respirator and clothes in there.

"Alright then. We'll check in at Havoc's Spot, have a brew or ten, and go." Alou glances at Arux. "If it's safe enough out there?"

"Live power lines, broken glass, potential falling debris some triage in progress. A lockdown on civilian use of motor vehicles on the streets should go into effect any minute now. Nothing unexpected, not much indication of more at this point. It's fine."

"Good. Havoc's is just down the street." Alou smiles a bit at a curious looking Embriel. "What? Right next to a courthouse is exactly where bribe-paying, palm-greasing, tax-evading, information leaking spies need to be. Also, none of you heard that."

"I did!" Troix cries.

Yin smirks at her. "Of course you did, kiddo. You know more things you shouldn't than most thirty-year-old conspiracy nuts even pretend to know. Shall we go, then?"

"Yeah. Arux, why don't you get someone to see Embriel home, eh? That monster of hers, besides being homoerotically fucktacular, really helped out against the gargoyles." Alou nods to the sullen-looking bald beauty sitting against the arm of her monster. "I'll walk Yin to Havoc's Spot."

He nods. "Of course."