Traveller Vignette 024

Lori waited for the other cleaner to step outside for a smoke break, then ducked under a table and quickly taped the riot gas grenade in place. The gas was a mix of tear gas and regurgitant, commonly known as “pink nasty” because it also contained bright pink dye that wouldn't wash off for days, to mark rioters for later arrest.

Hit the oppressors by hitting the headlines, she told herself as she tied thin fishing line around the grenade's safety pin, then eased it most of the way out before tying the other end to a chair

According to the reservation computer, the mayor had this table booked for a breakfast meeting with several councilmen, The movement had even ensured there'd be someone outside to film the results and put it on the web.

Lori had carefully checked the grenade was a binary catalytic design, producing gas by combining two liquid ingredients rather than by burning - pink, vomit-stained politicians were good publicity for the movement, but restaurant fires weren't.

She figured there was a decent chance they would link the grenade back to her, but the worst they'd be able to charge her with was assault – after all, everyone remembered the mayor describing the effects of the riot gas as “unpleasant, but not dangerous” when he'd defended using it on the protestors last month. They'd re-play that clip, too....

(Author's note - The riot gas is also colloquially known as "choke'n'puke" due to its effects. The unrest on this world might be nothing more than background colour, or the characters could be hired to get involved. This could be by the government to hunt down the revolutionaries, who might be anything from half-baked students to committed revolutionaries with "volunteer" instructors provided by a nearby anti-imperial power like the sword worlds. Alternatively, the characters could be imperial specialists sent to foment trouble on a non-imperial world, either to actually overthrow the regime or push its policies towards ones that suit the imperium)