You know, if there's anything a random mob is good for, it's a distraction. Especially when you're feeling as parched as I was after nearly half an hour's worth of talking.
I slipped away in the confusion, the admins' representative not really noticing because, hey, that was one really freakin' big mob. Farming implements included.
There's quite a few things that can rouse up that much animation in Fen, but not many make them do the 'storming the castle' routine. Off the top of my head, the only one I could think of to get that sort of response was the Professor.
Oh.
It _was_ him.
Trigon's going to bitch at me for locking commo.
Still, the authority figure's attention wasn't going to stay stuck to those guys indefinitely, and I'd promised to buy someone dinner when we got here. Not the day after, which would likely be the result if I didn't do a little disappearing magic.
Unfortunately, the only things I had on me wouldn't be of much use in this situation.
I needed crowd control. And not neccessarily in the traditional sense.
Which was when I spotted the droids and their merchandise, or rather, a particularly patterned set of round metallic cylinders that had roughly the dimensions of a can of soda. I proceeded to trot over, pressing my way through the influx of Fen who, of course, were heading for the disturbance.
I swear, bloody lemmings.
Shelling out a few credits, and noting that the flunkie had remembered I was supposed to be there to be chewed over but now wasn't, I stowed most of the 'cans' in my vest pockets.
Leaving me with one in particular.
Now, if I've got this right ...
Pop the pin, wind back, toss it so it arcs gracefully over the gathered Fen while shouting the one thing I knew would get the android's attention:
"EMP! Everybody cover!"
... then ducking down and slinking away when the Fen collective flinched and the Professor's boomstick carrying escort blew it out of the air.
There was the *pop* of decompressing air, and the Pantsu Grenade (tm - Happosai H Manufacturing) erupted over the crowd, scattering silky little nothings ...
I leave the reactions to your imagination, only saying that I doubted they'd be bothering with finding me with this on their hands.
Then I went to look for Maetel.
Well, you did say the Schrottplatz picks up odds and ends, and the droids keep them in circulation. Hence the 'novelty grenade' ideas. The others are also H brand, though with differing effects.
-Griever
ETA: more editsu
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm