When the frigate had been landing, there hadn't been any activity readings. Presence manifested itself soon after touchdown. For any military person on board it was obvious that they were surrounded. Before they'd play the guessing game, Allison and Edwell crossed the path to the frigate. They'd been released freely, though they must have given Stilgar their word that they wouldn't just flee.

All on board would be briefed about the situation as it was right now.

After Frigate landed, Dorian was taken aback to by how many Fremen were present. Learning of the scout mission to Orgiz and a very brief summary of the conditions here, Dorian sought out this friendly leader among the Fremen, Stilgar. They would need some amount of good will and cooperation to succeed today.

Stilgar would come over long before Dorian would reach any kind of perimeter they'd been implicitly awarded. There were probably eyes following him from beyond him.

"You look like you want to speak, outworlder."

Dorian greeted him with the reverence befitting a leader, "I would like to thank you for taking good care of our people. It would be my preference to show you the full extent of Mutelli hospitality; however, I hope you can forgive me that we are working with a deadline and need to forge onward. To be blunt, assuming our scouts come back with good news, how can we work together to expose House Harkonnens and rid Arrakis of their rule?"

Stilgar measured him. "Offworld help always comes with a barb. What exactly is that you're trying to offer here?" He asked with some scepticism, but also interest.

Sharing a knowing smile, Dorian responds, "This is the way of the Imperium. If it's not an eye for an eye, then it's a favor for a favor. But I believe our goals align here, we both want House Harkonnen off Arrakis. You may want more from the Imperium, but that is beyond what I or any of the auditors can offer. What I can safely say is that whoever the Emperor deems to place here in Harkonnen's stead will be a far better alternative.

What I ask to achieve this goal is for whatever aide the Fremen gathered here can provide. I see a formidable force gathered here, can that force be put to use? And I am not speaking of a direct confrontation, that would not be prudent. It would be playing to the Harkonnens' strengths.

Also, I hear the men who guided us here have been captured. They have brought this much to our attention and may still have valuable information. What would it take to have then released?"

"Nothing we have here can force the Harkonnen to leave." Stilgar remarked. "How exactly do you want to cause it then?" He wanted an answer to this before he addressed the matter of the smugglers. Perhaps there were other issues related to that, like the opinion of those watching...

[Understand 2 to read the social circumstances of the situation.]

Dorian nodded in understanding (he understood the surface of the conversation, but maybe not the implications), "We wouldn't ask your people to do anything reckless or to put on some vain attempt at an assault. From what I've learned, your people excel at disrupting and harassing the Harkonnens. We need to get some of our people into whatever site they are using to refine spice and secure incontrovertible evidence. To that end, I am confident your people could provide some adequate distractions as well as help with our escape once we have what we need. You know the desert far better than us or the Harkonnens."

Pausing for a moment to let Stilgar think it over, Dorian continued, "The men you are holding may have information about how to quietly get into the Harkonnen facilities. They may have some value to this operation... Also, their comrade saved us from the desert and I would like to do what I can to return the favor, a favor for a favor."
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LA9, Read the Room, Understand 4 + Faith 6, TN 10, +1 Threat: 3#1d20 15 19 8
Failed 1 success vs 2 difficulty, unless there is a hidden danger and Constantly Watching applies to reduce difficulty.

"It's bad to be so entangled with the smugglers." Stilgar shrugged. "They have a price for everything." Perhaps it were his genuine thoughts, or just a general sentiment among the Fremen he chose to be a mouthpiece of. And yet Dorian heard no malice in his voice toward those people.

"So this is what you want from us, get you in and get you out?"

"I prefer to have options rather than a rigid plan. Before our people get back I want to know what help the Fremen would be capable of and willing to provide. Once we know the reality of the situation, we can pick from among the theories we have hashed out.

I understand that many of your people have been undertaking various operations to hinder the Harkonnens. I'm sure their experience will have prepared them to distract and evade them. If we can make them think there is a serious threat on one front," Dorian slowly brings a hand up as if delivering a straightforward attack with a blade, "then they may not see the real threat." He finishes as he reveals his other hand perched as if to deliver a hidden strike.

"As for what happens after, we may need help to get out or we may need help to hide once we are out. It is all up in the air for now."

"You want us to be your decoy, eh? "

There was a dangerous tone in Stilgar's voice, his catchtube dug in his beard as his jaw locked and his accent thickened.

"You are here and we are here. Maybe you can make your case before someone's water is taken. Perhaps instead. Want a warning, offworlder?"