Luthien as well, after a moment. 

It's... A special kind of exhausting, especially since they're the only two with enough skill in the phase change spell to properly repair the wall. 

Hell of a demonstration, though.

She doesn't think the increased price would be entirely worth it...

El would have preferred to not have the kidnapping and ahead-of-schedule mortal peril, yeah.

They'll make sure no one else thinks this is a good idea. 

Damn right they will.

And, with the help Shanghai's sent, they get the hole sealed before anything too nasty gets sent up (by which she means, their helpers would probably be dead if Luthien and El hadn't been here, but only a little dead, and not anything worse).

Then it seems like it's about time for the people who fucked around to find out.

Speaking of... Did El, Luthien, or Chengsu recognize their attackers? 

They were disguised. Faces covered. The one who spoke had an American accent.

She doesn't know any of them - but she could probably identify at least one of them from a lineup. (...Though she wonders if she or El has some kind of dramatic Vengeance Shall Be Mine scrying spell available...)

(Could be worth the ask.)

Once they're back in their room, at least - and things seem likely to move quickly, now. 

Jiana looks... Kinda pissed.

Hmm. El goes over to her

"So. What are you planning to do about this?"

"The ambush? Find out who it was, and either punish them here or drag it out as a matter for our enclaves to deal with, depending in part on who they are."

"Everything else..." She goes quiet, staring at the repaired hole.

"Not feeling good about the graduation hall?"

"No," she says, "Nor my chances to control the other factions within the seniors. Nor the chances of this spilling over into an enclave war."

"That's all kinda shit."

"I need an actual plan for everything..." she murmurs. "It all ties together - I'll have trouble punishing those seniors when the others have worked themselves up about what awaits us... And if I lose control - or if Shanghai stakes ourselves on not betraying our younger members, and loses - that'll spill over into a war. If the kidnappers are affiliated with an enclave, and their enclave will not turn them out, that could spill over into a war."

"If we find them, we'll kill them. Just so you know."

"Would save me some trouble."

"Hm. Will you tell us if you find them before we do?"

"You'll be among the first to know."

"Good."

Then, more solemnly: "Though I'm still left with concerns about the graduation hall - which will be your problem as well next year, perhaps all through the year if we do not thin the hordes enough - and about... General political instability."