[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter V - The Debate

[Aaron Clausen]

>>> [GM]
>>> ...
>>>
>>> One of them turns to the company.  "We must hasten northward
>>> to New Camelot.  Will you come to be judged.  We shall speak
>>> in your defense and tell how you fought the Splugorth?  You have
>>> among you a noble from across the Ocean.  We can also tend to
>>> your injured."
>>>
>>> He points to the elf, Arsandel, who shivers violently after the loss
>>> of his arm, and to Lieutenant Etta Alma, the pilot of the submarine
>>> that had brought them to England, who has yet to regain
>>> consciousness.
>>>
>>> "We will not prevent you from going your way." he says. "Indeed
>>> we could not.  But it is the law of our land that those who walk in
>>> it seek the leave of the King or His lords."
>>> [/GM]

>> [Louissa]
>> "I've said my piece." Louissa says.  "I think we should head for
>> New Camelot.  Alex can plead her case, and the Ambassador of
>> my kingdom will speak in her behalf.  Then we can find some rest,
>> resupply and figure out what to do next."
>> [/Louissa]

> [Alex]
> "Why would I want to go to be judged?" Alex responds. "Seems
> like there is a lot to lose and little to gain that way. My understanding
> is that the New German Republic is somewhere to the south of here.
> I have never been there but there is a lot of information available about
> them in the Coalition."
> [/Alex]

> [Ted]
> "I assume, since Camelot comes from British legend, then we are on
> the British Isles," Ted explains to his companion. "If this New German
> Republic is in the same place that the old one was, that would put it
> basically east of here."
> [/Ted]

> [Alex]
> "I have never been to, I think it is called Europe, so I would not know.
> Just heard of something called 'England' around where the NGR is,"
> Alex responds. "Still seem to be a far better choice."
> [/Alex]

> [Justin]
> Justin leans in closer to Alex and says in a low tone "Introducing
> yourself to the local ruler is just polite, even if you haven't shot at his
> people. But consider: You'll be judged one way or another, whatever
> you do. Whether in person where you can explain yourself, or an
> unopposed accusation. Running makes you look guilty, and speaking
> for myself, I'd rather not end up as a fugitive from the Good Guys, if I
> can possibly avoid it. That sort of thing tends to force you to kill people
> you don't want to kill. If worse comes to worst, and justice isn't done,
> I'll break you out. While I'm certainly no God, nothing short of the
> measures that would contain one can keep me in or out of somewhere
> I really want to be. And I can take passengers."
> [/Justin]

[Louissa]
Louissa seems all in favor of Justin's point, until the talk of breaking Alex
out.  She looks somewhat nervously over at the knights, but they do not
seem to have heard Justin's quietly spoken commitment.

"I'll help you out, too." she whispers.
[/Louissa]

> [Ted]
> "Maybe. If this part of the world has changed as much since my time
> as North American has, we may be in for a lot of trouble. You might
> prefer going back to what you are used to rather than facing the unknown."
> [/Ted]

[Carlos]
The mercenary sighs.  "Look, I'm no fan of anyone going before a king
and hoping for a good result.  But what choice have we got?  In case
nobody has noticed, we're in the middle of a bloody war zone.  The
Splugorth are obviously invading this New Camelot place.  But taking
off into the wilds of a land we know nothing about, unprepared and
unprovisioned, well that's not for me."

He hesitates for a moment, then continues.  "Owen and me have been
talking, and we've decided we're going to take the first boat back to
North America.  But the only boat we're going to catch here is one
straight to Atlantis.  So I think we'll be parting ways, but if you're
all heading away from the only civilization we know of right now, then
Owen and I, we're going to make for it."
[/Carlos]

[Owen]
"Look Alex," Owen says, "I have no business advising you on anything,
but like Carlos said, we're making for New Camelot, and hopefully from
there finding a way home."
[/Owen]

[Koba]
Koba seems less convinced.  "We're asking Alex to risk her freedom
here." he says.  "I've heard of King Arr'thu, and by reputation he's a
good man, and from what we've seen of his knights, they seem an
honorable lot.  But that's rumor.  Even Louissa can't say for sure
what New Camelot is like.  But, at least for now, I vote for it
anyways, because I'm tired of being shot at.  And Sir Justin here is
right, Alex.  If you run, you're a fugitive, and so far as I can tell
we need all the help we can get."
[/Koba]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com