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WHEN Anthony was done, and his fate decided, it seemed there had been no one else left to stand in line before the council. Arms fell from their crossed position as the man came off the wall. Despite things looking against him, he seemed to have a lack of weariness to his movements. "Council members." He started in, this all seemed more of a joke to him really. "I'll not waist your time by begging to be allowed to stay. You've made up your mind already... And that's fine. Sense no one else has said anything, I will leave you with this. You're defense is lacking. Most of your men lack any real training, a few here and there seem capable, but not enough. There is talk in on the outside. Talk of this shelter being one of the last untouched places left. It ain't going to be long before the wrong people come snooping around." He let his eyes rest on the princess as the following words came. "You think I'm bad, you've not seen anything. You really think you can protect these people? Most of them are going to die, and if the wrong people come around, they'll be lucky to die fast." Lex was an ass, and he had problems with most everyone, but their were people out in the world who were real monsters. And they'd come before long. "I'm not begging you for anything, go... stay, you've already made up your mind. So let's not drag this out. Pass your judgement." With that he folded his arms once again and waited for his sentence to be passed. They would tell him to leave, and he would take his things, or they would tell him to stay and help. It was no longer in his hands.
Last Edit: Feb 12, 2015 10:49:14 GMT -5 by Deleted
Ellen knew exactly what to expect from Lex, and was unimpressed by his little speech. They had managed so far, they could manage a lot longer. The wrong people had already come snooping around in the form of a militia, and her 'untrained' men and women were already able to sent them packing with their tail between their legs. True, she had sacrificed a piece of her face during that battle but that was a price she was willing to pay again.
She leaned back in her seat, arms crossed. She wasn't going to contest this man's eagerness to leave nor did she plan to keep him here. They were in a refuge after all, not a prison.
"If you want to leave, then that's your right." Ellen said. "We won't hold you here against your will nor will we beg you to stay. But know this; if you want to leave, you leave immediately; at this very moment. I'll see that your belongings are returned to you along with some additional supplies as a gift from us to you."
If the man had anything to add to that, he could. If not, he could be on his merry. It made no difference to her, she wasn't kicking him out after all.
The pirate stepped forward once again. He didn't know why he was going to bat for Lex but for some reason he knew that Lex needed to be here. If not for these people then for Lex himself. He had been put there just as long as Veran had and it wasn't good. He remembered something he had been told once by someone making a run for a settlement. She had told him that it was possible to be out there for too long. She said it changed you in ways that were hard to come back from.
"Might be this ain't me place ta say but I would speak fer Lex. He's not always the best person but he ain't wrong 'bout what's out there. Ye need people what 'Ave been out there, that know how ta survive out there. I'm sure Ye've had ta deal with bandits but trust me bandits are the least o yer worries there be people out there what take pleasure in causing pain. People who see places like yer place here as a challenge. Lex can teach yer people how ta deal with them types."
With that the pirate sat back down and hoped his words had convinced both them and Lex. We, the human species, need this place.
Randall listened first as the attorney, Anthony spoke. The guy liked the sound of his own voice, but seemed like a nice enough guy. It wasn't often someone attracted the attention of two different madmen, though. But Randall wasn't about to say anything about it. If one was dead and the other was in Florida, they were no harm to Bear Lake. They'd be able to find something for the guy to do, even if he was recovering from the wounds. "Anthony, welcome to Bear Lake," was all Randall said as he waited for Lex to step forward. Randall and Lex hadn't spoken, but he and Ellen apparently got off on the wrong foot. Still, Randall would wait to hear the man's defense.
A lot of what Lex said was right. They weren't prepared for every situation, not every person here was sufficiently pulling their weight. If a group of hostile survivors came, it would be hard to say who'd come out alive. But Lex wasn't here to warn them of that. Randall knew the situation, and he, along with Ellen, was trying to remedy it. For that reason, Randall simply nodded as Ellen explained Lex could either stay or go. Randall wasn't about to turn Lex away--in fact, the guy demonstrated a semblance of competency when he spoke of the camp's weaknesses. "If you wanna stay, you could help us out with the problems you noticed. Could always use another hand," was all Randall added to what Ellen had already said.
Then, out of turn, the pirate stepped forward. Randall didn't mind speaking out of turn. His pride wasn't so easily bruised. He seemed to be speaking on Lex's behalf, but Randall wasn't so foolish. The council didn't need persuaded--Lex did. And that's what Long John Silver here was trying to do. "You gotta good friend here, Lex. Stick around."
Last Edit: Feb 12, 2015 12:44:52 GMT -5 by Deleted
Post by Dan-Andrei Moldovan on Feb 12, 2015 13:52:28 GMT -5
After they all said what they had to say, Andrei interjected.
"Men's hearts hold shadows darker than any tainted creature. The man has a point. No matter how well prepared you think your people are, trust me, they aren't prepared to face against what's out there. Some of those people aren't just sick and sadistic, they're intelligent. They know how to manipulate others." he stepped forward looking, in turn, at each member of the council.
"If the worst you've had to face from the living were groups of well armed bandits, then you're lucky. Bandits are easy if you have the proper thinking and mindset."
Andrei was now pacing through the room. Sure, they all got approved, but he felt he should tell the council this. "When those kinds of people attack this place they will find out each and everyone of us' weak spot and exploit it to their benefit. Most, if not all will be faced with an impossible choice. Sacrifice yourself or someone you care for to save the settlement, or sacrifice the settlement." he stopped his movement, and once again looked at the council, mostly at Ellen. He was fairly certain she would be one of the people vulnerable to such a tactic.
"Think about that for a while." he moved back from the centre of the tent, and awaited them to finish, since Ellen said that the two of them should speak.
"He's rignt," Anthony stepped forward in support of Andrei's most recent claim. "Bandits can be dealt with easily--hell, even bargained with. But Andrei and I...we came across a man who didn't desire material goods. Resources. No, we came across a man who was dangerously intelligent and sadistic. If a man like that--the man who shot me--were to come here with a force behind him, I don't know how well we'd fare. I'll never tell you how to do your job, but we recently saw it firsthand."
Anthony paused for a moment, realizing he'd spoken out of turn. He didn't want to offend anyone, so he quickly took a step back and lowers his head. "Just a thought."
Last Edit: Feb 12, 2015 19:53:28 GMT -5 by Deleted
Lex had what he wanted. They were going to let him go, even give him back his things, and some extra as well. That was good enough for him. He could be on his own once more, alive and safe. Then the pirate man opened his mouth. After he did so, others stepped forward as well, was he never going to be able to escape? And then the bald fella opened his mouth. Train people, strengthen their faults. It was starting to look more and more like he wasn't going to be able to get out just yet. He honestly didn't know why these people were sticking their necks out for him. But if they wanted him to stay, to help. Then he could always leave after.
"Very well...." He said at last, folding his arms across his chest. He had nothing more to add to it, but if Ellen was expecting him to worship the ground she walked on, she would be in for a rude awakening. He didn't give a rats ass if she, or anyone else, had a problem with that.
Ellen sighed. Did she, or did she not just tell to everyone that this guy was free to go or to stay? She banged her forehead on the table a couple of times in sheer annoyance. She was so over this shit; being made out to be the bad guy simply because she was being reasonable and logical.
She looked up again, clearly annoyed. Fine, if they wanted this guy to stay, they made their case. But this guy was going to undergo some serious attitude adjustments.
"You know, you're all here pleading about weaknesses and people that are necessary." Ellen said. "But you know what the biggest problem is and how people really get killed? By not listening. I clearly told this guy here that he is free to go or stay. But like it was before shit hit the fan; you HEAR but you do not LISTEN!"
She looked at the pirate. He was one to speak about having to survive out there, pretending he was someone else just to cope. He acted as though as she had never been out there.
"You!" Ellen said as she pointed at Veran. "You're a real character you know that? You speak about surviving out there yet you're the one having to dress up like something you're not just to cope? My people know how to deal just fine with well-armed groups hellbend on taking this place. A couple of months ago a whole bunch of other well-organized and well-armed idiots dressed up in Confederate uniforms came to try and take over this place. We dealt with them just fine, pushing their sorry asses all the way back from here to Denver, where we finally sent them with their tails between their legs into New Mexico!"
Ellen could feel her scar again, like some sort of phantom pain. That final battle was where she got it from; when the explosion hit and glass cut her face wide open. Ellen turned her gaze towards Andrei, because he had spoken about sacrifice. Would she sacrifice the entire settlement to save her dad or her sister? She didn't know. The McAllisters were a centuries-old military family since the Continental Army, and a lot of them had made sacrifices for their country.
"And you speak about sacrifice." Ellen said. "Until today I thought I had sacrificed my family by staying here and helping these people, and not by being out there and looking for them! I even sacrificed my own flesh for the sake of these people, or did you think I had this 'thing' on my face before all this happened? You think about THAT for a while."
Ellen pointed at the scar on her face. As Charlie saw how her friend was getting upset, she sided beside Ellen. Charlie's presence next to her felt comforting. Ellen had enough of this shit, but she would not leave first. Despite of what these people thought, she was not weak.
"In short; leave or stay it doesn't matter." Ellen said. "Would we welcome the help? Yes. Would we cry about it if he left? Fuck no. But plead your case to HIM, not ME."
Post by Dan-Andrei Moldovan on Feb 13, 2015 10:23:49 GMT -5
Andrei sighed after Ellen's outburst. It was obvious she didn't really understand what he was saying. He met her gaze, listened to everything she had to say, and then continued.
"You don't understand what I'm saying Ellen. You drove those people dressed as Confederates away, aye. But the kind of people I'm talking about are not so easily dealt with. Like it, or not, you're the de facto leader of this settlement, and if you die, chaos will ensue. Take the Confederates, for example. Would you have been so keen on attacking straight away if they had Anne-Marie tied down with a gun to her head? or Logan? Or Charlie? Listen to me carefully when I say that there are people out there who could outwit and outmanoeuvre even your father." he took a deep breath before deciding he had gone on too long. "There will be time to elaborate on that subject at a later date. If you have no further need of me, I'll return to my duties."
"It be obvious that yer not gonna take me serious and might be I understand why. Ye should ask yer father. Seems like the sort of lubber what might have some experience with what I'm talkin' 'bout. Fer now. I thank ye for keepin' me."
Though he had managed to keep it in check anger welled up inside him with an immense pressure. Lex had the right of it that if these people didn't wake up they were dead, and the worst of it was their leaders, or at least Ellen, couldn't hear it. He hoped, for everyone involved that it would end quickly. He still had hope but it was an uphill battle. He heard Remy's comments ringing in his ear. How could he teach these people what they needed to know. How could he prepare them for the atrocities without them spending time out there.
He turned and walked out of the proceedings shaking his head.
Ellen being called the de facto leader of the settlement did not bode so well with the other Council members. First to break silence was Bob Landry, in his usual arrogant demeanor.
"Now you jus' hold a dog on minute there Russkie!" Landry said. "This here's a Council, and the only thing Scarface here is leading are her preppie friends and that's only because they were the ones with the guns when the rest first came here!" "Landry! You son of a bitch! I'll show you who's a preppie!" Charlie said as she took a couple of paces towards Bob Landry. "Mister Landry, miss Atherton, please! Order!" Chamanlal intervened.
Ellen pulled Charlie back, as much as she wanted her to go apeshit on Bob Landry, it was not something she could allow. She was used to being called names now because of her scar. The most popular so far was 'Glassjaw', because a piece of glass got stuck in her jaw right after the explosion that injured her.
Ellen felt a headache coming up. Her father's people were really tiresome, as were the pirate and the wannabe badass Lex. Maybe the pirate was right and she could let her dad see after the defenses. He could also help train her guards to become more effective. That would make the Lex-guy's presence unnecessary and that was just fine with her. No point in making someone stay that didn't really wanted to be there.
"Enough! Just... fuckin' enough!" Ellen said. "I'll have my dad take a look at the defenses. As for Curly here; same goes what I said before; you're free to go or stay. But know this; if you stay you WILL respect the hierarchy within the guard and within the camp. No more of this Lone Survivor Hardass bullshit, got it? The rest of you, go earn your keep and make yourselves useful! Meeting adjourned!"
Randall couldn't help but chuckle as Landry, Charlie, and Chamanlal all started shouting and nagging at one another. If personality and ability to work in groups were criteria for serving on the council, Randall wouldn't be on it. He didn't value order in the council as much as the others, and actually found this little spat a bit amusing. At the same time, it was a bit disconcerting. Here were the people that ran the camp--were supposed to keep everyone safe--and they were bickering and screaming at one another.
Randall's smile faded when Ellen finally spoke up. She agreed that the defenses needed improved, and so did Randall. And he trusted her dad--he didn't give a shit that the guy was a newcomer. He could help out. He probably wouldn't be a bad choice for council member, but that was down the road. Randall nodded as Ellen finished speaking. "Way I see it, everyone here's allowed to stay, given the ruling of the council."
Last Edit: Feb 14, 2015 14:06:46 GMT -5 by Deleted
Shauna Kelly: That helped, thank you
Oct 4, 2021 14:40:44 GMT -5
Ayita Hunt: dang, January was my last post.. Jeez it's been a hot minute. o7 guys, sorry for the complete disappearance, life got.. a little interesting this year.
Oct 18, 2021 22:34:19 GMT -5