Re: Inexorable Altercation [Round IV - Hezekiah]
03-24-2012, 07:06 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Pinary.
"It takes a lot to get the formula just right," Meddet was saying. "Freedom around here is all about balance."
Will was only half listening. The little gang's leader had been going on for some time now, and he'd started repeating himself a ways back.
"For example, take the amount of freedom itself. Too much and the ship recaptures you and you have to start again, but too little and there's no point to being free at all."
I should've stayed in my cell, Will decided. There was so much going on, and if he wanted to be on top of it, he'd need time to reflect. He wasn't even sure what state the battle was in; he'd jumped timelines repeatedly before falling into the current one, and that left him with no reliable knowledge of what had happened up to this point. Add to that the events at the end of the last round and the weird batch of memories that were floating by the sidelines, and the end result is a huge mass of confusing non-facts and disjointed snippets of experience.
"Then there's the size of the group. If you're by yourself, the odds of having the skills you need to get by are minimal at best."
One step at a time, he told himself. Start with Annaliese- how'd she end up so different in this timeline? Was she like this from the start, or is it a recent thing? Sighing, he backed up his thoughts. He had next to nothing to go on; he'd have to start from a clean slate.
"If, on the other hand, you've got too many people, then the end result is a group with too much divisiveness, and you get inevitable self-destruction."
He knew the original roster of contestants, that much was certain. There hadn't been any variation on who'd started out in the battle across timelines that he'd been able to see, so he could be fairly sure that the starting group would be the same.
"What we have here, though, is a nice balance; Chester manages the systems we need under control, Eltere handles any medical needs that might arise, and the Themms do reconnaissance and provide extra force when it's needed."
He started assembling facts. Arriving here, whoever had come on the PA had said that either Voitrach or Atrum had died. In addition, he'd seen Annaliese and (unfortunately) Loran conclusively alive before that... thing had happened. Given that it was the fourth round, he could probably assume that three people had died. Based on those facts, then, it seemed likely that one of Greyve, Apathy, and OTTO/O'rlyath were alive, one of either Voitrach and Felix was alive, and both Annaliese and Loran were alive.
Sighing, Will rubbed his forehead. That wasn't much useful information, and it assumed that both the structure of the battle was intact and the voice on the PA could be trusted.
"But I digress- we're nearly to the newcomer's cell, you see. Chester, you said that he hasn't even left his cell yet?"
The big man grunted in the affirmative and gestured to a door a little ways ahead of the group.
"Excellent! Mr. Haven, care to welcome this person to the ship?"
"Alright," Will replied, a bit apprehensive. He couldn't really rule out anyone as being conclusively dead just yet, but whoever it was that was in this cell, there was a good chance that their identity could help pare down his list.
Of course, there was also a good chance they were fairly dangerous. Just to be safe, he took his Blastec out of its holster and held it at the ready. Behind him, Chester, knowing just who was in the cell, chuckled to himself. Will shot him a quick glare, then pulled open the door.
A small stack of boxes tumbled out, along with the gnome that'd been standing on top of them, apparently trying to use them to reach something.
Will lowered his gun and rubbed his forehead. He'd wanted an answer or two, not just more questions.
"It takes a lot to get the formula just right," Meddet was saying. "Freedom around here is all about balance."
Will was only half listening. The little gang's leader had been going on for some time now, and he'd started repeating himself a ways back.
"For example, take the amount of freedom itself. Too much and the ship recaptures you and you have to start again, but too little and there's no point to being free at all."
I should've stayed in my cell, Will decided. There was so much going on, and if he wanted to be on top of it, he'd need time to reflect. He wasn't even sure what state the battle was in; he'd jumped timelines repeatedly before falling into the current one, and that left him with no reliable knowledge of what had happened up to this point. Add to that the events at the end of the last round and the weird batch of memories that were floating by the sidelines, and the end result is a huge mass of confusing non-facts and disjointed snippets of experience.
"Then there's the size of the group. If you're by yourself, the odds of having the skills you need to get by are minimal at best."
One step at a time, he told himself. Start with Annaliese- how'd she end up so different in this timeline? Was she like this from the start, or is it a recent thing? Sighing, he backed up his thoughts. He had next to nothing to go on; he'd have to start from a clean slate.
"If, on the other hand, you've got too many people, then the end result is a group with too much divisiveness, and you get inevitable self-destruction."
He knew the original roster of contestants, that much was certain. There hadn't been any variation on who'd started out in the battle across timelines that he'd been able to see, so he could be fairly sure that the starting group would be the same.
"What we have here, though, is a nice balance; Chester manages the systems we need under control, Eltere handles any medical needs that might arise, and the Themms do reconnaissance and provide extra force when it's needed."
He started assembling facts. Arriving here, whoever had come on the PA had said that either Voitrach or Atrum had died. In addition, he'd seen Annaliese and (unfortunately) Loran conclusively alive before that... thing had happened. Given that it was the fourth round, he could probably assume that three people had died. Based on those facts, then, it seemed likely that one of Greyve, Apathy, and OTTO/O'rlyath were alive, one of either Voitrach and Felix was alive, and both Annaliese and Loran were alive.
Sighing, Will rubbed his forehead. That wasn't much useful information, and it assumed that both the structure of the battle was intact and the voice on the PA could be trusted.
"But I digress- we're nearly to the newcomer's cell, you see. Chester, you said that he hasn't even left his cell yet?"
The big man grunted in the affirmative and gestured to a door a little ways ahead of the group.
"Excellent! Mr. Haven, care to welcome this person to the ship?"
"Alright," Will replied, a bit apprehensive. He couldn't really rule out anyone as being conclusively dead just yet, but whoever it was that was in this cell, there was a good chance that their identity could help pare down his list.
Of course, there was also a good chance they were fairly dangerous. Just to be safe, he took his Blastec out of its holster and held it at the ready. Behind him, Chester, knowing just who was in the cell, chuckled to himself. Will shot him a quick glare, then pulled open the door.
A small stack of boxes tumbled out, along with the gnome that'd been standing on top of them, apparently trying to use them to reach something.
Will lowered his gun and rubbed his forehead. He'd wanted an answer or two, not just more questions.