barrayarmods: (Default)
For Barrayar mods ([personal profile] barrayarmods) wrote in [community profile] forbarrayar2016-12-19 09:43 pm

[ january i log: barrayar ]

Who: Everyone
What: Arrival on Barrayar and what follows
When: January 2nd - January 17th
Where: Barrayaran guerrilla camp
Warnings: None (at the moment)


welcome to barrayar.
It's the dark of night when you come to in the foothills. Snow on the ground, chill winter wind whistling. A steep mountain range towers just ahead, its peaks illuminated by the light of two moons. Whatever you last remember, it isn't how you got here, and you feel oddly jetlagged, slightly queasy.

And you're not alone. There are nine other people close by, all looking equally lost and confused. But before any of you have a chance to figure out what's going on, the soldiers arrive.

They're dressed in weather-worn green uniforms, bearing swords and bows, and they surround you immediately, poised to attack. But they quickly realize you're not their enemy, the ones they call Cetagandans. They're just as confused as you are, but rather than hanging around to puzzle it out, they start shepherding you toward their camp in the mountains while it's still dark. There's a war on, they say, and you unlucky bastards have just been dropped right smack in the middle of it.

the guerrilla camp
It's a few hours' hike through the mountains to get to their hidden camp, set up in a clearing framed by dense, hard forestry and backed against a rock face. Daylight is finally dawning when you make it there. You and your fellow sudden arrivals are ushered to an empty tent on the far end of the camp, just big enough to fit all ten of you. You can't help but notice they've posted guards all around it. You aren't under arrest – they just don't know what else to do with you.

You are able to glean, from hearsay and what the soldiers are willing to share with you, that you are on a planet called Barrayar, and this is their home, and ten years ago they were attacked without warning by the Cetagandan Empire. They've been holed up in the mountains fighting against their invaders ever since, outgunned and outmanned, but scoring little victories where they can. They don't tell you much more than that. Some dialect of Russian seems to be one of the predominant languages of the camp, but for the most part they all speak English too, if with an accent. They're gruff and wary, and if you look a little less – or more – than human, they'll eye you with suspicion, maybe even make obscure hex signs at you that seem intended to ward off evil or disease. But they aren't hostile to you, not unless you start something with them.

the outsiders' tent
It's not in the greatest shape, but if you look around the camp, the rest aren't much better off. It's cramped, but you've at least been provided with bedrolls and heavy wool blankets to ward off the frozen chill, and if you're in need of clothing, they'll provide it, although it probably hasn't been washed in…a while. The soldiers bring you food at mealtimes -- not very good food, mostly tough meat and groats, and they keep you your own campfire, just to keep you warm. They've also hastily dug you your own latrine area at the edge of the perimeter, just behind the treeline. No private bathroom stalls in this outfit, unfortunately. The entire camp seems tense and wary, and the soldiers are alert, but they don't talk much. You could try sneaking past them, but you probably won't get far.

Well, at least you've got each other for company: the outsiders on Barrayar.
vorrutyer: (punchable intensity)

[personal profile] vorrutyer 2017-01-23 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
Ah. Yes. Right. He sees that blinking, that unhappy look, and he realizes - of course. No, of course she'd be shaken by that. He'd said it so cavalierly, not even thinking of the emotions it might evoke...Damn. He didn't want to make her sad, didn't want to upset her; he'd wanted to make her interested. Excited. Ready to help him as he forged forward. Instead, this.

He meets her eyes and hesitates a moment. He thinks about taking it back, saying that it was a joke indeed. Instead, though, he lifts his chin just a bit, and meets her eyes, and responds firmly. "A fairy tale?" he scoffs. "Hardly. It's Barrayar's fate to be free and independent. These face-painted idiots aren't going to interfere with that - not for long. Not in this Barrayar or any other one of her iterations."
vorbratta: (so go ahead chiquita)

[personal profile] vorbratta 2017-01-23 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
Sonia's chest feels a little tight. She clutches her hands together. A fierce, burning hope in her chest, like acid in the back of her throat, just because she wants it so badly. She wants so, so badly to just make this whole war disappear. She's still not sure if she should believe him. It isn't impossible -- almost all the other outsiders were from different worlds, the idea of there being some other version of Barrayar out there... She bites her lips together, holding Byerly's gaze, her own painfully hopeful.

"How do you know?" She's almost whispering now. No, it's seeming less and less utterly farfetched, but the idea makes her reel. "How do you know it'll be he same here?"
vorrutyer: (is this dude handsome)

[personal profile] vorrutyer 2017-01-23 03:52 am (UTC)(link)
He doesn't, of course. Not for sure. If they've merely travelled through time, they've definitely screwed up the timeline by now; if they've traveled through time and dimensions, then perhaps the situation would have been different to begin with. But, well...

It's not often that he lets this sort of thing loose from his lips. Town clowns tend not to be the most patriotic sorts, and so this sort of sentiment wouldn't be excellent for his cover. And even if that weren't true, it'd still get him laughed at, no doubt. But he can't fully help himself. Especially not with her looking at him like that.

And so he leans forward and says, like it's the most obvious thing in the world, "This is still Barrayar, isn't it? We don't surrender."
vorbratta: (while i sweep up the mess)

[personal profile] vorbratta 2017-01-23 04:00 am (UTC)(link)
He might play well, but he certainly has been honest with her. And she truly wants to believe him. So she gives into it with a breath, shoulders slackening, a tiny, helpless smile. She's quiet for a moment.

"No, we don't." She looks like she might reach out and touch his hand for a moment, but she stays still. But her smile brightens. "I'll bring some of my photos by soon."
vorrutyer: (attentive)

[personal profile] vorrutyer 2017-01-23 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'll look forward to it, dear Sonia." He presses his hand to his heart, then, and lowers himself in a courtly bow. She didn't accept his claims, but, well - that would be a bit much to ask, even for someone as persuasive as he can be. Perhaps once she sleeps on it she'll be more receptive to the idea. "Don't stay away long. You've truly proven to be a bright spot of joy in this place."
sibearian: (i'm going to destroy you)

[personal profile] sibearian 2017-01-23 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
At this point, rather than being shocked and suspecting lies (she's a soldier, she can't help it), Zarya only has curiosity. What their worlds are like, everything. She can't imagine anything other than what she knows on Earth. She never thought she'd have to. Not in her lifetime.

"I suppose that makes us aliens to each other," she says with a chuckle. "Was it colonized or have has it had life from the get-go?"
sibearian: <user name=gay4zarya site=tumblr.com> (that sure is a squint)

[personal profile] sibearian 2017-01-23 07:51 pm (UTC)(link)
"Firstly," she says, full of determination, "I will touch those that do not think we are equals into next week!"

A beat.

"No, that sounded better in my head. English is hard."
littlemissfutility: (55)

[personal profile] littlemissfutility 2017-01-23 10:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"Thank you." It means something, him offering to pass along the information. It'll mean more if he actually does , of course, but there's no telling what the Barrayarans will allow.

When his gaze shifts toward her arm, hers does, too, a crease forming in her brow. "What kind of unorthodox approach?"

She's not about to agree without hearing the idea--but she's undeniably curious. They're at war, and more importantly, they're out in the middle of nowhere. Her wrist is healing, but anything she can do to speed it along can only be a good thing. Whenever those Cetagandans of theirs show up, she has to be able to defend herself.
truevor: (pic#10925367)

[personal profile] truevor 2017-01-24 05:47 am (UTC)(link)
It takes a moment for Olivia to catch the beginnings of Rani's drift, mouth opening to counter with some pointed remark about a Barrayaran interpretation of modesty. But if her suspicions are true, the other woman could be onto something -- her marriage to Piotr only gave her a new last name; Princess still came first in her full title. Surely she has some option here that could circumvent the Emperor-her-Grandfather's rules regarding Armsmen. They would swear no oath to Piotr, nor to her.

Her eyes light with a small fire, burning intensely as she gestures for Rani to continue. "It is true that we cannot spare personal for any sort of staff, and even the number of our Armsmen is low now that we cannot seek replacements out amongst the District. Furthermore, the Armsmen sent to protect my sister and I no longer consider me their responsibility since my marriage; no longer Vorbarra, they cannot do so without risking being seen to overstep." What the other woman says is true, at least on the surface -- that's all the would need. Olivia had once made a case to Piotr among the same line ages ago, and while she has been an exception in ways that do not extend to others, she can make it work for them all the same.
littlemissfutility: (94)

[personal profile] littlemissfutility 2017-01-25 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
Beth's seen the countess around, she realizes, and nods in recognition. When it comes to the General Count, she laughs a little. The face Sonia makes gives her a younger look; as weary as the war must have made her, it hasn't broken her.

"Some people are too busy to be interesting." She doesn't know a lot of them, these days, but the kind of war they fought at home was a very different one. "Guess he's one."
shri: (» I'll never be more)

[personal profile] shri 2017-01-25 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
"It is a difficult position to be in, of course. As much as I am sure your sister is your first priority - "

She seemed a sweet girl, where Lakshmi has seen her from a distance. Full of curls and laughter and light. A hard thing to be, in a situation this dire and unforgiving. "You should also look to yourself, as I am sure your husband must worry."

A press, of her tongue to the bottom of lip in consideration. In how to form the words. "We have, in my home, a custom. It is not always fitting for a man to be in attendance of a woman, especially in her quarters and when she is sleeping. Especially if she is of a lineage such as yours. So instead, women who are inclined to, are invited to take up arms in ... service. They see to her interests in all matters, as well. Her messengers, her devotees."
prorenataa: (Uniform)

[personal profile] prorenataa 2017-01-28 05:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Her question was more than fair and it was why Adrien tended to ask before pursuing this line of treatment. At least, in instances where he had the opportunity.

Lifting his hand, he wriggled his fingers.

"A genetic ability," he explained. "It allows me to manipulate and heal organic bone upon contact. Doesn't hurt, at least no one has ever had an adverse reaction to it and only the bone will be affected."
littlemissfutility: (30)

[personal profile] littlemissfutility 2017-01-28 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
It sounds impossible, the kind of thing that shows up in Carl's comic books, but what's it going to harm if she says yes? If he tries something that'll hurt her, she'll do her best to stop him--and hopefully make enough noise that everyone else in the tent will notice.

Besides, she wants her arm back in business as soon as possible. Taking a little risk for so much gain seems smart.

"Okay." She slides her arm out of her coat sleeve, so he can see the plaster and bare skin. It might not make much of a difference for his...whatever this is called, his abilities, but he'll have room to work, at least.
Edited 2017-01-28 18:15 (UTC)
traitorous: (MACHINE.)

[personal profile] traitorous 2017-01-28 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
COLONIZED, comes his answer, written into the ground a moment after she asks. LATE 2300S. MINING PLANET.

So about 160 years ago for Maine. It occurs to him then that he doesn't even know what year it is now on Barrayar, or what year it was for Zarya back on Earth. After his chat with Miles, he's beginning to realize that everything is slightly more fucked up than he initially thought.

Multiverse levels of fucked up, in fact, a possibility he's only just started to consider.
sibearian: <user name=gay4zarya site=tumblr.com> (keanu reeves??)

[personal profile] sibearian 2017-01-29 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
"2300s? My god. That is... very far ahead. I do not even know the 2100s yet," she says, shaking her head again. This is all so overwhelming when she thinks on it too hard.

"Do you mind if I ask what it's like for you at home?"
startpoint: (04)

[personal profile] startpoint 2017-01-29 05:39 pm (UTC)(link)
She can't say that she held back on talking to him because she felt the ghost of his hands on her throat. That she was waiting for some sign that he was still a monster. The show of pain is what truly wins her over and tells her that it's Maine. The headaches from Sigma should have been a warning sign but no one pushed hard enough to find out why he kept having problems even after everyone else adapted to their fragment's implantation.

Deep down she thinks she should have pushed harder. She was the team leader and she fucked up.

"Trying to figure some of this out," She says trying to keep her tone steady. The loss of her team was always a sore spot, one that faded as she got closer to the reds and blues but never really went away. If not for the fact that she's cold and her legs still ache from the long hike to the camp she'd wonder if she was dreaming. It wouldn't be the first time if she was entirely honest. "What else would I be doing after we get kidnapped?" It's easier to pull up the friendly tone as she looks at the familiar lines of his face. This is her comrade, the one she trusted to watch her back without shooting her in it.

"What's your status, Maine? Do you still have Sigma?" And if he did... she was going to rip that thing out of his head before it could break him.
truevor: (pic#10925361)

[personal profile] truevor 2017-01-30 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
They do not have the luxury of worry for each other; they would spend too much time on it and none on what needed their attention the most. Piotr is Vor, as is she -- they know what is required of them. "If he gave it thought, I am sure he would. But we are Vor." Her sister is Vorbarra, it's true, but she's far more Betan than Barrayaran, and Olivia has given her all to protect that innocence from the demands of war. Yet Piotr is not wasteful in spite of his stubbornness, and that can be exploited. Free up Armsmen to fight instead of guarding her -- how could he argue against that?

The image that Rani paints is perfect; Olivia's lips flatten out in an attempt to hide a smile. It's only half successful, her eyes sharp. "A Vor lady's maids are rarely armed here on Barrayar, and Vor women are only given a knife to protect their honor and their genome. But better all to have blades of their own than to chance them ending up at the mercy of Cetagandans." Olivia presses her hands together, over the middle of her stomach in contemplation for a long moment before she nods again to the other woman.

"If that it is amenable to you, I will do my best to make him receptive to the proposal. But you must be the one to sell him on it." She would not rob the woman of the final victory over her husband. To be given something you have wished because someone else told them to is a victory that is hollow and empty. Knowing that you have earned it, no matter how hard the battle, makes even the smallest gains worthwhile.
vorbratta: (there is a cold moon rising)

[personal profile] vorbratta 2017-01-30 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"All the ones I've spoken to were perfectly civilized," Sonia protests with a slight pout, but she's glad for that but, and she smiles. "They are a good bunch, aren't they? I mean, all things considered...it could be a lot worse. And," she adds, with much merit, "some of them are really friendly."
vorbratta: (and you wanted something better)

[personal profile] vorbratta 2017-01-30 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Sonia laughs, delighted nonetheless. "So don't speak in English," she chirps in Russian, grinning. "I bet you'd make a good bodyguard. With a woman's touch, of course."
vorbratta: (but today)

[personal profile] vorbratta 2017-01-30 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"Mmm." Sonia's lips twist, and she wobbles her hand in ambivalence. "It's not that he's not interesting. The Countess thinks he must be, anyway." She smiles wryly, then scrunches her nose. "No, he's just such a stuffed shirt. You'd think he's twice as old as he looks. He's always so -- " She makes a face in impersonation of Piotr's usual hard-faced, impassive look, brows drawn down and lips pursed. Mostly, it just looks funny on Sonia.
shri: (» and the shivers move down)

[personal profile] shri 2017-01-31 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
She bows then, deeply, and it's to hide something all sharp, pointed in her gaze and in her gestures that is just there, this victory will be hers. With all respect to her husband, of course, but nothing would keep her from putting a blade in her hand, one way or another. If she found anything to serve in him, in turn, it would be because of her, and no one else.

Wielding in service for such a lady was more than a worthy pursuit.

"I am Maharashtrian. We know a woman is equal to the work of a man. I thank you for allowing me this chance to show it."

Breathless, eager, she is better in the fight than she is standing idle. It's bright and smiling in her eyes, for all she keeps everything else tempered. Has something to latch onto now, a chance. She has been a tiger prowling in a cage looking for a way out and now she had just a breath of it, it flooded her lungs with purpose.
sibearian: (kill streak queen)

[personal profile] sibearian 2017-02-01 07:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Zarya laughs in delight. She'd forgotten, in all the excitement.

"Ha!" she replies, "That is not a bad idea. Do you know anyone in need of those services?"
truevor: (pic#10925366)

[personal profile] truevor 2017-02-02 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"I did not grow up on Barrayar," Olivia tells her, returning the bow with a shallower one of her own, but no less lacking for the amount of respect she extends to the other woman. "But every Barrayaran woman knows this to be true -- Vor and prole alike. It may be too much to ask, but every moment you show it, it is my hope that Barrayar as a whole comes closer to recognizing it."

Her father is the accursed progressive in government, but those that assumed his politics -- and those of his Betan wife -- didn't trickle down to his children in some form or another were only deluding themselves. Olivia will compromise much for the occupation, for there is nothing if they don't win. But that does not have to come at odds with dragging it all towards some sense of equality. After all, Piotr had been the one to suggest that not all officers had to be Vor.

The look in the woman's eyes is one that gives Olivia heart, and her own smile back at Maharani. She will do what she can to help the other woman, in whatever way is possible for her to. It is the least she can do. "Good luck to you, Maharani."
truevor: (pic#10326010)

[personal profile] truevor 2017-02-02 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"It will take more than 'really friendly' to win this war." Olivia says, raising one eyebrow at her sister. "I suppose you have a few in particular that have caught your eye?" In more ways than one, she supposes. That would be a problem to tackle later -- once they have a better handle on the outsiders.
vorbratta: (why do you pick me right back up)

[personal profile] vorbratta 2017-02-03 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Sonia almost jumps up and says me! but refrains, because technically, she has a bodyguard. But poor Armsman Gavalas could probably use a break, and besides...Zarya. Sonia tries to tone down the starry eyes, but her smile is diffident, almost coy.

"I hear the Princess could use another bodyguard," she suggests innocently. "She's always getting herself into trouble, you know. You should talk to the Countess about it."

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