[ january i log: barrayar ]

[barrayarmods]

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.

Comments

breaking the ice

[changeth]

[ miles is hard enough to miss, even when he doesn't make himself deliberately so. arthur would have to admit to finding his appearance odd, but that hardly justifies the treatment he's beginning to observe. no kind of man, he thinks, ought behave in such a way; there are other, more important measures of a person.

his eyebrows go up at miles's question, and his answer is dry. ]

I expect you'll find that true of everyone here.

[dendarii]

[ A sentiment Miles heartily agrees with, but ... well, he's wearily used to it, at least. No surprises here whatsoever.

He's more interested in making friends anyway. ]

Not everyone. I'm from here, actually.

[changeth]

[ that's certainly interesting, enough to garner his full attention; he shifts so he's better facing miles, arms loosely crossed. ]

You are? Then what business have you to be in here?

[dendarii]

[ That always seems to do the trick. Well, he is unusual in that regard. ]

Because I was still pulled in here same as you. I've not been home in years.

[changeth]

Curious that should be the case.

[ he sounds wondering, but not disbelieving -- there's no reason to be. ]

Does that mean you know of this war? These Cetagandans?

[dendarii]

[ Miles nods at that. ]

Indeed I have. And I've seen what they've done to other world up close and personal. They are wildly dangerous enemies.

[changeth]

[ his head cants, expression sobering somewhat. he makes a gesture with one hand to indicate he'd like to hear more, saying, ]

Go on.

[ all too better suited for a throne room, really, rather than speaking to another as equals; but he doesn't even know he does it. ]

[dendarii]

[ Ha. This one's used to power; he's heard this tone out of his father or Gregor, the former Regent and current Emperor respectively. Nobility at the absolute least, he figures. ]

They'll nuke the major population centers. [ Vorkosigan Vashnoi first, if he remembers his history correctly. His district's ruined capital. ] Likely craft plagues tailored to kill a decent portion of us, depending on their goals. Subjugate the rest.

[changeth]

[ the signs of nobility are small, but unmistakable, wound up in his demeanor and clothes, finely made though simple, and pure silver rings on his fingers. he's blind to it all, naturally.

"nuke" isn't a word he's familiar with, but plague and subjugate are unmistakable. reprehensible, too, and his opinion of such methods is clear on his face. his father was an aggressor, a conqueror, but his methods were (surely) honorable. his goals were (surely) just. he brought unity and glory to camelot, and he'd never stoop to such lows. what arthur is, he isn't quite sure yet; a different creature altogether, desirous of peace for his people -- for, in fact, all peoples.

even these, inhabiting a strange place of twin moons and with enemies who've descended from the very sky. no wonder they'd been so surprised and wary of a sudden arrival of strangers. ]

So they must be stopped. [ then -- ] Of course.

[ diplomacy is clearly no option, never is with the likes of these. and if their abilities seem to smack of sorcery, then so much the easier to cast them as villains. ]

Small wonder these people have fought for a decade against such a foe.

[dendarii]

[ And they'll fight a decade more if we can't speed this up, thinks Miles wearily. He'll be forty by the end of the Occupation if it follows previous history. God, he probably won't even live to see his own time, all things considered ...

No point in thinking about that right now. If they were pulled here, then surely they can be put back. ]

Just so. The Cetagandans are quite dangerous in this context. [ A beat. ] Less so when you are a planet on equal footing with them, but ... this is not the case, I assure you. Barrayar is considered to be a remote backwater.

[ Even in his own time, much less now. ]

[changeth]

[ he'll never get used to this, the casual talk of planets and space travel. he's heard of villages or even kingdoms being backwater, but entire planets is another thing altogether. it raises the question of just how many planets they've got, but that's not one he's prepared to ask. ]

I'm almost afraid to ask how earth would be reckoned by such judgement. [ WHAT IS TIME TRAVEL ] Traveling the skies is unthinkable, much less leaving the planet entirely.

[ if the word planet sounds funny in his mouth, like he's hardly used to saying it -- well. ]

[dendarii]

[ Sorry, Arthur. Miles is so worried about his own time travel shenanigans he hasn't given much thought to other people being from very different times indeed. ]

Well. It's out of the way of most travel routes. And rather irradiated in spots. But it makes for a decent vacation spot. [ A pause. If leaving the planet is unthinkable ... ] Er, where are you from?

[changeth]

[ thank god for that, he almost says of it being out of the way. magic and monsters and mundane concerns are enough; he doesn't know what he'd do if aliens made an appearance in camelot. ]

The kingdom of Camelot, [ he says as though it should be obvious. there's no reason why it ought to be, but habits die hard. besides, surely even strange space people who know of earth should know of its important kingdoms. he's not much understanding of the scale of the planet beyond the five kingdoms, nor has he ever had reason to think about it before. ] Surely you've heard of it.

[dendarii]

[ Miles stares back at him. Camelot, really. Now this guy is just pulling his leg. ]

Oh yes, I have. You must be King Arthur then.

[ Hilarious. ]

i'm so happy

[changeth]

[ he frowns at miles's tone, stance turning slightly defensive. the man is right, of course, but he almost sounds like he has a grievance with the very idea. ]

So you have heard of Camelot. [ or maybe miles is just a bit slow?? ] And, it'd seem, of me.

I'm here to help

[dendarii]

[ Seriously? This man has to be joking. That's all well and good, but Miles has dealt with enough bullshit today, thanks. ]

Yes, yes. Very famous. [ He waves a hand. ] So what's your actual name?

[changeth]

[ ok but: what is his problem?

with an air of strained patience: ] Arthur Pendragon. Is there a problem?

[dendarii]

[ Miles looks a bit annoyed himself. ]

Of course there is. I know my myths well enough, thank you. King Arthur doesn't exist.

[changeth]

Obviously I exist. I'm here, aren't I?

[ definitely leaning towards he must be slow. ]

[dendarii]

Of course you do. But I don't believe for a moment that you're actually King Arthur.

[changeth]

[ THIS IS SO ODDLY INSULTING. ]

And why is that?

[dendarii]

Because he doesn't exist. I already said that.

[changeth]

That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my life! You're speaking of a man, not a fairy tale.

[dendarii]

Indeed I am. So: your real name, please?

[changeth]

[ imperious -- ]

I won't repeat myself.