[ 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

[dendarii]

There's no directing that chaos. It's the nuclear option, dangerous fallout included.

[vorrutyer]

It could be better than the chaos we know is coming.

[ He spreads his hands. ]

Between a nuke and a hard place, it seems.

[dendarii]

All too literally.

[ Vorkosigan Vashnoi ... Maybe they can at least save the city. ]

Well, Vorrutyer?

[vorrutyer]

[ He's quiet a moment. ]

You do know that it's not only your family that suffered in these wars. You're also deciding for mine.

[ Then, with a breezy sigh and a light voice: ]

Of course, my loyalty to my family is famously nonexistent. Very well. My oath to you, Illyan, and enjoy the responsibility for that decision.

[dendarii]

[ God. What a hell of a responsibility that is. For not just his family, as Byerly righlly points out... But he sees no other path - not now, and perhaps not ever. Still, he lets out a sigh of relief. ]

Say the words, then. Swear it to me.

[vorrutyer]

My word as disinherited, disliked, disgraced Vorrutyer.

[dendarii]

And on your loyalty to our planet.

[vorrutyer]

[ He grimaces. But - ]

And for Barrayar.

[dendarii]

[ Good. Either he might have doubted; both he can trust. As much as he can any Vorrutyer, anyway. ]

... Thank you.

[vorrutyer]

Oh, you're so welcome.

[ He assays a sitting bow, pressing his hand to his heart. ]

[dendarii]

[ Ugh. Miles rolls his eyes again. There'll be enough time to be heartsick over this decision later... ]

Whatever. Now that we've got that settled.

[vorrutyer]

So. How are you planning to make yourself useful enough to avoid retroactive infanticide?

[dendarii]

Any way I can. [ A beat. ] I seem to have some use translating.

[vorrutyer]

Is that it?

[dendarii]

Well I'll do any damn thing I can, obviously. Muck out stables, clean weapons, spy, whatever.

[vorrutyer]

Sorry, I'm entertaining the image of you as a spy.

[dendarii]

[ Miles twitches a bit. ]

I am capable of some subtlety.

[vorrutyer]

I suppose you are sometimes beneath one's notice.

[dendarii]

Hilarious, Byerly. I don't intend to go spying much, if only because I am very distinctive, yes. That would be a one-time infiltration.

[vorrutyer]

Unless you defected altogether. Not that you ever would, of course. I can't even imagine a Vorkosigan acting as a double agent. I feel as though you'd break out in hives, or shrivel up altogether. Or challenge the whole of the Cetagandan Empire to a duel.

[dendarii]

[ Miles' expression flattens. ]

Have you actually been to Eta Ceta? Because I have.

[vorrutyer]

Why, of course; I've been invited along on so many state visits. A representative of the new face of the Vor, you see.

[dendarii]

[ Has Byerly? Miles can't remember. So, it must be sarcasm. ]

Hilarious. My point being that we're both drawing from the same knowledge pool, roughly speaking.

[vorrutyer]

I learned about Cetaganda well enough back in school. Well, back when I was in school.

[ He waves his hand in dismissal of that whole being-a-dropout thing. ]

But please, go on. What insights do you have that would make you an amazing spy?

[dendarii]

[ What does he have? A better working knowledge of the haute, for starters. Are they even here? Could they be? Miles begins to pace in their small space as he begins to think in earnest. Whether that was meant sarcastically or not, it's lit a fire for him. ]

The real question is what they're doing here.