[ 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]

Fortunate that we've no plasma arcs to do it with.

[ He darkens after a moment, though. ]

I'm more at your mercy than you are at mine, anyway. I can't hide this forever.

[vorrutyer]

At my mercy? What are you imagining - that I'll go and rat on you?

[ To be fair, he is a professional informant. ]

[dendarii]

Nothing so clumsy. All you need do is express concern to the guards that this poor mutie is ill. And that will be it.

[ Said with acidic bitterness. ]

[vorrutyer]

I'm obviously not the expert on the subject that you are, but I don't think injuries sustained in the line of duty quite count as a mutation.

[dendarii]

You know that. They don't. And they'll take your word over mine.

[vorrutyer]

I'm not exactly High Vor like you are, and I really don't give a damn about honor and all that, and I'm certainly not one of you service boys. But getting a veteran executed for his injuries is a bit beyond the pale even for my shocking self.

[dendarii]

[ Miles blinks. He hadn't quite considered that Byerly might not actually want to screw him over. ]

Oh. Well. That would be appreciated, yes.

[vorrutyer]

[ By settles back. Before it can get too unbearably sappy: ]

Besides which, I anticipate you being useful to me.

[dendarii]

Ah. That I can believe.

[vorrutyer]

Mm. So, do you want your payment for your story?

[dendarii]

Of course I do. And I damn well better not get shorted after that.

[vorrutyer]

[ Oh, like he can resist that. ]

Someone went after his chip. He retired. Doing all right now, it seems.

[ And he sits back, the innocent look on his face saying story over. ]

[dendarii]

[ Miles makes a rude gesture at him. ]

Details.

[vorrutyer]

Details? I don't know how many I can provide. It wasn't my investigation, after all.

[dendarii]

Spit them out, Byerly. Who went after his chip? What happened to him? Why did he retire if he survived all that?

[vorrutyer]

His chip broke down, Miles. That's his memory gone.

[ A beat. ]

Though he's actually not as dotty now as he'd have most people believe, I suspect.

[dendarii]

[ Miles' breath catches in his throat. ]

Is he still sane after that?

[vorrutyer]

Yes.

[ That's said without teasing, without sarcasm, without withholding details just to be a shit. He won't, after all, slander Illyan. ]

Honestly, he might be saner than he was as ImpSec Chief. He's doing all right.

[dendarii]

[ Good. Miles relaxes incrementally. ]

Good ... Good. God, what a mess that must have been.

[vorrutyer]

Oh, yes. Quite an impressive one. Nearly a disaster.

[dendarii]

So who fixed it? Haroche?

[vorrutyer]

I feel as though I'm giving away a very large amount of information, considering what I got from you.

[dendarii]

Bullshit. You got everything from me. So tell me who fixed that mess. And who the hell caused it to begin with.

[vorrutyer]

Haroche.

[dendarii]

... I need two names, Byerly.