[ 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

[vorrutyer]

[ His lips part. For a moment, he's genuinely taken aback. What - ?

Time travel. If Vorkosigan's guess is right - which it can't be - nothing says that they'd be from the same time. Right? Perhaps. And so his mouth closes again, and his eyes narrow just a bit. He replies with arch mockery, seeing what reaction he can provoke: ]

And you are an actual member of ImpSec?

[dendarii]

[ That stings rather hard. The wound is still fresh, and this Miles hasn't yet found his way yet. Not even the look of surprise on Byerly's face is enough to blunt it. ]

Until recently. Yes.

[vorrutyer]

Until recently hardly counts.

[ He smirks at Miles, arching his eyebrows at him. ]

You can hardly get scanned into ImpSec HQ using the holes in your collar where the Eyes of Horus used to be. And you don't have any other source of authority to break in, do you?

[ Probing to see whether - well. Whether, as he suspects, Vorkosigan does not remember his Auditorial authority. ]

[dendarii]

[ Indeed, he does not. That glower on his face tells the whole damn story. ]

Doing so would get me killed. I can't identify myself a Vorkosigan here.

[vorrutyer]

I think - [ Byerly proclaims, leaning his head back against the crates behind him and closing his eyes - ] You have a persecution complex, Vorkosigan.

[dendarii]

[ Miles makes the most frustrated noise he can muster. ]

And you're a self-involved fop, as always. Why do I even bother?

[vorrutyer]

[ Byerly clucks in disapproval. ]

A self-involved fop? Surely you can do better than that. I've heard wittier insults from my hideous cousin Richars, and he's always looked up to the likes of - [ What's a name that'll draw a real twitch out of Vorkosigan, some name that'll make him flinch if he's lying to By about his lack of knowledge - Ah. ] Etienne Vorsoisson for a model of good humor.

[ And By watches his little cousin to see if the man shows any sign of recognition. ]

[dendarii]

[ Utter and complete blankness. Miles has never heard of the man. What he does sense is that he's being tested here. How, he has no idea, but something is weird, dammit. ]

What aren't you telling me.

[vorrutyer]

[ Ha. Well. More than anything else, more than their surroundings, that convinces By that Vorkosigan's theory is true. He saw the man during that whole debacle with the poor widow. The man wasn't able to control his shudders and twitches when Vorsoisson's name came up. No...No, truly, he doesn't know. So either he hit his head hard enough to lose his memory but not hard enough to die (which, honestly, if anyone could do that, a Vorkosigan could, they were slamming their heads into things enough that statistically that ought to happen at some point) or he truly does come from a different time. ]

Oh - [ Mockingly: ] So many things. Most of them unkind, I'm afraid. Shall I get started on them? I'd be delighted to.

[dendarii]

[ Miles, meanwhile, is just getting more confused. And irritated. And he is still more hungover than he wants to be right now, dammit. ]

Spare me most of that. Who the hell is Etienne Vorsoisson? And why do you think I ought to know him?

[vorrutyer]

A famous bad wit.

[ Byerly lies smoothly. Competently. And he arches his brows at Vorkosigan, saying - ]

You really don't know much of the social scene, do you? Well - you'll have time to learn now, won't you? I suppose you'll become a town clown yourself after your ImpSec discharge.

[dendarii]

[ A shudder goes through Miles at the very thought. ]

Like hell. I'd sooner kill myself.

[vorrutyer]

[ He gives a fluting laugh. ]

Ooh. What that one lacks in cleverness it makes up for in cruelty. Not bad, Lord Vorillyan.

[dendarii]

[ That is it. With no warning whatsoever, Miles launches himself at Bylerly, aiming to punch him square in the face. Or rather pull the man down so that he can reach Byerly's face. ]

[vorrutyer]

[ Now, By certainly cannot hold his own in any real fight. If he went up against one of these lunkhead proles, they'd have him broken across their knees in half a minute. But, well - ImpSec courses are ImpSec courses, and an informant of his level of course has gotten training in how not to be murdered if a situation goes sour. And so by instinct, By steps back, and with a smooth and capable movement redirects Miles' momentum to send him stumbling beyond him.

Ah, By thinks to himself. Shit. Not good for a man feigning incompetence. Very, very not good.

He tries to recover as best he can. A moment later, he propels himself forward, falling to one knee as though the tangle had left him tripping over his own clumsy feet. ]

Damn! [ He makes a great show of getting up and dusting off his trousers. ]

[dendarii]

[ Too late. Miles yelps and goes down in a heap, whirling in an instant as his own ImpSec (and combat) instincts kick in. Just in time to see Byerly fake a fall.

What the hell. Did Byerly just sidestep him like a pro and then pretend otherwise? Miles sits up again, now wildly suspicious in addition to his earlier frustration. Something isn't right here. ]

Where the hell did you learn to do that?

[vorrutyer]

What, fall? I know this might be a surprise to an Illyan like yourself, but you don't actually need to train yourself to fall. To most of us, it comes rather naturally. It's only you Illyans who seek to perfect it.

[ Hopefully that mockery would be enough to distract him. For good measure, By adds: ]

If this is really the Cetagandan Invasion, I could legally challenge you to a duel, couldn't I?

[dendarii]

[ Distraction enough for a moment, though Miles' eyes are still narrowed. ]

Yes, duel a mutated prole. That's an excellent idea.

[ He drags himself back up to his feet. ]

[vorrutyer]

Wouldn't be the most scandalous thing a Vorrutyer has done.

[ With an easy grin: ]

It wouldn't be the most scandalous thing a Vorrutyer has done this week. Whatever it is that this week means here. Honestly, I don't think it even matters which week we're talking about.

[dendarii]

[ Miles rolls his eyes again and focuses back in on his previous comment. What was it that Byerly had said earlier? Something Miles hears in ImpSec a lot - which seemed ridiculous coming from Byerly until that little move just now. Is it possible? Ridiculous, but ... ]

No, I'd say joining up with a legitimate branch of ImpMil would be the more scandalous thing for a Vorrutyer. Especially for someone with your sort of reputation.

[vorrutyer]

I'll have you know that many a Vorrutyer has had many a career in the military.

[ Byerly offers a dismissive little flap of his hand, trying to tamp down his vague feeling of unease. Distract, distract, distract... ]

Why, my dear uncle Ges was an Admiral, you know. Not that I ever met the man. He met with some horrible accident not long after I was born. I don't suppose you'd have heard of that, of course.

[dendarii]

Bit of an exception, him. [ Miles has no idea really. More importantly, it's not enough of a distraction to nudge his attentions aside. ] As are you. Tell me, how long have you been working for our dear captain?

[vorrutyer]

[ His smile stretches uncomfortably. There's a little shudder of panic in his guts. To hide it, he makes a show of looking around. ]

Which one would that one be, now?

[dendarii]

Don't play dumb, Byerly. [ A pause. ] Though I imagine you're good enough at it by now. Dear god.

[ Good enough to fool Miles anyway. He's kind of impressed. ]

[vorrutyer]

[ Shit. By looks back and smiles a puzzled smile, shaking his head in clear confusion. ]

I really don't follow.