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Mice! This is madness! I’m one of you, I’m from here. I know you’re hungry, tired, scared, using powerful medicine on empty stomachs. And now you’re talking about using the black powder? You should be ashamed to even consider using powerful explosives in an impaired state. Did you learn nothing from the wisdom of Ohshaw? He taught us never, ever operate dangerous equipment while taking the medicine. Whatever else happens today, stay OUT of that basement until your heads clear.
An astrologer pries Mitsy's ember stick from her hands, and there is a scuffle at the exit, where two more mice are being dragged up from the basement. There are murmurs of treason and crime against mousedom echoing through the Board of Scholars.
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Berach, what ye've just said constitutes both treason of the highest order, a crime against every citizen of the territories, and it constitutes the cospirracy to commit... how many mice are in Sprucetuck again? anyway, conspiring to commit tens of dozens of murders. Ye're under arrest, and will face these charges before a tribunal of governors. Seyth says, cold loathing in his voice. he lowers his snout to Barton's ear 'e runs, ye stop him, and bring him right back. 'e makes for the basement, and. Seyth taps the tenderpaw's sword.
But Berach's punishment won't help ye, not now, an' not in tha future. Tha boy he indicates Bry Will 'elp ye, an Gwendolin and Jasmine an' {governor of Elmoss} will too, once they understand what's happened. As fer tha future, Jasmine an' I are gonna make it so that each city pays a tax to sprucetuck fer the scent border, ta' insure that the Scientists who concoct it dinnae' go hungry, and ta' insure somethin' like this winter never happens again.
"Lies!" Berach squeaks, getting up from his lounging position to stamp one hindpaw on the dais. "No such law would ever pass. What if a town can't pay? What if Port Sumac wants a tax levied for shipwrights? You don't want to pay for boats! That's none of our business. It jeopardizes mouse freedom. It sets a dangerous precedent. If Lockhaven can tax the territories, the territories will tax their citizens. These mice have been sent to pull the wool over your eyes! Jasmine was the very mouse who has deprived us of food! Why would she now propose any law in our favor? No-no-no-no-no. This is a farce, and a trap, and it surrenders any hope of our independence. We are Sprudcetuck, not Lockhaven's indentured servants. I swear to you, sign that agreement, and-"
"and..." But he's lost them, and Berach can see it in their eyes. He turns to run, scrambling over his seat to try and leave through the door his dais is blocking. He pulls a candle off a sconce on the wall and brandishes it threateningly, backing up against the wall. The Board of Scholars and the nearby Laborers are beginning to close in, but they aren't moving to violence. "Stay back! Back I say! I d-demand a trial!"
Barton ducks out into the spiral hall to cover the route to the basement, and spots Mitzy. She's not headed downstairs, but for the city gate. She turns and comes to a stop. "It was a bluff, Barton! The truth is, we never finished the order. There's not enough musk to cover both borders. We ran out of more than food this winter." The storm outside rattles the walls, and you can hear a tree branch splintering in the distance. "Cunning was all we had left..." She keeps an eye on Barton, cracking a brief smile, and takes a step backward. In this storm, her weapon will be useless, but you can see in her eyes, she believes staying means execution.
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Barton shouted to Mitzy over the rain. She'd done horrible things, but to leave now would be suicide...and dishonorable at that.
Mitzy. You don't have to go...you can fix this. We can fix this! Please!
He knew that he'd never convince her, but he still had to make her stay. He knew these halls well, maybe better than Mitzy did. As she stepped outside, he ducked up a set of stairs, across a balcony and to the alcove. He could leap from the relatively low height and tackle her from above with...some ease.
Mitzy doesn't even break into a run on all fours. She's spent too much time with scholars and smiths, reading, and running numbers. Barton catches her and the two of them tumble out into the pouring rain. "You can't save everyone, Barton."
Mitzy is captured.
Seyth steps forward, pushing his way to the front of the crowd. Ye'll get yer trial, that I promise ye. He stares down the ex-governor Unless ye do somethin really stupid here... then ye'll get a pauper's grave. Drop tha candlean' put yer paw behind yer back.
Barton lifted her to her feet. I know, but maybe we can save some together. Without the scent barrier, we're going to need to work together. You may have better chance at clemency.
~~~In the Hall~~~
"Oh, I'll put down the candle."
With a spin, Berach grabs the large jug of elixir, and smashes it on the floor at his feet. The biting scent of distilled alcohol fills the air.
~~~Outside~~~
"Anything to skip the gallows, soldier-boy. If You can secure the supplies, I can probably fulfill the missing orders. We're short by ten barrels. It won't close the border tomorrow, but at least we won't leave the doors wide open all summer."
Damn ye, Berach. Seyth says drawing out his spear, and striking forward, trying to pierce Berach's wrist, and catch the candle by the Burning wick as it falls, to extinguish it
Berach didn't have a chance. His paw, and the candle, are pinned to the wall by Seyth's spear.
Berach is captured.
Bry watches as things go on then follows Seyth. We are going to help them right?
Is that so?
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Yer gonna help 'em here, an' Barton an' I are gonna bring Berach ta lock'aven, an See if we can get Jes and Gwen ta send food. I'll be back fer ye in a week at the latest. Yer ta conduct yerself as befits a mouse o' tha guard. Ye embarrass the guard or me, an' I'll see to it that ye spend a year with Ingrid, at wolfepointe. Seyth has, in fact, done this before with particularly obsternate, maverick tenderpaws who are nonetheless talented. a year at Wolfepointe does wonders for discipline.
Do any of ye 'ave manacles? I'll need em to see yer former governor ta justice. he asks those who are still assembled.
Bry nods then address the assembled. Alright, I am going to get started as soon as possible. How many laborers and farm hands live here? Are there any insects that can be gathered while things are being worked on? What do we have around that can be turned into a good food source? Any local mosses berries, nuts?
She's huffing and glancing away, but since you tackled her, there's been a distinct change in her countenance. She's holding her wrist where you grabbed her, and can't meet your gaze.
Then you remember why she's so familiar. When her mother went to join the Winter War, she would help around your father's forge. It was only a few weeks later that you left to try for the Guard. There was another Smith, but she insisted on working with your father.
She had a crush on you back then, and she's trying like hell to deny she still does. Good thing you caught on. She was looking shifty as all get out.
She rolls her eyes. "Not, like, alone, but I can get the geezers moving. I've been helping in the labs since you've been gone..." She looks over her shoulder. "Don't you have your cloak yet? It's been, like, three winters."
Barton lead her back to the great hall, relieved that doom (for mousekind and Mitzy specifically) was averted.
Well, I’m sure we can figure something out. This is fixable. And...yeah, I’ve been a little slower than most in getting my cloak. Helping to save the northern barrier might cinch things.
He motioned for Seyth’s attention once Berach was contained.
Seyth, we have a big problem and a risky solution. Mitzy, tell him what you told me. All of it.
Scientists and Laborers scatter, and a crate of manacles, hobble bars, and chains is dragged out of storage.
A family of Harvesters gather around Bry, as the Laborer teams crowd the hall, with the old insectrist directing the team leaders. "We're down to our breeding stock. Eat any more and we cripple the colony. Then we'll be out meat, silk, and antivenom. Not to mention labor force. Most of ours was in beetles. Now we have this lot: stone haulers and lift pullers. Now, son... I don't know what'cha got in mind, but I'd think it's been thought of before. We're gnawin' roots."
"There's Gorgette" Mitzy butts in as she and Barton return. "Mr. Patrol Leader, you should know, we couldn't finish the scent barrel order. Berach's plan was a bluff, and a cover-up. Finishing the order is going to take a shipment of ammonium. Elmoss may know how to get some, but if we run off the whistlepig in her labyrinth, we could secure her hoard and be able to extract the ammonium we need from her bedding."
"More crazy-talk," the Insectrist asserts. "Gorgette is harmless compared to what might move in once she's gone. Arrest her and let's work on a more reasonable plan."
"I don't know what you thought we were doing just a moment ago, but I think we've established that we're out of reasonable plans."
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Barton pulled Seyth aside for a moment.
Sir, I’m working real, real hard on my impulse control. I understand that we have a responsibility to bring Berach to trial. I understand that we are woefully unqualified to combat a large foe in a tight burrow. It would be unforgivably reckless for us to do this alone.
He flashed his most pitiful, most wide-eyed, most hopeful look he could muster at the grumpy mouse. But I want to go and kill the whistlepig. I want to do it so bad I can taste it. We can take Mitzy with us, she has some sort of...exploding contraption that will scare it off if nothing else. We can save the territories today, right now. We can be heroes. Please?
Barton, ye've a kind heart, but the security fo the realm is a little more important that some whistlepig den, don'tcha think?
Oh damn it all, yer not gonna let it go, are ya?
I would let it go if you thought I was wrong...but I can tell...you want to kill the whistlepig too!
I ain't sure 'bout want, but I think we need what it's got, and drivin' it from its home is the way to get that. Seyth says, nodding to Barton. He seeks out Bry in the crowd
Boy, There seems ta' be need for somthin' what's guarded by a whistle-pig. Y, the other buy, an' I are gonna drve the thing from its den, and retreive it. Ya ever been in combat before?
Seyth, a Hunter of your caliber knows it would take a literal army to kill a whistlepig. It's the kind of thing they say Luigsech once did, but you were on the deck of one of Aturus' ships when she speared that beaver. It may have been the killing blow, but many mice lost their lives to open that dam. You'll be lucky to spook this gorger, or whatever, without getting hurt. You've also never seen a clarion fired before, so who knows.
Interesting, Bry will say, trying to think of a plan. I know we planted mushrooms a good walk from here, but they wouldn't be ready in time. Perhaps some of the edible molds could be grown quickly. They may not look good but they could be a good plan for short-term relief.
Interrupted by Seyth, Bry looks at the old mouse in horror. Combat?! he says. Why would I ever want to be in combat?!
Turning back to the people he promised to help, an idea struck. Roots you say. Brilliant. Most flower roots are edible and could provide good nutrition. Clovers especially. What grows around here that is wild? At the very least we can harvest the roots and feed people while planting for the future. Perhaps a good dandelion would be helpful since everything is edible. And since it is spring we could find some buds aswell.
"There is a field of clover half a day west with a cart in tow, but it's over a rabbit warren, and territory of Midnight, the owl. No tellin' what there is there to Harvest."
The matron of the family of five Harvesters pales. "That could be a walk in the park, or it could be a massacre. D'pends how hungry Midnight's been, which depends how big the coney pop's gotten, which depends on the clover growth... Beats three mice botherin' Gorgette, though." She shrugs. "[b]Two labor teams with carts, us six, and yer twitchy guard friends should be enough.
Rabbits? I haven't heard of any conflict between us and them before. The Owl might be trouble, Bry said frowning and thinking. It should be enough, yes, but then again it is risky. But it is better than waiting around. I wouldn't want any mice walking into a massacre. Perhaps if we had something like a shell to cover us.
Barton visited his parents, relieved to see they were ok. Once he made sure they were healthy (and quietly sharing some of his trail rations, he’d need to get more on his next town stop) he showed his map to his mother so that she could help him refine his line work and tighten the scale.
But unfortunately she wasn’t able to help much. It’s hard to revise a map that you didn’t draw or walk.
Because sometimes, we need ta fight. Ain't good ta relish it, but nor do ye profit by shyin' away from it. He says to the younger tenderpaw.
He leaves the tenderpaws to gather information. A little autonomy is good. they were almost adults... he repressed a shudder at that thought.
first things first, need to find a bit to eat, and rebalance himself. some tea for zen.
Daye beams with pride over your notes, unfortunately, she also can't make any improvements. Instead, noting your passage through the old den, and your plans with the whistlepig, she pulls out a few tunnel surveys and draws out a map of burrows around Sprucetuck and on the route back to Lockhaven.
Leaving, you see your mother has left you some of your rations, but you push them back her way. You can go Hungry for a day.
Seyth spends the evening centering himself.
The next morning, Barton hesitantly approached the guarded room where Mitzy was being held, pending trial (and hopefully pending a victorious trip to the whistle pig burrow).
I brought you the supplies you asked for. These explosives...they'll be more light and sound than force right? We wouldn't want a cave-in.
Mitzy is very helpful after you take her out of holding. At the alchemy workshop, she's measuring and grinding, testing charge strengths and flash durations. In time, you've made a twisted paper tube.
She leaves to find some cord. A few minutes pass, and Barton finds the cord under the workbench. A few more minutes pass, and Barton realizes his burrows maps are missing...
[ooc] gimme a bit [ooc]
Mitsy turns the corner just as Barton remembers he left his papers at Daye's study. All is well, and you now have a Flashbang. Mitsy asks one more time if you're sure you don't want to give it a little bite, and makes a few disparaging remarks under her breath about the Guard castrating their Patrolmice when you insist on keeping it relatively non-leathal.