On the Outside

[Bjorn]

Bjorn puts down the hardtack, carefully, and then reaches out, seizes Paul's collar, and hauls him forward, with just enough pressure to make him uncomfortable without actually choking him.

"I'm resorting to violence," Bjorn says, gently, "because I am really, really upset, and apparently, the threat of having your fucking teeth caved in is the only thing that will get you of your 'it's not my fault' rut.

"Using the word 'airplane' is just as bad as using the word 'fimbobbledoodad.'  Yes, the lady and and the elf don't know what an airplane is, but they still have to goddamn wonder when you, a bard, start using goddamn nonsense words.  Don't give me that 'fable' crap, they've probably heard every story you should be able to tell.  And they did hear you.  Remember the elf bitching you out for whining?

"And you know what?"  He shakes Paul, once.  "I know I'm doing a good job, and you aren't.  You know how I know that?  Because the Lady and the elf asked me why I thought all the four of you had gone apeshit.  I don't have any fucking prior body-transference experience, so unless you're a moron, you can do as well as me."

He releases Paul, a look of disgust on his face.  "I think I managed to cover your ass -- all of your asses.  Now I'm asking you guys to try to fit in.  Think about the shit you say before you say it.  You're all pretty bright, it shouldn't be that goddamned hard."

[Dracos]

"I'm fine with that.  But guys, chill.  Won't help if we're loud enough that they hear us.  Bjorn, I think you're being a touch unfair on expecting us to guess that.  Did you, prior to being told, know what a torc was?  It could've been a family symbol just to that.  Either way, it doesn't matter.  We have to keep them somewhat convinced.  Anything else that they noticed as off, Bjorn?"

Dracos

[Bjorn]

"I wouldn't have known that a torc was supposed to represent, no," Bjorn says, patiently.  "But that's not my point.  I'm guessing neither of you brought up the subject in the first place, and if Liandral brought it up, then it was probably pretty bloody obvious he expected you to know what he was talking about.  I didn't expect you to 'guess' what it was supposed to mean.  I expected you to pretend you did."

He sighs, and a frustrated expression flits across his face.  "Of course you're ignorant and confused.  Fuck knows I am.  But we need to act like we aren't.  And that means not asking questions, and doing what people expect, until we get a chance to get answers without raising suspicions."

"As for what else you've done wrong..."  He shrugs.  "You're supposed to be an alcoholic, apparently, so Liandral was pretty freaked by the fact that you haven't been drinking your wine.  Can't blame you for skipping that.  And what did you tell him about whateverthehell it was you fought?  He said that you'd claimed to have experience with things like that -- and, since I guess there aren't any stories floating around about that, he was pretty damn worried."

[Dracos]

"That was... something highly unexpected.  You know the great evil they were talking about?  It was a computer controlled military machine.  Complete with American taggings on it.  I tried to explain without referencing any knowledge and just guesswork, but Rez decided on a more...forthright explanation of what we were facing in terms of 'stories'.  Anyhow...eeeh, I'm not going to be able to pull off playing an alcoholic.  Too risky in the extreme."

Dracos

[Bjorn]

"Well, you can't have been a complete lush," Bjorn says thoughtfully, "or they wouldn't have trusted you as much as they apparently do -- or did, anyways."  He shrugs.  "Dump your wine as soon as possible, fill the skin with water, and then drink from it a lot.  If someone offers you alcohol, take it and nurse it."

[Ginrai]

"Was anything in particular mentioned about me or just that I've been acting unlike myself?"

[Dracos]

Dracos ponders a second and nods.

Dracos

[Bjorn]

"Nothing in particular," Bjorn says to Parthipan, drily, "but someone having to tell you your soul is in your staff is a bit of an obvious one, doncha think?"

[Ginrai]

"Though that was something that I couldn't really know and it's probably better for me to have found out instead of trying to act like I knew what the lady was doing and not know."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn sighs.  "Look.  I got the distinct impression that if we fuck up this part of the Contest, that's it -- we're dead.  So no, in fact, asking and finding out is not better, not if it it leads to you being imprisoned, or left behind, or killed as a madman, or anything that leads to you not making the dream-self part of yourself -- which is really fucking vague, and the only rule we know of."

He eyes Parthipan.  "And I was there.  You definitely didn't have to ask, and you definitely shouldn't have acted surprised."

[Rezantis]

Rez maintains a fairly blank expression on his face.

"And me?"

[Bjorn]

"The torc, again," Bjorn says, shrugging.  "Liandral expected you to be pretty upset about the torc missing, and he said you pretty much just shrugged it off.  That and the warmachine thing."

Bjorn looks around at the faces of the others, and then slumps, rubbing his face tiredly.  "Look, I'm sorry for bitching you guys out.  This whole mess has got me on edge, too, especially since it's probably dirty-ass luck that I haven't made the natives suspicious either.  I'm just trying to warn you that you guys are making mistakes, and it's getting noticed.  Making references to stuff back home isn't funny, it's dangerous."

[Dracos]

"Either way...there's something else we have to do.  Rez, you have to practice with that sword.  If the first fight we get into you have no clue how to use it, it will be bad for all of us and almost certainly a big fuckup sign.  Bjorn, you are almost certainly more qualified to teach him then I.  Think you can cloak it in some warm up manuvers?"

Dracos

[Rezantis]

"I'm not surprised about the torc thing.  I think some retainers may have gotten through . . . and as to the warmachine, little I could really do. I mean, I poured a bucket of water on it to kill it. 'Seemed like a good idea?'"

Rez turns to Drac.

"And that . . . is a damn good point."

[Bjorn]

"I said he thought you should be upset, not surprised," Bjorn points out, mildly.  "Whether it just got lost or someone stole it, it was basically Hadrick's crown.  From the way he acted, it should have been the first thing on your mind when you saw Hadrick's body."

"As for the sword...." Bjorn shakes his head.  "That could be just as much a fuck-up.  For starters, I can't teach Nathan from scratch just by 'warming up' with him -- especially not with live swords."

He scratches his head.  "More importantly, I'm pretty good with a sword, but in all the wrong ways.  It's a pretty fair guess that whatever style I'm supposed to be using looks completely different that the style I actually do use."  He shrugs.  "Only had to use it for fighting once, so far, and it's a lot harder to notice stuff like that in the middle of a fight.  But the lady, at least, has probably seen guys like me -- or like I'm supposed to be -- training before, and she strikes me as being fairly goddamn observant."

"On the other hand," he grins, "we still got the better part of an hour before the elf gets back.  I can at least show you how to hold the damn thing, I guess."