trial #2

[judgejudy]

DAY 4 (afternoon) Complex Population: 32 At noon, the same tone from the morning rings out, and Judy's voice filters out over the intercom. "Good afternoon, residents. As per Safety Protocol 6227-A, it is time to conduct a trial to bring justice for the victim. Please proceed to the courtroom on the first level." Just as at night, if you don't go to the courtroom, you'll be treated to an electric shock of increasing strength until you go to the courtroom or are unconscious. Though considering the ominous penalty for not participating in a trial, you should likely just go rather than risk not voting because you've been knocked out by your own stubbornness... Once you're in the courtroom, you'll find that bottled water and light snacks are provided, but otherwise you'll have to bring anything else you may need. As you come to your conclusions about who to vote for, you can step into the judgement theater to cast your vote at the terminal. You may change your vote as many times as you'd like, but at 7PM, your vote (or lack thereof) is locked in. You have until 7PM to discuss and vote for who you think the murderer is. — ic rulebook character statuses character profiles Voting will close at 9PM EST on 10/15. voting

Comments

[chiseler]

[He's lifting his head from where it's been burrowed into Adam's shoulder most of the trial while napping, sniffling slightly and coughing to clear his throat. Sorry Adam.]

You can also count me out because I'm a lot more invested in keeping kids alive than killing them. I'm a camp counselor. [A pause.] Also Shijima's right, some of us are usually paranoid anyway but you'd be paranoid too if you were chased by monsters for fourteen years.

[Another pause...and a sneeze. Hopefully this will be over soon, gods.] Also Adam convinced me to abstain and I agreed with his reasoning.

[karmas]

I will not count you out. I don't know you, so I cannot take your motivations at face value.

I won't repeat it again - I do not contest you had rational reasons to interrogate Diva. But I stand by what I said. One of those involved in considering Diva before we changed to abstention was likely staff.

[chiseler]

[Just. Deadeyes.]

And I stand by what I said, but apparently that's not good enough for you? Can I ask why what you're saying is more important and holds more weight than what I have to say? [Welcome to an entitled 19 year old Franziska have fun with that.]

[karmas]

Well, for one thing, the intelligence and ability of the person saying it. [Wagging her finger at him.] But for another, no one can confirm what you say is true. Your character testimony is not credible, and irrelevant. But what I say, that you were one of the ones interrogating Diva, is a fact that can be corroborated.

[chiseler]

So because you're some kind of prosecutor in your world, supposedly, that makes it better? I don't buy it but okay. If my character isn't credible neither is yours, quit changing the subject to make it out that you're any better than I am.

Wouldn't it be just like a staff member to try and lead people into speculating who the most suspicious people are? It'd almost be a very clever way to throw the rest of us off of their trail because surely they must know what they're talking about. The fact that you're interrogating us can also corroborate to save your own ass. So. Come up with something better, then we'll talk.

[karmas]

[Laughing slightly]

Oh, Luke Castellan! If I wanted to protect myself, I would lie low and make no bold accusations whatsoever. But, of course. Isn't it natural when cornered to revert to 'maybe you're the suspicious one'? As I defense, I admit I find it lacking. Then again, you're a hot-head, so perhaps I shouldn't hold it against you.

[chiseler]

[Part of him wants to ask if she has some opposition to just calling him Luke, but maybe that's not the point. Instead, there's a little grin.]

Are you trying to scare me, or are you trying to call me stupid? Only one of those is gonna work. [That being said, he's rubbing at his eyes for a moment.] Look. If I was really interested in killing people around here I'd be doing a lot more to throw people off my track. As it stands, I'm getting real tired of watching kids get picked off. Interrogate somebody else who might be able to get you answers to help all of us, okay?

[karmas]

I'm capable of interrogating more than one person at the same time. It's one of my skills.

[But it seems he's finally given an answer she's willing to listen to.]

And what work would you do to 'throw me off your track'?

[chiseler]

Yeah? Doesn't say so on your profile so I never would've guessed. [Is he serious? We just don't know. But he's cooperating and that's the important part.]

First of all, if I wanted to throw you off of my track I would actually answer the question. But I can tell you that I'd be throwing out my own names for suspicion, maybe dropping hints or something? It would require me being more aware of what everyone in the complex is doing.

I also wouldn't submit myself to questioning in the first place. I'm not exactly a great liar.

[selfsufficiency]

[...squints. He sure does have the same symptoms she does.]

How long have you been sick?

[She asks, sniffling.]

[chiseler]

[Hi Alice. He at least looks like he's on the tail end of it but that's troublesome.]

...probably the end of the last trial. I don't think I noticed because Diva broke my nose, but after Adam set it everything made more sense.

[selfsufficiency]

...so I caught this cold from you?!

[Either that or from the fountain. She does remember seeing him in the fountain...]

[chiseler]

No! I mean I don't think so. [He scratches the back of his head.] If it was contagious other people should be sick too...unless you avoided everyone else but that doesn't seem like you. So...I don't really know.

[selfsufficiency]

I talked to lots of people in between when we talked and now. [So, yeah, that is weird...] I guess, if we want to see if it's contagious... we can just see if Rhys starts getting the same symptoms. I sneezed on him earlier.

[And if he avoids the water and gets sick, they know it's contagious! So... keep Rhys out of the fountain?]

[chiseler]

...why did you sneeze on Rhys? [Sorry, he's laughing a little because it's still funny. But anyway.] I think that's a good idea though. I still don't understand how we could have contracted anything unless someone was sick before we all woke up here and that's how I caught it.

[selfsufficiency]

He was standing nearby and I needed to sneeze... and also, he was being a jerk.

[Well then.]

The place is so enclosed, I sort of thought that if we were all healthy when we came in, we'd stay healthy. [She frowns a little.] But I do wonder why there's only two of us sick right now, if there is something contagious going around...

[chiseler]

...that's fair enough. [Sorry Rhys. He seems to be thinking on it because she raises a good point.] I don't want to say there's something similar about you and me because I can't really think of what it is. We're two different people. But I thought the same thing. This place doesn't really allow for outside germs so what caused it?

Let me know if Rhys's condition changes.

[selfdenying]

Wait a second...Luke, you were in the fountain, weren't you? On the first day. I found you there.

Is it possible the sickness is coming from the fountain water instead of the foot? Alice, did Shijima touch the water?

[liven]

Of course I didn't. I hang out there at the fountain all the time, but it's not like I'd want to get wet.

[selfdenying]

Interesting.

When this trial ends, somebody needs to be the guinea pig and see if the water is the source of the illness or not.

[liven]

I'll do that if you vote yes to Jefferey's name change.

[ sHIJIMA ]

[antietam]

[ Adam doesn't look too disgusted at least. He's had to deal with this for at least a day so he's used to it now. He'll just pet through Luke's hair. ]

See, it's a lot easier to just listen to me. And you're talking too much. You need to rest.

[chiseler]

[Thank you Adam you're a great pillow tbh]

Man, shut up. [But he's still grinning just a little bit.] I'm resting, but I can still defend myself can't I?

[antietam]

You're going to do a bad job of it at this rate. I can handle it.

[chiseler]

Think you can do much better? [He raises an eyebrow, but he's curious what Adam can do.] You can't always fight my battles for me, Parrish. [...but he's dropping his head into his shoulder again anyway. Apparently fighting his battles today is acceptable.]