trial #2 - execution

[judgejudy]

DAY 4 (evening) Complex Population: 32 At 7PM, a tone rings out, but it's not Judy's voice that filters out over the intercom. "TALLYING VOTES. . ." The voice is mechanical and robotic, and a pause lingers in the air. It seems that the voting system is run by some kind of AI. "CONSENSUS REACHED. MAJORITY VOTE. TIE. RESULT 1. LARA CROFT. STATUS: INNOCENT. LARA, PROCEED TO THE JUDGEMENT THEATER. CHARGING..." There's the sound of clicking, and Lara will receive a very sharp shock to their ankle monitor. If they don't step into the judgement room, the shock will increase in strength every ten seconds until they're unconscious. Regardless, the voice continues to drone on. "RESULT 2. LUKE CASTELLAN, EMPLOYEE ID VTSCI62271053. STATUS: INNOCENT. LUKE, PROCEED TO THE JUDGEMENT THEATER. CHARGING..." Luke receives the same treatment, and finally, the last player is decided in the same way: "DESIGNATING EXECUTIONER. . . ELIZABETH. ELIZABETH, PROCEED TO THE JUDGEMENT THEATER. CHARGING..." — ic rulebook character statuses character profiles votes

Comments

execution

[judgejudy]

[ Rather than the executioner program, it's Judy's distorted voice that speaks up. ]

Ve-- Very ggggoood, residents. Y- You have found a mem- memberrr of the staff. Th- Thouuugh it is is a shame that it is nn- not one who has ki -illed. I hhhope you have as much lu- luck with finding the other fou- four.

[ As promised, she gives a number, though she adds: ]

Th- Though for staf- Staff, I am jus- just as obliged to tell you of the other six people working agains- t you.

[ Finally, the execution program takes over once more: ]

TERMS: EXECUTIONER, PLEASE SELECT TOOL FROM TERMINAL. GUILTY PARTIES, PLEASE AWAIT EXECUTION. IN CASE OF NON-COMPLIANCE OF EXECUTIONER, GUILTY PARTY MAY SELECT TOOL. THIS ROOM WILL OPEN WHEN AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE HAVE PERISHED. BIO-SENSORS PRIMED.

[ Luckily for the executioner, the guilty parties here will be treated to those same nasty shocks if they try and attack their executioner or fight back. Of course, if the executioner checks out the terminal, it might not be what they expect. When they boot it up, it's no longer a list of names, but a list of something.

> VIDALIA
> GOOD INTENTIONS
> DO-GOODER

Choose your weapon, executioner. ]

[tearable]

[ Uh, because holy shit this sure is a fucking thing? Elizabeth is urged onward with a horrified look on her face. She can't, she has to hold back tears, but she can't look at Lara during all of this. However, what she does look at ...is Luke. Lara is not her concern right now, she deserves that much.

Elizabeth goes to the terminal and requests....

GOOD INTENTIONS. ]

[judgejudy]

[ Just as the other day, a panel pops out of the wall.

Inside is a wooden baseball bat. ]

[tearable]

[ On wobbly knees, Elizabeth is pretty much covered in Luke's blood. She checked on Lara for a few minutes, trying to pick up a pulse but when the doors unlock - she knows that's not the case. Regretfully. Elizabeth leads herself out, her lips trembling and her eyes visibly distraught. She's able to stand straight, but not as confident as she wanted to. This wasn't like Rapture. This wasn't like Columbia.

Once upon a time she thought by killing those trying to kill or capture her would lead her to freedom but this? She's back to a cage and that fucks her up. The scalpel is left behind with the weapons and Elizabeth is looking towards the crowd of people not knowing what to expect. ]

[liven]

[ well, shijima for her part will detour into the room to grab the scalpel, wiping it on her skirt as she heads over to elizabeth. she offers the cleaned scalpel out handle first. ]

You really ought to keep this. Though if you won't, I'll hold onto it until you change your mind.

[tearable]

[ She hadn't stopped to get it, to really do anything but try to get out of there. She looks to Shijima with a shocked expression, slowly lifting her good hand to take it tightly. ]

...Thank you. [ She doesn't want anyone else to have to hold onto this, especially after what it caused. ] I .. I appreciate it.

[modissty]

[There's a look of sympathy from Sakyou, though his expression is a little steely at the same time. It's not directed at her, though, so much as at the situation in general. He'd never spoken to Luke, but the rest of that had been-- well. It just highlighted how unfair this place was.

He'll quietly approach, holding out his new jacket. He's going through these like water, good lord.]

If you'd like to wipe yourself off, you can use this for now.

[tearable]

No, it's fine - it's...

[ She appreciates the gesture, but there's no way she could accept it. Could she? She looks at him with her eyes big, different than the narrowed gaze she first arrived with. She looks vulnerable. ]

I couldn't... I can just go to the shower and wash off. Don't waste it on me.

[mansplains]

[Guy hovers as close as he can without being at risk of cooties, but he looks concerned, more than anything.]

I've got a first aid kit. You should try to take it easy.... I'll do what I can.

[which isn't much because he's a pussy, to be honest]

[tearable]

[ Figures. Liz got one and sewing kits, so other people probably got the same idea. As Guy hovers close, she looks to him with bloodshot eyes and tears, nodding. ]

Don't - [ She has no clue he's a pussy, but she's pretty much covered in blood at this point. ] Don't get too close.

[ She offers a hand out for the first aid kit, mainly looking to see if there's any pain relievers first since her wrist is killing her. ]

[toyotamane]

This'll be the last time, yeah?

[No first aid here, not when other people are already rushing up to help.

Dickson takes a drag of his cigar then, not looking at Elizabeth as he speaks. He thinks it's clear what he means, assuming Elizabeth is a bleeding heart like Lara. Someone who wouldn't want to kill again.]

[tearable]

[ Note to self: maybe cigars are better. Elizabeth flicks her gaze up to the smoking man, trying not to show her own weakness and sadness over the event. ]

... Hope so. Nothing's promised, though.

[ Elizabeth seems less prim and proper, more feral in this light. ]

There's - ... there's too many variables to consider. [ She sounds vague on that. ] Too many things that can happen.

[ Like Lara dying. ]

[karmas]

[Franziska watches the execution from a distance, arms crossed over her chest, eyes narrowed. She would seem cold, but she's never been all that good at hiding her emotions, and it's too obvious by the way she grips her own arms tightly, jaw set hard, that this is difficult to watch. She's entertaining some doubts, obviously, thinking through, trying to decide where she went wrong and whether she was at fault.

But than Lara yells at her, and her expression goes hard. She doesn't feel, perhaps, that this, that capturing Luke Castellan, was a victory exactly. It rings more hollow than she would expect a victory to ring. But she cannot be accused of not upholding the honor of her name. If this wasn't the sort of perfect result she might want for herself, it was acceptable. Luke Castellan was staff, she identified either he or Lara Croft as staff, and did her best to guide the trial to this conclusion. An additional unnecessary death is not ideal, but irrelevant. Luke's words, though, anger her. He manages to hit on that nagging doubt about her victory here, that she hadn't even voted correctly, that she didn't have the courage of her convictions, but she won't hear it. Not from scum like him. She responds to both of them by turning up her chin in a haughty glare, literally looking down at them. But her gloved hands dig tightly into her arms while she watches them die.]

Next time, keeping votes secret to avoid being yelled at will not be tolerated. And to the remaining staff, I hope I've made my intentions clear.

[tearable]

[ Oh. Oh no. Oh no, no. Elizabeth barely hears Franziska's words over the pounding of her head - it hurt and she feels wobbly on both physical exertion and mental. She shakes it off. Elizabeth would be much more calm about this if there wasn't some snarky tone coming about. There's a passive-aggressive tone- one that rings out that we should follow this woman or this will happen again. ]

Excuse me?

[ Sure, a staff member is dead, but an innocent is as well. Piquing the critique, as is this woman was authoritative... if she wasn't as emotional as she was now, maybe she would see sense in the woman. Elizabeth stumbles from whoever was trying to assist her and without warning - if the hit would connect, Elizabeth would attempt to punch Franziska right into the jaw. Of course, with her good hand. Elizabeth may easily miss though with being off balance from the previous fight.

Either way, she'll yell: ]

You think people can't lie?! People can't say they're voting for someone but go around and vote for another? Our votes don't matter and people are scared - scared of becoming that! [ She points towards the two dead bodies in the room. ] If you intend to get people to listen to you, you should try giving a damn about the people other than boosting your own ego!

[karmas]

[Franziska is pretty quick on her feet, and doesn't typically let people near her - as soon as Elizabeth starts stumbling towards her, she's stepping away. She isn't going to hit Elizabeth with her whip, not when she just got done from a fight, but she cracks it in front of her in warning.

Honestly, that comment hurts more than what Luke or Lara said - she doesn't understand. She caught one of the staff. Why does it matter what she says, when none of that would have any impact on what she does?]

If you think I'm your enemy, you're much mistaken, Elizabeth. What precisely is your grievance? That I didn't allow us to flounder and choose someone at random, or simply that I wasn't kind-hearted in my delivery?

[liven]

Well, I figured it wasn't Lara, and I thought Luke was suspicious and kept talking about that because of it. What more was I to do...? I do think this makes that other guy twice as suspicious.

[ whatever. she may have wasted some of her time with the jeff thing but she did keep gesturing at luke whenever she was discussing the case. shijima just straight up did not have an interest in forcing anyone to come around to whatever point of view she had. although she presumes her conversation with alfendi and luke swayed alfendi to that vote. ]

It's not like I care about telling anyone my thoughts, but I really don't think a lot of people will be honest about that sort of thing. There's too much distrust.

[karmas]

You did well enough. [She really wasn't including Shijima in her criticism; she was helpful.] It is only that. We split the vote, when it should have been only one person to suffer the consequences.

It's obvious some will be dishonest, but even so. Those of us trying to choose someone need to agree on a single target. Had I only known others were willing to consider Luke Castellan...

[That's the problem. She was wrong that Lara Croft was equally suspicious to Luke Castellan, but the fact is, she was willing to choose either one of them depending on what others were doing, and she'd said so. If others had spoken up that they intended to vote for Luke sooner, she would have changed her vote, and Lara...]

[injectors]

post-execution:

[Well. This has been sufficiently horrifying. Lara had been nice to her, however brief their interactions had been, and Luke... She had called him her friend. He had gone along with her suggestions, speaking to her like she was a person and not just a little girl — and now they all know he was a member of the staff. Was anything he said to her genuine, or was it part of a well crafted act? She would rather not think too much about it.

So she doesn't.

Once the execution is over and Elizabeth has been tended to, she turns to the Judgement Theater, more or less hugging herself as she examines the scene. The corpses are still there, of course. They surely aren't going to dispose of themselves, as much as she wishes they would. It's still jarring to see death happen right in front of her as opposed as watching it happen through a machine, but. She must work with this, just as she promised during the trial. Squaring her shoulders and dropping her arms to her side, she turns to the person closest to her, demanding more authority than a 5'5" tall girl should have.]

You— I need your help moving the bodies to the technological lab. [And though she sounds slightly distressed by all of this, she presses on.] We must retrieve their ankle monitors before their bodies are disposed of.

[adlucem]

Can't we just take Luke's? His came off.

[It seems easier... and more respectful. Leo may not have spoken to Lara, but that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve some peace.]

[injectors]

We could. But if there is even the slightest chance of discovering a discrepancy between Luke and Lara's monitors...

[She trails off with a sigh, digging her nails into the palms of her hands in an attempt to steady herself. She doesn't want to do this, not really, but she also won't forgive herself for skimming over details. All she can really offer Leo is sad, pained smile.]

Please, forgive me. I understand this is far from ideal.

[mansplains]

["Near" is kind of an overstatement, considering Guy and the ladies, but he doesn't look any happier to be here, frowning at the bodies. When Angel addresses him, he straightens up a little about of instinct.]

I can grab Luke's body, but I can't get near Lara.

[he's allergic to vaginas, okay]

[selfdenying]

post-execution

[Alfendi Layton stands and watches the whole thing out with barely a twitch of his expression.]

[He looks a bit pale, but this time, he seems more restrained, more stalwart, not even turning his eyes away from the terrible scene. When the fight reaches its end, he turns to the person next to him, his voice low.]

I voted for Luke, you know. [He says, after Luke's body slumps to the side - he lets out a breath that borders on being a relieved sigh. Honestly, he's glad Elizabeth made it through. If Luke had succeeded...he doesn't want to think about that.]

So, really, I'm quite glad we finally found a staff member.

[A pause. There's a smile on his face that doesn't quite reach his eyes.]

Maybe it'll finally make them realize what they're up against.

20 minutes post execution

[Alfendi can be found in a place he honestly doesn't go to that often - the bar. His lanky figure leans over the countertop, his bony hands cupped around a glass of what looks like whiskey. He looks deep in thought, his eyes narrowed as he glances over at whoever is joining him.]

[It takes a moment, but after a sip of his drink, he finally speaks up, his tone oddly light for what is a rather dark question:]

What would you do, if you found out you were completely out of your mind?

20 minutes after

[liven]

Keep going on as I had been. Sanity is an overrated thing, and a human concept besides.

[ #the best advice. ]

20 mins after

[toyotamane]

I thought you already decided you weren't crazy.

[Here he is, this guy who seems to dislike you and yet keeps talking to you, Alfendi.

Eh, it's nice to interact with people who have some bite. Keeps things interesting. Dickson'll just settle a chair away, puffing at his cigar thoughtfully.]

Why the change of heart?

20 mins after

[grimdeity]

Look into psychiatric care or a therapist.

[ she says it like that, but what she really means is she would probably try to treat herself as her own patient.

a head tilt. ] Why, are you concerned you may be out of your mind?