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1995-10-27
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Path: usenet.ee.pdx.edu!news.netins.net!news.eng.convex.com!arco!news.utdallas.edu!news01.aud.alcatel.com!gatech!newsjunkie.ans.net!howland.reston.ans.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in2.uu.net!not-for-mail
From: alansz@mellers1.psych.berkeley.edu (Alan Schwartz)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives
Subject: STORY: Riverworld, Chapter 6: Mission Impossible
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: 25 Oct 1995 16:36:31 -0400
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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Riverworld Turn #6: Mission Impossible
Day 31
* * * *
Shaka finished the guard off and threw his body to the ground.
Grasping the guard's weapons, he made efforts to conceal the the
bodies, motioning for Charles to keep watch for more guards. Shaka
stripped the bodies of their towel-uniforms, put one on, and handed
the other to Charles, who followed.
Smiling despite himself, Charles hefted his newly won spear. He
looked over the sprawled corpses of the two guards as Shaka hid them,
checking to be sure they were not breathing. With the door to the hut
still closed, Charles brandished his spear, spoke the Bantu word,
"Freedom", and grinned at Shaka.
Charles peered out the door of the hut and looked around.
He saw few people walking in the twilight; likely, they were gathered
around the grailstone.
Shaka took his spear in his right hand and makes several thrusts with
it. He shook his head at its length and weight, but did not discard
it. He stood next to Charles at the door of the hut, and nodded at
the word "Freedom", but gestured toward the cages. He made motions of
fighting and opening doors, and his hand signals suggested that his
concern was the other men, not the women.
Listening closely, Charles took a moment and scratched a diagram
on the dirt floor. He indicated their current position, and the
position of their cages. Shaka nodded, and pointed at the cages.
Charles drew in three men around the cages, and pointed to one of
them, saying "fight". He then pointed to Shaka and back to the man's
position. He traced the path of the other men, and as they approach
the first man, he repeated "fight." Shaka nodded, and the two stepped
out of the latrine.
Walking as they had seen the guards do, they retraced their steps
toward their once-prison.
Temuchin's Compound, from Shaka and Charles' experience
---------------------------------------\
|^^^^| /\ /\ /\ /\ |############|
|^^^^| \/ \/ \/ \/ LL |############|
\----/ /\ /\ /\ .LL |############|
\/ \/ \/ . \------------|
.... |
G |
--------- /\ /\ |
G|CCCCCCC| \/ \/ |
--------- /\ #|
G # \/ {
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ #|
\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ |
Legend:
#### = Flat-roofed building
^^^^ = 2-story, arched roof building
/\ = A hut
\/
{ = A gate
LL = Latrine
CC = Cage
G = Guard
. = Shaka and Charles' path
* * * *
Josephine walked without noise, her movements fluid. As the team circled
the encampment she flashed reassuring, warm smiles at Jeanne and Florence,
confident in her stealth. When they were sheltered from view by the
tree, she held up her hand for the group to stop, and spoke softly:
Josephine: "Whatever we do, we must do it with our whole hearts. There
will be no turning back. We are all agreed upon this, no?"
The two other women nodded resolutely.
Josephine climbed the tree, her form hugging its trunk, her dark skin
against the bark nearly invisible in the shadows and the darkness.
Her eyes moved over the region as she climbed. Reaching the top, she
looked into the bamboo-walled town.
Temuchin's Compound
~~~~~
~~~~~----------------------------------------------\
~~~~~ /\ |^^^^| /\ /\ /\ /\ |############|
~~~~~ \/ |^^^^| \/ \/ \/ \/ ## |############|
~~~~~ \----/ /\ /\ /\ ## |############|
~~~~~ \/ \/ \/ \------------|
~~~~~----\ |
~~~~~####| # |
~~~~~####| --------- /\ /\ |
~~~~~####| |#######| \/ \/ |
~~~~~####| --------- /\ #|
~~~~~####| # \/ {
~~~~~####| /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ #|
~~~~~####| \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ | T
~~~~~####| /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ |
~~~~~----/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ |
~~~~~ |
~~~~~ ## /\ _________ ## |
~~~~~ ## \/ # |#######| ## |
~~~~~----------------------------------------------/
~~~~~
Legend:
~~~~ = River
#### = Flat-roofed building
^^^^ = 2-story, arched roof building
/\ = A hut
\/
{ = A gate
T = Josephine's tree
Josephine lowered herself silently from the tree, and began describing
the city. As she spoke, Jeanne sketched a map for the others with the
butt of her spear.
Josephine: "It can be assumed that the two story building is the home
of someone of a higher rank than the rest. I don't believe
that our fellow lazari would be kept in single huts, as it
would be too much work for what may just be grail slaves."
She paused and closed her eyes, remembering the layout as she might have a
stage setting.
Josephine: "I would suggest we attempt to enter the compound from the
northern corner. As we would want to get as close as we
can to the flat roofed buildings that may be where our
friends are being held. By entering on the northern side,
we're out of view of the gates on the east side."
She looked over at the others.
Jeanne: "We are drastically overmatched, if all these houses are
occupied. We must lessen the chances of our discovery by
anyone, lest they call in others."
Jeanne considered the map for a time.
Jeanne: "If we are correct in assuming our friends are being held
here..."
She indicated the flat-roofed building in the northeast corner.
Jeanne: "Then we must draw people to the opposite side of the
compound."
She pointed to the southwest corner, near the River's edge.
Jeanne: "I will start a fire here, perhaps I can even get a sizable
blaze going before it is detected. It will take them some
time and much manpower to put it out, and there will be fewer
people watching the walls where you enter. I will try to slip
by in the confusion and join you, but if this is not possible
my recourse will be the River. If I am lucky I will meet up
with you later, downRiver."
Florence: "I agree that it is most likely our friends are held in the
flat-roofed building in the north-east corner of the
compound. However, I worry that our plan to set fire to
the compound is a bit premature. I suggest we circle to
the north, and attempt to approach the wall first. Perhaps
we can hear something through the walls that would lead us
to our friends."
Jeanne nodded thoughtfully.
Florence: "I suspect that if we can part the ropes binding the bamboo
in the wall at the top, we may be able to force a gap in
the wall that a slender person can slip through. We can
use our fire sticks to attempt to burn the ropes that hold
the wall together.
Florence: "I think Jeanne's plan should only be enacted if we have
located our friends and are certain that we can free them.
Otherwise, such an irreversible action as a fire would be
too impetuous. If we cannot ascertain that our friends are
in the flat-roofed building as we suspect, I suggest that
one of us quietly slip into the city and attempt to find
them."
This time, it was Josephine that nodded.
Florence: "And if we do start need to start a diversionary fire, I
volunteer. Jeanne, your skill with the spear may possibly
be critical in freeing our comrades. I, on the other hand,
have neither the experience nor talent with combat, and
would best serve this adventure by providing the
distraction. I suggest that I light the fire on the south
wall, and then try to distract those who respond to the
fire, drawing them away from the compound to the east. I
will head slightly upRiver for a while, then attempt to
circle back south to meet you outside the glade where we
first appeared."
Jeanne smiled humorlessly.
Jeanne: "I also likely have more experience with the Element than
you. But I take your point."
Josephine again led them through the hilly brush in a wide circle
until they approached the compound from the north. Florence examined
the sharpened bamboo shoots which made up the fortress walls, thick
shafts of bamboo set into the ground and tied together with fibers,
each to its neighbors, about a foot from the tops and bottoms of the
poles.
The others placed their ears against the bamboo and strained to hear
sounds from within the town. They heard faint snoring noises.
Florence whispered to the others.
Florence: "The walls look sturdy, but perhaps they can be breached
yet. We must gather more information. I suggest we
quietly move west along this north wall and see just how
the city 'meets' the River. It may be that a quiet means
of entrance may be found yet."
They slipped westwards, keeping close to wall in order to take
advantage of the shadow it afforded. The wall continued west to the
bank of the River, and the water lapped against its final bamboo
shoot.
Florence made a motion to enter the water, but Josephine put her hand
on the woman's shoulder, and waded in ahead of her, her head barely
above the surface of the water. Florence followed cautiously and
slowly, while Jeanne turned her back to the water to watch the
northern Riverbank.
The swimmers peered around the city's walls, and quickly returned.
Speaking in whispers to Jeanne, they described considerable activity
around a grailstone and a wooden structure which appeared to be a boat
landing. Many men, at least 30, and some women were eating their
evening meals. The men's features were difficult to discern, but many
were armed with spears and daggers, and wore a towel across their
chest and another around their legs.
* * * *
Glenn had spent the afternoon coaching Tjar and Friend at singing with
almost single-minded intensity. When the eventually tired of his
tyrannical conducting, he sat by himself, deep in thought.
Tjar paced around his cell, furiously working at the bamboo bars but
finding them without weakness. He looked about for loose shards, but
found little that was of use. Friend watched with some interest.
Tjar: "I don't know what measure of man you are, but if I break out of
here, are you with me? If so, then search by your cell to see
if I can let you out when I get free myself."
Glenn shrugged.
Glenn: "I'm not averse to escape, but I'm busy right now."
Tjar: "By god, man, busy?! What could be more important than
freedom. It's better to die on your feet than live on your
knees!"
He spoke louder, addressing the other prisoners.
Tjar: "Do any of you speak English?"
Friend shook his head.
Friend: "Only I. These other poor wretches do not share our tongue,
though they seem to understand our captors. I will go with
you when you leave."
Tjar: "Bully! Then make yourself a weapon! We shall be free men again
soon, I can smell it in the air!"
But Friend was watching two guards approach their cells from the
north. When Tjar, slightly frustrated, turned to see what had
distracted his audience of one, his eyes widened.
Charles and Shaka boldly approached the stationary guard on the north
side of the cages. Dressed as guards themselves, they were not
questioned until the reached the north guard, who looked at them
suspiciously for a moment before Shaka's spear pierced his chest and
he fell to the ground.
Tjar, watching, stifled a cheer as the two men slid the guard's body
closer to the cages where it would be less likely to be observed.
Shaka took the guard's place, while Charles searched the man for the
key to the bamboo cages.
The second guard made his way around to the north just as Charles
found the keys, and was as quickly dispatched by Shaka, who slipped
around the other side of the cage to tackle the final guard. Charles
opened the doors to Tjar and Glenn's cage, and, at a motion from Tjar,
sprung the other prisoners free as well. Friend joined the group.
The former prisoners armed themselves from the guards' bodies.
* * * *
The two imprisoned women spent their evening quietly. Hypatia remained
in her deep trance, and Cleopatra spent her time watching the guards.
Suddenly, a woman's impassioned wail broke the night's silence. All the
lazari who heard it recognized it instantly. It was Maria.