Riposte.

Riposte.

Postby Guillaume » Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:07 am

[INDENT]I, Giscard Guillaume, Lord of Lothbury Estate, Councilor of the Myrken Wood Judiciary In Regards To Defence and Civil Security, Interim Governor Etc., to the Master of the Barracks: Greetings.

As regards the list of pardons and repatriations bestowed graciously upon us by his Royal Majesty King Chedwry II at the hand of Graf Josef Reinstadler: find enclosed those documents governing the release and return of incarcerated citizens, outlanders and sundry. Copies are to be made at need for each person named in those missives delivered to your office by the Lord Reinstadler; upon their completion by your hand and their receipt by my office, the process of release may commence.

Despite Aeryn Karolinger's premature release, I trust that little room now remains for confusion; we do well not to indulge in thoughtless haste a second time.


Done by my hand at 15 Station Row, this 7th day of April.
Giscard Guillaume.[/INDENT]
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Postby Lent » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:43 am

Fort Sumpter

There are difficult facts that people do not always think about, things that slip through the cracks, that are forgotten in the light of more pressing dangers. Jérôme Artois, acting vice-commander of Fort Sumpter, thought about these things fairly often. In fact, he dwelled upon them. He was the spiritual successor of a long line of effective Myrken officials, military or otherwise, who had a particuarly paranoid streak, especially when it came to certain provincial neighbors.

There was the fact that at the time of its disbanding, slightly over a quarter of the Brotherhood of Janeiro had been native Myrkenites. There was the fact that so many of them had joined the New Myrken Army, had been the most qualified and experienced soldiers, had risen quickly. There was the fact that it was in EVERYONE'S interest to release Karolinger quickly, once an order came down, any order, especially with the Governor away. The genie was out of the bottle. Trying to stuff it back in would only cause trouble, so much trouble.

And then those damn Constables had to come and tell him how to run his own fort. Well, yes, it wasn't technically his fort, but as the commander was away on a personal matter and ... regardless, it had been his decision! They had no right to stick themselves physically in the midst of it and delay things! Oh, he COULD have them removed, but that would have had a personal cost. It was no secret how Calomel felt about Karolinger, how personally he took slights against the Constabulary. It was at this very fort that two of them had defaced an official document. Were they punished? Hardly. It was just taken as an excuse to invalidate the contract. So Artois had agreed to wait for orders.

And orders had come. Now there would be more waiting, but far less whispers and suspicion. Things had a clearer path now. The paperwork would eventually arrive and Karolinger would be freed, no matter what the Constables might desire. Now if he could just pry them away from that door...
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Postby Lent » Fri Apr 11, 2008 1:11 am

Fort Sumpter

"Not a peep out of him." Jamie was pacing once again, back and forth in front of that door. The pompous bastard wasn't going to just stay quiet for so long. He wasn't, not when he could all but taste freedom! "And that stooge in charge of..."

"Stow it." Pat sighed to his younger cousin. All they could do now is wait. That was the truth of it. "Guillaume's a right clever bugger. He'll do right by this, or at least let things draw out until the High Constable gets back."

There wasn't a lot of faith in the younger Constable's glance. "And when did you start brushing shoulders with the high muckety-mucks? How would you even know that?"

A scoff from the larger man. "Gut feeling." And he patted his belly ever so slightly.

"Ah, those I ought to believe, cuz. Your gut IS big enough," but despite those words Jamie WAS walking towards the door. "I'm going to have few words with the Thesshole. Hopefully, he doesn't like them much."

"It's all musc...Hey! Come on!" Pat went to stop him but by then it was too late. Jamie had pushed the door wide open.
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Postby Vanidor » Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:52 am

When the door swung open, the two constables would be greeted by a room that held the smell of emptiness. It wasn't a smell that had lingered long, truth to tell, but it was certainly vacated. The small bed in the corner was folded and done up nice and proper. The lantern that had provided illumination was hanging from the hook that had been provided for it, not sitting upon the single table as was the norm. The cabinet that had held the meager belongings of the prisoner looked like it had been cleaned to a small degree and left open for the constables to inspect. There was nothing here. Nor upon the bed. Nor upon...

No, wait. There was something there. A folded letter that rested upon the table, and the inkwell (Had it not dried up last month? Where the hell did he get another!?) and quill Aeryn had used was holding the thing closed. They were, of course, free to read the thing. Indeed, if one of the pair stepped close enough to the parchment, they would see that it was addressed to 'The Constables Outside'.

It was the only thing within the room, other than his old clothes, folded and bundled sitting upon the seat of the single chair that rested within.

One should always be drunk. That's all that matters... But with what? With wine, with poetry, or with virtue, as you chose. But get drunk. - Charles Baudelaire


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The Letter.

Postby Vanidor » Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:40 pm

As for the piece of paper left behind by the former Marshal, the words writ within follow:


[size=0]Dear Constables,

Sorry to have left in such a hurry, but word of my release did reach me and I decided to take full advantage of such news. You are no to blame for anything, no matter what any of your supervisors may say about this matter. Indeed, I do no plan on going far in any case. I shall go for a jack of ale (perhaps nine), and a cup of whiskey (or a bottle). Then I shall retire myself to a reputable inn within the town to spend a night in a bed that was no designed by a military man. A pallet on the floor may have been better.

Still. I wish to thank you for the diligence in keeping me fed and with decent clothing. And the odd tid-bit of news on occasion. And the blankets. The draft through the windows did be murder now and again, yes?

In any case. Please deliver my thanks to Jérôme Artois, for his diligence. Also to Councilor Guillaume. Fine man, that, a through and through Myrkenite. A good day, Constables. Despite your fine manners, et all, I have no desire to see any of you again before a week has passed. Enjoy your dinners.


Aeryn Karolinger
[/size]

One should always be drunk. That's all that matters... But with what? With wine, with poetry, or with virtue, as you chose. But get drunk. - Charles Baudelaire


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Postby Cinnabar » Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:21 am

Rumour is that the Governor is not in a good mood today.

Rumour is that between the posters slathered around town and the news of Karolinger's escape from custody he's in quite a thoroughly foul mood, and as such those who know what's good for them have been very careful to stay out of his way. For some, however, that's not as easy as they might like. Not when he rides up to the gates of Fort Sumpter and insists on speaking with the garrison commander.

"Yes, right away. In fact, please ask him to come to the gaol block. I'll meet him there." Perhaps surprisingly, Calomel is impeccably polite in this request; there is a certain edge to his tone, a certain firmness in his demeanour and steadiness in his gaze that brooks no denial, and it is quite clear that he is taking note of how the garrison's personnel react to this matter - but nonetheless, his anger is carefully contained, saved for those who warrant it.

This is an unfortunate matter for the men of Fort Sumpter. Karolinger was entrusted to their keeping, and his escape is thus a failure on their part. A failure that will be investigated thoroughly, and those responsible brought to account.

One of the soldiers having hurried off to carry the Governor's message to the base commander, Calomel nudges his horse forwards through the gates and heads for the cells.
Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis.
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Postby Lent » Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:44 am

Jérôme Artois

It was a definitely nervous vice-commander who tromped down to the cells to meet Calomel. He had been reviewing what he knew so far. The initial release of Karolinger did not matter, not really. There might be a slap of the wrist upcoming for that, but he would not lose his commission for it, would not be demoted. There was some reasonable confusion with Calomel and the commander gone and he could argue the point that given the situation, he made the right decision.

It would not come up, or at least not for long.

What WOULD come up was Karolinger's disappearance. How much of that could be shifted on to the two Constables who interfered with things, who demanded to guard the room. It would be so much easier if Karolinger had just left Myrken for good after escaping. Then he could have blamed the Constables for killing him and hiding the body. As it was, he had no answers at all for the Governor.

What was he to say?

Karolinger was in that room one minute and he was not in it the next. There was nothing else to say! Artois was pulling at his mustache with some real frustration as he reached the cells and presumably the governor. Let them just get this over with.
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Postby Cinnabar » Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:50 am

The Governor is indeed waiting, though to Artois' credit he hasn't been waiting long. For now he appears to be taking in the lay of the land, so to speak, head turning as he inspects the detention facilities, grey eyes flicking from point to point as he notes this detail or that - the cell door, the lock, the sturdy hinges, and so on and so forth. It's a few seconds before he looks to the officer, offering a brief nod in greeting.

"Commander, good afternoon." Well, that's certainly debatable - given the coolness in the Governor's tone and the unblinking scrutiny to which he subjects the man in front of him, "good" is probably not the right word. Not a hint of the genial demeanour of he usually presents.

"You were the officer in charge at the time of Karolinger's escape?" Brows raised inquiringly, for all that he likely knows perfectly well that this is Artois' mess. "I will not mince words, sir: the whole affair is a bloody embarrassment, and I am extremely disappointed." In anyone else that might be read as careful understatement or even sarcasm, but it's clear from the Governor's tone exactly how disappointing he finds the situation.

"I want to know how it was allowed to happen. I want to know exactly how a one-armed man was able to remove himself from this cell without passing the men posted outside the door. Particularly I would like to know if he accomplished this feat by himself, or if he received outside assistance - and if so, from whom." What fate might befall any such accomplice is left unspoken.

"What have you been able to find out so far?"
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Postby Lent » Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:16 pm

Jérôme Artois

Alright, there WAS something he could tell Cinnabar, but it would make them look like absolute amateurs, if not complete co-conspirators. There was another note left by the ex-Marshall. Thankfully, in this case, he could pass the blame off to someone else. It was the only thing he had going for him.

"Vice-Commander, Governor." Start off with modesty, the honest sort, and by being absolutely sure to mention that this wasn't your fault, not truly. "The Commander is due back in two days. Yes," for he would not go too far. "I was here at the time of Karolinger's... escape, though."

Oh, best to get right to the heart of it. This could hardly get worse. "Karolinger left a note." A cheeky thing as well. "A note thanking us for placing in this specific cell. It was the Commander's decision but he is a fine officer. I do not think him working with the brute." The note was handed over, even as Artois walked past Cinnabar. "We knew nothing of these passages previously. Janeiro's commanders kept it close to their chest." He pushed a notched stone in slightly, reached up, and pulled a little, allowing for a small, man sized opening to appear. Past it was another chamber with another notched stone. The note in Calomel's hand would, mockingly, tell of other such passages hidden throughout the place.
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Postby Cinnabar » Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:27 am

This little demonstration is regarded quietly, the Governor's features betraying little beyond his disapproval of the circumstances which have brought him here; peering into the chamber revealed through the concealed doorway, eyeing the trigger-stone carefully, then straightening and skimming through the note.

"Hm. Well, it fits with his general air of smug self-satisfaction. And his taste for hidden rat-holes and such." The reports of Karolinger's capture had made mention of a similarly secret hideaway concealed on an abandoned Pritchite farm, a Janeiro-constructed cache of weapons and supplies. It should have been expected that they'd riddle their own stronghold on Myrken soil with such tricks.

"Whether or not you believe his being placed in this cell was happenstance, there will be a full investigation of the Commander's decision; this is a very serious lapse in security, and cannot be allowed to continue." Grey eyes turn to Artois again, displeased, but more at the extent of this oversight than at the man himself. For now.

"If there are ways for a man to get out of Fort Sumpter undetected, there are undoubtedly similar ways for a man - or men - to get in; whatever passages Karolinger has described in this note" The scrap of paper waved irritably. "you can be certain that there are more that he has not." And with the likelihood of the former mercenary commander taking such secrets to the grave postponed indefinitely, that is a concern.

"Fort Sumpter is no longer secure, and is thus no longer viable as a defensible outpost in its current form." The Governor has seen enough, it seems, and steps outside the cell again, waiting for the vice-commander to follow. "I'll be sending someone to oversee its decommissioning and dismantling, and to make a record of any other such secrets it might hold. I want the place stripped to below the foundations, and every last hidden passage, secret tunnel and false wall noted." It'll be a big task, but one absolutely necessary; no telling how extensively the place has been undermined.

"Also, I want all former Janeiro personnel under your command made available for questioning - officers included. I want to know exactly how many people knew of these passages, and why the first we knew of them was when a murderer used them to escape government custody. The confusion over the pardon is an incidental matter. That a man walked out of here before he'd been properly realeased, however, is not. Is any of that unclear?" Pale brows lift inquiringly, with the impression that if Artois has any questions, he'd better ask them sooner rather than later.
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