Lost in Dreams (Amy)

[ericthered]

Talc: "Kelipods... here we go:"
"Strength is a 6. Climbing is a 7. Speed is a 7. Swimming is a 3. Jumping is a 4. Colorblind. Good Sight and Hearing, Smell is a 3. Anything else?"

[Anaya]

The description was so cold and impersonal. Amy wanted to learn more about these different species: Their history, their way of life, etc. Instead, she just got a set of of raw 'stats', meant to be hastily skimmed before a fight. What a waste. Perhaps Amy would be able to get an actual education after the war; Since as far as she could tell, she'd be stranded in this reality for the rest of her life.

"Nothing else. So, what plan gives us the best chance of survival?"

Amy saw no way to dissuade these soldiers from violence. The two groups seemed destined to clash. She could only nudge them towards the goal of staying alive, rather than going out of their way to kill others. She wondered whether the sci-fi pistols had a 'stun' setting. Probably not. Tension built within her. How many people were about to die? Would she be expected to pull a trigger of her own?

[ericthered]

Corp. James: "Right now we have the element of surprise and superior numbers. I don't know how many guns they have, but I don't imagine the Rectifier drop pod doesn't have at least one. They can't use more than three."


Talc: "Ma'am, I don't think I'll be very effective at helping you outnumber them. I can't take the Zorchid."


Corp. James: "We can still make use of numbers, even if Talc is the weakest combatant overall."


Gurman: "I sense a 'But' coming here."


Corp James: "But we don't know who is going to win up there. We think its our people, but we don't know, and we can't know. The pod just came down, which means they're still fighting, and they still think they have a chance to win."


Gurman: "Or the Tam-du are stalling for time. But I agree, we don't have to fight them. The objective is to survive here until we are either rescued or captured. We have no contract down here."


Talc: "But are the rectifiers going to see it that way?"


Gurman: "Who knows?


James: "We've got to know, because if we're going to fight, now is the best time."

[Anaya]

The group turned out to be less bloodthirsty than Amy had assumed. They actually seemed open to a non-violent approach. That was a pleasant surprise. She was soon given an opening to put her own weight on the dilemma's scales.

"I vote that we mind our own business. We should assume that the other team is like us: A group of ordinary people who just want to get off this planet. There are no personal grudges here. Neither side has any incentive to look for a fight. If we leave them alone, then they'll probably do the same."

There was also another very good reason to avoid conflict, that she left unsaid: Namely that her only combat training was a weekly karate class. She'd be next to useless in a real gunfight.

[ericthered]

Corp. James: "I'm not about to simply 'mind my own business'. They were the enemy 48 hours ago. Some caution is needed."

Priv. Talc: "So do we talk to them, hide and watch them, move our camp, or attack? I can't really think of any other options."

Corp. Gurman: "Maybe we watch, and then either talk to them or attack? I don't want to move too much in this jungle"

Corp. James: "On the other hand, talking to them early might work well. Show we've been here longer. Make ourselves look intimidating. Demand some boundaries."