[voice]

[hot_mes]

I've been through this before. I've been targeted on a hit list like this, precisely five days before I arrived in this world.

I guessed from the wording of the Null broadcast that some people might not have seen that they were named as targets. Consider this fair warning to everyone in this city: the Null would rather kill you than work with you.

[a pause, and then his tone turns positively savage]

As I did before, I'll do again. My only target is the one putting out the hit list. I will destroy the Null and anyone who tries to kill us. Anyone who'd foolishly sacrifice our chances of getting home for this death game should be dealt with, and I have no problem doing so.

[addendum message, five minutes later:]

I've been blocked from the message. Anyone who was quick enough to copy it, we'd appreciate a public airing of the names on the list.

Comments

[hot_mes]

Let me guess. You're involved with the Guard?

[it's a wild stab in the dark, really, but he can pick out the honorable and organized types sometimes]

I don't care who takes the lead or anything, as long as we don't just spend several days talking and not actually organizing.

[so_dark_a_road]

Of course. I joined as soon as I arrived. My son and my brother and my cousin are in it as well.

[ Curufin was a very disreputable sort in his own world, but honorable after his own fashion, and organized, yes! And now he's a member of all three of the Hadriel emergency services -- the Guard, the Clinic, and the Fire Brigade. And he wonders about Trafalgar, too. He only knows him from the paintball tournament, but with skills like Trafalgar's, Curufin guesses he's spent time in highly organized situations. Certainly he's a problem-solver. ]

[ Wry chuckle. ] I feel the same way.

[hot_mes]

You have a kid...? [but you're so young! etc etc. He'll learn quickly.]

It's not like I haven't allied with law enforcement for the greater good before. You guys have the place mostly staked out with patrol, I would guess?

[really, it's his one flaw as a pirate captain - relying too much on planning and organizing. But some might enjoy the fact that he's not as spontaneous as pirate would imply]

[so_dark_a_road]

Yes, I do. [ Smile. ] A grown son. His name is Celebrimbor. He's a smith and a warrior, like me.

An alliance sounds like a very good idea to me, just now! Yes, the Guard have the city divided up into routes and sectors, and we have a roster. Not that there aren't holes in it, sometimes -- not enough people, basically, and sometimes guards are out sick or injured, or there's too much going on. But it works well enough for some purposes -- like keeping the tunnel creatures from venturing into the areas where most of the citizens live. And keeping the creature population down, generally.

[ Curufin would enjoy that fact! XD ]

What are your experiences with such alliances? -- for the sake of the greater good?

[hot_mes]

[The Last Alliance of Elves and Pirates...]

You must look good for your age. [haha...]

Pirate captains have to make alliances all the time, in order to survive. I briefly became a government-sanctioned warlord for reasons, making me an ally of the Marines who previously had been trying to hunt me down. As of my arrival here I was an ally of another crew. The point being, I understand that in situations like this, it can't be every man for himself. So long as we all have more or less the same goal, we might as well work together for it.