Ambiance:
Broken Bones
Inside the Chapel...
- The Chapel (Witches to the Question) [Sister Anja, Zoe, Two Sweaty Farmers; presumably Amalia, Shadrach]
The Sheriff releases his tension and lowers the barrel of his rifle.
"Alright, sister. That's up to you an' the Church," he says, his tone measured as he looks between Amalia and Sister Anja.
"You take her for confessions an' whatever you like."
With Amalia's assent, a chastened Sister Anja and her two sweaty farmers lead the way out of the saloon and half-way down Main Street to the plain beige stucco chapel, its bell rocking in the breeze in the tower above the double front doors.
Anja pushes open the right-hand door and
Zoe is escorted in. Inside is a rectangular sanctuary, two rows of pews leading to a raised vestibule at the front, an ornate wooden pulpit in the center on the front edge. A set of narrow stairs to the left of the entryway leads down to a dark lower level and a plain wooden door on the vestibule leads to a back room. Windows line the two long side walls, about a third of them open to allow a breeze to blow through.
"Used to have air conditioning, they say. Broke down maybe twenty years ago," Sister Anja says apologetically.
"Folks are used to it now." She gestures to the wide room, inviting Amalia in.
I'm assuming this move of locations is acceptable - Amalia has veto rights (she asserted control) if she wants to air church laundry in the public saloon, though. Waiting for Amalia, then addtional from Shadrach. Plus anyone else who comes along.
Inside the Sheriff's Office...
- The Sheriff's Office (Establishing Legal Jurisdictions) [Sheriff Goran, Deputy Karlo, Hansel, Talina; presumably Lira]
Sheriff Goran and Deputy Karlo escort Hansel and Talina respectively out of the saloon, across the street, and into the Sheriff's office. Talina walks along quietly, but Hansel begins chattering immediately with the Deputy.
"Well, that was a bit more tension than I like, at least while handcuffed and unarmed. I'm glad shooting didn't start again, say, I've been in town a week or so and don't think I've had the opportunity to talk with you before! The name's Hansel and...." Hansel prattles along with his recent exploits, but
Deputy Karlo Miletic interrupts.
"I am familiar with you, Mr. Shatner. Taty spoke of you." His tone is flat.
You of course remember Tatyana Miletic, mostly because the young teen girl was barely more than a child and the most moon-eyed lovestruck thing you've ever seen. You brought in Ilya Kirnikov, wounded but alive, who was the older-teen brigand who was the object of her infatuation. The girl played innocent and shot you. You almost lost your leg. It still twinges sometimes. You didn't stick around for the trial.
Entering the office, it is a plain wood building with little interior decoration -
Hansel and
Talina are ushered unceremoniously past the small round table and its pair of mismatched wooden chairs and directly through the iron bars of the holding cells along the back wall. Once the heavy iron door lock clunks into place, Deputy Karlo uncuffs Hansel while Sheriff Goran presses a button on an electric appliance standing near the front window. With an aromatic hiss, dark coffee fills his plain ceramic mug. He nudges the closet shut with his toe and takes a sip, turning to regard
Judge Lira as her footfalls herald her approach on the rickety front porch,
Chuck right behind her.
"Sheriff Goran, I am a bounty hunter, here are my credentials, and I was getting ready to collect a bounty of 50 gold chits – quite a bit of money – placed on the return of this lady..." Hansel launches into a well-spoken argument, both the Sheriff and Lira as audience.
Lira, not one to let legal matters rest without due process follows the Sheriff and listens to
Hansel's impassioned speech, and while it may be passion of one who is soon to be hanged, it was passion none the less, and honestly, he has a pretty good head on his shoulders.
"Now Sheriff, you are the local law in this town, that's a fact. You have kept a version of order intact as well, but as others have said, you continue to treat symptoms when the actual disease runs rampant. I hear about this family that has plagued your town for generations, I hear about cults, and shadows and witches. I feel you have let things spiral out of control yourself. I give you a chance, right now, to give me control of this situation, let me try all that have possibly committed crimes and all will see you are part of this State. I will try the men and women in this town that require a legal judgement, I will then send for assistance to root out any kind of cult, and most likely investigate this family with tech and a wish for murder."
Sheriff Goran stares a long time into his mug of coffee, not lifting his eyes to make eye contact with either of them during their speeches.
"Now, boy... you got a righteous tale. But I can't say that you wanting to collect a bounty gives you the right t' shoot everyone else trying to do the same thing. If you got a permit that says that, well..." he finally looks up, offering a smile.
"That's a Kumenha warrant out of the city, and ain' really my problem."
"But Sheriff, you KNOW that we had a claim to the bounty first, an'..." interrupts
Chuck.
"No, no Chuck," the Sheriff lowers his head deferentially and raises a hand.
"I have to respect the Greater Kumenha powers and those they have sent to descend upon me. I have no choice but to let this man go, and it's this fine young lady - and her fancy rifle - that has to take them to her court back in the city to determine the truth of these matters. It may take months with these lawyers, Chuck, but I know that you got it in you to perservere... for the sake of Art and Ed and Henry, am I right? Who am I to say the rights of bounty hunters operating under license, or the fate of this girl who the law has bound, or who gets paid for her between you fine gentlemen? Yep. That's all to be decided in they city." He nods firmly, pleased with his own compromise. He turns to the Judge.
"Now, you had quite the long day. Why don't you go have a nice bath, rest your pretty little head. I'll hold these two overnight for disturbing the peace, a local issue, and you're welcome to put them on your truck and leave with them in the morning. I reckon Chuck will want to ride with you, too, until this is decided."
Chuck glowers darkly at
Hansel.
"This ain't over." He turns and stomps out of the Office.
"Now, as for Zoe, she's a nice enough girl, but the devil hides all kinds, I hear." he says, returning to Lira.
"The Devil is a Church matter, and I ain't interceding. It won't be the first or last witch hung for the good of this town, and I suggest you leave it alone. You just head on back with the cases you need to handle, and leave that here." He tips up his mug, draining the last of his coffee and tipping his chair back against the wall with a satisfied sigh.
Once that conversation has worn down, Hansel turns to
Talina and ask her
"So... that bounty was a bit vague on exactly what you were wanted for. Though it did indicate 'alive and undamaged' which isn't what I think those folks planned on doing. What did you do to be worth so much money to those folks?"
Talina nods at Hansel.
"It's hard to believe anyone back there wanted me alive. I would like to know myself why they think I'm so valuable. Do you have any idea why everyone in your town is after me Sheriff?" The Sheriff tips his hat down over his eyes and grunts.
"A valid warrant for that much money brings everyone, miss," offers Deputy Karlo, sliding two metal cups of water onto the tray in the bars.
"This one will tell you that," he indicates Hansel.
"Ain't nobody involved in that tussle who belongs here. Not one." He looks askance at the Sheriff, musing.
"If we're letting you go free come morning, that's good news for you both. Lessen the Judge here gets designs on holding you and a way to do so. I've got some stew on, and I'll give you both a good free dinner, anyways." He pauses awkwardly.
"An' two decent cots. Least I can do."
Inside the Saloon...
- The Saloon (Talking/Gathering Information, Body Clean-up) [Mirko, Doc Volokh, Chuck, Martin, the old couple; presumably everyone else?]
Looking for input from Faraday, who's presumably being bandaged by Doc Volokh .
"The REST of you..." the Sheriff turns to the Saloon with an encompassing gesture, then looks down at the sprawled bodies and blood stains.
"stop runnin' your mouths and help clean that up. Bunch of busybodies." He snaps his fingers at
Deputy Karlo who jumps like he's been stung.
"Karlo, with me. We put these two in the holding cells." He motions Karlo and
Hansel to the door and he steps over to put his hands on
Talina to escort her out, too.
Báleygr Gangleri shakes his head after all the commotion is over and people have left the saloon. Great place he's in, trying to pass incognito. Best to leave town at the first opportunity. He looks around at those still inside.
Taavi lets out a breath of relief. Twice it looks like he's about to address
Zoe before she's taken out of the room, but both times decides better and looks down instead. He retrieves his handgun from the floor and puts it in its shoulder holster. He goes over to the bar. To
Mirko, "Sir, a cold beer please. Quite a mess, eh? I wonder what he wanted? Why he did that?" Indicates
Teo Hrsak's body.
"Vukodlak," replies
Mirko, sliding a full beer across the bar, his expression grim.
"...they're werewolves. Been servants of the devil so long its in their blood. Makes 'em fierce, the pacts they've made." He nods once, his eyes flitting to Teo Hrsak's body, then away, afraid to linger too long upon it.
"...but I didn't tell you that. They usually make noise, just scare people every month or so, but cause no trouble in Prudence." He wipes the bar studiously, keeping his eyes on the spilled stew that has clearly been dried there for a long time.
"Not in Prudence. If he came in here like that for that girl, she's got to be the Devil's bride herself." He crosses himself.
...
Emile assists with body clean-up. He finds that he's setting about the gruesome tasks with two locals -
Valentin Peshkov, a strongly-built local plumber and electrician, and
Dima Kavelin, an old woman but nonetheless willing to help.
"Careful, lift from his arms, less blood will drip," offers
Dima as the other two heft the body of the mustached Art Taylor.
"some white vingar will clean this right up... for all the good it does. Just not safe with those folks in charge."
Emile asks,
"These things are normal 'round here? The sheriff didn't seem plussed by the events: more that there are outsiders here. What can you tell me about recent goings on?"
"The Skenders are as bad as Hrsaks," grumbles
Valintin under his breath, hiding the glance he gives across the room to Mirko.
"Even if you put a badge on 'em."
"That Anja, though," tsks
Dima, pulling her black shawl around her head.
"She preaches doctrines she knows to be untrue to men she knows to be idiots. But you didn't hear it from me."
Next moves?
OOC:
