Editing Episode 504: Ghosts of Jing Jing Bei
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| + | <span style="color:#800000">'''''Please excuse the mess! Episode in progress. Special Features coming soon.--Maer'''''</span> <br> <br> | ||
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''Air Date: 01 Feb 2011''<br> | ''Air Date: 01 Feb 2011''<br> | ||
''Present: Kim, Maer, Terri, and Andy''<br> <br> | ''Present: Kim, Maer, Terri, and Andy''<br> <br> | ||
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'''0700 hrs, local time''' <br><br> | '''0700 hrs, local time''' <br><br> | ||
| − | We get our clandestine cargo loaded and find some passengers going to Red Sun: 4 miners going to Dyton. We get them settled in their accommodations and take off on the morning of Wednesday, 28 Jan 2522. It’s an 8 day trip to New Melbourne and hopefully we will not run into any Alliance patrols before we can deliver our cargo. On a less touchy note, Arden has finally settled on a name for the ship’s cat: | + | We get our clandestine cargo loaded and find some passengers going to Red Sun: 4 miners going to Dyton. We get them settled in their accommodations and take off on the morning of Wednesday, 28 Jan 2522. It’s an 8 day trip to New Melbourne and hopefully we will not run into any Alliance patrols before we can deliver our cargo. On a less touchy note, Arden has finally settled on a name for the ship’s cat: Jahn, which means shiny in Chinese.<br><br> |
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*A pistol, of unusual design, a heftier build, and bearing 5 rounds of a heavier gauge/caliber. | *A pistol, of unusual design, a heftier build, and bearing 5 rounds of a heavier gauge/caliber. | ||
| − | *A bottle of vodka. Rina checks the label to determine if it is the bottle of acid Potemkin had delivered to them at | + | *A bottle of vodka. Rina checks the label to determine if it is the bottle of acid Potemkin had delivered to them at Pericles Station, when Joshua Borrowed Jackson. Nope. It’s not the same bottle she’d marked Poison. She doesn’t open it, just in case. |
*gold ingot, stamped with the letters UBS | *gold ingot, stamped with the letters UBS | ||
*50 credits in the old Alliance notes | *50 credits in the old Alliance notes | ||
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*a couple of miscellaneous papers | *a couple of miscellaneous papers | ||
*a computer card | *a computer card | ||
| − | *and a nav card, one that hooks up to the ship transponder beacon | + | *and a nav card, one that hooks up to the ship transponder beacon |
| − | Inside the 3 folders are photos of various people: the former MP Kimberly Ozwylde, the Alliance Federal Marshall | + | Inside the 3 folders are photos of various people: the former MP Kimberly Ozwylde, the Alliance Federal Marshall Di Lan Jeun who we worked with briefly on Bernadette, a androgynous-looking woman (man?) named Magistrate Ezra Emmunds, apparently a sharpshooter with her medals and rifle prominently displayed; and a photo of Ivan Potemkin, late captain of the MakeMake and Joseph Potemkin’s brother. Of the picture of Di Lan Jeun, inspection of the background of the photo shows him leaving Sly’s Den, a brothel on Bernadette. Whether he was a customer or was on the clock in pursuit of a case is uncertain.<br><br> |
| − | There are a few other pictures as well: a land-sat | + | There are a few other pictures as well: a land-sat photo of an arid planet, with the printed coordinates 105° 28’ 34’’ – 35° 34’ 54’’; and a scan of a mid-bulk freighter with the name Danton faintly visible on the hull. There is something else—an alphanumeric string is printed on the bottom of Ivan Potemkin’s photo:<br><br> |
'''KAMK TBPWNWVIZSID U MFNS KSO FIGOT MO STKJVB WX755'''<br><br> | '''KAMK TBPWNWVIZSID U MFNS KSO FIGOT MO STKJVB WX755'''<br><br> | ||
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'''Sometime during the Day'''<br><br> | '''Sometime during the Day'''<br><br> | ||
| − | It’s been seven days since we burned atmo off Osiris. Thanks to the pulse and hard burn combination, we arrive a day earlier than we’d originally expected. As instructed, Nika sends out a coded message once we land to call in our rendezvous ship. They’ll take the contraband cargo off our hands and we’ll fly on to Jiangyin and drop off the miners. Our call is answered by a New Kalmar flagged ship, the | + | It’s been seven days since we burned atmo off Osiris. Thanks to the pulse and hard burn combination, we arrive a day earlier than we’d originally expected. As instructed, Nika sends out a coded message once we land to call in our rendezvous ship. They’ll take the contraband cargo off our hands and we’ll fly on to Jiangyin and drop off the miners. Our call is answered by a New Kalmar flagged ship, the Eir, a Mjolnir class vessel out of Hjiminborg. They land beside us and they start loading up our cargo. The captain of Eir invites us aboard for dinner. Nika replies we’d be honored. We arrive at the appropriate time, are seated with the captain and dinner progresses. As does a little bit of business.<br><br> |
| − | The deal was to receive 600 credits in pay for delivering the cargo. | + | The deal was to receive 600 credits in pay for delivering the cargo. Eir’s captain tells us they don’t have it. Would we consider taking up the lack in trade? They have food and fuel they can spare and God knows, they’ve got all the medical supplies we could possibly need. We accept the balance of our fee in food supplies and repairs—Rina gets that atmo leak in our flight deck fixed with their help and supplies. We linger for a day and a half getting our ship back to rights then thank the crew of Eir and burn atmo for Greenleaf. We still have 4 miners to deliver to Dyton, off Jiangyin.<br><br> |
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'''1045hrs, local time'''<br><br> | '''1045hrs, local time'''<br><br> | ||
| − | Paying off the bribes at Osiris cost us and our payday at New Melbourne wasn’t as big as we’d anticipated. We need to make up the lack. We drop off the four miners on Dyton and get a line on a job, that of hauling argon to Rambha, one of Heaven’s moons. It takes us a little while to get everything fully loaded and the argon is brought aboard in tanks. With cargo already in hand, we can take a break in earning a living long enough to investigate one of the names on Joshua’s | + | Paying off the bribes at Osiris cost us and our payday at New Melbourne wasn’t as big as we’d anticipated. We need to make up the lack. We drop off the four miners on Dyton and get a line on a job, that of hauling argon to Rambha, one of Heaven’s moons. It takes us a little while to get everything fully loaded and the argon is brought aboard in tanks. With cargo already in hand, we can take a break in earning a living long enough to investigate one of the names on Joshua’s Jing Jing Bei list: June, at Alkali Flats on Jiangyin. We take off late on the 9th. Jiangyin is a ten hour flight from Dyton and it goes off uneventfully.<br><br> |
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'''0830 hrs, local time'''<br><br> | '''0830 hrs, local time'''<br><br> | ||
| − | We kiss dirt on Jiangyin and fly over to Alkalai Flats in | + | We kiss dirt on Jiangyin and fly over to Alkalai Flats in Lagniappe. Joshua, Nika, Rina and Arden all go. Beglan offers to stay behind to guard our ship and keep an eye on our cat, Jahn.<br><br> |
Alkali Flats is a dusty little town, of about 300 people or so, tenaciously clinging to life. It’s got some sign of industry, likely light mining, and it has a trading post. Our arrival creates a little stir. Ships, much less shuttles, aren’t frequent here. Nika lands it a little distance from town as a courtesy, since our passage kicks up quite a bit of dust.<br><br> | Alkali Flats is a dusty little town, of about 300 people or so, tenaciously clinging to life. It’s got some sign of industry, likely light mining, and it has a trading post. Our arrival creates a little stir. Ships, much less shuttles, aren’t frequent here. Nika lands it a little distance from town as a courtesy, since our passage kicks up quite a bit of dust.<br><br> | ||
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We walk down the single street and spy the town’s trading post. We see a woman go into the store with eggs and come out with flour. Kiera eyes the place hopefully, thinking to see what they’ve got in trade, either in goods or information. After all, the general store is where everyone meets to swap stories and hearsay. It could be we’ll find out who June is and where her family is. Kiera approaches the idea obliquely.<br><br> | We walk down the single street and spy the town’s trading post. We see a woman go into the store with eggs and come out with flour. Kiera eyes the place hopefully, thinking to see what they’ve got in trade, either in goods or information. After all, the general store is where everyone meets to swap stories and hearsay. It could be we’ll find out who June is and where her family is. Kiera approaches the idea obliquely.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Kiera: Oh hey, they might have rifles, things like that.<br> | |
| − | + | Nika: It’s a poor dirty little town.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: I know but occasionally they have eggs, rifles, pistols to sell. On top of it, general store’s where everybody knows everybody.<br> | |
| − | + | Arden: Is there a Sheriff’s office? Does there appear to be any law and order anywhere?<br><br> | |
The rhythmic clank of metal on metal carries clearly through the dry air and Rina recognizes the local smithy. <br><br> | The rhythmic clank of metal on metal carries clearly through the dry air and Rina recognizes the local smithy. <br><br> | ||
| − | + | Rina: Cap’n? Do you need me for this? Can I hang out there (points)? I’d like to watch for a little bit. <br> | |
| − | + | Nika: (resigned) Try not to pick a fight.<br> | |
| − | + | Rina: Okay. <br> | |
| − | + | Nika: Thanks.<br> | |
| − | + | Rina: You’re welcome.<br><br> | |
Rina parts from the company to go watch, fascinated by the power of fire and percussion transforming the raw metal into useful steel. The blacksmith gives her the hairy eyeball but continues hammering. Rina looks over his equipment, noting the type of forge, the bellows, his hand tools … Rina leans on the fence rail and puts a foot up and settles in for a while.<br><br> | Rina parts from the company to go watch, fascinated by the power of fire and percussion transforming the raw metal into useful steel. The blacksmith gives her the hairy eyeball but continues hammering. Rina looks over his equipment, noting the type of forge, the bellows, his hand tools … Rina leans on the fence rail and puts a foot up and settles in for a while.<br><br> | ||
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The others continue looking around for the Sheriff’s office. There is something that looks like it might be a Sherriff’s office, except it’s been transformed into a combination post office and assessor’s office. Something that looks like fuel cells can be glimpsed around that building as well. <br><br> | The others continue looking around for the Sheriff’s office. There is something that looks like it might be a Sherriff’s office, except it’s been transformed into a combination post office and assessor’s office. Something that looks like fuel cells can be glimpsed around that building as well. <br><br> | ||
| − | + | Kiera: (quietly) What’s the name again?<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua and Nika together: June.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Was gonna say, general store is where people come to sell and trade. They know everybody there. Those little shopkeepers know everybody comin’ an’ goin’. <br> | |
| − | + | Arden: (to Nika) You gonna go with her to the general store?<br> | |
| − | + | Nika: Yeahhh. I’ll accompany her. You go on.<br> | |
| − | + | Arden: (to Joshua) You going into the general store with her? <br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: I was gonna wander for a bit.<br> | |
| − | + | Arden: I’m gonna see what the saloon’s about. (heavy irony) Nothing bad is gonna happen there.<br><br> | |
Nika and Kiera go into the general store and look around. The pickings are limited. Nika’s assessment of it being a poor place seems to hold true. The store keeper perks up at their entrance.<br><br> | Nika and Kiera go into the general store and look around. The pickings are limited. Nika’s assessment of it being a poor place seems to hold true. The store keeper perks up at their entrance.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Storekeeper: You sellin’ somethin’? Cuz I’m happy to put it up here. You can come back in a month and I’ll give you your share, you got somethin’ to sell. We don’t have a lotta gear as you can see but if you need somethin’, I’ll be happy to sell it.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: I saw a woman walk in her with a basket of eggs. You got eggs?<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Yeah, I got eggs.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: (to Nika) You feel like a fresh omelet rather than the …<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Pardon my askin’ here, but you were in that shuttle I assume, since I don’t know you?<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Yeah.<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: You flew out here for some fresh eggs?<br><br> | |
His tone tells us he doesn’t believe it. Kiera turns on a sunny smile.<br><br> | His tone tells us he doesn’t believe it. Kiera turns on a sunny smile.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Kiera: People do funny things when they neeeeeed eggs.<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Cuz I’m just a little … (considers it) … We don’t get a lot of flight traffic out here.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Well, I reckon not, but cravin’ eggs….<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Are you lookin’ for somethin’ or are you lookin’ for … ?<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Actually we’re lookin’ for an old friend of hers. We thought she used to be here. It’d be nice, we thought, “What the heck” … Name’s June.<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Friend named June. Don’t know anyone named June.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: No. Don’t look like—(to Nika)—how long’s it been since you think she’d sent you somethin’ from here?<br> | |
| − | + | Nika: (taking up her cue) Years and years.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Years and years?<br><br> | |
The Storekeeper sighs. <br><br> | The Storekeeper sighs. <br><br> | ||
| − | + | Storekeeper: Well I only lived here nine years.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Oh, well. You know if any old timer might help us here?<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: You say more’n nine years?<br> | |
| − | + | Nika: I don’t know. At best guess, it was somewhere near the end of the war.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Yeah.<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Yeah, no. I can’t help.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Dang. You know anybody here who might know?<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Well, yeah. Most of the people here were here durin’ the war. So …<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Oh.<br> | |
| − | + | Nika: You only came nine years ago?<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Yep.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: How’d you end up here?<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Got tricked inta buyin’ some land and the land’s worthless.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: It grew dust.<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Sold my tractor and bought the general store.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Mm-hm. Well, you think wanderin’ round to th’ bar we might be able to find somebody might be able to tell us if herfriend’s anywhere near around here? <br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Well I’ll say I ain’t heard’a June anywhere around here in that time, so …if she were here, she’s probably dead.<br> | |
| − | + | Nika: And you would have heard, yeah.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: I was thinkin’ she’s moved on, but somebody might know if she’s done moved on.<br> | |
| − | + | Nika: (okay, enough) Yeah, well, okay. No big deal.<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: So you flew out here to buy fresh eggs and to find her old friend.<br><br> | |
It’s not a question.<br><br> | It’s not a question.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Kiera: Well, yeah.<br> | |
| − | + | Nika: Pretty much. We had a day to kill.<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Okay.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: And between shipments and—by happenstance I saw the eggs walk in …<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: I’ll be happy to sell’ya some eggs. We have as many eggs as you want.<br> | |
| − | + | Kiera: Got a basket to carry ’em?<br><br> | |
Yeah. She gets a basket. <br><br> | Yeah. She gets a basket. <br><br> | ||
| − | + | Kiera: A dozen and a half will work.<br> | |
| − | + | Storekeeper: Drop some platinum on the scale.<br><br> | |
As the storekeeper and Kiera get the eggs settled, Rina’s watching the blacksmith and getting suspicious looks from the man. She doesn’t mind too much, being more interested in what the man’s working on and seeing how his forge works. She stays on the rail, watching everything—the fire, the bellows, the sparks flying as the hammer hits the metal. Finally, the blacksmith tires of her silent scrutiny and stops and glowers at her.<br><br> | As the storekeeper and Kiera get the eggs settled, Rina’s watching the blacksmith and getting suspicious looks from the man. She doesn’t mind too much, being more interested in what the man’s working on and seeing how his forge works. She stays on the rail, watching everything—the fire, the bellows, the sparks flying as the hammer hits the metal. Finally, the blacksmith tires of her silent scrutiny and stops and glowers at her.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Blacksmith: Is there something you need? <br> | |
| − | + | Rina: (respectfully) Just watching. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance to watch someone actually work with fire.<br> | |
| − | + | Blacksmith: Uh huh. (heavily sarcastic) We are a rich culture. Does it amuse you to watch inferior people working, is that what you’re sayin’? This is my job. I do good work here. I’m not some Core fantasy farm.<br><br> | |
Salt of the earth, this guy. Rina is unfazed.<br><br> | Salt of the earth, this guy. Rina is unfazed.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Rina: I just like watching. I like fire.<br><br> | |
The blacksmith sighs, greatly irritated, and takes up his work again. If some fancy-dancy Coreside chick wants to watch, so be it. He’s got work to do.<br><br> | The blacksmith sighs, greatly irritated, and takes up his work again. If some fancy-dancy Coreside chick wants to watch, so be it. He’s got work to do.<br><br> | ||
| − | Left on his own in the street and watching the rest of the crew, Joshua briefly wonders if it would have been better if he’d simply snuck out on his own in | + | Left on his own in the street and watching the rest of the crew, Joshua briefly wonders if it would have been better if he’d simply snuck out on his own in Lagniappe on this fact finding mission. Sighing, he turns to the Sheriff’s-cum-Post Office building. Eyeing it, he sees in the peeling old paint covering the building the Chinese characters for Jing Jing Bei. A solid clue if there ever was one. Joshua strides with purpose for the door.<br><br> |
It’s cooler and dimmer inside, sheltered from the dust and the sun. The office really was a Sherrif’s office at one point, with the requisite desk stations and counters in the front and the cells tucked away in the back. The cells are empty of prisoners and have been converted into storage areas. They look like a dumping ground for stuff. A youngish woman comes in from outside, brushing the dust off her apron. She looks at him with a ''Can-I-help-you?'' expression.<br><br> | It’s cooler and dimmer inside, sheltered from the dust and the sun. The office really was a Sherrif’s office at one point, with the requisite desk stations and counters in the front and the cells tucked away in the back. The cells are empty of prisoners and have been converted into storage areas. They look like a dumping ground for stuff. A youngish woman comes in from outside, brushing the dust off her apron. She looks at him with a ''Can-I-help-you?'' expression.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Woman: You need somethin’, Mister?<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: Hi, um, yeah. I don’t know if you can help me or not, but maybe you can. I’m Joshua.<br> | |
| − | + | Woman: (nods) Hi, Josh. I’m Mary.<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: Um … I’m kinda … (breathes a laugh) …. Lookin’ to solve a mystery or maybe start solving one. I noticed that on this building—it’s kinda clear that this used to be a Sherrif’s office or something—but I saw that there was some Chinese symbols kinda painted over on the outside. You know anything about that?<br><br> | |
Does Mary’s manner change slightly? Does it get a little more guarded?<br><br> | Does Mary’s manner change slightly? Does it get a little more guarded?<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Mary: Uhh, yeah. It used to be, ah, where the, uh, detectives … worked.<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: Jing Jing Bei?<br> | |
| − | + | Mary: Yeah. That’s them.<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: I think I … stumbled on some of their notes and … I was tryin’ to make sense of them. I, um …<br> | |
| − | + | Mary: You got business with them or … ? You’re not—you’re not with them?<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: No, no. I’m not with them. Actually, we’ve got what used to be their ship. And I’m just—I think we, that I’ve stumbled onto some notes of theirs and I was just … trying to make sense of them, to be honest. I feel like there’s some history to our ship that I—and it’s …. History of our ship that seems like they, from what I can tell, I’m hoping they were doing good.<br> | |
| − | + | Mary: I don’t think many people here would think they were doin’ good. I was just a kid when they were here but … You can talk to someone else. You can talk to Innkeeper. He might know about it.<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: Yeah, I might do that. I really appreciate it. I’ll, um …<br> | |
| − | + | Mary: I’ll lead you there.<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: Thank you.<br><br> | |
She does, actually. They leave the office and strike off across the street for the saloon/inn. Arden’s already there. Looking around, Arden can see it’s pretty dead. He goes up to the bar. The bartender approaches. He’s an older gentleman and his voice is deep.<br><br> | She does, actually. They leave the office and strike off across the street for the saloon/inn. Arden’s already there. Looking around, Arden can see it’s pretty dead. He goes up to the bar. The bartender approaches. He’s an older gentleman and his voice is deep.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Bartender: So … what can we do for you, sir?<br> | |
| − | + | Arden: Well, a little thirsty from the dryness and I was thinking you might help me there. I’m also checking around to see if there’s anyone in town who might need my services.<br> | |
| − | + | Bartender: What are your services?<br> | |
| − | + | Arden: I am a doctor.<br> | |
| − | + | Bartender: (thoughtfully) Possibly, possibly … We don’t have a doctor here. There are people looking for help.<br> | |
| − | + | Arden: You may know—I know you know better about that than I do. If you could maybe spread the word and I could borrow one of your tables?<br> | |
| − | + | Bartender: You’re not going to be cuttin’ up people, are you?<br> | |
| − | + | Arden: No, no, I was thinking more along the lines of first aid and medicine and stuff. Not any surgery.<br> | |
| − | + | Bartender: Well, all right yeah. It takes a while for word to spread around and people are pretty spread out here, but yeah, if they found out there was a doctor in town … You take in trades and stuff?<br> | |
| − | + | Arden: Yeah.<br> | |
| − | + | Bartender: Well, yeah, we might be able to help you.<br><br> | |
At this point, Arden sees Joshua and a young lady walk in. The lady’s face brightens as she sees the bartender and she calls out to him.<br><br> | At this point, Arden sees Joshua and a young lady walk in. The lady’s face brightens as she sees the bartender and she calls out to him.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Mary: Paul? This guy’s askin’ around about the old, uh, security and such.<br><br> | |
| − | Joshua catches that pause in Mary’s statement and he notices Paul tense up as he turns around. Joshua gets the distinct impression the other man is looking for a weapon. Joshua raises his hands: | + | Joshua catches that pause in Mary’s statement and he notices Paul tense up as he turns around. Joshua gets the distinct impression the other man is looking for a weapon. Joshua raises his hands: whoa, now …<br><br> |
| − | + | Joshua: I’ve got—I’ve got no harmful intentions. I’m not armed. I don’t mean anything. I just … I got a—<br> | |
| − | + | Paul: They left and that’s why we’re usin’ that for storage. That’s all. If you need it back, we can—<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: No, no. I don’t need anything back. I just … (gestures to Mary) ... I told her that we stumbled on, stumbled on some of their notes and … I’m just trying to … I’m just trying find out about them. Our ship, our big ship, I think belonged to them at one point. And I’m just a believer in knowing the history of the ship I’m flying in. And I want to know about the people that had it at one point.<br><br> | |
Paul sighs.<br><br> | Paul sighs.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Paul: The … ah … Peacekeepers came here at the end of the war. We were Independent-minded folk, back then. After the Alliance assured us there was Amnesty for everyone, a few months later this ship shows up. A pretty big one. Held cops, I don’t know, a handful of men. They really weren’t that many but they were armed and they confiscated our … Our best weapons were confiscated. We still had some things, but ... They said they were just comin’ in to keep law and order and keep us gainfully employed. We were promised that sort of thing when the war was over.<br> | |
| − | + | Joshua: Yeah.<br> | |
| − | + | Paul: (sighs) There were some … disputes, and their leader, she … ah … (pauses) She tried to settle them and she was very harsh with her own people and so we thought maybe she was on the side of law and order. But, ah … (deep breath)<br><br> | |
Paul is reluctant to say more. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Joshua gently prompts him to get the rest of the story.<br><br> | Paul is reluctant to say more. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Joshua gently prompts him to get the rest of the story.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Joshua: How did she settle them?<br> | |
| − | + | Paul: Well … After the disputes were not working out to the people’s mindset to what was appropriate—we were gettin’ taxed and it weren’t right, what liberties these men were takin’—and then she said that she would … ah … make us understand the circumstances we were in. And she took one of our kids. And then they left.<br><br> | |
