Beginnings, Part 6

Arana
Arana's opponent flails against him, then steps back, breathing hard. Arana circles and waits, and the slave circles. The slave steps in and throws a high punch, telegraphing with his shoulder. Arana steps aside. The slave turns and rushes, catching Arana high around the chest and holding him to deliver a feeble punch to the gut. Arana feels the blow but doesn't flinch. There will be a bruise later. (1 bashing damage)

The guards, who cheered at the first charge, now jeer and hurl insults, kick gravel and dust at Arana as he avoids another strike. The slave he faces looks fearful and in desperation charges again. Arana waits, avoids, and out of the corner of his eye, sees movement. Reflex saves him--one of the guards whips a stone at him. Instead of dodging, Arana catches and hurls it back.

The rock strikes the guard squarely on the shoulder. The other guards fall silent. He grimaces, then growls a curse and wades forward, shoving Arana's opponent out of the way. He draws a cudgel and prepares to swing it at Arana's head. Arana, concentrating on his new attacker, is dimly aware of an eruption of noise and activity around him: the other guards alternately cheering or drawing their own weapons or stepping forward. The other slave scrambles backwards on the ground toward the enclosing ring of guards.

(Numerically speaking, Arana throws the stone on combat tick 1, the guard enters combat on tick 2 and attacks on tick 3. Arana will attack again on tick 5, whatever he chooses to do. Since Arana is wearing no armor and probably doesn't want to take a cudgel to the head, I'll assume he wishes to dodge, so I've used his Dodge Defense Value (DV) plus defense penalty for recent attack action--but tell me, Dave, if Arana wishes to do anything special in getting out of the way. Barring that, here is what happens.)

The guard swings his cudgel high, and Arana ducks under. Before he can attack or turn the guard's attack against him(tick 4), the other slave is kicked into the middle of the battle again and stumbles against Arana. The guard grins.

Dane
"C'mon, speak to me, you goat turd. Why you get all this special treatment. You a princess? You a pretty princess?" The lanky guard kicks Dane. "I bet you're fakin' it. C'mon, get up." The guard grabs Dane's shirt and hauls him up to sitting, leans him against the wall of the cell. "You little fuck. Ignoring me. I'll learn you." And the guard pulls back his fist to strike Dane. (Dane has the opportunity to act if he feels like it. He is still weak, but not too weak to move about, if not yet with great speed or force.)

Crockus
The lead guard nods to the others. Their reply to Crockus' questions is curt: "We brought 'im fast 's we could. Attacked while on patrol. By a bear. 'E lost only 's much blood 's we let 'im." They refuse to say more, so Crockus gets to work, summoning tools and equipment as needed. The lead guard is helpful, and Crockus manages to stop the guard's bleeding, clean and bandage his wounds, and even stitch him up some where needed. (This takes into account your rolls for Crockus, Virginia.) During the process, a runner arrives and holds a whispered conversation with the lead guard, who otherwise watches over all calmly. (Crockus can attempt a Perception + Awareness roll if he wishes to listen in, but his success will be limited while he concentrates on the injured guard.) The runner leaves. Later, when Crockus finishes, the lead guard nods in thanks. However, before anything can said, the runner steps through the doorway again and says, simply, "Sir."

"Yes."

The runner steps closer and holds another short, whispered conversation with the ranking guard. (Crockus can attempt a Perception + Awareness roll if he wishes to listen in.) The leader nods and dismisses him with a thank you. Then he turns to Crockus. His expression is grim, and carries a strange sadness.

"Healer, we will need your services elsewhere. I'm sorry." He gestures, resignedly, and exits through another door. The two guards who brought the injured man step next to Crockus and haul him gruffly but not harshly to his feet. Flanking him, they encourage him to follow their superior officer, and then fall into step behind.

Crockus is led through yet more tunnels, some rough-hewn and some, later, incredibly well-carved. The voyage ends at a door that is opened into a small room with an open window--fresh air and sunlight!--and a thick wooden table and chairs. The guards lead Crockus into the room. A rough-looking man (thickly bearded save for where a scar lances across his cheek and jaw) in leather and mail stands opposite, in front of another door. Two large guards in similar stand behind him.

"This the one?" the man gives a gap-toothed grin. "Pretty fit-looking for a healer. He don't work out, we can put him to use in the tunnels again." The man's laugh is grating, hoarse.

The lead guard who had been relatively gentle with Crockus narrows his eyes, nods. "Don't wear him down, Thale. He's a man like both of us. And he has skill 'twould be a shame to waste."

The guard called Thale grins wider, and a sparkle enters his eye. "Don't worry, Aran. Your pet'll be in good hands. Very good hands." He nods to his guards and they step forward and bind and blindfold Crockus. Then they shove him out of the room and away from the fresh air.

Number 17 and Mina
After Arana leaves, work continues apace, though the other slaves still give 17 a wide berth. Mina finds herself working not far from 17 when a couple guards approach idly. One steps close behind her as she struggles with the pick, and then leans over and shoves her hard into the stone wall. The other laughs. "Get up, lackwit. Do your work."

Number 17 moves to rise again and the first guard kicks her pick away from her. "C'mon, have a fit again. That was fun." The second guard pushes his friend aside a bit. "Hey. That ain't right. That's not how you treat 'em. Here." He extends his hand to 17.