robowest | [ WEEK ONE

TRIAL

In the morning, the town comes back to life. Birds crow overhead, a snake nearby hisses, a lingering coyote dips behind a shop before disappearing into the wild. It's a frightening contrast to the stillness of yesterday but it doesn't mean it's over yet. After all, today is the trial.

The Sheriff stands on the porch of the Town Hall and brings his hand up to his mouth to let out a whistle. He'll thumb back to the Hall behind him and very clearly state --

"Trial time, folks. Get in here and figure out who did it."

And then he'll turn to leave before pausing and adding on,

"Bring a snack or somethin' too.

The Town Hall is set up more like a court house, a Judge's bench at the front but instead of at center, it's off to the side as if more for observation than participation. There's a table at the front of the room already holding a small box and a pad of papers and pen, for voting apparently. A side room containing only a metal gurney is next and today it's obvious why there's a gurney there at all with the corpse, resting right on top of it. Aside from that, there are rows for everyone to take a seat and it's only after everyone is inside and settled, that the doors close and the Sheriff speaks.

"Well, have at it. You've got till nine."

And then, he points to a clock on the wall that reads 12:00. Good luck.

Welcome to the trial post! Characters are free to discuss everything related to the trial here. They won't be let out of the room until 9PM when voting ends. Every character must vote and the voting post can be found here.

If there are any questions, please shoot a message to this journal or to

robowest.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So what's stopping us from voting for the Sheriff this time?

[ If it's unavoidable now. Bloody hell. ]

Do you want to know how he would kill her?

I think she stands a better chance of a kind death, left to one of you.

[ A kind death. As if there is such a thing. ]

The ones who would give her a kind death aren't the ones who deserve to be given that burden.

[ Because he doubts those volunteering will do so. ]

Well, you've very quickly talked yourself into a moral corner then, haven't you? How would you have us proceed?

I don't know! [ It's too soon for this. It's only the beginning. ] There has to be another way. We'll figure something out. She doesn't have to die.

(no subject)

saurloser - 2017-01-22 02:27 (UTC) - Expand

expelliarmed - 2017-01-22 02:35 (UTC) - Expand

saurloser - 2017-01-22 02:41 (UTC) - Expand

[ ... well.

this time she won't stop him. ]

I mean... At this point, anything would be shitty for her, but don't you think that would be extra shitty?

Would you rather do it, then?

[A pause, honestly shocked, before she really processes that.]

No! Jesus christ, that isn't what I meant.

[She can't, she couldn't. She knows that much.]

If it were you in her place, though, would you want the person in charge of overseeing us to do it?

[ He's quiet for a moment. ]

Of course I wouldn't. But it's asking an awful lot of someone here to do it mercifully.

[ That kind of guilt...he'd never killed anyone, but he was responsible for too many deaths. It eats away. ]

We don't know if he'd give her a clean death, for starters.

Whoever we do vote for should be able to agree to that, yeah.

If it's going to happen, it needs to be as painless as possible. I'll punch their fucking teeth in if it isn't.

I'll help.

[ like. yeah. ]

So who will? I wouldn't trust anyone volunteering to.

[ lookin at you ash and nui... ]

I don't know. An adult? Someone with a good head on their shoulders? But not the two assholes volunteering.

[He's. So lost without his partner??? Help.]

[ So is he, honestly. ]

Definitely not them. We'll see if anyone else would be willing.

Even if he would... frankly, if I were in her shoes, the thought of that guy being the one to end my life sounds pretty unappealing.

You can say that again. I'd rather bite my own tongue off than let that old man be my executor.

I was wondering the same thing. But would that be more merciful than one of us doing it?

It depends on whether or not there's anyone among us willing to bear the guilt.

[ He couldn't do it. He'd refuse, selfishly. ]

I know I couldn't. I don't even know her very well, but to kill someone like that... I don't know who could.

[ asides from the... crazy over-eager people, like nui, but those people are auto-disqualified they'd be worse than the sheriff? ]

expelliarmed - 2017-01-22 02:34 (UTC) - Expand

Harry. [Man, come on.] We can at least know that voting for one of us might be a little better for her than whatever the Sheriff can pull off.

No one should have to bear that responsibility, though. And the ones who are volunteering...

[ They won't do Tiara any kindnesses. ]

I know. You know that and I know that, but what do we do when the ones volunteering end up in the same position as Tiara? We're all going to have to figure this out. [He hates it. He really, really hates it.]

The Sheriff sees this as a game. Didn't you hear him? He called this a clean cut thing. I don't think he would do her kindness either.

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hydrokinetics - 2017-01-22 02:34 (UTC) - Expand

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hydrokinetics - 2017-01-22 02:46 (UTC) - Expand