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Date & Time: Jan 12th to Jan 19th (real time), July 11th to July 18th (historical time), 1884
Location: Black Rock, New Mexico, USA
Characters: All transports
Summary: Fearing UE reprisal, the Initiative corrals all transports and shoos them onto a mission back to the Wild West, to vote Gerald "Moony" Jackson in as Mayor of Black Rock. Transports are encouraged to used all their wiles to encourage townsfolk to vote in favor of him, too. Other than that, they're free to roam as they will for 7 whole days! Good luck finding food and shelter, masses. (See the OOC post for more information.)

The Initiative had been terse and rushed as they gathered the transports into the Transporter room, and anyone unwilling to participate will have been forcibly hurried along. The Initiative employees had seemed distracted and worried, and unwilling to stand around and debate. It was time to move. The teleportation had gone off without a hitch, and a roomful of transports have been treated, quite suddenly, to a broad and sunny blue sky, and especially to the heat of mid July in the American West.

Enjoy your weeklong stay in Black Rock, New Mexico! The town is small and sleepy, with just 3 good saloons and one questionable (but considerably cheaper) one. There are a few inns, but these inns aren't quite prepared to room a sudden influx of over 300 travelers, and some people might have to bunk up or get creative with their sleeping arrangements. If you sleep in an inn at all, of course. There's plenty of unexplored wilderness out there to sleep in instead, isn't there? Just make sure to check your boots for scorpions in the morning.

The only instructions are "vote for Gerald "Moony" Jackson for Mayor, and try to convince others to do the same", and you've been given just enough money to cover a very sparse room and board for 7 days, if you don't spend it in anything else.

So, how do you spend your time?

Edit: Overflow log!

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That's not true, you can't believe it, you can't.

[ because if Arthur would give up on Morgana and Morgana gave up on herself then it would all be lost, whatever hope Gwen has now would be gone. ]

She wishes us to! She told me. She would have me lie to her so she may think I do not care. It confuses her that I do. She would have us do that, we cannot oblige her. She changed - she nearly lost herself entirely.

[ but Gwen would not believe her to be entirely lost. ]

But she has not hurt me, she calls me Gwen still. She looks scared, Arthur. I cannot declare her lost, I will not bear it.

She has not hurt you yet, Gwen--but she will.

[there is severity in his tone when he answers, there is a finality--but there is a weariness, too. the judgement should be quick and easy, and it is unfair to find that it is not.]

And she has already lost herself. She gave herself to her magic, and abandoned us. If she is scared, if she regrets what she has done--then she must make amends. But she must also pay the price for her betrayal, and for her sorcery.

I am sorry, Guinevere. I-- [he swallows once, and then a second time, and says it quickly:] And I am sorry for her, too. But there is nothing to be done for her.

But she is here and we all share the same goal now. We all wish to go home, surely we cannot simply - ignore her, as if she is not in the city? If she'll be hurt or ill, Arthur I wouldn't be able to ignore her, I can't think of her as anything less than a friend. A lost one but...but a friend still. I already lost too much to give up on her too.

[ her brother she hadn't spoken to in years, her father is gone, Morgana spent a night in chains when she spoke out of line to Uther after his passing. She cannot forget. ]

[a lost friend. but that is too easy. that forgets the whole of her sorcery, the whole of her betrayal. she is a witch, and a witch is no friend of Camelot, no matter what she once was. but what Gwen says sticks, for a moment. could he ignore Morgana, if she needed help?

there is a beat of silence, and then he looks over at her once more.]

And do you think that she would come to your aid, should you need it?

It doesn't matter.

[ not to Gwen, who always had a softer heart than the rest of them. She looks at him, bites her lip. ]

It doesn't matter if she won't, I'll still come to hers. She is still someone I care for, even if she doesn't care much for us anymore.

[he could almost laugh at that. it is so much more than simply not caring, he could tell her. it is so much more complex.

instead, he looks at Gwen, for a long moment. there is tension to this--it almost feels as if sides are being drawn, and though he does not question Gwen's loyalty, her allegiance to Camelot--her allegiance to him--Morgana stands between them, in a way, a shadow that they cannot ignore.]

I could forbid you from seeing her.

[it isn't a command, it's simply a remark, a statement.]

[ There are no sides, she had told Morgana and she still believes it. Morgana just needs to remember, she just needs to come back home. At Arthur's words she pauses, remains silent for a moment before nodding. ]

You could.

[ and in that case, what will she do? She would not lie to Arthur and see Morgana regardless but she can't simply behave as if Morgana is not there. She tidies her dress without a need and speaks more casually. ]

I don't think seeing her will be a problem. She doesn't want to see me as it is.

[ and it hurts, it hurts and she worries. ]

[he turns away, with a bleak bitter smile. where once Morgana and Gwen were so close, there is now this division between them, deeper even than the division between him and Morgana.

he could still forbid her--he could forbid them to talk, or forbid her from contacting Morgana at all--for her safety, to protect her. but what if Gwen should prove right? what if there is some way they might save Morgana from her sorcery? he will not consider it--he will not even think it.]

I would forbid you nothing, Guinevere. [perhaps he should. Uther Pendragon would, without question. but they are far from Camelot, in a world that they do not know. and still, Arthur will not say the words so directly, he will not give permission, but--] I would tell you only to be careful. You may love her, but Morgana has changed more than you realize. She is dangerous. And if she should harm you--

[but she will not. he will not let that happen.]

Be careful. That is all I will say.

[ And this, this s why when the situation would truly call for it, Gwen would choose Arthur. Her belief in him has built itself for long months and now she knows him to be a good man, he would be a good king.

Morgana - in that front, Gwen knows nothing anymore.

It's terribly forbidden but she reaches a hand to press down to his arm still. ]

Thank you.

[the touch of her hand is startling, but certainly not unwelcome, and he looks to Gwen--first to her hand, and then up at her face--

and it is unfair, what he feels. the surge of gratefulness is familiar--Gwen, doing what she always does, setting things at rights in small ways--but there is something more to it, too, something that goes beyond mere appreciation for the loyalty of Guinevere, more toward appreciation for Guinevere herself. it's far too direct a notice, far from the way a prince should feel--but he can't help it, and perhaps it's something to do with how far they are from Camelot, or how badly he needs her loyalty--needs her, in a way, but again, that is not a thought for a prince--and yet he cannot help the small smile that brushes over his face, and before he can think, he puts his hand atop hers and gently presses it close.]

I've done nothing that requires thanking. [and he hasn't, truly he hasn't--if anything, he feels a twinge of regret. he should have been harsher, he should work harder to keep Gwen safe--

and he should remember himself, and he realizes suddenly that they are standing in the middle of the road, quite close--and he stands a little taller, trying to regain something of himself (but does not let go of her hand, not just yet)--] We should find our way to the inn. We can-- discuss more once we have found you a room.

[ It will always be there between Arthur and Gwen. A simple cotton sash offered instead of silk as Gwen is no lady and cannot offer a lady's favor and Arthur kissed her still. Now his hands rests upon hers and it is right there, that forbidden, sweet thing and she lets it linger.

She smiles, nods her head at his words. ]

Of course. A good thing the town is not very big, it would not be a problem finding it.

[ perhaps she sounds happier. ]

[this brief moment of happiness does not undo everything that they have talked of--but it does weaken the blow of it. and perhaps it is not meant to be undone. perhaps they will always disagree on Morgana--but perhaps, too, there is some small thought that Gwen might have the right of it, as she so often does, in her good gentle way. if there is anyone that can bring Morgana back to what she was--if it is even possible--then surely it must be Guinevere, and not by sorcery or by magic, but by gestures as simple as this.

it is a foolish thought to entertain, but it seems plausible in this moment, and Arthur's smile goes a bit more genuine.]

A small town, and my good sense of direction. We will find our way before very long. [and he must let go of her hand now, if only so they can walk--but this time, he does not hesitate to offer his arm instead.] Come on, then.

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