"I'm afraid I don't, sir." Ky shook her head. They'd all agreed on that one. "I apologize. Sir."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Can you remember the names of any of the people handling you at all?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky was quiet for a moment, thankfully having to pause to remember their story, which she hoped would sell her trying to remember the truth. "...one was named..." She squinted. "Vryzi?" She hesitated a moment longer, glancing back at the man. "He was crushed by the cage, though."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Convenient. "Crushed?" He raised his eyebrows but his expression didn't change otherwise. "What happened?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"I... am not sure what happened at the front, sir, we couldn't see it," Ky said. "But the cage rolled off this little drop-off. I guess the snowbank gave out. I'm not sure. Sir."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"And what happened then?" He leaned forward. It wasn't entirely implausible, but it was certainly convenient that the man whose name they could remember had died. He glanced at Sera, who was standing nearby.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky shrank, anxiety bubbling up in her at his attentive gaze. How did she always end up in the center of attention? Especially when the attention was very, very, very much unwanted.
"A lot," she said. "The cage broke open a bit -- enough for us to pry a bar back and get out. Some of the slavers had gotten dragged down under us. A few of the others rushed down. There was... a big tussle." She shook her head slightly, eyelids feeling heavy. Why was she so tired despite the cortisol fueling her right now? She should be wired -- not this exhausted. "I'd be lying if I said I remember the exact details. I was just focused on getting out and not getting my head caved in in the process... sir."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"And how did you proceed from there?" He glanced at Tadaaki. "You may answer as well."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Wait, how was he a part of this now? Tadaaki blinked, startled as he got yanked back into the narrative. 'You may' -- that wasn't an order that he had to. Right? He glanced at Ky.
Ky decided not to wait around to see, and instead decided to stay in the center of this painful conversation. "He and I--" she gestured at Tadaaki. "Managed to get away about the same time. We joined Al-" she nodded towards Aleth's bed. He was more keyed in now, but was carefully maintaining the body language he'd had before. It was best to listen first than be forced into a conversation he wasn't ready to handle. "A bit away. He'd gotten his hands on a horse, so we all took off riding this way."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"All three of you on the horse?" He tapped the cane lightly against the ground, glancing again at Aleth.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"We took turns walking it sometimes..." Ky said, with a nod. "But, yeah. Yes. Sir. We only got the one -- didn't want to risk going back."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"And I'm guessing the horse didn't survive long. How long til you had to eat it?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"A bit over a week?" She glanced over at Tadaaki like she was asking him to confirm.
"Sounds right," Tadaaki hesitantly said.
She glanced back at Gaius. "Not sure exactly. The last few days were, uh... I don't remember much. They all blurred together."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky shook her head helplessly. She had the benefit of legitimately not remembering. "Three? Four? I'm not sure. It ran together, sir."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
