Take...Responsibility?

[kingmakereffect]

Unlike previous weeks in the Vault, there was no specifically allotted time for investigation; for the first time, this weekend the elevator doors remain closed at the end of the first floor corridor. There's no getting down into the courtroom from here – but then, you don't need to. After all, no one is dead. Just the same, however, a crime has been committed; perhaps not one that warrants any sort of death penalty, but one of your number was attacked by someone else still walking among you. The dining hall has been chosen as the allotted meeting place for the day; it's not the same as the trial circle by a long shot, but even so, the portraits of the deceased watch the proceedings from the far wall. Ten Survivors still remain. Let's see who wanted to lower that number by one – or nine.

Comments

[captainobnoxious]

[... Sure is nice, not having to walk anywhere. And with the kitchen nearby, they can eat, too. Unlike other times.

Still, Sigrun isn't very hungry, and she's laying on one of the tables with a yawn.]

So. What do we do. It's not like anyone died, so there's not really a need for... all of this, but it's not like we can let an attack go either, I guess. What'd everyone find out?

[cherryblooded]

We're not executing anyone, captain.

[Something about her tone strikes Cherryblod as a little strange.]

It's nothing for you to be worried about. We'll find out who did this and come up with an appropriate punishment, but no one is dying today.

...As for me, all I found was that a sink was still running in the first floor men's bathroom and there was a pool of water on the floor around that sink.

[captainobnoxious]

Yeah, yeah, I know. If there's no need we won't do it. Few enough of us as is.

[She gives his evidence a thoughtful look though.]

... And that sounds normal, honestly. Anyone else?

[amygdalae]

Just water? Nothing else?

[notjustawriter]

[Gabriel is still occasionally rubbing his neck. He looks pretty tense right now, but not angry.]

I wouldn't mind some actual justice around here. The kind that doesn't involve killin' anyone.

[garudynamic]

How are you doing by the way?

[penduli]

Justice is what you make of it. [ ...as they had an entire trial about, actually.

MORALITY ISSUES ASIDE: ] I'm relieved to see you're okay, Mr. Knight.

[isafraid]

[Yeeesh..... poor guy.]

If there's anything you be needing, just give a say so.

[isafraid]

[Speedwagon's not looking to eat anything either, and unlike Sigrun who's yawning, he's pretty wide awake after... all of that.]

What do we do? Well.... I suppose we figure it out, all the same.

[His fingers tap against the table.]

Although, I suppose we should give the would-be culprit a chance to just come out with their wrong-doing. Make it a bit easier on all of us.

[captainobnoxious]

Doubt he'll come forward. I mean, even if he didn't succeed, he did try to kill the writer over there. People's thoughts about him would change and... you know, in a place like this, stuff like that can matter.

[... Pays to be the only girl left.]

[garudynamic]

So we're pretty sure the attacker was waiting in the library, hiding, and might have intended to use the throwing knife on Gabriel. Instead they tried to choke him with his pendent and failed. They likely knocked over the books when they escaped.

We also know the water was left running in the bathroom. Assuming someone didn't just forget it maybe they were in there getting themselves together afterwards? Anyways-

-anyone else find anything that stuck out?

[captainobnoxious]

[Sigrun's pausing just a moment in her steps, hand automatically going to the bags on her side, before she forces herself to relax.]

If nothing gets done before I get back, let's just take a break and talk about other things like we usually do. That seems to get the ball rolling.

[garudynamic]

[Head tilt- Sigrun should recognize that look by now]

Huh? What, you need a piss break?

[cherryblooded]

[He's been watching Sigrun basically since the argument started - he knows where he'd be looking if he wasn't - so he catches that.]

...Actually. I know there's no cause for a strip search today, but could we empty our pockets?

It'll only take a moment.

[penduli]

[ He stares at Sigrun for just a moment, then

laughs, shaking his head. His sketchnotebook gets tucked beneath one arm as he slides his hands into his pockets, whole body shuddering with the force of his laughter. It's very loud, very there, and when it finally quiets down he hops to sit on the table they're by and set his sketchnotebook on his lap.

She might be keeping her voice down, but he's not. ]

Miss Sigrun, please. You're right that I couldn't go through with killing someone. I've told you as much. [ Besides, he's too softhearted. He started making stuffed animals for dead people. ...and living people. ] But you're making such a big thing out of nothing.

[ ...he should explain. He looks back at their compatriots, fear flickering in his eyes before it's hidden by the shine of his glasses. ]

The papers she's hiding and the fabric and stuffing she found are mine. I was working on Shirazu's dragon and reviewing my notes earlier this morning. I thought I heard someone in the hall and got scared, so I grabbed what I could and went back to my room. I didn't even notice anything had ripped out of my notebook until I got back, and by the time I went out to look for it...

Well. There were more important things to check out.

[ A smile that might be a bit too bright, a bit too much like the ones he gives when incentives about saving someone come up. ]

That's reasonable enough, isn't it?

[FIVE-SIX-SEVEN TO YOUR HEART ]

[amygdalae]

[...WELL IT LOOKS LIKE LUNCH WILL HAVE TO WAIT.]

You know there's no penalty here for admitting anything now, right? This isn't a trial. We're not downstairs. We're not going to send you to your death.

[Why even go through this?]

[penduli]

There's nothing to admit to, though.[ A shrug that's far too casual. ]

That's all that happened. I've never lied about anything before, right? There's no way I'd start now.

[garudynamic]

[He knows that look- but all it causes is confusion]

But... if you heard something why didn't you say something before now?

[goodforsomething]

......yeah. Makes sense.

[Stan trusts his gut; he wouldn't have gotten this far in his life if he didn't. And he doesn't like what it's telling him right now.]

You know nothing would happen even if it was you, right? Hypothetically speakin'.

[notjustawriter]

[Gabriel has been staying mostly silent throughout this entire process, because he doesn't have much to add.]

I'm not gonna hate you if it was you, Black.

[He doesn't really have it in him to hate people.]

[captainobnoxious]

[Sigrun's close enough to grab him, but -- she doesn't, just... hesitantly leans around him to see everyone else's faces and offer them something of a pained smile.]

I know we're not gonna kill him or anything -- in fact, you've got more reason to put me on trial, two for two, but... just know that I've got my reasons for wanting to just drop this.

[To protect Black's happiness. She knows it's him, there's not a doubt in her mind it's him, but-- it's different than how it was with Mettaton, even if she dragged it out too.]

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

[captainobnoxious]

[Okay then.

With... seven people still here, two of them former moles (because Black's certainly out of a job), it's time to decide.]

I know I haven't much a leg to stand on anymore, but bringing it back to the topic of what we need to do now.

Stan hasn't been a mole for weeks, so I think we can agree to let him off. Colress declined the offer. Black...

[... Well.]

Black's got two crimes on his head now. Attempted murder and spying.

So, [and she breathes it out, rising her head more and wiping whatever's left on her cheeks,] what do we do? I'm all for taking away his device, but only if he stays with me from now on.

And we're not locking him up.

[No one's getting locked up.]

We'll have a vote, like always, after we discuss this.

[goodforsomething]

...I don't mind bein' up for vote. If people are pissed at me, they oughta have their go. Like I said - better to just have it out now.

[amygdalae]

Like what was discussed briefly [before... everything else] we should take away the device, and also get him to tell us whatever we might have not known about. That at least should be the basics.

[As for anything else after that...]

I think we should let Gabriel have a bigger say in this.

[isafraid]

... I figure having a vote is as good as anything. [They've been doing it so long it might as well be an instinct.] I figure taking away his device will do him well enough. I'm not exactly looking for anyone to be locked up either.