A prisoner's action

[stupidhonor]

[1]
[Sielje's cell is littered with books. Books that she was reading - because she made a promise to. And in the middle of it all, the knight standing stoically while pondering her available moves, another book in hand.]

Trapped in enemy territory, sworn not to cause trouble to my own captors as is required of a honorable prisoner... what may I do?

Earth is even more dangerous and tumultuous as a place than Ankaia. The planet has been ravaged by wars and invaders, even invaders out of this world.

I... I wish to see. It is too much to ask of a prisoner, but I wish to see how the ordinary people of Earth manage to exist. I find it impossible to believe that they can eke out a living with a constant threat of demise over their heads.

[She closes the book. It's written in ancient Greek. As a matter of fact, the books around the cell are written in all kinds of languages, presently used or classical.]

[2]

Hmm.

Hmm...

[The vending machine outside Sielje's cell roused her curiosity for a while now. As soon as she had a chance, she went out to pick up a few items it had available - probably certainly with assistance of others who needed to explain how it worked.

And now it's time to further inspect her rewards.]



This is Earth food, is it not? How do you... open yourself! Aah!

[She rips a bag of chips open, scattering most of them on the floor to her own surprise. Sielje pretends not to be embarassed about it at all.]

Such difficulty...

[She mutters while picking up a canned drink, then immediately puts it back down. Too hard to open - and the knight does not seem too impressed with the chips' taste upon carefully eating one.

Lastly, here comes the chocolate bar. The wrapping is easy enough for even someone like Sielje to remove on a second try. As for the taste...]





...!



It is sweet! How is it possible? How did they make the flavor so sweet?

Comments

[stupidhonor]

[Sielje's confused expression betrays that she has no idea what you just said. Too many terms that mean nothing to the knight.]

[a_monetized_mind]

Um, someone pays a bit of money to a third party, then they sign an agreement that if you flee they'll have to pay even more money, and then you get to wander freely until there's a court date.

If you don't show up to the court date then the co-signer-the person who paid the first bit of money-has to pay all the money, and is the first person they go to when asking where you might be hiding.

So basically someone agrees to watch you for a while and make sure you don't run off, and then they get in a lot of trouble if you do.

[stupidhonor]

I already gave my word not to flee unless let go willingly.

Is that not enough?

[a_monetized_mind]

Not around here it isn't.

...Though, you do seem pretty trustworthy, so I'd say there's a good chance command could agree to let you out with a chaperone.

[Jen raises an eyebrow at the books, but doesn't speak up.]

[stupidhonor]

It should be enough. A solemn promise matters more than anything else.

A chaperone you say? Who follows me will find that I have no intention of breaking my word. That position is unnecessary, but if it will make your hearts calmer, then I will accept one.

[Why does Sielje ask like it was already an arranged deal and not just Jen pondering things out loud?]

[a_monetized_mind]

Well, I guess I'll bring it up with someone in the administration here then, see what they think. Don't be too surprised if it doesn't get approved, though-this is all kind of a long shot to begin with.

...Okay, I have to ask-how have you been reading all that?

[stupidhonor]

I will not hold my hopes up, then...

What do you mean? They are just words.

[a_monetized_mind]

Well, yeah, but in a lot of different languages. I can't even read some of those things...Like, is that Anabasis? In classical greek?

[stupidhonor]

It is the story of a man on a military expedition. Betrayed in hostile lands and made leader of his soldiers, he has to struggle to survive.

[Sielje describes the book's contents as if it was the answer to your question.]

[a_monetized_mind]

I know what the book's about, but how can you read it? For that matter, how can you read any of this-with how long Ankaia's been separated from the rest of mankind, your language should be completely different from anything in use today!

[stupidhonor]

We are all humans, are we not?

I do not see why understanding each other should be a problem.

[a_monetized_mind]

Okay, I get that you're new here and all, but some kind of language-comprehending superpower? That's totally unfair!

so many sleepless nights...

[stupidhonor]

?!

[Confused knight is confused.]

My... apologies.

[And now she's apologizing for some reason.]

[a_monetized_mind]

Don't apologize, I'm just angry that stupid tower of Babel, not you...

...But, really, you can read all of those? Just like it was your own language?

[stupidhonor]

[Nod.]

I can.

Babel?

[a_monetized_mind]

It's an old story...you've probably got a bible somewhere in there, it's early on in that.

Kinda wonder what your writing looks like, then...

Have you been eating well?

[stupidhonor]

Yes. But Earth's food is strange.