009 ⌥ TEXT [filtered against erik, sorry bro]

[femshep]

1. If you join him, you're a fool. A public call to arms is what the enemy's been waiting for. They'll kill you where you stand. No hesitation, no remorse.

[Yes, Shepard has a plan. No, she isn't letting on that she has one here. If Erik wants to be a big flaming distraction, more power to him, but she isn't letting him take anyone else down with him.]

2. My offer for weaponry's still open. No compensation necessary, I got what I needed. If you can't shoot, I'll teach you. He was right on one thing: Defense is crucial.

3. Eliot, a word? Later tonight, unless you want in goring range of a ten-ton reptile. Let me know where to find you.

4. Kaidan--I'm on my way.

[She thinks. She and the triceratops are doing a bit of sizing up as she types this, so it's all up in the air how well this'll end up working.

MEANWHILE, anyone on the main road will see a single triceratops making haste more-or-less toward the pen Kaidan mentioned. It has two or three ropes tied near the ends of each of the two primary horns, the other ends of which are in her hands as she straddles its shoulders, just barely too far back for any potential injuries from the dinosaur's crest. The aforementioned hands are glowing a faint blue--she's strong, but not quite strong enough to steer a triceratops. Not without her biotics, anyway.]

Comments

[Text; Private]

[relicrebellion]

Did you find any body armour when you found the weapons? It may be beneficial to equip the trade expedition, if so.

[video]

[knightoflight]

[Wing had been on the fence about Erik's offer. Someone needs to take charge, but, Commander Shepard is right: this might gain a response they're not looking for.]

What can we do to protect the ship? In case Erik and his allies do provoke an attack?

text;

[1811k]

Oh, this place is fun. Picking sides is my favorite.

video

[newguy]

I think I missed the offer for weaponry the first time around, but Ms. Potts said I ought to talk to you?

TEXT

[furhat]

["They"? This message interests Alucard, who of course is still new to this place and would therefore like some more details about them.]

They? 'The enemy'? Who are they? Those that were shooting at the reptiles from afar, I take it?

Video

[abetterway]

[The conflict and hesitation are clear on her face, and when she speaks she does it reluctantly, quietly.]

I can shoot.

[She refuses to be a liability if the Outer Authorities attack the caravan.]

Audio

[thecricketer]

[He sounds less argumentative and more...tired.] I really would rather we didn't divide ourselves.

I may be able to help you teach, if you receive a lot of students.

[Action]

[professorwolf]

[The triceratops is hard to miss, and Randolph Lyall, walking down the road into town, has to stop and stare to make sure he's seeing it right. He only barely keeps himself together enough to not drop his dispatch case, but that's pretty much it. He's outright staring, and hang how rude it is to stare.

What in the name of all that's holy is that....

The fact that the beast has a rider doesn't escape his notice, either, but he's staring more at it than her, at least.]

[Private - aren't you proud of him?]

[calmyourmind]

While your concern is flattering, your consistent attempts to dissuade people from coming together through the only true means of communication available, shy of those you have made your disapproval of quite clear, is becoming a hindrance in gaining cohesiveness among the people here.

I know you believe yourself to be helping, however the fact remains that they do not require these devices to spy on us, as you yourself have pointed out.

I urge you to cease this constant aggressive paranoia toward any public attempt to bring people together. I know it is well founded, and that you distrust both the network, and many of the other people stranded here, but your actions are only aiding in continuing to keep these people too divided and too afraid to do anything about the danger at hand.

[Action]

[standsentinel]

[True to his promise, Kaidan has the gate unbarred. (Or, rather, the repurposed I-bars that he's sunk into the ground have been biotically lifted away to leave a triceratops-sized gap at the top of the ramp. An actual gate will take some further doing.)

He's settled into a lean against the stack of them, steadily massaging his temple as if that might dislodge the building migraine that he's going to end up making worse by sealing the dino back in when he sees the dust cloud.]

"You're riding it? Seriousl--"

[He sighs, The temple-massaging redoubles after both hands scrub across the silvering of his hair.]

"Of course you're riding it."

[text; private]

[hackreality]

re: 1, is he bad news?

[text, locked]

[asecondfaster]

1. Even I'm smarter than that.

2. The only shooting I've ever done is in video games or paintball, but it might be useful to learn.

Perma Audio || Private

[golden_retriever]

Hey. I'm not in the city limits. Headin' south to intercept the trade delegation.

I'll can give ya a call when I'm back if you want to talk. Might take up your offer of weapons then too.