In reply to Cole Trayne (msg #14):

To Cole, "See what you can do." Artemus turns his attention to the big man. "Doesn't look good. Got anything you want to say?"

In reply to Ayasha (msg #15):

JEB glances disbelievingly at Travis abandoning his flank, shrugs his shoulders and then picks up the knife. As he cuts the Indian woman's binds, JEB tries to reassure her: You're safe now. I'm expecting you wont run. Dont make me regret my trust. Now where are you hurt?

The one man stampede that is Randy comes to a halt with noise and dust.  Having rushed so hard to arrive on the scene, his breath forces out of his mouth and nostrils like a bull's.  He recognizes the woman, but he's not happy to see her -- not in the least.  He sees no reason to relax his adrenaline pumped body; especially since JEB is in such proximity to the female.  She is an unwelcome reminder of one of his darkest days.  He stays himself.

Randy's spite, rage and disgust perform a magnificent play on his furrowed brow and piercing eyes.

"JEB, watch yerself."

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg #14) and Artemus Carson (msg #16):

Cole sees a variety of personal items inside the tent, including a gun belt, but his eyes fall upon nothing that would help save this man's life.

Meanwhile, Art's question goes unanswered. The man with the chest wound coughs and then his last breath leaves his body.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg #19):

Wern't nothing coulda been done. She got him good.

I'm thinking this isn't going to improve our time table. I'm going to help JEB. Art exits the tent and looks for the others.

In reply to Artemus Carson (msg #20):

Cole shakes his head.

Seems so. He's had it.

Still, Art, I think we should stay here until the law arrives. JEB, Randy and Travis can handle the Indian. Might look bad if we were seen leaving this here tent, with a body going cold inside.

Cole then leaves the tent, but stays near the entrance.

Damn.

Art exits the tent followed closely by Cole, who continues speaking. Both men are greeted by Travis. Standing amidst the tents and shacks, the cowboys see that a few folks are gathering at the edge of the street. One of them speaks.

"What's the matter?"

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg #22):

I believe a gentleman has succumbed to knife injuries. 

Travis avoids looking towards the row house and his companions.

I'm only guessing but I think it may have been well deserved.

Ayasha rubs her wrists after she is freed of the binds. She had almost cut off the blood supply to her hands when she grabbed the knife and stabbed her assailant, and now her fingers are tingling.

"I'm hurting all over, but nothing is serious.", she answers the lawman. Then she takes a nervous step back as a big bulk of a man comes charging in, stopping close to the man who freed her, his nostrils fuming and his feet kicking up dust.

"Er, safe you say?", she mutters jumpily, before pointing at the tent and blurting out: "That bastard tried to rape me! They attacked us and killed everyone!"

It was not necessarily in that order.

Dubious, but interested in hearing more, Randy relaxes partially.

The behemoth of a boy has seen more than his share of walloped women.  Regardless if they rented their bodies, women should never be raped or beaten.  Randy killed a man not long ago on only the suspicion of such.  He knows what he'll do, if her story checks out.

In reply to Ayasha (msg #24):

JEB gestures towards Randy as he replies to Ayasha: The big fella is with me. My compadres are handling whoever is in the tent, but from the look of this knife and the blood on you which I dont think is yours I'd say you took care of 'em already. Tell me what happened from the beginning.

After having been reassured that the big man was not going to hurt her anytime soon, Ayasha was still looking quite nervous.

"I should not be here. The paleface I killed has friends. They said I would bring them 'top dollar' in this paleface town. They will surely be angry. They already killed the others. This is too open."

Ayasha's eyes are still peering at the tents, as if she expects men to rush out of them any second, guns blazing. She is painfully aware of her unarmed state at the moment and shifts her weight nervously from one foot to the other.

"JEB, we gots to move outta this spot in the open, 'les you wants more trouble.  I ain't in no mood to whoop nobody down, 'les I gets some supper first."  Randy's plea to JEB seems earnest.  And JEB shouldn't fall to one of the classic blunders: most famously, 'never get involved in a cattle war in Abilene'; but only slightly less known is this -- 'never go against Randy when food is on the line.'

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg #23):

Cole looks beyond Travis, in an attempt to see if JEB and Randy are still visible. He then slowly glances around looking for any sign of the local law.

Yup, Travis, you're right. He's done for.

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg #29):

The man who spoke--and was ignored--moves closer. He now stands about 15 feet from Cole and the others. "What're you cowboys up to?" he asks, loudly. A few more folks have joined the small group of onlookers.

In reply to Ayasha (msg #27):

JEB looks at Ayasha sternly: No, we wont hide. No one outside the law is carrying a gun in this town except me, so I can protect you. Now let me be clear. This is a matter for the local law and I'm bound by my duty as a lawman to present you to the marshal. I promise you'll be fairly treated.

Randy, go fetch one of the others in the tent if you dont mind.

"JEB, I don't trusts her, but I trusts you.  I does what you ask.  I ain't happy one bit.  We gonna be back here in a whistle."  Randy acknowledges JEB has much more experience with the practice of keeping the order and the law.

---

Quick as he can, he finds the others at the tent.  When the opportunity arises, he reports, "JEB gots her, fellers.  He wants us back to him in a whistle, and he means it."  Randy hustles back to the scene of capture.

OOC: Judge, please determine the appropriate time for Randy to arrive at the tent of death (hollow echoes of each word).

The news that the palefaces carried no guns in their own village is news to Ayasha. "Oh.", she says. "But, but isn't the mar-shall going to side with the palefaces? So far my people were never treated fairly. The palefaces attacked my hunting party and killed everyone but me, and their plans for me are maybe worse even. We did not provoke them, they just attacked. This mar-shall you speak of is different?"

Ayasha looks worried, but it also seems she knows she has nowhere to go. She looks defeated, and her hands are shaking. It looks as if she can barely keep herself up straight, now the adrenaline is wearing off.

To the crowd in general Art says "Ain't nothing to see here folks, jus move along."

Art then turns to Cole, acknowledges Randy, and trys to defuse any who might be suspicious of him leaving the scene by saying "I'll speak to the sheriff."

Art then turns and leaves with Randy.
--
OOC: Edited to add action.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:34, Tue 30 Nov 2010.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg #30):

To the man who is querying the NBO...

We're looking at the dead gentleman.  Friend of yours?

In reply to Artemus Carson (msg #34) and Travis Sunday (msg #35):

The man's face turns grim. "You killed a man and now yer making jokes?"

Another man says, "Ifn' there's nuthin' to see, why're lookin' at it?"

A third man says. "Damned cowboys. I'm fetchin' a policeman."

In reply to Ayasha (msg #33):

The marshal is a fair man. He wont take sides. He'll judge according to the law. Sit down by the wall while we wait if you need to rest.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg #36):

Cole looks at the strangers who are speaking...

A man's death is no joking matter. No one is joking here.

Then, after a moment.

Gettin' the sheriff is a right good idea. I reckon someone should do it, and fast.

Randy returns to JEB as he promised -- back in a whistle.  He's not really sure who followed him back to the scene, but he's fairly sure someone did.

"JEB, now hear me out.  This ain't our affair.  We has a payday coming up and I ain't gonna miss it on account of no damn fool dead feller or no border-ruffian what caused us trouble already.  We gots to get clear outta this before we gets all tangled up bad!"  His voice is stressed, either from running or self-centered concern.  "And I is damn sure the Major ain't gonna take to this one bit."

Dammit!

edit: typo
This message was last edited by the player at 12:39, Wed 01 Dec 2010.

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg #38):

The first man who spoke--and to whom Travis responded--takes several steps closer to the tent. "Sounded like he was trying to make a joke," he says while glancing at both men from the NBO and pointing at the man from the sixth Michigan. "I'm gonna see fer myself." He moves to the tent flap.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:10, Wed 01 Dec 2010.