+ Show First Post
Total: 679
Posts Per Page:
Permalink
"Yeah. Different farm. I see her in front of me at the slop line."

Other people yell about their own family members, or sometimes just friends. Not all of the family members are also slaves. (They're getting pretty angry.)
Permalink

"Guys, I am going to empty this entire island cluster of slaves. I will put all of you somewhere else. If anyone wants to bring a non-slave, we can talk about that once all the slaves are safe."

Permalink
The first guy who talked to Cam explains that this is technically debt bondage, not slavery-for-life. Subtle difference but it might matter.

None of the ones with attachments here like the idea of leaving. It's a fact of life on Cloudbank that if they go to a different island it's extremely likely they'll never see anyone here again, or at least not for years and years.
Permalink

"Well, if you want to stay, you can stay, but if you want to leave, you can do that. I'm not here to kidnap anyone."

Permalink

Three major groups shake out: One is people with no attachments, they want to leave on their own island right now. The second is people who want to rescue other slaves or convince family members to come along and then leave. The third wants to knock the slavers off their pedestal and watch them burn.

Permalink

"This is not a revenge adventure. We can sort you all into groups after I've accounted for everybody. Anybody want to come along and be a second pair of eyes?"

Permalink

A tough-looking dark-skinned woman volunteers. She is pretty much the only one, and says it's because she's not afraid of what happens if Cam fails.

Permalink

Well, that's as good a reason as any. "Lead the way."

Permalink
Once Cam cuts off her restraints, she points at a certain bridge that leads to another farm area.

There are angry people with swords at the other side. They start cutting at the bridge.
Permalink

Now the angry people are asleep! Also, did they not notice Cam has wings, use your eyes. Cam patches the cut rope and across they go.

Permalink
Maybe they're panicking.

There are more slaves here, muttering in alternate fear and hope. "You cut 'em free and move everyone to one place? Gonna need a guard or something if so."
Permalink

"A guard to do what exactly? Are there a lot of routes to any given place?"

Permalink

"Yeah. Don't want 'em to find the first farm and start rounding folks back up."

Permalink

"All right, who wants to hold a tranquilizer gun and go stand near the freed slaves?"

Permalink

No volunteers except a middle-aged man. Tough Lady yells about standing up for yourselves for a few moments, then two more say they're willing.

Permalink

Cam gives them tranquilizer guns, says he'll do his best to be quick about his end of the job, and continues on.

Permalink

There are three more farms, then Tough Lady starts leading him into the central town. The houses containing slaves are readily identifiable by the fact that she bashes their doors in with a stick.

Permalink

Cam knocks people out as needed. If anyone brandishes a ranged weapon he'll wreck it.

Permalink
Plenty of ranged weapons are in evidence, until he wrecks them of course. Mostly slingshots. He doesn't always notice them quick enough - Tough Lady gets a nasty soon-to-be-bruise from a flung rock.

After a while she says that most of them are accounted for. The rest have probably been freed since she's last heard gossip or have been spirited away by the masters once they heard what was happening.
Permalink

And where would masters spirit slaves away to?

Permalink
Their ships, other houses, any number of little hidey-holes. She's not sure.

(No ships have left since Cam started this.)
Permalink

Well, Cam could besiege them but he's not keen. He puts on a pair of infrared goggles. Who is hiding?

Permalink
Things like walls would normally block these goggles, but 2173 tech is capable of ignoring this.

There are clusters of hidey-looking people here and there, and most of them prove to actually be various masters trying to hide with their captives.
Permalink
How inconvenient for those masters to emanate body heat.

And when they have been everywhere:

"That everybody?"
Permalink

As far as Tough Lady knows, yes.

Total: 679
Posts Per Page: