Game Log spring 2013

Going to Town

On April 5, as the group sat in the dining hall planning their first official trip to Sackville, ( there had been several low key recon trips during the winter )  a “post wagon” is seen by the guard on the roof. With a good amount of snow still on the ground, a slay pulled by a horse team was making its way up the road, stopping at each house. When they got to the long drive way of the fort they called out, waited a few minutes, dropped a letter into the mail box, then moved on.

The letter was in two parts; a generic invitation to a town meeting to be held on the 25, and a personal written letter from the Mayor and the Director, inviting some representatives from ACRO to an informal morning meeting at city hall.

Doc had been working on plans to “take over” the town, by helping it and gaining influence in the new government. His more Machiavellian idea would be to make the student leaders look bad; either as incompetent or as tyrannical. John often debated Doc over political tactics. His main concern was that democracy should not be scarified in the name of survival.

The team going to town was Katerie, Kellyanna, Farmer Brown, and Doc as representatives of ARCO. The Grunt and Yvan would go as guards for the group and look after the vehicle. Choosing to make a grand entrance, the group drove to town in a hovercraft. The town guards were very surprised by this, but they had been told to be on their best behavior concerning people from the fort.

There was no end of rumors about the group at the fort up in Midgic. The fact that they had killed off an entire troop of bandits, made them heroes not murderers. Such was life in the new world. Of course half the rumors were untrue, while the other half were exaggerations.

The group met with Director Dave in the small conference room at city hall. He showed himself off as a serious hardworking official, no formality or fancy clothes. He wanted to split fact from fiction about the group and then see where they stood on certain issues. Basically he wanted to know if they would be friend or foe.

Doc lead the ARCO team in its presentation of a friendly face. He stressed that the group was made up of experts in various fields, who were researching alternative technologies and techniques for farming and for living; the kind of people that Sackville would benefit from having around. He strongly hinted that ARCO people should be in charge of some of the activities that were or should be going on around town.

The meeting arrived at an agreement in principal that both sides could smile about. The details would be worked out over the next few weeks. But there was “one more thing” that Dave wanted to talk about; the Bandits of Dorchester. Reports from a few survivors told about how the prisoners of Dorchester Detention Center, located about 12 km west of Sackville as the crow files (14.6 km along main road), had taken over after the EMP. 

After the violent take over, some of the 500 prisoners had simply left, but most had stayed on to use the prison as a fort. They raided near by homes and farms, in a bloody orgy of violence; looting and taking captives. However this first set of raids did not address the bandits’ real needs. So the next set of raids were made with more intelligence. They aimed at a system of protection, wanting sizable tribute now, to get winter supplies, and promising future visits would be peaceful if the farmers cooperated.

The bandits were a danger that Sackville had to deal with sooner than later. They would be a major topic at the town meeting.

The ARCO group had lunch at one of the few local taverns that was still in business. Although there were strict rationing rules for many items, liquor was not on the list. Kellyanna became quite the center of attention as she caroused with the locals. Doc on the other hand was trying to dispel some of the myths about the group and their camp. “We do have guns. We do not have gold.”

The town meeting was held from 1pm until dark, with extra security laid on just in case. The drastic measures that had been taken to help the town survive the winter were not popular with everyone. Some of the people who lived just outside the new-town-zone, were especially aggravated; either because they had stayed at home and been left to fend for themselves, or because they had moved into town but still owned property outside it.

The mayor played host at the meeting but it was clear who was in charge of things; Director Dave and a small group of students ( the new department heads ) each made a report and then answered questions. A few of the old council members and university professors were on stage as the advisory body, but they said little during the event.

What was going to happen next? – That was the question on most people’s minds.

Dave outlined the plan as follows: The town would stay compact and its defenses would be improved. People were welcome to move into town or stay in their homes nearby. Services, including protection, would be extended outside the town walls, but they could not be guaranteed to be as effective out there. Abandoned farms would be taken over by the town as common property. Nearby farmers, would keep their property of course, but they would be required to donate a sizable percentage of their produce.

In the Republic of Dave citizenship would be a combination of rights and responsibilities. A lot of the classic freedoms in the bill of rights were included, but also there was a list of duties required for the common good and survival of the community. A lot of useless modern laws were to be suspended, but the rule of law was to be abandoned.

Dave also promised there would be more direct democracy. Town meetings and votes would be held on major issues, about once per month. There would be elections, but not till next year.

Near the end of the meeting a spot light was put on the ARCO group and they were introduced as friends of the community. “Perhaps they can even help with the bandit problem.” One of the lieutenants on stage suggested. This of course led right into the subject of Dorchester serving as a fort for robbing rapping scum. The crowd was quickly in agreement that something had to be done soon. But there was debate over what. In the end Dave suggested the people with serious ideas, especially those with military experience, meet with him later that night. Of course the ARCO crew went to the meeting.

The attack plan against Dorchester penitentiary was outlined that night, but would be revised several times over the next two weeks as preparations were made and as recon teams came back with new info.