[hr][center][h1]The Interrogation[/h1][/center][center]Collab between [@beyond visions], [@Kingfisher], [@Apollosarcher], [@Xandrya], [@Heretic][hr][/center]

[indent]The vanguard prison contain three large holding cells, one currently housed the prisoners. The one on the far right held a smuggler and a drunk, the two were silent as if in awe of the fact that Overseers were in the room. The middle cell lay empty door open, the bed had once hosted a marshall asleep on the bench at the back, he had left before the Overseers arrived. The left most cell held the three Overseers together, as Reno moved towards a desk across from said cell. He had placed a desk here to allow him space to speak with prisoners, two plush chairs in near perfect condition sat either side of desk. However as Alfie spoke Reno rolled his eyes, letting Cassie get in her answer before laying down the law with the insolent boy.

Reno looked Alfie in the eyes.[color=Silver] "You don't talk to her, you talk to me brown nose. Oh and just so we're clear, I can turn you over to Cassie the second I find your company no longer be pleasant. Secondly, you will refer to me as Sheriff."[/color] Taking a seat at the desk across from the cells, kicking his boots up onto the desk his spurs jangled.[color=Silver] "And Alfie... Let me be clear, if you continue to insult the fine people of Vanguard then I will have Marshall Dodge give you his pistol and we will settle this my way... And from what I hear you ain't got stomach for killing. So you will sit down, shut up and let the people who matter talk."[/color]

Reno's eyes locked onto the with Captain Thrax next, as he reached into his desk retrieving a box of cuban cigars and a bottle of well aged rum. [color=Silver]"Now I took these off the smuggler a few cells over so they are mine to share."[/color] He sat both of his desk before pulling out the keys to the cell, kicking the chair to the other side out a little further. He turned back towards the cell spurs clanking as he walked to the door opening it slowly. 

[color=Silver]"Captain, step out and join me for a drink perhaps a cigar? There is no reason I can not be civil while we talk terms. After all, you are my guest in my fine prison."[/color] He waved his right hand for the captain to step out, speaking as if it was nice place to be. His left hand however tapped in rhythm against his pearl grip six shooter, they knew what Reno could do. Reno could make a man dead faster than you could blink, it would take little effort for him to draw and blow all three away if they tried to make a move. [color=Silver]"The rest of you stay nice and quiet for now, you'll all get to say your piece. If y'all are real good I'll break out the cards and we can play a hand of poker later."[/color] He smiled, charmingly at the two he was both terrifying and a perfect gentleman all at once to them.

Alfie remained with the Corporal at the first of their cell, leaning against the wall before sitting down. Mind as well get as comfortable as possible since there was no telling how long it would be. With Lily beside him, the Lieutenant squeezed all space between them two so that even the quietest of his whispers could be understood. Although, Cassie may have the chance to hear what he murmured since she was positioned right by their cell door, watching them. [color=778899]"Remember... they're not faction leaders...,"[/color] Alfie whispered the obvious, but if one were to give it thought, there was more to his statement than its surface meaning. Because Cassie and Reno were not faction leaders, Alfie knew that they have no real power to make any life or die decisions, not unless their superior allowed them. [color=778899]"They can only [i]think[/i] about killing us... But nothing else..."[/color] And Alfie highly doubted that Theo Callahan would allow the death of the Overseers just yet, because there was no revenge in that. [color=778899]"[i]Puppets[/i]... Theo sent his [i]puppets[/i]..."[/color] 

Thrax followed Sheriff Wylde out of the cell, and into the corridor beyond. The more time they'd spent imprisoned, the more irritable the Captain Overseer had become, but even in his testy state, Thrax knew that there was little to be gained in throwing his weight around, at least under the current circumstances. There would be a time for exacting revenge, but first he had to deal with ensuring his own safety, and the safety of those under his command. 

"I appreciate the cordiality, Sheriff," Thrax said slowly, rolling his broad shoulders "what is it you want to know?" 

Despite her best efforts, Lily couldn't help but feel extremely annoyed as Lieutenant Vanderbilt wouldn't stop running his mouth. Nothing good would come out of it, except him getting some satisfaction from getting Cassie all riled up. But given the situation they were in, the lieutenant should learn to not bite the hand that feeds.

[color=008080]"With all due respect, sir, I think we should just let them question us so they can leave us alone and be on their way."[/color]

Cassie shot Alfie a dirty look. The only reason the bastard didn't have a bloody nose was due to the fact that Reno was just mere inches away, otherwise she would have made him regret his words. For whatever reason, she didn't want to have Reno witness her lose control so easily.

[color=lightblue]"Is your ass jealous of the amount of shit that just came out of your mouth? No wonder you're so fucking bitter..."[/color] 

Not giving him an opportunity to reply, Cassie turned her back to the prisoners as she focused on the conversation that Reno and Thrax were having.

Reno shut the jail door once more locking it before he poured them both a glass of rum as he took a sat in the chair opening the box of cigars on the table. Setting out a matches for them as well. [color=Silver]"Feel free to help yourself Captain."[/color] He took off his hat looking Thrax in the eyes.

[color=Silver]"Now, I am not a criminal and nor have I ever done anything other than keep the peace in the town. As I was asked to by your predecessor, I am also the only one here who wants see things stay peaceful."[/color] The drunkard sheriff knocked back his drink pouring another as he spoke. [color=Silver]"Theo and the little lady want to make you pay, I can only imagine what the Mastermind's would want to do to you all."[/color] He looked at Thrax chuckling. [color=Silver]"I'm a gambler and I don't like your odds, so work with me and I promise you all live. Give you my word as a lawman, now... What can you tell about your ship?"[/color] He added as his eyes drifted around the room, sizing them all getting read on others as it were.

Thrax moved his hand over the cigars, but instead settled on taking a match, to light one of his cigarettes with. Cigars were best enjoyed over time, and Thrax had never had the luxury of time. 

The Overseer Captain slipped a straight between his lips, striking it to life with the flick of a match, before taking a long drag. 

"Whilst I appreciate you not lynching me, Sheriff, I feel inclined to remind you, and all others, that I speak as the voice of the Collective on this colony. Whatever slights the Spartan has imagined I've accrued against him over time, these upstarts don't have the authority to take raise a single hand against me, or my subordinates. I do not feel at liberty, sir, to reveal a damn thing about what our intentions are, but I do feel inclined to point out that keeping agents of the Collective imprisoned is a VERY bad idea." 

[color=Silver]"And I feel inclined to point out the Vanguard nor the Muse's are managed by stable and rational people. Captain I would prefer not to turn you or the others over to them as I would feel guilty about it all. That being said, I cannot let you go or maintain you in protective custody without something in return."[/color] The young man picked up one of the cigars and striking a match to light it. [color=Silver]"So the reality of this is simple, you work with me or get worked over by the others. No bullshitting, no bluffing."[/color] He spoke plainly sighing as he looked among the three.

[color=Silver]"Captain I would applaud your actions if I didn't know what the people you think cannot harm you are like. You forget sir, everyone in this colony but me committed a crime bad enough to be sent here. That many here would glad to just to spite you."[/color] Reno looked around the room drawing his pistol spinning it on his finger. [color=Silver]"We're the last of humanity that means if we fuck this up, we doom a species to extinction."[/color] He added with a serious tone looking each person in the room in the eyes. [color=Silver]"We get one chance to make sure we don't end humanity... So we gonna continue to act like we did before, or are we gonna start trying to play nice?"[/color]

Thrax sighed loudly, blowing a plume of grayish white smoke out through his nostrils. "Its incredibly hard for me to do my job, when the people that I'm supposed to be in-charge of are throwing me in a fucking cell. But if you want to help a bunch of convicts completely undermine the chain of command, that's on your head, Sheriff." 

Thrax paused for a moment, taking another drag from his cigarette. 
 
"You’ve heard about this decay, yes? Well...things outside of the colony have gotten a hell of a lot worse.”

Alfie admired Thrax for being hopeful to believe that there is still such thing as the Collective, but until they are rescued, [i]if[/i] that is even likely at this point, there is no Collective. There is no way back home. There is only survival. All they can do is outlast. 

Alfie rose to his feet before resting his curled fist around the cell bars, his apparent intrigue in the conversation obviously showing.  [color=778899]"My Captain is right, but what happens... once you have our ship? What happens to us?"[/color] His voice first came quite, but polite. Alfie was definitely over his annoyances. He figured, in order to increase their chances of survival, Alfie needed to find a way out of this cell. Even if that meant cooperating with the vanguards, for now.  [color=778899]"I may be... willing... to cooperate...."[/color] Alfie shot eyes towards Thrax, concerned with his Captain's opinion on making such a statement.  [color=778899]"Of course, with my Captain's permission."[/color] 

Of course he would cooperate now, after it finally sunk in that they were in quite a bit of trouble. Cassie couldn't help but shake her head as she rolled her eyes, her back still leaning on the cell bars opposite the two prisoners. Although it was simply human nature to do anything to survive, changing one's mind so quickly could suggest ulterior motives.

[color=lightblue]"You know what will happen...the same thing that's been happening to all of us all this time. We're left to fend for ourselves."[/color] Cassie then turned around to look at Alfie in the eyes. [color=lightblue]"But if you just happen to be lucky, death will come for you much quicker than expected."[/color]

[color=778899]"Do you mean me specifically? Because if so, I can only wish for things to be that simple..."[/color] Alfie was not sure if what Cassie said was meant to be a threat, or if was a future he should hope for. Though after just seconds of silence, pondering her words, he came to the conclusion to not to wrestle with the worry. His main focus was not himself. Alfie may appear cold and distant, but to those who knew him, he placed Thrax and Lily on a pedestal. He saw them as good people, that even in terms of revenge, did not deserve an execution. After what he did to Isabel, Alfie counted himself number one on Churchill's death list, there was no changing that. He now only saw himself as a tool to maintain the security for those he cared about, and what he cared about. [color=778899]"Sheriff... I must confess that you are... right... about humanity's potential extinction... Well, there will always be the tribesmen outside of Churchill... but I rather see the prosperity of this colony rather than to the Outsiders, a people who practice an initiation process of eating alive and raw those taken under their captivity."[/color]  With his fingers still wrapped around the bars, Alfie pressed his forehead against the metal, but with eyes tightly shut. [color=778899]"I cannot speak for my Captain, nor for Corporal O'Hare, but I will clearly state  that I am willing to cooperate. Being an Overseer is my upmost pride... yet I am at heart a colonist... I...  live and breath... not only for the survival of my fellow Overseers, but what's the point if humanity cannot be preserved in the first place?"[/color] 

Reno chuckled. [color=Silver]"Captain you think I like taking orders? You think I enjoy being told when to work and having someone question what I do? But thing is I'm a survivor, I survived the wastes, I survived this town, and I could sure as hell survive if this comes to war."[/color] He answered in tone that let them know Reno Wylde was loyal to the law as long as it meant it was the best way to keep the peace. 

If peace broke, Reno wasn't going to shoot vanguards or Overseer's he would leave, after all he was the only one who had survived out there without going cannibal. [color=Silver]"Captain they don't want a chain of command anymore. The people here want fair and equal trade, they want a clean slate and fair shake... And they got numbers, and you need the gene pool wide as it can be if we want a hope in hell to make out of this." [/color]

Reno got up opening the cell again as he took the cigar out of his mouth. [color=Silver]"If Alfie here co-operates and things go smooth, I'm gonna negotiate for peaceful return of you all... Failing that, well Dodge is a heavy sleeper."[/color] He added giving them a wink as he drew his pistols spinning them as turned to leave.

[color=Silver]"Cassie watch Alfie, we're gonna see the big man and don't worry Alfie as long as you keep it civil I'll keep him from laying a hand on you.[/color]" Reno answered, he wasn't a fan of playing the middle man, but right now he was the only impartial person among them all. So he was going to have to play peacemaker... And out here that usually meant talking from behind the barrel of a drawn gun.

[hr]After only minutes of keeping watch, Cassie received word of a special visitor requesting her presence. As for Reno searching for his superior. The Spartan king was, well, Theo was currently... [i]preoccupied[/i] with the wedding preparations... [hr][/indent]