(Untitled)

[bass_line_blues]

There was this.

And now Preston is sitting at a table in the Wasteland, looking mildly stunned.

Buying a round for everyone is probably premature. Nothing has happened yet. An idea has been broached, and not rejected out of hand; that's all.

But it feels like something.

Comments

[wither_wilt]

Salla is plopped down next to Preston.

He speaks out of the corner of his mouth and attempts (he tries to so hard) to throw his voice. In a easy to identify, if still horrible and no one would ever really fall for it, Preston impression, Salla says: "Hey, Salla, man! I gotta tell you! Karla totally kissed me and said I was her favorite fluffy wuffy wolf man!"

Salla beams and claps Preston on the back. "Great, man! That's so great!"

[bass_line_blues]

". . . she did?" Preston says, blinking mildly at Salla. "Man, you know I'm happy for you, but, uh - shouldn't you tell her you're not a fluffy wolf man one of these days?"

[wither_wilt]

"I hate you," he says with good humor. "Now, what's with that dazed look in your eye? Do you have pot? Are you holding out on me? You're breaking my heart, man!"

[bass_line_blues]

"Dude, you love me."

Preston grins, suddenly. "And, not to reuse a cliche, but - I am so fucking high on life right now, man, it is just a little tiny bit scary."

[wither_wilt]

:O!

"You do have pot!!"

[bass_line_blues]

"I don't have pot," Preston says, patiently.

"But I have hope of a decent civic justice system in a postapocalyptic democracy, and that is better."

:D????

[wither_wilt]

Beat.

"No, pot is better. But you can tell me about your civic system of great justice. Are we talking biblical sort of civics or Roman? Or even Greek?"

[bass_line_blues]

"Ummmmm." Preston looks thoughtful. "Probably going to start Biblical, I hate to say, if it gets started at all, but hopefully we can move onto Greek once we get it started. Supreme Court-style, if we get very very lucky."

[wither_wilt]

Salla whistles and takes a sip of his beer.

"You think we can pull that together? Man. It would be. Almost like a real civilization restart."

"We should keep the powdered wigs. Real civilized court systems have judges powdered wigs."

[bass_line_blues]

"No one'd take 'em seriously without," Preston agrees, somberly.

"I think we can do it. I think it'll take a lot of hard negotiations, and it'll be a while before anyone takes it seriously - hence the necessity of Biblicalitude, for a bit - but I really, really think we can.

"I . . . think we kind of have to. If we want to build anything."

[wither_wilt]

"Laws, real solid laws that apply across social classes has always been the first step in real civilization."

He props his chin on his knuckles and leans his elbow on the table. This one is all ears.

"What are you thinking for judge, jury, prosecution and defense? What sort of numbers are you looking at to represent the different groups here in the city?"

Dr. Salla says HELLO WORLD! He was only two months away from his PhD, once upon a time.

[bass_line_blues]

Closer than Preston was to his B.A., that's for sure.

"I don't think we can start too big - too complicated. I mean, we've got to start simple until we get it rolling. Supreme-Court style. But smaller, maybe - one each, for a start. Temporary."

A sudden grin. "Also, it'd give us time to round up more wigs, until we can actually hold elections."