The Misfits:

Since the Misfits were the most dangerous, the guards made extra effort to guard them. They were currently stuck in what was originally the female's sports change rooms. The two changing rooms were separate buildings on one side of the sports ground of the boarding school that they had been staying in.

A study in misery, Alice sat cross-legged on the bench in the middle of the changing room. The other Misfits were also sitting cross-legged in their usual order. Alice looked around.

"Really, this could just about be any changing room in a school on Earth, couldn't it?" she said.

"Yeah. It has a cold tile floor, dingy walls, and even plumbing - although no hot water. And no electric lighting, either." said Drayden.

There was silence for a while.

"Well, what can we do?" said Bronsen.

More silence.

"Face it, we can't do a fucking thing." said Cassy, "We are right out of our depth. And, as has been convincingly demonstrated, even with our enhanced abilities, we will still be outclassed by the guards."

"Yeah, there's at least four guards outside. All just for our little selves. I'm sure we should feel honoured at such attention." said Alice.

"Can't we devise some plan - distract the guards on one side while we make a dash for it on the other, perhaps?" said Bronsen.

"And then what?" said Alice, "Aragon himself must be stuck in a real dungeon cell somewhere; we certainly can't release him. And then, Lena, Esther, and their kids; remember the guard said they would be holding them hostage if we did anything."

"This is all bullshit - we still can't do a fucking thing!" said Cassy.

"But you can't just keep saying that; we mustn't give up hope!" said Drayden.

"There ain't any hope, you stupid man!" said Cassy. Don't you get it? If Eleanor or someone doesn't do something, Aragon is doomed!"

The discussion became acrimonious until Alice completely lost her temper and whacked Bronsen across the face with her tail.

"Everybody, just shut up!"

Silence.

Ding! Hey, kids, you need to get your act together. Act like adults instead of a bunch of panicked children.

Hint: Why do you think you might have some hope of removing the slave collars from all of Felixerra?

"Sorry, mister System? You're acting a bit high and mighty here, aren't you? We're not the ones with all the power, you know?" said Cassy.

She sounded extraordinarily annoyed and peeved.

"Actually, what does System-san mean by the last bit..." said Alice.

"Ah, right, all of those 100% vows! That's what he means!" said Bronsen.

"Or, she means," said Alice.

"Whatever. Anyway, Aragon has made a 100% vow to Esther and Evereena, but he hasn't made one to Mason and Becky," said Cassy.

"So all he's got to do is to make one! Preferably in front of everyone. And then they will all realise it's a big mistake, and he will be freed!" said Alice.

There was elation, rapidly followed by depression.

"But, will he think of doing that?" said Cassy.

"Isn't it the obvious thing to do?" said Alice.

"I don't want to be that guy who shoots down everybody's ideas, but I did overhear some of the guards talking about making Aragon drunk, just to calm him down a bit," said Bronsen.

"Oh," said Alice.

Another gap filled with silence.

"Hey, what about this? You know how we made a vow, and the contents were transmitted to all those other people? So, why not use the vow to communicate information directly to Aragon." said Drayden.

"Brilliant! We make some minor vow, and in that vow, we tell Aragon to make his own vow," said Cassy.

Ding! Nice try, kids. But vows (by design) don't work that way. It would make things all too easy, wouldn't it?

You have to make a vow about something vital to you. And something that takes some effort to achieve.

The words of the vow cannot carry extraneous content, and the vow will only be transmitted to people with some stake in it.

"Sometimes I hate System-san," said Cassy.

"Well, there must be some way of achieving this. After all, she did drop us a big hint," said Alice.

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There was much discussion. Eventually, they ran out of ideas. They also ran out of patience with each other.

"Oh, Cassy and Drayden, stop bickering with each other," said Bronsen.

They had tried making a vow themselves to look after the orphans, but System-san kindly pointed out that their current vow to end slavery already covered that case. They had then tried to make a vow of allegiance to Eleanor. However, System-san was still acting difficult and pointed out that currently, Eleanor didn't have any say in the matter, so pledging allegiance to her was pointless.

"We just have to see what happens. If Eleanor somehow takes some action, we can try pledging to her, and then hopefully, a hung-over Aragon can get his act together and make a vow to the orphans," he said.

And with that, they divided into their two couples, lay out on the cold tile floor, and tried to get to sleep.

As usual, physically speaking, they were perfectly comfortable in such a situation. However, unlike usual, they took ages to get to sleep.

Lena:

Lena and her orphans were in their usual room. The only thing different was the guards outside.

She was lying on her bed, wide awake, going over and over the day's incidents.

She was also feeling squashed since her orphans were lying on the same bed as she, one on either side. They had been highly disturbed by today's actions.

I'm hopeless. Utterly hopeless. I can't do a thing. I can barely manage to look after two little kids. No one takes the slightest interest in me. I'm in some nightmarish country that kills innocent men in public, and no one will lift a finger to stop it. I have no future; my orphans have no future. I can't even turn over in my own bed because two terrified kids are crowding me on either side.

What do I do?

And what about Esther and Evereena? Poor Esther starts a tentative relationship with Aragon; then, it is all smashed to pieces.

This is horrible.

I bet Eleanor isn't taking this too well, either.

But what can any of us do?

I'm just another powerless woman in a world that doesn't care.

Ding! Hey, Lena, remember you made a 100% vow to protect your orphans? You cannot just give up, lie down, and let the Ringworld roll over you. You had better do some planning.

Oh shit. Now I've got the Voice of the World nagging me. What did I do to deserve that...

That's right, I made a 100% vow to look after my two little orphans.

And I am! When today went to shit, who did they turn to? Me!

Not Eleanor, not the Misfits, but little old me. I'm the mother figure to them.

Even if that fact scares me to death.

But what planning can I do? Damn, if only Aragon had thought to make one of those stupid 100% vows to the orphans.

Actually, why can't he?

Why hasn't he?

Damn stupid man, he probably hasn't thought of it.

Hmm, the guards said something about forcing us to attend the execution. Which is a bloody horrible thing to make the orphans do. But, if I'm there, I can stand up and shout to Aragon to make a vow.

She played this scenario out in her head.

Yeah, sure. The guards will squash me without hesitation.

OK, if Aragon can't get his wits together to work out what to do, he only needs a hint, maybe?

So if I make a public vow to, to, to who? It must be to somebody significant, both to me and the public at large. This is so difficult; I've already vowed to my orphans. About the only other person possible is, I suppose, Eleanor...

Eleanor? What if I make a vow to her?

I suppose, a vow to be a trustworthy and true friend for the rest of our lives?

This feels strange. But I suppose - I do feel strongly about our friendship. Don't I?

After all, she's the only other adult in this big, wide Ringworld to whom I can count on any special friendship.

Isn't she?

I guess so.

The Voice of the World ain't complaining, so I guess I will go with that.

It took her ages to drift off to sleep.

Esther:

Both Esther and Evereena were freaking out and just about giving themselves stomach ulcers. They were in Esther's bed, holding hands and listening to the sounds of the guards as they occasionally walked up and down the corridor outside their room.

It can't be true. Aragon would never do anything to harm us or the orphans. He made a vow!

I was beginning to think I might have some hope of a worthwhile life for me and my daughter.

And this happens!

She was in free fall, sinking ever further into her pit of despair.

I'm never going to escape being a slave, am I?

Never find any happiness. Not even a little bit of security.

And, of course, never work out that 'consenting sex' thing.

At this point, Evereena shook her hands.

"Mum, are you all right?"

"No."

"I guess you were - ah - 'In love' with Aragon?"

"I don't know. But, I had hopes of, I don't know, something nice happening. Something or other. But, of course, nothing nice happens to us slaves."

"I suppose not." said Evereena, "Even if I still don't understand all the love and sex stuff."

Two miserable women hugged each other and wallowed in their misery - until -

Ding! Esther, it would be best if you got out of your funk. If you want a better future, you need to take some actions on your own choice. The slave collar is inactive, so you have some free will now, remember?

"Oh shit, the Voice of the World has just told me off for not doing anything," said Esther.

"It has?"

"But what can I do?"

Think! The Voice of the World says I can have some say in this matter... But what...

"Wait a minute, Aragon has made those 100% vows to us. But they were private. So, what if he made a public vow, just like the Misfits did? He can vow to always look after us slaves, including the orphans. Then everyone will know that he isn't guilty of anything."

"So, tomorrow, he just makes a vow?" said Evereena.

"Actually, why hasn't he made one already? If it's public, we should have heard of it. I think."

"Perhaps he hasn't thought of it?"

Esther shook her head in exasperation.

"There is just too much that we don't know about how such things work. If only I could contact him and tell him what to do."

Esther kept on thinking.

How do I suggest that he makes a vow?

But, surely he must be able to think about this himself?

Maybe he's too stressed out himself?

She thought about her fantasies about him. And she blushed again.

No, now is not the time to think about such embarrassing things!

Oh, how I wish I could say something to him about my feelings- but do I know what my feelings are?

And how do I tell him- perhaps by making a vow?

This scared her in its own way.

Do I have any right to pose my vows upon him? Does he even have such feelings for me?

But he did imply he did.

"OK, Evereena, I've decided to try to make a vow to Aragon - ah, but not saying anything about sex, OK? Err, just a vow about commitment."

So she tried, only -

Ding! You've got the right idea, but right now, Aragon is drunk and stupefied by the King's orders. Try again at the appropriate moment tomorrow.

"Oh, the Voice of the World is still talking to me. Saying the best moment is tomorrow. I didn't know that normal people had so much advice from the Voice."

Ding! They don't. It's the Misfit's 'It's all Bullshit' rule acting. Ask Evereena about it.

Esther did. She didn't attain any enlightenment. Eventually, the two managed to get some sleep.