Challenge 132- Victor goes Rogue

[bethany.hopkins]

There are some implied spoilers for Victor's card here :)
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This week's challenge was really interesting When I saw the challenge 132 rules , my immediate thought was "this is a week for Victor's card". But when I thought about it a bit more, I thought that for all Victor's card lent itself very well to the challenge it didn't seem like the kind of thing Victor himself would approve of at all. The idea of ending in the early expedtions seems very at odds with the attitude of seeking out ever greater challenges that Victor expresses in his card. So that put an idea in my head, about how Victor might express his frustration at this week's constraints, how the odd routes Victor's card produces look in narrative form, and how and by whom Victor might be convinced to play and loose with the rules of expedition order.

I definitely do not endorse any opinions expressed by Victor about the challenge in this week's story. I thought it was a really clever, really creative challenge and I really enjoyed planning and executing a run :)

As ever, hope you enjoy and thanks for making cool challenges every week.

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The new challenge had already sparked a lively discussion in the Renowned Explorers International Society common room. Explorers were already forming into crews , discussing strategies and batting ideas back and forth. Agatha had come up with a clever plan to leverage her knowledge of the secrets of medieval battlefields, Hildegard was consulting Dolores on an idea she’d had to incorporate ghost stories in a trick to terrify cultists and Philippe was trying to interest Pedrinho and Maria in his scheme to recover some chemical formulae made by a legendary Hungarian alchemist. But one explorer was not happy at all, and he was making his feelings firmly known to anyone who would listen.

“Mes amis, this challenge goes against everything we stand for as explorers. We should be testing ourselves against the most dangerous foes, the most complex traps, the highest of peaks and the remotest of trails. That’s how we learn, that’s how we improve . Not…by sunning ourselves in the Caribbean like we’re on a cruise for pensioned-off sailors.”

Charles, inevitably, took the bait.

“So what you’re saying, Victor, is that you can’t manage to bring back anything interesting from either Hungary or the Caribbean. Well, that does rather show what army training does to a chap’s imagination. I mean, perhaps there are fewer…shiny objects in those locations than elsewhere but honestly. This, old chum, is why the acquisition of shiny objects is a poor excuse for a path to renown. When you’re as famous as I am, you don’t have to rely on cheap trinkets to catch people’s attention. You simply bestir yourself to action and the world rises to follow you. All terribly congenial. I’d say you should give it a try, but frankly we both know you’re a hopeless case.”

Victor was now intensely annoyed at both the situation in general and Charles in particular.

“Oh, bien sur. You are beloved the world over. That is why you are currently taking tea with the queen, or giving interviews about your magnificence. Oh, no you’re not. You’re sat in an armchair in London, doing nothing of note.”

“Not true in the slightest. I’m doing a very valuable service. I’m offering my helpful guidance to any inferior explorers I find whining that the rules of the current challenge are unfair to them.”

“I am not saying they are UNFAIR I am saying they are MISGUIDED. There’s a difference. I personally feel-“

“Oh, I misunderstood you. So terribly sorry. What you were actually saying was, all the challenges should be organised according to the tastes and interests of one Victor Signac. Hmmph. And they call *me* arrogant.”

Victor clenched his fists in frustration and an unexpected, not entirely welcome, ally chose that moment to insert himself into the conversation.

“Come on, Charlie. Vic’s right, you know. No-one ever got nowhere by following all the rules, yeah?”

Charles smirked. “Go on then. Break the rules, the both of you. See how far that gets you. And I believe that is the sound of my letter from Prince Carol of Romania arriving. Hope to see you at the ceremony , and such.” And he strode dramatically away.

Victor turned to the new arrival. “I know Monsieur Templeton is tiresome but I cannot endorse breaking the rules. I-“

“Oh, Charlie’s always tiresome. Charlie’s tiresome the way Anna’s scary, and the way Pedrinho’s a soft touch. I’d be more worried if he weren’t tiresome. I’d think we was about to catch whatever he’d got. Anyway , the point is there’s breaking the rules and there’s breaking the rules if you know what I mean.”

“I do not know what you mean.”

“Well. You know when people tell you you can’t go thievin’ while you’re in London on account of you’re representin’ the Society now and so you make sure to nick as much stuff as possible while you’re on expeditions and for some mysterious reason they don’t like that either so you says you didn’t know there was a rule against thievin’ on expeditions and they says it’s not precisely a rule but-“

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

Harry sighed theatrically. “Vic, mate. Look, you’re in good with the guy what sends the seagulls which tell us what expeditions we can go on when, right?”

“Well, I would not put it that way but-“

“Right then. I’ve got a marvellous plan that oughtta let us stay within the rules as Pinkerton explained ‘em and go to some more interestin’ places than boring Hungary and Suwasa Island. You in?”

Victor considered the offer and decided it had to be worth a try.

“Go on. I’m listening.”

“Perfect! I knew beneath all them medals beat the heart of a true rogue and a renegade, even if I do say so meself. Anyway…”

Victor ignored the nonsense and focused on the plan. To his surprise, setting aside the bluster and cant, Harry’s plan seemed fairly well thought-out. In fact, the more he listened the more compelling this week’s challenge seemed. He even began to think it might actually and all things considered, be rather enjoyable.