The jury-members take their seat across from the Final Two. “Well, Cheipar, Crescent,” Winnowill begins. “I bet you never imagined you’d make it this far. Now, if you’ve been following past Survivors, you know that the each member of the Jury will have a chance to ask you questions to help them decide how to vote. At the end of tribal council they will each cast their votes... and one of you will be going home with two million Djunian dollars and the title of Sole Survivor. But before we begin the question and answer period, you can each make a short opening statement. Crescent?”
Crescent: I’ve played this game hard from Day One. I know how to play strategy, but I was always the first to protest against any of this... wanton backstabbing. I think I’ve worked hard to honour all my promises. And the ones I couldn’t honour... well, I’m sorry. I really am. I tried very hard to play this game fairly. And while I tried to always remember that it’s just a game, I know that it became more than that – to all of us. I’ve... I’ve tried to be a good role model – to our universe – to all the beloved dead. And I’m here. I... I don’t have much else to say right now.
Winnowill: Thank you, Crescent. Cheipar?
Cheipar: (rises) You all know me. (sits back down)“Brevity is the soul of wit,” Winnowill says cattily. “All right. We’ll now hear from the Jury. In completely random order – Nightfall.”
Nightfall rises and steps forward. “Crescent. You promised to stay loyal to your tribemates. But you helped the Alternaverse vote me off. Why?”
Crescent smiles sadly. “I’m sorry. But I felt I had to. Believe me when I say it wasn’t to get rid of you – it was to save Cheipar. You wouldn’t listen to me – I felt no one was listening to me, and I did not feel comfortable eliminating Cheipar. I’m sorry that you had to go, Nightfall. I am. But I stand by my decision. Cheipar was – is – a good player. He honoured every promise to me. And I did not feel comfortable voting him off solely because he could be a threat to us.”
“And now Cheipar is sitting beside you, and your choice might cost you the game,” Nightfall continues. “If you could do it again, would you do it differently?”
Crescent: If I could... I would have tried harder to get you to change your mind. But if it had to come down to the same vote.... I’m sorry, Nightfall. Truly. But I made my choice and stand by it.Nightfall nods. “Cheipar... I really don’t know anything about you, to be honest. So give me three reasons why I should give you the money?”
Cheipar pauses to consider the question. “I have played this game fairly from the beginning. I always contributed to the tribe. I never tried to hurt anyone. I think I prove you can play an honest game and still make it to Final Two. Sorry, that was four.”
Nightfall nods and sits down. Next, Coppersky gets to his feet. “I don’t really have any questions for you,” he says. “Crescent. You got here by riding Daddy’s coattails, then playing the darling daughter card to turning him to mush when it suited you best. Cheipar. You milk that silent Sir Galahad sh*t for all its worth. As far as I’m concerned, you’re expert manipulators, and I take my non-existent hat off to you. I just wish I seen through you both a little earlier. So I’ll have to vote for one of you, and I’ll have to think about it very carefully.”
Coppersky
sits down. Strongbow rises. **I know why you voted me out the other night,
daughter. I want to know why you didn’t speak to me first?**
Crescent: I ... I didn’t know for certain... until I was in the voting booth. But... I couldn’t risk the chance that Winnowill would have rock-paper-scissors... or random elimination or something. I... know you might have been willing to risk it. But I wasn’t. And... I was afraid to tell you so.
Strongbow:**I understand. Cheipar. Why should I even consider casting my vote for you when I could vote for my daughter?**
Cheipar: You shouldn’t. Unless you think I played the game better.
Strongbow:**Did you?**Strongbow sits down, satisfied. Next Littlefire rises. He twists his shirt uncomfortably in his hands. “Um... yeah. Like Coppersky. No questions. I... I’m going to be giving Cheipar my vote. Because he’s my best brother. And I love him to death. And I’ve always wanted him to win. Sorry, Crescent.”Cheipar: That’s for you to decide. I can only ask you to weigh our performances fairly.
Littlefire sits back down. Tyleet rises. “I’m in a bit of a pickle,” she admits. “Crescent – you betrayed me, and my mother, and my other half. You preach about playing the game one minute, and the rest you insist this can’t be a real game. I don’t think you know yourself half as well as you think you do. Cheipar – you never extended any hand of friendship to the Warp elves, no matter how much you like to think you did. You made it clear to everyone that your only loyalties were to your own universe. So Crescent, what I want to know from you is... what were you thinking when you finally decided to get rid of me? Did it bother you at all? Or were you just as happy to be rid of me? ‘No harm, no foul – just a game.’”
Crescent: Tyleet... I wish I had done a lot of things differently – not in the way I voted – I stand my that – but in the way I dealt with people. It’s... I’m sorry, Tyleet. And I felt... it was a heavy heart that I voted you out. I... hope that once this game is over, you and I could become friends again... if we ever were to begin with.Tyleet nods. Tears seem to glitter in her eyes. “We were friends, Crescent,” she admits. “I hope we can be again. Thank you, Crescent. I appreciate that.” She sniffles and wipes at her eyes. “Cheipar: why should I vote along anything other than tribal lines? It’s clear you only played along tribal lines.”
Cheipar: Yes, I did. I honoured my alliances – and they were to my family and friends. But I am here. I outhunted. I outhowled. And I outlasted. And if you want to judge me by those standards, then I deserve to be here just as much as Crescent, and I deserve your vote just as much. Whether I receive it or not is up to you.Tyleet nods. She sits down, her expression unreadable. Next it is Savin’s turn. She grins. “So... Cheipar. You chose Crescent over me. And I’m sure everyone expects me to talk about that. But I won’t. No, instead I want to talk about Crescent herself. Cheipar, tell me why you think Crescent got to where she is. And don’t bother trying to kiss ass with the Jury by talking her up. Let’s hear what you really think.”
Cheipar: I think Crescent has a good instinct for this game. She knew when to strategize, and when to sit back and let the big dogs fight it out. And she knew to form good alliances with her family. She had a plan and she stuck to it. And luck. I think everyone owes something to luck – good or bad.Savin: Crescent, same question. Why do you think Cheipar made it this far?
Crescent: He never played dirty. I don’t think he ever let himself get caught up in all the drama going on here every day. He was very good at recognizing what mattered and what could he left to slide. And he’s wicked good in challenges too!
Savin: And he had friends in high places.Crescent laughs. “Yeah. I guess he wouldn’t be here without me. And... you know, I’m okay with that. I’d rather go up against a challenge than plot and scheme to take a complete loser with me just so I’d win easily. I’ve always wanted it to be a fair game. So has Cheipar. And it’s fitting that we’re the last two left.”
Savin sits down, satisfied. The last jury member to rise is Weatherbird. “Hi!” she grins. “So... um... this is going to be tricky. I want to be fair. Really, I do. So... if you could the million dollars to anyone from the other universe – either next to you as you opponent, across from you on the jury, or anyone who’s been in this game – who would it be? Crescent?”
Crescent considers it. “I would have to say... either Cheipar or Swift. I was very impressed with the same Swift carried herself. She seems to have many of the qualities I would look for in a leader of many – although I have to say I was little disturbed by how little provocation it took for her to start wailing on Cutter like. But I know she would use that money for the good of her tribe and her world. And Cheipar... well, I think I’m tempted to lean towards him. Just because he made it this far. Swift got herself tripped up in plots and strategies. I suppose someone could argue she was just too much of a threat to be allowed to get too far. But I think Cheipar played the game better. And I know this sounds like kissing up, but I really believe if it has to go to someone of the other tribe, that someone should be the elf sitting across from me.”
Weatherbird: How ‘bout you, honey?
Cheipar: Tyleet was right. I didn’t pay much attention to the other tribe. So I don’t feel very qualified to answer. I wish I could have actually met the other Ember... I would have liked to get to know her. And Nightfall... I wish we had met under other circumstances. But because I only really got to know Crescent, she is the only one I feel confident in naming.
Weatherbird: Second question. Who in your own universe would you give the money to? Crescent?Crescent considers it. “Father. I know he would use it fairly and wisely.”
“Cheipar?”
“You. Then you have the headache of spending it wisely.”
Weatherbird claps her hands. “I love nepotism.” She sits back down and Winnowill comes forward to center stage. “And now that we’ve heard from all our Jury members, there is time for one final statement. Crescent – anything you would like to say in closing?”
Crescent: I’m looking at the Jury and I know that going strictly by tribal lines, I won’t win. There are four elves from the Alternaverse and only three from the Warp universe. I know you’re all very tempted to vote along tribal lines, but I’d like everyone to really think about your vote – that goes for all the canon character too. I’ve always wanted this to be a fair game. And I want the last vote to mean something. Vote for who you think played the game harder. Vote for who you think embodies the term Survivor. And forget for a minute that I’m actually dead.Everyone smiles at her joke. Next Cheipar rises. “I couldn’t say it better myself,” he says, and sits back down.
“All right. And with that, it is time to vote,” Winnowill announces. “Remember that this vote if different from previous votes in that you are not voting for the person you want out of the game, but for the person you want to win! For the winner, two million Djunian dollars and the title of Sole Survivor. The runner-up will be shot.”
No one smiles at her joke. You can hear crickets in the distance. Winnowill seethes. “All right. Voting time. Get in there. Littlefire, you’re first!”
Littlefire goes in and votes. He holds the paper up to the camera and says. “I told you I’d vote for Cheipar. And that’s what I’m doing.”
Following Littlefire, Nightfall enters the booth. She hesitates for several moments before writing Crescent’s name down. “I’m going with my gut,” she says. “I can’t say we don’t have our differences, Crescent. But I think you deserve this more than Cheipar.”
Strongbow votes next. Then Savin. Then Weatherbird. Tyleet prevaricates for a long time in the voting booth before she finally puts pen to paper. Last to enter is Coppersky. He too is inside for a long time. At length he comes out and sits down next to Weatherbird, who wraps an arm over his shoulder affectionately.
“I’ll go tally the votes,” Winnowill says.
Crescent and Cheipar exchange nervous glances.
“Now, once the votes are read, the decision is final,” Winnowill says as she returns with ballot jar. “Remember, you want to see your name here. For the winner, two million dollars and bragging rights as the Sole Survivor. You need four votes to win.”
Crescent takes Cheipar’s hand as they wait for Winnowill to unfold the ballots.
“First vote: Cheipar.... Second vote: Crescent. Cheipar. Crescent. That’s two votes Cheipar, two votes Crescent. Next vote... Crescent. Three votes Crescent, two votes Cheipar.”
Weatherbird starts to gnaw on her fingernails. Cheipar swallows nervously.
Winnowill unfolds the seventh vote. “Cheipar. We’re tied up again, three and three.”
Crescent’s aura begins to grow decidedly fuzzy, like static on television.
“I’ll read the final vote...”
Everyone leans forward expectantly as Winnowill retrieves the last slip of paper.
“And the winner of Survivor: Alternaverse is....”