Rose
Moderator: Moderators
Good god thats a terrible map. Please, SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE IT BETTER!
I WILL ADD ANYTHING YOU WANT, ANYTHING! More explicit Sex, fine! More violence, fine! A new ending to Darkside, all right! Just please make me a map!
├óÔé¼┼ôJoa?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked, gently pushing the door to Joa's room open. Joa didn't respond. She was just looking at the parchment that the mailman had given Alex. She wasn't crying. She was just staring at it. Alex stepped into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you all right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. Joa didn't say anything. She kept staring at the parchment. Alex could see the first sentence. It said something along the lines of ├óÔé¼┼ôWe regret to inform you...├óÔé¼┬Ø. He sat down on the bed next to Joa. They both sat there, not saying anything.
├óÔé¼┼ôWould you like to talk about it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, her voice flat. Alex sighed, not sure what to do. He wasn't a priest, he didn't know how to talk to someone who was dealing with...things like this. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, finally, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a little happy...I'm happy he's gone├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked at Alex ├óÔé¼┼ôIsn't that something? I am actually glad that my father is dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe way I see it, he's not worth crying over├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa laughed. Then she started to cry. It was as if a waterfall had started. She cried, her hands spasming and crumpling the parchment between them.
Alex slipped his hand around her shoulder and held her. Joa dropped the parchment ├óÔé¼┼ôI hate him├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI hate him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex nodded, not sure what to say. He felt incredibly awkward, as if he had stepped in on something very private. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said. But he didn't have anything to say after that. ├óÔé¼┼ôI joined the army because I wanted├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, faltering ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I wanted to kill him├óÔé¼┬Ø. She sniffed, whipping her nose and face free of tears. She looked at him, her eyes red. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a sick person├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI wanted to kill my own father├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sure you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôHe came into my rooms at night├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, looking through Alex ├óÔé¼┼ôHe said it was something special├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Alex gulped, feeling a lump in his throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôI found out...later. What...I├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa stumbled, not able t go on. Alex whipped his fore head, trying to think of something he could say. Something he could do. But nothing came. Joa pressed her face into his shoulder and just sat there, not crying, not talking. She was barely breathing. Alex, tentatively, placed his hand on the back of her head. He ran his finger through her short hair and tried to lend some form of comfort. He moved his hand back to the top of her hair and ran his fingers through again. He sat there, patting her head like he would pet a cat. Joa looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you, Alex├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think any other man would have reported me by now├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex coughed ├óÔé¼┼ôThat would be very unchivalrous. I think you were the one who taught me that├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Joa suddenly hugged him, tight around the middle, burying her face into his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't tell anyone else├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat, that your a girl?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat I needed to cry on your shoulder for a while. People would think it very womanly of me├óÔé¼┬Ø. She smiled, her eyes still red and wet from tears ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we can't have that happen├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex smiled back ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, we can't├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a knock on the front door, loud enough to be heard upstairs. Alex, grumbling, got up. He walked down the stairs, even as Lucy pulled on her hat and Sandra started looking as if she were a slave working in the house. Alex opened the door. A man was outside, wearing the uniform of a courier for the Imperial Army.
├óÔé¼┼ôAre you Dragoon Mayflower?├óÔé¼┬Ø the courier asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said, nodding. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have new orders for you├óÔé¼┬Ø the courier said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou and your partner, Dragoon Wingates├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex, feeling a bit numb, took the orders he offered. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood day├óÔé¼┬Ø the courier said, walking away from the house. Alex closed the door. Lucy pulled of her hat and dropped it on the floor, staring at Alex. ├óÔé¼┼ôOrders?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOrders!├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa shouted from the upstairs. She ran down the stairs, adjusting her shirt so she her strap didn't show as much. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said, opening the orders with a jerk of his finger. ├óÔé¼┼ôSays we are to report to General Smithers office for special duties for the crown. Son of a bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø he tossed the letters away and running his hands through his hair ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought they said we weren't going to be sent out again!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo what are you two going to do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going to do the only thing...the only thing that is right├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe report in├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex sighed, grabbing his coat of the wall and slipping it on. ├óÔé¼┼ôLucy├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Lucy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôYes you can have the sword├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Alex blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôUh├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôEr...I just wanted to ask if you could take care of the house while were gone├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHell no├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't have to take the sword, but I will come with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSandra, talk some├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex started to say. But Sandra cut him off, saying ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm coming too├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need someone to make sure you don't kill yourselves├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex looked at Joa, pleadingly ├óÔé¼┼ôJoa├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôJoa talk some├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa grinned for the first time sense the news of her fathers death had arrived ├óÔé¼┼ôI think├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey should come├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lucy, who had moved to the cabinet, tossed the wrapped up Easterner sword to Alex. Alex caught it and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to have a hard time explaining this to the General├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lucy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôIts...Its my fathers sword├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe gave it to me...when I left├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou might...You might want to tell me more about that some time├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said softly. Lucy's smile faded ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't├óÔé¼┬Ø. A chill ran down Alex's spine at the look in her face. Joa coughed, pulling her coat on too. She changed her stance and bearing slightly. Suddenly she seemed masculine. Alex was impressed at how she could disguise herself just by a change in facial expression, and a slight alteration in stance.
They both walked into General Smithers chambers. Alex wore the Easterner sword at his hip. It had to be in a different sheath, as it was a different shape. Smithers looked at it, eyebrows raised. Alex starred him evenly. Smithers dropped the point before it was made and said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry to have to do this too you├óÔé¼┬Ø. That immediately made Alex break out into a sweat. Joa, or Jon as he forced himself to think of her, gulped loudly. ├óÔé¼┼ôAs you know├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said, standing up and unrolling a map on the desk. It looked like this:
Alex blinked. There was a lot more red on it then he expected. ├óÔé¼┼ôI bet that you didn't know that├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Empire is keeping under wraps as best they can, but we are losing this war├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex felt his throat go dry. This had never happened, not in the three hundred year history of the Empire. They had never faced defeat before. ├óÔé¼┼ôA...Are we going to lose?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHell no├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said, his fingers stabbing into the Eastlands ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've always had...cordial relations with Eastlanders, even if their immigration policy is even more strict then ours. Now as you can see the Southlanders have taken a bit of a chunk out of both the Waste in the West and the Eastland├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Alex pointed something out ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy is this city half red and half green├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd part blue?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Smithers leaned over the table and grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is your location. Its the last place that a free Southlander, Eastlander and an Imperial can all talk without killing each other. Not that they don't anyway├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa spoke up ├óÔé¼┼ôI know...its Babylon, isn't it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a city on an islet inside a lake. Its walled and its owned and operated by the Aryia Trading Conglomerate, so they keep us uncivilized folks from killing each other├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôBut around the city is whats important. That sword strapped to your hip├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at Alex ├óÔé¼┼ôis made by metal mined in the area around the city├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Alex blinked, looking at his sword. It was fine made. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo do the Southlanders get this stuff too?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats where all this high quality armor and swords are coming from├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex spoke up ├óÔé¼┼ôI heard this is a new faction in the Southlands├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat are they about?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are the so called Republic of the Southlands├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said. ├óÔé¼┼ôA what lick?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked, looking confused. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know...a democracy├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said, trying to cover a smile with his hand. Joa snorted ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôa nose counter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôUnfortunately its got fanatical soldiers, at least two brilliant commanders...well...one now├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex smiled, remembering the rather short battle. If you could call it a battle, but it still made him smile. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo they have been biting into our flanks, as our glorious Emperor and Queen have seen fit to cut funding from some of our armies. But we're mobilizing, and we just need time. Just a little time├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôSo we come in├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need you to go to Babylon and see if you can get some Eastlanders together, maybe shut down this Southlander operation. Or at least tie them up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we do this, what... by ourselves?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôWith no back up! Thats insane!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll have back up├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôEastlander soldiers who've already volunteered├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said before either Alex or Joa could say something ├óÔé¼┼ôI have something to give you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said. Alex perked up, wondering what the General would give him. The General reached under his desk and pulled out a long, thin wooden pole. At the end was a curved metal handle, like a sword. It had a single, complex looking, spring worked device. The end was hollow, and it looked like the entire wooden but was hollow. Alex looked at it with distaste. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôA brand new weapon created by a Aryia engineer. We bought it at a hefty price, but our workshops have started to turn them out. They might revolutionize war fare as we know it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat does it do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked.
Smithers handed it to her ├óÔé¼┼ôTry it out├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou hold it like so├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said, demonstrating ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you slip your finger through this part. And you yank it down like this├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa did so and the clockwork part of the thing clicked. It fizzed. Then the barrel exploded, sending shards of wood flying. Joa dropped the smoking thing on the ground, her face writ with shock. Alex felt blood trickle down his cheek, but was otherwise fine. The General however had a chunk of metal jammed in his arm. ├óÔé¼┼ôGoddamn├óÔé¼┬Ø he gasped, holding the bloody wound ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it might need more work├óÔé¼┬Ø.
I WILL ADD ANYTHING YOU WANT, ANYTHING! More explicit Sex, fine! More violence, fine! A new ending to Darkside, all right! Just please make me a map!
├óÔé¼┼ôJoa?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked, gently pushing the door to Joa's room open. Joa didn't respond. She was just looking at the parchment that the mailman had given Alex. She wasn't crying. She was just staring at it. Alex stepped into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you all right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. Joa didn't say anything. She kept staring at the parchment. Alex could see the first sentence. It said something along the lines of ├óÔé¼┼ôWe regret to inform you...├óÔé¼┬Ø. He sat down on the bed next to Joa. They both sat there, not saying anything.
├óÔé¼┼ôWould you like to talk about it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, her voice flat. Alex sighed, not sure what to do. He wasn't a priest, he didn't know how to talk to someone who was dealing with...things like this. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, finally, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a little happy...I'm happy he's gone├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked at Alex ├óÔé¼┼ôIsn't that something? I am actually glad that my father is dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe way I see it, he's not worth crying over├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa laughed. Then she started to cry. It was as if a waterfall had started. She cried, her hands spasming and crumpling the parchment between them.
Alex slipped his hand around her shoulder and held her. Joa dropped the parchment ├óÔé¼┼ôI hate him├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI hate him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex nodded, not sure what to say. He felt incredibly awkward, as if he had stepped in on something very private. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said. But he didn't have anything to say after that. ├óÔé¼┼ôI joined the army because I wanted├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, faltering ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I wanted to kill him├óÔé¼┬Ø. She sniffed, whipping her nose and face free of tears. She looked at him, her eyes red. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a sick person├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI wanted to kill my own father├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sure you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôHe came into my rooms at night├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, looking through Alex ├óÔé¼┼ôHe said it was something special├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Alex gulped, feeling a lump in his throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôI found out...later. What...I├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa stumbled, not able t go on. Alex whipped his fore head, trying to think of something he could say. Something he could do. But nothing came. Joa pressed her face into his shoulder and just sat there, not crying, not talking. She was barely breathing. Alex, tentatively, placed his hand on the back of her head. He ran his finger through her short hair and tried to lend some form of comfort. He moved his hand back to the top of her hair and ran his fingers through again. He sat there, patting her head like he would pet a cat. Joa looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you, Alex├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think any other man would have reported me by now├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex coughed ├óÔé¼┼ôThat would be very unchivalrous. I think you were the one who taught me that├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Joa suddenly hugged him, tight around the middle, burying her face into his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't tell anyone else├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat, that your a girl?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat I needed to cry on your shoulder for a while. People would think it very womanly of me├óÔé¼┬Ø. She smiled, her eyes still red and wet from tears ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we can't have that happen├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex smiled back ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, we can't├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a knock on the front door, loud enough to be heard upstairs. Alex, grumbling, got up. He walked down the stairs, even as Lucy pulled on her hat and Sandra started looking as if she were a slave working in the house. Alex opened the door. A man was outside, wearing the uniform of a courier for the Imperial Army.
├óÔé¼┼ôAre you Dragoon Mayflower?├óÔé¼┬Ø the courier asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said, nodding. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have new orders for you├óÔé¼┬Ø the courier said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou and your partner, Dragoon Wingates├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex, feeling a bit numb, took the orders he offered. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood day├óÔé¼┬Ø the courier said, walking away from the house. Alex closed the door. Lucy pulled of her hat and dropped it on the floor, staring at Alex. ├óÔé¼┼ôOrders?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOrders!├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa shouted from the upstairs. She ran down the stairs, adjusting her shirt so she her strap didn't show as much. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said, opening the orders with a jerk of his finger. ├óÔé¼┼ôSays we are to report to General Smithers office for special duties for the crown. Son of a bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø he tossed the letters away and running his hands through his hair ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought they said we weren't going to be sent out again!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo what are you two going to do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going to do the only thing...the only thing that is right├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe report in├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex sighed, grabbing his coat of the wall and slipping it on. ├óÔé¼┼ôLucy├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Lucy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôYes you can have the sword├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Alex blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôUh├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôEr...I just wanted to ask if you could take care of the house while were gone├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHell no├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't have to take the sword, but I will come with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSandra, talk some├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex started to say. But Sandra cut him off, saying ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm coming too├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need someone to make sure you don't kill yourselves├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex looked at Joa, pleadingly ├óÔé¼┼ôJoa├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôJoa talk some├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa grinned for the first time sense the news of her fathers death had arrived ├óÔé¼┼ôI think├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey should come├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lucy, who had moved to the cabinet, tossed the wrapped up Easterner sword to Alex. Alex caught it and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to have a hard time explaining this to the General├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lucy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôIts...Its my fathers sword├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe gave it to me...when I left├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou might...You might want to tell me more about that some time├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said softly. Lucy's smile faded ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't├óÔé¼┬Ø. A chill ran down Alex's spine at the look in her face. Joa coughed, pulling her coat on too. She changed her stance and bearing slightly. Suddenly she seemed masculine. Alex was impressed at how she could disguise herself just by a change in facial expression, and a slight alteration in stance.
They both walked into General Smithers chambers. Alex wore the Easterner sword at his hip. It had to be in a different sheath, as it was a different shape. Smithers looked at it, eyebrows raised. Alex starred him evenly. Smithers dropped the point before it was made and said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry to have to do this too you├óÔé¼┬Ø. That immediately made Alex break out into a sweat. Joa, or Jon as he forced himself to think of her, gulped loudly. ├óÔé¼┼ôAs you know├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said, standing up and unrolling a map on the desk. It looked like this:
Alex blinked. There was a lot more red on it then he expected. ├óÔé¼┼ôI bet that you didn't know that├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Empire is keeping under wraps as best they can, but we are losing this war├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex felt his throat go dry. This had never happened, not in the three hundred year history of the Empire. They had never faced defeat before. ├óÔé¼┼ôA...Are we going to lose?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHell no├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said, his fingers stabbing into the Eastlands ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've always had...cordial relations with Eastlanders, even if their immigration policy is even more strict then ours. Now as you can see the Southlanders have taken a bit of a chunk out of both the Waste in the West and the Eastland├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Alex pointed something out ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy is this city half red and half green├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd part blue?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Smithers leaned over the table and grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is your location. Its the last place that a free Southlander, Eastlander and an Imperial can all talk without killing each other. Not that they don't anyway├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa spoke up ├óÔé¼┼ôI know...its Babylon, isn't it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a city on an islet inside a lake. Its walled and its owned and operated by the Aryia Trading Conglomerate, so they keep us uncivilized folks from killing each other├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôBut around the city is whats important. That sword strapped to your hip├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at Alex ├óÔé¼┼ôis made by metal mined in the area around the city├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Alex blinked, looking at his sword. It was fine made. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo do the Southlanders get this stuff too?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats where all this high quality armor and swords are coming from├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex spoke up ├óÔé¼┼ôI heard this is a new faction in the Southlands├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat are they about?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are the so called Republic of the Southlands├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said. ├óÔé¼┼ôA what lick?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked, looking confused. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know...a democracy├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said, trying to cover a smile with his hand. Joa snorted ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôa nose counter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôUnfortunately its got fanatical soldiers, at least two brilliant commanders...well...one now├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex smiled, remembering the rather short battle. If you could call it a battle, but it still made him smile. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo they have been biting into our flanks, as our glorious Emperor and Queen have seen fit to cut funding from some of our armies. But we're mobilizing, and we just need time. Just a little time├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôSo we come in├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need you to go to Babylon and see if you can get some Eastlanders together, maybe shut down this Southlander operation. Or at least tie them up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we do this, what... by ourselves?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôWith no back up! Thats insane!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll have back up├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôEastlander soldiers who've already volunteered├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said before either Alex or Joa could say something ├óÔé¼┼ôI have something to give you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said. Alex perked up, wondering what the General would give him. The General reached under his desk and pulled out a long, thin wooden pole. At the end was a curved metal handle, like a sword. It had a single, complex looking, spring worked device. The end was hollow, and it looked like the entire wooden but was hollow. Alex looked at it with distaste. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said ├óÔé¼┼ôA brand new weapon created by a Aryia engineer. We bought it at a hefty price, but our workshops have started to turn them out. They might revolutionize war fare as we know it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat does it do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked.
Smithers handed it to her ├óÔé¼┼ôTry it out├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou hold it like so├óÔé¼┬Ø Smithers said, demonstrating ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you slip your finger through this part. And you yank it down like this├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa did so and the clockwork part of the thing clicked. It fizzed. Then the barrel exploded, sending shards of wood flying. Joa dropped the smoking thing on the ground, her face writ with shock. Alex felt blood trickle down his cheek, but was otherwise fine. The General however had a chunk of metal jammed in his arm. ├óÔé¼┼ôGoddamn├óÔé¼┬Ø he gasped, holding the bloody wound ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it might need more work├óÔé¼┬Ø.
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LathanStanley
- Posts: 1429
- Joined: 20 Jun 2005, 05:16
Whopse. I just drew the map as I needed a map really fast and all I have is the GIMP.
and yes Malstrom, South is South in this world. So just rotate the map however much you need to put them more in the South. But they have been having a suprise victory so they have begun to bleed into the Eastlands and the Wastes in the West.
and yes Malstrom, South is South in this world. So just rotate the map however much you need to put them more in the South. But they have been having a suprise victory so they have begun to bleed into the Eastlands and the Wastes in the West.
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Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
Well, ten days away has left me with a pleasantly large amount to read. Is good!
Thanks to now, I am now ferverently (I doubt I spelt that right) writing Insurgency Devision Mark 4 and can't stop. It's 1:20 am. I want to sleep but fingers keep typing! Thanks to me having ten days worth of free time with a pencil, notepad and nothing to do, the mansion sequence should be (read: better be) pretty damn good. We also went around several large, old houses now owned by the National Trust, which helped a lot.
Thanks to now, I am now ferverently (I doubt I spelt that right) writing Insurgency Devision Mark 4 and can't stop. It's 1:20 am. I want to sleep but fingers keep typing! Thanks to me having ten days worth of free time with a pencil, notepad and nothing to do, the mansion sequence should be (read: better be) pretty damn good. We also went around several large, old houses now owned by the National Trust, which helped a lot.