Spring RTS Engine

Well I am still happy that I missled you. Jonathan is actually Joana. Who would have thought it?

Well...me, as I was writing it and it was supposed to be one of those: "Girl joins the army in maleocentric society" sories.



The first thing Joa did was grab one of the bandage rolls and rubbed it against a stain of blood. Now having a red stain on the bandage, Joa wrapped it around her chest, covering her small breasts even more. Now it looked as if she had received a nasty wound to the chest. Then she lay down and forced her face into a grimace of pain. Alex opened the door and looked out. A troupe of thirty silverbacks stood outside, all armed. A single Imperial stood there as well. Alex's eyes traveled down the wounded man's body. He saw the shackles bound about his feet. The chain was held by a silverback, an unmistakable singe of ownership.

A silverback slapped the Imperial on the back, goading him into action. The Imperial said ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you the two young...├óÔé¼┬Ø the silverback said something in his language. The Imperial stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôthe two fight like madmen?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, translating. Alex was silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you├óÔé¼┬Ø the silverback leader said, still translating ├óÔé¼┼ôSurrender, you will be treated with├óÔé¼┬Ø. He pause, the Translator struggling with the word. The silverback kicked him in the back kneecap and the Imperial fell to his knee. Alex snarled, reaching for his sword. ├óÔé¼┼ôHalt!├óÔé¼┬Ø the silverback shouted, in the Imperial tong. Alex stopped as the translator finally found the word ├óÔé¼┼ôRespect. You will be treated with respect├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI have a wounded comrade├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said. The translator translated. The silverback turned and shouted some words in his language. Two silverback women ran into the chamber, decked out in white uniforms. Alex felt a lurch in his stomach. One of them was Sandra, who shot him a worried glance. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have freed├óÔé¼┬Øthe translator said dully, not sharing the pride that Alex could hear in his masters voice ├óÔé¼┼ôYour slave├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex turned around, hearing Joa murmur in protest. The two silverback women were carrying her out on a stretcher. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou will both├óÔé¼┬Ø the translator said ├óÔé¼┼ôStay in a cell. Your friend will be treated├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Alex was thrown into the cell, while Joa was placed rather gently inside. Sandra, after a brief discussion in her native language with the other medic, walked in after them. She closed the door shut and looked at Alex. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø. She relaxed slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't run off and join them├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôThese are from my part of Kuate, the Southlands. They are from a bit farther off├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI noticed they wore different uniforms├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said as Sandra moved to Joa. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to examine him├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm actually fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, forcing her voice to a more masculine sounding level. She sat up and looked around ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a shirt?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked Sandra. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're chest wound├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs fake├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said.

Alex looked at Joa ├óÔé¼┼ôJoa-n├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, forgetting himself for a moment, then trying to tack a masculine ending to the name. ├óÔé¼┼ôExcuse me?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we need to tell her├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said. Joa looked at Sandra ├óÔé¼┼ôSandra├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôPromise you won't tell anyone├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra asked, looking worried. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not a man├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said softly, so soft that Alex could only barely hear it. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh I knew that├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts obvious isn't it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa jumped, looking at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou knew!├óÔé¼┬Ø she accused. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said ├óÔé¼┼ôKnowing how thick headed Imperials can be, I didn't say anything. Your tent mates might not have taken it well├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex frowned at Sandra. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats your real name?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôJoana├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôJoa for short├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Joa took off the extra wrappings till only her first layer remained ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a bit scrawny, dear├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe General makes sure to treat his prisoners right. Especially seeing how well you two fought. So you'll be getting plenty of food├óÔé¼┬Ø. She stood ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to keep working. Much of your army were wounded├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSandra├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow badly did we lose├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBadly├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said, not sounding bad about it in the least ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it was about time├óÔé¼┬Ø she shut the door. Joa looked at Alex. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we deserved that├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo we really need outposts in the Southlands? The government says its for our protections...but did you ever think they might just want us to leave?├óÔé¼┬Ø.


That was a scary thought. Alex pushed it out of his mind. Another thought pushed in. He looked at Joa, who was laying on the one cot provided. He could now spot the girlish parts of her face that had been put at bay by age and lack of make up. Her face was rounded and lighter, like a female but also like a young boy. So she had looked fifteen. Now she looked about the same age that Alex. Her breasts were small, and bound tight about her. If she had never taken off her shirt or pants in view of Alex, he would have never guessed it. She would have remained Jon for the rest of their time together. And Alex would have hated himself, knowing he was...

Alex jerked his thoughts away from that, even as Joa was falling asleep. She had been wounded, even if not as badly as they had made her appear. Alex stood up and moved his chair next to her cot. He gently reached down and bushed some of her close cropped hair out of her face. His fingers brushed her skin, and he pulled away. Joa was not beautiful in the classical way that Alex had been brought up with. She was not full bosomed and large lipped with pearly, unblemished skin. She had scars, her skin was tanned as dark as a man. She had callous on her hands, and she was wiry and thin. Alex suddenly wanted to kiss her. It was all right. She was a woman. He wasn't a deviant.

That alone made him want to jump for joy. He hadn't known, or hadn't wanted to know, exactly how afraid he had been of that. Joa cracked an eye open and Alex looked away, blushing. He knew it was improper for him to be looking at a woman while she slept. Joa pushed herself up, her wounded shoulder smarting as she did so. ├óÔé¼┼ôOnce├óÔé¼┬Ø She said softly, her mouth closer to Alex's ear then he would have liked ├óÔé¼┼ôI kissed you without asking├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex turned and smiled lightly ├óÔé¼┼ôits all right├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were just glad to see me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôI should have told you first...but I was afraid of what you'd say├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Alex breathed slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd have said├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, his fears and doubts melting away ├óÔé¼┼ôthis├óÔé¼┬Ø. He grabbed Joa from behind and kissed her, his tong pushing into her mouth. Joa fell back into her cot, pulling Alex on top of her as she did so. Alex, not wanting to hurt or reopen her wounds, moved away. Joa breathed heavily, laying in the cot ├óÔé¼┼ôI should├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNever have doubted you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then the door burst inwards and a silverback guard walked in. He pointed at Alex. Then he stopped, looking at Joa, who was covering her mostly uncovered chest with her hands. But the guard had seen what was obscured by the bind. He started to laugh. Then he turned to the other guard who stood outside and shouted something in their language.

Then he dragged Alex out. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlex!├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa tried to get to her feet, but her wounded leg failed her. The last thing Alex saw of her was that, her on her knee, reaching for him. Then the door slammed shut. Alex was taken down the hall way, then up some stairs. Then he found himself on the grounds of the old Fort. The silverbacks proved to be consummate workers, quickly rebuilding the fortress. Then Alex was taken to one of the remaining buildings, where the silverbacks had set up HQ. Alex was thrown inside, where the General stood at a table, working much the same way an Imperial would. The guard said something in jovial tones. The General snapped his head up, disbelief flashing across his face. His ears shot up as well, something that looked throughly comical.

Then the guard left. The General looked at Alex, who was standing as best he could. Then the General sighed slowly and said, in haltering Imperial ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are Alex, correct?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex nodded stiffly. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd your...partner├óÔé¼┬Ø the General said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs a woman├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex nodded again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe do not allow women to fight for us├óÔé¼┬Ø the General said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I know Imperials do not either. How did this...partnership come about├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex wondered if the General was implying that Joa had slept with someone to get into the army. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe disguised herself as a man├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôpretended├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø The General said. He laughed again ├óÔé¼┼ôand you recently found this out yourself├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Alex nodded again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is her name? In the army rosters we captured, she is listed as Jonathan...but that can not be her true name├óÔé¼┬Ø The General said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHer name is Joana├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said, wondering what the General was getting at. ├óÔé¼┼ôI see├óÔé¼┬Ø The General said, looking out the window ├óÔé¼┼ôThat will be all├óÔé¼┬Ø. A guard grabbed Alex from around the neck and dragged him outside. After a backwards repeat of his being dragged to the Generals office, Alex was thrown back into his cell. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked, sitting up as best she could. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said, feeling his sore neck, looking at the cell door.

A unknown amount of time later, as they had no way to keep time, they heard a knock on the door. Alex wondered why they bothered, as a few moments later the door opened and a woman walked in. He couldn't tell if she were a silverback or not, as she was hunched over, her clothes thick and her head covered by a ridiculous hat. Alex stared at the hat, wondering where he had seen it before. The serving lady was holding two bowels of soup. She gave them, first to Joa and then to Alex. Then she walked out, the door closing behind her with a clang. Then Alex recognized the hat. He set his bowel down, not wanting to waste the soup inside it, and ran to the door. But he couldn't see the serving lady. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats wrong?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked, starting to eat her soup.

├óÔé¼┼ôDon't eat that soup!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said. Joa looked at him, confusion on her eyes. Alex walked over to her and fished his hand through her soup. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, looking angrily at him. He took his fingers out, not finding anything. Then he ran his fingers through his soup. He found something hard and metallic. He pulled it out. It was a key. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that what I think it is?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked, sitting up and looking at Alex, her soup forgotten. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt is├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at the door ├óÔé¼┼ôLucy├óÔé¼┬Ø he said simply. ├óÔé¼┼ôHide the key├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said. Alex nodded, knowing that she would have to recover and they would have to find some plan before simply opening the door and running. He looked around the room till he spotted what he thought would work.

It was a tile that was slightly raised in the corner. Alex, after trying long and hard, managed to work his fingers under it. With a jerk he managed to get it half way out of the ground. He slid the key there and jammed he tile back down. He made sure he could yank it up and yank it down before he left it alone. Then he crawled on his hands and knees, not bothering to get up, and slurped his soup down. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey do feed us good├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, licking her lips ├óÔé¼┼ôEither that or Lucy's getting us better soup then most├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex had found the soup a bit watery, but he still nodded. He hadn't noticed how hungry he had been.

The next day pasted without any visits by the guards. Only a serving lady, this time an obvious silverback, and she brought soup that tasted almost the same as water in a canteen. Alex and Joa still ate it and felt the better for it. Alex had taken to just sitting in the corner next to Joa, as pacing simply wore him down more. Joa was seeming to be better by the next dawn, enough to walk slowly around the cell. Alex studied her as she did so. She was thin, almost like a rail. Clothing and her supposed manhood had covered this, but now it was plain to see. He could almost count her ribs. She staggered to a stop, almost falling into the cot. ├óÔé¼┼ôI feel like a sapling├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou look like one too├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you eat?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Joa blushed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen you ran off...I couldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Alex blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. That seemed inappropriate, so he substituted it with ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôIts my fault├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The door cracked open. Lucy walked in, still disguised as an old serving lady. She didn't let them see her face, as it was covered by a shawl. She looked more like a pile of cloth then a woman, topped with her ridiculous hat. She handed two bowled of thicker soup to Joa and Alex. Then she turned away to leave. She she left something slipped out from under her gown. It was a sheaf of paper. Alex, almost dropping his soup, grabbed it and unrolled it. He had to put it against the very small window they were afforded and read, slowly;

├óÔé¼┼ôSwords are left, right, right, left and an open lock. Escape tonight├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Alex blinked. She must mean a left from their cell, a left from where ever they came out too and so on. She would have the lock open, he hoped, and there there would be swords. Southlander swords, but this army looked to have actual equipment. She didn't say anything about getting herself or Sandra out too. Just Alex and Joa. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's it say?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said. Then he explained the plan. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose...├óÔé¼┬Ø she paused ├óÔé¼┼ôWe might...probably will die tonight. So I just wanted to say├óÔé¼┬Ø she stopped. Alex waited. ├óÔé¼┼ôI love you├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have sense the bar fight, I think. You're a idiot sometimes but-├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Alex didn't wait for the but. He stood up and pressed his mouth against hers. Joa, stronger then she had been, pushed back, her hands simultaneously keeping him from crushing her and pulling him down on top of her. Alex broke the kiss, keeping his face close to Joa's. They both smiled at each other like a duo of idiots. ├óÔé¼┼ôWant me...├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôTo...go on?├óÔé¼┬Ø. His hand strayed between her pant legs, testing her. Joa sighed concededly, not saying yes but neither saying no. Alex took that as a yes, moving his hand up to the waistband of her pants. He slipped his hand into the warm skin. Joa shifted, feeling his otherwise cold hand against her warm skin. Then he moved his palm through her unruly pubic hair and found her spot with his fingers. Joa shifted, squirming. She threw her head to the side and bit down on the pillow casing so she wouldn't make noise. It was silent, for the most part, so the sounds of rustling cloth and slight squelching noises seemed louder. Then the door opened and two guards ran in.

Alex's hand jerked out of Joa's pants so fast it was as if they had never been there. The guards passed him up this time, instead dragging Joa to her feet. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex stood up. The second Silverback smacked him on the side of his head with the flat of his sword. Alex fell, his head ringing. Then he saw Joa being half pushed, half dragged, out of the cell. Her eyes connected with his for a split second and she smiled reassuringly. Then she was gone, the door slamming shut behind her.

I don't think I have the time/patience/bandwith/cpu/ram/eyestrain tolerance/butt pain tolerance/interest to read all this. Can someone summerize this for me?

Uh oh. That's an invitation for Zoombie to get mad.

If you don't want to read it, then WHY THE HELL ARE YOU POSTING HERE!

But more importantly, read it. If you don't like it, I promis you can call me an ass hole and I won't get mad. If you DO like it, then you can keep reading it. How does that sound?

he got mad...

Nooo, post more jackass! It's too damn good for you not to! Arghh, I want more... I luv teh twist, I kinda thought something fishy was up....

See here. I am writing Rose. I am still posting Rose. Its just going to take a while, as I spent the last 2 days in a plane, for crying out loud.

I'm also testing two new story ideas (Heres some hints: Gas Masks, Things, Fast Eating Spores) and (More hints for a different story: Castro, Werewolves, Vampires, Cuba, drugs, explosions)

Wait...add some of the second thing too the first one, too. Cuba and explosions...and some drugs too.

So with these two story ideas + plane travel + Gothic II for the win + some new games + Darkside + Rose + me talking endlessly... argh!

So I'm going to take a bit of a break for a bit. Then its BACK TO ROSE!

And Darkside....

More hints for a different story: Castro, Werewolves, Vampires, Cuba, drugs, explosions

hunters sequal???

No, actually. I was thinking more along the lines of a avant gard fundamentalist exploration of neo-fascist humanist ideals with some racial tension underscoring the struggle between the capitalists and the uprising of the proletariat elite.

Uh.

What?

but you cant take a break. With rose you opened my eyes up to zoombie visiona dn now I cant change they're square shaped and I cant get them off, what would you reccomend? I tried prising them off with a butter knife but no such luck

I think that means he likes it. Well good.

Cause here's some more sword slinging action, socieal commentary, and that special brand of insaneness that you should expect from me. Cause I'm crazy, and we all know it.



They were gone. Alex waited a good long time, making sure every last sound of the guards was gone. Then he dropped to his knees and grabbed the loose cobblestone. He worked his fingers under it and yanked up with all his might. They key was still there. He stood up, holding the key in shaking hands. He was going to kill every last one of those bastards. Then he forced his mind down. Rage was going to help in the field of combat, not before. Now he needed to be calm. He forced himself to remember the directions Lucy had told him. He needed to get a weapon, get some armor if he could, then find Joa. If he could, he'd find Lucy. Sandra... he wasn't sure.

The door cracked open and Alex slipped into the hallway. There were no guards. Then he saw one walking past the open door at th end of the hall. Then it was gone. After ten seconds or so, it was back, walking the other way. Alex crept back into his room. The guard walked past the door. He stopped and decided to puff on his grass. He sighed, feeling a buzz. Then he felt a crack and fell forward. Alex grabbed the back of the Silverback's neck, stopping him from hitting the floor loudly. Alex set his cobblestone cudgel down softly and checked the Silverback's belongings. He heard a sound of footsteps. Alex grabbed the Silverback and dragged him to the nearest cell. The other guard walked into the antechamber to the prison.


He looked around for his partner. He said something in the Southlander language. Then he, getting suspicious, pulled out his sword and walked down the stairs to the prison cells. Then the door burst open and smashed into his face. The guard backed up a step, his head ringing. Then Alex buried a sword in his face. It sunk half in, blood spurting. Alex grunted and yanked out his sword. The guard fell over, his face frozen in pain. Alex, to be sure, stabbed him through the eye socket. Then he started to run down the corridor. Then he got to the antechamber. Outside of the antechamber there were two guards.

Alex paused, looking out of the door. The two guards were looking away from him, talking to each other. ├óÔé¼┼ôHELP!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex shouted. The guards ran into the prison, swords ready. Alex slammed his sword into one of their chests. Sheer weight, and the fact that the guard was running straight for him, punched through the mail the guard wore. The guard fell, taking Alex's sword with him. The other guard opened his mouth to shout something, but Alex jammed a shirt he had grabbed off the two other guards he had taken out into his mouth. Muffled shouts came through, but then Alex jerked the sword out of the enemy's scabbard. The enemy looked at him, looking downright comical with a shirt jammed in his mouth. Then he stabbed the enemy in the neck. The guard fell, blood spurting.

Alex looked up. The entire fight had gone pretty quietly. But he was tired from just dispatching those four guards. The sword felt ten pounds heavier in his hands then it did before the battle. But he shook himself, knowing he still had a ways to go. Then he walked outside. The rest of the camp seemed very far away, but even so two or three guards saw him. What they made of a man, wearing tattered rags with blood splashed on his face, holding a bloody swords, Alex didn't find out. Because he ran, immediately, following the instructions Lucy had given him. That brought him to a stables.

Alex looked into the stables, feeling panic rise in his mind. He wondered, for a second, if Lucy had betrayed him. Made him set up himself to be hacked to bits by Silverback guards. Then he saw a glint of something in the straw. Alex dived for it, tearing away the straw, even as he heard shouts and cries from Silverback guards. They were running towards him. It was a sword. Not just any sword. It was an Easterner sword, with the royal seal on the hilt. In the base the following runes were inscribed 月速く、本当この剣の殴打. Alex looked over the runes. Then he heard the guards running for him.

He hefted the blade, feeling its weight. It was exquisitely balanced, despite its bent shape. Then three guards ran to him ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø one of them said, in faltering Imperial ├óÔé¼┼ôYou escaped from cell├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôThat I did├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou come back├óÔé¼┬Ø the Imperial speaking guard said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said, readying himself for battle. One of the guards shouted something in his language. It was probably along the lines of ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to kill you├óÔé¼┬Ø as he ran straight at Alex. Alex, feeling the sword hum in his hands, blocked it. The Southlanders sword sparked off the Eastlander sword. Then Alex spun about and caught the silverback in neck. Blood sprayed madly, splattering the snow.

The two remaining guards ran at him. Alex was amazed. He had never handled a sword as sharp, or as balanced as this. It was amazing, as if it were part of his arm. He stepped back, letting the first silverback's clumsy blow go past him. Then he lopped up, intending to whack the silverback's hand aside. There was a tug, as if he was caught on a wire. Then the silverback's forearm flew up and off, blood spraying. The silverback dropped, screaming and holding his hand. Alex put him out of his misery, stabbing him through the heart. The sword cut through that as easily as it had the arm, despite going through two sides of the mail.

Alex jerked his sword out and looked at the last guard. The last guard ran, shouting for reinforcements. Alex didn't give that time to him, running up and stabbing him through the back of his head. Even so more guards ran for him, rounding the bend to the stables. Alex looked around frantically for an escape rout. Then he saw it. He jumped up and grabbed the rail on the side of the stables roof. He hauled himself up on top of the roof and started to run to the other side. He heard shouts, but he assumed that it meant ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex got to the other side of the stables and jumped off the side. He landed in the snow, feeling invigorated. Then he started to run, a sizable force running behind him.

├óÔé¼┼ôDo you love him?├óÔé¼┬Ø the General asked. Joa stared at him from over the table, her gaze frosty. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you?├óÔé¼┬Ø the General asked again. Joa stared at him, not moving. She was barely moving her shoulders as she breathed in and out. The General sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are quite an amazing woman, Joana├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôOne we would be glad to have in our army. We wouldn't brand you a witch, or burn you at the stake if we found out├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa leaned forward slowly, breathing in slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I were to join your side├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI would want to be burnt at the stake├óÔé¼┬Ø. The General frowned, slowly folding his hands in front of him ├óÔé¼┼ôI am very sorry to hear you say that├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am...very very sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. '

There was a knock on the door. It was polite, measured. Even so the General stood up, irritation plain in his face. He opened the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôWh├óÔé¼┬Ø He started to say. Then a sword blossomed out of his back. Alex shoved him inwards, grunting with the exertion. Then he shoved and the General fell off his sword. Alex turned about and slammed the door shut behind him. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlex!├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said, shock plain on her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked, looking at her as he pulled the General's sword out. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere...how...├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa shook herself as he handed her a sword. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere's over half the camp running at this door├óÔé¼┬Ø

A minute passed. They both were readying, swords drawn. Nothing happened. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm opening the door├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôLet them come to us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Another minuet passed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm really going to open the door├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex sighed. Joa opened the door. Outside the Silverbacks were looking intently at the door. All of them held crude looking crossbows. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo much for our last stand├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at Joa. The crossbows aimed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then one of the silverbacks stood up, pointing past the two Imperials. Alex looked over his shoulder. There was nothing there but the General's corpse, laying on his planning table in a pool of his blood.

Then the crossbows, amazingly, lowered. Alex and Joa stood there for a moment. Then a silverback stepped forward, wearing clothes slightly less ornate then the Generals. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...do this?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, pointing at the General. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said. The second in command blinked slowly, processing this information as slowly as possible. Then he bowed. The silverbacks behind him bowed as well. ├óÔé¼┼ôW...What is going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa whispered ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are surrendering├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked, louder. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have slain our leader├óÔé¼┬Ø The silverback who was kneeling said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe traditions say that we must yield to you two, Kingslayers├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôH...He was a king?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôyes├óÔé¼┬Ø The silverback who was kneeling said ├óÔé¼┼ôI was the General until he arrived├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHero and Kingslayer├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a nice trail of honorifics you two have been getting├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex laughed. He felt better then he had in weeks, with a good meal in his belly and a warm house. The Imperial Army had taken a surprisingly short amount of time to arrive, and they arrive to find an entire Southlander army, full five hundred silverbacks, to be literally bowing down to two very tired, very hungry imperial men. Alex had gotten Joa back into a uniform as soon as he could. Now only he, Sandra and Lucy knew about Joa. Alex paused in that train of thought. Now only he, Joa's father, Joa's sister, Lord Garret, Lucy and Sandra knew about Joa. That was far to many for his tastes.

After the Imperial army had picked him and 'Jon' up, they had taken them straight back to Centralia City. Sandra's temporary allegiance shift was overlooked. Lucy wasn't even mentioned in the official report. But now they were staying at a house donated by an entire family. An entire family had volunteered their house to the hero's of the Empire, just to get the prestige. Alex felt a little stir of disquiet at that. All he had done was stab the wrong person. When he said as much, Lucy, Sandra and Joa all started yelling at him. They were seated at the not quite large enough dinner table, eating foods donated to feed the 'heroes' of the Empire. Alex was sure he was going to be very very sick of this hero stuff.

Joa, or Jon as everyone kept calling her, finished off her fine chicken. Everyone was calling her Jon, so no one slipped up. If her real name came out in public, then they would all be found and killed by the Death Hand. Then there was a knock on the door. Alex turned around. He was no longer jumping out of his skin when he heard a knock. But that was because he and Joa were so far down the posting lists that the Southlanders would have to be marching down the center of Centralia City for them to be taken off leave, and he had had two weeks of complete relaxation and rest. Alex got up and opened the door.

A man stood outside, wearing a black uniform. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLetter for Lord Jonathan Wingates├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's no lord├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe is now├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôDidn't you hear? Lord William Wingates is dead. Killed in prison├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex felt as if the word had gone funny. Then he blinked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll take the letter to him├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, turning away. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did he die?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man stopped, thinking ├óÔé¼┼ôUm├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôit looked like one of the inmates stabbed him to death. Word must have leaked about something or other├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex felt cold. That must have meant the Death Hand had gotten him. Something or other indeed.

Every school child was told about the four levels of the Church. In school they were taught about the Clergy, the Librarians, and finally the Mission. The Clergy lead the Imperial people in prayer to the Gods. The Librarians kept the word of the gods under control. They also made sure that inappropriateness thoughts from leaking into the mainstream culture. They had lists, long thick lists. They were called the blacklists. If you found your way on them, then the Fourth circle of the Church was called into action. The Hand of Death. Alex shivered, walking down the hall. For some reason he had lived with the knowledge that the Death Hand operated in the background of the Empire. But hearing about Joa's father being killed for his crimes just drove home the point.

He walked into the dining room. Everyone looked at him, silence falling over the table. They could tell he was giving bad news. ├óÔé¼┼ôJoa├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've just gotten news about your father├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joa almost stood up, but she restrained herself. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid he bluff his way out?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThat would be just like him├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's dead├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôKilled in prison. Officially by other inmates. Unofficially...├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off. ├óÔé¼┼ôDeath Hand├óÔé¼┬Ø Joa said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats a Death Hand?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sandra shushed her. Joa froze, her eyes betraying nothing. Then she walked out of the room. She closed the door behind her. Alex followed.

Sandra looked at Lucy. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats a Death Hand?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't want to know├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said ├óÔé¼┼ôI only know a bit. But Alex and...Jon...they grew up with it. They know it the same way that I know about my people's traditions and institutions. Do you know what a Tril-um is?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lucy thought about it ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut do you know what the Evening Soil is?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut that shows us all what we know about each other├óÔé¼┬Ø. They both sat there for a bit, contemplating this. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is a Tril-um?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôA whore hose├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said flatly ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats the Evening Soil?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, burying her fork in her chicken.

What is it about religious institutions and punishing things by death?

Well I'm not a religious institution and I think sleeping with your daughters is a shootable offense.

But hell, I just calls it as I sees it.

Well yes that offence is just wrong, but I got the impression minor infractions were severely punished, hence why everyone feared them. If it was only major offences that hadly anyone did that were punishable, then no one would be afraid of them, except guilty people.

Well... infractions can be as little as saying 'inappropriate' things. You can never be sure whats considered 'inappropriate" to the Librarians. And they are the ones to be really afraid of, not that many people think about it.

I mean they put you on a blacklist, and then the Death Hand takes you away or kills you out right. Also fear is a great way of controlling people.

And yes, what is with religious institutions and killing people? They do it less now adays, but its still wrong. Hence why its in my story. I only put things I either agree or disagree with. I put things I Agree with (Like honor, love, justice and such) and glorify them, and I put things I disagree with (Nazies, Commies, and a few other things that end with -ies) and kill them. Or make them look bad, and then kill them.

Damn, im doing a bit in school at the moment that concentrates on how literature 'positions the reader with the dominant reading of the text', yet I totally missed you doing that in all your stories... Not that I disagree with what your doing, but ive been trying to look out for it in stuff I read. Nice work, yet again ive missed something in your stories!

Eh, don't worry. Its not so obvious. I like to have the fun first, thought second. I always thought reading should be fun, so I have lots of things I would enjoy reading. Then commentary in the background.

Some examples of stuff I hid in my stories are:

Homosexuality (Darkside, though its not very hidden)

Racism (Hunters, though again its not very hidden)

Interracial Marriage (Hunters, again.. and again it is not very hidden...at all)

and so on.

Hmmm, another fine and dandy post, I need more...

PS: Are you taking some of your ideas from other stuff?

Nope. I make a few references to things I like, and I am slowly stealing the signature weapons from Hellsing and putting them in my stories. I have so far gotten:

The Jackal (Its a .50 caliber assault pistol. Its appeared in one form or another in Darkside and the sequels)
Anderson's Bayonets (Josh's Bayonets, in hunters. But i modified them to be a bit more realistic)

Now all I need are:

The Harkonnen 30 MM anti-tank cannon (Witch in itself, is a reference to Dune)
Walters monofilament gloves (Imagine a set of gloves with monofilament wires attached at the finger tips. Its hard to explain how you use them, but believe me...they look cool)
The Dandy's magic cards (Anyone read the X-men comics? Its like Gambits cards, but they don't explode. They just cut things)
Van Winkles musket (it fires magical tracking bullets. One shot takes down three jet fighters and two helicopers in one part. Impressive)

If you haven't read or seen Hellsing...watch it, damn it. Its like its written by me, if I were Japanese.

Why, some may ask, am I sneaking these weapons into my stories. Cause its cool. Thats why. They are all really weapons cool, damn it.

Yeah, I noticed the jackal and some stuff