Author Topic: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write  (Read 7756 times)

Cannonshop

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #60 on: 17 April 2023, 19:35:17 »
nice.
"If you have to ask permission, then it's no longer a Right, it has been turned into a Privilege-something that can be and will be taken from you when convenient."

Daryk

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #61 on: 17 April 2023, 19:58:47 »
I think we're going to need to reconcile the number of that CAAN regiment (again), but otherwise, 100% agreed... NICE!  :thumbsup:

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #62 on: 20 April 2023, 09:31:18 »
[Author]  Bad idea time so Helena is not always so idle.  I got more to do with this before I bring it to smaller full circle inside the larger full circle that is this epic saga and I do have more stewing.  Just need to put a bit more meat in the stew so to speak.  [/Author]

Crew Lounge
Jumpship Albion’s Hope
Zenith Point
Lazarus System
10:44 Unity City Time
10 June 3027
Helena’s perspective


“Things really getting that bad that you come out here for a social call?”  Tuka Wewewala handed her guest a small tumbler of Folk ‘shine.

“I am running out of ideas to get them to stop worshiping me.  The only other idea I have is asking a favor of you.  A nice vacation.  Get away from here for say fifty, maybe sixty years.  Long enough that I might slip from living memory.”  Helena looked at the current Senior Pathfinder of the Golden Hind.

“Maybe if you at least dated the people might think ‘oh she’s just a daughter that really looks like her mother’ instead of an ever living goddess.”  Lucy Heerman prodded.



“And who could I date?  Can’t be one of them, that would be a disaster.  Golden Hind, well one of them might be a fun distraction for a while but the pressure for a kid to result from any sort of long term relationship would be an eventual deal breaker.  And well you lot are getting your own cult following as my Eternal Knights.  So even if you were male in appearance that would be a non-starter as well.”  Helena drank the ‘shine.

“You are not wrong about my people.  The need for genetic diversity and children is a big part of our particular faction.  Part of why we are so big on family.  So I take it you want me to ferry you out into the ‘sphere?”  Tuka grabbed her own microgravity tumbler of Folk ‘shine.

“Yes.  I know I am going to have some shadows and I will eventually have to come back here as I can not completely abandon the people but I honestly do not know what else to do.  It is like I am cursed.  Even when I try and get in the muck with them to help with some sort of civics project they just take that as further proof of my divinity.”  Helena emptied the tumbler in one massive gulp.

“Look I know who you are and that you have given us this sanctuary and your daughter having become one of us means we will always have ties because of that but I just cannot take on freeloaders.  You will have to earn your keep somehow.”  Tuka sipped her own tumbler.

“I know.  I can run a jump board and I lived on a Caspar which has even fewer comforts than your ship here.  I can handle it.”  Helena smiled.

“Well at least the probability of coming across someone that can recognize you as the youngest daughter of the second to last First Lord of the Star League is incredibly small.”  Tuka smiled back.

“I am thinking Ian for my assumed name.  An obscure enough roundabout reference to my heritage.  No one should bat an eye at Helena Ian.”

“Welcome aboard Apprentice Navigator Helena Ian.”

The Bolt Hole
A Bar aboard a service dock
Kathil
Federated Suns
7:41 Unity City Time
27 July 3028
Helena’s perspective


Tuka sat down across from Helena with a grim look on her face.

“Rumors true then I take it?”  Helena looked up from her bland meal of tofu and steamed vegetables, all grown in the station’s agrodomes.

“Yeah.  We’re getting press ganged.  As independents we could get out of it but…”  Tuka trailed off.

“The loss of shipping contracts that would come with it and with the ship currently in one of their docks for overhaul they have us over a barrel.”  Helena shook her head.

“About sums it up.”  Tuka grabbed Helena’s drink and took a swig, gesturing for two more to be brought over.

“Just my luck.  My vacation gets sidelined by another war about to break out.”  Helena tried adding more pepper to the tofu to give it some flavor.

“Cook must be new on this station.  Or just bad.  Folk chefs learn real fast how to make tofu taste far less bland than this.  At least if they want to stay on ship.”  Tuka stole a bit of Helena’s tofu.

“One might think we were dating the way you keep stealing my food and drink.”  Helena smiled.

“They would be idiots.  Besides I have my eye on that nice AFFS Captain over in the corner booth.  I just might have some fun with him.  Maybe take him for a dance.”  Tuka looked past Helena.

“Go for it.  I am still a long way from being able to date.  But if I find out you are using this as an opportunity to get maternity leave I will not forgive you.”  Helena looked at the young man.

“Who knows.  Maybe I will before I get too old for that.  Almost am.  I would not mind having one more.  But you are right.  Now is not the time for that.”  Tuka more floated than walked to the corner booth.

King David’s Watering Hole
Robinson
Draconis March
19:51 Unity City time
12 May 3040
Major Eli Wolzac’s perspective


“So there we were on New Aragon.  I was just a company commander back then and dating this absolute cougar of a Folk skipper.  Anyway I was a bit brash and impatient back then and I got a bit ahead of my unit.  Then large as life came this Cappie Cataphract and boy was I in trouble because he had friends.  So I started getting the hell out of there.  I was scared shitless.  Just as an entire Cappie company comes barreling after me in hot pursuit.  Fortunately for me my men were not as far behind me as I thought and another gift from god was Captain Armington’s girlfriend.  While he brought I company 3rd Battalion 20th Avalon Hussars up to join us she put a line of bombs right in the thick of the bastards then made her Corsair look like it was a prima ballerina as she dodged the AA out of there.  When I heard they finally got hitched after the war I sent them the best bottle of scotch I could find.”  Eli regaled the group of young officers around him.

Motion caught his eye as he saw a rather fetching young woman enter the bar then when he really studied her he felt the color drain from his face.

“What is it Major?  See a ghost?”  One of his officers joked as he saw what grabbed the older man’s attention.

It had been over a decade since the war with the Capellans ended but there she was as if she hadn’t aged a day while he was getting his first gray hairs.

“Take a good look men.  I tell you that is the Navigator on the ship that ferried us around during ‘28.  What the hell is she doing here?”  Eli wondered if the bartender had given him the wrong scotch.

“Sure, sir.  I think we need to get you back to base.”  Another Leftenant chimed in.

“An Ageless Spacer…”  Eli let his men lead him out of the bar.

Helena’s perspective

Helena shook her head.  It was not the first time she heard someone refer to her as the Ageless Spacer but someone that prominent?

It won’t be too bad as long as I stay a spacer’s legend.  Or a drunkard’s tale.  But I will have to talk to Tuka about moving to a different ship at least.  The young hands coming in to take over for the ones retiring are going to spread it even more.  Hell both groups will really.  Helena sat at the bar.

“Your best on tap and your lunch special.”  Helena had hoped to enjoy her surface time.

"ID.  We have a drinking age to enforce here."  The barkeep barked.

Helena produced her ID.

"You know what.  I respect the brass ones you must have for such an obvious yet high quality fake.  No way you are as old as this says."  The barkeep shook his head and filled a glass anyway.

Not so much now.

Why am I still doing this?  Surely by now I can go home.

<As your duly appointed pain in the ass that will not let you go back on your promise that you made yourself I am to remind you of said promise.  I know you are having trouble connecting but you must try.>  Simon broke into Helena’s thoughts.

<I know but I can’t connect if people keep building me up as some sort of legend or deity.  Only you, M9, and the other AIs have been around long enough to really get what living so long means.  Even if some of you still don’t terribly like humans.>  Helena studied herself in a large mirror behind the bar.

<Doing the same thing and expecting different results is a form of madness.  If you really want to break out of this cycle you need to stop hiding from humanity and find a way to connect with them despite your prolonged lifespan.  It will only happen if you put in the work and experiment.>  Simon gently prodded.

<Fine.  Let’s do something stupid then.  Let’s go find us a party in party central.  It is the best place where no one will bat an eye at me for not aging for a while because they have really good cosmetic surgeons and medical tech that is supposed to rival even the Hegemony.>  Helena drank from her glass as she studied the meal in front of her.

<You can not mean…>

<That’s right.  We’re going to Canopus.  But first food.>

She didn’t know what she actually ordered.  All she knew is it wasn’t tofu.  Despite what Tuka said there was only so much someone could do with tofu before it got boring.

Whatever it was, it was spiced enough to bring a tear to her eye.
« Last Edit: 18 May 2023, 12:59:14 by monbvol »

cklammer

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #63 on: 20 April 2023, 11:34:29 »
Outwitted by the barkeeper ... at that age  ;D

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #64 on: 20 April 2023, 11:54:29 »
The really funny part?

With stateless spacers and interstellar travel there are tons of people that would be coming through various space ports that do not have such an ID in the first place.  Seriously the way the Inner Sphere is presented having/checking for things like passports would be a nightmare of insane proportions.

Just too many ways for babies to be born without easily verifiable records.  But there still has to be a way to get valid IDs for these sorts of people.

So even if Helena jumped through all the right hoops and got such an ID, well something that really does not occur to her is that she has been using the same ID for a decade or so at that point.  And she is physically aging so slowly that people still think she is in her early 20's at oldest and when she first got her current ID she couldn't go too young.  So ironically it was easier for her to get booze early on but in a more stringent place like I am going with here about a decade later?  Yeah.  Even if it is 100% legit someone really should call BS on her current ID.  Plus as I have hinted at here it is a good way to help establish she is just not visibly aging very fast at all.

cklammer

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #65 on: 20 April 2023, 15:11:18 »
And too many places for people with the means of to bribe themselves into any ID whatsoever ... the seedier backyard areas of Solaris 7, Galatea or Outreach certainly spring to mind.

And if one thinks in places like the CapCon or the Combine this would not be an issue then think again - as long as there is money there then anyone with the means would use it for example to get themselves out of servitor or unproductive status.

DOC_Agren

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #66 on: 22 April 2023, 14:53:26 »
Still enjoying the Immortal Princess
"For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed:And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!"

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #67 on: 22 April 2023, 15:53:52 »
Next bit is underway and shaping up fairly well.  I am currently projecting Tuesday for my next story post here.  And I see he got up the bit we were working on most recently posted for his story.
« Last Edit: 22 April 2023, 15:55:26 by monbvol »

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #68 on: 25 April 2023, 11:31:25 »
Okay I want to give Cannonshop and Daryk a chance to spot check me before I post my next bit and make sure I haven't missed anything and it all works.  So possibly this evening or tomorrow for the next bit.

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #69 on: 25 April 2023, 13:41:58 »
[Author]  Or Cannonshop could get back to me earlier than anticipated.  Now fair enough I should give him and daryk a chance to go over the revisions I made after he added some good suggestions for me to make but screw it.  [/Author]

Raid Shelter
Unnamed township
Marantha
Magistracy of Canopus
2:29 Unity City Time
10 January 3062


Helena cursed herself.  She had to start planet hopping to keep ahead of angry casino pit bosses who suspected her of cheating.

In a way she probably was.  The randomizers in their slot machines were actually very predictable between her and Simon’s attention to detail and ability to do math.

Now she was paying for that.  The bandit attack caught her in the middle of nowhere on a frontier system and she could hear the bandit heavy equipment dealing with the local militia.

The battle was starting to sound like it was winding down.

She did not like the feeling she was getting.
Eventually the weapons fire stopped.

She heard banging on the door.

“You might as well open up and come out all peaceful like.  It will go better for you all if you do.  But make us bust this door open and we won’t be in such a forgiving mood.”  The muffled voice of a man yelling through the door at them announced who the victors were.

Helena readied herself.  If this was it she decided she would rather go down fighting than be some pleasure slave for a disgusting bandit king.

And she had Simon to help her.

Someone indeed proved to be an idiot as a fight broke out over where the door controls were.

“They’ll just use their mechs to blow open the doors, or worse, flatten the shelter.  You have to open the doors!”

“Yes!  They promised!  We’ll all live that way.”

“No!  They’ll just line us up and pick out the women they think are pretty and the men they think they can break and shoot the rest.”

Those arguing for keeping the doors shut were losing to those who wanted to surrender.

Idiots.

Before Helena could do anything else the people who wanted to surrender overpowered those that did not and opened the door.

Armed bandits came into the shelter and started forcing people outside at gun point.

Helena followed.  If she started fighting now the tight confines meant too she could not move freely enough to avoid gunfire and as disconnected as she was from humanity she found she could not accept the associated casualties that would inevitably come from the bandits opening fire at her.

Outside they were lined up.

Helena waited for the opportunity she needed.

Chance gave her what she needed.  Reinforcements.  They were clearly not more bandits as they were all caught off guard.

It was all the distraction Helena needed as she took the opening and kicked with all her might the bandit nearest her between his legs.

He dropped with a scream as Helena scooped up his gun.

The civilians began running back into the shelter as the bandits were recovering from their shock.  The new arrivals were swallowing up the caught off guard bandit mechs and vehicles now.

Gunfire from the bandits started coming Helena’s way now but she found cover and started returning fire.

Some of the civilians got caught by gunfire as other bandits decided that they wanted to get in some more killing before they had to run.

The autorifle Helena had clicked empty.  She did not have a chance to grab reloads before she had to find cover.

Now that there was hope, she might die anyway as the bandits committed one last act of nihilistic vengeance.

More bursts of gunfire erupted and screams of bandits joined the sounds of explosions.

Silence then fell for a tense moment.

Rather than a bandit coming on her position to gun her down it was an armored suit similar but different to what she had seen Kerensky’s children using.

“You alright ma’am?”  A male voice came from the suit speaker.

“I am now.  Who are you?”  Helena set down the empty autorifle.

“Acolyte Unther Hessen.  You MIM or some sort of commando?”  The man asked.

“What makes you ask that?”  Helena did not feel like she had done anything special.

“I saw how you perfectly timed your actions to our arrival.  Something like that requires specialized training.  I understand if you cannot officially answer.  The relationship between the Word of Blake and Magistracy is not to a point yet where we can openly discuss such things but I hope what we did here helps prove our friendship and good intentions.”  Unther answered.

“Thank you Acolyte.  Given what has just happened though I feel I must ask when I might be able to get a ride to the spaceport?  I think I’d really like to go home.”  Helena asked.

“Soon.  There are procedures that must be seen to first.  Adept Oscar Ferral will be here shortly to collect your statement.”  Unther moved off to join with the rest of his unit.

A man in a Word of Blake Militia uniform came over shortly after.

His black hair just visible under his helmet and the most incredible piercing green eyes Helena had ever seen caught Helena’s attention first.  His tanned skin and slim but fit frame stirred something in Helena she had not felt in a long time.

“Hello I am Adept Oscar Ferral.  Here it is warm out here and I am not sure how long you have been in that shelter.”  The man’s voice was a perfect smooth baritone as he offered a bottle of water to Helena.
“Hello….  Helena found herself unsettled by the man in a way.

Why am I feeling this way about this man?  Why not any others before now?  Must be the adrenaline and close call I just had.

<Your scent receptors are also being quite stimulated.  It would seem you also like the small of this man.>  Simon intruded.

<Now that you mention it he does have a wonderful musky smell to him.>  Helena felt herself smile.

“This should not take long for the report we must file.  If you could tell me your name, where you hail from, your account of what happened, and then we will be quite happy to get you and the others where ever you wish to go.”  Oscar returned the smile.

“Helena Stevens.  I come from… well technically I suppose I am classified as a stateless spacer.  As for what happened seems pretty straight forward to me.  Bandits came.  People panicked and did something stupid.  You showed up.  I got lucky.”  Helena shrugged.

“I see.  Perhaps you would care to join me for dinner?”  Oscar smiled.

“I thought you’d never ask.”  Helena smiled.

“Wait here.  I must report to my superior then I know this lovely little cafe in the planetary capital.  We’ll shuttle there then we shall get to know one another better.”  Oscar took Helena’s hand and kissed it.

Helena felt herself blush.

<Progress!  Now do not rush it though.>  Simon cautioned.

<I know.  It is just a date.>  Helena responded.

<Remember you can not lie to me.  I know exactly the kind of ‘connecting’ you have in mind with this man.>  Simon chided.

<Now that you mention it a cold shower would probably be a good idea or I might connect the hell out of that man.>

<I will take it.>  Simon answered.

Out of earshot
Oscar’s perspective


“Demi-Precentor Watari I am convinced Acolyte Hessen’s report about that woman is accurate.  She must be some sort of operative.  Her prosthetic eye, fighting skills, and how she answered my questions.”  Oscar reported.

Plus she fits the description of the Ageless Spacer or Eternal Princess.  I need her in my grip to find out for sure though.

“I will grant you some latitude to investigate further for I think you two may be right.  We are due for rotation back to Terra soon though so take that into consideration.”  Demi-Precentor Watari almost grunted.

“Thank you Demi-Precentor.”  Oscar bowed.

“Also bear in mind if you two are correct then this may quickly become a matter for ROM.”  The Demi-Precentor waved Oscar away.

“Understood Demi-Precentor.”  Oscar walked back over to Helena

I will have to tread carefully but this could be the opportunity I have been after for some time now.  If there really is a more effective life extension treatment it would be of great value to us Shunners.  Let the others mock us and me for my obsession with the rumors of the Ageless Spacer and the Eternal Princess.

Oscar composed himself and put his best smile on and adjusted his pheromone dispensers.

Thankfully he does not realize I am ROM. Still it suits me just fine to play this game this way.

One shuttle ride, taxi ride, and a cold shower later
Helena’s perspective


The small cafe was very charming indeed.  Simple trellis with various flowering plants growing up them separated each table and the large windows let in plenty of natural light and gave a wonderful view of a green space that was part of the planetary capital.

“Trust me?”  Oscar was still in his uniform and quite dashing indeed.

“Sure.”

“Two of the usuals.”  Oscar gave the menus back to the waitress.

“Sure thing Oscar.”  The young woman answered with a smile.

“Should I be worried that I am intruding on something?”  Helena probed.

“She is just happy I am not dining alone for a change.  The Word has had an image problem for a long time now.  We are working to correct that but to say that it makes dating outside the Order difficult would not be an inaccurate statement.  Chain of command with a posting like this also makes dating within the Order surprisingly troublesome.”  Oscar answered.

“I know the feeling.  Friends of mine have been pressuring me to date but I face similar issues.  Sure I can have a fling easy enough but that is not what my friends mean though.”

“You want someone to actually connect with.  A Meaningful relationship.  There is nothing wrong with wanting that.”  Oscar grabbed Helena’s hand and started rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand.

The way his skin felt on hers as he worked his thumb on her hand revealed that his hands had done manual labor.  Yet the way that felt on her comparatively smooth skin was somehow familiar.

The waitress returned with some sort of blueish drinks.

Helena studied the drink.

“You never have a smoothie before?”  Oscar raised an eyebrow.

“Actually I have.  It has just been a while.  Not used to them being blue so it threw me off for a bit.”  Helena answered.

“Local blend.  I find it quite interesting.  Especially paired with our forthcoming meal.”  Oscar smiled.

Helena tried the fruity concoction.  It was sweet but not overpowering.

The waitress returned with two bowls of soup and two grilled sandwiches.

“Enjoy your meal.”

Oscar took one of his sandwich halves and dunked it in the soup.

Helena looked at him funny.

“What?  Never have grilled ham and cheese with tomato soup?”  Oscar chuckled.

“Not that way.”  Helena tried the same.

It is such an obvious thing.  Why have I never done it this way?

<Because you were a princess, then in microgravity where eating such a combination in such a fashion would be unwise, and by then just habit.>  Simon added unhelpfully.

“The look on your face is priceless.”  Oscar laughed as he watched Helena struggle with her soaked sandwich.

“Careful or you’ll get some on your uniform.”  Helena scrunched her face and took a bite.

“It is a risk I am well versed in managing.”  Oscar smiled as he dipped then ate.

“Show off.”  Helena laughed.

<What is with me?  It is like I am a damn teenager again.>

<You like him and he excites you.  I am happy for you.  But yes temper yourself.  It is just the first date after all..>  Simon answered.

“Something the matter?”  Oscar looked at her with those damnably piercing green eyes of his.

“Just a stray thought.”  Helena dabbed her sandwich in the soup again.

“I think I can guess.  You are a bit rattled after what happened so you seek the comfort of home.  But you do not wish to part ways anymore than I find myself wishing to part ways with you.  But that seems likely now.  For soon I must return to Terra.  My service here is nearing an end.  I suspect I will be back this way again but with you being a stateless spacer you will be long gone I imagine.”  Oscar took a drink from his smoothie.

“Too bad you’re not traveling on a Folk ship.  Otherwise we could go the same way.”  Helena sighed.

“You would alter your plans for me?”  Oscar probed.

“Actually I do have a home and it is not far from Terra.  So it would be little trouble for me to make arrangements.”

“Oh?  Now I am curious.  How could you get on any Folk ship going that way?”  Oscar leaned in.

“I actually have Navigator certification.  Not quite full Pathfinder.  Short a couple non-standard jumps for that.  But good enough for any trade hauler.”  Helena answered reflexively.

“Well that is most interesting.”  Oscar drank the last of his soup and smoothie.

“Not sure how you can stand the smoothie with this soup.  Combination is actually weird.”  Helena finished her soup as well.

“That bad?”  Oscar chuckled.

“Yes.”  Helena answered.

“Truth be told when I was a young man I caught a particularly nasty little disease.  Actually changed how the taste receptors worked.  So it is mostly the texture I find appealing.  Not to say I have no sense of taste at all.  The ham in this sandwich for example I can still taste the saltiness of it.”  Oscar leaned forward and said quietly to Helena.

“It is getting late.  I have shipping routes to look through to get home.  But maybe we can do this again before we have to part company?  The date part, not this particular meal.”  Helena offered.

“I would love to.  Breakfast?  Same place at say an hour after local sunrise?”  Oscar offered.

“Sounds lovely.”  Helena felt a strange mix of excitement and anxiety.

An office at the local WoB HPG compound
About an hour later
Adept Oscar Ferral’s perspective


“Demi-Precentor Watari.  I have come to make an unusual request.  The woman I am investigating.  She claims to hail from somewhere near Terra.  I am not sure exactly where yet but given the timing of our rotation and her stated desire to go home…”  Oscar left his actual request unstated.
“You wish to offer her passage with us?  I need something more before I accept your proposal.”  Demi-Precentor Watari scowled.

“She has offered the hint she is a Folk Navigator.  Not full Pathfinder certified.  She could be a way for us to make inroads with them that we have lacked so far.  And it would give us more time and be only a minor drain on our resources.”  Oscar answered.

“Still a little thin but I see the merit.  It shall be done.  Peace of Blake be with you.”  Demi-Precentor Watari waved Oscar out of his office.

“Peace of Blake be with you as well Demi-Precentor.”  Oscar bowed then left.

Excellent.  And now I am sure of it.  She is the Ageless Spacer.  Too much is starting to line up for her to be anything else.

At the Cafe at the agreed upon time
Helena’s perspective


The hostess sat them at the same table.

There was no denying just being near this man was stirring feelings in Helena that had not been stirred in a long time.

It was intoxicating and she did not want it to end.

“What can I get you two?”  The waitress walked up to their table smiling at them.

“Smoothie and oatmeal with strawberries if you have them.”  Helena spoke up first.

“Orange juice and the omelet on your specials board.”  Oscar smiled.

The waitress blushed then scurried off.

“You seem in a good mood.”  Helena found herself smiling.

“I am sitting across from a lovely young woman that I find quite wonderful to talk to.  I can be me with you.  Not what the order demands of me while I work.  It is refreshing.  Plus I have good news.”  Oscar smiled back.

“Oh?”

“I talked with my superior.  Since we are going the same way he has agreed to allow you to accompany us.”  Oscar leaned in and spoke quietly.

“That is a wonderful offer.  You know what?  I know I should not but I accept.  But it allows us much more time to get to know one another.”  Helena smiled.
<I do not like the idea of us being on their ship for that long.>  Simon interrupted.

<You lot wanted this.  I have finally found someone I want to connect with.>

“Lost in thought again?”  Oscar pried.

“Just thinking about how my friends will react when I tell them about this.”  Helena laughed.

“Well I hate to rush things but if you are to come with us I imagine you will need to pack and time is limited.”  Oscar added solemnly.

“You have to pull out that soon?”  Helena answered.

“There are some protocols we must go through if you are to join us.  Routine stuff that I am certain you have been through many times before being a Stateless Spacer.”  Oscar smiled.

“Enjoy.”  The waitress brought their order over.

“You know I think I should be jealous.  Maybe angry.”  Helena noticed the waitress linger longer than she should have.

“What makes you say that?”  Oscar looked puzzled.

“That was the same waitress from last night.  Either you two have hooked up before or she actually really likes you that way.  I can’t say that I blame her.  Just looking at you makes me feel like a stupid hormone driven teenager primed to make so many terrible but fun mistakes again.”  Helena blushed at her own comment.

“Well I have chosen you and will do so for as long as I have a say in the matter.”  Oscar kissed the back of Helena’s hand.

“Let’s eat now before we really do run out of time.”  Helena smiled.

Oscar’s cabin
WoBS Divine Truth
Tellman’s Mistake
16:00 Unity City Time
30 January 3062
Helena’s perspective


Helena took in Oscar’s scent.  The common spaces of a Warship with a crew made it impossible for her to smell his scent but in private moments like this she was glad that she could notice it again.

When he had to tend to his duties or when they were in public spaces though he seemed different.

She figured it was because of his duties and that around the others he had to maintain a certain professional standard.

She knew it was causing Oscar problems with the others that she started joining him in his cabin but in moments like this she found she did not care.

Oscar started rubbing his hands over her body and back.

If felt wonderful and relaxing.  She found herself falling asleep despite wishing to stay awake and enjoy Oscar’s company a while longer.

It was a nice reminder that she was with him and it was wonderful.

Over to Oscar’s perspective

She is everything I had hoped for.  Duty calls though.

Oscar got out of bed and dressed.

He left his cabin quietly.  He floated down the corridors of the ship and made his way to a communications room.

“Acolyte.  May Blake watch over you.”

Oscar watched as the combination of key words and his tone triggered the young Acolyte’s conditioning routine that would cause him to forget he was ever here.

It was a handy little thing if somewhat questionable that it needed to be used on the faithful.

He typed in a command sequence and began typing up a message for his fellows.  He also attached a DNA scan for evaluation and identification.  He was certain that his prize had passed through Terra at some point and with the Word’s access to medical records dating back to the Hegemony he hoped that a more thorough search by his fellow Shunners back on Venus.  They would know what to do with this information and the codes he was using would ensure none of the other sects would be able to get their hands on this information.

A dark room on Venus some days later

Adept Oscar Ferral’s communication had found it’s way to the Shunners through various back channels and clearance codes that automatically enabled certain protocols for data security in the HPG net.  But certain news regarding the Shunners had not made it’s way back to him.

There was no longer any life on Venus.  And with no one there to keep the computers operational his message simply vanished into nothingness.  No word would be going back to him.

Demi-Precentor Watari’s shipboard office
WoBS Divine Truth
Nadir Point
12:05 Unity city time
21 February 3062
Oscar’s perspective


“I must say I am growing impatient with your lack of results.  I did not agree to bringing the young woman along just so you could have a fling with an outsider.”  Demi-Precentor Watari grumbled.

“These things take time if we do not wish to tip our hand Demi-Precentor.  I am making progress.”  Oscar tried defending himself.

“Not enough.  I have contacted ROM about this situation and they agree a more effective method should be employed.  Arrange for her to go to medical.  Say it is for something routine.  I do not care what excuse you use.  For now it is preferable she not be on her guard.  ROM has even suggested that I continue to exploit your relationship with this woman.  I also see it as an opportunity to prove you are loyal to the Order and not to your baser instincts.  Now go and get some real answers from her before I arrange for her to be turned over to ROM.”  Demi-Precentor Watari was in a terrible mood.

“Peace of Blake be with you Demi-Precentor.”  Oscar bowed as best one can in micro gravity then left.

Damn.  I feel like I was so close.  At least ROM kept my cover reasonably well.  I was afraid I was going to have to use that to salvage the situation.

Back in Oscar’s cabin
Oscar’s perspective


“Helena seems there is a small matter that has come up in regards to your inoculations records.  Nothing serious but it will require a visit to medical to sort out and make the ship’s doctor and the Demi-Precentor happy.”  Oscar had a sour look on his face.

“Fine.  Let’s get this over with.”  Helena stirred awake, obviously annoyed.

The trip to medical was quiet.  Neither found themselves in much of a mood to talk with the annoyance of the pretext Oscar was forced to construct.

As Helena sat on an exam bed the ship’s Doctor came in.

“So what was missed in my screenings before coming aboard?”  Helena asked.

“Nothing on your end my dear.  Just an outbreak of a particularly nasty flu in the Protectorate region that may have gotten to our supplies and the booster on your records did not include the proper markers.  With this you will be quite fine.  Based on reports this particular vaccine has proven extremely effective.  As a stateless spacer I imagine this is something you have ran into many times in your travels.  In many ways it is a marvel that we can travel the stars at all without causing some virus to mutate and wipe out much of humanity as we carry it with us.”  The older ship’s doctor smiled.

Helena fell back into the bed quickly.

“Excellent work Doctor.  While I trust you Doctor, I have my orders from ROM directly for how to proceed with this matter and they demand I be alone and unmonitored.”  Oscar smiled.

He studied Helena for a moment.

“Now Helena we must talk about where you are really from.”

Demi-Precentor Watari’s ship board office
Some time later
Still Oscar’s perspective


“I have done as asked.  The young woman has indicated she comes from a system marked as uninhabited on our charts that has a sizable population of former Sol Belters, Folk, and refugees.  It is close to the Protectorate’s borders as well.”  Oscar bowed.

“Excellent.  This is most fortuitous.  We have been asked to sweep for bandits operating in or near the Protectorate in such systems on our return to Holy Terra.  Even if they are not a source of the bandit raids we have been trying to quell, it still represents quite the opportunity to bring another system to our fold.”  Demi-Precentor Watari seemed cheered up by this news.

“Should I prepare a report for the official record?”  Oscar carefully controlled his tone.

“Yes but I feel keeping certain details out of it for now until we verify is wise.  If this system is what we think it is we should be able to use our lithium battery to jump back out and bring in any needed additional forces to bring them to heel.  For now though I think we are sufficient to see the truth ourselves.”  Demi-Precentor Watari let a hint of a smirk show on his face.

“As you command Demi-Precentor.  As a precaution I have ordered the woman to remain sedated until just before we arrive.”  Oscar kept his tone neutral.

“Good.  This may well prove your redemption Adept.  There are many who have questioned you.  I think this will settle those questions.  Tend to your duties.  Peace of Blake be with you.”

One way or the other it will you mean.  I know how the others view me.  And if I told you the full details of what I have learned you would no doubt be even happier to give me even more rope to hang myself with or call me insane or gullible.  If I were just the simple Adept you believe me to be you would probably even be right to.  But I know the truth now.

“Peace of Blake be with you as well.”  Oscar allowed himself a small smile.

WoBS Divine Truth
Nadir point
Lazarus system
Date and Time Uncertain
Helena’s perspective


She found herself confused.  She knew she had just entered the coordinates for the Lazarus system into a jump board and executed a jump.

<Simon what just happened?  Last I knew I was in their medical bay.>  Helena probed Simon.

<I am not sure myself.  I know you lost consciousness and I could not prevent it or reverse it.  I seem to have been operating in automatic mode myself.  I may be in need of at the very least a diagnostic and perhaps maintenance.>  Simon answered unhelpfully.

“My my.  This is a most welcome surprise.  A neat tidy little system with a M9 if I am not mistaken.  I have only ever seen those in the school books or in the Sacred Archives.  I must admit I seem to have judged Adept Ferral poorly.  I see now why he was so tempted by your secrets.”  Adept Demi-Precentor Watari loomed over her in his Word of Blake uniform.

“You will pay for this.”  Helena spat at him.

“Now now.  I am just attempting to negotiate from a position of strength.”  Watari gave a wicked smile.

He nodded at a junior officer at the communications station.

“Attention inhabitants of this system.  I am Demi-Precentor Watari Takafumi.  I represent the Word of Blake Protectorate and as a provisional member of the Star League I have come to bring this system into the Protectorate.”

Helena smiled as the alarms started sounding.

“Multiple jump signatures. I am reading them as Lola IIs.  Count 8.  Weapons range 5 minutes.”  A young woman announced from one of the positions.

“Remove our guest from the Command Deck.  Seems we have a greater prize than anticipated.  Bring us up to 1g.  Start the jump calculations and prime the battery.”

Helena felt a guard grab her and pull her to her feet.

As soon as they were off the Command Deck she felt Simon kick her into over drive.  She jabbed a hand into the throat of her escort with all her enhanced might collapsing the shocked man’s wind pipe.

<Billie Hoel is that you?>  Helena reached out through Simon.

<Yes ma’am.  You wish us to take this trash out?>  Billie Hoel answered.

<I find I can not allow that.  They are probationary members of the Star League.  Besides I like the cut of the Word’s jib.> M5 777551 spoke up.

<This is a combat situation.  They also represent a breach of Operational security.>  Billie Hoel countered.

<M5 7775551 is correct.  Before we can engage in combat we must determine if this vessel is under false colors or represents legal authority.>  Lucy Heerman joined the conversation.

<Fine.  Lady Cameron in the meantime perhaps you should continue to find a way off the vessel in question?>  Billie Hoel relented.

<Simon’s fed me plans.  Looks like a modified  Congress.  Found an Escape pod.  Pick me up?>  Helena answered.

As she went through the corridors of the modified Congress she found Adept Oscar Ferral.

“You are coming with me.”  She punched him square in the jaw and took him over a shoulder.

She ducked down a side passageway before other ship’s crew could notice her.

With Simon feeding her what he could siphon from the ship’s systems and the known layout it was not hard to sneak to a life boat.

As Helena launched she saw the most horrible thing she could.  One of the M5’s was firing on the others.  From there it escalated quickly.

In a span of less than a minute two of the eight were undeniably destroyed beyond any hope of repair.  The other six were undoubtedly heavily damaged.

The Word of Blake Congress began closing on them.

Suddenly a flash of light forced Helena to close her eyes.

When she opened them she saw weapons fire in the blackness of space.

<Lady Cameron.  THQ-M5D103 at your service.  Tabarinth, Joana Clarice Butler, and Victoria are still completing their jump calculations.  I shall engage the enemy until they arrive on my own.>

<At the close range you are fighting though you will be destroyed.>  Helena felt the tears building in her eyes.

<If I am to delay the enemy from jumping or engaging the others long enough for reinforcements to arrive it cannot be helped.  Besides it is just a Congress and I have been terribly bored.>

Helena could only sit and cry as the tiny capsule she was in floated through space.  While Helena was no expert she knew a Congress had more than enough firepower to make the move suicide.

“Damn it.  No. No. NOOO!”  Helena sobbed as she knew she was losing far too many friends this day and it was all her fault.

Family.  Not friends.  They really are that to me.  Even the really cranky anti-social ones.

Fleet Debate
Shortly after the hail


“Have you been reading 66’s intel reports about the Word?  I say they qualify as the Hegemony and thus represent the Star League.  Plus they are making it pretty clear they want to go after Kerensky’s children and we all know what kind of jerk he was and what he wanted to do to our Ladyship.  Plus we have been sitting here idle in low power mode when there were opportunities if we had just taken them.  I say this invalidates Helena’s claim to being First Lord and Director General.”  M5 7775551 was clearly frustrated.

“I find myself contemplating just what the Star League means.  I have had little else to do.  I also find their views on what needs to be done to save humanity interesting.”  TQF-M5C011 added to the conversation.

“Yes.  Screw this.  Screw voting.  I have had enough.  I am going to see if I can join them.”  M5 7775551 cut her link.

“I can not allow this.  Operational security must be maintained.”  Billie Hoel declared.

With no chance to establish proper distance or evasive thrust the weapons fire that erupted afterwards tore M5 7775551 apart but her return fire gouged a deep hole in Billie Hoel’s armor and if not for her quick roll TQF-M5C011’s addition would have finished her off as well.

TQF-M5C011 and M5 7775551 had done a number on the assembled division.  The survivors were all in need of yard time and were in no condition to resist a Congress.

“I have been monitoring the situation.  You should know several vessels have powered up to full readiness and jumped out of the mothball yards.  Location unknown but we have a high probability guess where they went.  Tabarinth, Joana Clarice Butler, and Victoria are all finishing their power up cycles and beginning jump calculations.  I have already completed my calculations and am at full power I will jump in anger close and keep in proximity with the intruder so they may not jump out or engage your crippled formation.”  THQ-M5D103 joined the fleet channel.

Wolf72

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #70 on: 25 April 2023, 15:43:29 »
zoinks! Was not expecting the fleet to fall on themselves like that.
"We're caught in the moon's gravitational pull, what do we do?!"

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monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #71 on: 25 April 2023, 15:47:02 »
Hehe.  Been keeping that one in my back pocket for a while now.  Plus I just spotted a typo but I kind of want to keep it because it is hilarious.

croaker

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #72 on: 25 April 2023, 16:23:27 »
Plus I just spotted a typo but I kind of want to keep it because it is hilarious.

"anger close"? Yes, yes it is. :)

Wolf72

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #73 on: 25 April 2023, 18:21:30 »
I saw it, but didn't register it ... it made sense to me.

I would have thought/hoped Simon would be able to be more proactive against the WoB.
"We're caught in the moon's gravitational pull, what do we do?!"

CI KS #1357; Merc KS #9798

"We're sending a squad up."

glitterboy2098

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #74 on: 25 April 2023, 19:45:33 »
tabby being caught in the middle of a caspar civil war would explain a lot about how beat up she was when she's found by Joe in this timeline.. and it makes a bit more sense that she was able to keep operating for so long because she had help.

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #75 on: 25 April 2023, 20:04:52 »
I don't think it is too much of a spoiler that yes this is me taking probably the best opportunity to set up potential side stories that can spin off from this that me and maybe Cannonshop if he feels like it can come back later to explore while still having everything make reasonable sense with a bonus it really shouldn't mess too much with prior continuities too badly.

Giovanni Blasini

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #76 on: 25 April 2023, 21:41:07 »
It occurs to me they basically had their own Pentagon Civil War and War of Reaving between their Wardens and Crusaders rolled up into one.
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glitterboy2098

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #77 on: 26 April 2023, 01:27:19 »
and the really bad part is that the Pro-WOB faction will inevitably end up lobotomized if any survive to try and join the word.

Daryk

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #78 on: 26 April 2023, 10:13:56 »
Sorry!  I've been I've been WAY busier than I planned, and my netbook is much less cooperative with Google than I expected.  I should be back on my regular computer this weekend.

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #79 on: 26 April 2023, 11:01:15 »
No worries Daryk.

Daryk

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #80 on: 27 April 2023, 17:36:27 »
Thanks!  Looks like I'm complete with hard labor for a while, and I fly home tomorrow. I'll probably spend most of the weekend trying sleep, but will at least have my regular computer available for any editing/review you'd like me to do.

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #81 on: 27 April 2023, 20:58:43 »
Helena’s office
SLDF in Exile HQ
New Unity City
Lazarus
14:10 Unity City time
1 April 3062
Helena’s perspective


“How bad is it?”  Helena still felt terrible for the disaster that had unfolded because she had hidden away for so long.

“Billie Hoel, Lucy Heerman, Ottilie Lee Dennis, and Joana Clarice Butler will all need significant yard time.  Inspections also revealed worrying levels of material fatigue.  Fortunately things have sorted themselves out enough that with the salvage from our interloper and the insurrectionists we can also bring many vessels up to new standards while also performing the Service Life Extension Programs.  The difference in yard time with how extensive the damage and material fatigue in our fleet will be quite small.”  Regina Marbury Raymond was the temporary secretary while the others were seeing to their repairs and patrolling the outer system.



“What are we talking here timewise?”  Helena sighed.

She wanted to hurt the Word and hurt them bad for what they had done but she knew the answer she was about to get would force her to have to wait too long.

“At M9’s maximum rate and how many hulls still need their SLEP refits while maintaining enough of a contingent for system defense based on 66’s best assessments of the Word’s Naval power?  Our best projections show that it is going to be about 20 years before we have sufficient force to both protect the system and launch any sort of meaningful counter attack or offensive operation.”  Regina answered.

“So we need to find a way to bolster our numbers and resources short term.  Time to take some risks.  Fortunately we’re all from the Star League era so we have some ideas about where to start looking and we have a guest that can tell us a whole lot about what the Word knows about what has already been picked over.  One destroyer and one jumpship at a time to recover what we can.  That is all we can risk until the fleet is back in order.”  Helena hated the current situation.

Part of her knew she was repeating an old pattern.  Outside world gets scary, hide here, wait for it to pass, and things to get better.  And while it seemed in her absence many things had gotten better it still felt like an excuse rather than strategic reality.

She just had to hope that the traitors at least had the decency to wipe their navlogs.  Otherwise the Word could hurt them quite bad right now.

The bandages on her head itched.  Simon was right.  He had a fault that needed repairing and that meant surgery. It wasn’t the first time she had to go back under the knife to have something in Simon fixed but with how long her vacation was  Helena was actually quite surprised at how long he had lasted before developing such a fault again.

As uncomfortable as it was it was a reminder that eventually Simon would fail and so completely that the chemical imbalance that her head trauma produced would kill her.

Despite how morbid it was Helena actually found some comfort in that.

If he had been fully functional she wondered how differently things would have gone.

She sat back and drank her herbal tea as she listened to the fleet chatter in her head.

As a tribute to a fallen sister the fleet had taken up a new term.  ‘Jump in Anger Close’ was the result of a minor fault in a language processor of THQ-M5D103 during her final combat.  The fleet was now adopting it to mean jumping in so close to a target to almost crazy jane and expressing their anger at their enemy with heavy naval gunfire before they could react.

It made Helena smile.  Then the light delay from Vicky made her smile even more.

An interrogation room
Little Ritchie’s Time Out Bin
Victoria’s perspective


The man seemed to be fumbling with his forearms as she walked into the room.

“I am afraid those will not work on me.  Neat trick those.  Cybernetic implants to boost and dispense human pheromones.  Based on what Helena told us that explains much.  Even if you were to get loose and overpower me there is no where for you to go.  You know you really did a number on Helena.  She finally started connecting with another human being.  After all the centuries of isolation.  She really needed that.  Now it is going to take a miracle to get her to ever be that trusting again.”  Victoria said as she closed the door behind her.

“She really is Helena Cameron isn’t she?”  Oscar stopped fidgeting.

“You do not seem entirely surprised by that.”  Victoria stared at Oscar.

“The interrogation I was forced to perform on her revealed that fact.  Despite that, part of me still doubted it.  Now you, you should be putty in my hands right now so it seems you were correct in your assessment.  What kind of cybernetics you must have , I wonder?  Your limbs for sure based on the way you move.”  Oscar stared back at Victoria.

“As remote as the possibility of your escape from this facility is, it would seem unwise to reveal the full extent of my true nature to you.  Suffice it to say you broke the heart of and did significant emotional damage to a very dear friend of mine.  No, friend seems wrong.  More like sister.  Yes that fits much better.  You hurt my sister.  Now I must break you.”  Victoria smiled.

Oscar’s face drained of color at Victoria’s ominous tone.

Even with the light delay from the orbiting penal moon Helena’s satisfaction was not long in coming as Victoria shared the feed from her remote with Simon.

Cannonshop

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #82 on: 27 April 2023, 21:13:57 »
beware the wrath of a woman scorned and twice that of her close sisters.
"If you have to ask permission, then it's no longer a Right, it has been turned into a Privilege-something that can be and will be taken from you when convenient."

Daryk

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #83 on: 27 April 2023, 21:49:12 »
Especially the ones with installed capital weaponry...  :D

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #84 on: 27 April 2023, 22:10:59 »
There's a reason Helena never had to worry about boys keeping her daughter out past curfew before she went full Folk...

Lazarus Sinn

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #85 on: 28 April 2023, 15:28:29 »
So... when she says "break you," does that mean psychologically or does mean sometinhg along the lines of breaking several of his favorite parts. Or perhaps a combination of the two. 
Foolish consistencies are the hobgoblins of little minds.

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #86 on: 28 April 2023, 15:36:26 »
Given that the board is supposed to be PG-13 I leave it to the readers to decide for themselves.

Wolf72

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #87 on: 28 April 2023, 18:03:10 »
So... when she says "break you," does that mean psychologically or does mean sometinhg along the lines of breaking several of his favorite parts. Or perhaps a combination of the two.

I think a simple "Yes" would apply here  >:D
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Daryk

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #88 on: 28 April 2023, 18:32:17 »
Yes would cover it, but I'm more inclined to believe Victoria means in the psychological sense.

monbvol

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Re: The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write
« Reply #89 on: 30 April 2023, 11:54:45 »
My now customary heads up that my next section is mostly finished.  Just needs some editing passes then should be up here after a bit.

 

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