Mosher
Mushroom dad
It's a sign they love your story! 
The Celestial Bureaucracy
- Thread starter Tomorrow's Dawn
- Start date
Tomorrow's Dawn
Heroes Never Die
To answer your question, Mosher, take the Earth18 map, multiply it by four and that's what you get in the Giant Earth Map. Okay, that's not really it but that's just my eyeball of the map and you can take it for what it's worth. Onto the update. This update (or at least the combat portions) is loosely based off and inspired by a Chinese soldier's testimony of one notable experience during the Sino-Vietnamese War, for which I would link to, but apparently, it's been 404'ed and I can't remember the book it was a part of.
Hold Out
Two weeks after the debacle that occurred in Nam Dinh, the small collective of Imperial Army remnants that had escaped up into the hills came under attack by a relatively large division of Kampuchean soldiers. Many troops on the Chinese side postulated that they were perhaps a cleanup crew for stragglers and used their sudden appearance to draw a basis for the annihilation of the main army. Morale was low throughout the ranks but the overwhelming sense of desperation was able to instill some fighting spirit in the men. The Kampucheans were shoehorned into making repeated direct assaults against the ridge; the only other ways up onto the elevated position were through a muddy estuary and a heavily forested passage.
All through the day, arrow fire was exchanged between the Chinese-held ridge and the jungle across the way. It was difficult to discern on either side if anyone was falling or to the barrages of arrows being traded or not but on Mohammeds side, there was confirmation of at least seven casualties from the Kampuchean hail of arrows. Suddenly, a mass of about eighteen to twenty-five men charged down the slope of the Kampuchean side into the incline, where they attempted to cross-over to the Chinese ridge to engage in hand-to-hand combat. The fire from the defense team immediately re-directed towards the charging soldiers. Not a single man in that team was able to come even a hundred meters close to being able to strike at any of the shooters. There was a brief lull in the fighting which was broken by a single arrow that fired over from the Kampuchean side to the Chinese side.
An arrow with a message attached to it flew from the silence and hit the trunk of a tree near the right side of the ridge. Not knowing what to make of it at first, one brave private came out from cover and retrieved the message, promptly retreating back to the safety of the brush thereafter. As he opened it, he looked around and called for someone. The message was written in Cambodian and required translation. A Cambodian-speaking soldier was soon brought to the ridge and was immediately set to work in deciphering the message.
The Kampucheans want to declare a ceasefire, he said. Should we ?
The captains present at the ridge huddled to make a decision. After a short period of time, they turned back to the soldier and asked him to draft a return letter.
Casualties were light but the three men who were still alive and suffering arrow wounds needed immediate attention.
You will have your ceasefire. If anyone is caught crossing the gap between our side and yours though, we will not hesitate to renew hostilities, the soldier wrote.
The letter was soon fired over onto the Kampuchean side.
We want to collect our dead. We are going to cross the boundary to retrieve the bodies at sundown.
We trust you will honor the ceasefire and not open fire on our crews.
Awaiting a response, should you decide to be civil, came the response from the enemy.
After much discussion, the terms provided by the collective of captains was that the Cambodians were allowed to go collect their dead at the designated time of sundown so long as they bring no ballista pieces or heavy elephants into the incline. Doing so would be considered a violation of the ceasefire and void the terms of the agreement. After the Cambodian-speaking soldier finished drafting his response and fired back to the Cambodian side, they received a quick response.
Fine. We will approach by sundown, said the message.
Mohammed, Yang, Choi & Shao sat around the grove sharing dinner after being involved in the engagement. Their other squadmates; Morita, Han & the Captain were over by the ridge, watching for the Cambodians that were supposed to collect their dead at sundown.
Whats up with Han anyway? That guy never says anything at all, Shao said over dinner.
I dont know either, Choi answered as he dug into his rice ration. The guy is honestly a mystery to me.
Ive trained with him briefly during the marches and the only times Ive ever heard him speak were whenever an officer addressed him or wanted him to finish a task,
Hey man, you feeling better from that thing with Morita? Mohammed asked suddenly, out of the blue.
Yeah, I am. Why do you care? Arent I just another dirty Burk to you too? Shao questioned, a little bit wary.
That doesnt mean anything to me, Shao. Im Arabian. You dont think I know what its like to be pushed around because I come from a different background? Mohammed stated.
Look man, I just want you to know, the next time Morita tries to start anything with you, Ill stand up for you,
Mohammed outstretched a hand over the earthen crockpot for Shao.
Thanks Ma, youre alright. Sorry to doubt you, Shao accepted as they shook hands.
You said you were half-Burakumin, right? Your surname is Shao, so I gather youre half-Han. How did your parents meet? Mohammed asked, trying to make conversation.
I suppose if you dont mind listening to something a little long-winded, Shao said.
Its dinner. If there ever was a time we could talk on end for days about something, itd be now, the Arab soldier laughed as he took a gulp of his stew.
Well, Im from the Wa Province across the sea. Born and raised in Kyoto.
My old man worked at the docks and worked with ship cargo, while my mom worked in my grandfathers flower shop,
My mom used to tell me often that, the Yamato would always vandalize the store and say things to her like,
Dont matter how many flowers you sell, youll still always smell like a rotting corpse, or How many Hans did you fool into buying corpseweed today? but she always tried to smile and put on a front, the Burakumin soldier mused, admiring his mother's resolve.
My old man hooked up with her when he was eighteen and she was sixteen after a delivery job.
He dotes over her a lot and being full Han, couldnt really understand why people harassed my mom so much,
My old man cant the difference between a Yamato and a Burakumin anyway,
and even if he did, I gather he wouldnt really care, Shao said.
He always said that he was lucky that mom chose him; that someone so pretty like her would accept a rough, uncultured dock-worker like him. But she always confided to me and my siblings that she just felt happy that dad didnt think see her as a piece of dirt, the Burakumin soldier continued to explain.
That sounds really sappy, Shao, Choi piqued up.
Shut up, you want to hear this or not? Shao laughed.
It was just as rough for me too. I didnt dare walk home from market alone because gangs of Yamato kids would prowl the streets, looking for Burakumin kids to mug or beat up. One day, when I was twelve, three of them came around the corner and caught me by myself while I was out running an errand. They demanded all my money. The money I had on hand was for my little sister, who had come down with a heavy fever and the money was for the local physician. That day, I knew that there was no way to avoid it so I just jumped in and fought. I remember grabbing the lead guy and smashing his head into the wall while the other kids ran. Needless to say, no one ever messed with me again,
Damn, it must have been rough living in Kyoto. I spent most of my time with a lot of the other Arab kids in Tokyo and didnt really go to many places outside of the local church or the Arab Quarter. Anytime I met someone Han who screwed around with me, Id just stand in shock because I never saw it coming and didnt know how to react, Mohammed said as he chewed on a vegetable stalk that he found in his stew.
Being part-Han myself, I have to sympathize. I wouldnt judge you like that on first sight, Shao nodded as he continued with his story.
I could usually deal with a lot of it but there was just one instance that was burned into my memory,
There was a Yamato girl back home that I really liked. I always caught sight of her by the sweets shop where me and my siblings went whenever we had a little pocket change,
I finally worked up the nerve to talk to her one day and she just looked at me in horror,
She rejected me. Well, it wasnt so much of the fact that she rejected me than what she actually said to me.
Her exact words were, Id never let a dirty Burk like you touch me,
Ill never really forget that, he said as he threw a small twig at a nearby pool of mud.
It doesnt matter if I look just like them. Those Yamato have nothing but daggers in their eyes against Burakumin like me, Shao vented.
I hear you, Yang spoke up after a long silence. Im part Arab and people constantly dwell on that fact when they meet me.
Its like they cant see past the blood and just come to all these conclusions about me right away just because of it,
Wait, youre part Arab? Shao spat out some of his gruel at the revelation, the mood at the circle immediately changing.
Just like that! Come on, man. Seriously, Yang stood up and pointed while laughed incredulously.
He doesnt want to admit it either, but hes also the son of the Marquis of Tokyo, Mohammed added.
And nobility to boot! Shao & Choi shared a laugh.
Cousin, youre not making this any better for me, Yang groaned.
Wait, so you guys are cousins? Choi asked as his laughter died down. I can hardly see any family resemblance,
Yeah well, I happened to inherit all the looks in the family, Yang snarked back at his cousin.
You wish. I had my first girlfriend long before you did, Mohammed said as he turned up his nose.
All four men took the moment to refill their bowls with more gruel.
What about you, Choi? Whats your story? Mohammed inquired after getting his share.
I grew up in Tonggou, The Corean soldier explained.
Near the frontier? Yang asked with great curiosity.
Sort of. Tonggou was part of the old frontier, but that must have been centuries ago,
My mother is a Han civil servant in the administration there. My father on the other hand, is a Corean guard captain at the fortress there.
Sorry, no cheesy romance story about how they hooked up, Choi said as Shao gave him a friendly shove. They just sort of got together through work,
Im Nao Caste like my mother. Before the war, I was a fledgling scholar, but I was able to persuade both the people in the government and my parents to let me join the military. I actually expected to fight Manchus out on the frontier but well, here I am deep in the jungle, getting bit by hand-sized spiders and every other sort of nonsense they have here,
Youre pretty good at shooting a ballista at least. And a Cho Ko Nu as well! Youre probably the best shot out of all of us here, Choi! Mohammed grinned as he heaped on the praise. Thanks. Honestly, I feel more comfortable shooting with a weapon than swinging it, but the Tiger Vanguard was all filled up in Tonggou by the time I enlisted, Choi admitted.
If you want to shoot, heres your chance! called a voice from behind.
All four soldiers sitting by the crockpot looked up to see a baggage troop with his wagon, tossing arrow cartridges to each of the men.
Get up! Grab your weapons! The Cambodians broke the agreement! Theres hundreds of Cambodians down at the incline, trying to make a push! We need all the men we can spare up on the ridge now! he screamed. Everyone jumped to their feet and followed the man out over to the ridge where the skirmish was taking place. Two ballista pieces stood in place by the piles of bodies in the middle of the incline, readying to fire in case of Chinese attack as a few men began to pick up the dead and carry them off. By the time they would have been done however, the ballista operators would already be in place to support another assault onto the Chinese line. The defenders who were already by the trees were laying down as much pressure as they could but it seemed like the entire Kampuchean division was down at incline, getting ready to charge or hold the position.
Mohammed & the others opened up on the enemy without restraint. As the operator on the left-most ballista cranked the gear into place, Choi sniped the man with pinpoint accuracy. Another arrow found its way through the skull of the shooter who was mounted in position via the Corean sharpshooter. But as he died, the shooters finger twitched and let loose several bolts; injuring at least three defenders on the Chinese side. Still, the engagement was a one-sided massacre. Many of the Cambodians who were in the middle of hauling off dead bodies now joined their fallen brethren as fresh corpses, stuck in the killzone of the incline. By nightfall, there were no more Cambodians left alive.
Risking the possibility of infection from being in such close proximity to a large presence of decaying flesh by the ridge, the collective of units burned the bodies. One Cambodian soldier who had been feigning death was accidentally burned alive before he realized what was happening. Now that the enemy had been vanquished, the captains began debating on what the next course of action should be. A fair portion of the officers wished to chart a course back to Core China, believing the army to have suffered a full rout but Captain Yue and a handful of others expressed faith that the main army was still out there. There was no way to gain confirmation in any case. That was, until the following day.
An Imperial scout adorned in the black and red of the Empire was spotted in the distance and immediately brought to the makeshift camp to hold a general assembly. This was the groups first contact with friendly military personnel in weeks now. There was a lot of buzz in the camp, for it was rumored that the scout had very good news to share.
Weve captured Angkor Thom! Dai Viet is ours! he exclaimed.
Theres orders from the Southern Pacification Army high command for all scattered units to regroup at Angkor Thom! the scout relayed.
Are you saying they were able to beat back the Kampuchean Cavalry? Captain Yue asked with a look of amazement on his face.
Oh no. The Cavalry is still out there. But you should have seen it. On the second day of the battle, we were able to get the upper hand on those bastards. See, what apparently happened was that the Kampucheans got a little cocky. After their victory on the first day of the battle, they thought they could go off and celebrate for the night, come back and trounce us again. That obviously didnt happen. The good General after some re-assessment of the situation thought to get all the men together and dig a bunch of trenches, mount a couple pikes in there and cover them back up a little. You really should have seen it. The elephant riders showed up the next day, with all their bravado only to find themselves skewered on the pikes after falling into the traps. Their Dai Viet infantry on the other hand were picked off from behind the safety of the trench arrangement. They pulled a full retreat not too long after,
Weve been monitoring the movements of a Kampuchean division around these parts. A lot of the other scouts that were sent out here either died or been captured. Im surprised that I was able to make it here without being caught myself, the scout said.
Well, that division isnt here anymore, Captain Yue replied. Come with me, sir,
The Captain and a few soldiers guided the scout over to the skirmish site, where the dead Cambodians still remained.
You repelled that division?! the scout asked, wide-eyed as he gazed upon the smoldering mass of bodies in the middle of the scorched incline.
We had heard that a friendly unit was stranded up here but there wasnt any way we could come and relieve you because its still mostly Kampuchean held territory. But now that we have confirmation that the occupying force is gone, we have a clear shot to Angkor Thom where you can regroup with the main army and replenish your supplies, the scout explained.
I think every soldier here would like that very much, the Captain afforded himself a slight smile.
Everyone pack your bags! he announced. Were going to march to Angkor Thom! Theres no time to lose! Unless you like having your feet chewed off by giant spiders anyway,
Hold Out
Two weeks after the debacle that occurred in Nam Dinh, the small collective of Imperial Army remnants that had escaped up into the hills came under attack by a relatively large division of Kampuchean soldiers. Many troops on the Chinese side postulated that they were perhaps a cleanup crew for stragglers and used their sudden appearance to draw a basis for the annihilation of the main army. Morale was low throughout the ranks but the overwhelming sense of desperation was able to instill some fighting spirit in the men. The Kampucheans were shoehorned into making repeated direct assaults against the ridge; the only other ways up onto the elevated position were through a muddy estuary and a heavily forested passage.
All through the day, arrow fire was exchanged between the Chinese-held ridge and the jungle across the way. It was difficult to discern on either side if anyone was falling or to the barrages of arrows being traded or not but on Mohammeds side, there was confirmation of at least seven casualties from the Kampuchean hail of arrows. Suddenly, a mass of about eighteen to twenty-five men charged down the slope of the Kampuchean side into the incline, where they attempted to cross-over to the Chinese ridge to engage in hand-to-hand combat. The fire from the defense team immediately re-directed towards the charging soldiers. Not a single man in that team was able to come even a hundred meters close to being able to strike at any of the shooters. There was a brief lull in the fighting which was broken by a single arrow that fired over from the Kampuchean side to the Chinese side.
An arrow with a message attached to it flew from the silence and hit the trunk of a tree near the right side of the ridge. Not knowing what to make of it at first, one brave private came out from cover and retrieved the message, promptly retreating back to the safety of the brush thereafter. As he opened it, he looked around and called for someone. The message was written in Cambodian and required translation. A Cambodian-speaking soldier was soon brought to the ridge and was immediately set to work in deciphering the message.
The Kampucheans want to declare a ceasefire, he said. Should we ?
The captains present at the ridge huddled to make a decision. After a short period of time, they turned back to the soldier and asked him to draft a return letter.
Casualties were light but the three men who were still alive and suffering arrow wounds needed immediate attention.
You will have your ceasefire. If anyone is caught crossing the gap between our side and yours though, we will not hesitate to renew hostilities, the soldier wrote.
The letter was soon fired over onto the Kampuchean side.
We want to collect our dead. We are going to cross the boundary to retrieve the bodies at sundown.
We trust you will honor the ceasefire and not open fire on our crews.
Awaiting a response, should you decide to be civil, came the response from the enemy.
After much discussion, the terms provided by the collective of captains was that the Cambodians were allowed to go collect their dead at the designated time of sundown so long as they bring no ballista pieces or heavy elephants into the incline. Doing so would be considered a violation of the ceasefire and void the terms of the agreement. After the Cambodian-speaking soldier finished drafting his response and fired back to the Cambodian side, they received a quick response.
Fine. We will approach by sundown, said the message.
Mohammed, Yang, Choi & Shao sat around the grove sharing dinner after being involved in the engagement. Their other squadmates; Morita, Han & the Captain were over by the ridge, watching for the Cambodians that were supposed to collect their dead at sundown.
Whats up with Han anyway? That guy never says anything at all, Shao said over dinner.
I dont know either, Choi answered as he dug into his rice ration. The guy is honestly a mystery to me.
Ive trained with him briefly during the marches and the only times Ive ever heard him speak were whenever an officer addressed him or wanted him to finish a task,
Hey man, you feeling better from that thing with Morita? Mohammed asked suddenly, out of the blue.
Yeah, I am. Why do you care? Arent I just another dirty Burk to you too? Shao questioned, a little bit wary.
That doesnt mean anything to me, Shao. Im Arabian. You dont think I know what its like to be pushed around because I come from a different background? Mohammed stated.
Look man, I just want you to know, the next time Morita tries to start anything with you, Ill stand up for you,
Mohammed outstretched a hand over the earthen crockpot for Shao.
Thanks Ma, youre alright. Sorry to doubt you, Shao accepted as they shook hands.
You said you were half-Burakumin, right? Your surname is Shao, so I gather youre half-Han. How did your parents meet? Mohammed asked, trying to make conversation.
I suppose if you dont mind listening to something a little long-winded, Shao said.
Its dinner. If there ever was a time we could talk on end for days about something, itd be now, the Arab soldier laughed as he took a gulp of his stew.
Well, Im from the Wa Province across the sea. Born and raised in Kyoto.
My old man worked at the docks and worked with ship cargo, while my mom worked in my grandfathers flower shop,
My mom used to tell me often that, the Yamato would always vandalize the store and say things to her like,
Dont matter how many flowers you sell, youll still always smell like a rotting corpse, or How many Hans did you fool into buying corpseweed today? but she always tried to smile and put on a front, the Burakumin soldier mused, admiring his mother's resolve.
My old man hooked up with her when he was eighteen and she was sixteen after a delivery job.
He dotes over her a lot and being full Han, couldnt really understand why people harassed my mom so much,
My old man cant the difference between a Yamato and a Burakumin anyway,
and even if he did, I gather he wouldnt really care, Shao said.
He always said that he was lucky that mom chose him; that someone so pretty like her would accept a rough, uncultured dock-worker like him. But she always confided to me and my siblings that she just felt happy that dad didnt think see her as a piece of dirt, the Burakumin soldier continued to explain.
That sounds really sappy, Shao, Choi piqued up.
Shut up, you want to hear this or not? Shao laughed.
It was just as rough for me too. I didnt dare walk home from market alone because gangs of Yamato kids would prowl the streets, looking for Burakumin kids to mug or beat up. One day, when I was twelve, three of them came around the corner and caught me by myself while I was out running an errand. They demanded all my money. The money I had on hand was for my little sister, who had come down with a heavy fever and the money was for the local physician. That day, I knew that there was no way to avoid it so I just jumped in and fought. I remember grabbing the lead guy and smashing his head into the wall while the other kids ran. Needless to say, no one ever messed with me again,
Damn, it must have been rough living in Kyoto. I spent most of my time with a lot of the other Arab kids in Tokyo and didnt really go to many places outside of the local church or the Arab Quarter. Anytime I met someone Han who screwed around with me, Id just stand in shock because I never saw it coming and didnt know how to react, Mohammed said as he chewed on a vegetable stalk that he found in his stew.
Being part-Han myself, I have to sympathize. I wouldnt judge you like that on first sight, Shao nodded as he continued with his story.
I could usually deal with a lot of it but there was just one instance that was burned into my memory,
There was a Yamato girl back home that I really liked. I always caught sight of her by the sweets shop where me and my siblings went whenever we had a little pocket change,
I finally worked up the nerve to talk to her one day and she just looked at me in horror,
She rejected me. Well, it wasnt so much of the fact that she rejected me than what she actually said to me.
Her exact words were, Id never let a dirty Burk like you touch me,
Ill never really forget that, he said as he threw a small twig at a nearby pool of mud.
It doesnt matter if I look just like them. Those Yamato have nothing but daggers in their eyes against Burakumin like me, Shao vented.
I hear you, Yang spoke up after a long silence. Im part Arab and people constantly dwell on that fact when they meet me.
Its like they cant see past the blood and just come to all these conclusions about me right away just because of it,
Wait, youre part Arab? Shao spat out some of his gruel at the revelation, the mood at the circle immediately changing.
Just like that! Come on, man. Seriously, Yang stood up and pointed while laughed incredulously.
He doesnt want to admit it either, but hes also the son of the Marquis of Tokyo, Mohammed added.
And nobility to boot! Shao & Choi shared a laugh.
Cousin, youre not making this any better for me, Yang groaned.
Wait, so you guys are cousins? Choi asked as his laughter died down. I can hardly see any family resemblance,
Yeah well, I happened to inherit all the looks in the family, Yang snarked back at his cousin.
You wish. I had my first girlfriend long before you did, Mohammed said as he turned up his nose.
All four men took the moment to refill their bowls with more gruel.
What about you, Choi? Whats your story? Mohammed inquired after getting his share.
I grew up in Tonggou, The Corean soldier explained.
Near the frontier? Yang asked with great curiosity.
Sort of. Tonggou was part of the old frontier, but that must have been centuries ago,
My mother is a Han civil servant in the administration there. My father on the other hand, is a Corean guard captain at the fortress there.
Sorry, no cheesy romance story about how they hooked up, Choi said as Shao gave him a friendly shove. They just sort of got together through work,
Im Nao Caste like my mother. Before the war, I was a fledgling scholar, but I was able to persuade both the people in the government and my parents to let me join the military. I actually expected to fight Manchus out on the frontier but well, here I am deep in the jungle, getting bit by hand-sized spiders and every other sort of nonsense they have here,
Youre pretty good at shooting a ballista at least. And a Cho Ko Nu as well! Youre probably the best shot out of all of us here, Choi! Mohammed grinned as he heaped on the praise. Thanks. Honestly, I feel more comfortable shooting with a weapon than swinging it, but the Tiger Vanguard was all filled up in Tonggou by the time I enlisted, Choi admitted.
If you want to shoot, heres your chance! called a voice from behind.
All four soldiers sitting by the crockpot looked up to see a baggage troop with his wagon, tossing arrow cartridges to each of the men.
Get up! Grab your weapons! The Cambodians broke the agreement! Theres hundreds of Cambodians down at the incline, trying to make a push! We need all the men we can spare up on the ridge now! he screamed. Everyone jumped to their feet and followed the man out over to the ridge where the skirmish was taking place. Two ballista pieces stood in place by the piles of bodies in the middle of the incline, readying to fire in case of Chinese attack as a few men began to pick up the dead and carry them off. By the time they would have been done however, the ballista operators would already be in place to support another assault onto the Chinese line. The defenders who were already by the trees were laying down as much pressure as they could but it seemed like the entire Kampuchean division was down at incline, getting ready to charge or hold the position.
Mohammed & the others opened up on the enemy without restraint. As the operator on the left-most ballista cranked the gear into place, Choi sniped the man with pinpoint accuracy. Another arrow found its way through the skull of the shooter who was mounted in position via the Corean sharpshooter. But as he died, the shooters finger twitched and let loose several bolts; injuring at least three defenders on the Chinese side. Still, the engagement was a one-sided massacre. Many of the Cambodians who were in the middle of hauling off dead bodies now joined their fallen brethren as fresh corpses, stuck in the killzone of the incline. By nightfall, there were no more Cambodians left alive.
Risking the possibility of infection from being in such close proximity to a large presence of decaying flesh by the ridge, the collective of units burned the bodies. One Cambodian soldier who had been feigning death was accidentally burned alive before he realized what was happening. Now that the enemy had been vanquished, the captains began debating on what the next course of action should be. A fair portion of the officers wished to chart a course back to Core China, believing the army to have suffered a full rout but Captain Yue and a handful of others expressed faith that the main army was still out there. There was no way to gain confirmation in any case. That was, until the following day.
An Imperial scout adorned in the black and red of the Empire was spotted in the distance and immediately brought to the makeshift camp to hold a general assembly. This was the groups first contact with friendly military personnel in weeks now. There was a lot of buzz in the camp, for it was rumored that the scout had very good news to share.
Weve captured Angkor Thom! Dai Viet is ours! he exclaimed.
Theres orders from the Southern Pacification Army high command for all scattered units to regroup at Angkor Thom! the scout relayed.
Are you saying they were able to beat back the Kampuchean Cavalry? Captain Yue asked with a look of amazement on his face.
Oh no. The Cavalry is still out there. But you should have seen it. On the second day of the battle, we were able to get the upper hand on those bastards. See, what apparently happened was that the Kampucheans got a little cocky. After their victory on the first day of the battle, they thought they could go off and celebrate for the night, come back and trounce us again. That obviously didnt happen. The good General after some re-assessment of the situation thought to get all the men together and dig a bunch of trenches, mount a couple pikes in there and cover them back up a little. You really should have seen it. The elephant riders showed up the next day, with all their bravado only to find themselves skewered on the pikes after falling into the traps. Their Dai Viet infantry on the other hand were picked off from behind the safety of the trench arrangement. They pulled a full retreat not too long after,
Weve been monitoring the movements of a Kampuchean division around these parts. A lot of the other scouts that were sent out here either died or been captured. Im surprised that I was able to make it here without being caught myself, the scout said.
Well, that division isnt here anymore, Captain Yue replied. Come with me, sir,
The Captain and a few soldiers guided the scout over to the skirmish site, where the dead Cambodians still remained.
You repelled that division?! the scout asked, wide-eyed as he gazed upon the smoldering mass of bodies in the middle of the scorched incline.
We had heard that a friendly unit was stranded up here but there wasnt any way we could come and relieve you because its still mostly Kampuchean held territory. But now that we have confirmation that the occupying force is gone, we have a clear shot to Angkor Thom where you can regroup with the main army and replenish your supplies, the scout explained.
I think every soldier here would like that very much, the Captain afforded himself a slight smile.
Everyone pack your bags! he announced. Were going to march to Angkor Thom! Theres no time to lose! Unless you like having your feet chewed off by giant spiders anyway,
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
Sorry. I'll try to remember to not spam here from now on.
Yoshiegg737
Jungo Jungo
Take them Khmer's DOWN!
Asian Power
Chieftain
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Best. Story. Ever.
Mosher
Mushroom dad
Asian Power
Chieftain
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*Clicks link*
Well I guess this story gets a
hoplitejoe
Top fun-poster
- Joined
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Guys... really?
As For the game when can we expect a world map? I wanna see what i looks like
As For the game when can we expect a world map? I wanna see what i looks like
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I just finished reading this and it was GREAT!!!
Also, about the spam, I understand TD, I really do.
Also, about the spam, I understand TD, I really do.
Tomorrow's Dawn
Heroes Never Die
Alright so, before this update, I had been somewhat subtly making constant allusions to a lot of things going on behind the scenes,
but I am now going to reveal a very central plot element out into the open in this update.
Steel yourselves.
The Iberian Union had joined the Littorn Commonwealth in the war against the Grand Khanate.
It was unclear whether this move was an empty gesture or if it was a genuine attempt to assist Littorn in their far-flung adventure to the East.
Esther Zuckerberg, royal princess of the Kingdom of Judea was wedded to Emperor Rashid of the Babylonian Empire and invitations were extended across the three continents for all to partake in the celebration. Guests from all over Asia, Europe & Africa were all in attendance. Even people from far-flung corners of the globe such as Avalon or Zululand could be seen in attendance. Emperor Rashid was christened Protector of Judea, Lord and Sovereign of the Sons of Ham, Japheth & Shem. The House of Khalid-Zuckerberg was created that night on the eve of the wedding, conjoining the ethnic Arab House of Khalid with the Jewish house of Zuckerberg. The marriage culminated in the absorption of Judea into Babylon. With the merged holdings, the Judeo-Babylonian Empire rose from the pre-eminent power of the Center of the World to the most respected and powerful nation in the Western Abrahamic world. Its holdings spanned from the Fertile Crescent, the Levant, Anatolia, Eastern Arabia and vast expanses of the Varangian steppes. The Judeo-Babylonian Empire was not only powerful, but extraordinarily wealthy, with pilgrims frequenting by the hundreds of thousands to the Holy City of Hevron and paying homage to the grand city of Babylon itself.
Princess Tabitha Zuckerberg could feel nothing but a mixture of happiness and envy towards her older sister right now. She had always longed to be a beautiful, beaming bride like her sister was. Leaning over the balcony that overlooked the ballroom floor, she sighed. When was she going to fall in love? That was the question that floated in and around her mind as she watched noble Jewish women dance with Babylonian aristocrats on the floor. The experience of falling in love was what she had always wished for. As if in direct response to her desires, she noticed a tall, dark and handsome nobleman approach her. The Princess was so caught up in her own fantasies that she fancied that he was going to talk to her.
In fact, he did talk to her.
You look distraught, Princess, the man said, with concern in his voice.
I do? she sweated a bit at the sudden conversation.
It wouldnt do for someone as beautiful as you to put on such a sad face, he smiled.
The flame-haired teenager blushed and turned away her face to try and contain her embarrassment.
Where are my manners? the handsome Babylonian laughed.
I am Duke Abbasi of Akkad. Im pleased to make your acquaintance, the gentleman curtsied.
The two became fast friends, due in part to the Dukes charm. It seemed like the conversation they were sharing could go on forever.
The Princess was surprised by the range of subjects that the Duke could eloquently speak about and became very impressed by his intelligence.
Not to mention the fact that his occasional flirting was certainly too much for her to handle at times. She needed air.
Would you accompany me to the balcony? Id like some air, she asked.
Certainly, the Duke smiled as the young Princess took his arm.
Tortoise Armada missions in the Gulf of Siam confirmed that the Kampucheans were reinforcing Angkor Wat as the vital port city still received supplies from western nations.
The two companions looked down from the balcony onto the city below. High up in the Tower of Babel, the aristocrats & royalty had access to one of the most breathtaking views in the world. The city of Babylon could be seen from several kilometers up in the sky in all of its glory, and at night, a sea of lights illuminated the landscape, providing a feast for the eyes. It was in fact, the subject of many famous art pieces within the Western Judaic world. All alone up on the balcony of the ninety-ninth floor of the tower, Tabitha leaned over the balcony with Duke Abassi by her side, feeling the midnight breeze sift through her flame red hair.
I hope this isnt too forward of me, but will you kiss me? she asked, heart pounding.
She had listened to the Dukes sweet words all night and could resist him no longer.
I would, the Duke smiled as the Tabithas expression lightened. Was her wish coming true?
But its not the kind of kiss youre thinking of, he continued. And for me to give it, you need to be asleep,
As her expression changed from bliss to that of bewilderment, the Duke knocked her unconscious with a sharp jab to the gut, causing her to crumple to the floor. He flipped her over and tore the jewelry from her neck, exposing her soft, white skin to the cool night air. Im about to initiate the data extraction. Make sure no one comes into this hallway. Its crucial that Im not to be disturbed as I initiate it, the Duke said aloud. It didnt seem as if he was speaking to anyone in particular, but a series of shadowy whispers that could be faintly heard over the wind confirmed that the Dukes discretion would be preserved. Abbasi knelt over Tabitha and sunk a pair of fangs into her neck, experiencing a rush of the girls memories flood into his mind as her blood poured into this mouth. While feeding and searching for the information he needed, he did not notice the sound and appearance of a grappling hook that had anchored itself onto the balcony. Within a few moments, his search process was interrupted by a series of loud impacts that pierced straight through his skull.
Abassi stood back up after being shot several times in the head, mouth still dripping red from Tabithas blood; a number of bullet holes scattered around his once handsome, dark face. He turned to see his attacker, a masked man standing across the hall; casually replacing the clip and raising the gun once more towards his head.
Well, well, well. Whats a snake like you doing all the way over here in Babylon? A creature such as you should think twice before walking upon the hallowed ground of YHWHs favored city, the Duke snarled. The man said nothing and fired several more times at the Duke, missing every shot as Abassi ducked and weaved unnaturally around each bullet that passed him by. The Duke soon closed the distance between himself and the gunslinger, prompting a reflexive action from his opponent. Drawing his jian, the assassin swung it down towards the bloodsucker, expecting to cleave through cleanly. Much to his surprise, the Duke caught the sharp blade with his bare hand, bleeding profusely but not appearing hurt in the slightest. As he closed his hand, the blade shattered into pieces and he used the opportunity of his attackers surprise to make a swipe at his head, which was dodged barely at the last minute but deprived the man of his mask. Underneath was a face of a light yellowish-ivory color, brown eyes and a pair of thin, pursed, scowling lips.
Youre a Han to boot. I didnt think serpentspawn would have the balls to come all this way just to have their sorry lives ended, the Duke taunted.
So I am, the man responded as he holstered his gun. With a quick movement, he drew both a canister and a curious looking object with a mechanical tip,
causing Duke Abassi to back off and distance himself from the assassin.
I assume you know what this is, the assassin said.
I do, but I really dont think you know what youve gotten yourself into, he said coolly as blood ran out of the gaping holes in his face.
A number of other shadowy figures emerged from behind the rows of columns by the garden, surrounding the man. They were all masqueraded and dressed in noble Jewish & Babylonian attire, presumably as they were all guests of the wedding as well. Why dont you drop the canister and well both back off. Weve got you surrounded and theres no need for this to get messy, Duke Abbasi grinned as he licked away some of the blood from his lips. Weighing his options now that he was surrounded, the man decided to drop both the canister and the lighter to the ground, spilling a non-descript fluid onto the ground around him and put his hands in the air.
Thought so. What a fool, the bullet-ridden Duke smirked. Tear him to pieces, he ordered as he leapt towards the Han assassin.
With superhuman speed, every figure in the hallway rushed the surrendered gunslinger, readying to tear him to pieces.
I dont think so, the man snarled under his breath as he melted into his own shadow, his hand grabbing the lighter as it sunk through the floor.
The supernaturals stopped around where the man previously stood, trying to figure out where he went. Too little, too late. From above, the lighter fell into the center of the gang, making a clanking sound as it hit the floor. The object bore a single, tiny flame from its tip but it was enough to catch the puddle of fluid on fire and ignite every person standing on top of it.
Duke Abbasi was the only one who was able to escape from the swirling inferno, albeit having sustained heavy burns.
He desperately crawled out from the pyre as his entire lower half of the body was charred beyond recognition.
The gunslinger stood over him, with some of his own blood leaking out of the corners of his mouth after having exerted himself past the limit with his last maneuver.
Youre a monster! Damned serpentspawn!! The once handsome Duke foamed from his mouth as he looked at his adversary in the eye with intense hatred.
No. Were both monsters. Youre just too deluded by your own hubris to see that, the man simply said as he put one last bullet into the skull of the charred aristocrat and kicked him back into the fire leaving the Duke to burn up into cinders.
The assassin staggered off back towards the balcony and vomited some blood. Trying to stay true to his mission, he picked up his fallen mask and then grabbed the unconscious Jewish princess with what strength he could still muster. After standing atop the balcony rail for a moment, the assassin plummeted off of the tower, falling dozens of stories downwards with the princess still on hand. A group of Babylonian and Jewish guardsmen arrived on the scene soon thereafter, having been alerted by the loud, cracking noises that came from the balcony hallway not too long before. To their surprise, they saw a giant blackened and smoldering crater and several puddles of blood occupying the center of the floor.
In the morning, the festivities & national cheer were dampened by the news that the younger sister of the Empress had gone missing as well as a dozen individuals from the upper class. The new Empress was reportedly inconsolable and the Emperor was infuriated that such a travesty could happen on his wedding day of all times. A national search was declared and a ten thousand dinar reward was offered to anyone who could bring the princess back safely.
Leadership within the Southern Pacification Army decided to re-organize the force and split in two. The fresher units and divisions would be hurried over to attack Vimayapura while the Kampucheans were reeling from the loss of Dai Viet while the rest of the army was to remain behind in Angkor Thom and recover in preparation for an assault against the capital of Yasodhapura.
Ive been receiving an increasing number of reports on the presence of organized resistance in the district of Thanh Xuân. Captain Yue, I need you and your men to confirm whether this is true or not, the ranking officer said to Captain Yue. The firm Captain gave his superior a simple, Yes sir, and exited the building to go find his squad. It had been a week since the squad arrived in Angkor Thom and the time was well spent on some much needed rest. But it was time to move out again.
The Captain gathered his men and made sure they were ready to go, then took them to the entrance.
As they made the final check of all their equipment, the squad was about to move out when they were interrupted by a new development.
Pvt. Yang stood still underneath the middle of the gate arch, not budging. Whats wrong, Private? Captain Yue inquired.
I dont know, there seems to be something wrong with my boots, Captain, Yang proclaimed as he stood on one foot and looked at his heel.
The Captain fell to one knee and began to investigate what was wrong with Yangs boot.
The heel of the boot was coming apart from repeated exposure to the elements and impeded the soldiers movement. With such hindered mobility, Pvt. Yang was technically combat ineffective and would drag the squad down should he follow.
Alright, Choi, stay with me here while I help Pvt. Yang, Captain Yue decided.
I want the rest of you to scout ahead into Thanh Xuân, Captain Yue ordered. Morita is in charge,
The group promptly split up, leaving Captain Yue, Pvt. Choi & Pvt. Yang at the entrance of the military-occupied district.
Within ten minutes, the small squad had arrived in Thanh Xuân. The district had both a sizable Kinh and Cambodian population and used to be relatively well-off, housing much of the merchant community but it had been heavily damaged by the siege of Angkor Thom several days prior. Any time Morita attempted to solicit the civilians for information, they all turned away and shut themselves within their houses. How are we going to gain any information about whether theres rebels here or not? Morita scowled. Let me try, Han spoke up as he approached a residential building.
Pvt. Han knocked on the door and it opened slightly, only to shut again almost immediately. The private continued to bang on the door and shout something that Mohammed couldnt understand, prompting the door to open slowly again, revealing a pregnant Cambodian woman with a look of great dread on her face. Han addressed her softly, and she started to ease up and speak a little. It appeared to be that Pvt. Han was asking her questions but midway through the conversation, her tone changed back to that of a fearful one and quickly shut the door again.
Turning back to his comrades, Pvt. Han explained that the woman had told him that the sort of information they were looking for was difficult to divulge around these parts. It would be assumed that the fact that it was difficult to speak about the resistance was an indicator that they were active in the area.
Morita ordered everyone to move down the path and stay alert for any enemy activity.
Han can speak Cambodian? Mohammed thought to himself. Why didnt he ever tell us?
Not too long afterwards, Private Han spotted movement from the side alleys.
It was barely a flicker of movement, but it was too rushed to be any civilian.
I saw a couple of them go down that alley, the soft-spoken private stated.
Han, go take an alternate route and try and flank them, the rest of you, follow me, Ill take point, Morita ordered, not even bothering to give Shao his gaze.
The Yamato soldier slowly navigated down the alleyway, taking care not to step on the trash that was strewn across the way, with Shao and Mohammed following close behind. Upon turning the corner though, a man jumped out from behind the cover with a jagged, home-made blade in hand, poised to strike at Morita. As if time itself had slowed down, Mohammed watched helplessly as Shao pushed Morita out of the way, taking the full brunt of the blade as it was shoved straight into him, piercing his heart. The Burakumin soldier spurted blood from his mouth and fell to the floor as the Cambodian pulled his blade back out. Convulsing from the loss of blood, his body seizured for a short time before going completely limp. Several more men emerged from hiding down the same alleyway, ready to cut down Morita & Mohammed.
Pvt. Han at that moment swung around from behind, cutting down the Cambodians in quick succession before they knew what had hit them but by then, it was too late. Shao was no longer breathing. Morita stood in disbelief, muttering, What what did you do that for, Burk? Mohammed who had just witnessed this happen right before his eyes couldnt believe his ears. Disregarding the fact that there might have been more enemies in the vicinity ready to strike, he lunged straight towards his comrade and dropped his jian in order to better discipline Morita.
YOU BASTARD!! He gave up his GODDAMN LIFE for you and youre still going to call him that?! he screamed as he pulled Morita up by the collar. Even though the Yamato soldier was taller and larger than Mohammed was, Mohammed did not hesitate to throw a fist at his face. Morita didnt fight back as Mohammed continued to pummel him, who had practically lost it at Moritas display of disrespect shown towards a comrade who had sacrificed himself to save his sorry life.
Pvt. Han tried to pull Mohammed off Morita as he peered around the vicinity.
There might be more enemies around! What are you doing?! he yelled, a rare outburst from the normally quiet soldier.
I DONT CARE!!! the Arab frothed from the mouth as he struggled against the grip of his comrade.
He was finally pulled away with great difficulty and with what little sense he still had left, picked up Shaos lifeless body and followed his shaken comrades out of the alleyway.
Captain Yue had just finished repairing Yangs boot when he saw Morita stumble past him not saying a word, with Han following silently behind, eyes to the ground.
Whats going on? Why are you back so early? the Captain asked, surprised at their sudden arrival.
Its Shao, sir Han mumbled quietly. He
Well, what is it? Spit it out, Han! the Captain grilled.
SHAO DIED!!! Mohammed screamed unintelligibly as he came from behind, carrying the soldiers lifeless body on his back. The Arab was practically breaking down into tears as he hobbled towards the rest of the squad, who were all wide-eyed and shocked at the sight of their dead comrade. Mohammed crumpled to the ground and began to sob as Shaos body slid off of his back. Shaos blood-stains could be seen all over his soldiers garb as he lay curled on the ground.
He didnt care that several military personnel were lifting him off the ground and carting him into the medical tent. He just didnt care.
The reinforcements to the northeastern frontier inflicted horrendous casaulties on the Manchu Hordes upon their deployment, reinforcing public support for the dual-front war. There was still much to be done, but the burden of the frontier communities had become a little lighter with the recent victories achieved by the Tiger Vanguard around the vicinity of Yangzhou.
Bureau Report #026.
This may be my last report.
Im deep within enemy territory. During my last encounter, I expended all of what little ichor I had left and had to substitute the rest of the cost with my own blood. Ive determined that the subject has the marker through some rudimentary testing. It doesnt appear to manifest however, but the information we can gain from it will be worth it. I have no idea how Im going to escape from Babylon. Both the Babylonian & Judean armies will likely be hot on my tail and even if I manage to flee the city, the Elohim will likely pursue me across the border. If not of the local Babylonian branch, then theyll send agents from the Aryan branch. They have enough of a presence on Aryan soil.
On my next course of action, I had determined that I would take the overland route into the Aryan Empire and later rebasing in Pakixitan.
Fleeing into Chinese Arabia would be ideal but the naval route back to Core China is too treacherous, with the war against Kampuchea still ongoing.
Tabitha awoke not too long ago, still delusional from having so much blood drained.
She asked me if I was her prince in her fever dreams. I promptly sedated her.
She cannot fall into enemy hands. But Im rapidly running out of the resources I need to survive another encounter.
I only have six bullets left.
No blade.
No ichor.
And low on blood.
If it comes down to it, Ill save two of those bullets for the one final moment that were cornered.
One for her, and one for me.
Glory to Nü Wa. May this mission have not been in vain.
Agent Ibis, out.
but I am now going to reveal a very central plot element out into the open in this update.
Steel yourselves.
The Iberian Union had joined the Littorn Commonwealth in the war against the Grand Khanate.
It was unclear whether this move was an empty gesture or if it was a genuine attempt to assist Littorn in their far-flung adventure to the East.
Esther Zuckerberg, royal princess of the Kingdom of Judea was wedded to Emperor Rashid of the Babylonian Empire and invitations were extended across the three continents for all to partake in the celebration. Guests from all over Asia, Europe & Africa were all in attendance. Even people from far-flung corners of the globe such as Avalon or Zululand could be seen in attendance. Emperor Rashid was christened Protector of Judea, Lord and Sovereign of the Sons of Ham, Japheth & Shem. The House of Khalid-Zuckerberg was created that night on the eve of the wedding, conjoining the ethnic Arab House of Khalid with the Jewish house of Zuckerberg. The marriage culminated in the absorption of Judea into Babylon. With the merged holdings, the Judeo-Babylonian Empire rose from the pre-eminent power of the Center of the World to the most respected and powerful nation in the Western Abrahamic world. Its holdings spanned from the Fertile Crescent, the Levant, Anatolia, Eastern Arabia and vast expanses of the Varangian steppes. The Judeo-Babylonian Empire was not only powerful, but extraordinarily wealthy, with pilgrims frequenting by the hundreds of thousands to the Holy City of Hevron and paying homage to the grand city of Babylon itself.
Princess Tabitha Zuckerberg could feel nothing but a mixture of happiness and envy towards her older sister right now. She had always longed to be a beautiful, beaming bride like her sister was. Leaning over the balcony that overlooked the ballroom floor, she sighed. When was she going to fall in love? That was the question that floated in and around her mind as she watched noble Jewish women dance with Babylonian aristocrats on the floor. The experience of falling in love was what she had always wished for. As if in direct response to her desires, she noticed a tall, dark and handsome nobleman approach her. The Princess was so caught up in her own fantasies that she fancied that he was going to talk to her.
In fact, he did talk to her.
You look distraught, Princess, the man said, with concern in his voice.
I do? she sweated a bit at the sudden conversation.
It wouldnt do for someone as beautiful as you to put on such a sad face, he smiled.
The flame-haired teenager blushed and turned away her face to try and contain her embarrassment.
Where are my manners? the handsome Babylonian laughed.
I am Duke Abbasi of Akkad. Im pleased to make your acquaintance, the gentleman curtsied.
The two became fast friends, due in part to the Dukes charm. It seemed like the conversation they were sharing could go on forever.
The Princess was surprised by the range of subjects that the Duke could eloquently speak about and became very impressed by his intelligence.
Not to mention the fact that his occasional flirting was certainly too much for her to handle at times. She needed air.
Would you accompany me to the balcony? Id like some air, she asked.
Certainly, the Duke smiled as the young Princess took his arm.
Tortoise Armada missions in the Gulf of Siam confirmed that the Kampucheans were reinforcing Angkor Wat as the vital port city still received supplies from western nations.
The two companions looked down from the balcony onto the city below. High up in the Tower of Babel, the aristocrats & royalty had access to one of the most breathtaking views in the world. The city of Babylon could be seen from several kilometers up in the sky in all of its glory, and at night, a sea of lights illuminated the landscape, providing a feast for the eyes. It was in fact, the subject of many famous art pieces within the Western Judaic world. All alone up on the balcony of the ninety-ninth floor of the tower, Tabitha leaned over the balcony with Duke Abassi by her side, feeling the midnight breeze sift through her flame red hair.
I hope this isnt too forward of me, but will you kiss me? she asked, heart pounding.
She had listened to the Dukes sweet words all night and could resist him no longer.
I would, the Duke smiled as the Tabithas expression lightened. Was her wish coming true?
But its not the kind of kiss youre thinking of, he continued. And for me to give it, you need to be asleep,
As her expression changed from bliss to that of bewilderment, the Duke knocked her unconscious with a sharp jab to the gut, causing her to crumple to the floor. He flipped her over and tore the jewelry from her neck, exposing her soft, white skin to the cool night air. Im about to initiate the data extraction. Make sure no one comes into this hallway. Its crucial that Im not to be disturbed as I initiate it, the Duke said aloud. It didnt seem as if he was speaking to anyone in particular, but a series of shadowy whispers that could be faintly heard over the wind confirmed that the Dukes discretion would be preserved. Abbasi knelt over Tabitha and sunk a pair of fangs into her neck, experiencing a rush of the girls memories flood into his mind as her blood poured into this mouth. While feeding and searching for the information he needed, he did not notice the sound and appearance of a grappling hook that had anchored itself onto the balcony. Within a few moments, his search process was interrupted by a series of loud impacts that pierced straight through his skull.
Abassi stood back up after being shot several times in the head, mouth still dripping red from Tabithas blood; a number of bullet holes scattered around his once handsome, dark face. He turned to see his attacker, a masked man standing across the hall; casually replacing the clip and raising the gun once more towards his head.
Well, well, well. Whats a snake like you doing all the way over here in Babylon? A creature such as you should think twice before walking upon the hallowed ground of YHWHs favored city, the Duke snarled. The man said nothing and fired several more times at the Duke, missing every shot as Abassi ducked and weaved unnaturally around each bullet that passed him by. The Duke soon closed the distance between himself and the gunslinger, prompting a reflexive action from his opponent. Drawing his jian, the assassin swung it down towards the bloodsucker, expecting to cleave through cleanly. Much to his surprise, the Duke caught the sharp blade with his bare hand, bleeding profusely but not appearing hurt in the slightest. As he closed his hand, the blade shattered into pieces and he used the opportunity of his attackers surprise to make a swipe at his head, which was dodged barely at the last minute but deprived the man of his mask. Underneath was a face of a light yellowish-ivory color, brown eyes and a pair of thin, pursed, scowling lips.
Youre a Han to boot. I didnt think serpentspawn would have the balls to come all this way just to have their sorry lives ended, the Duke taunted.
So I am, the man responded as he holstered his gun. With a quick movement, he drew both a canister and a curious looking object with a mechanical tip,
causing Duke Abassi to back off and distance himself from the assassin.
I assume you know what this is, the assassin said.
I do, but I really dont think you know what youve gotten yourself into, he said coolly as blood ran out of the gaping holes in his face.
A number of other shadowy figures emerged from behind the rows of columns by the garden, surrounding the man. They were all masqueraded and dressed in noble Jewish & Babylonian attire, presumably as they were all guests of the wedding as well. Why dont you drop the canister and well both back off. Weve got you surrounded and theres no need for this to get messy, Duke Abbasi grinned as he licked away some of the blood from his lips. Weighing his options now that he was surrounded, the man decided to drop both the canister and the lighter to the ground, spilling a non-descript fluid onto the ground around him and put his hands in the air.
Thought so. What a fool, the bullet-ridden Duke smirked. Tear him to pieces, he ordered as he leapt towards the Han assassin.
With superhuman speed, every figure in the hallway rushed the surrendered gunslinger, readying to tear him to pieces.
I dont think so, the man snarled under his breath as he melted into his own shadow, his hand grabbing the lighter as it sunk through the floor.
The supernaturals stopped around where the man previously stood, trying to figure out where he went. Too little, too late. From above, the lighter fell into the center of the gang, making a clanking sound as it hit the floor. The object bore a single, tiny flame from its tip but it was enough to catch the puddle of fluid on fire and ignite every person standing on top of it.
Duke Abbasi was the only one who was able to escape from the swirling inferno, albeit having sustained heavy burns.
He desperately crawled out from the pyre as his entire lower half of the body was charred beyond recognition.
The gunslinger stood over him, with some of his own blood leaking out of the corners of his mouth after having exerted himself past the limit with his last maneuver.
Youre a monster! Damned serpentspawn!! The once handsome Duke foamed from his mouth as he looked at his adversary in the eye with intense hatred.
No. Were both monsters. Youre just too deluded by your own hubris to see that, the man simply said as he put one last bullet into the skull of the charred aristocrat and kicked him back into the fire leaving the Duke to burn up into cinders.
The assassin staggered off back towards the balcony and vomited some blood. Trying to stay true to his mission, he picked up his fallen mask and then grabbed the unconscious Jewish princess with what strength he could still muster. After standing atop the balcony rail for a moment, the assassin plummeted off of the tower, falling dozens of stories downwards with the princess still on hand. A group of Babylonian and Jewish guardsmen arrived on the scene soon thereafter, having been alerted by the loud, cracking noises that came from the balcony hallway not too long before. To their surprise, they saw a giant blackened and smoldering crater and several puddles of blood occupying the center of the floor.
In the morning, the festivities & national cheer were dampened by the news that the younger sister of the Empress had gone missing as well as a dozen individuals from the upper class. The new Empress was reportedly inconsolable and the Emperor was infuriated that such a travesty could happen on his wedding day of all times. A national search was declared and a ten thousand dinar reward was offered to anyone who could bring the princess back safely.
Leadership within the Southern Pacification Army decided to re-organize the force and split in two. The fresher units and divisions would be hurried over to attack Vimayapura while the Kampucheans were reeling from the loss of Dai Viet while the rest of the army was to remain behind in Angkor Thom and recover in preparation for an assault against the capital of Yasodhapura.
Ive been receiving an increasing number of reports on the presence of organized resistance in the district of Thanh Xuân. Captain Yue, I need you and your men to confirm whether this is true or not, the ranking officer said to Captain Yue. The firm Captain gave his superior a simple, Yes sir, and exited the building to go find his squad. It had been a week since the squad arrived in Angkor Thom and the time was well spent on some much needed rest. But it was time to move out again.
The Captain gathered his men and made sure they were ready to go, then took them to the entrance.
As they made the final check of all their equipment, the squad was about to move out when they were interrupted by a new development.
Pvt. Yang stood still underneath the middle of the gate arch, not budging. Whats wrong, Private? Captain Yue inquired.
I dont know, there seems to be something wrong with my boots, Captain, Yang proclaimed as he stood on one foot and looked at his heel.
The Captain fell to one knee and began to investigate what was wrong with Yangs boot.
The heel of the boot was coming apart from repeated exposure to the elements and impeded the soldiers movement. With such hindered mobility, Pvt. Yang was technically combat ineffective and would drag the squad down should he follow.
Alright, Choi, stay with me here while I help Pvt. Yang, Captain Yue decided.
I want the rest of you to scout ahead into Thanh Xuân, Captain Yue ordered. Morita is in charge,
The group promptly split up, leaving Captain Yue, Pvt. Choi & Pvt. Yang at the entrance of the military-occupied district.
Within ten minutes, the small squad had arrived in Thanh Xuân. The district had both a sizable Kinh and Cambodian population and used to be relatively well-off, housing much of the merchant community but it had been heavily damaged by the siege of Angkor Thom several days prior. Any time Morita attempted to solicit the civilians for information, they all turned away and shut themselves within their houses. How are we going to gain any information about whether theres rebels here or not? Morita scowled. Let me try, Han spoke up as he approached a residential building.
Pvt. Han knocked on the door and it opened slightly, only to shut again almost immediately. The private continued to bang on the door and shout something that Mohammed couldnt understand, prompting the door to open slowly again, revealing a pregnant Cambodian woman with a look of great dread on her face. Han addressed her softly, and she started to ease up and speak a little. It appeared to be that Pvt. Han was asking her questions but midway through the conversation, her tone changed back to that of a fearful one and quickly shut the door again.
Turning back to his comrades, Pvt. Han explained that the woman had told him that the sort of information they were looking for was difficult to divulge around these parts. It would be assumed that the fact that it was difficult to speak about the resistance was an indicator that they were active in the area.
Morita ordered everyone to move down the path and stay alert for any enemy activity.
Han can speak Cambodian? Mohammed thought to himself. Why didnt he ever tell us?
Not too long afterwards, Private Han spotted movement from the side alleys.
It was barely a flicker of movement, but it was too rushed to be any civilian.
I saw a couple of them go down that alley, the soft-spoken private stated.
Han, go take an alternate route and try and flank them, the rest of you, follow me, Ill take point, Morita ordered, not even bothering to give Shao his gaze.
The Yamato soldier slowly navigated down the alleyway, taking care not to step on the trash that was strewn across the way, with Shao and Mohammed following close behind. Upon turning the corner though, a man jumped out from behind the cover with a jagged, home-made blade in hand, poised to strike at Morita. As if time itself had slowed down, Mohammed watched helplessly as Shao pushed Morita out of the way, taking the full brunt of the blade as it was shoved straight into him, piercing his heart. The Burakumin soldier spurted blood from his mouth and fell to the floor as the Cambodian pulled his blade back out. Convulsing from the loss of blood, his body seizured for a short time before going completely limp. Several more men emerged from hiding down the same alleyway, ready to cut down Morita & Mohammed.
Pvt. Han at that moment swung around from behind, cutting down the Cambodians in quick succession before they knew what had hit them but by then, it was too late. Shao was no longer breathing. Morita stood in disbelief, muttering, What what did you do that for, Burk? Mohammed who had just witnessed this happen right before his eyes couldnt believe his ears. Disregarding the fact that there might have been more enemies in the vicinity ready to strike, he lunged straight towards his comrade and dropped his jian in order to better discipline Morita.
YOU BASTARD!! He gave up his GODDAMN LIFE for you and youre still going to call him that?! he screamed as he pulled Morita up by the collar. Even though the Yamato soldier was taller and larger than Mohammed was, Mohammed did not hesitate to throw a fist at his face. Morita didnt fight back as Mohammed continued to pummel him, who had practically lost it at Moritas display of disrespect shown towards a comrade who had sacrificed himself to save his sorry life.
Pvt. Han tried to pull Mohammed off Morita as he peered around the vicinity.
There might be more enemies around! What are you doing?! he yelled, a rare outburst from the normally quiet soldier.
I DONT CARE!!! the Arab frothed from the mouth as he struggled against the grip of his comrade.
He was finally pulled away with great difficulty and with what little sense he still had left, picked up Shaos lifeless body and followed his shaken comrades out of the alleyway.
Captain Yue had just finished repairing Yangs boot when he saw Morita stumble past him not saying a word, with Han following silently behind, eyes to the ground.
Whats going on? Why are you back so early? the Captain asked, surprised at their sudden arrival.
Its Shao, sir Han mumbled quietly. He
Well, what is it? Spit it out, Han! the Captain grilled.
SHAO DIED!!! Mohammed screamed unintelligibly as he came from behind, carrying the soldiers lifeless body on his back. The Arab was practically breaking down into tears as he hobbled towards the rest of the squad, who were all wide-eyed and shocked at the sight of their dead comrade. Mohammed crumpled to the ground and began to sob as Shaos body slid off of his back. Shaos blood-stains could be seen all over his soldiers garb as he lay curled on the ground.
He didnt care that several military personnel were lifting him off the ground and carting him into the medical tent. He just didnt care.
The reinforcements to the northeastern frontier inflicted horrendous casaulties on the Manchu Hordes upon their deployment, reinforcing public support for the dual-front war. There was still much to be done, but the burden of the frontier communities had become a little lighter with the recent victories achieved by the Tiger Vanguard around the vicinity of Yangzhou.
Bureau Report #026.
This may be my last report.
Im deep within enemy territory. During my last encounter, I expended all of what little ichor I had left and had to substitute the rest of the cost with my own blood. Ive determined that the subject has the marker through some rudimentary testing. It doesnt appear to manifest however, but the information we can gain from it will be worth it. I have no idea how Im going to escape from Babylon. Both the Babylonian & Judean armies will likely be hot on my tail and even if I manage to flee the city, the Elohim will likely pursue me across the border. If not of the local Babylonian branch, then theyll send agents from the Aryan branch. They have enough of a presence on Aryan soil.
On my next course of action, I had determined that I would take the overland route into the Aryan Empire and later rebasing in Pakixitan.
Fleeing into Chinese Arabia would be ideal but the naval route back to Core China is too treacherous, with the war against Kampuchea still ongoing.
Tabitha awoke not too long ago, still delusional from having so much blood drained.
She asked me if I was her prince in her fever dreams. I promptly sedated her.
She cannot fall into enemy hands. But Im rapidly running out of the resources I need to survive another encounter.
I only have six bullets left.
No blade.
No ichor.
And low on blood.
If it comes down to it, Ill save two of those bullets for the one final moment that were cornered.
One for her, and one for me.
Glory to Nü Wa. May this mission have not been in vain.
Agent Ibis, out.
Optical
The Fall of the Eleventh
The plot thickens...
WOW. This story... is amazing. I wish I could write like that
WOW. This story... is amazing. I wish I could write like that
Civ'ed
I ain't gotta explain a thing
Elohim?
Surely not the things Scientology believes in?
Surely not the things Scientology believes in?
Tambien
Theseus, Duke of Athens
Me gusta. Subbed.
Subbed.
It's also a sign they're out to destroy it. Seriously guys, stop. Just stop.It's a sign they love your story!
Great story TD.
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
The plot thickens...
Tomorrow's Dawn
Heroes Never Die
Several things I want to mention before I go onto the update.
The interaction between Shao & Morita can be likened to just blatant ethnic grudges/tension.
Likewise, the racism that Mohammed speaks of correlates to modern, post Civil Rights style racism that exists in the States today.
These things are a prominent theme for this arc of the story mostly cause I feel like that aspect is often very unrealistically glossed over or
not thought of at all in a lot of Civ stories. And one of the main goals of this story is well, immersion, hence, why its here.
Since this is a bit of a touchy subject, Id prefer that nobody argues about that topic here within this thread.
Just pre-empting the possibility ahead of time since Ive seen things like this blow up before.
Also, another announcement and this one is pretty significant.
Ive mentioned before that Im a student illustrator.
And I replaced my old non-working scanner with a new one recently.
What this means is that there is a possibility for me to upload character sketches to go along with updates provided that there is
enough interest in them and provided that I have enough spare time on my part.
I can of course backfill and do old characters as well.
Okay, onto the update.
Assignment for Agent Qilin #049
Lets begin the briefing.
This is a low-tech operation. You are not allowed to bring any technology with you.
Due to the naval aspect of this expedition, the veil of secrecy you will have to maintain is tenfold from that of an ordinary operation.
Needless to say, the same protocol applies regarding to usage of your ichor gift.
Never use it in the conscious presence of your crewmates or any natives you encounter.
Be sure to log anything and everything of interest.
In the off-chance you find any, mark the location of any Legacy Site you find.
An updated outline map of the two continents is in order as well.
Evidence over on our side indicate that geological shifts could have rendered our existing maps inaccurate.
It is absolutely crucial that you come back alive.
Failure is not an option.
He chose you and you alone for a reason.
Good luck. Glory to Nü Wa.
A large crowd gathered at the Osaka harbor that day.
The Lan Ye Hua, was unveiled to the public for the first time.
It was named after the first ethnic Saxon Empress; fitting considering that the expeditions stated goal was to find an eastern sea route to Europe and
possibly De Guo as an alternative means to maintain lines of communication with the far-flung province.
The crews ethnic makeup consisted of ten Han, five Coreans, three Yamato, three Pashtuns, two Arabs and two Saxons.
Most of the crew members were highly experienced sailors and everyone else filled in some invaluable niche that was required.
A natural scientist, mathematician, astronomer & linguist were amongst the intelligentsia that comprised the Nao Caste elite of the expedition.
The famous Captain Cao Ying was selected to helm the ship as his impeccable seafaring record was known to seamen and Tortoise Armada naval personnel all across the Empire. There couldnt have been any man better for the job although Tortoise Armada admirals grumbled that his talents could be put to better use harassing Kampuchean shipping lanes.
The expedition itself was privately sponsored by several anonymous donors with a vested interest in finding an eastern sea route to De Guo. But it didnt stop the expedition from generating massive buzz among the citizenry of Wa Province. All eyes were on the crew of the Lan Ye Hua to see if they could brave the vast, unknown waters of the Pacific and come back alive to tell the tale.
The fresh Southern Reinforcement Army began sieging Hariharalaya following the capture of Angkor Thom in order to keep the still-recovering Southern Pacification Army safe from a possible Kampuchean retaliation from two fronts.
Several weeks had passed and the majority of the Kampuchean remnants in the city of Angkor Thom had been thoroughly destroyed, leaving the Southern Pacification Army garrison in full control of the former Dai Viet regional capital. In the districts repurposed for military use, Tiger Vanguard & Dragon Marauder soldiers patrolled the vicinity while the physicians attended to the needs of those who had been injured or maimed throughout the course of the campaign. A deployment of reinforcements from Core China was set to arrive in Angkor Thom at the end of the week to relieve the occupying Southern Pacification Army of their garrison duties and press forward to attack the capital.
Escaping from the harsh rays of the sun, Private Han entered Mohammeds private tent in the medical quarter of the military district to try and shake the Arab out of his depression and rejoin the squad as they prepared to move out again.
Wont you come back to the squad? The physicians all say that theres nothing wrong with you and that its all just in your head. Your cousin Yang is especially worried about you, the bronze-skinned soldier said as he tried to get Mohammeds attention.
How come youre so talkative all of a sudden? Mohammed asked.
Its because I understand you, Mohammed, Han said. What youre going through.
Your cousin told me about your frustrations with racism and how much of it factored into Shaos death. I felt like I could-
It appeared that the soldier had chosen the wrong words to say as Mohammeds face began to exhibit anger upon hearing that.
You understand me?! Mohammed yelled furiously, Youre an ethnic Han! You cant even begin to comprehend how much of a right you lack to even say that!
Do you realize how privileged you are? Huh?! he shouted as he got up from his cot and grabbed Han by the collar.
Do you know what its like to see neighbors evicted because they cant pay the rent after Han people gentrify the district en masse and drive up the prices? How about when Han parents relocate their children to other schools because they dont want their children to have anything to do with Arabs or Pashtuns? Or when a little Arab girl gets kidnapped and the authorities dont do anything at all because it happens all the time but organize city-wide searches when a little Han or Yamato girl goes missing? And thats just the tip of a long, long list of grievances too! Mohammed spat greviously while still glaring at the Private.
Whats worse is that when youre presented with all of these grievances,
you dismiss it from behind a wall of apathy and try to sidestep the issue;
Well, theres no hard evidence of this issue existing, its all empirical.
I think youre taking things a little too seriously.
I believe everyone is equally racist.
Do you know how often I hear those lines regurgitated?
Ive got a dozen more of the same kinds of excuses memorized because Ive heard them
get thrown out so many times by people who are afraid to acknowledge the inequalities,
So dont act like you understand my anger!! he yelled.
Mohammed continued to grumble as he reflected on Shaos death, slamming his fist into the tent wall.
Shao gave up his LIFE for Morita; for someone who didnt even value his life any more than an insects,
The only thing he ever wanted was to live a life free of that kind of prejudice,"
You dont understand Shaos death at all,
He turned again to glare at Han.
As long as you have your apathy, I'll still have my anger,
The Private stood there, speechless at Mohammeds outburst and then closed his lips back together.
I have something to tell you. But you cant tell anyone, he finally said after a moment of silence.
What is it? he asked as he stared straight ahead towards the wall, still sullen.
Im not an Imperial citizen, the quiet soldier revealed in a hushed voice.
Mohammed took a moment to register that statement and then turned and looked at Han again.
Im a Kampuchean, he said.
What?! the Arab exclaimed incredulously as he looked at Han.
All those things you talked about. I know what its like, Han continued.
I fled the country and took refuge in the Chinese Empire after being declared a fugitive.
I joined the Imperial Army not too long thereafter.
They didnt ask too many questions and were just happy to have another pair of arms on hand.
I just needed a chance to come back to Kampuchea and
the Private looked away, clearly dealing with some baggage of his own. Make things right
Never mind that, though, he said. What I'm trying to say that I really do understand you,
The Hans in the Empire may be privileged and behave apathetically towards you,
but the Cambodians acted the same way towards me when I still lived in Kampuchea.
Part of it is the sole reason why Im here, fighting against my former country so dont say I dont understand,
Private Han continued with his response as he noticed he had made a mark on his comrade,
But this isnt about me though. This is about you.
The whole squad is still very much shaken at Shaos death but we still need you to pull yourself together.
Were about to march on the capital soon and we cant leave you behind at the garrison here.
Please dont let Shaos sacrifice be in vain, he pleaded.
Mohammed was clearly surprised and the pallor was slowly dissipating from his face.
Why talk about this now? Mohammed asked.
He had never heard him utter more than a few sentences during the whole time they served in Kampuchea.
Growing up in Kampuchea, I always kept my head low and my mouth shut.
I thought that if I kept my profile low, trouble would never reach me.
It doesnt work that way though, and its a problem I still struggle to overcome now.
I admire you. You can speak so easily and eloquently about all of those problems because youre so passionate about it.
You might even have the potential to turn those words into deeds.
But that wont happen if we dont survive this war first.
Please, Mohammed, the bronze soldier said solemnly.
No one in his unit other than his cousin had addressed him with his native Arab name before.
Mohammed took a moment for himself to think about all that had been said.
Ill leave you alone so you can make your decision,
Pvt. Han exited the tent back out into the sunlight and walked out as he wondered whether he was able to get through to Mohammed or not.
He made his way to the campsite of Captain Yues squad and shook his head while looking at all of his sullen squadmates,
save for Morita who had left the scene earlier as to not risk having to face Mohammed again.
And then, he heard a voice call out from behind and turned to see it.
Han!
Standing there was Mohammed. The expression on his face indicated he was ready to try his hand at normalcy again.
But everyone seemingly held their breath to wait for his response. They had to make sure.
Ill fight.
An overwhelming victory at Hangzhou over a twenty-five thousand strong Manchu Banner Army following the heels of the prior victory at Yangzhou exploded into a miniature Era of Good Feelings on the Manchurian Frontier. The morale of the remaining Manchu Banner Princes was completely shattered and raids for a time became virtually non-existent. The vigilant Tiger Vanguard would still stand guard across the border though, as there could be no peace brokered between civilization and barbarism.
The northwestern-most Kampuchean city of Banteay Kdei also found itself under siege by Chinese forces following the capture of Isvarapura. The increased frequency of Chinese attacks and their victories in the field caused widespread rioting to occur all across the Kampuchean Empire. Now that the Chinese were within striking distance of Yasodhapura, the God-King Ang Rithisak was concentrating the remainders of the shattered Kampuchean Armies into the capital for one last stand.
The interaction between Shao & Morita can be likened to just blatant ethnic grudges/tension.
Likewise, the racism that Mohammed speaks of correlates to modern, post Civil Rights style racism that exists in the States today.
These things are a prominent theme for this arc of the story mostly cause I feel like that aspect is often very unrealistically glossed over or
not thought of at all in a lot of Civ stories. And one of the main goals of this story is well, immersion, hence, why its here.
Since this is a bit of a touchy subject, Id prefer that nobody argues about that topic here within this thread.
Just pre-empting the possibility ahead of time since Ive seen things like this blow up before.
Also, another announcement and this one is pretty significant.
Ive mentioned before that Im a student illustrator.
And I replaced my old non-working scanner with a new one recently.
What this means is that there is a possibility for me to upload character sketches to go along with updates provided that there is
enough interest in them and provided that I have enough spare time on my part.
I can of course backfill and do old characters as well.
Okay, onto the update.
Assignment for Agent Qilin #049
Lets begin the briefing.
This is a low-tech operation. You are not allowed to bring any technology with you.
Due to the naval aspect of this expedition, the veil of secrecy you will have to maintain is tenfold from that of an ordinary operation.
Needless to say, the same protocol applies regarding to usage of your ichor gift.
Never use it in the conscious presence of your crewmates or any natives you encounter.
Be sure to log anything and everything of interest.
In the off-chance you find any, mark the location of any Legacy Site you find.
An updated outline map of the two continents is in order as well.
Evidence over on our side indicate that geological shifts could have rendered our existing maps inaccurate.
It is absolutely crucial that you come back alive.
Failure is not an option.
He chose you and you alone for a reason.
Good luck. Glory to Nü Wa.
A large crowd gathered at the Osaka harbor that day.
The Lan Ye Hua, was unveiled to the public for the first time.
It was named after the first ethnic Saxon Empress; fitting considering that the expeditions stated goal was to find an eastern sea route to Europe and
possibly De Guo as an alternative means to maintain lines of communication with the far-flung province.
The crews ethnic makeup consisted of ten Han, five Coreans, three Yamato, three Pashtuns, two Arabs and two Saxons.
Most of the crew members were highly experienced sailors and everyone else filled in some invaluable niche that was required.
A natural scientist, mathematician, astronomer & linguist were amongst the intelligentsia that comprised the Nao Caste elite of the expedition.
The famous Captain Cao Ying was selected to helm the ship as his impeccable seafaring record was known to seamen and Tortoise Armada naval personnel all across the Empire. There couldnt have been any man better for the job although Tortoise Armada admirals grumbled that his talents could be put to better use harassing Kampuchean shipping lanes.
The expedition itself was privately sponsored by several anonymous donors with a vested interest in finding an eastern sea route to De Guo. But it didnt stop the expedition from generating massive buzz among the citizenry of Wa Province. All eyes were on the crew of the Lan Ye Hua to see if they could brave the vast, unknown waters of the Pacific and come back alive to tell the tale.
The fresh Southern Reinforcement Army began sieging Hariharalaya following the capture of Angkor Thom in order to keep the still-recovering Southern Pacification Army safe from a possible Kampuchean retaliation from two fronts.
Several weeks had passed and the majority of the Kampuchean remnants in the city of Angkor Thom had been thoroughly destroyed, leaving the Southern Pacification Army garrison in full control of the former Dai Viet regional capital. In the districts repurposed for military use, Tiger Vanguard & Dragon Marauder soldiers patrolled the vicinity while the physicians attended to the needs of those who had been injured or maimed throughout the course of the campaign. A deployment of reinforcements from Core China was set to arrive in Angkor Thom at the end of the week to relieve the occupying Southern Pacification Army of their garrison duties and press forward to attack the capital.
Escaping from the harsh rays of the sun, Private Han entered Mohammeds private tent in the medical quarter of the military district to try and shake the Arab out of his depression and rejoin the squad as they prepared to move out again.
Wont you come back to the squad? The physicians all say that theres nothing wrong with you and that its all just in your head. Your cousin Yang is especially worried about you, the bronze-skinned soldier said as he tried to get Mohammeds attention.
How come youre so talkative all of a sudden? Mohammed asked.
Its because I understand you, Mohammed, Han said. What youre going through.
Your cousin told me about your frustrations with racism and how much of it factored into Shaos death. I felt like I could-
It appeared that the soldier had chosen the wrong words to say as Mohammeds face began to exhibit anger upon hearing that.
You understand me?! Mohammed yelled furiously, Youre an ethnic Han! You cant even begin to comprehend how much of a right you lack to even say that!
Do you realize how privileged you are? Huh?! he shouted as he got up from his cot and grabbed Han by the collar.
Do you know what its like to see neighbors evicted because they cant pay the rent after Han people gentrify the district en masse and drive up the prices? How about when Han parents relocate their children to other schools because they dont want their children to have anything to do with Arabs or Pashtuns? Or when a little Arab girl gets kidnapped and the authorities dont do anything at all because it happens all the time but organize city-wide searches when a little Han or Yamato girl goes missing? And thats just the tip of a long, long list of grievances too! Mohammed spat greviously while still glaring at the Private.
Whats worse is that when youre presented with all of these grievances,
you dismiss it from behind a wall of apathy and try to sidestep the issue;
Well, theres no hard evidence of this issue existing, its all empirical.
I think youre taking things a little too seriously.
I believe everyone is equally racist.
Do you know how often I hear those lines regurgitated?
Ive got a dozen more of the same kinds of excuses memorized because Ive heard them
get thrown out so many times by people who are afraid to acknowledge the inequalities,
So dont act like you understand my anger!! he yelled.
Mohammed continued to grumble as he reflected on Shaos death, slamming his fist into the tent wall.
Shao gave up his LIFE for Morita; for someone who didnt even value his life any more than an insects,
The only thing he ever wanted was to live a life free of that kind of prejudice,"
You dont understand Shaos death at all,
He turned again to glare at Han.
As long as you have your apathy, I'll still have my anger,
The Private stood there, speechless at Mohammeds outburst and then closed his lips back together.
I have something to tell you. But you cant tell anyone, he finally said after a moment of silence.
What is it? he asked as he stared straight ahead towards the wall, still sullen.
Im not an Imperial citizen, the quiet soldier revealed in a hushed voice.
Mohammed took a moment to register that statement and then turned and looked at Han again.
Im a Kampuchean, he said.
What?! the Arab exclaimed incredulously as he looked at Han.
All those things you talked about. I know what its like, Han continued.
I fled the country and took refuge in the Chinese Empire after being declared a fugitive.
I joined the Imperial Army not too long thereafter.
They didnt ask too many questions and were just happy to have another pair of arms on hand.
I just needed a chance to come back to Kampuchea and
the Private looked away, clearly dealing with some baggage of his own. Make things right
Never mind that, though, he said. What I'm trying to say that I really do understand you,
The Hans in the Empire may be privileged and behave apathetically towards you,
but the Cambodians acted the same way towards me when I still lived in Kampuchea.
Part of it is the sole reason why Im here, fighting against my former country so dont say I dont understand,
Private Han continued with his response as he noticed he had made a mark on his comrade,
But this isnt about me though. This is about you.
The whole squad is still very much shaken at Shaos death but we still need you to pull yourself together.
Were about to march on the capital soon and we cant leave you behind at the garrison here.
Please dont let Shaos sacrifice be in vain, he pleaded.
Mohammed was clearly surprised and the pallor was slowly dissipating from his face.
Why talk about this now? Mohammed asked.
He had never heard him utter more than a few sentences during the whole time they served in Kampuchea.
Growing up in Kampuchea, I always kept my head low and my mouth shut.
I thought that if I kept my profile low, trouble would never reach me.
It doesnt work that way though, and its a problem I still struggle to overcome now.
I admire you. You can speak so easily and eloquently about all of those problems because youre so passionate about it.
You might even have the potential to turn those words into deeds.
But that wont happen if we dont survive this war first.
Please, Mohammed, the bronze soldier said solemnly.
No one in his unit other than his cousin had addressed him with his native Arab name before.
Mohammed took a moment for himself to think about all that had been said.
Ill leave you alone so you can make your decision,
Pvt. Han exited the tent back out into the sunlight and walked out as he wondered whether he was able to get through to Mohammed or not.
He made his way to the campsite of Captain Yues squad and shook his head while looking at all of his sullen squadmates,
save for Morita who had left the scene earlier as to not risk having to face Mohammed again.
And then, he heard a voice call out from behind and turned to see it.
Han!
Standing there was Mohammed. The expression on his face indicated he was ready to try his hand at normalcy again.
But everyone seemingly held their breath to wait for his response. They had to make sure.
Ill fight.
An overwhelming victory at Hangzhou over a twenty-five thousand strong Manchu Banner Army following the heels of the prior victory at Yangzhou exploded into a miniature Era of Good Feelings on the Manchurian Frontier. The morale of the remaining Manchu Banner Princes was completely shattered and raids for a time became virtually non-existent. The vigilant Tiger Vanguard would still stand guard across the border though, as there could be no peace brokered between civilization and barbarism.
The northwestern-most Kampuchean city of Banteay Kdei also found itself under siege by Chinese forces following the capture of Isvarapura. The increased frequency of Chinese attacks and their victories in the field caused widespread rioting to occur all across the Kampuchean Empire. Now that the Chinese were within striking distance of Yasodhapura, the God-King Ang Rithisak was concentrating the remainders of the shattered Kampuchean Armies into the capital for one last stand.
hoplitejoe
Top fun-poster
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2010
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I wish i showed this much dedication to my stories.The pictures would be a really great addition to the story.
Mosher
Mushroom dad
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
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