outer_divide | [ video ] 001 (Sunday p.m., Week 66)

[A man in a blue uniform coat with a ridiculously high stiff collar appears. His expression is grim under an abundant mess of brown hair peeking from under the large front-brimmed hat he has jammed onto his head.]

This is Captain Bulge of Sirius Platoon. If anyone in the SDF can hear me, please respond. I don't know yet where I am, and I need to know what happened. Did the Alfort forces retreat? Is Destiny safe?

This is very important. I have no idea where I am, except that it's not one of our trains. I may be in an enemy ship. If-if that's the case, then if anyone in the SDF gets this transmission, leave me. It isn't worth a rescue. I know what to do if the situation is that hopeless.

[A pause, because it isn't usually in the course of his duty he has to offer to commit suicide if necessary. He looks around again, and the background shows he is still on Salvation, although its obvious not something he recognizes. After another grimace and frown, he turns back to the device.]

I have reason to believe that I may be somewhere else entirely. It's far too quiet here to be still in battle.

I've been prepared to give my life to the Railways for years, but I don't want to waste it. Yu-Manabu, one of your damned insubordinate rescue attempts would be welcome about now, so long as I'm not on an Alfort ship. The rest of you, David especially, you'd better take care of Big One. I'm counting on you, too. Save Destiny and the Railways and get your butts home.

Somebody please respond. Come in, SDF headquarters.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Where was it you were taking me? Where this Pepper is?

Callahan's. It's...an inn, of sorts, I suppose. I don't know if she'll be there or not. Things have been...strange lately, and to be entirely honest, I'm not sure whether she's ended up a part o them or not.

Oh. Well, it can't hurt to look. If I can't find her, I guess I'll take my chances with the curfew patrol.

All luck to you, then, since I doubt anything I say will change your mind.

People have found that to be so.

That isn't exactly surprising.

[A chuckle. This is the man who got fired from the SDF, then turned around and used his private relationship with various people still serving to modify his train with the weapons necessary to save things. Yeah, he's stubborn.]

Something you understand, I see.

Most of the people I work with in Valdemar are the same way. Stubbornness is something I can understand.

Sometimes It's a necessary trait for people who may have to fight.

I suppose it is. The Heralds, at least, are that way. Others aren't quite as altruistic as they are.

[Now that was something he hadn't heard of. Other than the general definition of herald.]

Heralds?

Heralds are...difficult to describe. I suppose you could think of them as the elite force in Valdemar, though there are only a few of them, and they aren't, strictly speaking, soldiers. Essentially, we do whatever the Queen needs done.

Ah, somewhere with a queen. [If he sounds a little weird saying 'queen' it's complicated.]

I can see that duties for a group like that could vary. [The SDF wasn't huge, not compared to the real armed forces, but then again, they couldn't be very big. They were a private force.]

Most places I knew had a monarch of some kind.

It's more needed that they vary, I suppose. Not everything can be solved the same way.

You must be from either a long time ago or far away. There aren't many monarchs in my day. [Or at least not many people want.]

Both, I suppose. So far as I can tell from the others I've spoken to.

That would do it.

[A pause.]

And it works? Monarchy, I mean.

It does in Valdemar.

I guess you'd know it best there. [He is working hard not to sound too judgmental. It isn't anything personal with him.]

I suppose we cheat a little.

How's that?

The law in Valdemar is that all Monarchs must also be Heralds, which means being Chosen by a Companion. Essentially, this makes the monarchs of Valdemar incorruptible. Their concern is solely for their people and not for their own power.

That sounds like a system that could work. And from what you say, it does.

Valdemar hasn't had a tyrannical monarch yet. It seems to be.

Lucky Valdemar.

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[Action] they almost done?

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