Episodes 1 -3 : The movie : The game : The .pdf

After two and a half hours of editing, mapping, splicing, and goddamn fucking annoying vexillology, I've finally compiled the definitive versions of Episodes 1 - 3 of this untitled science fiction story. The first three episodes fit well together since they introduce all the major characters and their motivations - Landover wants to capture Sonett, Garret wants to capture Jay, and Jay just wants to stay out of everything. Still lots of unanswered questions though:

What's the deal with Cass?
What's the deal with Weston?
What's going on on Kaisari?
Where'd that revolution on Retale come from?
How did the DELIVERANCE get into its situation in the first place?
Will this story ever get a title?
 What the fuck is with all these characters and what is going on even?

All of these questions or none of them may or may not be answered in future chapters.

For the time being though, click on this

HUGE LINK

to read the definitive version of episodes 1 -3!
Now edited to be even more definitive!

Untitled: Episode 3 Part 3

About time this Episode was wrapped up. Tomorrow, I'll re-edit and compile the first three episodes into a .pdf to give them that shiny, fresh feel, and also a sense of permanence. Nothing major will be changed, at most a few lines added or removed to better preserve continuity. But of course no one cares about this complete, literary bullshit, so have part 3 instead.

EPISODE 3: THE FIRST GATHERING PART 3

Ostra was an interesting planet, deep within the territory of The Wheel. The third from its sun, it was nearly entirely composed of water, save for two relatively small continents and many small island chains. This unique environment made for a wonderful vacation destination, and Wheel citizens both rich and poor flocked often to its beaches and luxury resorts. The planet’s capital was Jazeera, a jewelled city rising up out of an island off the coast of one of the two continents. Ostra’s “Diamond Island”, as Jazeera was called, was an extremely profitable tourist and cultural center, kept mostly free of crime by the city’s vast police forces – a restrictive but necessary measure. The planet’s Lord was benevolent and life on the “paradise planet” was largely carefree.

The tourism industry was no doubt the biggest money maker on Ostra, but good cash could be made in the buying and selling of private islands, of which there were no limit in Ostra’s archipelagos. It was on one of these private Islands that former Admiral Landover found himself today.

Suffice it to say, it was hot. Ostra enjoyed tropical weather across essentially the entire planet all year round and Landover, having just arrived, had not had time to change out of his bridge coat. It remained stuffy, even though medals and chevrons no longer adorned it.

He stood at the present moment on a beach on an island kilometers away from any major settlement. The port his shuttle had landed at had no terminal or security of any sort and was little more than a cleared section of forest. The shuttle’s crew remained on the ship as had Landover trudged to his destination. He had spent much time and considerable sums of money to get the information he had. Not many people, even in the underworld, wanted to deal with a disgraced Admiral.

Untitled: Episode 3 Part 2

                Wow, it's been a while. Hopefully the two people who are keeping up with this story remember who everyone is, but if you don't, just take a look through the blog's archives and recap what you missed. I don't really like writing action sequences since I'm not very good at them, but I suppose a good tale needs some exciting moments every now and then. This scene was originally supposed to be a lot shorter - Landover would just knock out the guard, quickly dispatch two more, then kill the traitor. The part would then go on for two more scenes that I've decided to fit into and expand upon in Part 3 instead.
               By the way- "Hierophant" is here interepreted as"One who brings religion to others" (Greek: ta hiera, "the holy," and phainein, "to show."), but in terms of The Wheel, it's something like a personal hitman / bodyguard. All of the ranks in The Wheel's army are either direct religious positions or have religious connotations.

EPISODE 3: THE FIRST GATHERING PART 2

                The guard fell flat on his back, the force of Landover’s blow breaking his nose and sending his crumpled form to the ground. The impact of body on floor sent out a surreal shockwave through the room, not only of sound, but of force. Books on a shelf shook and fell, papers slipped out from a folder and onto the floor. A vase tumbled, smashing into thousands, too many thousands of pieces. Landover turned, looking over his shoulder. The elevator had been sent down to a lower floor. Someone might be coming up to the penthouse shortly, so he would have to be quick. He removed his Hierophant’s pistol from its shoulder holster. Moving on, he floated onward into a long hallway, as if he were being pulled by an invisible force.

                The hall made a turn to the right, and continued on for some time until ending in a closed, ornate door. Intricate geometric patterns, recalling the religious art of a past era, covered its entirety. The door blew open inwards, revealing a well-kept, stately office. 

                The traitor himself. The bastard traitor to the Wheel. While in his previous life he held a position of some stature to his lord, today he was not given the honour of a name. The traitor’s desk was filled with papers, all probably detailing his heinous acts, whatever they may be. In a direct insult to the nation, it was flanked by two flags of The Wheel. The area was well lit, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. An old styled grandfather clock stood against one wall, with the rest of the office equally reminding one of those of politicians or statesmen. The traitor himself sat, smug in his treachery, leaning back in his chair. Two suited men, more gorilla than human, flanked him.

                “So he’s sent you, has he?” The traitor barked, smirking. “You still follow that old man? He’s insane, you know. I bet you don’t even know why you’re after me. He calls me a traitor! Hah! He’s farther gone than I am.”