With nothing else to do but wait for her centurion, Chesney, to return with some human intelligence as to what the local situation is, Faustina takes a tour around her army’s line before a short nap. A bit of a transitional scene.
Month: May 2020
Busted, pt2
Okay, she made it out without a slap or spanking. Barely. Still, Faustina got the dressing down she well deserved. But will it take? We’ll see. In the mean time, they all realized they are scores of miles into unknown territory facing an unknown potential enemy. What they need more than anything else is intel. Senior Centurion Chesney then makes an ill-timed appearance.
Busted, pt1
A surprise for Faustina and rather than being pissed off she nearly gets pissed on. Time to beat a quick retreat to base… where her legates have been wondering where in bloody hell their General and Empress disappeared to… I’ll bet USD10 that Gibson spanks her.
Walkies
The young general is able to push her boys forward in the night but grows increasingly concerned that they are pressing further and further into the unknown. Once to a temporary laager, tired herself and not thinking too clearly, Faustina makes a foolish decision.
It was a dark and stormy night…
Not about to get her army trapped in place for a week or even for days, Faustina proves her earlier guess correct: her boys were going to pay for their days of easy marching. On the heels of a 45-mile day, they must cover another 25… and the rain from the hurricane is starting to fall…
Brewing storms
I like an episode arc that starts in sunshine and ends in clouds. It guarantees further action. Under the fold, the empress meets with a diplomatic embassage of rump Louisiana, trying to find out what is going on between them and the Gulf Short States, who she and her boys are on their way to visit. At the end, Ryland startles Faustina very badly… something I’m still seeing and will try to wrap up Thursday.
Soup and Juice
Faustina has a short meeting with her legates but makes time to be informal with her cousin, Ryland. For a kid genius, who usually are monomaniacs and burn out early, Ryland is surprisingly perceptive. I wonder if being a mutt is a factor? Or her mother’s close relationship with the machines of tribe Tohsaka? We’ll likely find out later or sooner.
I have written a little past this but have to go make an early dinner for my family. If not too drunk to write more, maybe I can get another update ready to later.
Flashback
In the published novel, this will be the start of chapter two of Part III. It hearkens back to what happened at the very end of Part II, where, as Arpad and Ryland were about to return to the Texas-controlled side of the Mississippi, he received a note of some kind. We know is was significant, otherwise, why is Faustina’s young cousin travelling with them into another battle zone?
I’ve seen what happens right after this memory and am writing it now. This is a very productive weekend!
Riding South
Now beginning Part III of “Empress’ Crusade.” Following Colonel Rigó getting news from Texas, Faustina has re-mobilized her army and is moving south. I’m not entirely sure why as yet, but am confident they’ll let me know soon. In the meantime, the two young cousins have a chance to talk.
machciv 