102 lines
3.9 KiB
Plaintext
102 lines
3.9 KiB
Plaintext
Nikki watched as the bridges to downtown fell into Mindemoya, with a sense of regret.
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They were now trapped on Monsimeli island.
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No way out.
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Nikki shivered.
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―Captain Adrienne, let's head back.
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Adrienne called the remaining members of the Presidential Guard to order, and with Auroklos and his followers, boarded the tram up to Havenmount.
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Nikki left Adrienne and Auroklos to coordinate their defences, while she went to see how the office was handling things.
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Adam was dashing about holding a stack of folders, and he didn't notice Nikki walking in.
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He'd gotten the office workers to coordinate putting their documents into lockboxes.
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―Adam, what are you doing with all the files?
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Adam looked up sharply, and Nikki could see a sense of panic in his eyes.
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―Sorry ma'am, I was thinking, you know.
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If we lose the island, we could sink everything in the lake?
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Make it as hard as possible for anyone to take over.
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―Nice idea. Thanks for taking the initiative on that.
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This seemed to relax him.
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He was still apparently more scared of Nikki than the threat of a coup.
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This oddly filled Nikki with a sense of pride and calm.
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She stood tall and raised her voice.
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―Everyone, listen up.
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No matter what happens here, I want you to remember that the Republic of Galvarelli is going to survive.
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We're yaks, we endure the thin mountain air, and the bitter winter cold, and even if we're not great with warm temperatures we, uh.
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We find a way to deal with it.
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Nikki regretted starting to speak without planning an ending first.
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―Ah, hell.
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I'll do everything in my power to keep yaks safe.
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Thank you for your service to this nation.
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A mild cheer burbled around the office.
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But the mood seemed slightly lighter, which Nikki counted as a win.
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Nikki entered Calvin's office.
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Or, as she sadly remembered, her office.
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She remembered the first time she'd seen him, defending an expansion to the Barns.
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―Look at what the Ottawans have built, he'd said.
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No Great Voices to help them, and they've still conquered their world.
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It's our cousin the cows that named the moon, yet we let the humans walk on the moon first.
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We can outrun them easily, but they build vehicles.
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We can overpower them, but they build weapons.
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It's the power of their philosophy.
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Those values that help them grow, openness and acceptance, all come from a desire to do more than just survive.
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We've let ourselves be yoked by our traditions, and I say no longer!
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Nikki felt the tears start to fall.
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Dammit Cal, she thought.
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Why'd you have to leave?
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A knock on the door.
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She wiped off her eyes.
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―Come in.
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Adrienne opened the door.
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―Ma'am, I got a report saying they've been spotted, coming from the east.
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They're entering the city within the hour.
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Auroklos says his yaks are in place to watch the Havenmount entrances from the upper floors
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The Guard that's left here are all in place on the ground floor, but I can have a couple of my yaks with you personally if you need.
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I still think you should be with the Assembly in the saferooms.
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―No, Adrienne.
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I want to be up by the waterfront.
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I want to see the fuckers attacking us.
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―That's an extraordinarily bad idea, ma'am.
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We don't know what they can do, and we need to keep you safe.
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―Captain, there's no point in worrying about me.
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If they kill me, it's not going to make a difference.
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I'd rather be there to bargain for people's safety.
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―If they bargain at all.
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They might just kill you immediately, and move on to everyone else.
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―I have to try.
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There's no outcome here where I'm going to put my own life over anyone else's.
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It's what Calvin would have done.
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Adrienne nodded.
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―Try to talk to them.
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We'll keep a tram ready to go, and have everyone there retreat immediately if they try to attack you.
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If we need to, we'll make our last stand here at Havenmount.
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Anything other than that is pointless, okay ma'am?
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Nikki nodded.
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―Get ready then, I'll try to scrounge up some decent protective gear for you.
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We'll head to the East Bridge in fifteen minutes.
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