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I am now starting to wonder about another potential meta-story for @Macavity116 : The authAAR starts a very complex story involving different dimensions and times and then walks away from his forum-based stories for a few days. In the meantime, the readers (maybe with the aid of the characters?) change the plot and the authAAR is not sure how to resolve the chaos when that writAAR inevitably returns.
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It's not as far-fetched an idea as you think. I do have an "Emergency Dead Hand" announcement post saved to my hard drive in the event I am called up for long-duration military service by the Army National Guard.
In a nutshell, the post would announce a long-duration military-induced absence and then grant blanket permission for any reader to pick up my ongoing story and continue writing it as the new author.
I first wrote the dead-hand post around the same time I publicly gave blanket permission for people to write fanfics based on my characters. (I think it was 2021 or so) The longest the ANG has ever taken me away from home is 6 months, and the Dead Hand did not exist at the time.
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Sorry I missed this comment somehow. Must have come in while I was cross-posting. Although Tom Paris was often the pilot of the Delta Flyer, a more appropriate nickname, given my screen-name, would be Chakotay. Or maybe that is my formal name already?! Regardless, I realize you don't get to pick your nickname. CK2 makes that abundantly clear.
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Chapter 5
Minamar Specialized Industries
Minamar Specialized Industries
| Chosenpai: This is it. So many POV changes in this chapter… just remember what I told you about, okay? Use the page breaks so readers can easily tell when the POV switches to another character. That way no one will get lost. |
| Macavity116: I hear you. Clear switches to other characters. Still wish I could use the format from Year of Hell that clearly ID’d each character at the start of their scene. |
| Chosenpai: Nope. You’ve already used it, and it would only confuse people more if you suddenly switched the format like that. |
Earldom of Dún Pádraig, Petty Kingdom of Ulster
12th of April, 1117 AD
| Chosenpai: Aisling has been doing a lot of eavesdropping. I don’t think she sees it that way. Just something I noticed. |
One of the blue-skinned men stood between Dermot and his comrade, and held up a metal object with a strange blue panel in the center. He began to speak in a foreign language, and moments later, a voice issued from the box, speaking in poor but passable Goidelic:
“My name is Lucius Petronax. I am a Cultural Ambassador of Minamar Specialized Industries. It is my duty to help you communicate with my people, who speak a language unknown to you. Simply speak to my commander, and I shall translate and interpret.”
“Uh… um…” Dermot hesitated. “Very well. My name is Dermot mac Cú-Caech Dál Faitach. I am the master of this castle, holder of the Petty Kingdom of Ulster and the Earldoms of Ulster, Oriel, and Ailech. By the grace of God in Heaven and the High King of Ireland, you shall know me as Duke Dermot.”
A blue-skinned man dressed in opulent gold and grey armor bowed his head respectfully. When he replied, Petronax used the metal box to translate:
“I am Lieutenant Nonus Arcavius, an officer of the Tritonis Security Agency. We come in peace as part of an expedition. We departed our own world and came here to explore and establish relations with people such as yourself.”
A gasp went up from the surrounding castle folk, including a few members of the Regency council.
“You came here from another world?” Princess Aileann repeated.
“A place called Tritonis.” Arcavius replied through Petronax. “Home of our organization, Minamar Specialized Industries.”
“An organization?” Bishop Rechtabra repeated.
Aisling lost interest in the conversation. A series of motions caught her attention and she broke away from the crowd.
Up on the walls, several Irish soldiers were talking to each other, pointing in the direction of the enemy camp. She stepped around the corner of a nearby stable and, when no one was looking, she turned into a raven.
Flapping her wings loudly, Aisling flew up to the battlements to see what the men were concerned about.
The Norse army was decamping again. Aisling could see two Mangonels being pushed toward the main road, while several enemy soldiers were examining the tire tracks left behind by the armored wagons.
Aisling flew away from the wall, circled above the crowd and began to caw as loudly as she could. At first, very few people noticed the agitated raven circling and crying out above, but after a few tense moments, Dermot looked up. He narrowed his eyes at the raven for a few moments, then declared in a loud voice:
“We are neglecting the enemies at our gates! Mercenary captain Arcavius, you have offered to assist me in the defense. Does your offer still stand? If not, I must ask you and your men to give way to my soldiers now!”
Lieutenant Arcavius smiled and shouted orders in his own language. The blue-skinned warriors produced long metal staffs and started moving toward a staircase that led up to the battlements.
Just before the final battle for Ulster Castle began, the following radio transmissions occurred:
Prefect Ravilla: What the hell do you mean you can’t return to base!? Explain yourself!
Lieutenant Arcavius: Well sir, do you remember when my squad embedded itself with a group of travelling merchants? Well, I was able to gather quite a lot of Intel about the local economy and culture, just like you asked… but now we’ve been drawn into a military action. The town we travelled to is under attack, and we kinda offered to help out. So yeah… we’re gonna be late.
Prefect Ravilla: Why are you talking like this isn’t my problem!? I promised the Board of Directors you’d attend the public hearing on Tritonis! It’s in two weeks! You’re making me look incompetent!
Lieutenant Arcavius: I know… that’s why I need to ask you for a favor.
Talking through the Universal Translator, the local landlord ordered the 15th Recon Team to defend a portion of the wall just to the west of the main gate. Sergeant Vipsania Avita raised her eyebrow as the Cultural Ambassador relayed this information.
“Are you sure ‘Landlord’ is the right word?” She said. “All of those primitives were treating that kid like some kind of royalty.”
“That boy is almost certainly a noble of some kind.” Petronax replied as he loaded his Gauss Rifle. “But until we know more about the local hierarchy, I’m sticking with ‘landlord.’ The boy appears to be subordinate to the monarch 12th Recon told us about. I think Military Intelligence was right in their theory about a political structure that hybridizes tribal and feudal systems.”
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Arcavius and Sergeant Paulus Valgus used binoculars and a small UAV to examine the enemy force.
“Looks like about three thousand men.” Sergeant Valgus said. "Not enough to surround this town or cut it off from the sea behind us.”
“Judging from the debris below… they’ve tried to storm this place once already.” Arcavius mused. “You think they’ll try again, Old Man?”
“I think so.” Valgus replied. “Look there, two degrees left of that copse of trees. Those are siege engines.”
“Yeah, I’ve got eyes on it now.” Arcavius said, using a wrist-mounted terminal to guide his mini-UAV in flight. “Looks like a catapult. They’re moving four more into position further along the battle line. Private Sevso! Find me a landmark we can use to range the grenade launchers!”
“Yes, sir!” Replied a young soldier, who began peering over the wall at the ground in front of the castle.
Vipsania Avita nudged her commanding officer, a mischievous smile on her face.
“So… tell me you weren’t undressing that woman with your eyes.” She said. “And I’ll prove you were lying.”
“What!? The well-dressed noblewoman with the brownish-red hair?” Arcavius replied. “No, I’d never! And you should be more respectful to your superior officer, Vip!”
“Just so you know, sir… I think that woman was the landlord’s mother.” Avita said. “I picked that up while Lucius back there was fiddling with the UT. Maybe you can cut in on the diarchy?”
“Shut up and go do something useful for a change.” Arcavius grumbled.
Along the wall, Irish defenders looked nervously at their new allies, unsure about what would come next. Dermot ordered his mother and the rest of the Regency Council to take shelter in the Keep. He spotted Aisling, who had resumed her Human shape, lurking near the stables. He quickly approached her and whispered:
“You’re not my subject but you’re still my guest. Please go inside where it’s safe!”
Aisling tilted her head.
“Are you protecting me?” She giggled. “You do remember what I am, don’t you?”
Dermot blushed and insisted in a much quieter voice.
| Chosenpai: So cute. Gonna die of cuteness!! (˃ᆺ˂✿) |
Jarl Ylva Sigfossdottir was furious. She had withdrawn her forces to recuperate after the failed Escalade, and somehow, during that short period of rest, Ulster Castle had been rapidly reinforced.
Several loyal horsemen had warned Ylva that Irish reinforcements were on the way. Now she feared the time to strike passed. As the army assembled, she called for her husband.
Jarl Causantín MaDuib was a man of mixed ancestry, but he appeared outwardly Irish. He arrived at Ylva’s camp at the head of a company of horsemen.
“How did Irish soldiers sneak past your men!?” She demanded.
Jarl Causantín shook his head.
“I tell you they were not Irish! Wagons made of iron that moved without horses, it was magic of the devil. Hell itself has entered that castle.”
“And we’ll drive Hell out.” Jarl Ylva replied. “Signal the attack!”
At her command, all six of the Norse mangonels began to launch projectiles.
The previous assault had been plagued by misfortune, but this time, the attackers were not only fortunate… but seemingly blessed by God himself.
The mangonels would not need to launch a second salvo.
The first barrage struck with magnificent accuracy. Four out of six boulders drilled into the castle’s main gate, sending wood and stone flying through the air. Dust obscured the view for a moment… then began to settle.
A moment later, there was a terrible grinding noise, followed by a heart-stopping crash!
The portcullis had fallen.
The main gate was destroyed.
The walls were breached.
Jarl Ylva raised her sword and shouted:
“SACK THE TOWN!”
One second later, the Olinbar soldiers opened fire.
| Chosenpai: You forgot to mention what language Ylva speaks. I know the Olinbar guys are going to have a Universal Translator, but Aisling might not be able to communicate with her. |
| Macavity116: Shit. You’re right. |
| Macavity116: Well… I think since Ylva is going to be a POW, she won’t have much of a chance to talk to Aisling. |
| Macavity116: But I do see your point. I’ll sleep on it and figure something out tomorrow. |
| Chosenpai: Sounds good. Also... |
| Chosenpai: Exclamation marks. Literally every sentence MaDuib says ends with “!” There's four of them. Fix it. |
| Macavity116: Got it. Anything else? |
| Chosenpai: Your main protagonist didn’t have much to do again. Don’t let her turn into another Trig Shepminter. |
| Macavity116: I know. I’m definitely not letting the whole “passenger in my own story” thing happen again. |
| Chosenpai: Also, grammar mistake: You wrote: “A blue-skinned man dressed in an opulent gold and grey armor bowed his head respectfully.” |
| Chosenpai: Needs to be “dressed in opulent gold and blah blah blah” |
| Macavity116: Oof. Good catch. |
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Chosenpai, if the universal translator can translate Celtic languages, then Norse or other Germanic should be fairly easy.
“SACK THE TOWN!”
One second later, the Olinbar soldiers opened fire.
"On second thought, nothing looks valuable, let's go home to Iceland"
Thanks
Momma has an alien admirer and Dermot wants a fairy. What a twisted family tree, they will have!
“SACK THE TOWN!”
One second later, the Olinbar soldiers opened fire.
"On second thought, nothing looks valuable, let's go home to Iceland"
Thanks
Momma has an alien admirer and Dermot wants a fairy. What a twisted family tree, they will have!
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<judging by the rate of posts, this is a heavy-necro, therefore apologies for the disruption>
Corrected and elaborated that for you.
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Aileann, Aileann, Aileann, Aileann!
I'm begging of you, please don't take that man!
I'm begging of you, please don't take that man!
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Don't tempt Arcavius. He's the first genuine womanizer I've written since Jake "Soylent" Green and I was planning to pull out all the tropes!
No worries. I'm generally quite comfortable with necromancers in the audience.
We'll see how Princess Aileann feels after witnessing a demonstration of MSI products and technologies. Maybe she'll want to be "uplifted."
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Welp, the Norse tried.
Whatever public hearing Arcavius needs to attend sounds important. You said it's in two weeks. Is time in the MSI's dimension passing at the same rate as it is in Ireland?
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An interesting turn of events, especially the unexpected Norse success, which will inevitably spell their doom, as you and Chosenpai have already hinted.
If not, the Norse version of Helheim is very different than the Christian view. (But then again as we are discussing alternate timelines is that even important? Maybe we should take @filcat and his advice seriously. This is all an alternative reality so does accuracy of such details matter at all?)
Anyway, I know you and Chosenpai say that Aisling is the protagonist. With so much moving around, we will have to see how it really turns out. Still so early others could emerge as the main point of view.
If the High Chieftess Ylva is from Iceland she's likely speaking Norse. Icelandic remains very close to Norse.
Perhaps I should put on my hat as Chac-otay, the High Flying Meta Meta Delta Reader for this and ask about the religion in Iceland during this part of CK3. Have they converted to Catholicism?
If not, the Norse version of Helheim is very different than the Christian view. (But then again as we are discussing alternate timelines is that even important? Maybe we should take @filcat and his advice seriously. This is all an alternative reality so does accuracy of such details matter at all?)
Now, there's an interesting aside. Trig was alright in your last story, but the entire set up as a Young Adult (YA) science-fiction coming of age story did not work in his favor. Too many of the antagonists and supporting characters were more interesting. However, I thought he carried the story just fine, despite being over-shadowed by others. So have others criticized your last one for that? If so, did they post those comments publicly? Might be worthy of a debate.
Anyway, I know you and Chosenpai say that Aisling is the protagonist. With so much moving around, we will have to see how it really turns out. Still so early others could emerge as the main point of view.
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Is the extraterrestrials helping the Irish against the Norse akin to the Sunrise Invasion where the Spanish conquistadors helped the oppressed to overthrow the Aztecs before taking the whole ball of wax for themselves? (I need Chosenpai's editing skills.)
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Dermot and gang are pretty non-nonchalant around their visitors, considering how off-putting the tech and blue skin would be. I'm surprised Bishop Rechtabra hasn't come out screaming 'witchcraft'.
I know the posting has been fast and furious, so I had some catching up to do. However, what intrigues me at the moment is this budding beta/gamma editing relationship with ChosenChac.
I know the posting has been fast and furious, so I had some catching up to do. However, what intrigues me at the moment is this budding beta/gamma editing relationship with ChosenChac.
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I just think this makes for a very interesting alternate-history-fantasy-sci-fi fusion.
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Agreed!
I am just waiting for Kirk and Spock to show up and tell the Olinbari that they've violated the Prime Directive and therefore must pay the price.
Someone did suggest that I was her alter ego... who knows what magical powers @Macavity116 possesses through his stories to bend reality!
However, I do believe my official title currently may be: Chac-otay, the High Flying Meta Meta Delta Reader.
Not to stand on ceremony, or anything like that.
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I was going more for the Bennifer, Brangelina, Garfleck, TarKat angle. The press eats that stuff up.
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Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet. There's a reason I named the next chapter after a Wagner song.
That's the thing. The two calendars are not 1-to-1. In Stellaris, the in-universe calendar has only 360 days. Someone at PDX wants to make my life hell when it comes to timekeeping.
I was puzzled by this detail while setting up the gameplay. I found that in the 1066 gamemode, Catholisim was widespread in Iceland. Jarl Ylva's husband is excommunicated and is actively drawing penalties for it, all of which I found so puzzling. (Jarl Ylva herself is Catholic, see below)
No readers have criticized Trig for being a passenger. It's a critique I've intentionally levelled at myself.
The metafiction angle I'm planning to use on this story requires me to look back on my previous stories and attempt to judge them harshly.
I've looked up the Sunrise Invasion. WTF are the guys at PDX smoking and why aren't they sharing?
I was sorely tempted to have him do this, but I couldn't find a way to execute the idea without making him the nerve center of a subplot that could derail the whole story.
YES! Authorial intent achieved! Not in the way I initially aimed for... but getting people interested in Chosenpai was a major objective.
Thanks! But the other shoe hasn't dropped yet.
Maybe someday I'll write a Stellaris story focused on an empire based on the Federation. It might be an interesting change of pace.
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I just felt a great disturbance in the Fourth Wall.
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