Empires Divided

[Verto]

Epilogue ~ Empires Divided
________________________________

Diary Excerpt, Private R.J.Kientol

Dated 18.Feb.1955

Pain, suffering, and disease have become the mundane. In my dreams, the glow of candles on a cake is extinguished by the
obsidian asphyxiation of Death. Yet even death is now become my companion. The faces of friends seem lost forever to me; into my heart Carnage itself has been seared. Or so I imagine. Feeling is a gift long since robbed from me, replaced by a uniform and a rifle. Memories of joy and laughter are overwhelmed by the piercing shrieks of a thousand artillery. Smiles of friends and family are supplanted by the ghouls of the battlefields, the horrific, silent screams of slaughtered children.

And yet beyond all this is the most abhorrent of all. For the holocaust that I once hated has become my very existence. More than all the battles and all the killing, I fear my return; I fear my home; I fear reunion. For amidst all the cries of the battlefield, it is the images of home that keep me awake; the smiles and laughter of those who remain innocent to the world I am become. It is the idea of leaving this war that is the nightmare that haunt me. It is a future of peace that torments me.

I have become War, and all else is a Stranger to me.

R.J.K




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After a long absence, I have begun work on several projects, including this one.

This is a 'pilot', if you will, to determine interest. If I continue with this story, it may be some time before my next installment, so bear with me.

[vovan]

Fancy. I like this "pilot" of yours. Good style, though I must warn you against going overboard with literary devices. It could bite back. For instance: " the horrific, silent screams of slaughtered children." Maybe I'm just missing something obvious, but I think this sentence doesn't work.

Other than that, cool piece. I'd be interested to learn what it is that made Private Kientol this way.

[Verto]

Thanks for the prompt feedback.

Originally posted by vovan
For instance: " the horrific, silent screams of slaughtered children." Maybe I'm just missing something obvious, but I think this sentence doesn't work.

I suppose I should have elaborated: he was recalling images of children, killed, whose faces still kept their terrible expressions.

I do see your point re: literary devices; please forgive, as I've been busy writing poetry.

[vovan]

Originally posted by Verto
I suppose I should have elaborated: he was recalling images of children, killed, whose faces still kept their terrible expressions.

Ah, that makes sense. I guess I didn't quite grasp this, because the previous sentence seemed rather sound-oriented to me: laughter, drowned out by artillery - and so, the silence of the image following didn't quite register.

[SKILORD]

I'd like to see some of this.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

A very impressive starter, its more than good to see you write for us again Verto

[Paddy]

Thank you for this Pilot...

Looking forward to the series...

[Verto]

Journey into the Inferno
March 2, 1945

"...four...three...two..."

The seconds felt like eons as the crowd of thousands waited with undisguised anticipation. Hundreds of miniature flags snapped in the brisk wind as a brave few began to sing the anthem of the Kingdom, although few heard over the growing rumble. Some felt tears forming, while others viewed with awe the great spectacle before them.

"...one...ignition!"

The entire crowd erupted into cheers as the cavernous rocket thrusters filled with flames, slowly lifting the sleek, towering spacecraft off its resting place, plumes of smoke encircling it. Into the clear sky the rocket would climb, until at last it passed into the Heavens.

Or so they thought.

Less than two feet above the launch pad, the rocket seemed to come to a standstill; for a moment, it seemed frozen in time. Then, ponderously, the rocket slowly fell back to earth; in silent horror, the crowd watched.

The rocket seemed to fall into the earth as it was engulfed in smoke and flame. Surrounding scaffolding and support fell into the maw, collapsing in on itself. Ripples of heat swept through the crowd, which was at last beginning to break apart, almost frantically coming to its senses.

---------

The fireball growing in the background, police futilely attempted to maintain a sense of order as thousands fled to their cars. The camera shook for a moment, but quickly stabilized. The news reporter still stood with her back to the camera, microphone still resting in the grass where it had fallen.

With a curt nod to a nearby aide, the television was off.

"Gentleman, the entire world just watched the Kingdom fail."

[vovan]

Hmmm, I don't know what the heck happened there, but the writing is good.

Okay, okay, I know that some kind of rocket failed, but what rocket was it? A spacecraft? And why was it so important to the "Kingdom" that it was said to have failed when the rocket didn't fly? And what Kingdom is this you speak of?

Questions, questions.

I hope to learn some answers soon in another installment.

[Verto]

Originally posted by vovan
I hope to learn some answers soon in another installment.

You will, all that and more.

[Paddy]

good... looking forward to it

[Verto]

March 2, 1945
10:03 AM

"As you can see behind me, fire teams are still working to extinguish the blaze caused by this morning's catastrophe, during the unsuccessful attempt to launch the first unmanned American space rocket, the Omega. In an apparent technical failure, the rocket's thrusters failed to propel the rocket away from the Earth; instead, the entire launch pad was consumed in flames when the rocket crashed back to Earth, it's own fuel feeding it's destruction.

"The tragic mayhap is sure to prove to be an embarassing thorn in the Kingdom's side, as it struggles not only to maintain a lead in what has become an international race to the stars, but also to maintain it's national dignity in light of this incident. Indeed, the Kingdom's position is almost precarious, with a Spanish space launch scheduled in less than four months, threatening to beat America to space.

"No official explanation has been released as to why the Omega failed, although members of His Majesty's administration are expected to do so sometime tomorrow. I'm Jerel Fezul, and this is Global News."



Washington, capital of the Kingdom and Territories of America

Those present watched as the three men from the Space Exploration Division quietly left the room, like whipped dogs fleeing the abusive hand of a wrathful master; in the aftermath of Lincoln's fury, none dared to speak.

As the door closed, Lincoln resumed his seat at the head of the table. Seemingly unaware of the scattered disarray of papers he had created, he brushed back his hair; a few men, cowed, studied the smooth surface of the obtuse table, or mindlessly shuffled the papers before them.

After a brief period of painful silence, the Minister of Colonial Administration cautiously resumed the discussion. "Clearly, as Your Majesty observed, the Kingdom cannot rely on the New Boston territories to provide the necessary resources: the exports of Aluminum already beginning to die out. The Ariin Provinces could supplement this supply, but even then the space program would need to monopolize on the aluminum coming in from the colonies."

"Irregardless of the aluminum, what of rubber?" the Minister of His Majesty's Treasury replied. "The rubber being brought in from our Middle Isle colonies has decreased at a rate of 6% a year, when demand for it from the private sector - not to mention the military - has never been higher." The stocky minister swivelled slightly to his left, facing Lincoln. "Your Majesty, no where in the Kingdom will we be able to find the resources necessary to reach Alpha Centauri; not without causing unacceptable hurt to the economy."

Lincoln, in icy silence, gazed at each man seated in the room with cool, calculating eyes as they waited apprehensively, fearing another outburst.

"Perhaps, we could attempt negotiations at a trade agreement with Rome, or perhaps Russia..?" a minister suggested. "Offer protection against possible Spanish encroachment in the Middle Isles - they remember the Accords of 1902."

The Accords was the document that had sealed England's fate almost 40 years ago, when several colonies and territories had rebelled against England; intervening in a short military skirmish, Spain and Germany had forced England to accept the colonies' independence, after which those two empires had taken them over as 'protectorates'. Leaving England with only a handful of colonies, the Accords had crippled England, and proved so humiliating that a communist revolution had overthrown the monarchial reign of Elizabeth. It had also increased the Northern Continent's enmity with Spain and Germany, and fueled the bitter rivalry that had carved up the Middle Isles.

"Neither Rome or Russia are in a position to provide us with what we need," the Minister of War said decisively.

Lincoln placed his hands, palms open, on the table's cool surface, and studied each man present with his cool, calculating eyes.

"If America does not possess that which she needs, then she will look abroad."

[Paddy]

ahh haa good to see, thanks

[Verto]

I'm hoping to have another part written sometime tonight or tomorrow.

this is not a bump

[Paddy]

you are doing fine I hope....

no pressure intended... well ok some, but from the good side of the bar at the pub...