The Altera Centauri collection has been brought up to date by Darsnan. It comprises every decent scenario he's been able to find anywhere on the web, going back over 20 years.
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Call To Power 2 Cradle 3+ mod in progress: https://apolyton.net/forum/other-games/call-to-power-2/ctp2-creation/9437883-making-cradle-3-fully-compatible-with-the-apolyton-edition
Hahaha! Thanks, DarkCloud. With Dan, Markos and Civ I thought I was too unimportant to be mentioned. My char rules! It's .... it's ... well ... it's DARK... MWAHAHAHA!
At dawn, the sun, instead of bringing life, brought death and destruction onto the rise where the Greeks rose to meet the Babylonian invaders. The chariots clashed and precipitated an enormous battle on the rise. Lord Axi sat on a lone horse, darkly observing the whole matter with his unit's support staff and Paiktis.
"Ya know- this is gettin' mighty boring fairly fast." Oz of the Wolf dealt a death blow to a Babylonian charioteer, causing his team of horses to rear up angrily, dumping the riders onto the ground where they were trampled by others.
"What's that Sir?" Diablo, his new driver, a replacement after Oz's previous team had died in an overturned chariot, asked.
"I said- it's gettin' mighty boring- we've fought the same troops these last few ******** days. I mean- I wish they'd a' drop dead for once and fer all. I like a littul variety once in a'while, ya know?" Oz chatted while swinging his sword, bringing death down upon the Babylonians.
"Yes, well we all have to deal with war time and time again." Diablo stated, philosophically.
"Well- I don't care about war- I care about repetitiveness. War I can handle."
Diablo stared at Oz, startled.
Oz grunted and yelled to the troops on his and the center wing. "Onward! We'll circle around them!"
His men gave a hearty yell and followed him along the side of the Babylonian chariots.
*
On the left wing, Markos encountered the full power of the combined Babylonian chariot forces. He did his best to push them away, but failed miserably as a young berserker bearing many wounds, remnants of past battles, ferociously plowed into Markos' lines and gutted them.
Markos called a retreat.
"Hurry Dan!" Markos screamed as their chariot sped away from the oncoming onslaught.
"I'm doing the best I can!" Dan yelled back.
Thucudydies let a few arrows fly at the Babylonians, both shots missing, going wide.
At the center of the Babylonians rode their crazed leader. Suddenly, the leader yelled something to his driver and his horses spurred forward, faster than before, the berserker screaming his mad battle cry.
Markos gritted his teeth and prepared to meet the warrior.
*
All was going well despite General Jaguar Warrior’s decision to crash through the lines and disappear somewhere into the Greek lines of retreat along with twelve of his chariots. Siddiqui grimaced. The man was too undisciplined. Too undisciplined by half. No one, no one except a man with a death wish would break ranks, even to enter into a retreat. It just was not done. But then again, with Jaguar Warrior gone, Siddiqui would be the leading field commander. Siddiqui smiled as his chariot sat, protected amidst the storm by The Dark Cavalier and a newly assembled Death Guard.
*
"Blast! What’s ****ing happening!" Oz of the Wolf screamed, noticing the men in his wings start to break from the battlefield. "What's wrong!" He yelled. "Come on, regroup!"
One voice called as the man's chariot thundered by, "The Left Wing fell- the main force of Babylonians is wheeling around to face us."
"****." Oz of the Wolf cursed, then laughed. "By Zeus we'll show the ******** who's the true warriors on this field. REGROUP!"
"Sorry Captain, we don't have the men." The man said, then urged his chariot-driver on, off onto the plains, presumably to circle around and enter the protected forest eventually.
Oz of the Wolf screamed, "So- I'll have to lead this myself! Come on Diablo- we're headed for THERE!" He pointed to a clustered group of chariots, presumably defending someone or something.
Diablo cracked his whip and the horses thundered off towards the group.
*
The Dark Cavalier met the new arrival with the steel of his blade, unspeaking. He glared at the Greek. The Greek grinned bloodthirstily, "So- you think you can meet blades with Oz of the Wolf- do ye?" The Dark Cavalier grunted. They broke off swords as their horses moved away. Minutes later, Oz returned, sword bloody, "Sorry I didn't have tha time to clean it. I sliced open one, maybe two of your friends necks."
The Dark Cavalier snarled and swung wildly. Oz countered it. "So, you think you can outdo me- do ye?"
Oz feinted, The Dark Cavalier moved to meet the feint, then faltered as Oz's blade drew blood on The Dark Cavalier's left arm. "Aaaah!" The Cavalier screamed and lashed out. Oz felt the blunt portion of the blade strike his shoulder. "Oof." He grunted and grimaced, then set into The Dark Cavalier again, drawing blood along The Dark Cavalier's right cheek. The Dark Cavalier screamed and again lashed out.
On the opposite side of Oz's battle, another Death Guard chariot engaged Oz's archer/swordsman. The swordsman countered the Death Guard's first blow, but fell as a second sliced into his collar bone, and died as a third cut through his head.
Oz's driver turned to look at the carnage, screamed, then spirited away the horses.
Oz leaned forward and was about to deliver a blow when the chariot lurched forward. "What are you doing you fool!" He screamed. "I almost a' had him there!"
"You would not have wished to die." Diablo muttered, and fled with the horses, following the rest of Oz's force.
"Blast you!" Oz cursed, and continued to curse. "If I killed him theyd'a surrendered- he was their leader- I'm sure of it."
Diablo kept silent.
*
"So we retreat." Lord Axi stated gloomily, then reeled his horse around and set off for the forest. His support staff followed as they were able.
Scant minutes later, the Babylonians burst into the Greek camp, slaughtering the injured and burning the tents.
*
Jaguar Warrior's chariot thundered up to Markos'. The man, who was not quite a man, let out a blood-curdling scream and jumped from his chariot into Markos'. Markos stumbled backwards into Thucudydies who dropped his sword upon the impact. Dan, the driver, drew his sword and dropped the reins, trusting the horses' sense of direction. Dan parried a blow by Jaguar Warrior with his sword, then stood as Jaguar Warrior whirled to face Markos' blow.
Jaguar Warrior whirled twice and sliced off the reins to the chariot, detaching it from the horses. Suddenly, the chariot was gliding unattached. The General then thrust at Markos who was falling forward unsupported. Thucudydies, who was holding onto his wooden bow-holder, grabbed Markos by the leg and saved him from tumbling forward onto the ground or into Jaguar Warrior's blade.
Dan stepped forward and stabbed Jaguar Warrior in the side. Jaguar Warrior stumbled backwards and screamed, falling from the chariot.
The chariot continued on a few more yards until it struck a large rock, sending all its occupants flying into the air.
*
"General Siddiqui." Tacticus began, gesturing to a sheet of parchment. "The majority of the casualties came from your unit- which we are dissolving."
"That's because we've been fighting the most. Not because I am incompetent." Siddiqui denied.
"In Nebuchadnezzar's eyes, that is no excuse." General Tacticus sighed.
"I'm sorry General, but it is the truth." Siddiqui stated blandly.
"It is not- I'm sorry my fellow General, I wish I could use you- Marduk knows I need you now that Jaguar Warrior is gone, but I feel that if I wish to remain in good standing with Nebuchadnezzar, I must dismiss you. I will not kill you, and I do not urge you to return to Nebuchadnezzar, but your usefulness is done."
"It is not!" General Siddiqui screamed defiantly, eyes searching the room for some implement to kill the General with.
As the General continued his apologies, Siddiqui discovered such an object. He casually eased himself over to the sword, then slowly drew it. Suddenly, the General noticed Siddiqui's plan.
"You would not." He stated, outraged.
"I would." Siddiqui replied coldly.
"I-" The words were cut off by a scream. A short scuffle followed, then the General, Siddiqui emerged frowning from the room, holding a bloody sword in one hand, the General's head in the other.
*
Lord Axi gathered the remnants of his charioteers on the other side of the forest and rallied them as best he could.
"We still have our supplies for the most part no?"
There was no response.
"We still have half our tents- remember, we only left half on the field in anticipation of a victory- some people," Cloud nodded, "thought ahead and packed them- so we won't have to sleep under the stars."
A slight cheer went up for that statement.
"Now!" Lord Axi screamed, attempting to keep a glad demeanor, and raise the morale of his battered troops. "Now we go on, towards safety, towards a border city- To Delphi!"
The men, too worn-out from their daily exertions, mentally and physically, failed to cheer. They merely
stepped, vacantly into line and followed Lord Axi's ragged march, leading their exhausted horses and chariots.
*
King Christantine stood waiting in the audience chambers, awaiting the words of the Oracle at Delphi.
Eventually, he was summoned.
He had never before entered the oracle and was, as such, awed by the sheer majesty of the gigantic building. It stood over thirty meters tall over an outcropping of rocks on the edge of a vast cliff. And inside- inside the Oracle was filled with all the greatest Greek works of art- from Laöcoon, to the Discus Thrower, to Apollodorous. Even several Egyptian works decorated the vast marble and golden halls.
The sound of Christantine's steps resonated throughout the building as he walked, awestruck, through its halls. The short woman, draped in a brown shawl, who was escorting him abruptly stopped in front of a golden throne, covered with carvings of the all-seeing Eye and the snakes of Delphi.
On the throne sat the Oracle, surrounded by several venomous snakes, staring blankly into the chamber.
King Christantine went to his knees.
"You may speak." Said the Oracle, hardly moving her lips.
King Christantine coughed nervously, then began: "Oh Great and Powerful Oracle, All seeing eye, I come humbly before you to humbly ask you this humble question: What must I do to prevent a civil war in this Kingdom and keep the Greeks united."
The Oracle sat for a few minutes, then began to speak. "What one must do to prevent a civil war is this- nothing. The war is inevitable- but to survive one must first defeat a traitor- a true and eager traitor through and through. One who hath no qualms about attacking a superior foe"
*
(well, finally a break from the repetitiveness of war; with the Greek's defeat- now we enter into politics)
Lord Civ, son of Man arrived at Delphi with the tattered remnants of his force. He led a grand, but glum procession into the city with the remaining 412 of the 1000 Legionnaires who had set out.
When the procession was completed, King Christantine approached Lord Civ. Lord Civ turned to the King and knelt as he approached. "How were you defeated?" The King gritted his teeth as he stared penetratingly into Lord Civ's eyes.
Lord Civ coughed. "Lord King, I was betrayed."
"By whom?"
"The charioteers. They refused to join me in battle. Their leader, Lord Axi must have gone over to the Babylonians immediately after the battle. They wish to see the Greek Kingdom destroyed. They have no love for their fellow Greek. They must be destroyed… Completely."
"This is disturbing news." King Christantine stared grimly.
"Yes, it truly is. And all of it is true. The Charioteers deserted us on the field- failing even to join my unit in its attack. And thus, we suffered a devastating loss… We can recover however- we are GREEKS!" Lord Civ rose and turned to his men. "Are we worms or are we GREEKS!"
"We are GREEKS!" the men replied, with somewhat higher morale, thrusting their swords and spears into the air.
"I will have this investigated." King Christantine whirled away from Lord Civ.
"You should not doubt me- I never lie." Lord Civ shouted after King Christantine. The King walked on oblivious, deep in thought.
*
Delphi, One Week Later
"How dare you arrest me!" Lord Axi screamed as the guards grabbed him by his arms.
"Sorry chief, It's an order." One said gruffly. The other sneered- "So our former Lord is a traitor- and he's returned thinking that he can cause more trouble… Well, he'll get his just deserts."
"Why do you treat me like a common thief!" Lord Axi flailed wildly. Paiktis moved to help him.
"Woah there one-legs," the sneering guard yelled to Paiktis. "You best keep away or I'll have to kill ya… Or throw you in the brig with this one." He gestured to Lord Axi. Paiktis stood helplessly, pivoting on his wooden leg.
"Isn't it NICE to be treated like a COMMONER?" The sneering guard said sarcastically, scoffing at Lord Axi.
As a result of Lord Axi's continued screaming, several other guards joined the two original and assisted in dragging him down the stairs of the Prison.
Markos and Dan stood by helplessly.
"Och. I wish we could do something." Oz of the Wolf leaned on his sword hilt, watching the proceedings with disgust. "Politics." He spat. "The only thing dirtier than combat- too dirty for me." He spat again, grabbed his sword and walked away grumbling.
"Well," Markos considered. "I suppose that our unit is to be dispersed… and dissolved."
"We don't know that yet." Dan offered.
"Yeahr, but that gauy ovah thare ish sayin' that'sh wahts gewing ta happen." Thucudydies pointed towards a resplendently dressed officer who was walking the lines of charioteers, taking names, then dismissing.
All around the sides of the streets, commoner’s frowns greeted the Unit.
Markos knew not why.
*
Athens, Hellas
"So." Lord Braund, ruler of Sparta, sneered. "The much-vaunted and exhalted Legionnaires have failed. Well, that serves them well. Well indeed." He laughed. The rest of the Council followed.
"Now, I have new matters of consequence… new 'issues' to discuss, friends. The first order of business is how we should best depose the King."
"We cannana dispose him." The emissary from Thessalonica objected.
"Why is this? Pray tell, enlighten us?" Lord Braund turned to the emissary.
"Wella, itsa nota done that way- our capitol needs ta be taken for thar to be a revolt."
"Who says that it hasn't already fallen?" Lord Braund smiled.
"What?" The emissary asked, perplexed.
"You see," Lord Braund gestured out the window. The assembled Lords and emissaries craned their necks to see. "All those troops in front of this building are loyal neither to Athens and Christantine- but Sparta and myself.
"Gentlemen." Lord Braund folded his hands together gleefully. "A new era has begun. Starting immediately; the Science Rate will be reduced to 10%, taxes lowered to 50% and Luxuries raised to 40%, beginning a new Golden Age- a new Greater Greek People's Republic- chaired by me of course… Subject to a brief period of Anarchy." Lord Braund laughed.
"Now, who is willing to join me."
The council hesitated for a moment. Then the emissary from Thermopalaye raised his hand. "The King has done next to nothing to protect our provinces. I trust Lord Braund to do better."
The sole Lord from Athens was the next to raise his hand, "I support Lord Braund's coup fully- since he has already obviously subverted the troops."
Lord Braund made a mental note to replace that Lord as soon as was expedient. He had no room in his future Republic cabinet for toadies or schemers.
Lord Velociryx of Corinth was the next to voice his agreement, followed by the emissary from Thessalonica.
Lord Mccleod of Eretia snorted and left the table.
The guards made to stop him. "No." Lord Braund waved them away. "Let him go. Let him warn the others… It matters not, it is too late for them anyway!" Lord Braund let loose with maniacal laughter. The others joined in.
Jupiter=Zeus... I have no idea how I flubbed this.
In part 7 when Lord Braund says "the much-vaunted charioteers have failed" he means "the much-vaunted LEGIONNAIRES have failed"
Thanks for bearing with me
If more errors crop up in earlier places... I'll edit the posts, but as yet they are minor.
I hope you enjoy this story so far
It is coming to a bloody conclusion.
Should I continue it?
- (Part 8)
“While Lord Axi rots in the prisons of Delphi, we sit here doing nothing.” Dan threw a stick into the burning fire.
“So, we are ‘traitors.’” Markos complained.
“Yeah, that seems ta be the case.” Oz of the Wolf growled.
“It iz naught ah trau statement.” Thucudydies whined, pacing back and forth, fiddling with his bow.
Shouts reached the group.
“What’s that?” Markos stood, squinting into the darkness.
“Ssshh… I think I can make it out.” Dan craned his neck forward and strained his ears. After a moment he said, “I think they’re saying ‘Kill the Traitor! Down with Christantine!’ Although I can’t truly be sure.”
Seconds later the mob was upon them. Their leader shouted to the group, gathered around the fire. “Join us and overthrow the blasted King!”
“Why?” Markos asked, grabbing the hilt of his sword.
“Because he refuses to raise luxury rates and because he placed a traitor in command of the Charioteers!
And- he formed a useless Legionnaire’s unit! Lord Civ could have led a grand army if he had been in charge of Charioteers, but he was relegated to commanding common foot soldiers! Foot soldiers! Who would have believed it!”
“I’m not sure about this.” Markos murmered. “Have you no loyalty to your liege lord?”
“We hold no loyalty to our old King- have you not heard the news? Lord Braund has seized the Senate and proclaimed himself King !”
The mob let up a cry, “Long Live the King!”
“But Christantine is our true Ruler- Braund is but a Usurper and a Spartan.”
The Mob Leader walked up to Markos and jabbed him in the chest with his finger. “Are you saying you support the ‘former’ King?”
“I am not saying that at all.” Markos protested. “I wish to take no side in this matter.”
“Hey, wait a minute.” The Mob’s leader squinted in the dark. “I think I recognize those colors- you’re a charioteer.”
“One of the traitors!” The mob yelled and pressed in.
Oz grabbed his sword and started hacking. Markos fell back and braced himself for an attack. The Mob Leader laughed and retreated, calling to Markos, “I fight with words- scum… But these fight with swords.” He grinned and disappeared into the mob.
The mob came upon the party.
*
The Next Day
“King Christantine. You have been hereby placed under arrest.” Lord Civ stated, staring cooly at the King. The King quivered in anger and lashed forth, but was restrained by two guards and their pointed pikes.
“How can you do this!” Christantine screamed. “An enemy has not taken the capital- we cannot split unless the capital falls to a foreign enemy!”
“Times have changed, Christantine.” Lord Civ smiled and turned his back on his former Monarch, then whirled back on him and laughed, “You shall not survive long- Christantine. Lord Braund will rule, as soon as you are put on trial.”
“The trial will be a farce!” King Christantine screamed. “I am no traitor!”
“Oh,” Lord Civ laughed. “Enough here present think that you are a traitor.” He snapped his fingers and strode from the room.
The guards grabbed the former King and dragged him, kicking, into the prisons.
*
“So, we meet again.” Lord Axi replied venomously, looking at his new cell-mate, the former King of Greece.
King Christantine stared downcast at the ground and mumbled something.
“Now you know who is the true traitor.” Lord Axi said, glaring at Christantine.
“He was an idiot- an incompetent idiot!” Lord Axi stood up, face full of rage. He paced a few feet and kicked at the dirt. “He attacked without my support during the hottest time of day! He attacked three charioteer units at once. What type of idiot does that! I am amazed that he survived the attack. It would be better for us all if he did not.”
King Christantine merely studied the ground.
“You disgust me.” Lord Axi glared at his Monarch.
*
The Next Day
“The only way we’re going to ride this out is if we free the King and reform a Loyalist Army.” Markos studied those gathered. “We are marked men. You saw the posters. Lord Civ had them put up himself, branding any former member of Lord Axi’s Charioteers a traitor to the New Monarchy.”
Oz rocked forward on his rock and muttered something to the ground.
“Yes, I do agree. Lord Civ is a *******.” Markos nodded his head. “His posters of our heads were plastered up all over the town. It is a miracle we survived and reformed in these woods. Sadly we only have one third the strength of a normal unit.” Markos sighed. “Only seventy charioteers and thirty three chariots survived last night’s assault on the camps.”
“What do we do, oh fearless leader?” Dan nonchalantly kicked up his feet on another rock.
Markos sighed, “I don’t know… We could free Christantine and retreat to the hills, and possibly discover some other loyalist units… I’m not sure exactly what our course of action needs be.
*
Athens, Hellas
In the secluded halls of the Imperial Palace, the former Lord Braund, now King Braund met his mistress. He took her in his arms and whispered something in her ear. She giggled. “I always wanted to be someone important.” She laughed gayly.
King Braund put his arm around her back. “My husband was always off on something or other.” She chuckled, brushing her bangs off the front of her face. Lord Braund bent down and kissed her. She giggled again. “Oh, Braund, what will your wife think?”
“No need to worry about that.” Braund replied. “Alnistera is too busy tending to the children- she insists she must- she doesn’t want a ‘servant’ doing the work for her.”
“Oh, it was a goodly thing that you met me in the market all those days ago.” Bella laughed as they entered the bedchamber.
A figure hovered suspiciously in the nearby shadows a few moments after they entered the chamber, then flew off to impart its news.
*
Many Hours Later
“King Braund.” A young fat, turtle-like message-runner approached the King breathlessly and extended a slightly crumpled letter to his Monarch.
“Yes, what is it Meton?” The King grabbed the message from the messenger’s outstretched arm.
“This is bad.” The King muttered, reading the letter. He read aloud. “Lord MccLeod of Eretria and three rebel charioteer units have engaged our two loyalist Spartan charioteers outside the city of Thessalonica.”
“Blast,” he muttered, then looked up.
The King watched his wife approach him, stamping angrily to the throne.
“You’ve been fooling around with that commoner.” She screamed, said the word, “commoner”, with disgust.
“How did you know?” The King arched his eyebrow.
“I have my ways-” Alnistera glared at her husband. “Am I really not good enough for you?” She raised her hands into the air, pulling at invisible strands and tying them... seemingly in a strangling web.
“Ah well, its-“ the King sputtered, trying to explain, gulping hard and wondering what to make of this delicate situation.
*
Delphi, Hellas
“Thinking of the plan?” Dan asked Markos.
“No. My wife. I… I-” Markos sighed. “I wonder how she’s doing at home during this horrid Civil War? I hope to Zeus that she is safe. I will not have anything happen to her. I must not have anything happen to her.” Markos clenched his fist tightly and murmered, “I hope she’s safe.”
“Bella?” Dan snorted, tossing his head back in laughter. “She probably found someone else by now. She’s safer than you I’ll bet.”
“Yes,” Markos cast his eyes down glumly, then nodded. “That’s probably true…” Changing the topic, Markos pointed to the plan laid out before them on the parchment. “So, we’ll try this tonight.”
“Or die in the process.” Dan quipped- “Get your sleep now- you won’t want it later.” He laughed, pounded Markos on the back, then walked over to a coin flipping game in progress a few meters away.
Why I'm not writing for civ III or AC these days- well, I was working on my novel, (which I have since sent off to a major publisher), so I couldn't spend too much time on 'fun' writing.
And also, very few people seem to read the tales here. (In fact, I myself am also guilty- I usually only read the 1-3 page tales and skim the rest) so it didn't have too much payoff (not when I was submitting short stories to publishers and hoping for monentary payment )
Yeah, I'll admit it the tale is quite long (I wrote a similarly long one for Alpha Centauri that's also about 3/4ths finished, but I abandoned that one not because too few people were reading it, but because I got too busy writing my real novel and couldn't get back into the story itself.)
-->Visit CGN!
-->"Production! More Production! Production creates Wealth! Production creates more Jobs!"-Wendell Willkie -1944
Well, I should have received a postcard that said they received my novel by now (actually, they should have sent it to me last week) So in a few weeks, I'm going to give their offices a call (And hope that I don't annoy them)
After hearing back if they received the tale, I have until December to hear if they will purchase it or not... if they purchase it, I will likely be even more busy (since my tale is part I of III-IV books ) and all I have right now on those books is a fairly vivid outline... but no matter- it only takes me a year to write 180K good words
-->Visit CGN!
-->"Production! More Production! Production creates Wealth! Production creates more Jobs!"-Wendell Willkie -1944
My char rules! It's .... it's ... well ... it's DARK... 
MWAHAHAHA!
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