Battle of the Hymn and the quest of SD.net.
Posted: 2003-12-14 02:34am
By Cody Croft
Chapter I
Of Plagiarism and Monsters
Morlocks. Yes I understand the prospect of plagiarism. But when we first encountered the creatures that we named Morlocks, we could name them none the less. Ten years into our adventures into what we eventually called ‘Terra’, we encountered the creatures that we eventually named Morlocks.
Granted, in the world that most of us grew up in, the world that the majority of us called ‘Earth’, the term Morlock would call up images of H. G. Wells’s beloved piece of fiction.
The fact that the majority of us have indulged upon an adventure that eclipse’s the author’s fantasy, eclipsed the musings of that most famous of author’s extremely exciting of happenings is of little relevance. For it seems that we are beyond such indulgence.
We, dear reader, are in the new realm of man. We are in what we call the Terra. The world that was given to us. But perhaps a few words of explanation are still needed.
Almost one and a half decades ago, such a small time in my opinion, have passed since our arrival. We do not know where or why, but the most esteemed of us believe that we are upon a new planet if not a new reality. A separate world in which we were thrust upon.
I awoke, as an example, from a dream. A vivid dream, in which I felt trapped, contained in a way that I could not respond to the world. When I awoke, I stood upon a sandy dune. A desert in which you would not believe, except if you have seen the destitute waste of the Expanse.
A desolate waste that encompasses sand dunes for Leauges and Leagues, until the mortal man can no longer continue. A desert to rival the Sudan upon our Home Planet. Upon awakening upon this realm, I immediately gazed upon this nothingness. This complete realization of hopelessness.
And I must say, I despaired. I succumbed to the nothingness for unknown moments. Trapped in what I thought was a private nightmare, I accepted my fate. Was I to know, as I accepted such a mundane future, what was to come.
Glancing around myself, I noticed to my relief, my immediate family. My wife and children lay besides me as if still snuggled in their beds. However, as if part of my nightmare, they lay upon a sandy dune.
My dear wife, fresh black hair and shapely form, lay beside me as if we were still in our bed. Our children beside us, tossing and turning in their disturbed sleep. All of us awoke in one moment, awoke to a new reality. Not one of us in our nice tidy home in suburbia. A reality of nightmarish proportion awaited us in the new world we now inhabited.
To our relief, we did not awake alone. Far from it. We awoke with a groan to the vision of close to a thousand people amongst us. A grisly sight of unknown men and women, as they lay stretched amongst us in a disturbed slumber.
Except we were not strangers. Far from it.
It came early in our confusion. A thousand people crammed in a small cramped space of sand and grit. Waking up to such confusion is to say the least, odd. Gathering my family close, I gained a perspective of what the situation was.
“Wha…?” Said most.
“Where…?” Was the response of others.
Crowds of people began to form as the mass of bodies began to rise. Knots of individuals formed as men and women tried to cope with the new reality.
“Tom?” Cried a woman, which for what ever reason, I remember vividly.
“Damn!” Exclaimer others as the group began to organize itself, even at a basic level.
Mere moments, as I recall, passed until the first revelation of our new world reveled itself.
“Mike, is that YOU?!?!” Asked a young man.
“Hey, I’ve seen your face before!” Exclaimed another.
All through out the crowd, claims of recognition echoed. Men saw women they knew, and women saw men that were recognizable.
“My God, we’re all here!” Exclaimed a notable British soldier that we would all come to respect.
And thus began our community. Three hundred or so people who’s only connection was that of a computer aided community, and they’re loved ones, flat mates, and those who were with them when they were transported here, were thrust together in a new world. And, if you believe Durandal, a different world. His research is some what conclusive. Some of us believe that we are still in a dream world. A world in which some believe we will awake from, but Durandal has pointed out various reasons why this is false and in him and the council, a majority of us trust.
Backed up by our beloved Lord Wong, Durandal’s conclusion; that we are upon a new world, is hard to dispute. A world that closely resembles our own in size, shape, and of flavor. But a new one none the less. A darker blue is our sky, and the vegetation is of remarkable difference. Violet are our tree’s. A deep purple that is quite remarkable. Grass upon the field’s that are of a color that I can not describe, but if forced to, resemble the deep hue’s of the ocean that I saw in my youth.
And the stars. A brilliant ensemble of glistening points of light. A virtual symphony of stars that encompass our night time sky. A theater of beauty, which is the only way I could possible explain it, forming constellations that are not familiar to any one of us.
The ground and dirt are of recognizable color, but the tree’s and foliage, not to mention the wild life, are more than enough for most to know that they are no longer upon their birth planet, as if the sky and stars were not evidence enough.
This is not to dissuade some amongst us that we are still upon our beloved Earth, just in another time or perhaps another frame of reference. Thankfully, these people are in the minority. Thus the thanks in which we give to the ones who have placed us here.
An intervention. That is what we call it. An intervention that delivered almost a thousand individuals of above intellect, to this place. And perhaps with no thanks to the intervention, a place of danger.
Morlocks. That is how I started this tale. That is what united us. In the beginning we were diluted. A variety of opinion. So diverse in our beliefs were we. American, British. Korean, Chinese. European and Russian. All of us stuck together in a scheme that, at the time, we could not fathom.
It was the indigenes creatures that eventually convinced the majority of us to come together in a time of need. For it seemed in the beginning we were doomed.
After are initial spout of terror at awakening, we quickly resolved ourselves to survive. Food, shelter, and companions drove us to come together as a group. We awoke to find ourselves, not only connected in theory but in reality in a land that was most suited to us.
Later, as we found, the desert we awoke upon was a catalyst that forced us into action. Mike, the beloved Lord Wong, quickly forced us into a loose organization to ensure our survival. As a group mind, we moved and marched out of the desert. We moved out of the blistering heat of the Expanse. Too our surprise, we moved right into the Valley. This Valley, aptly named, was a God send. A mountain range that apparently splits the realm, also created a valley that was too perfect to the more militaristic amongst us.
For it was a valley that stretched almost ten miles, eighteen kilometers for some of our brethren, in length. With a depth of around six miles, it was the perfect place to establish our form of civilization. In this valley, the ground was fertile, the mountains able to give up ore, and the eventual ability to give up secret routes of escape were found.
Not that all of this was discovered at the beginning. Oh no. It took years to force such secrets out of the Valley. Years to settle the belief that we should settle here instead of traveling outside it’s reach. But settle here we did.
Early on, did we establish the Night Watch. First and fore most was it a nightly watch of the people. A security measure that was put in place by the Commander, Jegs’. Reinforced by CMS Wilson, that I adoringly call Rob.
Here in the valley did we eventually call home. On a rise in the center of the Valley did we create our place in this world. On a mound, a mesa if we are generous, did the City eventually grow.
In the beginning, we amongst the Night Watch convinced the people, to make their homes above the fields of the Valley and upon the small rise of the Mesa. No wall or fence was presentable at the start of our humble beginnings, those things were to come.
An enlighten society were we. A Hodge pogde of various political views were we at the beginning. Pacifists were we. Soldiers and economists along with an assorted jumble of people. Construction experts, engineers, math majors, and simpletons to boot. All awoke and marched into the Valley to begin the Civilization.
Civilization is what we wrought. One of agriculture, and of Iron. We discovered iron early on. A valuable find to say the least. Tin and copper were to found two years later. Bronze, our most favorable metal, was one of our last discoveries. Iron, our least used but most valued treasure was our fist find.
Not that Iron was our first need. We labored for weeks to discover what we could and could not eat in such a place that the valley proposed. Dozens of people did we loose in those first months. Dozens amongst a thousand does not sound significant, but I assure you, even to this day, I remember all of the names of those first few who died to ensure our survival. Dave, and Jim. Jacques and Visal , Carol and Sammie. All died to prove to us what was dangerous and what was not.
We found the equivalent of wheat and rice shortly after the death of our firsts. The first to die upon Terra. Those who made the first mounds outside the City and the Mesa. Small mounds of dirt, remarkable in only their plainness. Stone effigy’s that show the passing of time.
Those of us that are to come, I imagine, will ask, “What are those mounds of dirt outside of the Wall that we worship every year on Christmas?”
And every year we should answer unto them, “Those are the first ones. The ones who died to show us the way and those who died to give us life in the New World.”
My only hope, as I tell you this tale, is that one day when I lay to rest my wife and say goodbye to my children and grandchildren that I can lay amongst these hero’s. That when time calls upon my Eulogy, I can be remembered with such esteemed company of these first ones. I wish to lay with my brethren. My fellow Night Watch. Those who protected us through those troubled times and who faithfully died to protect us.
May I, as I lay with them, lay in peace because we labored in life. May they feel peace because they ensured life. May I be with my friends and loved ones who I outlived if only for a scant few years. May I be with my own.
Morlocks, it seems that no matter what we tend to tell, we are doomed to discuss the Morlocks. In the beginning, the Morlocks were a tale to tell. A modern fable to scare those of us who where susceptible. Some say that the mere mention of the Morlocks were the reason for the creation of the Night Watch.
Though we began as a hunting group, a bunch of hunters and soldiers that were forced into a new reality, was beyond some. War mongers. Haters and killers were we, if you listened to the more liberal of us.
But it was us, the founding members of the Night Watch that stood guard against the unknown in the beginning, and us that brought forth the first of the meat. The blessed meat of the Taun-Tan.
Another rip off of the old world, but one that exists non the less. Horses we did not have. Hairy lizard’s we did. Taun-Tan’s, as we named them, were our first experience with Terran meat. Later did we use them as mounts and as beasts of burden. Once again, the name Taun-tan was a hold over, as was various names of things and creatures, from the old world.
It is plagiarism, but we didn’t think that the creator’s of the ideas would mind.
We found them in the plains north of the Expanse and East of the Valley. Hunting ever forcing us further out of the Valley where the game animals tended not to tread. In the west we found forests and pig like creatures, but not many. Mostly fruits and nuts were to be had in the forests of the west. The east was split north and south by Great Plains and the Expanse, the desert where we started our adventure here on Terra. In those plains we found the Tuan-Tan’s. Lizard like creatures who stood on two legs and with two more or less useless arms. Kangaroo’s with hair were they. So much like the creatures in Myth that we named them as such and ever since we rode Tuan-Tan’s.
Upon these new mounts, did we expand our knowledge of the realm. With mounts, the Night Watch became more than a simple security measure and evolve into a military unit.
We still hunted, but we explored and scouted. It is thus that we first encountered the Morlocks. Gangly creatures, they were. Grey in color, bent and misshapen. It was easy to name them from the lore and liteture of the old world, so closely did they resemble the Morlocks of the Time Machine.
We lost two of the Night Watch to the Morlocks before we understood what we have discovered. Before we recognized their boarders along the swamps and bogs day’s east of the Valley.
Some could say that the Morlocks are what made us, us. After the creation of the most rudimentary of our forts and houses, the sightings of Morlocks forces us to make fences and walls surrounding the City. After the skirmishes east began to creep ever so closer to the Valley, did our warning find purchase and walls began to be built.
To be honest, sightings of the creatures we call Morlocks came earlier than remembered. Tales of Ghosts in the plains and shadows in the dark are as old as our presence here in Terra.
Ten years after our arrival, The City, sometimes jokingly called Gondor or Avalon, was a bustling place. Stone buildings on the Mesa with well worn streets of dirt. Our citizens lived in their own houses with their families and most had jobs and duties to attend to.
The Council, led by Lord Wong, managed the City and the fields bore food and the Smiths and Craftsmen created our technology to tame this world. And ever watchful both day and night were the men and women of the Night Watch.
Only one hundred strong at the time, we were split into three units on constant rotation. One group would be on Home Duty and responsible for daily and nightly watches of the City, both in and out, and light patrols of the Valley as well as a look out in the Eastern and Western passes.
The next group would be tasked with Ranging. Groups of four were dispatched east and West, North and south and tasked to scout and explore for a set amount of days before returning. A dangerous job in the new world but an exciting one none the less.
The last group was on leave and training. Morning rituals of sword craft, spear play, marching and riding. Classes on tactics and strategy. In short, practice on all that made the Night Watch the Night Watch.
I was in the central courtyard one morning. My section on leave and training. Running my troops through shield wall tactics. My name is Cody, but most know me by Knife. I am a Captain of the Night Watch, one of three.
I saw the rider tear into the courtyard and disappear into the Great Hall that was the center of the government and thereby the center of the Night Watch. Talon, the rider and who once went by Enforcer Talon but that hardly roles off the tongue, looked white in fear for the short time I saw him before he rushed into the doorway of the Hall.
Seeing something was obviously amiss, I turned the training over to one of my Section Leaders, Edi, and headed off to the Hall. As a Captain of the Night Watch, I was privy to most of the going on’s of the Watch and the Council.
I walked into the dim interior of the Great Hall and moved towards the rear, towards the offices of the Watch. Panicked speech could already be heard from the offices of the Command Sergeant Major of the Watch. Rob, or CMS Wilson’s, soft voice could also be heard trying to calm the ranger.
As I entered the room, the speech cleared and I heard Talon reply to an unknown question, “They’re all dead!”
He broke down into sobs and I caught Rob’s eye.
“He say’s that there was an ambush. Keeyle, Tom and Malecoda are dead.” Rob said almost deadpan.
Before I could reply, Coyote stormed into the room. The normally happy and carefree man was brooding and plain concern showed on his face. “What goes on here?” he boomed.
And thus I heard the story, Talon, with his group who was comprised of Talon, Keeyle Burton, Malecoda, and Tom Green, were on patrol in the eastern fields. They were following the herds of Taun-Tan’s seeing where they were heading since all that lay beyond the Great Plains were the Expanse and the bogs and Eastern Marshes.
They set up camp just shy of the Marshes for the night and expected to head back to the Valley on the next morning. Talon was awakened during the night by screaming. Malecoda, who was on watch, gave his warning with his death scream. The remaining three leaped into action. Both Talon and Keeyle rushed over to where Malecoda’s freshly slain body lay upon the earth. His life’s blood draining out of a large slash across his stomach.
Talon, hearing the rustling of grass of to the left, tuned that way and was greeted by the sight of a Morlock. Grey and Blue in hue. More or less human in shape, but with the appearance of a sickly man. Slightly bent over but rippling muscles gave a stark contrast.
The creature charged Talon, but the swift ranger drew his sword in time to repel the club that the monster swung down at him. Keeyle, swooped in at that point and the two Watchmen slew the beast.
They were, at that point, surprised as to why Tom did not assist them and the pair set forth towards their dwindling camp fire. Laying next to the fire was the corpse of Tom with two more of the grizzly creatures above him.
The Morlocks seemed startled at the approach of the two remaining rangers, then let out a terrible shriek and charged the two. Thinking that more than just those two were about, Keeyle fled for the mounts with Talon right behind him.
As they jumped upon their mounts, a mass of creatures ran out of the grass trying to surround the Watchmen. Sticking their heals into the Taun-Tan, Talon galloped through the mass of gray cavemen like beasts.
Daring not to look back for long moments, Talon did not realize that Keeyle had fallen to the creatures until he gained the small rise. Raked with grief at the loss of three of his friends, Talon turned west and traveled long and hard for four days until he arrived at the Valley.
“His mount died shortly after his return. Mostly due to exhaustion, but there were some wounds on the beast.” Mentioned Rob.
At this point, Jegs, the Commander of the Watch, and the three Captains, Coyote, Perinquus inhabited Rob’s office along with the tired and grieving ranger Talon. The Command Structure of the Watch had now heard the story and time for discussion was at hand.
“At the least,” boomed the Coyote, “we should go back in force and recover the bodies. To be buried with the first ones.”
Nods of agreement went throughout the room.
“Patrols should be fortified and perhaps we should cease patrols and rangings until all units currently out in the field are notified.” Perinquus’ gift in life was a steady presence. He was sturdy, not only in appearance but in emotion. A rock in which lots of people depended on.
“The council must be advised. Perhaps this is the time to get them to fortify the Valley. If the council is anything, they are defensive. Bring back our men, bring back the corpse of this beast. Study them and how we can outwit them. Prepare.” I ventured.
Jegs, sitting in the corner next to the small table that served as Rob’s desk, made his decision. “I see no reason why all three of those ideas cannot be invoked. Rob, get a patrol of twenty ready to depart and retrieve Keelye and the rest. Bring back any sign of the attackers. Coyote, you’ll be in charge of the patrol. Perinquus, cancel anymore rangings. Your group is up next week anyway. All patrols, minus Coyote’s, will be confined to the Valley and make sure your people are up and awake.”
“Knife, you and Rob sit down and make your proposal and when you’re done, you two and I will go before the Council.”
Four heads bobbed up and down in agreement and a muttering of “Yes sir.” Filled the office as Jegs left with Rob close behind. I left the other two Captains and went back out to the courtyard. Rob would be with Jegs for a few more minutes, so I took the opportunity to brief Edi and get him to handle the rest of the troops for the rest of the day. It seemed that I would be playing politics for a few and I didn’t want my unit to suffer for it.
Later that night, as I remember, I arrived home. A small stone and wood structure that the majority of the people lived in inside the City. Inside my wife was finishing up with some work of her own. Jen, my wife, worked for the Quarter Masters. A job that was suited for her, she bounced from here to there. Always doing something different for it was her personal nemesis to become board or fall into a routine.
She looked up from her scrolls as I walked in. “Something is wrong.” She stated, in no way a question.
“A scout group was attacked. We don’t know by what yet. By tomorrow, a large patrol should depart to investigate.” I said as I dropped into a chair made of wood and Taun-Tan hide.
Her round face looked shocked, “There has not ever been such a thing.”
I smiled at her to try to comfort her, “There is now. If there is something out there that can attack and kill three well armed and trained men, we need to know about it. A beast or predator should not be able to destroy such a force so it might have been something sentiment.”
“We briefed the council only hours ago and half of them were salivating at the prospect of a sentient being on Terra.” I said.
Her head dropped to the side, mocking surprise, “Let me guess. The University are that half.”
I smirked at her disdain for the University. Her work brought her close to a lot of the Professors of the University and to most if not all of the Council. She seemed to have no end of stories of the demands and unreasonable requests of the men and women of the University.
“I got a laugh out of it myself, my sweet.” I replied.
Her look turned more serious now, “Ryan is applying to the Watch soon.” She said in plain concern.
Ryan was my son. My second son. His older brother was already an apprentice in Shepp’s Smith. He seemed bound to become a great tradesman and craftsman. Ryan, my youngest son, turned more militaristic. At the age of eighteen, he was of age and free to apply if he wished.
“He will probably be admitted.” I said. “It is his choice, one that I am not unhappy with, but his choice none the less.”
My wife was unhappy with that, especially if some sort of new danger was about to be revealed, but she knew I was right. Ryan was a man now. The decision was his. If admitted into the Watch, he would not be under me but I trust that the other Captains would keep an eye on him for me.
With some effort I then stood and started pulling of my robes and trappings of the office. I hung my sword on the wall, stored my black clothing that was the defacto insignia of the Watch and headed off to bed with my wife.
Tomorrow there was work to be done.
......Any thoughts on it? I've got most of chapter two done, is it worth persueing?
Chapter I
Of Plagiarism and Monsters
Morlocks. Yes I understand the prospect of plagiarism. But when we first encountered the creatures that we named Morlocks, we could name them none the less. Ten years into our adventures into what we eventually called ‘Terra’, we encountered the creatures that we eventually named Morlocks.
Granted, in the world that most of us grew up in, the world that the majority of us called ‘Earth’, the term Morlock would call up images of H. G. Wells’s beloved piece of fiction.
The fact that the majority of us have indulged upon an adventure that eclipse’s the author’s fantasy, eclipsed the musings of that most famous of author’s extremely exciting of happenings is of little relevance. For it seems that we are beyond such indulgence.
We, dear reader, are in the new realm of man. We are in what we call the Terra. The world that was given to us. But perhaps a few words of explanation are still needed.
Almost one and a half decades ago, such a small time in my opinion, have passed since our arrival. We do not know where or why, but the most esteemed of us believe that we are upon a new planet if not a new reality. A separate world in which we were thrust upon.
I awoke, as an example, from a dream. A vivid dream, in which I felt trapped, contained in a way that I could not respond to the world. When I awoke, I stood upon a sandy dune. A desert in which you would not believe, except if you have seen the destitute waste of the Expanse.
A desolate waste that encompasses sand dunes for Leauges and Leagues, until the mortal man can no longer continue. A desert to rival the Sudan upon our Home Planet. Upon awakening upon this realm, I immediately gazed upon this nothingness. This complete realization of hopelessness.
And I must say, I despaired. I succumbed to the nothingness for unknown moments. Trapped in what I thought was a private nightmare, I accepted my fate. Was I to know, as I accepted such a mundane future, what was to come.
Glancing around myself, I noticed to my relief, my immediate family. My wife and children lay besides me as if still snuggled in their beds. However, as if part of my nightmare, they lay upon a sandy dune.
My dear wife, fresh black hair and shapely form, lay beside me as if we were still in our bed. Our children beside us, tossing and turning in their disturbed sleep. All of us awoke in one moment, awoke to a new reality. Not one of us in our nice tidy home in suburbia. A reality of nightmarish proportion awaited us in the new world we now inhabited.
To our relief, we did not awake alone. Far from it. We awoke with a groan to the vision of close to a thousand people amongst us. A grisly sight of unknown men and women, as they lay stretched amongst us in a disturbed slumber.
Except we were not strangers. Far from it.
It came early in our confusion. A thousand people crammed in a small cramped space of sand and grit. Waking up to such confusion is to say the least, odd. Gathering my family close, I gained a perspective of what the situation was.
“Wha…?” Said most.
“Where…?” Was the response of others.
Crowds of people began to form as the mass of bodies began to rise. Knots of individuals formed as men and women tried to cope with the new reality.
“Tom?” Cried a woman, which for what ever reason, I remember vividly.
“Damn!” Exclaimer others as the group began to organize itself, even at a basic level.
Mere moments, as I recall, passed until the first revelation of our new world reveled itself.
“Mike, is that YOU?!?!” Asked a young man.
“Hey, I’ve seen your face before!” Exclaimed another.
All through out the crowd, claims of recognition echoed. Men saw women they knew, and women saw men that were recognizable.
“My God, we’re all here!” Exclaimed a notable British soldier that we would all come to respect.
And thus began our community. Three hundred or so people who’s only connection was that of a computer aided community, and they’re loved ones, flat mates, and those who were with them when they were transported here, were thrust together in a new world. And, if you believe Durandal, a different world. His research is some what conclusive. Some of us believe that we are still in a dream world. A world in which some believe we will awake from, but Durandal has pointed out various reasons why this is false and in him and the council, a majority of us trust.
Backed up by our beloved Lord Wong, Durandal’s conclusion; that we are upon a new world, is hard to dispute. A world that closely resembles our own in size, shape, and of flavor. But a new one none the less. A darker blue is our sky, and the vegetation is of remarkable difference. Violet are our tree’s. A deep purple that is quite remarkable. Grass upon the field’s that are of a color that I can not describe, but if forced to, resemble the deep hue’s of the ocean that I saw in my youth.
And the stars. A brilliant ensemble of glistening points of light. A virtual symphony of stars that encompass our night time sky. A theater of beauty, which is the only way I could possible explain it, forming constellations that are not familiar to any one of us.
The ground and dirt are of recognizable color, but the tree’s and foliage, not to mention the wild life, are more than enough for most to know that they are no longer upon their birth planet, as if the sky and stars were not evidence enough.
This is not to dissuade some amongst us that we are still upon our beloved Earth, just in another time or perhaps another frame of reference. Thankfully, these people are in the minority. Thus the thanks in which we give to the ones who have placed us here.
An intervention. That is what we call it. An intervention that delivered almost a thousand individuals of above intellect, to this place. And perhaps with no thanks to the intervention, a place of danger.
Morlocks. That is how I started this tale. That is what united us. In the beginning we were diluted. A variety of opinion. So diverse in our beliefs were we. American, British. Korean, Chinese. European and Russian. All of us stuck together in a scheme that, at the time, we could not fathom.
It was the indigenes creatures that eventually convinced the majority of us to come together in a time of need. For it seemed in the beginning we were doomed.
After are initial spout of terror at awakening, we quickly resolved ourselves to survive. Food, shelter, and companions drove us to come together as a group. We awoke to find ourselves, not only connected in theory but in reality in a land that was most suited to us.
Later, as we found, the desert we awoke upon was a catalyst that forced us into action. Mike, the beloved Lord Wong, quickly forced us into a loose organization to ensure our survival. As a group mind, we moved and marched out of the desert. We moved out of the blistering heat of the Expanse. Too our surprise, we moved right into the Valley. This Valley, aptly named, was a God send. A mountain range that apparently splits the realm, also created a valley that was too perfect to the more militaristic amongst us.
For it was a valley that stretched almost ten miles, eighteen kilometers for some of our brethren, in length. With a depth of around six miles, it was the perfect place to establish our form of civilization. In this valley, the ground was fertile, the mountains able to give up ore, and the eventual ability to give up secret routes of escape were found.
Not that all of this was discovered at the beginning. Oh no. It took years to force such secrets out of the Valley. Years to settle the belief that we should settle here instead of traveling outside it’s reach. But settle here we did.
Early on, did we establish the Night Watch. First and fore most was it a nightly watch of the people. A security measure that was put in place by the Commander, Jegs’. Reinforced by CMS Wilson, that I adoringly call Rob.
Here in the valley did we eventually call home. On a rise in the center of the Valley did we create our place in this world. On a mound, a mesa if we are generous, did the City eventually grow.
In the beginning, we amongst the Night Watch convinced the people, to make their homes above the fields of the Valley and upon the small rise of the Mesa. No wall or fence was presentable at the start of our humble beginnings, those things were to come.
An enlighten society were we. A Hodge pogde of various political views were we at the beginning. Pacifists were we. Soldiers and economists along with an assorted jumble of people. Construction experts, engineers, math majors, and simpletons to boot. All awoke and marched into the Valley to begin the Civilization.
Civilization is what we wrought. One of agriculture, and of Iron. We discovered iron early on. A valuable find to say the least. Tin and copper were to found two years later. Bronze, our most favorable metal, was one of our last discoveries. Iron, our least used but most valued treasure was our fist find.
Not that Iron was our first need. We labored for weeks to discover what we could and could not eat in such a place that the valley proposed. Dozens of people did we loose in those first months. Dozens amongst a thousand does not sound significant, but I assure you, even to this day, I remember all of the names of those first few who died to ensure our survival. Dave, and Jim. Jacques and Visal , Carol and Sammie. All died to prove to us what was dangerous and what was not.
We found the equivalent of wheat and rice shortly after the death of our firsts. The first to die upon Terra. Those who made the first mounds outside the City and the Mesa. Small mounds of dirt, remarkable in only their plainness. Stone effigy’s that show the passing of time.
Those of us that are to come, I imagine, will ask, “What are those mounds of dirt outside of the Wall that we worship every year on Christmas?”
And every year we should answer unto them, “Those are the first ones. The ones who died to show us the way and those who died to give us life in the New World.”
My only hope, as I tell you this tale, is that one day when I lay to rest my wife and say goodbye to my children and grandchildren that I can lay amongst these hero’s. That when time calls upon my Eulogy, I can be remembered with such esteemed company of these first ones. I wish to lay with my brethren. My fellow Night Watch. Those who protected us through those troubled times and who faithfully died to protect us.
May I, as I lay with them, lay in peace because we labored in life. May they feel peace because they ensured life. May I be with my friends and loved ones who I outlived if only for a scant few years. May I be with my own.
Morlocks, it seems that no matter what we tend to tell, we are doomed to discuss the Morlocks. In the beginning, the Morlocks were a tale to tell. A modern fable to scare those of us who where susceptible. Some say that the mere mention of the Morlocks were the reason for the creation of the Night Watch.
Though we began as a hunting group, a bunch of hunters and soldiers that were forced into a new reality, was beyond some. War mongers. Haters and killers were we, if you listened to the more liberal of us.
But it was us, the founding members of the Night Watch that stood guard against the unknown in the beginning, and us that brought forth the first of the meat. The blessed meat of the Taun-Tan.
Another rip off of the old world, but one that exists non the less. Horses we did not have. Hairy lizard’s we did. Taun-Tan’s, as we named them, were our first experience with Terran meat. Later did we use them as mounts and as beasts of burden. Once again, the name Taun-tan was a hold over, as was various names of things and creatures, from the old world.
It is plagiarism, but we didn’t think that the creator’s of the ideas would mind.
We found them in the plains north of the Expanse and East of the Valley. Hunting ever forcing us further out of the Valley where the game animals tended not to tread. In the west we found forests and pig like creatures, but not many. Mostly fruits and nuts were to be had in the forests of the west. The east was split north and south by Great Plains and the Expanse, the desert where we started our adventure here on Terra. In those plains we found the Tuan-Tan’s. Lizard like creatures who stood on two legs and with two more or less useless arms. Kangaroo’s with hair were they. So much like the creatures in Myth that we named them as such and ever since we rode Tuan-Tan’s.
Upon these new mounts, did we expand our knowledge of the realm. With mounts, the Night Watch became more than a simple security measure and evolve into a military unit.
We still hunted, but we explored and scouted. It is thus that we first encountered the Morlocks. Gangly creatures, they were. Grey in color, bent and misshapen. It was easy to name them from the lore and liteture of the old world, so closely did they resemble the Morlocks of the Time Machine.
We lost two of the Night Watch to the Morlocks before we understood what we have discovered. Before we recognized their boarders along the swamps and bogs day’s east of the Valley.
Some could say that the Morlocks are what made us, us. After the creation of the most rudimentary of our forts and houses, the sightings of Morlocks forces us to make fences and walls surrounding the City. After the skirmishes east began to creep ever so closer to the Valley, did our warning find purchase and walls began to be built.
To be honest, sightings of the creatures we call Morlocks came earlier than remembered. Tales of Ghosts in the plains and shadows in the dark are as old as our presence here in Terra.
Ten years after our arrival, The City, sometimes jokingly called Gondor or Avalon, was a bustling place. Stone buildings on the Mesa with well worn streets of dirt. Our citizens lived in their own houses with their families and most had jobs and duties to attend to.
The Council, led by Lord Wong, managed the City and the fields bore food and the Smiths and Craftsmen created our technology to tame this world. And ever watchful both day and night were the men and women of the Night Watch.
Only one hundred strong at the time, we were split into three units on constant rotation. One group would be on Home Duty and responsible for daily and nightly watches of the City, both in and out, and light patrols of the Valley as well as a look out in the Eastern and Western passes.
The next group would be tasked with Ranging. Groups of four were dispatched east and West, North and south and tasked to scout and explore for a set amount of days before returning. A dangerous job in the new world but an exciting one none the less.
The last group was on leave and training. Morning rituals of sword craft, spear play, marching and riding. Classes on tactics and strategy. In short, practice on all that made the Night Watch the Night Watch.
I was in the central courtyard one morning. My section on leave and training. Running my troops through shield wall tactics. My name is Cody, but most know me by Knife. I am a Captain of the Night Watch, one of three.
I saw the rider tear into the courtyard and disappear into the Great Hall that was the center of the government and thereby the center of the Night Watch. Talon, the rider and who once went by Enforcer Talon but that hardly roles off the tongue, looked white in fear for the short time I saw him before he rushed into the doorway of the Hall.
Seeing something was obviously amiss, I turned the training over to one of my Section Leaders, Edi, and headed off to the Hall. As a Captain of the Night Watch, I was privy to most of the going on’s of the Watch and the Council.
I walked into the dim interior of the Great Hall and moved towards the rear, towards the offices of the Watch. Panicked speech could already be heard from the offices of the Command Sergeant Major of the Watch. Rob, or CMS Wilson’s, soft voice could also be heard trying to calm the ranger.
As I entered the room, the speech cleared and I heard Talon reply to an unknown question, “They’re all dead!”
He broke down into sobs and I caught Rob’s eye.
“He say’s that there was an ambush. Keeyle, Tom and Malecoda are dead.” Rob said almost deadpan.
Before I could reply, Coyote stormed into the room. The normally happy and carefree man was brooding and plain concern showed on his face. “What goes on here?” he boomed.
And thus I heard the story, Talon, with his group who was comprised of Talon, Keeyle Burton, Malecoda, and Tom Green, were on patrol in the eastern fields. They were following the herds of Taun-Tan’s seeing where they were heading since all that lay beyond the Great Plains were the Expanse and the bogs and Eastern Marshes.
They set up camp just shy of the Marshes for the night and expected to head back to the Valley on the next morning. Talon was awakened during the night by screaming. Malecoda, who was on watch, gave his warning with his death scream. The remaining three leaped into action. Both Talon and Keeyle rushed over to where Malecoda’s freshly slain body lay upon the earth. His life’s blood draining out of a large slash across his stomach.
Talon, hearing the rustling of grass of to the left, tuned that way and was greeted by the sight of a Morlock. Grey and Blue in hue. More or less human in shape, but with the appearance of a sickly man. Slightly bent over but rippling muscles gave a stark contrast.
The creature charged Talon, but the swift ranger drew his sword in time to repel the club that the monster swung down at him. Keeyle, swooped in at that point and the two Watchmen slew the beast.
They were, at that point, surprised as to why Tom did not assist them and the pair set forth towards their dwindling camp fire. Laying next to the fire was the corpse of Tom with two more of the grizzly creatures above him.
The Morlocks seemed startled at the approach of the two remaining rangers, then let out a terrible shriek and charged the two. Thinking that more than just those two were about, Keeyle fled for the mounts with Talon right behind him.
As they jumped upon their mounts, a mass of creatures ran out of the grass trying to surround the Watchmen. Sticking their heals into the Taun-Tan, Talon galloped through the mass of gray cavemen like beasts.
Daring not to look back for long moments, Talon did not realize that Keeyle had fallen to the creatures until he gained the small rise. Raked with grief at the loss of three of his friends, Talon turned west and traveled long and hard for four days until he arrived at the Valley.
“His mount died shortly after his return. Mostly due to exhaustion, but there were some wounds on the beast.” Mentioned Rob.
At this point, Jegs, the Commander of the Watch, and the three Captains, Coyote, Perinquus inhabited Rob’s office along with the tired and grieving ranger Talon. The Command Structure of the Watch had now heard the story and time for discussion was at hand.
“At the least,” boomed the Coyote, “we should go back in force and recover the bodies. To be buried with the first ones.”
Nods of agreement went throughout the room.
“Patrols should be fortified and perhaps we should cease patrols and rangings until all units currently out in the field are notified.” Perinquus’ gift in life was a steady presence. He was sturdy, not only in appearance but in emotion. A rock in which lots of people depended on.
“The council must be advised. Perhaps this is the time to get them to fortify the Valley. If the council is anything, they are defensive. Bring back our men, bring back the corpse of this beast. Study them and how we can outwit them. Prepare.” I ventured.
Jegs, sitting in the corner next to the small table that served as Rob’s desk, made his decision. “I see no reason why all three of those ideas cannot be invoked. Rob, get a patrol of twenty ready to depart and retrieve Keelye and the rest. Bring back any sign of the attackers. Coyote, you’ll be in charge of the patrol. Perinquus, cancel anymore rangings. Your group is up next week anyway. All patrols, minus Coyote’s, will be confined to the Valley and make sure your people are up and awake.”
“Knife, you and Rob sit down and make your proposal and when you’re done, you two and I will go before the Council.”
Four heads bobbed up and down in agreement and a muttering of “Yes sir.” Filled the office as Jegs left with Rob close behind. I left the other two Captains and went back out to the courtyard. Rob would be with Jegs for a few more minutes, so I took the opportunity to brief Edi and get him to handle the rest of the troops for the rest of the day. It seemed that I would be playing politics for a few and I didn’t want my unit to suffer for it.
Later that night, as I remember, I arrived home. A small stone and wood structure that the majority of the people lived in inside the City. Inside my wife was finishing up with some work of her own. Jen, my wife, worked for the Quarter Masters. A job that was suited for her, she bounced from here to there. Always doing something different for it was her personal nemesis to become board or fall into a routine.
She looked up from her scrolls as I walked in. “Something is wrong.” She stated, in no way a question.
“A scout group was attacked. We don’t know by what yet. By tomorrow, a large patrol should depart to investigate.” I said as I dropped into a chair made of wood and Taun-Tan hide.
Her round face looked shocked, “There has not ever been such a thing.”
I smiled at her to try to comfort her, “There is now. If there is something out there that can attack and kill three well armed and trained men, we need to know about it. A beast or predator should not be able to destroy such a force so it might have been something sentiment.”
“We briefed the council only hours ago and half of them were salivating at the prospect of a sentient being on Terra.” I said.
Her head dropped to the side, mocking surprise, “Let me guess. The University are that half.”
I smirked at her disdain for the University. Her work brought her close to a lot of the Professors of the University and to most if not all of the Council. She seemed to have no end of stories of the demands and unreasonable requests of the men and women of the University.
“I got a laugh out of it myself, my sweet.” I replied.
Her look turned more serious now, “Ryan is applying to the Watch soon.” She said in plain concern.
Ryan was my son. My second son. His older brother was already an apprentice in Shepp’s Smith. He seemed bound to become a great tradesman and craftsman. Ryan, my youngest son, turned more militaristic. At the age of eighteen, he was of age and free to apply if he wished.
“He will probably be admitted.” I said. “It is his choice, one that I am not unhappy with, but his choice none the less.”
My wife was unhappy with that, especially if some sort of new danger was about to be revealed, but she knew I was right. Ryan was a man now. The decision was his. If admitted into the Watch, he would not be under me but I trust that the other Captains would keep an eye on him for me.
With some effort I then stood and started pulling of my robes and trappings of the office. I hung my sword on the wall, stored my black clothing that was the defacto insignia of the Watch and headed off to bed with my wife.
Tomorrow there was work to be done.
......Any thoughts on it? I've got most of chapter two done, is it worth persueing?