P2: Chapter Six

1¢op

At the sound of voices SHEgamI ran up the nearest tree trunk. On this side of the river the trees were tall deciduous, SHEgamI quickly disappeared into the canopy. A single whistle from the treetops told 1¢op to take cover. There was not much in the way of cover under the thick upper canopy, one of the purple berry bush that seemed to be scattered throughout all of AntruA.

With the voices getting louder and no better option, 1¢op ducked into the bush. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dark but feeling movement close to her told her she was not alone. As she turned her eyes cleared and she saw a little gnome. It was scraggly, ugly, and missing it’s hat. It hissed at her, blew a raspberry then made a gesture with its small arms. When it saw that she was not leaving, it made the gesture again then backed out of the bush.

But the voices were upon them. “Hey look there’s a gnome! It went that way, come on let’s chase it!”

“No! Stop trying to change the subject!”

Two voices. 1¢op moved a branch creating a space she was able to see through. Two principles stood facing each other. Both had human bodies with the neck and head of a male deer, including antlers.  That they were both dressed in red highlighted leather armor revealed their alliance. Their body language told a very different story. They were chest to chest and one of them was breathing hard, his nostrils flaring.

Stagg45518                    Buckk1968     

          Level 2                          Level 2

      Wallet 2Au                     Wallet 2Au

Stagg45518 took a step back and held out his hand in a placating manner, “I’m not. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said.

“Don’t lie! You know the moositar was my idea.” Buckk1968 stated stepping into Stagg45518’s space again.

This time Stagg45518 did not back down, using his chest to push back. “I don’t know what you are talking about. Moositar isn't a thing.”

“Ohh you! I know who you are! I told you a week ago I told you my idea of a man with the head of a deer. And here you are, you thief!”

“You are crazy! Totally nuts. Nothing you just said means anything. Your words don’t make any sense.”

“I’m going to beat you to death with my hands.” Buckk1968 walked to back about ten feet. Bent at the waist. Pawed at the ground with his left foot. “Charge!” He shouted then sprinted right at Stagg45518. Who stood his ground, lowered his head and meet the charge antler to antler. There was a resounding Crack! Stagg45518 was driven back a few feet. Stagg45518 then gave a grunt as he lifted his head, heaving Buckk1968 off his feet. For a moment Buckk1968 was in the air, his legs kicking uselessly. 1¢op had just a moment to decide whether to jump into the river or reveal herself to the fight moose men, before Buckk1968 smashed into her hiding space.

1¢op dove away from the river breaking cover. She was expecting a shout of recognition, instead she heard a shriek of  pain. She lept to her feet then spun around facing the combatants. Buckk1968 was thrashing in the bush, most of his body was covered in the purple juice of the berries. These purple stains smoked and soon the body stopped moving and collapsed in on itself.

Stagg45518 was so absorbed with watching Buckk1968’s demise he hadn’t noticed 1¢op yet. She raised her arm then dropped it. An arrow seemed to grow from Stagg45518’s head. He collapsed to the ground, a moment later SHEgamI dropped from the trees. “I’m not very impressed with what I’ve seen from the Red Army soldiers,” she said

“No,” 1¢op agreed, “maybe their stronger soldiers are off on a different mission. The bulk of the Blue Army is back at Bluetopia, working on other missions, right? Anyways I think we have patrolled this section of the river long enough. Let’s go back to Gilman and see what news there is. Stick to the tree top keeping an eye to  the far bank of the river. Maybe we can get another kill or two along the way.” SHegamI scrambled up the trunk of the nearest tree and in apparent solitude 1¢op walked.

On her right the river burbled and hissed, keeping her company. The sounds of the forest filled the silence. The rich layers of color were like nothing she had ever experienced. She tried to stay alert to any sign of the enemy, but in the forest and the river, there was so much to take in. Hopefully SHEgamI was keeping her senses about her. 1¢op took a deep breath and tried to pull back, concentrating on watching for movement.

She didn’t see any, since there were no whistles from the tree tops SHEgamI hadn’t either. Soon they came up on Gilman. AnrKEY had been tasked with guarding the bridge. She had taken this literally and the bridge itself was now a fortress. Two primary towers hulked on bank of the river on which 1¢op stood. SHEgamI dropped down and together they approached a small door tucked in a nook of the closest tower. A small spy port in the door snapped open. “What’s the passphrase!?”

1¢op hoped it hadn’t changed. “Sedation throughout the nation, We’re screamin’ screamin’ screamin’ Black and Blue.”

The spy port slammed close, there was a pregnant pause, then the sound of bolts being unlocked. Finally after a resounding thud the door slowly opened. Toadanaga peaked out and blinked slowly at them. ‘You better hurry upstairs. LeBlu arrived a little while ago he and  AnrKEY are upstairs. They are waiting for you.”

“Then you better get out of the way.” SHEgamI said.

Toadanaga made a sound in the back of his throat. He stepped back pulling the door open wider. SHEgamI entered followed by 1¢op, Toadanaga spit out the door after they were past, then started the arduous project of replacing the large bar across the door and setting the bolts. 1¢op didn’t stick around long enough to see the task completed.

The tower was four stories tall. The first, second and fourth floors were completely dedicated to defencive purposes. AnrKEY’s office took up half of the third floor, the door was ajar, 1¢op knocked. The talking inside stopped and AnrKEY opened the door. “1¢op!” LeBlu yelled from behind AnrKEY. “Your timing is perfect. I was just about to update AnrKEY on op BG. Come in, come in and I’ll brief you all.”

The office was unadorned and the only furniture was a desk draped in AnrKEY’s map,They all gathered around this desk. LeBlu, standing on the side of the disk facing the door, with a flourish pulled his map from his belt and touched it to the map on the desk. Color spread from that point, coalescing on the revealed portion. It pushed back the fog, soon the most of the northern fifth of the map was uncovered. In the explored quadrant there were the three towns, new to the map were the four blue out posts.

“As you can see Operation Blue Grass has been a complete success. You have each played an important role in this success, for that I think you. Bluetopia is my headquarters, the three other outposts are all placed at strategic choke points. Gilman plays a very important role in this as it needs to keep the Red Army bottled up in Norca. I brought twenty new recruits to help with that.

“When I leave here I am kicking off the next phase, Operation Blue Sky. I feel a little like everything we’ve done has just be building to this. In this phase we’re moving into the towns. Orup is to be a neutral, so it is on you here to keep the Red Army out, so I can focus on taking control of Sha. 1¢op, I need to know what the Red Army is doing to the south. That is your mission take who you need, find out what is down there, I can’t believe that RothRed would be sitting back like he seems to be. Once you have a good idea of what is happening, take the long route to Sha, that’s where I should be.

“Do you all understand what I’m asking of you? I’m expecting you to execute my orders and my vision. Now there is one last thing, come outside.” LeBlu hustled them outside.

LeBlu lead the group out and to the other tower. “I asked that you build this tower big enough to be a social hall.” He said to AnrKEY. He opened the door, 1¢op could see over his shoulder that the room on the first floor held ten tables. Principles sat in clumps chatting quietly. “Good.” LeBlu said as he shut the door. “There is just one missing component.” He shielded his eyes and looked east, down the road. “Right on time, here is that missing something.”

1¢op followed his gaze and saw crossing the other bridge was a cart. As it came closer she could see it was loaded with barrels, and a lounging green goblin, It was being pushed by a massive gorilla. When they rolled up the goblin hoped from the cart. “Hi LeBlu. You said two, right? That’s eighty.”

LeBlu reached into his wallet and pulled out the gold and handed it to the goblin. “You moron!” The goblin yelled at the gorilla. But the gorilla didn’t do anything, it was looking at 1¢op. “Hey what are you doing! Two barrels! Two barrels! Take them out of the cart and put them on the ground. Come on you dumb ape! Do it!” The goblin stomped around and shouted till the gorilla shook it massive head and lazily reached into the cart and unloaded the two barrels. The task done the goblin vaulted into the bed of the cart. “Let’s go you lummox. Move it, no don’t look at her, look forward. Now go before I get really mad.” The rant continued until the cart was across the bridge and out of sight.

“Well that was different,” LeBlu said. “You will want to have someone tap these.” He said to AnrKEY. “If you sell a glass for three gold you should gross five hundred a barrel.”

“You really think that people will pay three gold for a drink?” AnrKEY was clearly skeptical.

“I know they well, you will be able to charge ten once the word about this stuff gets out.” LeBlu replied.

“What is it?” 1¢op asked.

“TonicZ.” LeBlu said cryptically. He laughed then continued, “look this stuff is the missing component. It’s fun. My last order to you all before I leave is to take those barrels inside, Tap one, pass a round out to your new brothers in blue. Get to know them, introduce them to Gilman,. Then initiate Operation Blue Sky. Good luck.”