1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Chapter twenty two, Manny Rolling Fuck was as bright, shiny, 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: and chaotic as it had been when he left, but 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: Manny could see a real change among the citizens themselves. 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: Gone were the lounging crowds of half naked people instead 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: of the perpetual party. A war camp spread out around 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: the great superstructure of the city. Hundreds of men and 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: women were busy dawning armor, applying war paint, and checking 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: over stacks of weaponry. Manny saw crates of guided mortars, 9 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: piles of rocket launchers, boxes of high velocity ammunition, and 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: enough firearms to equip every citizen a dozen times over. 11 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: There was no discernible Rolling Fuck uniform that Manny could see. 12 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,880 Speaker 1: Some of the city's warriors wore powered body armor painted 13 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: in garish colors and bedecked with various quotations. Fuck your 14 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: Day seemed particularly popular. Many of them wore pieces of 15 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: pop culture costumery mixed in with their gear. Manny recognized 16 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: Darth Vader's helmet, hell Boy's red right hand, and a 17 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: surprise using number of people with Mickey Mouse's face spray 18 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: painted on their chest armor. An equal number of Fuckians 19 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,319 Speaker 1: wore no armor at all. Some of them were dressed 20 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 1: in their normal flowing lounge garments. The weapons they wore 21 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,199 Speaker 1: were the only signs that they had plans beyond debauchery. 22 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: Others were naked or mostly so. He saw one man 23 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: wearing the helmet of a Greek hoplight and carrying two 24 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: Viking axes on his back. He saw a woman with 25 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,559 Speaker 1: a Dragonov rifle on her back, an old German stallhelm 26 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: on her head, an Ottoman mirror armor on her chest. 27 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,639 Speaker 1: She waved at them, excited. It took Manny a second 28 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: to recognize Topas's face under the helmet. There here, there 29 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: she stopped. Tullie had stopped too. She cast her face down. 30 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: Many could see the shimmer of tears on her cheeks. 31 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: A crowd gathered around them. In a few seconds, they 32 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: were encircled by dozens of heavily armed post humans in 33 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: a dizzying array of war costumes. Schoofucker Mike pushed his 34 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: way to the front and ran up to embrace Tulli. 35 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: Manny was surprised when she started to sob. The big 36 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: man held her tight. Looked to Rowland what happened. Roland 37 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: gave him a look that said, you know, damn well, 38 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 1: what happened? But then he spoke anyway, your friend didn't 39 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: make it, Schoofucker. Mike's jaw went tight, his eyes bulged, 40 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: and he held on to Tulli a little tighter. Manny 41 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,239 Speaker 1: thought back to the night they'd spent in brain Breakers 42 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: and the things he'd said about marigold Man. He hadn't 43 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: really known the woman at all, but he could tell 44 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: Mike had cared deeply for her. He looked around at 45 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: the crowd closing in on them, the dozens of half 46 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: human god monsters with helpless rage carved onto their faces. 47 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: What happened, Mike demanded. Roland opened his mouth to speak, 48 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: closed it and ran a hand over his bald head. 49 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: He opened his mouth again, managed to squeeze out an 50 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: eye before he slumped his shoulders and hung his head. 51 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: I wasn't fast enough, he said. Finally, they had better gear, 52 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: newer suits than I had expected, Schoofucker. Mike stared at him. 53 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: Behind him, Topaz slid down to the ground and buried 54 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: her head in her kne ease. Murmurs swept the crowd, 55 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 1: and then Sasha spoke up. Your friends saved my life. 56 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: Mike looked over and seemed to notice her for the 57 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: first time, and who were you? His voice was not unfriendly, 58 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: it wasn't exactly warm either. My name is Sasha, she said, 59 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: her voice clearly on the edge of a sob. She 60 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: looked from Mike to Tully, to Topaz, to the crowd, 61 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: and then back to Manny. He saw a panic in 62 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 1: her eyes, barely held in check by a cage of 63 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: steely resolve. I made a mistake. I left my home 64 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: for the Kingdom. I thought it was the right thing 65 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: to do. I met Marigold while I was there, and 66 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: she helped me see how wrong I'd been. She pointed 67 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: to Roland. I tried to help him free your people. 68 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: We all tried, but they were ready for us. They 69 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: shot him. She gestured to Roland. They shot him a lot. 70 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: They had us all dead to rights. And then Marigold. 71 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: I don't know how, but she got a gun. She 72 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: shot two of them, and then they shot her. She died, 73 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: saving us. The silence that followed was louder than any 74 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: artillery barrage Manny had ever sat through. Finally, Skullfucker Mike 75 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: nodded at her. There were tears in his eyes, and 76 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: Manny soon realized tears on every face in the crowd. 77 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: Some people fell to their knees, others embraced and held 78 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: their friends. One voice, hoarse and heavy with pain, howled 79 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: out in anguish. It was met by another voice, and 80 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: then another, and then another as Fucci and after Fucian 81 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: tilted their head back and roared their grief out to 82 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,799 Speaker 1: the empty blue of the Texas sky. Rolling Fuck preferred 83 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: to mourn through activity. The wailing and gnashing of teeth 84 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: over Marigold didn't stop the city's medics from taking Rick 85 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 1: and Tully to whatever building served as their equivalent of 86 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: a clinic. Topaz stayed behind with a gathering crowd of 87 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: mourners while skullfucker Mike gathered up Manny, Sasha and Roland. 88 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: There'll be time to process later, He'd said, as much 89 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: to himself as to them. There's a war council soon 90 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 1: and they'll be wanting to debrief you. Fine, Roland said, 91 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:57,720 Speaker 1: but I'm stopping at the bar first. I need some 92 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: opium and some godam tequila. Manny expected skullfucker Mike to 93 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: be angered by that, given the circumstances, but the other 94 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 1: chrombed man just nodded and said, I could use a 95 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: drinker nine myself. They headed for the lift underneath the 96 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: main roller. Manny started to prepare himself for the meeting 97 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: with this war council, whatever that term meant. In a 98 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: place like this, whatever happens, it's bound to be weird. 99 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: They reached the lift, skullfucker Mike opened the door and 100 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: gestured for every one to enter, and so. Less than 101 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: an hour after arriving back in the City of Wheels, Mannye, Sasha, 102 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: and Rowland found themselves seated around the same red wood 103 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: table where they had first met Nana Yazi and Donald Ferris. 104 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 1: The room was more crowded this time around, with two 105 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: new people he didn't recognize. One was a shirtless man 106 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: with writhing snake tattoos across his chest and a pair 107 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: of chaps that did nothing at all to cover up 108 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: his junk. It didn't help that the man's legs were 109 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: spread as wide as possible. He seemed to be deliberately 110 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 1: showing off. Manny looked away and found himself staring at 111 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,039 Speaker 1: a very tall, very muscular, young seeming woman with a 112 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: mohawk made from thick chrome spikes. She had light brown skin. 113 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: Her cheeks were covered in several long, thin diagonal scars. 114 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: The woman's eyes had no pupils. They looked gray at first, 115 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: until Manny realized they were actually just filled with static. 116 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: When Manny finally pulled his gaze away from her, he 117 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: was met with the biggest surprise of the day. Deshaun 118 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 1: Clark was seated two chairs down from Nana Yazzi Major Clark, Manny. 119 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,559 Speaker 1: The Major's lips cracked open into a wide mouthed grin, 120 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 1: the left side of his face was still covered in 121 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 1: hemostatic gauze, and the edges of the skin around the 122 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: gauze looked black and burnt. His right hand was a smooth, 123 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: angry pink color, a sure sign that had been severed 124 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: and regrown in the recent past. Major Clark was bloody 125 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: but unbowed. It's damn good to see you, Manny. I 126 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: can tell you how proud I was to hear you'd 127 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: volunteered for this mission, Mr Pirrone, Manny started to say, 128 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: But Major Clark put up his hand, I know, he said. 129 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: Donald Ferris ahemmed, which Manny took as a gentle reminder 130 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 1: that now was not the time for personal business. The 131 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: old brit gestured first to the man with the writhing 132 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: snake tattoos. This is Jim Shannon, he said. He heads 133 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: up a small mercenary outfit. And the guy who roped 134 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: Roland into helping, Jim said with a wink, and this 135 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: cheery lass Donald pointed to the woman with a chromehawk 136 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: is Kashore. She's been the city's elected warlly to for 137 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: the past three years. And who might this young lady be, 138 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: Nana Yazzi asked, nodding at Sasha. The old woman stood 139 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,679 Speaker 1: and stepped forward to greet Sasha with a hub. Sasha 140 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: tensed up. She looked scared to return the embrace, so 141 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: Nana Yazzi backed off and favored the girl with a 142 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: warm smile. I'm sorry, child, I didn't mean to pressure you. 143 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: I'm just happy you'll hear with us. Sasha relaxed at that, 144 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: but she still didn't step forward. Her name, Sasha said, Rowland. 145 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: She used to be with the Kingdom, now she's not. 146 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: He paused a second, considered his words, and added, she 147 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: beat one of them to death with a helmet. Oh my, 148 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: oh dear. Nana Yazzi tisked and shook her head. I'm 149 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: so sorry, Sasha, that must have been a terrible experience 150 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: for you. She enjoyed it, Jim said, with a harsh 151 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: bark of a laugh. I'm sure Rowland smells it too, 152 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: Isn't that Radhun? You loved killing whoever the fuck you killed, 153 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,679 Speaker 1: and you feel shitty about that. Will let messuit stop 154 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: right now, or you'll leave this room. Nana Yazzi's voice 155 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: was firm, but devoid of any anger or heat. To 156 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: Nanny's shock, Jim stopped the posthuman, nodded and said, I apologized, Sasha, 157 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: that was a dick move, and then he lowered his 158 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: eyes just a little in contrition. Nana Yazzi offered Sasha 159 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: a seat and then busied herself in the corner, making 160 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: Sasha a cup of tea. Once that was done and 161 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: they were all settled in, Nana sat back down and 162 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: looked at Nanny. What happened, is all, she asked. Nanny 163 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: started talking. He told her, and by extension, the whole table, 164 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: everything that had happened since he and Rowland left rolling fuck. 165 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: He told them about their trouble with the checkpoints on 166 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: the way into town. He walked them through the intake process, 167 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: his and Roland's few days as martyrs, in training and 168 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 1: what he'd seen in the few sections of Plano he'd 169 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,079 Speaker 1: been allowed to haunt during his time there. The woman 170 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: with the Chrome Hawk was particularly interested in what he 171 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 1: and Rowland had to say about the Kingdom's preferred assault tactics. 172 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: They're not going to be kicking indoors and fighting house 173 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: to house, Roland explained, No, just start shelling at the 174 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: first sign of resistance. They don't care about civilian casualties. 175 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: When Manny explained what the Kingdom had been doing at 176 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: the old Tesla factory, almost everyone looked horrified. Donald Ferris 177 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,719 Speaker 1: spat at the ground. Most of the others cursed or 178 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: at least shook their heads. Nanni Yazi teared up. Jim, though, 179 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: seemed almost enthusiastic about the revelation. Fascinating, he muttered, just 180 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: loud enough for Manny to hear. Once everyone was caught 181 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: up the table, fired off a few questions at him 182 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: and more towards Rowland. They seemed mostly curious as to 183 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:56,599 Speaker 1: what they'd been able to glean about the number of 184 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: recruits in the Heavenly Kingdom. Manny didn't have much you 185 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,559 Speaker 1: full there, so he shut up, leaned back, and let 186 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: Rowland to give the answers. An awkward silence descended on 187 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: the table. After a few minutes, well Donald Ferris said, finally, 188 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: I suppose we were fools to hope for much more 189 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: than what you've got. As it stands, we're left grappling 190 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: to try an account for the sheer number of men 191 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: the Kingdom has deployed to assault Austin twenty thousand Mardas 192 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: Jim spoke up and give a take a grand Manny's 193 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 1: blood went cold. The SDF at its height hadn't been 194 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: more than six thousand fighters, and those were spread out 195 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 1: across the serried battle grounds of North Texas. The whole 196 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: free city of Austin didn't have more than five thousand 197 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 1: people in its full time defense corps. Twenty thousand men 198 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: was impossible, he said, That's just fucking impossible. I'd be 199 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: inclined to agree with you, kid, said Jim, if my 200 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: own men hadn't double checked the count for us. The 201 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,239 Speaker 1: Kingdom's already marshaled half of that force on the outskirts 202 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: of d f W near Lancaster. They'll be in Wakeo tomorrow, 203 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,599 Speaker 1: no one stops him. Hell, they could be pound in 204 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: Austin with artillery. Bad Doc Donald Ferris nodded. Mr Shennon Here, 205 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:11,319 Speaker 1: he gestured to Jim as agreed to lend a hand, 206 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: along with several dozen of his mercenaries. Add that to 207 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: the warriors of Rolling Funck, and we've got seven hundred 208 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 1: ish post humans. It's a large enough force to hold 209 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: Waco and badly bloody their nose. But Kushori spoke for 210 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: the first time. She had a deep, gravelly voice that 211 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: sounded like she'd been eating cigarettes for the last ten years. 212 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: Rolling Funck is not in the business of volunteering for 213 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 1: our own Vietnams. My people aren't signing up for a war. 214 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: I can guarantee our presence on the battlefield for up 215 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: to forty eight hours, enough time for vengeance, she continued. 216 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: After that, you're hurting cats? Is that a problem? Manny asked, 217 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: I mean I saw Roland lay waste to half a city, 218 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: six hundred of him. There's only one of him, Kishori said. 219 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:59,479 Speaker 1: Jim nodded an agreement and fixed Manny with his uncomfortable 220 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:03,199 Speaker 1: gray eye ice and see here, he said me. Any 221 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: one a rolland Fox warrior is as good for a 222 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: few dozen normal troops in a straight fight. More off. 223 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: We're talking half trained partizans, but nobody is like Roland. 224 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 1: Many looked over to Roland. The big man seemed distinctly 225 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 1: uncomfortable with all the attention. He stared down at his hands, 226 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: which seemed to be occupied with tearing up a paper 227 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,959 Speaker 1: drink coaster. The Matas have a lot of half trained partizans, 228 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: but they've also got tanks, artillery, suits, the resources of 229 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: a nation state, or close enough, rolland fuck can hold 230 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: that off for a while. But without rolland the best 231 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: they can do is delay the inevitable. Now with Roland, 232 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 1: Jim continued, this is a two hour fight, tops. We 233 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:45,839 Speaker 1: set up our troops in some little chunk of the 234 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: city and start dropping mortars and rockets on the van guard. 235 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: They pull up and circle us and start deploying their 236 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: artillery to bombas to kingdom. Come. Then, when they are 237 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: good and packed together, we dropped Roland on the asses Kashure. 238 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: He nodded, yes, She said, he'll hit them and disrupt 239 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: their whole order of battle while our cavalry rolls around 240 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: their flanks and charges. That should be enough to make 241 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,319 Speaker 1: them panic. Then we'd chase them down until they lose cohesion. 242 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 1: Roland's heads stayed down. He didn't speak. Manny looked from 243 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: him to Jim, to Nanna Yazzi and Donald Ferris. So 244 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 1: what's the problem, Manny asked. If Roland and Rolling Funk 245 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: are all in, there should be a walk in the park. Rowland, 246 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 1: Nanny Yazzi said, prefers not to fight. But I just 247 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: saw him. You just saw me break a long streak 248 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,559 Speaker 1: of not killing people. Roland's voice sounded odd, hollow and dry, 249 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: and utterly without any of the mirth or mischief Manny 250 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: had come to expect from the chromed man. I did 251 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: that to get my memories back, Manny, he shrugged. And 252 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 1: I did it for you because you're my buddy. But 253 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 1: I got no stake in Austin. But you know what 254 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 1: the Heavenly Kingdom will do if they take the city, 255 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 1: Manny protested. You've seen what they did to Plaino. They'll 256 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: do that to millions of decent people if they can. 257 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: You have the power to stop that. You're telling me 258 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 1: you won't. Roland at his eyes and just said, yes, Hugh, 259 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: son of a bitch. Manny felt the anger well up 260 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: inside him. It merged with his grief over major Perrone's death, 261 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 1: Oscar's death, and his rage at the Heavenly Kingdom, the martyrs, 262 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: and every other group of assholes who had helped turn 263 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: his young life into a parade of nightmares. Hugh Absolute, 264 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: son of a bitch, You fucking coward. Manny didn't think, 265 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: couldn't think. He pulled back his fist and swung as 266 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 1: hard as he could for Roland's face. The chrombed man 267 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: didn't move, didn't even blink. Manny hit him right in 268 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: the nose. He was softer than Manny would have guessed, 269 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: didn't feel any different from punching a normal human. Manny 270 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: swung again and again until he felt something crack in 271 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: his knuckles. He cried out from the pain and pulled 272 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: back to nurse his wounded hand. For a few seconds, 273 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: Manny forgot about the rest of the room. He closed 274 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: his eyes and let his thoughts dissolve into an ocean 275 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: of physical pain. The agony of his broken hand was 276 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: almost soothing. It was better than thinking about mister Perrone. 277 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 1: It was better than thinking about Alejandro or Oscar. It 278 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: was better than thinking about his soon to be shattered home. 279 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: Manny felt a hand on his shoulder. The sensation pulled 280 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 1: him out of his spiraling thoughts. He looked up and 281 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: saw nanny Azzi. She smiled her sad smile and said, Manny, 282 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: every one here understands your pain. Not me, said Jim, 283 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: I've never been a big fan Austin. Two damn rolland 284 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 1: threw his empty pint glass at the other post human's face. 285 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: It shattered on impact, embedding shards deep into Jim's cheeks 286 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 1: and forehead. His head snapped back and he blinked in 287 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: shock A few times. Sorry, he said, I deserve that, 288 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: and I deserved that. Roland said to Manny, no hard 289 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 1: feelings I get while you're pissed, But kid, you gotta 290 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: understand something. Austin's home to you. To me, it's just 291 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: another city held by just another side. Half my remaining 292 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 1: memories are of one cause or another asking me to 293 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: go murder in their name. I'm fucking done with it. 294 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: Minnie looked to Major Clark. The STF officer's eyes were 295 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: lit by a familiar cold fire. He spoke in a 296 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: tone of barely controlled anger. That is, you're right, of course, 297 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: you can choose to leave, just as I will choose 298 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: to fight and die. I wonder what Manny will choose. 299 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: Mannie hadn't really settled on that himself. Before he could 300 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: stumble through his response, Sasha spoke, I'll fight, She said. 301 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: I don't know much about guns, but I'll do my best. 302 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: Roland slumped back in his chair and tossed his arms 303 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: up in a dramatic show of frustration. At too, Jesus, girl, 304 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,320 Speaker 1: I'll fight, Manny said to Major Clark, doing his best 305 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: to talk over Rowland. I'll choose to fight too. This 306 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: isn't gonna work, you know, Roland said, I'm not going 307 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: to be shamed into fighting again. It's just not going 308 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: to fucking happen. Jim leaned in. He fixed Roland with 309 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 1: a look that seemed almost hungry. I think it will happen. 310 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: I think the peculiar arc of your moral compass won't 311 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: let you leave these kids to die. He seemed surprised 312 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: by the revelation. Huh, fascinating enough of that. Donald Ferris 313 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: sounded angry. I won't stand to see this man badget 314 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:06,400 Speaker 1: and press it into fighting against his will. We might 315 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,479 Speaker 1: as well dissolve the council for now and reconvene without Rowland. 316 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,159 Speaker 1: Good Roland stood up and stomped over to the exit. 317 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: That's all you people need for me. I'm and I 318 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 1: go get good and pissed and start my walk back 319 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: to Arizona. He flipped his middle finger out at the 320 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,119 Speaker 1: room and slammed the door behind him. As he left, 321 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:27,360 Speaker 1: all eyes turned to Mannie. I should probably go talk 322 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 1: to him. Don't do anything you're not comfortable doing. Emmanuel 323 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: Donald said, fuck there. Jim said the best it's on 324 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: the ropes. Shame him, shame him good. As he headed 325 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: for the exit, Mannie looked to Major Clark. The old 326 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: soldier's one good eye was narrow and focussed Mannie. He said, 327 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: if he didn't want to talk, he wouldn't a gone 328 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,159 Speaker 1: up to the bar. He'd have just left. There's no 329 00:17:50,280 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: honor lost. In another conversation, another try, Roland was three 330 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 1: beers in by the time Manny reached him, and knowing 331 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: rolling fuck that could mean he'd already ingested enough acid 332 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: to kill a large octopus. Hey, mann he said, heybody, 333 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 1: Roland replied in a voice that was just super stoned. 334 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: Sorry about getting angry. Back there, the post human spun 335 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: his empty pint glass around on the bar table. It 336 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 1: was a strange sight to see. Manny had gotten so 337 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: used to seeing Roland is something akin to a Greek god. 338 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: He certainly wasn't omniscient or omnipotent, but he was unspeakably 339 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: powerful and just as irresponsible to leave out around humans. 340 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: And yet here he was fiddling with an empty pint 341 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: glass like a nervous college freshman standing at the back 342 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 1: wall of some house party. Many felt a surge of sympathy. 343 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 1: It's okay, man, I think I actually get it, he said, 344 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 1: like I've had plenty of chances to join either the 345 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: SDF or the Austin Defense Forces. I never did. Maybe 346 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 1: some of that's because I'm scared help. Up until like 347 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: a few days ago, my plan was to get the 348 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:03,239 Speaker 1: funk off this continent as soon as I could afford it. 349 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: Minnie paused and bit his lip. It was an instinctive gesture, 350 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,879 Speaker 1: his gut's reaction to a sudden burst of self awareness. 351 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: Mannie hadn't thought about any of this before. I don't know, 352 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: he said. This ship's been going on basically my whole life. 353 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 1: I can't remember a time when I wasn't scared of 354 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: something like this happening. I didn't understand any of it. 355 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 1: As a kid. But I can remember being seven or 356 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: eight years old and just being so angry at the soldiers, 357 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: even our soldiers. I thought, if all you assholes would 358 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 1: just refuse to be led into battle, none of this 359 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: could happen. You know that's not how it works, ran 360 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: Roland asked, as he turned away from Mannie and waved 361 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:42,640 Speaker 1: at the bartender. We loved this war ship, at least 362 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: some one us due those of us who were Oh 363 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 1: the bartender arrived, Roland ordered my time mixed with the 364 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:50,119 Speaker 1: margharita and one of those what you got him column? 365 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, a fucking mohito, Roland. Mannie's voice was gentle 366 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: but firm. How many beers did you drink before I 367 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: got here? No beers, Roland said in a casual voice. 368 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 1: Mushroom room sweet but not bad. He licked his lips 369 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: as he watched the bartender work through the herculean task 370 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 1: of crafting his requested beverage. Roland Manny said, and the 371 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,919 Speaker 1: chromed man turned back to him. Ah, sorry, it's just 372 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: been too long a stretch of sober for me. I 373 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: got excited. What the funk was I saying? That war 374 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:22,920 Speaker 1: is fun? Oh? Yeah, as long as you don't think 375 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 1: you will die. That's why all throughout history he had 376 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: so many generals and politicians kicking off conflicts because they 377 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: felt safe. And when you're pretty sure you'll live, war 378 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: is an absolute hoot. That's the problem with me and 379 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 1: fighting the problem as you like it too much. Roland 380 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 1: grabbed his hand. The chromed man moved so fast Manny 381 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 1: didn't even see the motion blur. Roland's hand was just 382 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 1: wrapped around his wrist, immovable. He squeezed hard enough that 383 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: it hurt. Roland's eyes bulged out and stared into Manny 384 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: with a manic intensity that was frightening. Oh, I fucking 385 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: love it. It's like sex on heroin and bungee jumping 386 00:20:57,840 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: and getting rammed in the ass and that first shut 387 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 1: a lick or synake when you're fourteen, all at once, 388 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: and mixed with the best actual battle drugs, the most 389 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 1: bloated military budget and history can buy. He loosened his 390 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: grip and turned half away from Manny. That's why I 391 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: shouldn't do it, because I'll get carried away like I 392 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: got carried away in Dallas. Maybe this time I won't 393 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: be able to stop when it's time to stop. Manny 394 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 1: kept his eyes on Rowland's. The big man turned a 395 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: little further to the left, but he didn't look away. 396 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 1: How do you know that your intervention won't make things better, 397 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 1: Manny asked. Maybe if we can kill enough in the martyrs, 398 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,680 Speaker 1: their power will be broken forever. Maybe your intervention will 399 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 1: be the first step towards making this a more livable 400 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:39,439 Speaker 1: part of the globe. Roland laughed. It started as a 401 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: low chuckle that then cascaded into a series of rolling, 402 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,440 Speaker 1: rib cracking howls. Manny didn't get the joke, and he 403 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: couldn't find any humor in his words, so he sat 404 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: tight until Roland's mirth subsided and the chromed man had 405 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 1: recovered enough to explain himself. All right, sorry, he said, 406 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: between chuckles. It's just a ship. Kid, you're too young 407 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,439 Speaker 1: to know how funny that is. Roland straightened up and 408 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: wiped a tear from his eye. So you're talking about 409 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: me the exact same way people talked about the U. S. 410 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 1: Military back when I was a kid. The bartender came 411 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: by and sat down Roland's drink, an enormous jug filled 412 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,120 Speaker 1: with a multi hued mix of alcoholic beverages. The post 413 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 1: human took a deep poll from his my Tai Garito. 414 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 1: Manny took the chance to ask a question. I thought 415 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,320 Speaker 1: you didn't remember anything further back than a few years ago. 416 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:28,879 Speaker 1: I don't remember anything clearly, Roland said, But I do 417 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 1: remember bits and pieces, and I remember being a young 418 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 1: man and watching the news break in an off base bar. 419 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: Some election had gone bad in Bolivia. The president announced 420 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 1: he was sending in soldiers to keep the peace. Did 421 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,959 Speaker 1: it work, Manny asked, I don't, no kid, would your 422 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 1: school teach you about Bolivia? That there was a genocide 423 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 1: at oh, Manny said, as Roland's points sunk in right yep. 424 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,880 Speaker 1: Roland grunted and took another deeper pull from his ridiculous beverage. 425 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,360 Speaker 1: They were quiet for a while. Manny took the opportunity 426 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: to take a long look at Rowland. His face held 427 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 1: only a few lines around his eyes and lips, and 428 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 1: yet he still looked old, positively ancient. There appeared to 429 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: be a tremendous weight to the man's eyes, accentuated by 430 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: the deep wrinkles underneath them. It looked as if the 431 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:16,119 Speaker 1: chromed man's face was sagging underneath the weight of what 432 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: he had seen Roland, Manny asked, do you have any 433 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: idea of where you came from? I think I was 434 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 1: born around Mississippi. But no, Manny interrupted, not like where 435 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: you were born, but how you became what you are today. 436 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: You said, you've been disconnected from the internet for the 437 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 1: last ten years. I've got a guess your implants or 438 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: even older than that. But the way everyone here talks 439 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 1: about you, you're still king shit. Oh, Roland said, yeah that. 440 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 1: I got no real idea what happened there. I know 441 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 1: I was in the army. I'm pretty sure that's when 442 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:49,159 Speaker 1: the tankering started, sure, Manny said, but didn't A lot 443 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 1: of the road people start as ex special forces who 444 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 1: went rogue? Why are you special? You had no clear 445 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:57,199 Speaker 1: answer to that, buddy, He smiled, as if he just 446 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: remembered something good. I guess I've got that surgery coming up. 447 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:02,719 Speaker 1: Once I get my memories back, I'll let you know 448 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 1: what I find out. Manny laughed too, but his was 449 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:09,159 Speaker 1: cold and bitter. Sure, I'll probably be in a refugee 450 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 1: camp at that point, or dead, damn kid. Roland said, yeah, Mann, 451 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: he said, I'm really not trying to manipulate you here. 452 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: It's just now I get it, I get and Roland 453 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 1: waved him off. It's fair, you get every right to 454 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: be piste. I just can't. He trailed off. Manny put 455 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: a hand on Roland's shoulder. He didn't understand how the 456 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:32,840 Speaker 1: post human felt. How could he. Manny couldn't even conceive 457 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 1: of having that kind of power, But he could see 458 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: why it was a difficult choice. There was a part 459 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: of Manny, a dark, manipulative chunk of his soul, that 460 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: knew he was on his way to changing Roland's mind. 461 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: This was essentially the same strategy he used on the job. 462 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,719 Speaker 1: You built empathy with people through a combination of shared 463 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: experiences in regular engagement. That empathy paid dividends when you 464 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 1: needed some lieutenant's approval to cross the check point. It 465 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: would pay dividends here if he was careful and consistent. 466 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 1: 's fucked up, man He thought, you're manipulating your friend 467 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 1: into killing a bunch of people. You know what, Manny said, 468 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to Roland drain the rest 469 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: of his mug, belched and looked over at Manny. He 470 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,640 Speaker 1: looked unsteady, half conscious. The chrombed man put his left 471 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: hand over Manny's hand, while it rested on his shoulder. 472 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: He fixed Manny with his half focused eyes and nodded. 473 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: FuG it. Roland said, I'll fug' Helpia and be a 474 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 1: dick off. It didn't, thank you, Manny said, with a nod. 475 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: I know, don't say anything else, kid, I don't really 476 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: want to think about what I just promised to do. 477 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: Manny found Sasha sitting around a fire pit outside the city, 478 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: proper deep in conversation with Donald Ferris. She sat on 479 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:51,400 Speaker 1: the ground, legs splayed out wide with her button the grass. 480 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 1: Donald sat in a folding chair. It wasn't cold outside precisely, 481 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: but it had cooled off a great deal from the 482 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,479 Speaker 1: heat of the day. The air held just the barest 483 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 1: tint of winter. It was shaping up to be one 484 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 1: of those odd September days where Texas seemed on the 485 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 1: verge of an actual seasonal shift. One look at Sasha's 486 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 1: face told him that she was at least as unsettled 487 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: as Rowland. He didn't want to crowd her, so he 488 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: squatted down on the other side of Donald Emmanuel. The 489 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,640 Speaker 1: old man's voice was as smooth and rich as Manny 490 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: remembered from the narration of his documentary. It's good to 491 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:26,120 Speaker 1: see you. Sasha's been telling me her story. She actually 492 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: just turned to the subject of you. Yeah, Manny asked, yes, 493 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 1: she was telling me how she met you and Marigold 494 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 1: and how you both helped to find her way free 495 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 1: of the Kingdom. Oh, he said, and looked at Sasha. 496 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: I never really met Marigold. I didn't realize you knew 497 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 1: her well. Sasha shook her head. I only knew her 498 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 1: a little while. I was just supposed to be administering 499 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,359 Speaker 1: tests to her. But I couldn't stop her from talking, 500 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,359 Speaker 1: and she made sense. She made more sense than what 501 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: was going on out in the Kingdom every day. Sasha 502 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 1: stared down into the fading embers of the fire. I 503 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: feel stui, but forever believing in that place. And what 504 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 1: do you believe now, Donald asked, I don't know, she said. 505 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 1: It seems arrogant to decide that God doesn't exist just 506 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 1: because I let myself get taken in by a cult. 507 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,640 Speaker 1: M the old man nodded. The good news is you're young. 508 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: You've got plenty of time to figure things out. Again, 509 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:20,880 Speaker 1: His cheeks turned up into a smile and his face 510 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: blossomed with wrinkles. Now. He looked up at Manny. What 511 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:28,120 Speaker 1: have you been up to, my dear boy? Talking to Roland? 512 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: Manny said he agreed to help. By the way, he's 513 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: going to fight. Donald Ferris's smile turned into a frown. 514 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,880 Speaker 1: Manny hadn't been expecting that. How did you do it, 515 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 1: he asked, in a somber, grave voice. We just talked 516 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,200 Speaker 1: for a while, Manny said. He explained why he didn't 517 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: want to fight. It sounded very reasonable. Manny paused, and 518 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:52,199 Speaker 1: then made the choice to lie just a little. I 519 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 1: wasn't trying to change his mind. I didn't ask him 520 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: to help. That last part was true. At least. I 521 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 1: do feel bad, though, I'm sure he changed his mind 522 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 1: because of me. Is it really on you if he 523 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 1: chooses to fight? Sasha asked, I killed two men. Both 524 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: of those deaths are on me. But you didn't order 525 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 1: Roland to do anything. No. Donald Ferris agreed, But I 526 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: doubt Roland would have made the decision to intervene if 527 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: Manny hadn't pressed. That's probably true, Manny admitted. Donald looked 528 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:25,440 Speaker 1: from Manny to Sasha. There's a war ritual peculiar to 529 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:28,399 Speaker 1: the men and women in whatever's of this community. I 530 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:32,959 Speaker 1: think you'd benefit from seeing it. A ritual, Sasha asked, 531 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: not a religious one, I assure you, but yes, they 532 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: call it their war ritual. He extended a hand out 533 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 1: to the field around Rolling Fuck. Many looked out at 534 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: it for the first time since coming out here and 535 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: realized that people seem to be packing up right now. 536 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: Donald said, the citizens are packing up their tints and 537 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: their arvis and preparing the city for departure. It's moving 538 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: out with their army. They'll drive that thing. He jerked 539 00:28:57,360 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: a thumb in the direction of the city of Wheels, 540 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: right up to the damn battlefield. It'll be behind them 541 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: the whole time they're fighting. I think they've stole the 542 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: idea from the ancient Celts. Anyway, he said. Once the 543 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: cities in position, they'll open up these little boxes that 544 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: look quite a lot like bee hives, and they'll let 545 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: out a swarm of about a thousand little drones. Those 546 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 1: are mostly just facial recognition cameras attached to wings and 547 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 1: a wee engine. They'll record everything and send data on 548 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 1: the faces of every enemy fighter to a central computer 549 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: in the city. What did does that do, Manny asked, 550 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:34,720 Speaker 1: It gives us a chance to identify those men or women, 551 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: so we can scrape their social media profiles and display 552 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: pictures and videos from their lives. Once they die, the 553 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 1: whole city, everyone who isn't fighting, turns out to watch that. 554 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: That sounds fucking terrible, Manny said, what do we gain 555 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: from watching the home movies of dead men? A memorial? 556 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: Manny didn't understand, but he could see that Donald Ferris 557 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 1: was revving himself up for an involved explanation. He let 558 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: the old man speak. I was a small child when 559 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: my country invaded a Rack, along with the United States 560 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,840 Speaker 1: and a few other nations. The war was news, yes, 561 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: but that's all it was. Even our own soldiers were 562 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:15,880 Speaker 1: more numbers than real people. I'd hear that two Royal 563 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:18,600 Speaker 1: Marines had died in a roadside bombing, and it meant 564 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 1: less to me than when my neighbor broke his legs 565 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:24,520 Speaker 1: slipping down the stairs. War isn't like that for us, 566 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: Manny said, I don't know anyone in Austin who hasn't 567 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,560 Speaker 1: lost a friend or family to the fighting. It affects 568 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 1: us all, So it does, my boy, So it does. 569 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 1: And if any of our warriors die to day, you 570 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 1: can bet it'll affect everyone in this social experiment we 571 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 1: call a city. But you didn't let me finish. The 572 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 1: first thing that was truly toxic about my childhood knowledge 573 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 1: of war is that it erased the other side. Our 574 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,719 Speaker 1: boys didn't do body counts, so there were seldom reports 575 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 1: on how many civilians we killed, how many enemy fighters died. 576 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: That information was out there, but you had to look hard. 577 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 1: Most people never did. Donald Fairish shrugged and then winced 578 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: from the motion. It's easy to get people to care 579 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 1: about their own soldiers, but if you want to stop wars, 580 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: or at least make them less common, you've got to 581 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 1: get people to give a shit about the soldiers on 582 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,120 Speaker 1: the other side. That, my young friend, is where your 583 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: people are even worse than my own. You're close enough 584 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 1: to the war to not just feel indifferent about these 585 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: martyrs marching off to die. You actively want them to die. 586 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 1: That's understandable, but it's also poisonous. When you dehumanize others, 587 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 1: you become less human yourself. Many nodded, not sure of 588 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: what to say. In my youth, Donald Ferris continued, the 589 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 1: country that occupied this continent was the most powerful nation 590 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: on earth. They held the keys to the deadliest military 591 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: machine ever constructed. It was easy to get Americans to 592 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 1: support involvement in a thousand little conflicts because each only 593 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 1: required a small fraction of the nation's military power and 594 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,840 Speaker 1: only risked a few American lives. But millions of people 595 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,240 Speaker 1: around the world died, women and children and old men 596 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: and dumby young boys, from Yemen to Turkey to Guatemala. 597 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 1: To justify those murders, Americans had to make those people 598 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:10,480 Speaker 1: less than human. And once they've done that, it wasn't 599 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 1: such a great jump to do it to their neighbors. 600 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 1: He stared up at the setting sun, and Manny saw 601 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: tears in his eyes. What you're going to see tomorrow 602 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 1: is the best attempt I've seen so far to bridge 603 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: the empathy gap between the people and their folds. Hey, 604 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 1: I'm Robert Evans. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I 605 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: hope you enjoyed the chapters to come. You can find 606 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: the free e pub of every chapter and eventually the 607 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,320 Speaker 1: whole book at a t r book dot com, complete 608 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: with illustrations. If you want to support me in writing 609 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 1: the sequel, you can crowdfund me at After the Revolution 610 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 1: The Sequel at go fund me just type and go 611 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: fund me after the Revolution the Sequel. Um, I'd like 612 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: my books to always be free, so I'm just going 613 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,719 Speaker 1: to try to crowdfund the next one and see how 614 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 1: that works. So after the Revolution the Sequel on go 615 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 1: fund me. You can all so find the community of 616 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 1: fans of this book online at our slash after the 617 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 1: Revolution on Reddit. So after the Revolution the Sequel and 618 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 1: go fund me and our slash after the Revolution on Reddit. 619 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: A t r book dot com for the whole book. 620 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: Thanks