Ashes to Ashes we all fall down.....

Duvnar signaled Zane and Gwazi before they followed the others towards the bunker.

((Cared said he was going to be gone for a while so I'll just say they are following))

Icos and the girl also followed the Rangers not fully trusting them and still willing to bail if they became trouble.

When the night came Ali and the rest were forced to settle for the night in the side of a hill. The rain came down hard as the storm above poured down as much as it could. Ali took the advantage and set out a rusted bucket he found in the desert walk and let it sit. They all didn't have to worry about being seen because of how far they were into the wasteland no one dare tread without a reason so Ali made a fire in which all sat near.

Marcus kept looking at Elisa looking at her beauty and just being amazed a girl in this circumstance could manage to look as gorgeous as she. It sent a shiver down his spin that he couldn't ever have a partner in this waste like her....

James took the Kevlar off and placed it under his head as he laid back near the fire. He pulled out a deck of cards and asked the young lad Gwazi if he wanted to play a game of cards.

(ooc- okay, where exactly are we? Since you didn't seem to in the exposition post, I went ahead and tried to make the scene cold, and somewhere north of Little Egypt [Southern Indiana] outside a major, ruined town. I was just trying to create a setting which would help me build my characters, what with the scene with the jacket and such. However, we seem to have differing opinions of what the scene actually was. So, mr. GM, where are we?)

"What are you dealing there, Ranger?" Icos Moved around the fire to a place at which he could sit and be a part of the game. "When we got our time in the outposts after a good long trek of mapping and a hell of a pay from Jenisen, I would gamble a bit with some brothers in the halls on games of Shang-hai. Either of you know anything of the sort?"

As Icos socialized, Elisa came to find herself scrutinized by one of the larger of the Phoenix men. She gave him a friendly smile, though beneath a kindly face with shadows thrown upon by the warm fire she was wary and nervous. Aileen and Icos had put a fear of men like him into her. She moved close to Icos, placing herself upon his shoulder. Still, her glittering eyes glanced to the Ranger constantly. Her mind racked itself, trying to decide whether or not he would be a danger. In the end, her yearning to give him a chance overcame the instilled fear. If nothing goes correctly, as she always though, she will have the quick rifle of Icos to steal her away from the danger. Icos hated when she took risks.

(ooc- I would try and post more on this, but this is the last post that I'll have for a week. Don't go too far into this, please)

((Haha I wasn't being specific so that you guys could use your imagination to put us wherever you wish. But I just pictured post-apocalyptic world as desert....darn you fallout!!!! and I will try to keep the posts small until you get back in a week.))

James said he didn't know anything about Shang-hai and asked if Icos could explain how to play. Ali watched everyone wondering how people with completely different backgrounds could act in such a way as if everything was okay and there was no danger in living to see tomorrow.

Marcus noticing a little discomfort in Elisa said to her," You don't have to be afraid of me, one thing you can always rely on a ranger for is honesty....if you can't trust us for anything else." He then stood up walked over to his bag, took out a blanket and walked over to Elisa and quickly put it over her and walked away before she could feel frightened by him. He had no intentions of scaring or hurting the girl.

((Okay we are in somewhat of a cave in the side of a hill but it only goes back about 30 feet or so.))

Duvnar and Zane just checked over weapons as Gwazi nodded and said "Sure I'll play cards, what game?".

James asked the boy what games he would like to play.

Ali looked at Zane and asked," So where do you come from? What is your story?"

Gwazi shrugs and says "I don't know, I'm good with anything".

Zane shrugs and replies "I grew up in a Caravan. Raiders attacked when I was 15 and two years later I ran into Duvnar, we paired up ever since".

((listening to "I don't want to set the world on fire" ahhhh.......my fav))

James said okay let's play blackjack I will be the dealer. He then passed out the cards to the people who were playing.

Ali looked at Zane and said, "Ah so you come from a caravan? So did I. It was a dark part of my life right up to when I joined the Coalition and then was promoted and put into the Ranger position.

(ooc- Hellyeah for the Fallout thing. I came up with the characters and backstories that I am using after doing the Reilly's Rangers quest in 3. I'm also using some of the same elements that I have here in the lyrics for my first album)

Elisa wrapped herself in the blanket that was given, muttering "Thank you" with a smile. Icos, noticing the interaction, gave a polite nod to the kindly Ranger as he backed away. Whether or not to trust these Phoenix soldiers had not been swayed by the common words of the man. However, this act of kindness toward Elisa did earn the Ranger respect.
"Han er ikke dårlig." Elisa whispered to Icos.
"Nei, kjærlighet. Men stoler ikke på ham ennå. Jeg vet ikke." He answered quietly.
"Selvfølgelig." Elisa agreed.
Icos now turned back to his game. He analyzed the cards he had been dealt. 15, they added to. "The Caravans," Icos spoke again in English to all of the company, "we avoid them. Unless we are too far from an outpost to wait for supplies. They get around so much, they don't really recognize the local lords. They've not any respect for those who work for Samuel Jenisen. We don't get deals from them like we do the vendors in Little Egypt.
"Now," Icos continued, changing the subject "I don't believe that I have any of your names. I am Icos, this is my sister Elisa. I would also like to know a bit more about where we are going, what's around here, and how well three marauders, a bunch of hopeless romantics, and two soldiers of the nearest regent will get along.
"Oh yes, hit me."

Ali looked at him and said," I don't know if you remember our names but I am Ali, this over here is Marcus, and this is James."
He Then pointed to the insignia on his arm and that of James' and Marcus' and said," I am a Ranger Commander, meaning I am in charge of quite a few rangers....but I was removed from my last post so I am waiting to be placed in command again, Marcus is a Veteran Ranger and James is just a Ranger recruit. "

He stood up and said," As soon as this weather clears up we are leaving to head out to the bunker after bit."

"None of you need to be so hostile! You told each other your names, I wasn't part of the conversation." Icos smiled as he spoke, "However, I think that this does attest to that last question that I posed. Now sit down, Ali, and give me another card already."
"What is the matter?" Elisa raised her voice to all, "A phoenix won't burn in the rain? We can walk through the wet, and we always do."
"It's too cold, Elisa." Icos answered, returning to his protective tone.
"You are the youngest old person I know, Icos. Twenty-one and already your memory is gone. It won't even go back to home."
"Of course I remember home! I'm older than you, I spent more time there."
"And you remember how cold it was there?"
"Yes, but that was only snow for five months straight. Rain gets down deeper into your clothes and your skin, and then you get a hell of a lot colder. Then you die. I won't have that." Icos turned from his sister, looking back at Ali. "All this time and you still haven't given me a card?"

"Sorry, and Elisa He is right we don't have the medicine to treat severe colds you could die from that." he handed him another card and sat down...he looked out at the dark clouds.

Marcus fixed his gaze on Elisa again before pulling out a journal and started sketching her, hoping she wouldn't notice.

The mention sparked Icos' mind. "But you do have some medicines, don't you?" He asked, masking concern as he took the card given to him. A seven of clubs. "Bust."

"Yes we have medicine, just we don't have ample amounts of medicine until the next supply run comes, but that will be a while because it is coming with about 50 men who are coming to set up a small town." He then in a low voice said," I think Marcus is very interested in your sister do you want me to straighten him out?"

50 more men? They are moving in much too fast. Icos thought silently, looking into the face which returned an inquisitive stare. This is not good for any of us.
At Ali's mention of his comrade, Icos turned an eye to the enthralled ranger. The soldier's attention was upon a small book, and he glanced up as secretly as possible every few moments. Icos had not been the only one to notice. Elisa's pale cheeks showed a blush as she ran her knotted hands through her hair, in an attempt to fix the tangles every time she though Marcus was not looking. A smirk passed his blue lips. He spoke lowly to Ali, away from Elisa's ear.
"No, let him have a bit of fun. I think that Elisa is enjoying her modeling career. As much as I try to keep a smile around, a simple pleasure like feeling as beautiful as she should is hard to come by in a world like this. Besides, he is but a little pauper child looking in on a store through the window at some chocolate. Even if he could afford it, which he could never, there would be no way that his mother would allow the boy such a treat. However," Icos' voice grew foreboding, "if the boy tries his luck, the confectioner's eyes will miss naught. And a thieving hand is one which is quickly lost."
Icos pulled back away from Ali with his warning laid out plainly, and returned his attention to who was currently in possession of what cards.

Marcus noticed Ali and the other man talking quietly but didn't pay any attention to it. His full attention was on Elisa and he wished he could impress her but knew there was nothing he could do. All he knew is if she could never have her near he would at least have a picture.

Ali said our nation moving in here may seem threatening but they run by a honest code of conduct. I promise you they will not harm you or your sister.

He then went back to the game at hand.

(ooc- so I wrote a shit load here, but I think that it would be nice if you would read it. It is meant to in-directly characterize Icos through his sharing of thoughts.)

"You don't understand, Ali. The Coalition's moving in will cause more harm than you could ever imagine. It's many a factor which you are not considering." Icos put his cards down, and began to attempt to explain the full extent of their differences. "Life is simple here. Dangerous for some, yes, and less 'civilized' than the saints from Phoenix would have us believe. However, it is simple. We have heard much of ordinary life in Phoenix, and the world which it tries to recreate. I don't, and I think that I can speak for most in Little Egypt when I say that they don't prefer it to how we live now. Honesty means naught. In our lives there is no politics like in yours. No politics in our government, no politics in our society to worry about, unless you create that for your self. There is no social stratification. In the East, you can move down the class ladder quickly, and the constant descent of a few impair any hope for upward motion of the masses. In the West, in Little Egypt, if a man has all of the trading recourses in the entire world and then loses them by next morning, no one cares. He is no better nor worse than any of us whatever his economic situation is, whereas a dramatic fall in monetary worth would spell social doom in the Coalition. And social status there is everything, is it not?

And we cannot forget the politics of the matters. Here, Samuel Jenisen provides the public with safety, information, and outside goods, as do all of the warlords. He pays for my sister and I to have shelter and food and ammunition. He provides this from the outside traders and caravans and such, and the people of the settlement give us deals and goods in a thanks for the service we do to them through our lord. Also, all of our festivals, such as Yule, are payed for in full by Jenisen. Hell, we even get an education, as I hoped that you could tell from my English, when it's not even the language that I spoke first!

There is neither a need to fear a changing regime, as is with an ever dynamic political structure like that of the Coalition. Jenisen protects us, and that's it.

Also is the problem of the violence that would be brought about by the Coalition's effort to move in here. The warlords would oppose it, obviously. The tension between an expanding superpower and a well set system of local regencies would only have one outcome. Not to mention the always apparent factor of the larger power playing smaller ones off one another, leading to internal collapse and in curable social strife between patriots and independents.

There is no way that the Coalition's encroachment could help this area in even the lives of our grandchildren. Not for many and many generations. Only death, both of people, and the work that we have toiled our fingers to the knuckle's bones for. Government pressures would destroy local economies, and social pressures would decimate local culture.

We are from different worlds, Ali. Each has it's benefits and it's downsides, and each works best for where and whom it was meant. I don't look down on the Coalition, and you shouldn't look down on the feudal system we have here."

Icos looked away, and drew deeply of the damp early night. Through the excitement of becoming better acquainted with his new found friends, he had failed to open his ears to the lightening sound of the rain outside. Soon the weather would be more suitable for travel. This was good, as he did not wish to sleep outside this night. There was a desire to make mention of this, but as of the time being he awaiting either a rebuttle or agreeance from Ali, or Gwazi, or Marcus, or someone.

Ali listened ( i really read it lol ) and replied," Yes there would be fights between your feudal system and the Coalition but that is only expected when to forces meet....one ends up absorbing the other...or eliminating the other. It isn't pretty but to be honest some geologist we have had living in this area has seen large amounts of farm-able land which the East needs and they WILL send troops to secure the lands. I was part of a scout force and I learned that we would have to hire or push many people out of their lands in order to gain suitable land to grow food crops." He paused, then stood up, walked over to his bag, pulled out a couple pieces of paper and walked back over to Icos. He handed him the papers and on the front paper it read "Operation Ultimatum". Ali then said," if you read this you will see the plan for the Coalition is to set up relations with these warlords or if they refuse throw everything at them. The warlords will lose...but at great Coalition losses."

"There are already farmers here." Icos looked down at the papers. Between his fingers they felt crisp, and crackled slightly as he attempted to smooth the creases. The ink did not smear as it was run across, nor did it stick between the ridges of Icos' fingertips. The page was smooth, acid free, and a radiant white even in the fire's copper glow. Such high quality. Elisa and he drew their maps on reed parchment with ancient, brittle graphite pencils that had to be found along the way or bought from caravans who had found them along the way.

"Jenisen has us map these lands so that he knows what land can be used for what. Where old stores were and of what they held. Where the Geiger counters still click from the old wars. Where the ash has laid down good soil, and where it is too decimated to plant. What water sources are there to drink, where borders are, all of these things are our job to find so that he can send people to work these lands for the good of the residents of Little Egypt." Icos explained, hoping to further expose Ali to the fact that life was already abundant in the area.

"And when Lammastide comes, everyone cuts down their crops and kills their old stock and comes into the settlement. We have all sorts of fresh foods, and we see all of our friends from the fields and the patrols. There is dancing and we all wear wreaths and thank Lugh for the harvest and pray for next year's yields." Icos smiled with recollection of past festivals, as did Elisa, listening now of the conversation. She had not caught enough of Icos' low rant to be worried for their future.
"Lughnasadh isn't far away, either. What, about a week or two?" Entered Elisa.
"Twenty days. Lammas is almost done. We were actually trying to get a few more square miles into the maps before taking the quickest way back, and being home for the festival."
It was then that Icos realized his duty. Looking back down to the paper in his hands, he concluded: I have to give this to Jenisen when we get back. He has to see this.

(ooc- If it doesn't conflict with any of your plans for this story, I would at some point want to take this back to the Little Egypt outpost. Also, I would very much like to end this damn scene, and get back to the road.)

((Sure we can go there after we finally get to the bunker ))

Ali listened and said," Well maybe they can both exist here without any conflict. That would mean that your little faction or whatever it may be would need to be as docile as possible because the Coalition will try to look for reasons to come and knock down your doors." He Frowned slightly at the thought as he remembered a battle a long time ago that he was in....too far back to talk about though.

He looked outside and noticed the rain had stopped, or moved on...whichever. He walked outside and looked around to see where they were to head next. He then found the east and said," Okay I think we need to leave now."

(ooc- do you have a plan for this Rp, Ali?)

"Great." Icos drew up his cards, and returned them to the stack from whence they came. Holding Elisa by the elbow, he aided her to her feet. He then went to fetch up their pack and guns. As Ali observed the weather conditions of the outside world, Icos discretely folded the Ultimatum papers, and stowed them in his pant's pocket.

Elisa approached Marcus, holding out the blanket she had been wearing around her shoulders. "Thank you, again. I'm Elisa, if you didn't hear." Silently she hoped that his furtive sketching had not been interrupted by the decision to move once more. The flattery had been enjoyable.

((Yup but I am keeping it open so it CAN CHANGE if it must.))

Ali didn't notice Icos putting the papers in his pocket as he was busy picking up all his supplies and getting ready to leave. He then said to Icos," by the way there aren't and procreation problems in your society is there? We are trying to get rid of a lot of Post-War fertility problems." He knew the question would come by as strange but it was a question everyone usually skips.

Marcus said, " Here take this." he handed her the excellently drawn picture. It was almost perfect except for a few mistakes which weren't all that noticable.

They then all started heading outside as they waiting on everyone to grave their stuff.

At the mention of the fertility difficulties, Icos' eyes wandered to his sister. There they held her, as she smiled down at the sketch, morosely. They wandered back to Ali as he spoke: "Slowly, the ones who have problems die. They don't have children, obviously. But while they are alive, no one wants them. They never really... go through some of the process. The word gets out that they aren't fertile. After that, there is no chance of them getting married or having children. The only way for most of them is" Icos stopped. He didn't want to say it, but if it must be told... "prostitution."
The word brought a flinch to Icos. "Then the stigmas just drive them to the fringes of society. Some of them leave, occasionally with a caravan, more likely than not to some doom out in the wastes. It's better than continuing the lives that they live. There are so few now, though, that no one really has to think about it."
At his conclusion, Icos ambled out of the rock crevice in a bit of a depressive haze, his thoughts full of could have and would have beens. It was enough to make him go back and bring Elisa out with an arm about her shoulders. He was glad that he was there.