A note before I get into this… With the end of the semester I'll be able to get back into writing regularly, sorry for the long gap between parts I was just to busy and exhausted to write this story. But now I'll be able to put out an average of a part per day, anyway, now what you actually came here for... _____ [i]The throneroom is a dark room, lit only by torches lining the sides of the room, the walls are decorated with trophies of past battles such as weapons and skulls. At the far end of the room Ult sits upon his throne, fully clad in his tachyon suit. Across him stands his trusted lieutenant, Watson, also in full tachyon armour. Between them is a simple wooden table with a hand drawn map of the region, complete with markers representing settlements and bandit outposts[/i] Watson: “so far informants and raiding parties haven't been able to find the bounty hunter and defender, if we continue to push raiding boundaries farther we run the risk of losing parties.” Ult: “so what if a couple of them die? I want those two found.” Watson: “so be it, there is another matter we have to address…” Ult: “the scythe carrier?” Watson: “the scythe carrier. They will be more difficult to pin down, and we do not know their part in this.” Ult: “likely another bounty hunter, I'd bet the next raiding party’s haul on it.” Watson: “regardless of their intention they are a threat-” [i]Watson is cut off by a shouts from outside the throne room, accompanied by a short burst of gunfire.[/i] Ult: “what the hell is going on out there?!” Watson: “I’ll find out, shouldn't take long.” [i]Watson runs out of the throne room, then rounds a corner and bursts through an exit into the strongholds courtyard. The scene in the courtyard is on the edge of chaos, groups of bandits are gathered up, weapons drawn facing down a figure who is obscured to Watson’s view. A pained yell can be heard over the crowd, pushing his way through Watson finds himself staring down a figure covered in bulky armour with a full head helmet complete with a gas mask looking apparatus. The figure has his foot pressed onto the back of a bandit preventing him from crawling away. Noticing Watson’s approach the figure looks up to meet his gaze.[/i] ???: “are you in charge of this group?” Watson: “perhaps, who wants to know?” ???: “...a messenger, you may refer to me as Hammer. Now answer my question.” Watson: “why should I? I have you outnumbered, surrounded, and out gunned.” Hammer: “heh, I hoped you’d say that…” [i]hammer draws a revolver from his hip and in one swift motions fires it into the head of the bandit under his foot, then with his other hand draws a mace from his back. Watson nods to the bandits nearest to him and they charge at hammer, eager to kill. The first of the bandits brings his rusty sword up, but in doing so exposes his torso to a strike from Hammer’s mace, shattering his ribs and knocking him into the dirt, before hammer can follow up the second bandit brings his club down murderously aiming for a quick kill. Hammer deftly moves to the side, brings his revolver up and fires it into the bandit’s face at point blank. At this point the first bandit has regained his footing, bleeding viciously from the side but standing on sheer force of will and adrenaline. The bandit aims a stab at hammer however it is clumsy and slow. Hammer parries it easily, then pivots and kicks the bandit in the chest knocking him onto his back, then finishes him off with a bullet through the heart.[/i] Hammer: “anyone else want a go? Or can I say what I came to say?” Watson: “speak.” Hammer: “not to you, I'm here to speak to the boss.” Watson: (sighing) “fine, but if you try anything I'll kill you.” Hammer: “you can try.” [i]Watson leads hammer through the stronghold and into the throne room, to where Ult is waiting.[/i] Watson: “this is the cause of the noise from earlier, he says he’s a-” Hammer: “I can introduce myself thank you.” Watson: “...” Hammer: “the name is hammer, I am here to make you an offer on behalf of The New Dawn, you and your merry group will be in service to our military, in return we will outfit you with technology and keep you supplied.” Ult: “why should I answer to you? I've already carved out my territory, why the hell should I agree to losing it?” Hammer: “because if you don't, this base, you, and everyone here will burn. There is no room for resistance.” __________ Choice for Ult/Watson You can either Agree to Hammer’s offer (New equipment, loss of independence) Refuse (bandit empire remains free, at the cost of conflict)