Part 22: Chapter #11: Thomson's Tragedy, Part 2

Mission #11: Thomson's Tragedy, the Conclusion!

Last Time:

: Blood for the Blood God!



: I...I never meant to cause...harm. I...am disloyal. I deserve...this...fate.
: Why have you done this, Thomson? Why have you betrayed us?
: The nearby...town of Eiza...was recently...captured by...the Imperial...army. My soldiers' families...were there...as was...my wife. They took our...loved ones...hostage...and demanded...our surrender. We resisted...at first. Until the day...when they brought...my beloved spouse...within sight of...our encampment...and killed her. She was...my life. When they...claimed her life...they also claimed...my soul. My soldiers...wanted to...continue the fight...but it...was already over. So I...secretly contacted...the Empire. They agreed to...leave my soldiers' families unharmed...if I managed...to lure you here.
: You did that...for...for US?
: I knew...my soldiers...would have...fought to...the end. But I wanted...no more blood...on my hands. I betrayed their trust...and I thought I...had made...the right decision. Now I...know how...wrong I was.
: Thomson! Save your strength!
: We have medics on the way, sir! You're going to be all right! Please, Thomson...please hold on!
: Thank you...Highness...but I...do not deserve...your aid. I am a traitor...to my men...and my Kingdom. I turned my sword...I cannot...be forgiven. I deserve....only death.
: That's not true, Thomson! You were forced into taking those actions! You had no choice in the matter! You have both my forgiveness and admiration for what you did!
: You are...too kind...Your Highness. I would ask...but one favor...of you...before I pass from this life. Please help...my soldiers...to rescue...their families from...the Empire. I beg you...H...Highness. I do not...want my men...to suffer...as I did.
: Of course, Thomson, but we'll rescue those families together! You will join us in our triumph! You will stand with us...
: Thank you...Your Highness. You are...truly a man...of honor. Goodbye...Prince Bastion...
: Commander!!
: Goodbye, Thomson. The light of your heart shone through even as darkness grasped at your soul!
: Being told of the destruction of this poor man's heart makes me long to crush the Empire even more.
: What a damn waste.
: Thomson's death WILL be avenged. The hostages will be freed!



Man, that last scene was depressing, only one man could cheer me up now...



And here he comes!

: Sir Madoc! I vould speak vith you!
: Hmmmm? Oh, Commander Zakov. It's nice to hear someone else yelling in this hangar for a change.
: Flogging inferior personnel is vone of dhe many benefits dhat come vith a position uff authority.
: No need for insults, Zakov. After all, you want your ATAC to be properly repaired, don't you?
: Alvight, Madoc! I vill get to dhe point! I know you haff been actiff in ATAC design and development...And I vant to use your latest design on my next sortie!
: You want to use the Sharking, eh? Alas, I was forced to cease working on that beauty by Princess Sadira. She claimed that an ATAC designed to kill the pilots of other ATACs crossed the line between war and atrocity.
: I don't care vhat the Princess says, Madoc! I vant dhat ATAC, and I vant it now! Consider it a fielt test, Madoc! Dhink uff all dhe data you vill gather from dhis mission!
: You are a persuasive man indeed, Zakov. The Sharking is in hangar 13. I would make haste to retrieve it. I have a strange premonition that it will be taken into the field without my knowledge. And don't scratch the paint, alright?
: You amuse me, Madoc. Vhen I become dhe leader of dhe Imperial Army, ve vill design many ATACs, you ant I! Farevell!



Well, he got beaten up by a little girl...that had to have been rather humbling.
: (Ah, well. At least now I'll obtain the data I want, and Zakov will receive the punishment when he's caught. And so what if a little paint gets scratched off? Heh heh heh...)



Elsewhere, Bastion is about to bring the hammer down on another Imperial army. But first, it's time....it's time to...to...come on, Dynamo, you can do this...It's time to check in with Sadira.



Oh, this should be riveting...



: What's the matter, Franco?
: Commander Zakov just departed here with Madoc's latest prototype ATAC!
: What?! I ordered Madoc to put that horrible thing into storage forever! It's awful enough that we wage war at all, but to design an ATAC meant to slay enemy pilots?!
Oh, Sadira could have ordered the Sharking destroyed, but she decided that it would be way more effective to keep it around so that everyone could see exactly the sort of ATAC they aren't allowed to build.
: I shudder to think how Madoc's mind operates for him to create something so incredibly evil. And I shudder to think what Zakov will do with it! We have to stop him!
Given Zakov's track record, I imagine he'll say something in his ridiculous accent, get surrounded by my ATAC and then be beaten to death for the XP.
: What do you intend to do, Princess? Even in its prototype form, Sharking is enormously strong!
: I don't know, Franco...But if I don't stop Zakov now, I may never be able to end this war!
: One thing's certain. I won't let her face that scoundrel alone...

Next Time: The Gay Nazi Funk Explosion! _{Note: title may not accurately reflect the contents of the next update}