Rebel Earth No?

[Quaddy]

I know. Poor darling.

[Quaddy]

So...my addition is done. Final page count: 26 and 2/3. Final word count: 16,759.

Doesn't that count as a novella, or something?

[Matt]

Novella is roughly 20K - 50K. Hence why NaNo requires 50K to constitute a novel in a month. haha. So you're sitting on a novellette, as some people say. Or more commonly known as a short story.

[Quaddy]

That is a really long short story.

[Zephyr Shenkiken]

Your adds just get bigger and bigger don't they? lol By the time we get to the third part of the trilogy you won't need us anymore lol.

[Quaddy]

Of course I'll need you guys. A lot of these storylines end with this campfire.

-Colt stays in Miami with Aiden et al, and takes over as leader of the Second American Rebellion.
-Shlomi and Cyril are killed by Ether, who then reports to Omega that Cyril was compromised and that Omega needs to be on high alert. This occurs not long before the attack on Prime takes place.
-Edward will leave with Akiko and that group (minus a couple of them) to France in order to continue their work and separate them from Blarney. We won't see Edward until closer to the end of the third campfire, when he'll lead the political force to begin rebuilding Earth after Omega leaves.
-Ariadne (whom I introduce this round) will end up staying in Rio with Helio and co.
-Max will end up at Prime with Charon (Ascetic has decided to play with the double agent side of his character), and of course they'll be major characters in the third story, but Ascetic can cover that if he decides to join us in round three. If not, I'll use Max to cover Omega/Deklahn with a few interludes with probably Ether.

Of course, some of these characters will continue on in the third campfire, but one POV will be enough to cover a lot of them. Aiden or Colt will cover America, Helio will cover Rio and Ariadne, Max will cover Omega (with a couple from Ether), etc. And then Mia, of course. So that is at least four storylines to cover until we bring them all together at some point.

Like Hell am I writing for Laras and Tada, too.

BTDubs, I saw a picture of Emilia Clarke (who is currently competing with Jennifer Lawrence for Mia in my head) with a half-Asian dude, and I totally was like "MIA AND TADA, HA!" and I think I scared the people at Starbucks...

[Zephyr Shenkiken]

I find it ironic that my joke about your adds being huge elicited a huge answer xD

[Quaddy]

Amusing, not really ironic...but I get you.

Yeah, the point was even your joke made me go O.O because the idea of writing this thing alone gave me heart palpitations...

[Zephyr Shenkiken]

Be still thine heart dear Quaddy, ye shall not be abandoned!

*looks at clock*

It is almost 4 am. I'm up too late zzZZ <(^o^<)==

[Quaddy]

I was still up at about that time, actually. When I don't work the next day, I stay up until my eyes literally cannot stay open anymore. (And I mean that literally literally.)

[Zephyr Shenkiken]

Yeah me too, but I was pushing 24 hours at that point with no nap which is usually when my brain starts to blink out.

[Quaddy]

*nods* I've lost the skills I used to have in college. Apparently, it takes about four years for them to go away completely.

[Quaddy]

So I was framing the Cyril/Shlomi debate the other day, and I think I came up with something that'll work. What do you guys think of this?

Cyril will argue that the government moved from Earth in order remove themselves from a position of bias. They wanted to bring peace and prosperity to the galaxy by uniting them in conquest of other parts of the universe, and allowing the war machine to invigorate the economy. More resources and whatnot. They initially put it to a vote, but the people of Earth (who enjoyed privilege) continually voted it down, so the government decided to do what was best for the entire galaxy and move away from Earth and its biases. Basically, Earth's own sense of importance was holding back the entirety of the galaxy and stuff. And they rose up because they couldn't stand to be out of power. Their rebellion undermined the authority of the Deklahnian government and weakened the sense of strength and unity they were attempting to put forward.

She will also argue that Omega went too far. That while initial punishment for the rebellion was necessary, Earth should have been allowed to move on. Omega has become a cruel organization, especially on Earth, where that cruelty is given free reign as Earth is continually used as an example of what happens when you undermine the stability of the Galaxy.

Shlomi, on the other hand, will tell the story from Earth's POV. That the government wanted to bring peace to the galaxy by engaging in never-ending wars of conquest. That they wanted to form a stronger central government in order to take away the autonomy of the individual planets; that they valued peace and stability (food) over the freedom of these individual planets to make their own way (freedom). The government on Earth voted against such measures, but the faction that favored such measures made their move essentially overnight, running away to a distant planet and doing what they wanted anyway. Several of the more militaristic planets supported the move, and a number of the CIA/MI6-type organizations were recruited to become the core of the original Omega. Earth decided that they had failed in their duty. That they were the heart of the galaxy, and bore the responsibility for their government, so they rose up to make things right. They rose up because tyrannical governments deserve to be risen up against, and a government that would do what it wanted in spite of the peoples' wishes...well, that is tyrannical.

He will argue that food and peace are all well and good, but giving up one's freedom for ease of living...well, that's a sort of death. Freedom is difficult, and it requires self-policing and constant vigilance and sometimes it means dealing with less-than-ideal situations. To give it up for comfort and stability is to prove yourself unworthy of the task.

In the end, Cyril will decide to side with Shlomi and return to the Rebellion. But Ether will find out, kill them both, and alert Omega to a possible breach in security. They won't find out about Rio, but they will prepare Prime for a possible attack.

Poor Shlomi...

[Matt]

I'm... going to deal with this at work tomorrow. 0.0

[Quaddy]

Yeah...I know. So long, it took two additions...

[Quaddy]

Also, we'll need to collectively work out how the infiltration at the end will work. Dissemblers are out as Prime is prepared for that sort of thing (unless the Rebellion develops a new kind of dissembling tool that Omega hasn't seen yet, of course), and we need to make sure that they can get in and infiltrate without alerting Prime: Tokyo and the rest of Gaian Legion know it happened.

Do they just kill everyone and take over as if nothing happened? Do they kill a few people and replace them with spies? (I like the second option better, as it is more viable.) They obviously need a contingent of fighters/soldiers to protect the spies/infiltration team, which is why Mia et al would be there, but we need to figure out the effect the weaponized Pythia would have. Does it, when combined with a less lethal synterine (which is what Erik will use to stabilize the Pythia), cause people to go into a sort of suggestible stupor, during which the Rebels can infiltrate the station? Like...get in, kill the people, replace them with the rebels and make it look as though there were a battle?

I do know that a combination of the Pythia and Synterine would put people into a stupor/unconsciousness and affect their memories in some way. So that's how we'd have to use it. If people go into a semi-conscious state, perhaps the Pythia would act on their mind in such a way that the chaos around them (a battle, as I assume not everyone would be affected by the airborne toxin) would convince them there was a battle. Or something to that effect...

I know it all goes to shit and is a huge battle that kills most people and ends up with Charon being taken (as per Ascetic's request) and Max being the only one to successfully infiltrate. But we need to have a plan that would make sense...that it could actually work if shit didn't get ruined by Ether.

As to why Mia and would be paired with Max (which is necessary for the way he infiltrates and why Mia is so close to death when Laras finds her)...I was thinking that the infiltration team would be split among the soldier groups in order to protect them and something to that effect. And Charon was originally meant to stay behind, but attaches himself to Mia's group both because Laras is no longer going and because he doesn't quite trust her. (Ascetic wanted a scene where Charon finally sort of...approves of Mia before he is taken/reinfiltrates Omega, so he has to be with her.)

So, I have some stuff figured out, but we need to figure out the details of the infiltration in a way that makes sense. I mean, soldiers are there as a just-in-case some people aren't susceptible to the Pythia/Synterine match-up, and to keep the spies/infiltration team safe. They're meant to go in, kill some people, make it look like there's been a battle (perhaps with dummy bodies or some creative hacking work to make some of the lower level Omega soldiers look like they're Rebels or something), and get the infiltration team into place. So maybe that's why there's not a HUGE fighting force, making it so easy for Omega to decimate the force?

What sayeth the group?

[Matt]

I like the idea of there being a sort of suggestibility to the Pythia/Synterine mix - like a liquidised imperio. And like you, Q, I think that the operation would benefit from the second option. A kind of infiltration whereby a few people get in, kill off relevant individuals and take their place.

And don't forget the Russians and the Spanish btw. I know you're all focused on Rio etc but they're a big part of this operation's failure right? So keep them in mind whilst we're planning this?

My first thought is that the actual event needs to be a sleight of hand. It needs a double bluff - with everyone looking at the battle whilst certain people are killing off the important people. I'm also thinking that it should be only a handful of people that know it's a double bluff. The Round Table at most. This would mean that Mia's relation with Charon could come to the fore in Laras' absence. Her just being a footsoldier at the time - not being privy to the full plan at first could mean that Charon has to bring her into the 'infiltration' group rather than the 'soldiers' group closer to the time - making her position even more precarious. Maybe it's even during the battle when the Russians don't turn up and he needs someone to step in really quickly and Laras is awol too and so he grabs Mia.

Maybe?

That way the real plan would be distract & infiltrate whilst everyone else is off using suggestion things to 'spread doubt' or something in the OMEGA forces...

I'm reading lots of spy literature at the moment so I'll have more ideas soon.

[Quaddy]

Well, Rio's role in the infiltration is more that they steal information that's used in compiling the file. Along with Ariadne's information, Erik's weaponized Pythia/Synterine airborne mixture, soldiers and spies from around the world, and anything else they can get from anyone. It's a group effort. Rio's importance to the story is actually in being a stopover on the way to America, and in the development of a world wide network. Helio sort of takes over the initiative once Charon has to reinfiltrate Omega, but it's a global project.

I know the Yeats are the spies, right? With the French as the hackers? So the French will probably be a big part of the global network with Helio and Charon, as well as creating the identities for the infiltration teams for Prime. The Russians could be a big part of the distraction--sowing terror is their thing yes?--and then, between Omega knowing they're coming and the Russians not turning up, things go to hell. Their fighting force is divided with the larger group handling the distraction (and this half is wiped out entirely) and the smaller part handling the infiltration (and most of this group is killed, as well). Perhaps Mia is initially part of the battle half, but Charon decides to bring her into Prime with the infiltration group?

What do the Spanish do again? Are they spies, as well? They could be the heart of the infiltration force, along with Max. So we have Russians distracting, Spaniards infiltrating, Frenchmen hacking/coding, etc. And the Irish helping to lay the groundwork for the whole plan, preparing the way, etc. And Erik creating the serum. Oh, and the Americans supplying the uniforms and whatnot necessary for the infiltration team.

[Matt]

Hmmm the Spanish aren't really a big faction - a bit like how America is pro-Dehklan, the Spanish are primarily not involved in the Gaian revolution - my Miguel is part of it only because he was recruited by the French. But the original Spanish rebel faction (in the first revolt that failed) saw huge chunks of the population vanish. There's not real concentration of them. BUT what Miguel found was the old Barcelona base from the first revolution. It's hidden in some old catacombs under the city. So yeah - no real faction from Spain, just individuals who are involved in the blackmarket, information trades etc. Think of it as a sort of Cold War zone - no one talks about sides because no one is safe there. I think if push comes to shove and there looks like there's a chance of winning, more people from there would come out of the woodwork though.

So yeah, the French have the best of computer technology - they have the systems closest to those used by Omega because Germany (which has a large faction of rebels but have bases mainly in mountainous, difficult terrains) is the main supplier of tech in Europe and the rebels there concentrate on getting software and such out into France. Then France deals with the hacking and supply of other rebel factions. There are the Lapontes in France, they've been talked about a lot but haven't shown face yet. They could be introduced in Revolution Earth when espionage and such are in the fore.

And the Yeats are spies - they're tough old shadows. And they trade in information. I think they're quite secretive because they're broad daylighters. But meh we're talking over the same thing again with them hahaa.

I agree with the Russians - distraction is their game. They're old fashioned 'terrorist freedom fighters' because they don't care who gets in their way when they're making a point. People who don't fight are basically also the enemy. I think they also have a strong hierarchy. Do you know much about Russian crime gangs? Think of it that way. Which means that with Laras' dad at the head, he's had to forsake his family for the Family. Make sense? Even though Laras is his bloodkin, he's not his son in name (in the eyes of the Family). I reckon we need to concretise this 'distraction' concept more though.

Plus there's a part of me that thinks - there should be a purpose to the 'distraction' - like 'we will do x and x will do y but it will ALSO allow us to do z'. No?

[Quaddy]

Agreed. So...who do we want at the forefront of this infiltration group? A variety of spies/infiltration specialists from around the world?

I know Russians are insane because most of my undergrad years were actually spent taking Russian history and not American history, and they're a crazy bunch. Part of me wants people dressed all in black carrying brooms and dog heads to appear at some point in this campfire. Or, at least, an homage to the Oprichnik.

Figuring all this out should probably be the subject of a round table of sorts between you, me, and Zeph...with Ascetic joining when he gets back to internet-landia. The Russians not showing up to be part of the distraction will ruin most of it (almost everyone is killed and only Max and Charon get in), but perhaps the decimation of the fighting force takes long enough that a third group is able to do something else. So...the big show is all but a disaster, but something good happens that gives us a glimmer of hope.

And perhaps the Russians not showing up is what leads Laras to rush back? Or do they not tell him as he's not quite 'one of us'. (Sorry...had a Freaks moment.)

[Matt]

Yes on the Round Table.

I think the 'distraction' should be an actual mission - maybe an attack on a food supplier, which should then draw enemy attention enough to create space for our gang... hmmm... something that would be a huge rebel moral boost and which can later be manipulated into a good rally-cry. Or, conversely, something that without would basically doom the others. An attack on the source that deactivates dissembler material maybe.

I'm still tossing ideas round. And I'm a little foggy atm. Work is so mean to me. I spent six hours punching holes into laminated name tags (for authors but still...)

[Quaddy]

It'd have to be something Omega wouldn't be expecting. Ether is going to put them on high alert for an attack of some sort, so...Omega worldwide is going to be expecting something. Then again, we could use that against them. If there's a huge attack headed by the Russians in another part of the world, Omega might think that's the attack Ether warned them about (or at least that's the idea). Perhaps an attack on a prison? That way, if they manage to succeed on that one, they'll free hundreds of trapped Rebels. And the Russians back down and never show up, forcing Charon to reroute some troops meant for the Prime attack to the distraction (lest they are overwhelmed entirely). This means Charon needs to recruit Mia to lead a team at the last minute (instead of just being a member of a team) and to use people like Max and Tada (who ordinarily wouldn't go) and Colt (whom he isn't sure he trusts). And it makes the team smaller, with fewer fighters for every spy, meaning they're relying more on the Pythia/Synterine mix.

[Matt]

Exactly. Something like a prison would be perfect because it would have an obvious effect. Likewise - food suppliers, intergalatic embassies etc etc. Maybe the plan is even for people all over the world to be creating small skirmishes/battles that are then meant to lead to the big one. Basically, trying to show that they can succeed and succeed. But then the big finale (the prison?/Russians) don't show. So... yeah. Or perhaps they choose to do something else instead. They need a reason for not committing/pulling out beyond 'we are the Russians, no one tells us what to do'. I think it needs to be a sort of 'we know you're not telling us everything and etc' no?

I'm working on getting through this. Work has been a bit manic this week but should slow down tomorrow as we've finished the project we were working on now. =)

[Quaddy]

We'll need to sit down and hammer out the details. I prefer the idea of one, big attack as a distraction (though smaller attacks around the world in order to confuse/infuriate Omega leading up to the distraction is a good idea) as Ether has warned them to expect something big. This makes the WWN Charon wants REALLY important, as being in constant contact with one another is what is going to make this whole thing work. Omega doesn't think the rebellion is all that organized, and Charon's new network is going to toss all that on its head. Everything will be coordinated and well-struck, leading up to the distraction and then the attack on Prime. When the Russians pull out (for whatever reasons we figure) of the distraction (which is imperative and must happen to keep Omega from looking for the main attack on Prime), Charon has to scramble any nearby troops (including some meant for Prime) to the attack/liberation effort at whatever prison we choose. I was thinking somewhere on the Crimea (lots of fighting over the Crimea). This leaves the main attack (which is meant to be more of an infiltration and less of a battle) short, and the Pythia/Synterine (we need a name for that) compound even more important. Charon is forced to bring in people he wouldn't have wanted to include/lead (like Mia, Tada, Colt, himself) and make the fighting force smaller.

PARAGRAPH BREAK

Actually, I was thinking that this is a good opportunity to bring in some of the people at Blarney whom Mia has trained. A group of hackers/spies who can defend themselves is better than nothing. So Friedrich, Akiko (whose death, if she is one of the dead, would really break the relationship between Edward and Mia), Hector and a bunch of people at Blarney could potentially get brought in on this. Anyone with fighting experience.

[Quaddy]

Also...what did everyone think of the argument between Cyril and Shlomi I had planned? Does any of that sound legit?