Steampunk

Chapter IV

In 5 hours we had docked at Icreses Capital, Kakuri. At the docks small and large areoships were refuelling. Sailors bulsted around carring boxes of supplies and ammuntition. Across the docks there was a large gate saying 'Welome To Icreases.' People walked to and from the town a the docks, familes and sailors. I was escorted by the men of arms on the ship towards the exit where a horse drawn carriage pulled up, ready to take me to the barracks. I got in and the carriage started to move towards the centre of town. The people of Kakuri had not changed one bit. The market place was as bizzy as usall, people shouting out to the crowds to come and buy there supplies. Some people were standing on little podiums un the middle of crowds, shouting out there belifs. After that there was a church, with people filling in. The religion in Icreses was a complicated affair with more that ten main religions. I tried to stay as far away as possible as I did not want it to get in the way of my job. The punishments were strict and sometimes you were even expelled for beliving in a spipic religion. I did not want to get involved. Five minates later we arrived at a long wooden fence the marked the beging of the milatry base. The fence turned in to make a large road leading to the gate where they would check your ID and let you in. Soon we had arrived at the pollgate and the driver had asked me to dismount. I walked up to the wooden barricade and turned, knocking at the glass. A man with a large brown beard walked up with a tired expression on his face. "ID?" He asked holding out his hand trough the hole in the glass. I looked around in my pockets and soon my hands felt somting rectaular and I brought It out for the guards to see. He nodded and walked out of the door in the side to open the gate with his keys. It slowly opened and walked in towards my barrack. People around me were training and I saw sweat running down their faces and someone with a large scar across his face. He had ovisloly been in more battles than I could imagen being in evn though I had tried three times to retake North Trelinster. I saw I sign saying to barracks D to F. My barrack was barrack E so I followed the path down to my home. People looked at me with a funny expression on there face, as I was a rare vistiter here. Soon I found my barracks. It was a simple affair, with corrigatited iron as a roof and wooden planks as walls. Inside there was a small fire at the back and four metal bunk beds with the covers nicly made. As I said before I rarly came here so the men that lived here usally would know me but would need some remiding of who I am. The other people that inhabitied the barracks would'nt be back till late as the training and exercises wouldn't end till twelve ish. I jumped up to the bed nearest to me and threw my belonging up. It landed with a satifling thump. I then crawled up myself and lay on my back and slowly went to sleep...

I woke up in the morning and slowly adjusted myself to the light and remided myself where I was. The other inhabitants had already left for breakfast or training so, again, I was alone. I jumped down and hastily threw my things on, realing that I was late for breakfast.

In ten minates I had arrived at the mess hall. The noise was unbearable but I had to deal with it I If I was going to meet Corneal Laurnence on a full stomach. I went up to the front with a metal barred tray and asked for the breakfast. A rather old lady squinted at me and the put her ladle in the food I had pointed at. She poured the Porrige on my bowl and handed it to me, expressionless. I recievied the bowl had walked to the table that had the least people on it. I managed to find a table with one ,an at the end who was reading a book and another eating his porridge rather vigoursly. I ignored them and put my spoon in the porridge and took a massive mouthful. The porridge felt good scince I had not eaten cince our boat journey to Kakuri.

I turned my head and caught the man opposite me staring and he quickly turned away. I smiled to myself, thinking that all the people here were'nt as hard as they made out. I finished my porridge and started for the door. A shout came up from one of the tables I had walked past and yelled "Look who it is boys. The person who ruined our future!" Cheers came up from other tables but I realised that some of them were qute half-heated. This man ovislly commanded a lot of disiblen. Decided it was best not to start a fight inside a milatry base, I ignored him. The man jumped out from his table and held my sholder while shouting at me saying "Don't run away from me scamp. I could snap your bones in one strike!" As he rose his hands to punch me round the face I swung my leg around and hit him dead on the stomach. Enraged by this, he launched another clumsy punch and I dodged it and ran my fist into his face. He fell to the ground, holding his nose. Cheering rose from the tables around me but it did my best to ignore them as I walked out of the door and went to my appointment before Corneal Laurence got wind of what just happened.

A car was waiting at the Toll Gate for me. I walked quickly towards it hiding the tear in my clothes that the bully had ripped off of me. My ceremonial sword hung loosely from my belt, its diamond incrusted hilt showing. I wore full army dress, without a helmet as hiding your face was considered a sign of disrespect. I clambered in the car and sat down, making sure my sword wasn't poking into the leather interior. We started of down a different route than yesterday and I notecied the difference of people as we drove further into the more rich area of Kakuri. The tradition was that Corneals were expected to keep a long distance from other solders. As I was a Corneal now, I was probably expected to do that to but I had grown use to soldiers and had shared a couple of battles with them as well. Fannialy we drew up to HQ. It was quite impressive but it looked abandoned as the windows showed no sign of light threw them. Two men at the door noiteced me and came to attendtion and holstered their axes. I nodded, signalling them to relax and the they lowed their axes. One walked forward and pushed opened the door and light flooden in. I could see a hallway and two doorways leading off. Talk came from the door on the right so I followed it. AS I walked in I notecied the large table that was being used for a xxx. Standing behind it was Corneal Laurence and his two senior officers. I stood to addition but was reminded that I was equal in rank to Corneal Laurence. The two officers saluted me, oviosly rembering what rank I was. Corneal Laurence shook his head in disappointment. "We cernaly got distryoed there, didn't we. After all the men we commided, and all the resources we subblied, we still failed in our quest. What shall we do now, Corneal Sam?" He said, laying stress on the word Corneal.

"I don't know sir. As you said we commideten all of out troops towards that campaign but, as usall it failed. They outwitted us, sir." I said, the sorrow laid thick on my voice.

"DON'T SAY THAT! YOU CALL YOURSELF A CORNEL BUT YOU BELIVE THAT THEY OUTWITTED US! THEY MOST CERNALLY DID NOT!" He yelled back at me, that anger flooding out. "I'm very sorry, sir. But this time it didn't pull off." I replied, trying to hold the anger back.

"SORRY ISN'T GOING TO BRING THE 1500 MEN BACK FROM THE DEAD! I'VE GOT A MISSON FOR YOU. A KIND OF PUNISHMENT FOR YOU FAILING ME. THE DETAILS WILL BE AT YOUR BARRACKS THE MOMENT YOU GET BACK!" He shouted at me and then gestured at me to leave, his anger spent.

As I turned to leave, he spoke again. "And please stop getting in fights. You'll make every one hate you." Then I left Sinwood Manor and got in the car that was waiting for me on the drive. The driver, seeing that I was upset opened his mouth to ask something but shut it again suddenly. I was exited to find out what the mission was but hearing his voice, I was guessing it was not going to be fun.