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Scotland, The Brave, the strong and the Free

AT THE FACILITY


An hour later, Range was about to embark on another journey…Brittany-New Hope. As he stepped toward the chamber he heard a woman’s wail. He only sort of listened to what followed

WAILING WOMAN: “It can’t be…Henri and Mary both dead…

FACILITY AGENT: Come with me Mrs. Travers…

At the time, Range didn’t give the incident a second thought, other than feeling bad about the woman’s loss. He would have gone over to the women to console her, but he soon was being rushed…almost pushed toward the transportation chamber by one of Walcott’s agents.

WALCOTT: I wish you would reconsider taking another journey, Lillith is still out there you know.

RANGE: If that’s so…why do I feel you want to get rid of me…(To the agent) stop pushing…(to Walcott) besides read the contract…because of my contributions to the project I get free rides for the rest of my life.

Walcott then stopped to reflect on what Range had just said.
 
Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Free

THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND

ANGUS: So, I guess it’s me and you Mildred.

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MILDRED: MOO!

ANGUS: This is a good enough place for us stay for the meantime. Who knows maybe master Range will one day return to this very spot. In fact, he may show up at any moment.

Angus looked about as if to find Range.

ANGUS: Well, maybe tomorrow he’ll show up…eh?
 
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Thank you very much.

Stay tuned...there's more to come.
 
Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Free

BRITTANY:

Range’s contributions for Brittany really didn’t amount to much. In fact, whatever heroics he performed became shrouded by the populace’s view of him as a traitor to their cause.

So strong was their conviction against Range, he soon began to feel guilty for what was the right action for him to take to save Brittany from utter ruin.

Right from the very start Brittany was besieged by France.

Range’s beginning was as a simple Catholic brother, or monk at the Finistere Military School.

Range gazed into a mirror at himself and wondered why the Facility would think it appropriate for him to be a monk and not a fighting man. Of course, he did have his sword and dirk even though his chores was suppose to be limited to kitchen duties.

At times he would steal away and go to watch the young cadets learn sword tactics. The more he watched he became all the more convinced that their tutor was a complete idiot.

RANGE: NO…NO…NO…keep your arms close to your body…

TUTOR: Stop…(to Range) And, what do you think you’re doing?

The tutor slowly walked up to Range.

TUTOR: Let the sword instructor do the instructing and let the kitchen attendant attend to kitchen needs.

The tutor thinking that the issue was finished turned and began to return to his students.

RANGE: At times, you have to wonder who should be the sword instructor and who should be attending kitchen needs…

The tutor stormed back toward Range, his nostrils flaring.

TUTOR: If you weren’t a monk.

RANGE: You’d do what…challenge me to a duel? Well, that would be quite foolish on your part I assure you.

TUTOR: If you only had a sword…

Range opened up his monk’s habit to reveal his swords.

RANGE: Do you mean like this one…and this one (Shows dirk)

The tutor took a step back and drew his sword.

TUTOR: UNGUARD!

A monk, happening by realized what was happening, raced to fetch the monsieur (head monk).

The sword play that commence was merely Range playing, taunting the tutor as their swords clashed.

RANGE: Do I sense anger…that’s a major no-no?

The tutor fumed.

RANGE: Your arms are flailing…keep them close to your body. ..and your free hand out of the way. Prise de Fer…

Range forced the tutor’s blade into a new line, allowing him to remove a button from off of the tutor’s shirt.

RANGE: Enough play.

Range traps the tutor’s blade and quickly disarms him. The tip of Range’s blade was soon pressed up against the tutor’s throat.

MONSIEUR: Range…that will be enough!

RANGE: What’s wrong…we were merely playing…

MONSIEUR: I will have a word with you…come with me.
 
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Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Free

BRITTANY:

In the hall, the monsieur did not mince words with Range.

MONSIEUR: You’re no monk Range…by the cut of you I would venture to say you’re a knight of some sort…Am I right? All-be-it a young one.

Range was about to speak, but the monsieur continued.

MONSIEUR: So, why the disguise?

RANGE: I wish I had an answer for you…

MONSIEUR: And, please take off the habit…the other monks might get the wrong idea and start carrying swords.

Range removed his habit to reveal a soldier’s uniform.

MONSIEUR: I figured as much…

Range held out the habit to the monsieur.

RANGE: So, I guess this is so-long.

MONSIEUR: So-long…m-m-m-m…twentieth century slang. And, just where do you think you’re going? I need you here training those young men for war. I want to offer you the job of tutor.

RANGE: You mean I get to work beside him?

MONSIEUR: No, he’ll be leaving us for good…I’m firing him…the man’s a total idiot…a doofus as my granddaughter would say…

RANGE: Say, where are you from?

MONSIEUR: The place where you came from…Why, does that come to you as a surprise…why do you think I kept you around when everybody else wants you gone… and, why I allowed you to keep your swords? I knew…Well?

RANGE: I’ll take the job…(second thought) Do I get to fire him?

MONSIEUR: Be my guest.

Range with a wide satisfied smile, turned and reentered the room.

RANGE: Oh, Tutor…may I see you for a moment.

Range closed the door behind him. A moment later the sounds of a fist fight were heard.
 
Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Free

BRITTANY:

In the months that followed, Range got the cadets in fighting shape.

It was during this time he met the beautiful Ilsa.

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Then, the war came. The French and their allies swarmed over Brittany. Range marched his cadets to the south to the port of Vendee in hopes of hooking up with what remained of the Brittany army.

When word arrived that the Brittany's troops had been wiped out, he boarded the navy ships in the harbor with the cadets and set off to fight the French navy.


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There was just one small sea battle between Brittany and France. Three French transports were caught unescorted in the Straits of Gibraltar. One would escape, one was sunk and the third was captured.


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Work's tittle: "Scuttling of an Navy"

Drawn as the act was taking place by some unknown simpleton.

"All the noble ships were ablaze...to eventually slip down into the watery grave of the straits. With their last gasp of life some would turn their bow downward to slip majestically into their resting place, some would entirely burn until they had been entirely consumed by flames as if they held out hope of being rescued to the very end before disappearing from the surface of the straits; and another merely sank after it split in two when the vessel's hull gave way."

Author: Range - 11 April 1402

The Glory of Victory was short lived as Range’s claim to fame was soon tarnished. With Brittany nearly bankrupt, Range ordered the scuttling of the navy to keep the nation from having to take out a loan to support the navy. Thus, Range the hero of the Straits of Gibraltar quickly became known as a trader to Brittany…
 
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Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Free

BRITTANY:

After the scuttling Brittany navy, Range and his cadets as well as the naval captains and their sailors were rescued by the English. Thankfully, before the start of the war, the English were an Ally to Brittany.

However, the English did not respect their oath to protect Brittany and as such they did not know what to do with the survivors. Frankly, they did not wish to risk a war with the French. So, they knew they had to tread lightly in the area of prisoners and allies.

In an English prison cell, Range, the cadets and the navy captains and the sailors of the Brittany awaited their fate. As they awaited their fate, Range blamed himself for a fool hardy decision.

CADET MICHAEL: Sir…you did what you thought was right.

RANGE: At times, a man can be wrong.

CADET MICHAEL: You know we’d follow you to the end of world if need be.

RANGE: Don’t be so ready to follow a fool. My grandmother use to say Never run faster than your guardian angel can fly…I never understood what she meant until now. (Pause) I just hope my decision to scuttle the navy doesn’t cause the death of a lot of good men…

The echo of the cell door being open rang out.

ENGLISH CAPTAIN: Which one of you goes by the name of Range?

RANGE: That would be me…and, all I ask is leniency for all the men with me.

ENGLISH CAPTAIN: I’ve been sent to inform you that the war between France, its allies and Brittany is over. You and all the men with you are free to return home.

RANGE: And, what of Brittany?

ENGLISH CAPTAIN: Your capital and its province are still free of French rule…all the good it will do. It’s only a matter of time before France decides to pay another call.
 
Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Free

BRITTANY

When Range arrived in Vendee, he found the populace divided. Half didn’t care for war at any cost. The rest would rather die than give up their freedom.

As for IIsa she was glad to have Range back safe and sound at her side. In the weeks that followed Range made deals throughout the region to get arms for the growing army of rebels.

Then, the war that all of Europe knew would be coming, arrived. France attacked Vendee. With the resistance in its infant stages, the French army was virtually unopposed.

From a second story window, Range and IISA sadly watched the French army march triumphantly through the streets of Nantes. IISA crying soon turned and buried her face into Range’s shoulder.
 
Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Free

BACK AT THE FACILITY:

As Walcott and another man named Norman Quarters came by, the controller at the Facility was viewing the touching scene of Range and IISA hugging in the window in Brittany..

QUARTERS: What’s this…a touching scene?

WALCOTT: Yes…Mr. Quarters…we use these screens to keep an eye on our travelers from time to time…with the utmost discretion of course.

QUARTERS: What’s happening?

WALCOTT: Joe…

CONTROLLER: Ah…it looks like Brittany is about to be annexed by France.

QUARTERS: So, their journey is finished…bring them home.

WALCOTT: But sir, Range and IISA’s journey has only just begun.

QUARTERS: Are there others in Brittany?

CONTROLLER: Yes, sir…

QUARTERS: Are they all in the same general area.

CONTROLLER: Let me see…I’ll need to change the screen.

The screen that Joe calls up was a general map that showed all the travelers of the journey as a dot on the screen.

CONTROLLER: They seemed to be all huddled in Nentes.

WALCOTT: The capital of Brittany.

CONTROLLER: (snapped) I know that. How many of them are paid customers.

WALCOTT: Only a few.

CONTROLLER: Free rides…that’s a practice that will be dealt with quickly. (pause)
Bring them all up line immediately.

CONTROLLER: (afraid) At the same time?

QUARTERS: Yes…it would be foolish to leave them there…

WALCOTT: I must protest!

QUARTERS: Their very existence is in peril so they have to be pulled back immediately. Besides bringing them all back together will save the Facility money…we’ll only have to fire up the machine once.

WALCOTT: Listen to reason…we’ve never trusted the machine enough to risk the retrieval of more than two people at a time…there’s no telling what will happen…

QUARTERS: It is no longer your job to dictate what is or what is not the practice of this Facility. However, it is time for you to clean out your office.

WALCOTT: I’ll go…but let me warn you that this is a very bad idea…the young man in the window you just saw with the young lady was Range…the very same Range Lillith is after. She won’t take lightly to the idea of Range escaping back up line. As you are well aware of the trouble we have had with Lillith before in retrieving Range by himself…and you go ahead with your mad cost saving measure to bring Range and all the travelers in NANTES up line at the same time…there’s no telling what will happen.

QUARTERS: Are you all through?

WALCOTT: Yes…

QUARTERS: Good.

Quarters then turned his attention to the matter at hand.

QUARTERS: Controller…do what I ask and bring all the travelers up line together.

Joe looked back over his at Walcott.

Walcott’s head hung down as he placed his hand on Joe’s shoulder.

WALCOTT: Do what Mr. Quarters requests Joe…I no longer have a say in the matters of this Facility.

With that Joe began the process of starting up the machine for retrieval.

Walcott didn’t want to see what was about to happen, so he slowly moved up the stairs toward his office. Opening his door, Walcott moved over to a small cardboard box that was sitting on top of his desk. What little he kept in the office had already been carefully placed in the box along with a special going away gift.

With the door open, Riley knocked on the glass.

RILEY: Can I come in?

Walcott smiled at his old friend, before gazing at the items in the box.

WALCOTT: Not much to show for all time here…a simple wooden desk clock, a pen and what’s this?

Walcott picked up the gift from the box and held it up in front of him. It was a glass globe of the world.

RILEY: It’s a little something that everybody chipped in for…

The machine downstairs was heard to begin to whirl.

WALCOTT: Thank everyone for me will you…seeing that I hate good-byes and all I’ll be slipping out quietly. As for you…I think things are about to get very interesting around here in very short order.

RILEY: Yeah…I better hustle down there. See around sometime.

WALCOTT: Some time…

Riley left, hurrying downstairs. The sparks had begun to fly and the rumbling was just starting. The whiling had changed to a high pitch whine. Then, there came that horrible flash of light…and the silence.

Walcott stood silent as was the world downstairs. He could not move, afraid of what might have just happened.

WALCOTT: What has he done?
 
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Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Brave

Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Brave

LIMBO:

Some say that Limbo is a place where people go when they are between worlds. As for the Range and the travelers with him it was a place of anguish brought on because they were in utter darkness for what seemed an eternity.

For sixteen years they would languish in torment thinking of the things they did or wanted to go with their lives. As with their real life they left behind…they were growing older with each click of the clock in their real world…lost opportunities is a certainly…days they’d never get back to live…they were gone as well.

There would have been utter silence, if not for the crying and the gnashing of teeth. Some have been said to have gone mad. As for Range…he had his private hell…he also had Lillith to contend with…she was there too.

You see this Limbo we are referring to was Lillith’s private hell.
 
Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Brave

Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Brave

BACK AT THE FACILITY – The day of the mishap – Later that afternoon:

Walcott was seated behind his desk. He was attempting to stare over the cardboard that was blocking his view of someone in the room. Fed up trying look over the box he reached out and placed it on the floor, revealing that his belonging had been returned to his desk.

Walcott sat forward in his chair, folding his hands as he rested his elbows on the desk.

WALCOTT: And, just where is your new position?

Norman Quarters seated in a guest hair did not reply.

Walcott now with a wide satisfied smile picked up the glass globe and began to stare at it. His smile soon disappeared as he began to wonder.

WALCOTT: Oh, Range…where are you hiding?

(Comments are always welcome)

If you wish to read any of Range's adventures, just click a link below to be brought to that adventure.
 
Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Brave

Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Brave

Lillith’s Hell:

Range was lost in the darkness as were everyone else with him…not that they were actually with him as for the next sixteen years there would be no human contact for those within Lillith’s Hell.

IISA: Range where are you?

RANGE: I’m right here…

IISA: Where…why can’t I find you?

RANGE: (to self) I’m right here…beside you.


(If you wish to read any of Range’s adventures just click a link below to go to the AAR.)

Leaving a Response to a journey would be greatly appreciated.
 
That's what happens when there's time on my hands...it surprised me as well.

Ha-ha-ha!

There's a lot of good AARs out there. Welcome!
 
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