As Val advances towards Nesh, Paige resolves to shoulder the burdens of leadership, Shrue negotiates over the faith of the Parish of Tide and Flesh - and a small team of national grid workers decide to take a stand.[2]
| ATTENTION: SPOILERS AHEAD! Beyond this point, major plot spoilers are expected. Continue at your own risk. |
Description[]
Val's Journey Through the CLS Continues[]
Birdsong, Val tells us the truth of the situation in the CLS. She wonders about the strength of her own power, about her own existence as a saint. Val ignores the politicians and commanders back in Glottage, her compliance with their demands is reassuring. The Peninsula is losing the war. She meets a woodsman, who is kind to her. The idea of him being successful satisfies her.
As Val walks, she sings. She stops when she comes to the ruins of a town called ‘Sutler’s Weald’. It was bombed overnight and rescue teams haven’t discovered it yet. The damage was caused by regular munitions. Val is horrified by the sight before her. There was nothing worth bombing as part of the war other than to increase the number of casualties. She talks to those over her earpiece, wondering if they are outraged by her self righteous anger at the sight before her. But Val is fully aware of her own misdeeds. The way the town died was thoughtless, Val thinks she would have been kinder than this. Even if she hadn’t been kinder, she would have been forced to look them in the eyes as she did it. A god should not be able to avert her eyes. She wonders whether the people who have done this are aware of their own monstrosity. People should be kinder than this. She tells beautiful lies to try and erase the deaths. It doesn’t work, so she says they were buried properly. It doesn’t work, so she tries to turn them into her mother. It doesn’t work either. Val apologises to them, wishing they could still hear her.
Bellwethers[]
Paige wakes up outside of Bellwethers. She doesn’t have her gas mask with her, or even shoes. Before her is the sign of a miracle. Her god has led her from safety so that it could feed. She wonders if her god thought she would be impressed. As she looks at this sight, Paige knows exactly what to do.
She pours the rest of her alcohol away, as Sam Kincannon speaks on the radio. Sam talks about how the military are being met with boarded up doors and students are staging sit-ins at Greater Glottage University.
We switch to Elgin, listening to Chuck Harm on the radio. He thanks Peninsulans for tuning in to his broadcast. He promises them the truth, denying the fact that the Lingers started the war. Paige walks into the Canteen tent, surprising Elgin.
Elgin gives Paige the usual briefing after a moment of hesitation. 7 more people have joined them. Paige checks to see if any of them could be spies. Paige tells Elgin to make sure they hear them talking about other cells dedicated to the Woundtree, to find out who asks follow-up questions. She also tells Elgin to make it known that she’s looking for an assistant to help with broadcasts from the radio tower - on the technical side. She believes a spy will want to get a message out, and want to get closer to Paige. Elgin then reveals that they have taken 6 losses: while scouting for a new location they ran into river god worshippers from the White Gull. Elgin tells Paige she was right, and apologises. Paige tells Elgin to expect her at the memorial service. According to Elgin, Dan has been seeing an older woman out in the hills while out patrolling the western walls. When Paige suggests it's an angel, Elgin tells her that Dan vehemently denies this claim. No one but Dan has seen it, so Paige suggests changing the rota.
Paige provides Elgin with two items on her own agenda. First, Elgin is to take Paige’s alcohol and lock it away. Only Elgin will have the key and will be the sole authority over who can gain access to the store room and who can’t. Second, Paige wants to find the unrevised edition of Upon The Birthing Of Gods by Elaine Trask. Finally, Paige gently tells Elgin to call her Paige instead of Widow.
Elgin informs Paige that someone hit the power plant in Fenton last night. That it wiped out half the town, including the prison. There were lots of casualties and panic in Glottage. Fenton provided for a fifth of the national grid. Sam Kincannon has called it a CLS attack, Chuck Harm blames them. Dan has already claimed it as a miracle of the Rootkeeper's doing. Neither of them know whether they have followers in Fenton. Elgin wonders if they just committed an atrocity, killing hundreds of people they promised to free. Elgin has fallen prey to the Satrean idea that “Hell is other people.” Paige reminds Elgin that the only true miracles she’s ever experienced have been born from the chaos of other people.
Inside The Currents[]
We hear a plethora of callers - they are panicked, angry and annoyed.
The Cathedral Of The Sacred Grid[]
Webb speaks on the phone to a higherup. He seems anxious about the fate of those working under him. Webb hangs up and leaves his office. We can hear Connor the Conduit, who seems to be there to showcase the workings of the power plant to visitors. He gives a cheerful recorded speech, but underneath it we can hear how much pain he must be in.
After entering the control room, Webb calls for the attention of his employees. He tells them that the Grindinglord is their chosen god for the night. He gives a brief on the situation resulting from Fenton. The bosses have written to the Legislatures to request a nationwide blackout in order to deal with this loss. Everyone on the team is assigned to a territory to memories the schedule for the blackouts. Silverwood asks Webb if they’ll shut Glottage down. Webb tells them that the bosses are still negotiating. They have also requested a broadcast to tell the public not to use power except for in extreme emergencies. The team must coordinate with their regional operatives to make them understand the gravity of the situation. Moss asks if Webb has heard what people have been saying. Webb says that he hasn’t. Silverwood says that people are saying there wasn’t a strike in Fenton, but that the bosses were calling in contracts. Moss adds that they did so to keep up with demand after running out of purchased sacrifices. Cleaners, administrative staff, everyone. One of the workers bore the Woundtree’s marks. Webb tells Moss firmly not to speak the name of the Woundtree here. Webb then rounds on Silverwood, asking how much power the Saint returns per offering. Webb tells them all that it is only 200 kilowatt-hours. It’s only 50 homes. He is trying to prevent them from panicking. Webb tells them that they are needed, he won’t let them come to harm. They return to work.
Shrue's Office[]
We can hear a recruitment ad playing on the street outside. Shrue is drinking. Shrue’s phone rings and they pick up. It’s Greve. She tells them that the Parish of Tide and Flesh were anticipating the announcement of the legalisation of their faith in the papers that morning. Shrue tells Greve that the events in Fenton have taken precedence. Greve stresses the urgency of the announcement. Shrue tells Greve that they don’t need the Wither Mark, they need bodies. They don’t have a plan to combat this yet. They are willing to speak to Roemont or Mason about it if need be. Greve lies that she’ll deal with Roemont and Mason. When Shrue pours themself another glass, Greve reveals that she is also drinking. They toast: Greve toasts the traditional Parish way. Greve reveals that she might have good news. She can provide them with bodies, if need be. She intends to send them to the Gulch. With that, Shrue hangs up.
Carson's Office[]
Shrue calls Press Secretary Carson. Carson lies that he is at home, also drinking. Shrue provides the body count of the Parish to Carson. Shrue tells him that there are 400 people they are willing to sacrifice in exchange for the process being sped along. Carson responds that it is helpful, before giving a heads up of a power outage out in Shrue’s territory later tonight. Shrue says they’re happy to take this back to H.A’s office, but Carson cuts them off and tells them that they should get this done now. Carson says he’ll start booking them in for press interviews. Carson reminds Shrue of the summit next week for how to deal with the Woundtree. After a pause, he dials someone else and enquires after Val. It seems they can't contact her.
Webb's Office[]
Webb pours himself a drink, before there is a knock at the door. It is Silverwood, and he tells her to close the door behind her. Webb tells her that head office has an update for them. Glottage won’t comply with the blackout. He has been told to make a few sacrifices. Silverwood is outraged by this. Plants are being asked to cut back non-essential personnel by 10%. Webb’s team will lose one person. Webb wants to sacrifice himself, but he was told not to be a fool. There is silence. Webb comments that is has to be Moss that they sacrifice. He takes no comfort in this. Silverwood is further outraged by this. Webb says they just have to get through tonight. Silverwood asks what they will do tomorrow. Silverwood tells him that the team have already discussed it amongst themselves. They won’t be sacrificing anyone. She suggests saying that Webb was overpowered, and that it can be their decision not his. He refuses that, wanting to speak to the team instead.
The Control Room[]
Webb addresses his team. He tells them that none of them deserve to die. He says that they may not make much of a difference, that they may make things worse. Unlike his previous sentiment, he acknowledges that they are all replaceable. They won’t change anything. He tells anyone who feels differently to end their shift and leave now. Nobody leaves. He is angry, and growing angrier. They’re going to cut the signal. Silverwood asks for the schedule and the orders. He tells everyone not to call him boss but instead his name: Francis. Webb tells them to call anyone they wish to give final words to, and then their regional ops if they trust them. They’ll barricade the doors. Webb says they’ll be dead by morning at the very latest. Moss calls someone who he has clearly previously discussed exactly this situation with.
Back Inside The Currents[]
We hear the callers again. This time we also hear the equipment smashing.
In Glottage[]
Glottage descends into darkness. There is a growing sense of anger and outrage at this. The anger is directed towards the government, the Church Electric. The conditions are ripe for a riot. Carson is not immune to the growing anger, he needs this fixed now. Outside, a full blown riot has broken out.
Battle In The Cathedral[]
There’s gunfire and screaming. Webb is shouting. He is hit and collapses. Webb yells at everyone to retreat. We can hear Silverwood groaning. Moss yells out to grab Webb and drag him back with them. There is the sound of someone else collapsing.
The Outskirts of Glottage[]
Hayward hands Carpenter a beer. She thanks him. Hayward points out that the lights haven’t come on in Glottage, he wonders if something happened. Carpenter muses that it’s a blackout. Hayward jokes that they’ve overthrown the government. Carpenter wonders if the Lingers have taken out the power grid. Hayward asks Carpenter the same riddle he asked Paige. She doesn’t know the answer either. Carpenter asks Hayward if he’s afraid to die. He tells her that of course he is, but you have to keep going. Carpenter says maybe they shouldn’t. After a brief silence, Hayward tells Carpenter how he felt after losing his job in the police force. He knows Paige didn’t want him to leave, that he didn’t want him to leave with Carpenter. He wanted to force progress, for the movement. He wonders if he had just been performing. He says he’s happiest on the road. Carpenter compares them to dynamos. There is a comfortable silence between them.
The lights turn back on, the grid is back up.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- There is widespread discontent in the Peninsula.