Carpenter and Hayward make contact with Shrue in Glottage, hoping to persuade the Adjudicator to defect - while across the channel, Val brings the war to a startling and unexpected climax...[2]
| ATTENTION: SPOILERS AHEAD! Beyond this point, major plot spoilers are expected. Continue at your own risk. |
Description[]
Outside Hayward's Mother's Apartment Building[]
Hayward has come to visit his mother. He observes the old apartment he used to live in as a child and reminisces. The lights are on. His mother is fine, which he knew already after sending someone to check on her. She is convinced that he is a war hero. He lets her indulge in the version of him that she wants. Carpenter calls him wise, and they leave to find Shrue.
Carpenter, Hayward, Shrue and Cross Walk Into A Bar...[]
Charity, going by Verity, is on a date. Her date tells her that he wants to visit the place she grew up in the North Western territory of the Peninsula. It is the same orchestrated plot she used to kill Gareth back in Chapter 4. Hayward and Carpenter walk in, and at the sight of Carpenter she flees.
Shrue seems to come to this bar every night, and Hayward comments that Shrue is just as well adjusted as they are. They discuss how to approach them. Hayward admits that they were never good at subtlety on the force. Carpenter talks about Mason and his insistence on secrecy. Hayward admits that they were hardly ever listening in to conversations between disciples of illegal faiths. Carpenter, reminiscing, says that Mason knew that. She believes that Mason would tell her to slip a note into Shrue’s bag with a public location on it, and a message to meet in private, then call them at a phone booth and give them another meeting point and see if they call the police. If they don’t, provide them with the real address. Hayward comments that the process is too long, Carpenter states that she never said she agreed with Mason. Hayward asks if Carpenter trusted him. Carpenter says he was the least trustworthy man she’s ever met. When asked if she trusts Hayward, Carpenter says that she does. The moments that Carpenter looks back on are when she woke up after Marcel’s Crossing and when Hayward took her in. Those moments remind her that it might be worth putting trust in other people. Hayward thinks that Shrue is probably paranoid about being watched. A napkin note would only increase their paranoia. But Carpenter acknowledges that going in directly is also dangerous. It seems there isn’t a straightforward answer. Charity’s Date asks Hayward to keep an eye on his bag while he goes to check on her - Hayward comments that she’s run off when he’s out of earshot.
Shrue and Cross enter the bar. They have both arrived at a similar conclusion to their experience with Carson and Tranquili-Tea Seven. Cross says that tonight he's going to get drunk, sleep it off and get drunk again tomorrow. Then the day after he will pretend he found the experience amusing. Shrue asks if they should apologise to Carson. Cross points out that they won’t be forgiven. Cross speaks about camouflage - his camouflage are neckties. He says they’re pathetic - which is apt because he’s had three divorces. Shrue must find their own camouflage. Shrue must give Carson a reason to keep them alive. Shrue knows that they can’t continue like this. Cross says he’ll start drinking more on weekday mornings. Things are more comfortable than they used to be, but the cruelty and stupidity remain. Cross likes the comfort. Cross reminds Shrue that they’re about to lose the war.
The CenSec Meeting[]
Carson announces that Shrue and Cross are off sick today. The first item is from the Church Electric, they haven’t begun renewal negotiations in Glottage due to political instability, but they have begun renewal negotiations in Nesh. The second item is about Private Lillibet, a war god created by the Peninsula. Apparently he was not a war hero but a war criminal. Things are not going well.
Then Carson gets a phone call. It seems we are about to hear from Val. Val is walking through a forest. In the background we can hear a CLS encampment. She calls herself a god-in-waiting. She tells them to bear witness to her ascension and victory. Carson resigns himself to needing to kill Val. He tells Hawthorne to find god-hunters on contract, and Val’s mother.
The Massacre of Mal-Retour[]
A drill sergeant inspects his troops. Chuck Harm walks past with his Camera-Saint, Derek. The CLS troops are preparing for a land invasion of the Peninsula. He mentions that his co-anchor Charlotte Cate-Daley died last month when news of the Operation wasn’t protected enough. We hear a radio operator speaking to someone. Chuck Harm tries to speak to the radio operator, who tells him to go away. Chuck leaves, speaking to the camera as he does so. We can faintly hear Val speaking to the second radio operator that he approaches. The radio operator relays the information that he’s been told. The radio operator dies horrifically in front of Chuck Harm. Chuck leaves and returns to the parade ground. He calls to the troops that there is a god loose. Gunfire breaks out and sirens sound. He takes cover. A helicopter sounds like it’s getting closer and closer. Chuck runs as it crashes into Derek, the Camera-Saint. The air-raid siren is turned off. Val’s voice comes over the speaker system. She tells them that no one survives this massacre. They aim their rockets directly upwards. To Chuck’s horror, the rockets do so. The rockets fire. They fall back to the earth. And they open. Chuck hides under some scrap metal. A Saint of the Petropater exits nearby him. Val tells them that they can do nothing to save themselves.
Back at CenSec[]
Carson and the entirety of CenSec are stunned. They have wiped out three battalions of CLS soldiers without having to cross the channel. They have won the war. Celebration breaks out in CenSec. Carson tells Hawthorne to put out the good news. He tells them not to tell the public about Val. He still firmly believes that they will need to kill her. He plans to use Shrue’s god, the Trawler-man, as the reason for winning the war.
Aftermath of the Battle of Mal-Retour[]
Val speaks to Chuck Harm, saying she has enjoyed his broadcasts. She asks if he can work the camera. He says he can. She tells him they are going into the heart of the city, and he is going to document everything. Chuck Harm begins to editorialise, and Val collapses. Chuck asks if she’s alright. She is surprised by this too. She tells a lie that she has surpassed pain, but the pain becomes more intense. Chuck tells her that his name is Charles. Val asks Charles to help her up and lead her into the city. He offers her his arm and does so.
Hayward and Carpenter Talk[]
Hayward observes that Shrue and Cross have been drinking for a while. Carpenter tells him that Shrue’s been nursing their drink all night, joking about his observational skills. He retorts that he figured her out the moment he saw her in Marcel’s Crossing, and she asks how that worked out for him. He says things worked out pretty well. Carpenter asks if she can share something with him, in confidence. She tells him about the Cairn Maiden. Hayward tells her that he believes her, that a lot of officers said they were god-haunted in the force. They’d retire well, and return years later saying that the god was following them. He sees those cops in Carpenter. She says that she should welcome it. She has lived through enough pain. Hayward asks why she’s telling him this right now. Carpenter tells him it’s because she can’t see the Cairn Maiden anywhere. She thinks this means they’re heading in the right direction. She decides to take a risk.
...And They Leave Having Won A War[]
Cross says that it’s time for him to go. Shrue tells him that they’re staying for one more drink. He contemplates the 6000 years of this status quo, how it has led to them meeting like this. With that, he leaves. And Hayward and Carpenter join Shrue at the bar. Carpenter is forward and direct. She tells Shrue that she can convince them to convert to her god’s cause.
Hayward and Carpenter leave the bar. They seem to think the chat went well. Shrue wants to leave Glottage as soon as possible, and they have arranged to meet the following day at the floating market. We hear the chiming of bells. Glottage is ringing out for a miracle. They’re stunned as they realise this means they won the war.
Trivia[]
- Carpenter tells Hayward about the Cairn Maiden.