[Ep. XVII] [Empire] [Week 8] Down by the Lake

[LucasLaughing]

Movement:  we would like to move 4 spaces right, through previously uncovered tiles, to I-18.  We would then like to move down.  If we encounter obstacles, we will take the shortest visible route, with a preference for going to the right if all else appears equal.

The Scout Trooper's Tale

 

They mostly come at night.

Mostly.
 

 

Every couple of weeks, the orbits line up so that the sun goes down behind us while the gas giant hangs swollen in the sky above, reflecting enough light that it never gets fully dark.
 

Those are the nights when the drumming starts around dusk.

Those are the nights when we pull back from our scouting camps, all the way back to the main firebase.

 

Not at first, mind you.  When we first arrived, almost a year ago, we were battle-hardened and brave.  The ones who had been here longer warned us, but we were the Empire’s finest and damned if we were going to hide from the natives.

 

That first night, they broke over our perimeter like a three-foot high wave made of fur and teeth, and spears that looked like toys but found the gap between armored plates and slid right in.

We killed them by the dozens, and were killed in turn, before we turned them back.  They killed Patches and Six, Joker and Racer and Longshot and Cheeks.  They bit Blades and she died eight days later, hand swollen and infected, delirious with fever.

The next time we heard the drums, we pulled back to the firebase.

 

Our new Lieutenant arrived last week, four months after our old one was killed.  He arrived with shining boots and glowing confidence and the sweet heady smell of fresh authority.

We warned him.

Of course, he didn’t listen.

 
 

Yesterday evening, when the drums started and we began shuffling into the base, he ordered us back out.  We balked, and explained, and came very close to insubordination with our arguments. 

He offered to spend the night in a scouting camp himself. 

He was so brave.  He asked for volunteers to go with him, but there were none.  So, 9 of us got new orders and off we went into the twilight.

The ten of us marched out, nine scouts and our brave Lieutenant, marching into the setting sun.

Nine of us, we are ashamed to admit, got turned around on the way to the scouting camp and ended up back at the firebase, trickling in, silently, in ones and twos.
 

 

We found the new Lieutenant this morning, close to where we found the old Lieutenant 4 months ago.  This symmetry secretly pleases us, though we will never admit it out loud. 

They don’t eat feet or faces.  We have many theories, but no solid facts. 

There are teeth marks on the Lieutenant’s bones, but his polished boots are glorious in the bright morning sun.

Spoiler

 

Note: the speeder bike design is just a minor variation of this bike by Tyler/legohaulic.

Full sized pics can be viewed on my flickr 

 

 

Edited January 21, 2018 by LucasLaughing

[Jody Meyer]

Very nice build, love the foliage 

[Cody Startale]

I love this. Apart from being built fantastically, I love the overall idea and the story you are telling. It's both exciting and hilarious at the same time. The camera angles and shots are superb.

Also, in the same vein as this entry, an obligatory shoutout to this:

 

[Commander Beltar]

This whole build is awesome. As soon as I read "They mostly come out at night. Mostly." I knew this was going to be great. (If only one of the troops that died was Newt or something subtle like Burke or Apone.. hehe) I like your use of that skeleton as well, never would've thought of that! And your variation with trees and foliage creates a great atmosphere. I really like how this gives us Imperials a chance to defend ourselves and express how ferocious those little teddy bears are compared to what we see in RotJ!

[Shadows of Nar Eurbrikka]

Your build has earned 4 points.

[LucasLaughing]

On 1/21/2018 at 5:14 AM, Jody Meyer said:

Very nice build, love the foliage 

Thanks!

On 1/21/2018 at 1:00 PM, Cody Startale said:

I love this. Apart from being built fantastically, I love the overall idea and the story you are telling. It's both exciting and hilarious at the same time. The camera angles and shots are superb.

Also, in the same vein as this entry, an obligatory shoutout to this:

 

Thank you - I was really happy with how this story turned out.  I wanted to try something in first-person plural, and I think it lends itself well to an isolated squad of scout troopers.  Great video link - I hadn't seen that one!

On 1/21/2018 at 8:09 PM, Commander Beltar said:

This whole build is awesome. As soon as I read "They mostly come out at night. Mostly." I knew this was going to be great. (If only one of the troops that died was Newt or something subtle like Burke or Apone.. hehe) I like your use of that skeleton as well, never would've thought of that! And your variation with trees and foliage creates a great atmosphere. I really like how this gives us Imperials a chance to defend ourselves and express how ferocious those little teddy bears are compared to what we see in RotJ!

Oh man, I wish I'd thought of using Burke or Apone as one of the squad names - great idea!  I rewatched RotJ recently, and the ewoks were more vicious than I remembered (and not just the battle tactics - they fully intended to roast Han, Luke and Chewie alive and then eat them).  Although, that might have been based on C3PO's orders...

Spoiler

 

So, when I watched RotJ last, that whole scene struck me in a whole different way.  The ewoks don't start placing the firewood until after 3PO orders them to.  When he tells Han that they're going to be the main course, he sounds far too pleased.  Leia comes out, and 3PO says something that makes the ewoks start stacking the wood even more enthusiastically.  Finally, whatever he says when he's supposedly threatening to use his "magic" leads to the ewoks starting to light the fires.  I'm fully convinced that C3PO, tired of being slave to the humans, intended to set himself up as the Golden god of the Ewoks.  He was only foiled when Luke started levitating him, and he realized his plan wouldn't work...

What the scene here and see if you don't agree!