005 -- Modern Machines

Complete transcript of an interview in the popular Cimbrian journal, "Modern Machines." Lieutenant and test pilot George Reynolds being interviewed by Lance Harrington about the new generation of steam cavalry. (continued from page 14)

Lt. Reynolds: So as you can see, Lance, there are several different types of mount, each fulfilling a very different role in the Cimbrian military.

Lance Harrington: That's fascinating, George. Let's talk about the mounts themselves. First of all, what powers them these days?

GR: Cambric, as usual. Most of our bots have four rods -- two standard rods that are in all the time, and two more that we activate when going into combat. The second two are engineered to release their energy over a much shorter time span and last about an hour, while we can operate for about two and a half days on the first set. This is why that supply train I mentioned earlier is so important when we're in the field.

LH: So your mounts are steam powered?

GR: Yes, and no. The cambric heats a boiler, but the steam is used to run a pair of engines that power most of the systems on each walker. Most of the actual movements are controlled by hydraulic fluid. There are also some electrical systems on the walkers, but that's a new invention and I'm not allowed to go into too much detail about it.

LH: What can you tell us?

GR: Well, I can say that it has to do with how the walker's movements are controlled. In the first few generations of machines, the pilot was seated at a bank of levers, or if he was lucky at a primitive control yoke. Now, however, it's a much more intuitive system -- each pilot is actually secured by their abdomen in an upright position, and their hands and feet fit into special grips. As they move their arms and legs, the walker's arms and legs move with them.

LH: But how do the pilot's movements translate into movement in their mount?

GR: That's where the new electrical systems are so vital. The pilot's control grips are mounted on a system of levers that allow a full range of motion. These levers, in turn, control a series of voltage regulators that feed electricty into a carefully manufactured cambric control core. Given certain inputs, then, the core produces certain electrical outputs, and through a system of electromagnets these electric impulses are transmitted to the hydralic systems.

LH: But I though cambric was only useful for storing and releasing heat?

GR: So did we, the control core is new and really sets this generation of cavalry apart from the older ones. Only recently did a Cimbrian inventor discover a way to make it interact with electical charges as well. It involves a combination of chemical etching and alloy layering -- quite expensive, but with the right tools an expert craftsman can etch an entire logic pattern onto a very small amount of cambric. We're still refining the process; every few months the mounts get their control cores pulled and replaced with new ones.

LH: So what does this new control system mean, big picture?

GR: Well, it means much faster mounts, first of all. Speed of movement was limited by the controls more than it was by our hydralics. Also, it means that pilots can be much more precise with their movements. We were really hampered by clumsy control yokes and complicated lever systems in the early generation of steam cavalry.

LH: What else is new? Anything you can tell us about?

GR: That's really the biggest change. Armament is still mostly sabres. We've got a couple types of mount that use carbines, but we still don't have a really reliable way to reload. Also, we're working on a tactile feedback system using pressure plates to give the pilot even more feedback about his environment, but that's still in the development phase as well. We've got to tune it so that they notice small forces but the impacts from combat don't break the pilot's arms!

LH: Sounds like an exciting time to be a cavalry pilot! Thank you so much for coming in, Lieutenant Reynolds. It's been a pleasure.

GR: Likewise.

004 -- Ahmed the Conqueror founds Asfar

Continued excerpt from the Scrolls of Rahm, translated by Dr. Ahmad Ba of the Royal Asfarian Society of Thought.

Chapter V

And so Ahmed looked upon his people, the people of Jemahl, and saw that the tribes had been united. This pleased him. There had been much war and death, but Jemahl's will had been done. He was at this time almost eighty years old, and weary. But he knew that the people would not stay together, and that tribes would soon separate yet again, and it would all be for naught. This saddened Ahmed greatly.

King Ahmed journied back to the city of the Josites and spent several days locked in his quarters alone. His ministers were worried; was the king ill? There was much new business to attend to, but King Ahmed could not be reached. Finally, on the sixth day, he came forth, and made a great speech to all who were present.

"People, hear me! Jemahl is pleased that his people are together again. He has spoken to me thus. But he has told me more -- he is finally ready to give us a real task. He desires us to build him a city, a great city for Jemahl and the Lord Rahm! And he has said this city shall be at the edge of the desert, but near the great river, and up from Josite as well, so that we should never again be torn apart."

"And so I announce it -- today I leave for this new city." At this there was much amazement, for the King was very old. All his ministers and lieutenants tried to convince him not to go, but he would not listen. That very night he packed up a tent and some food in a plain pack and set out on foot across the plain, headed up from Josite. All the leaders of the house of Jos could not do anything but follow.

And so King Ahmed walked for five days. On the dawn of the sixth day, he came to the top of large hill. On his left he could see the river. Ahead of him was the desert. Behind lay Josite. On his right was the road to the house of Ebel. And Ahmed set down his pack, and said "Here. Here is the city of Jemahl. It will be named Asfar, the yellow city. Now, ministers, what was this business you had for me?"

And so King Ahmed and all his house set up their tents on the plains, and called it Asfar. Soon they began to build, houses and temples to Rahm and Jemahl, and quarters for all of the five houses. And Ahmed said, "Let there be five parts of the city, for each house to have, and make it so that the kings of the five tribes must stay in the city of god, for Jemahl says it shall be so. And let us build in the center a great temple to Jemahl and the god Rahm, and let no building stand greater than it, even my palace. And let us build this temple from the yellow stone of the desert and cap it's roofs with gold so that it shall always be as bright as the rising sun." And it was so.

And so King Ahmed looked at this new city, and was satisfied. The other four kings came to Asfar, and looked at the great temple and were amazed. King Ahmed had been cunning, and had made the kings move their houses to the new city. The four kings could not rebel when kept in the city away from their people. And so he saw that the people of Jemahl would not be seperated again, for the city of Asfar was more magnificent than any of the others.

And so now King Ahmed was very weary. But he saw one more thing that he must do. And so as he lay dying, Ahmed said, "Now I am leaving you. But the next king will not be Josite, and he will not be of my kin for I have no sons. So I leave it the hands of the God Jemahl -- for today and for ever after let Jemahl mark the true ruler of our people." And Ahmed the Conquered passed on from this world forever.

Now at this time there were four kings. Josite was in much confusion and had no king. The four kings met and said, "Now what will we do? Jemahl and Ahmed have brought us together, and we cannot go again to war for our people have suffered too much. But will Jemahl mark a new king as Ahmed said? How will we tell his mark? Surely there are many that will claim to be marked by Jemahl, for all the city has heard Ahmed's words."

And so there were. Scores of people arrived at the palace with soot or ink smudged on their body, but when each approached the temple to be crowned they could not enter. They all spoke of a bright light, and a winged spirit standing at the door who led them away with gentle hands. Finally there was no one else, and the four kings looked to one another.

The King of the Ebelites said "Jemahl has failed us. He has marked no one."

The King of the Abdun said "My people will return to the desert. It is our proper home."

The King of the Endites said "Yes, and mine to the rivers."

But the King of the Artmar said "Wait! Jemahl will answer. Have faith, brothers!"

Late that night, a lone man approached the temple. He also saw the spirit with bright wings, but this time the spirit smiled and opened the temple doors. The man walked in, and the spirit placed Ahmed's crown upon his head.

The next morning, King Ahmed was being taken from the palace to the temple to be burned. The four kings led the procession, with all the people lining the streets to see his body go by. But when they reached the temple, they were most surprised -- the man was standing at the temple doors wearing Ahmed's crown. "Who are you? Seize this man!" they cried, but he replied:

"Soldiers, stay your blades. I am marked by Jemahl to be King! For know that I am truly Da'ud, lieutenant of Ahmed."

"This is impossible!" they cried. "Ahmed said no Josite should be king!"

"But I am no Josite. I am of the house of Artmar, but was raised in the city of Jos. Behold Jemahl's mark!"

At this Da'ud tore his shirt, and all could plainly see the five pointed crown on his shoulder. It shone with brilliant fire, and all were amazed.

"Here, give me Ahmed's body, for none but I can burn the flesh of the king." And so Da'ud took Ahmed's body up to the highest level of the temple, and none could enter. There was a great clap of thunder, and a host of winged spirits surrounded the temple blocking the doors. And so Da'ud burned Ahmed's body, and became the second King of Asfar.