The little things that make you happy

What are a couple of the "little things" you would like to see in the books.

Personally, I'd like to have another scene with the mortar lieutenant from MTaT. In particular I would like to see what they use for a count under "fire for effect" conditions.
One of my favorite scenes from any book is from John Ringo's "Unto the Breach." One of the mortar girls is counting 7-Mississippi and says she wonders what a Mississippi is, and how terrible it must be if that is the count for the mortars.

And maybe a bit about Princess Nimue, because she has to be talking by now.

Clyntahn dying in some moldy cell somewhere unimportant.

The Captain General and the Treasurer being executed(No punishment, just a headsman or something else quick) by Clyntahn. Out of paranoia not after they attempted a coup.

The Chanclor, being executed(by firing squad) by Charis after being found hiding in a closet.

Note: I am particular about how and why the characters above are killed. I have stated what I think they deserve. With exception of Clyntahn. He deserves worse, but I don't want Charis legalizing torture and I would like him to know he failed.

The Emperor and Empress die. I think RFC has given the 'good guys' too much good luck so far. I won't be disappointed if this doesn't happen though.

Marching half of the republic and all the border states through Auschwitz. This isn't just what I would like this is also important as propaganda and destroying any remnant of the church's moral authority.

Also a universal suffrage amendment to the Empire's(Charis) constitution. With the fact that women will be granted suffrage snuck in and brought up later to give the 'conservatives' heart attacks.

Hello HighJohn,

I was thinking of something similar;

How about if Clyntahn suffers a stroke that leaves him paralyzed but still aware after Rhobair and Allayn argue he's guilty of heresy because he's really been secretly helping the Charisians, when the news arrives that the allies have destroyed the last IHA force, NTM that BGV was at Spinefish Bay which is only 2-3 five-days from Zion, the Go4 and temple; and they have no army to oppose him because Clyntahn has kept any non inquisitor force far away, so Clyntahn sees for himself that they're right, then the shock that the inquisition's torture tools might be used on him triggers the stroke that leaves helpless and incapable of ever interfering in anything ever again.

When Cayleb and BGV arrive soon after, Rhobair and the surviving vicars essentially submit (time doesn't permit further details here etc), then the inner circle decides that letting Clyntahn live helplessly as long as possible to see the failure of his whole life, might be the best punishment after all.

Who knows, seeing him might become another Zion tourist attraction.

Your improvements are welcome.

L

Highjohn wrote:Clyntahn dying in some moldy cell somewhere unimportant.

The Captain General and the Treasurer being executed(No punishment, just a headsman or something else quick) by Clyntahn. Out of paranoia not after they attempted a coup.

The Chanclor, being executed(by firing squad) by Charis after being found hiding in a closet.

Note: I am particular about how and why the characters above are killed. I have stated what I think they deserve. With exception of Clyntahn. He deserves worse, but I don't want Charis legalizing torture and I would like him to know he failed.

The Emperor and Empress die. I think RFC has given the 'good guys' too much good luck so far. I won't be disappointed if this doesn't happen though.

Marching half of the republic and all the border states through Auschwitz. This isn't just what I would like this is also important as propaganda and destroying any remnant of the church's moral authority.

Also a universal suffrage amendment to the Empire's(Charis) constitution. With the fact that women will be granted suffrage snuck in and brought up later to give the 'conservatives' heart attacks.

lyonheart wrote:Hello HighJohn,

I was thinking of something similar;

How about if Clyntahn suffers a stroke that leaves him paralyzed but still aware after Rhobair and Allayn argue he's guilty of heresy because he's really been secretly helping the Charisians, when the news arrives that the allies have destroyed the last IHA force, NTM that BGV was at Spinefish Bay which is only 2-3 five-days from Zion, the Go4 and temple; and they have no army to oppose him because Clyntahn has kept any non inquisitor force far away, so Clyntahn sees for himself that they're right, then the shock that the inquisition's torture tools might be used on him triggers the stroke that leaves helpless and incapable of ever interfering in anything ever again.

When Cayleb and BGV arrive soon after, Rhobair and the surviving vicars essentially submit (time doesn't permit further details here etc), then the inner circle decides that letting Clyntahn live helplessly as long as possible to see the failure of his whole life, might be the best punishment after all.

Who knows, seeing him might become another Zion tourist attraction.

Your improvements are welcome.

L


[SNIP Highjohn quote]

Kind of reminds me of the epilog of James Clavell's Shogon where the passerby was invited to saw at the most famous neck in Japan

Poker

I'd like a scene of Caleb learning about the Arthurian legends. Maybe when he's teasing Merlin about something he mentions to Nimue how he used to call Merlin 'his pet wizard' and she falls over laughing and then has to explain. Or maybe Narmahn in his research or reading for fun stumbles across them and gives a copy to Caleb for a laugh. Although the best rendition IMO is Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy starting w/ The Crystal Cave. I wonder if DW has read it?

Another scene I've been wondering about is someone attempting to assassinate Merlin. That ought to be interesting to read.

Hi Karidrgn,

Welcome to the forums, enjoy your favorite simulated beverage on the forum.

Though the cave motif is intrinsic to the Merlin/Arthurian legends, I suspect RFC probably has read the Crystal Cave.

Kudos for pointing out RFC hasn't mined much of the potential Merlin humor, which would be great for the remaining books and as their relationship matures.

L

karidrgn wrote:I'd like a scene of Caleb learning about the Arthurian legends. Maybe when he's teasing Merlin about something he mentions to Nimue how he used to call Merlin 'his pet wizard' and she falls over laughing and then has to explain. Or maybe Narmahn in his research or reading for fun stumbles across them and gives a copy to Caleb for a laugh. Although the best rendition IMO is Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy starting w/ The Crystal Cave. I wonder if DW has read it?

Another scene I've been wondering about is someone attempting to assassinate Merlin. That ought to be interesting to read.

eldrwyrm wrote:What are a couple of the "little things" you would like to see in the books.

Personally, I'd like to have another scene with the mortar lieutenant from MTaT. In particular I would like to see what they use for a count under "fire for effect" conditions.
One of my favorite scenes from any book is from John Ringo's "Unto the Breach." One of the mortar girls is counting 7-Mississippi and says she wonders what a Mississippi is, and how terrible it must be if that is the count for the mortars.

And maybe a bit about Princess Nimue, because she has to be talking by now.

I'd like to see an epilogue like this:

"Excalibur 457, Wand Alpha come back."
"Go ahead Nimue"
"Merlin, you wont believe what I just found"

She woke up. Which was odd, not because she didn't remember going to sleep, but she was surprised to be waking up at all. Her last memory was an X-Ray laser cutting a hole through the flag bridge and the sudden loss of pressure as it opened to space.

She lay on a table she recognized as the work surface of a medcomp unit but one that seemed to have been reworked by a 20th century steam punk fan.

"Hello Nimue" a familiar voice said, "Don't try to move just yet, we still have a lot of damage to fix, a millennia and a half in an emergency cryotube was a little beyond its design specifications".

A face moved into her field of view, and it was like looking at her twin sister.

"You are on the Imperial Safehold Starship King Cayleb, we were cleaning up the debris and collecting the bodies for an honorable burial when we stumbled upon an intact,and more surprisingly still functioning, lifeboat in the ballistic scrapheap. The Gbaba got most of the others that moved away under power judging from the pieces we have tracked."

"The medics shoved you into a tube during the first assault according to the medical files and it was ejected automatically when the "Excalibur" took a hit to the fusion core."

"Langhorne was worse than Pei Kau-yung and you thought but Safehold backup plan worked and when you are feeling better I'll bring you up to speed with all the details."

With apologies to RFC....(He can most certainly do a better job).

How about Ahlverez and his troops make it back to Dohlar, with Ahlverez recieving as much hero worship in the army as Thirsk has in the navy. They make peace/alliance between them and the king/inquisition flip out and take a shot at them and their families, forcing them to pull a coup. The upper aristocracy, upper church, and inqisition all get hammered, leaving Thirsk and Ahlvarez and their crews in charge and free to do what they need to do. Potentially part of Desnair joins them too, given the massive loss of the aristocracy and the fact that the the only desnairian troops to make it back were with Ahlverez, and may have aquired some of the hero worship.

Oh, and of course, the families are saved by an earnest young agent of the inquisition named Vihktor

I like it that Nimue is back in the story.

I also like the way Merlin is more and more being weighed down by the awful things he has to do. That makes the character more believable and opens up possibilities for story development.

Bruno Behrends wrote:I like it that Nimue is back in the story.

I also like the way Merlin is more and more being weighed down by the awful things he has to do. That makes the character more believable and opens up possibilities for story development.

I think that it is appropriate for Merlin to carry a certain weight of guilt, and I appreciate and applaud the decision not "weigh Nimue down" with his own issues. However, reading that scene at the end of MTaT just made me want to say, "F***ing man up. Yes it sucked. Yes, you had to do it. Yes, they were non-military targets. If you hadn't done it, half of your army would be suffering the punishment of Schuler by next spring. Now, go get it stuck in somewhere and quit your whining."

Maybe I've been reading too much John Ringo.