Tales From Imperium

> SMC. State Military Company. It’s who we are. At least according to the NFFB. The glorious dictator can’t have private industry in this country; thus, we aren’t classified as PMCs. Since the Party banned all forms of drugs, people needed to turn to a new source. Gloop. Although also a narcotic, it’s easy for the Suits to get their hands on. As long as Avalon remains corrupt of course. Regardless, it created a new black market here in Imperium. The Party hired us to clear out the Suits. By us, I mean Shadowfire Company and the Dark Sentinel. The Party likes to make things interesting. And ensure they always have an insurance policy. Thus, we tend to ‘mingle’ with the Dark Sentinel a lot. Tonight, should not have turned out as it did. I took a cut to our payment to ensure that the contract was exclusive to Shadowfire Company. Those sons of a…
>
> -Ethan Blackwell, Commander of Shadowfire Company

## | It Was Only A Game

*It’s a quiet day in Imperium, as the sun sets behind the pollution filled skies of the Motherland. Some teenagers are spotted in a local park hanging out after finishing school for the day.*

Max: Will out bested you real good in military training today huh John?

John: What are you talking about? If anything, I out bested him!

Will: Whatever you say John. Let’s just ignore the fact that I managed to flank you.

Dante: And that’s when he did you from behind too.

Max: Hahaha!

John: Oh, shut up Dante. Why don’t you go back to making out with your girlfriend?

Marissa: Alright, calm down boys.

Will: She’s right guys.

Max: Hey! I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we play a game?

John: What do you suggest?

*Max smirks.*

Max: Sigmar.

John: Sigma balls.

Will: Oh, I get it now. Sigmar.

Marissa: Sigmar.

John: Sigmar!

Will: Sigmar!!

Marissa: Sigmar!!!

<Sigmar!!!!>

<Sigmar!!!!!>

<Sir, we’re detecting multiple instances of citizens exclaiming the word “sigmar”.>

<Those bastards don’t know what they’re getting themselves into.>

<What are your orders sir?>

<Sigmar!!!!!!>

<Send in Dark Sentinel. Execute Protocol 187-B.>

<Are you sure sir? They’re just kids.>

<You heard what I said. Now do it.>

<Yes sir.>

Max: Sigmar!!!!!!! I could go all day!

Dante: Don’t get so ahead of yourself Max. Sigmar!!!!!!!!

<Berg inbound. Repeat. Berg is inbound.>

Will: Sigmar!!!!!!!!!

Marissa: You guys are so crazy!

John: Sigmar!!!!!!!!!!

<We’re approaching the LZ.>

<Alright, listen up men. We have orders for Protocol 187-B. They’re just kids, so let's be quick and try not to make a scene. Remember. No witnesses.>

Dante: Sigmar!!!!!!!!!!!

Max: Alright. That’s it. SIGMAR!!!!!!!!!!

*A bright spotlight turns on and blinds everyone in the park.*

<Go! Go! Go!>

*Dark figures are seen descending from the berg.*

Will: What’s going on?

Marissa: I can’t see anything!

*John gets tackled to the ground.*

John: Help! Someone is gra… mmm mm mmmm m…

*Continued muffling is heard from John.*

Will: Everybody ru…

Dante: Marissa, where are you?

Marissa: Dante! Over here! Someone is grabbing me!

<This is taking too long. Let’s speed this up, shall we?>

*A drone is deployed from one of the dark figures.*

<Alright, knock them out.>

*The sounds of sleeper darts zipping through the air are heard.*

Dante: Ah! Guys I got hit with something! I… suddenly… feel so… tir…

Marissa: mmmm mm mmmm m m…

Max: Oh my god! Oh my god! It was only a game! I didn’t think the rumors were true!

<We’ve got a runner sir. One is approaching the street.>

<Dammit. We can’t let the locals see him.>

<What do we do sir?>

<Take him out.>

<What sir?>

<Take him out now!>

<Yes sir. This is central command. We have a runner. Repeat. We have a runner. Shoot to kill. Repeat. Shoot to kill.>

Dark Sentinel Soldier 1: You heard them gentlemen. Shoot him down!

*A silenced gunshot is heard within the park.*

*A body is seen collapsing to the ground in the distance.*

<Hostile down. Repeat. Hostile down.>

<Good job.>

<Good job? Sir. This operation was a mess. What if the public saw?>

<Are you questioning my methods?>

<What? No sir. I was just…>

<You two. Take this man into custody. Send him in for re-education.>

<What? Re-education? No! Please don’t! I have a wife and two chil…>

*The berg is seen exiting the park. All evidence of what had occurred just five minutes ago is non-existent.*

Dark Sentinel Soldier 2: Poor kids.

Dark Sentinel Soldier 3: It was only a game.

Dark Sentinel Soldier 1: A dangerous game indeed.

**End Of Story**

## | Reflective Fire

*It’s pitch black in Imperium. The stars are too hard to see with the naked eye. The smell of pollution fills the air as a group of unknown figures move along the shadows of an abandoned industrial complex.*

Ethan Blackwell: 3. 2. 1. GO! GO! GO!

*The C4 charges on the door detonate. Taking the locked door off its hinges.*

*Several armed soldiers storm into the warehouse.*

Shadow 1: Everyone down on the ground now! Hands where I can see them!

Suit 1: You’ll never take us alive!

Ethan Blackwell: Open fire!

*Gunshots are heard throughout the complex.*

Shadow 2: Taking fire! Taking fire!

Suit 2: Get the gloop out of here! Load the trucks!

<Sir, we are detecting movement outside. Several aerial vehicles in the vicinity. Over.>

<What vehicles…>

*A loud explosion causes a portion of a wall to collapse.*

Dark Sentinel Soldier 1: Advance! Shoot to kill! Shoot to kill!

*More gunshots are exchanged.*

Dark Sentinel Soldier 2: HLZ is clear. Repeat. HLZ is clear. Drop! Drop!

*Soldiers are seen deploying from the hovering bergs.*

Shadow 3: Dark Sentinel!

Ethan Blackwell: We need to get out of here. Fall back! Fall back!

<Bravo team this is Alpha team. We need immediate exfil.>

Ethan Blackwell: Damn Dark Sentinel must’ve received an invitation as well.

*Another group of bergs approach the warehouse.*

Shadow 2: Everyone in the berg now!

<We are taking fire. Repeat. The berg is taking fire.>

Ethan Blackwell: We need to exfil right now!

Shadow 4: RPG!

*A rocket is seen propelling through the air, colliding into one of the bergs.*

<Mayday. Mayday. Going down. Going down.>

*Soldiers are seen rushing into the remaining bergs as gunfire rains down upon them.*

Ethan Blackwell: That’s everyone. Now get us the hell out of here!

Pilot: Copy that sir.

*The bergs are seen flying through the dark skies of Imperium. The warehouse explodes in the distance.*

*Ethan Blackwell is sitting within the berg, reflecting with himself, as his men around him recover from the fight.*

Ethan Blackwell (To Self): SMC. State Military Company. It’s who we are. At least according to the NFFB. The glorious dictator can’t have private industry in this country; thus, we aren’t classified as PMCs. Since the Party banned all forms of drugs, people needed to turn to a new source. Gloop. Although also a narcotic, it’s easy for the Suits to get their hands on. As long as Avalon remains corrupt of course. Regardless, it created a new black market here in Imperium. The Party hired us to clear out the Suits. By us, I mean Shadowfire Company and the Dark Sentinel. The Party likes to make things interesting. And ensure they always have an insurance policy. Thus, we tend to ‘mingle’ with the Dark Sentinel a lot. Tonight, should not have turned out as it did. I took a cut to our payment to ensure that the contract was exclusive to Shadowfire Company. Those sons of a…

Shadow 2: Sir.

*Ethan Blackwell snaps back to reality.*

Ethan Blackwell: Yes?

Shadow 2: We’re here.

*Ethan Blackwell and his men are seen walking into an unmarked room.*

Unknown Voice: Status report.

Ethan Blackwell: We secured the gloop sir. We’ll be taking our payment now.

**End Of Story**