The Blade and the Cycle

"Whaddya say, kids?" Actium runs ahead of the group and turns around to address them. "I think I'm in the mood to whet my blade before my whistle!"
A cheer goes up from the assembled troops.



"What's that supposed to mean?" asks Kepral, as Actium's train catches up with him.

"How am I supposed to know?" says Actium. "Sounded neat, though. Whatever! They can't all be zingers."

"Around a third?" offers Horius.
"Are we talking yea zingers or nea zingers?" Dia slides past him. "Because I'd sooner go with fifty-fifty and split the difference."

Actium twirls back around and saunters down the path. "You people don't pay me for my speechcrafting."

"We don't pay you," says Horius.

"But if you did, it would be for stabbing people! Let's go stab people."



They cut for the Quays, which would be a bad part of town to be in if the bad wasn't Actium's baddest of the bad.
The kids all clamber out onto the roofs of the tenements or the high dockwalls to catch sight of the bravos in scarlet striding down the streets. They cheer, whistle, catcall, and taunt as the adults who have outgrown all this lean out their windows.

"Hey Actium!" one boy around 11 cries. "Grange says once he beat you with a broomhandle!"
"If Grange's blade was as tall as his tales he could stab me from his shitter," Actium calls back. "Hoy! Bow, ye mere striplings! For lo, Section Karstrix take long strides!"

"Flex!" The usual gaggle of girls are calling down to Horius. "Flex! Pythons!"
"Hold this." Horius brings his massive whacker down from his shoulders and hoists it at Kepral.
"Aw Horius no don't make me ack" Kepral staggers from the impact as Horius rolls up his sleeves and shows off his sculpted physique to the loudly appreciative girlfolk.

"Oy, Dia!" calls an old Qal from a high window. "Think you could give us a show like that?"
Dia twirls round, whips her blade up into the air, christens both her middle fingers with a kiss, and displays them proudly at the tenement. She catches the blade in one hand and bows to the cheering boys on the rooftops.

"Prev. Talk to me about the Gelton/Aquinna situation," says Actium as the swordswoman (brava?) finishes a somersault over the block's well.

"Hmm? Oh. Sorry, blood returning to head. Word is they're both out on the street with their sections." Preveza falls back into march. "Their mutual hatred as strong as ever."



"Why can't those two just get along?" muses Actium.
"As opposed to us, who are going to go swordfight them?" asks Preveza.
"Details."

Actium loves nothing more than crossing blades with PFC Gelton and PFC Aquinna, the pointmen for two of the strongest Sections in Fortress Kiprik (besides his). Aquinna of Section Ystrall because she's very pretty in a cagey sort of way and a great opponent and Gelton of Section Grimtwin because he's a stuck-up, overpromoted twat who's highly pleasurable to beat. And a great opponent.

"Well, it's our duty to keep the peace and prevent any sort of bitter fighting in the streets, after all," says Actium. "Why don't we be good citizens and send one or the other home with their tail between their legs first?"
"Sounds like a plan and a half." Dia jogs up next to him. "The question is which?"