[Archived] Old Just 'cause Thread

[Gatac]

Originally posted by Gatac

After a longer wait, here's Chapter 18.

The music is Monster Magnet - Heads Explode.

This is how we go about it to make our heads explode all night
This is how we go about it to make our heads explode all night
I got all the combinations, you know, don't you know I'm always right
This is how we go about it to make our heads explode...

Creative freedom or slide into tastelessness? You decide!

This was exceedingly difficult to write, on three levels: a) It made my skin creep all the way through, but I just had to press on and get it done - I hope the results vindicate me; b) I was mega-busy those last weeks, and c) Finding the right language and imagery to describe a mind-bending trip through Rowena's head wasn't easy, especially as I wanted to boil it down to a few important elements instead of pondering the symbolism behind every little background detail. So, broad strokes.

No, I won't artifically delay the next chapter. I'm not that evil.

You do not want to know how long it took me to find out how a Five-seveN is field-stripped. Curse you, Equinox! Why couldn't she have a favorite gun that's a bit more real-world popular?

And yes, the conversation with her mirror image is at least a partial homage to Raines. Another brilliant show down the toilet after only a few episodes...

[Gatac]

Originally posted by Mister Anderson

Raines? The only person with tht name I'm familiar with is the bad guy from The Pretender

[Gatac]

Originally posted by Equinox

Prosaic, mind-bending and insightful - all at the same time.

[Gatac]

Originally posted by Gatac

Man, this took forever. I was busy, and then I was sick, and then I played a lot of C&C 3. But despair not! Here's Chapter 19. Named after Bush - Speed Kills (The People That We Love).

The things we do to the people that we love
The way we break if there's something we can't take
Destroy the world that we took so long to make

We expect her gone for some time
I wish her safe from harm
To find yourself in a foreign land
Another refugee - outsider refugee

I'll freely admit that the idea of self-destructing magazine is borrowed from Crying Freeman - but of course, I had to have a little twist. This one's not just an explosive charge (which brings too much collateral damage, anyway...) - it's a thermite charge that melts the gun's internals, messing up forensics like nobody's business. Also, it's supposed to be an universal gadget - small enough to fit into most any magazine well.

The AMG 65 is an exceedingly nice car. I respect any car that has to forgo a fully-automatic transition because the engine is too powerful. Oh, and having some of the most advanced commercial cruise control features on the market isn't bad either.

For all I know, the streets of Rio are probably totally choked solid with traffic even at night. Call it poetic license.

And 94 FM is a real radio station.

[Gatac]

Originally posted by Gatac

Chapter 20 is here! It also took forever. Well, more forever. Forever-er. You know what I mean.

Music is Heart - Barracuda.

You lying so low in the weeds
I bet you gonna ambush me
You'd have me down down down down on my knees
Now wouldn't you, barracuda?

What, you didn't think the Hand of Glory gives up that easily, did you?

I slightly embellished the capabilities of UAVs here (as far as I know, tracking a moving vehicle in a busy urban area isn't feasible yet), but since the setting generally assumes "five minutes into the future" tech in the shadows, I think it's okay. I mean, when you have freakin' power armor running amuck in Asia, a little use of smart drones over South America doesn't look so bad. (And for those who are keeping track, yes, both drones and the missile are projects the German Army is involved in. Easy enough for the Hand to get their hands on, I'd say.)

A missile attack from a stealth-design UCAV is the next-best thing to lightning from a clear sky. Comes out of nowhere, drops some pain and disappears again. You're only safe because your enemies aren't willing to go to such lengths to attack you - but if you make them angry...

Yes, it's another cliffhanger. I am, in fact, evil.

Just 'cause will, in fact, wrap up in the next few chapters. There's just so much stuff to blow up...