Cultures.

[Xenophon]

“We must remember our history, lest we be doomed to repeat it.” Xenophon paraphrased. “But the actions of your past concern me less than the actions of our present, and your future. I am not knew to the seat or pointy hat I now where, but I have never reigned in a time of such darkness and trouble.” He shook his head, “I thought I had seen dark times. It seems that with greater technology, disaster is just more creative than it used to be. It almost makes one nostalgic for the Black Plague, or Mongol Hordes.” Xen smiled slightly, and clapped Hrothgar on the shoulder. “I bet riding a longboat and raiding European Coastlines looks pretty good about now, hmm?”

He turned seriously to the makeshift laboratory, leaning his staff against the table and folding his arms. Xen raised the goggles he had on to his forehead, and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I am working on the River. The problem is that the Rivers were bad a hundred years ago, they’re only worse now. Things do live in it, even if they are changed creatures, but they still live, so that is something.” He ran his fingers through his dark hair, “I know there has been work on microbes to eat the pollution, which in turn would cause a rise in certain kinds of plant life, which would be good for certain kinds of fish and amphibians. Rather like the simple ecosystem of a flower garden, when you bring in ladybugs to eat the aphids.” Xen turned to him, as he spoke about a Church, and tilted his head. “A church is too narrow, and might give the non-religious the wrong idea. It would have to be given more common appeal.”

Xenophon listened to Hrothgar go on, clearly excited by his own notion. “It’s not necessarily a government we need. We have one, such as it is. My territory has served as a refuge for many. There, they can live, farm, and try to do more than just survive.” He gestured around them, “But to make use of this place, it would take more than just a Community Center. It has to be livable. I can more than acquire the land for such a place, but how does that help Three Rivers? I can put one in Beechwood, refugees still come. If we move it farther away, it will be more vulnerable.” He smiled, “But I admire your enthusiasm. We need space, not just another building to organize the homeless, but homes, Hrothgar. They need homes.”

[hrothgar]

Hrothgar shook his head..."As I said, the largest thing I've ever administrated was a small Manor in Palestine. Back then things were a great deal simpler... and back then there were certain functions in society that the church was meant to fulfill. What I was suggesting was not so much a place of worship as a place of sanctuary... but I admit you have a point... What good will another hiding place serve but to teach Humanity how to keep hiding?" He pointed out, taking a seat once more and resting his chin on his palm.

"Reclaiming the river... I'll admit that I've no knack for this sort of thing. Homes are a wonderful thing but homes do not simply happen, at least not in the sense that we'd like them to happen. Homes will take time and require a great deal. You'll be minded that at Nightfall this is one of the last safe places the Vampires have to convene in the downtown area, and They will not likely give it up for any of us. If I may throw my hat into the ring of Logistics then this project will take a great deal of time and effort and resources. We will need to establish a foothold here not just during the day but at night, which may mean provoking the vampires and an extended operation to clear out the Ferals and Ghouls." The Doctor sighed, rubbing his forehead trying to come up with estimates, however ballpark they may be.

"Will take time... and will take volunteers willing to soldier and hold the ground for extended periods. They'll need to be well armed and well trained... and once the area is secured they'll need to be willing to stay on as permanent guards to make sure that a retaliation does not cause us to loose all we have fought for. Then once we have secured the place territorially we will need to begin the project... and even then that may take years before we even know where to begin. It's been several since I started this experiment here... and so far I've found very little headway."

[Xenophon]

“Pfft. If I ever hesitated because I hadn’t ever tried a thing before, I’d have never gotten out of Greece.” Xen clapped the Doctor on the shoulder. “It’s a worthy suggestion, a good suggestion. Sanctuary is always good, but how do we make it appeal to everyone? A Church carries implications, is what I mean.” He crossed his arms, “Perhaps we can do so closer to home, and you can teach a few how to tend to the many. That would make any retreat worthwhile. We do what we can, but I doubt the doctors we have match the width and breadth of your experience and knowledge.”

“Reclaiming this area is a long term goal, to be sure, but a worthy one. If we do not tend this ‘wound’ to the area, it will only fester and spread its infection. I’d like to keep it as it is, or make it go away entirely.” He tilted his head, “At nightfall, the Vampires keep to their territory. Those that come here are stragglers, poor hunters and the weak, if there are any in Pittsburgh. They keep to where blood can be found easily; fighting for such is not their way, and it would be a fight to find blood for the drinking here in Three Rivers.” Xenophon smirked, “They are too delicate in their sensibilities, and too soft in their instincts to want to run their food down.” He gestured, “The Ferals and Ghouls are more of a problem, as you said, and more people could only be seen as more food to the more thoughtful vampires, especially if there’s a few humans.”

Xenophon smiled, “We have time, and the world is learning that freedom was never free, but purchased at a bloody cost. They will fight, or they will ultimately doom themselves.” He shook his head, “The falsehoods that reigned in the later modern era, like ‘violence never solves anything’, has been proven to be the lie that it always was. Now we must take up arms, or go quietly into the endless night, as some poet once said. You have already done more than most. It’s a start, but your resources were slim, it’s time to think – bigger, Hrothgar.”

[hrothgar]

"And you, my father, on the sad height
do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, Rage, against the dying of the light... Dylan Thomas if I'm not mistaken." Hrothgar replied. "This junction sits at the heart of downtown, and is the central nucleus of the City. My own office at the remains of Allegheny General Hospital is only a few minutes from here. If you want to retake this place then we can talk logistics."

He peered out across the river through the smoke, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. "The vampires will no doubt pull back if we make a move here, their numbers are too few and it will be hard to supply them for a long term engagement. They will not be happy with having been ousted though... so if you take ground here Xenophon then be prepared to pay for it elsewhere. The ghouls and ought to be dealt at your discretion, however you feel you need to deal with them I'll trust your judgment. You are, after all, the only one between the two of us who's had any experience as a large scale military commander."

Hrothgar rubbed the bridge of his nose. For all the excitement he had felt towards rejoining the military, and for all the thrill that rushed through him at the thought of once more being a knight in the service of his king , something tugged at him deep inside. Something did not feel right "But then again, Kaiser Wilhelm didn't think that Belgium would resist the advance of a superior army. Adolf Hitler did not expect the Russians to mount any significant retaliation after showing their inability to capture Finland. Fighting... more fighting... that's all there is these days. Death heaped upon death, fighting over one patch of the known world. Pittsburgh is Dis and we stand on the banks of the river Styx." Hrothgar shook his head. "Freedom has its price, and it is often paid in blood. But one must ask whether or not we have the capital to pay the cost."

[Xenophon]

“Indeed.” Xenophon agreed. “Just so. And talk logistics we will, but this isn’t the place, and I would like to leverage what technology I can. The Human Government is little more than the few surviving heads of state and several of the old Joints Chief. They are trying, but in an ironical turn, in the absence of so many, most of the states – where borders remain defined, if at all – have fallen to governing themselves. In this case, that means my Queen, myself, and my Court.” He smiled, and gripped Hrothgar’s shoulder, “That means you too. Welcome, new Surgeon-General of Pennsylvania. We’ll be meeting up at the House soon. Ana does her best, but I think we’ll all benefit from your expertise.”

Xenophon shook his head, “The reasons for the War are vanished into antiquity. If the Vampires are willing to be reasonable, so am I, but this world is for the living. We, all of us, are nothing without the Human Foundation we’re all built on. I will not allow a world of culture vanish because some paltry few sees them only as cattle.” He shrugged, “That said, I’ll worry about the Vampires. You worry about how we’ll turn this mess around, over time of course.” He frowned slightly, “I have been, but it was easier to be a mercenary, let me tell you. Now, What do you need for your Hospital?”

He smiled, “Hitler was a military twit, that ignored wiser minds, and the Kaiser might well have considered any number of similar engagements before making that assumption. No plan survives contact with the enemy.” Xen chuckled, “And Belgians are stubborn.” He shook his head, “Consider it a firebreak. We choose our battles to keep the whole forest from burning down, and we choose them with as much precision as we can.” Xenophon gestured towards the river, “I wish. The Styx would be a damn sight cleaner.” He shrugged slightly, “No one has the capital. But the cost must be paid. This is survival as well as freedom.”

[hrothgar]

Some are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them. Hrothgar couldn't decide which category he fit into as the words 'Surgeon General' exited the king's mouth. His eye went wide for a moment as he fumbled for words. He scratched the side of his head... "I... well this will be a new experience." He murmured. Two titles in one morning? It was possible.

"Right, well... as for the Hospital, its only a floor of it right now, the rest has been given up to housing those looking for refuge. Its, a busy place most times other times its slow. Ideally I'd like some actual electricity up there. Right now I've got a gas generator that powers most of the equipment but gas generators have their limits. TO make it a proper hospital I'd need help, people willing to work and to learn. I'd need more space for beds and for the equipment I have held onto and I'll need electricity to run lights, X-rays, sterilizers and to power the lab equipment once I eventually have a proper lab set up there. I'll have a list of goals for the place set up when have time to take stock of what I have and what I need, here's hoping the issues can be addressed when i make my appearance at Court... which would be when exactly?"

[Xenophon]

Xenophon clapped him on the back, “Man up, Doc. You’re a Pennsylvanian now. We have a long history of reason, liberty, and other such derivative but still lovely notions.” He smiled, “The title means two things; Surgeon. General.” Xen nodded, “I’ve been part of the military for, well, a damn long time. I don’t know a decent medic that wouldn’t fight to pull his men out of the blood and the mud, and I expect no less from you, Mein Freund.” He gestured at the Lab, “I’ll support your work, and your Hospital. Those are good things, necessary things. I think you know what I expect in turn. Maybe together, our Court can turn things around. You’ve heard of a Meritocracy, yes? Or what some would call the Talent Tax? Well, you got talent, and I’m collectin’.”

He ran his fingers through his hair, and nodded. “Electricity isn’t as hard as you think. Consistent power, however, can be. I need you to pick and choose what’s important to power and what isn’t.” Xenophon smiled, “I have people, they’ve been waiting for a solid Doctor. We’ve been limping along for years. There’s a couple of corpsman, a couple of honest doctors, about three veterinarians – can you believe that? And a few others with varying levels of applied experience and knowledge. I’ll send some your way. There’s always several more willing to learn.” Xenophon met Hrothgar’s eyes, “Prepare a shopping list. I’ll fill what I can.” He took up his staff again, “I expect to see you in Court soon as you can manage it. Folks have things to do, but if you want to get your Hospital going properly, and want to make the right impression on our Queen. Make it really soon.”

Xenophon smiled, and lowered his goggles. He tapped one lens, “There’s tech out there, but its not easy to get. Takes capital, and I have plenty of that. Make that list.” He checked his spear, and grinned. “I’m gonna go and fight my way out of this place now. It’ll be a little stretch before dinner and home; need a hand getting out? Or shall I leave you to your work?”

[hrothgar]

He gave a nod to his king. Meritocracy... the upbeat tone seemed to set uneasy on him. The world was not happy or upbeat by any stretch of the imagination these days. He could admire the man's eye for optimism but the way he referred to the setup of government here? Meritocracy... Talent Tax... he'd heard far too many similar offers handed out by men in Khaki coats and red armbands. Gloss over the nature and organization of the government and the public will ask fewer questions... He kept his face cool though and did his best to smile.

"Two days then and I'll make an appearance at the court. I'll have my affairs sorted by then and you will... err... Be able to collect this so called talent tax more efficiently. I'm glad to have your support Xenophon, and in kind you'll have mine. I've had a glorious fighting career, and as much as I've tried to put violence behind me the ghosts of the past will not let me rest easy. Rest assured though as duly appointed Surgeon General I will engage and execute my duties as expected of me by the commonwealth barring of course those actions which would be morally reprehensible, repugnant or otherwise in violation of my oath to serve and protect humanity in whatever form it may find itself." Hrothgar made a smart salute now in the old Saxon style, thumping his right fist against his left shoulder.

"Two days. " he repeated. "I will finish my notes here and make my way back before sunset. The path i know meets little resistance from the Packs. I will be fine so long as I travel directly back to my dwellings. Travel safely Mein Herr Konnig. Auf Wiedersehen, Gruß Gott!" With that the Doctor bowed and returned his gas mask to his face. taking a few long huffs from the filter and feeling the clean air rush back into his lungs. Turning now he began murmuring to himself as he continued his notation.

"Ahh Jezt? nummert vier und zwanzig... ah so, die Myzele. Notitzen fur nummert vier und zwanzig:... keine groß Fortshritt. ein bisschen heir und dort. Hoffentlich uber die nachste monat gibt es doch mehr. Hoffentlich...."

[Xenophon]

Xenophon laughed, "Hrothgar, Surgeon General, I've already collected the Talent Tax." He looked at the other Dragon over his shoulder, "People, all people, have a talent, to a greater, or lesser degree. Some of us know the workings of the human body like others know the working of an engine, and some of us can barely tie our shoes, but we all contribute in some small way, we all work towards recovery the best way that we can." Xenophon looked into the gloom, "Not every one can be a surgeon, just like not everyone is suited to the burdens of leadership, Hell, I'm never a hundred percent certain I'm suited for the Throne, but I do my level best to keep it, earn it, and leverage it for my Territory." He moved a little further out of the lab, "But make no mistake, I'm your King. See you in two days then, bring that list, or I'll mark you as coming to class unprepared."

He slipped out into the ruins, and went looking for trouble, before he went home.