Drawl on about City States

Gef out of here! Go! Raus! Skedaddle.

Dose hateful dings! Whaf daf man was sayin abouf New Birmingham - Lord have mercy. And de old Govment, I spit whenever I hear dat so called presiden's name.

Mind you, even the devil tells the truf if it suis his own purposes. It be true that all dem NES' folks are a bunch of tieves, don build nofing new adall - jus stell from de dead of all de old cities. And dose army troopers, dey goo de best guns and ello coppers, well skooled - you ain't hear no arguin fro me, dey good. But dey be servn evil people, and we migh no beat 'em in dis life, but de nex don look too good for dem.

'Corse what I hear is dat most de army now be deserters or criminals, given guns and an a license to loof - em and em domain you know.

Now if you wan a good lif, you do never speak of dat Desla Place, now arround her you don. If one ding for a man in powah like the presidn to be empted to sin. Bu dis is a whole cidy up an ouf de-fyien god, dinken deir computers and sy-bear-nef-iks can save 'em de way Jesus can! All sors of sinners line up a de gates, an dey be dold to serve de Desla massers and give up dere children for entry! Be glad dey so far away in de Rocky Monts.

Naw if you lookn for good people closer doo home, you gof Lone Star, alon de Dexas side of de gulf. Dey gof a nuclear powah plan an a half completed arcology, and be good friends wif da men on da naval bass and. I don dink dey in leauge wif de old govermen, but dey don ave much fuel neither, so it be hard to knwo when do go an fight. Dere be a lota aliens around der, like big shrimps wif laser guns! Aliens still gof an army, wi big demon robot and ello coppers dat look like fire breathn catfish. Pray for dem Lone Star folks - won you?

Now some say dat de aliens fight each another, or pay off humans to do it for dem. California be de nastiest bunch of dem around, while udders mig be willn to sit an jaw a while. You imagine dat - talkin to a shrimp? Nah, I jus stay here, nice an safe. Righ Dought folks might be over eager, but Sheppard's Hand is good people. So wa if he calls 'em police and nof an army? We be in a civilized town dat needs police and pastors, not troopahs and dictators. We's got Sunday picnics every week when most in the wasteland would fight each udder for a can o beans. Der be sho-shops and soda pop, dentists and mechanics all about us here, like a good little down - almost as if De Event never happened, alright.

Ah say again, dis be a good place, a righteous place, and fine in de eyes of de Lord. Some covet technology too much, or govermen powah, or try to keep ol ruins alive with bits o de dead. Here we care about people, all the childrens get school, all da wives keep dere homes. Dere be weeds in out gahden, but it bears might fine fruit, while all de udders be twisted or barren. To be po' here is better dan to be rich out der.

(My apologies to anyone who actually is in the Deep South, I'm trying to change up my writing, not mock you.)

Zone Extraditon

Stratson took a sip of her whiskey, set it down, and gave the bartender a glare that clearly indicated if he watered down the next one, he would be wearing his ass for a hat. She then turned to her client, who was only slightly less disagreeable.
   "Where is he? I paid you good money three weeks ago, and now your sitting here in my front yard spending it with nothing to show."
   "I assure you, this is money from other jobs I'm spending right now. Yours has become untenable."
   "Excuse me?"
   "You heard me. The SOB is hiding in a New Birmingham Parish. They don't recognize outside jurisdictions, especially not on behalf of female bounty hunters coming after men."
   "So that's it? He hides amongst some bible thumpers, and gets away clean?"
   "Looks, its about a fifty-fifty chance that any given haven of city state will be willing to export a criminal if you say so. Vegas has evidence requirements that are often hard to meet, though they relax a bit if you become bonded and join up with their state. No one gets into Tesla, so its not a problem. NEST doesn't care so long as you don't tear up too much - but trying to hunt someone in one of those places is nigh impossible if you aren't trained for it - which once again, requires a certain degree of citizenship. Random settlements - some like to be on the good side of the law, others feel that can't give up anyone who has seemingly useful skills. I can and will negotiate with those guys. But down South - down South they have their own way. He causes any trouble, it won't be pretty. They have their own hunters group to deal with people who try to duck town. But unless your hamlet agrees to join their for lack of better term - nation - no luck. I even look at one of their citizens the wrong way, and I can get in trouble."
   "And you can't..."
   "We went over that when you hired me. I'm not an assassin - I'm here for justice, not vengeance."

Ride Along with Right Thought

[Interior Shot - Classroom, Early Afternoon. Furnishings are worn, mostly off camera. FoV focused on a man, mid 40s, chestnut hair, well trimmed mustache, blue polo shirt. He begins speaking:]

There are a lot of odd beliefs about Right Thought. Some are simply bizarre - like we have a secret knock or only wear rings on our right hand. Others are downright blasphemous. One rumor connects us to some Roman time conspiracy of a fourteenth disciple of Jesus. [Shakes head dismissively]
   But the thing you must believe is, we want what is best for you - for your soul. No strange signs or ceremony - just an oath from Ezekiel 18:23 [Camera pans upwards to a banner about the blackboard as the speaker continues, it reads "declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" Fade to black]

[Opening theme plays over montage of officers entering homes or patrolling streets. Final shot is of a church, slowly panning to top of steeple while voice-over plays:]
   "Inquisition is filmed with the men of Right Thought. All suspects are considered sinners until they receive the forgiveness of the LORD."

[Interior shot, automobile, Priest driving]
   Most everyone has their moment of weakness - that is why god's son and his loyal servants are there for you. There are those who give in. It must be between the person and god to return to righteousness. But that pull away is strong. We are a rope to tie to the Rock.
   We're heading to a special case. He was given a warning - and had stopped. Entirely. Some can do that, they are truely blessed. But most need weaning, coaching, confession, prayer. An abrupt stop is all too often an attempt to be more discrete than true recovery.
  We're here.

[Camera Two - Exterior shot, red brick three flat apartment building with too many layers of white paint flaking off a decades old brick facade.Priest from car walks from off cmera left forwards to door, camera view gives chase, both stop near door]
   "See how it decays? That is what sin does, just not so evident. Well, no sense in delaying salvation - yes?
[Knocks on Door]
   "Mr. [REDACTED] open up. This is Brother Anderson of Right Thought!
[Door opens, though chain remains connected, Blond woman peeks through gap.]
   "I'm sorry sir, Mr. [REDACTED] is not here right now.
   "Who might you be miss?
   "I'm [REDACTED]"
   "Are you sure he isn't here? He was instructed to be on the premises."
   "I just do the laundry and keep the place clean. I can't help you." [Door Shuts]
"This is odd, but not unexpected. I was hoping he would be reasonable and came alone. That does not seem to be the case. So now I need to call in for back-up, and an entry team will be here shortly. We will have to search the premise, and will probably find something that shouldn't be there.
   People seem to think its harmless, and what else is there to do when we're stuck in little camps like this. Or else fall back on the old excuse, it was legal before the Event. But really, what kind of logic was that? - Oh, he was such a nice boy until he killed all those people and wore their skins like trousers, I'm sure he is still a nice person now. Really, those were some hideous times indeed...

***

[Cut to commercial - man in doctors scrubs with back to large white wall, to his right, pictures of the wasteland begin to flash.]
   The Event has purged a great deal of sinners from the land and many of the others are stuck in the wasteland, without proper acess to healthcare. Like those expelled from Eden, child birth is now a painful and dangerous burden.
[Camera pans left, revealing the doctor is standing near a hospital maternity ward]
   But here in the community of New Birmingham we have access to the best medical care there is. Have you had children to sustain the righteous? It is your duty to bring forth the next generation. Generous rewards are available for those who bring four or more into the service of the lord. Inquire at...

***

(For those of you not familiar with the show "Cops" - watch the intro sequence to better understand this homage)

...That Wears the Crown

The study was dark polished wood. Or, at least looked that way to most who were used to offices of acrylic and glass. Most of it was actually fairly cheap and just heavily lacquered to hide the tool marks and other signs of amateur workmanship.  Reverend Luther Powell had been many things, but professional carpenter was not one of them. To his credit though, he did try to make everything himself, and aside from the electrical wiring, most of the renovations in the house were done with his own hands. The bookshelves were straight and workman like, the desktop surface level if you left the plate glass centered, and the chairs - were bought at a shop after one of the power tools broke.

Most of the other decorations in the room were of more passable quality. Brass lamps picked out by wife Mary, and artwork gifts from friends and parishioners lined the walls.

Duncan Moses Powel, was nigh perfect in every way the furniture was not. An imposing - if young - presence, tall, strong, and and built to last through seasons of football and water-polo. But most people didn't see him as a demigod figure, instead noticing the priests vestments he tended to wear, or else simple overalls and shirts. Lacking the army command expense of Luther, Duncan tried for the role of village priest and man of the people instead.

He was opposite in almost every way to opponent in the Texas arcology. But there were some unfortunate similarities- the burdens of leadership. 

Electricity and Safety, the two demons that bedeviled the good state. Keeping the people content with the ways of the city state required providing them amenities and illumination - but the local production facilities were not increasing output to match the populace of the towns. Even with every adult male trained in the use of a weapon, there was always the threat of those ungodly creatures. Rare was the day that less than a dozen congregated outside the gates of the ABERHAM research campus, and there always seemed to be a steady stream of them from the concrete islands of New Orleans, the ruins of Mobile, swarms from the crater that was the original Birmingham - scouts had tracked one group all the way back to the CDC campus in Georgia.

And then there were the heretics. Duncan was willing to soften his father's language to just the lazy - but then mother would chime in that sloth is a deadly sin. Whatever name was attached, the problem was, people just weren't willing to empty their hands of the old ways and grab onto the rope of right conduct. Perhaps women had shown themselves equals in the past, but now a steady home environment and division of labor was required. Certain devious lifestyles had been allowed, but now that the time had come to rebuild civilization, the obligation was to do so correctly and by the book.

It was always a bit vexing that the population could at once be growing too fast for the services, and yet not fast enough as outsiders were reluctant to join the church.

Nothing would take him from his father's shadow, but he hoped to shine a bit of light on his own. Duncan had never wanted to be a senator or president, but now he was in charge of both the physical functioning and spiritual security of over a dozen villages held together by his father's dream.

He removed the interface glasses and rubbed his temples, then swiveled the chair to look out the window. A few taps on the suit's arm turned down the air conditioning another two degrees. Rank had its privileges.

Heavy is the head...

The office was decorated in somewhat out of date "dream wave" style. No straight lines when gentle curves could be used instead, almost everything a clear acrylic except for one white patch on the desk that held its internal electronics. Blue painted natural bamboo mats covered the floor, off setting the otherwise sterile lack of color on the walls or in the furniture. At quick glace, it looked like a floating white panel and trio of cushions floating over an ocean, before one picked up the furniture edges. A large picture window faced West, framing the sun as it turned the landscape red at dusk. Despite the UV filtering glass, there were still differently colored regular patches on the wall where the current occupant had removed the former's personal effects and photos.

Victor H.R. Seagram was also a bit out of date in style. Most people had given up on older forms of dress. Wearable computers were a bit stiff, and after too much flexing and washing, simply broke, even if there were no tears or holes. Nor did the weather this time of year really lend itself to large patches of skin covered by plastic fibers.Indeed, it was often warm enough in the buildings that there was a movement to make public nudity allowable. If that was the only issue he had to worry about, he'd have found religion just to than god for it.

But the man who insisted on suits or sport coats to keep to appearance of his job as mayor had far bigger things than that. (And the answer would continue to be no - people had standards, after-all). Citizen recon-aircraft had been spotted last week, an Argentine submarine had been tracked, and there were only a few months more of uranium for the power plant.Weather like this wasn't helping the farms either. And yet another group of teenagers ran off of r a three day adventure in the old cities. If the police couldn't keep their own kids in, how were they supposed to keep things out?

And those damn god squads. The witch burners in Birmingham had been making overtures to join for two years, maybe more. Certainly it could help the supply situation, and in theory, double the amount of US territory considered under government control - even if it wasn't necessarily the old congress.

Mr. Seagram had be considering a run later in the decade, mayor of an arco project was a pretty good resume for being a representative.

But now they were just getting nasty. Trade deals had been getting less and less fair, and now it seems some church affiliated groups had actually attacked some wasteland patrols. Rumors had it that the other city state was gearing up for a conflict.

And on a purely personal level, he couldn't well deal with a group that thought of his mothers and an abomination.

He removed the interface glasses and rubbed his temples, then swiveled the chair to look out the window. A few taps on the suit's arm turned down the air conditioning another two degrees. Rank had its privileges.

Welcome to New Birmingham 2

14:00

Sorry about the abundance of vegetables and lack of pie. As you imagine, the meats and the treats disappear pretty quickly. We can still stop by my place for some warm cider and vittles if you want. No, I'm afraid we don't have any coffee or tea - they just don't grow in this climate. I'm sure the only ones happy with this lack of caffeine are the Mormons, and even they must miss it a little.

Are you sure you don't want anything? I mean you really don't have to act like the place is on fire and you must leave now. Southern hospitality is still alive you know. This is a good place...

Hey - keep your voice down! And watch your language - people are rather touchy about that around here. And especially in reference to That! We don't talk about that program in polite company! At  least not here. I'm not too comfortable with it either - if you insist we'll talk about the reanaimate troopers later, and in doors. Please, don't make a scene right now - you're lible to get asked to leave after another outburst like that. A crowds forming - lets duck into this shop.

Yes, this is a tobacconist's shop. Some of the residents who live here are surprised we have one too. Officially, New Birmingham outlaws just about every addiction - alcohol, gambling, pornography, marijuana, the only thing you can get high on here is the love of Jesus. However, we still need to trade to get some of what we need, and frankly many of the outside scavengers want worldly pleasures and demon rum. At least the alcohol production can be used for cleaning and powering engines. This shop is mostly here because its enclosed and has that certain feel to it - better than selling them in the open at the actual bazaar.

No, it is not okay to talk about it now - please, just drop the subject. I'm sorry that you ran across a couple of them. Wasn't my idea, I don't know whose it is. I guess god gave us the ability to tame them for some higher purpose. Do you have questions about anything else - please?

I've heard that name before, but I've never understood why they pronounce it so oddly. Abraham is not that odd, its in the bible... Advanced Biological Emergency Research Hospital and Active Medicine Facility - abER-Ham. Oh. I guess that does make sense now. But what is active medicine isn't all treatment an activity? ... Oh that nano stuff. I've never been quite comfortable with being injected with bags full of pink goo. How does that stuff work, and how do they know its safe? Ther've been alchemists and doctors for century, but there's no way to know the long term effects of the nano stuff. Besides, it was endorsed and supplied by a government that also endorsed abortion and gays and gambling and... No, I don't know anything about that place, and if that is where the robot goo come from, I don't want to know anything more.

Yes, I did mention we need to defend the women earlier - that's what the bible says too after-all. I mean, they aren't disallowed from learning to use a gun but that isn't why they're here. We need the man -er person-power so female soldiers and police officers are kind of "grandfathered in" but we aren't training more of them. Obviously, some object to that policy, but um, I don't really have an opinion on that, I try to stay out of those debates. They get rather loud.

Look, you can call our policies backwards - some of us can even agree with you. But an outsider just does not come into our fold and then start critiquing. Its not good manners, and its not going to make you any friends. I think we might best part company for a while before things get ugly. I'll meet you again at the bazaar after we've both had a chance to cool down.

Welcome to New Birmingham 1

A quick aside - I've finally gotten around to updating some of the information pages! Getting the stores and rules ideas done have been of rather higher priority, and most of these elments are introduce in the PDFs, but that is really no excuse for not giving new comers more background about what has been happening in the world of Dead and Back.

13:10 Local Time

Hello brother scavenger! Do you feel well today - it looks like your packs are full. Please, please - my hands are open! I mean you no harm! I'm sure you've had some unfortunate encounters in the past judging from your response - but I propose something far more mutually beneficial. I happen to be scout for Galilee.

Yes, I understand your suspicion about not seeing anywhere with that name on a local map. We have had slightly more pressing things to do than update the old street signs mind you. But I assure you its a real place. All the enclaves of New Birmingham are name for sites in the holey land. Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jericho, Mount Tabor, Hevron... um... Tel Aviv - no thats a modern city... there are currently fourteen at any rate, even if my memory fails me on all the names.

My comrades have a vehicle, and if you like, you may accompany us back. A chance to get off your feet, sell your finds in a civilized place, and stock up on new supplies. At the very least have a good supper - my wife makes wonderful chicken and dumplings and pies one would almost sin for.

13:20

Not such a long trip, was it? But there you go, the double gates of Galilee. Yes, you're not the first to have likened those double chain liken fences with barbed wire on top to those dreadful pictures of camps and prisons of wars past. But really - they look like freedom to me - if you don't focus on the links you can still see through them - we're not cowering on the upper levels of some old building or hiding in welded together shipping containers. This enclave alone is about eight city blocks that one can walk about freely. Provided you're not carrying a rifle anyway- you're going to have to turn in that long arm at the guard house between the fences. 

You may continue to keep that pistol, though. Its your right, nay - duty -  after all as an adult male to cary arms to protect the women and children. The unfortunate rifle limits is simply because we don't like the risk of something over-penetrating a wall and putting others at risk. If there is a need, you'll get it right back - or even one of ours. All the churches act as a second line of defense with their own gates and stocks of supplies should the outer fences be breached. God protects the prepared faithful and the faithfully prepared.

As you can see, we still have our own homes and shop lined streets. Over there is the main park - we're a little late for the usual pot-luck luncheon, but it takes a while to clean up after-wards, so there should still be some leftovers to tide us over. Ah look - Father Bartholomew and Mayor Swan are still there - come, let us give them a kindly hello. Bartholomew is one of the pastors in this enclave, and local leader of the Council of Inquiry - the local internal enforcement of peace and righteousness, while  The Sheppard's Hand is our general military and what I'm subordinate too. I'm sure he won't mind delivering a short benediction over the food again before we eat - he is one of the nicer Inquisitors I've met - they do have quite the important job and its all to easy to become a little short tempered from the strain.

How can you find it odd that we have such a service? Don't you think a bit of religion is what this world of gangs fighting over scraps and walking abominations needs? I, I admit that sometimes they are a little overly intrusive - or a lot overly intrusive.  I wasn't too religious before the event. But the chance of aliens showing up is trillions to one, and the dead walking - only god has that power. I don't think Jesus is going to show up in another two years leading an army of angels. But these times - they do seem to stretch beyond human hands. This is a test of some sort - one of faith, or at least one where faith will help see you through.

But please, please - don't tell the father I said that. He is nice, but some of his underlings are less understanding, and it is his job to pass on such conversations...

Eyes and Ears

"Jake, check this out. Jake. Jake! Oh, god...bless him." With a curse cut short and more than a slight annoyance, Jacqlyn left her spot on the firing line and made her way to the observation deck. As usual, the armorer was defeating the point of a sound proof room by playing music overly loud and not looking out the ballistic glass. Heaven forbid something go wrong on the line.
"Jake!"
"What?"
"You should be paying more attention! Especially to the one on the far right - AB-3097.."
"The one in red?"
"Yes?"
"What is so imporatant - its a reanimate just like the rest."
"And its using a bolt action rifle."
"So? Thats what we normally do. Its hard enough to teach a human proper care, fire discipline, and how to clear a jam in a fight - you expect those half dead things to use an assault weapon?"
"I know standard procedure Jake. What I don't know is how it can do that. I haven't thought it anything!"
"Its using a rifle on its own?"
"I don't know if it somehow already knew how to use a weapon, or if one of the others decided to teach it. It was just supposed to be here to get used to the sound, and see the guns are not some sort of club. There it is again - working the bolt, checking down the sights - is it trying to adjust them?"
"They're teaching or already know. Too smart for their own good, just like the aliens. Pretty soon the radio is going to interview them too."
"Interview the aliens, yeah right"
"No, they already talk to the aliens - I mean the reanimates on the radio. Dead from New York its..."
"Where did you hear aliens on the radio?"
"Recordings are being circulated, its from somewhere out West."
"You're not supposed to be listening to that stuff."
"I'm just trying to get some news of the outside world."
"The outside world isn't worth knowing about. What you're listening too could be spiritual corruption in audio form. How do you know its safe?"
"Because I'm me, I know my self."
"But do you know your spirit? That would be something to ask a minister about. Doctors and scientists thought they knew themselves, can look ingot their minds, and with advanced imaging techniques into their patients. Look what happened from their hubris. That thing over there, that can use a rifle instinctively, and never needs to compensate for heavy breathing disrupting its aim."
"Buying into the party line much?"
"Jake - I'm willing to accept not everyone is comfortable here. But I'm not willing to see the Committee of Right Thought coming down on my friends, and then turning upon me and my family because they are wary of how far such opinions have traveled. Part of me says, don't threaten the guy who can remove the firing pins from all of my weapons before a mission - but lets be abundantly clear - I'm not going to get dragged down with you."
"Loud and clear commander, loud and clear."
"Speaking of firing pins - think I should use a 38 to wipe AB-3097 back to factory condition?"
"I'd go for a .45, but this might be worth watching. Waste not want not."

Luther's Day

Red checkerd tabel cloths, buttermilk battered fried chicken, all the atmosphere of a church picnic. Well, it is a church picnic, despite the horrors my teammates were dealing with not more than a dozen clicks away. A broken leg had gotten me out of border patrol for a few days while the nano acreted extra calcium.
  "Excuse, who is that?"
  "What?" I asked, turning the the auburn haired woman who had appeared beside me.
  "That guy, the statue, all the hanging pictures."
  "I take it you're one of the scavangers we let in recently."
"Caravans and mechanic. I don't pick over other's bones." Feisty one, needs a husband.
"Right. That is Reverend Luther Powel. He is the one who made this all possible."
"The man behind New Bimingham."
"Our founder yes, but he is in god's hands now, not long after it was all settled."
"Can I ask how he managed that?"
"Of corse my dear, you don't learn if you don't ask. In the years before, he was dedicated to fighting back against the fall of society. He started a program to get every church in the area its own radio transnission towrer -afterall the sphere was full of distracting filth, but we colud have channels dedicated clearly to the lord. When the event happened, for a while the only things still on the air were national guard broadcasts and our ministry, and soon even the former stopped. For the better, it was their fault.
"I harly think the national guard planned on the country falling apart, in fact I;m almost sure their job was to prevent it.
"Certinly didn't act that way, considering how many people still made it across the borders, how they supported heathen rulers, and made such a poor showing againt the crime and corruption."
"You;re saying the aliens and reanimates are a second biblical flood huh?"
"Apt perhaps. Anyway, Reverend Powel worked himself to exhaustion helping organise communities, and despite his age, even led efforts back into infested areas to rescue more good christians. It was ar the point where some would think his vissions came more rom the lack of sleep than divine inspiration. He laid down clear rules while others were still realing - his military experince from he 2000s wars made him a take charge sort of man. But eventually it all caught up with him, and he went to join the lord."
"So who is in charge now may I ask?"
"We have both an eclisastical and secular council governing us. Mary Power, our founder's widow, and his son Duncan hold seats on the former. The secular gov is elected and helps with distirbution of goods, managing defense, organising repairs. The othe maintains veto power and controls the law and judges."
"In that case, would you knwo where anyone from the secular council is? My group still has some business to take care of today."
"See that guy in  a red shirt under the rotunda? I think thats one of them, though I can't tell since his back is to us."
"Thank you."
"Of course, ma'am. If you haveany further questions or need an escort I'll be here."