Helios Issue XII.
The Truth Shall Make Ye Free
The train steamed into TWCVille Station late on Monday evening, the main arrival point for all TWCers coming from that dark and distant land known as Real Life. I was one of the passengers on board, fresh from my two month summer holiday in Austria. As the train juddered to a halt, I pulled my suitcase down from the luggage rack and hopped off the train through the compartment door. Fortunately I was at the front of the train, I didn’t have to do much walking to get to the taxi rank, where my favoured mode of transport was waiting. However, rather than finding the usual queue of taxis, only a solitary vehicle was parked in the rank. Opening the back door, I also found him to be rather rude and almost deaf.
“Hello,” I greeted him. “The Helios Offices, please.” I thought I should pop over to the Helios to see how things with Menander had been shaping up before relaxing in my apartments in Wilpuri House with a glass of whisky and soda and an opera record on the old gramophone. . As I had been away for two months, I was naturally expecting disaster at the Helios, which only I could sort out.
However the cabbie did not seem too cooperative in driving me to my destination.
“WHERE WAS THAT YOU SAID?” he bellowed at me. It was louder than one of my siblings’ snoring, and I can hear that at night even though we sleep at opposite ends of the wing. He shall of course remain nameless (let it only be said that he’s the one who likes to dress up in blue recently…).
“The Helios Offices, please,” I repeated more loudly this time and he seemed to get. I just hoped he wasn’t going to drive me to somewhere like the TWC cemetery.
“I CAN’T HERE VERY WELL, YOU SEE,” he shouted again, just in case I hadn’t figured it out the first time.
The cab set off and navigated its way through the streets of TWCville. However, it struck me as strange that next to no one was to be seen on the streets. Normally, I would have asked the cabbie, but I didn’t fancy engaging in a shouting match again.
We soon arrived in front of the building where the Helios had their offices, and I paid the driver and got out with my suitcase. As the cab drove away, I entered the deserted hall of the building and got into the lift.
It was as I came into the Helios Offices that I received my greatest shock. It looked as though the place hadn’t been used for months. What had gone wrong? As I crossed the paper-littered floor, I glimpsed a faint glimmer of light from my old boss’ office. I opened the door and found Menander hunched over his desk, gazing onto a month old issue of the Helios.
“Menander? What on earth has happened here?”
“Oh. You’re back. I guess you haven’t heard about it yet.
“Heard about what?”
Menander stretched across to flick a switch on a funny shaped box. To my utter surprise, there emanated a voice going over the news of TWC.
“They call it the podcast,” Menander said. “And it is king now. So far as I know, the Helios is finished. “ He rose from his chair. “My time as editor here is up. The editorship passes to you my son, if you want it. If not…it dies,” he shrugged.
I was speechless. Only for a second, though. “The Helios is not dead, not whilst I’m around.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” my old DG said. He drained his glass of brandy, patted me on the shoulder and walked out, leaving me alone in the dark and deserted Helios.
“I always said that I would do the next issue,” I muttered to myself.
Ladies and Gentlemen, despite the somewhat pessimistic view of our previous editor, the Helios is by no means dead and it is with great pleasure that I present to you the 12th edition of the Helios! I also present to you a new and better than ever before Helios, with brand new sections and a hand picked team of the best writers TWC has to offer.
However, it is also with regret that I must note the demise of the Total War section of the Helios. It had been ailing for some time, and it is my belief that it no longer constituted the most fundamental section of the Helios and that the newspaper’s efforts can be better devoted elsewhere.
However, that is not all. In the depths of the Helios Offices, my most secret alchemists imported from distant Cathay have been working on a never seen before phenomenon…THE HEADLINE PAGE!
New Syntagma Unveiled by Staff
Dozens of civitates stripped of power as staff reforms are enacted
Reformation of the Triumvirate gives Triumvirs Equal Powers
A TWC University?
Electioneering: To Ban or not to Ban?
Thema Devia NewsBy El Guapo.
A look at the Thema Devia by El Guapo
That day inches ever closer for some it has passed and they have accepted their fate stoically, for others they wait palpating in their terror at the prospect of an end to the glorious ignoble student holiday that is summer. For the rest of us working class buffoons we live with the reality that is monotonous day in day out work and for us this is a blessed return of the teeny tiny terrible tikes to blessed babysitting education and peace. A herald of winter or of Christmas, is your glass half full or half empty?
Never the less we have the common community to stave off depression and more importantly Thema Devia!
To the Skies and the Back of Beyond
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=60663
In proof that we in our decadent imperialistic glory truly have nothing better to do with out time the glorious battle has begun to reinstate Pluto as a planet, though if it is important to you read the thread.
There Can Be only One
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...7&page=1&pp=40
Jesu_follower saw heaven and Jesus who inspired him I believe, truly a heartfelt post. The sceptics rise though like zombies beating their way out of a coffin and unearthing themselves to terrify the believers:
"If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled -- for you are in Elysium, and you're already dead!"
The debate is raging as to whether he saw Elysium or heaven, or is Elysium is heaven or heaven Elysium! Did he videotape this transcendent experience or take a picture?
Did he see Jesus or Allah, Buddha, Luke Skywalker or Barry Scott with a penny in one hand and jar of Cillit Bang in the other? Keep it civil guys and respect a persons right to believe what he does, some believe in Jesus other follow Barry and everyone has a right to that belief without being attacked.
On Tribulations and Titillations
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=58969
Who is the most offensive character, the most politically incorrect that we all love to hate and get our giggle on at?
That is the question that must and has I suspect been answered with the majority vote going to Cartman from the hit show South Park, "cartman. no doubt did any of the other characters ever caused another kid to eat his own parents?" Thanks Origin of symmetry for that reminder.
On The Commies and The French
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=39097
Of course the hidden enemy is biding his time and machiavellian evil imperialistic ambitions, you heard it in this thread first folks, keep your eyes on Canada. They act so polite all the time; never trust a smiling tiger that's all I can say.I've been wondering lately, why is there a big rivalry between Europe and America?
I honestly don't know the answer, but one thing is for certain, Americans are the new Commies for the Europeans and the Europeans are the new French people for the Americans.
The entire US roxors Europe argument is funny, but then again so is EU will destroy the US by 2009!!!
Just a brief visit from me then folks, Adieu Adieu!
Arts and Sciences NewsBy Gaius Baltar
“The TWC Art Gallery/Drawing Thread”
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41840
Here members can post original artwork. Drawings of demons, warriors, and other bits of abstract art can be viewed. One humorous series has even parried the Simpsons by combining the characters from the show with dinosaur bodies!!! It is really a chance for everyone to show their artistic side, so give it a go and let the creative juices flow!
The Athenaeum (Sciences) section has several recent threads looking at various aspects of space travel. Here in the US, the Space Shuttle is back in service after several years of refit following the Colombia disaster. So interest in space, NASA and other aspects of exploration is peaking at the moment. The demotion of Pluto from planet status is the subject of debate.
Saving Pluto: The fight back begins
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=60663
With increased US shuttle activity, there is certain to be more material available in the upcoming weeks.
This Week in the Vestigia VestutatisBy King Henry V
The week began with a debate on the most influential commander of all time, with suggestion varying from Mohammed to Napoleon, from Sherman to Belisarius. A series of articles were also published this week on subjects such as The Battle of the Nile, The Battle of Borodino, The Battle of the Boyne and Basil II, the Bulgar Slayer. Perhaps owing to the release of Napoleonic: Total War II, there seemed to be a distinct Napoleonic flavour, continuing with a thread on the cavalry of the time. Belisarius was lucky enough to find some Old Books and the impossibly well read Spartan JKM has been displaying his superhuman intelligence in Was Gustavus Adolphus a military genius?. Antiquity was not neglected either, with Huge classical era armies, The Greek over arm phalanx and yet another, repetitive yet ever so popular, Who would win, Alexander the Great, or Hannibal?
Also of note was a debate on the existence of Atlantis, where the consensus seems to be that it did in fact exist but was most probably greatly exaggerated, and the Greatest American President.
The Middle Ages were also not forgotten, with a very informative thread on Mediaeval languages and the deadly Flambard Sword.
Helios EditorialThe proclamation of the newest Syntagma is a much needed reform for the benefit of TWC. For too long the status of the class of civitates has been debased, and whereas once the badge was awarded to exceptional members of the community, it has recently been given to almost any new member whose posts are above mediocre. This is not to say that civitates are bad, but despite what was supposed to be a body of elites, the Curia had become open to everyone who is merely “quite good”.
The new Syntagma aims to change this situation and hopefully, it will.
The right to legislate, the most important aspect of civitateship, is not merely a privilege but a responsibility; one that be used with thought and care. The recent Quaestorial election controversy demonstrates that many civitates, out of apathy or irresponsabilty, are unsuitable to exercise their legislative privileges. That does not mean to say that they do not deserve to belong to the honoured class of civitates, however, whether they should be allowed to wield their legislative powers is a question that needed reviewing.
It is for this reason that the Helios welcomes the reforms and hopes it will mean a new period of prosperity for TWC and the Curia.
However, there are some reservations. The Helios hopes that this new Curia will be granted more powers than previously, considering that the reforms came about because staff “could no longer trust the Curia”. As the newest Syntagma is supposed to create a trustworthy body to advise staff on matters, this new Curia should be logically be given more powers, not less. This paper thus notes with dismay the removal of the Curia-elected position of Republican Consul and its replacement by a presumably appointed rank of Exarch.
However, it should also be noted that these are only the early days of the new Syntagma. Time, as always, will tell.
That is all from me and the team for this week’s edition of the Helios, and we hope you enjoyed as much as we took to write it. I leave you now with the first part of our new serialised story written by Silver Guard.
No PromisesShe had worked late that night and was the last in the building. She wrote her schedule for the next day and carefully locked and checked the door to her twentieth-floor office. The corridors were dark and heating gone, illuminated only by the EXIT signs glowing in emerald green above each doorway. She shivered as she opened the door to be met by a rush of cold air up the drab staircase winding industrially down to the ground.
The reception area still had a light on, as it always did. She blinked as she walked into the room, marked from the outside only by swathes of metal holding together the un-burnished glass.
A letter lay on the polished desk, reflected in the varnish so she could see the scribbled lettering below it. Even as she placed her handbag on the table the chair creaked ominously and swung round to face her. She shivered again, for another reason entirely and carefully dragged the letter from the table.
She smiled as she recognized the writing scrawled across the grained white of the envelope: Karen. She looked over her shoulder, as if frightened that someone had seen her cautious smile, and carefully slid her finger beneath the seal, grimacing as the cover tore through to the edge. Hurriedly she cut through the rest of the paper and opened out the message beneath.
Happy Anniversary darling!
Meet me at the Blue Dolphin at 10.30 after work; I have a surprise for you
Love Eternal
XXX
Again she smiled guardedly, lifting a gloved hand to cover her face as she peeked childishly at the note between slender fingers. Glancing around she caught sight of the gothic clock, hooked and ornate in contrast to its modern neighbours of security cameras and television screens. The minute hand swung round with a resounding click, as if to add insult to injury, ten twenty.
She gasped and stuffed the crumpled note into her handbag and scurried across the marble floor and through the glass doors. Heels echoing through the night.
Behind her the doors swung shut, and the lock clicked…
Her taxi arrived late and despite her nagging the burly driver all the way, the streak of yellow rushed in to the harbour district at ten forty-five. A quarter of an hour late. Her heels caught in the gutter as she half stumbled from the cab. She glared back as she heard a chuckle, quickly followed by a squeal of wheels as the taxi sped off, leaving small snippets of age old newspapers to flutter down onto the black tire marks.
As she walked into the alley leading to the waterfront, a drunkard from a nearby nightclub noticed the sway of her hip and staggered after her. Even as he reached the alley he lurched back, fell through the air and landed on the roadway. He stared grumpily, like a child denied his toy, he stumbled as he struggled to rise, and lurched back the way he had come. The air around the alley shifted, as if disturbed by a gust of wind, and then dissipated, leaving the paper snippets to settle once more.
The Blue Dolphin was closed. Karen stood for minutes staring at the sign first in disbelief, then sadness. CLOSED. It said it quite clearly, had been closed for ten minutes. People were inside of course, but they were the last to enter, the late night romantics who would follow up with a stroll down the pier and a quiet moment gazing at the moon over shining waves…
She gave a little sigh and felt the lone tear tickle her lip before falling away to splash upon the pavement. Such anticipation led to misery, she knew it too well. Only days ago they had argued over her working hours, how they never saw one another. It was the end, ten thirty, the letter had said, ten minutes before closing. Above her a neon clock glared accusingly, a great shining hand pointing out her tardiness. It was ten fifty. The clock fizzed as another droplet fell upon it, glowing sparks drifting down to crackle out lazily on the moist pavement. More drops fell; she felt her hair fall from its wavy curls to drape across her back as she stared at the mocking rays shining out the passing minutes.
She must have stood there for quite a while before a drop fell directly into her eye, causing her to gasp and raise a soaked glove to her face. Dejectedly, she stumbled away from the azure sign, the smile of the dolphin laughing at her as she disappeared into the rain.
The alley was cold and dank, a gloomy mirror of her sadness, black clumps sat in rows along the walls, the occasional sack gazing gormlessly though the piles of effluent gathered above grilled drain covers, plastic recycle bins glaring out at her, GLASS, PAPER.
She caught herself gazing into the light glittering off rivers of water flowing over the cracked surfaces. She dragged a hand across her cheek before hearing what had broken her moment alone. A crunch of glass as the broken bottle was further crushed beneath a booted heel. She turned.
“You’re purse, now!”
She glanced down, trembling to the shaking glimmer of a gun, then up to the nervous face of her companion. He blinked and stepped back as her eyes met his, his eyes trailing over dark lines of smudged mascara and watered eyes. He shuddered as he raised the gun, “hand it over!”
She glanced down again and jumped back as she realised what was happening, hurriedly unclasping the handle she let the handbag drop to the ground, taking hasty steps back.
She glanced to the side; opening her mouth she heard the gun click “Don’t scream, I’ll shoot!” She gasped and stepped back hurriedly, her back cracking against the stones she let out a cry.
Thank you, and goodnight.
The team: King Henry V, El Guapo, Gaius Baltar and Silver Guard.
Thank you for your donations.
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Pillaging and Plundering since 2006
Originally Posted by Belisarius
