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Maggie sat in the large suite of her designated living area. She, being the mayor of the new town, had taken the largest room, the suite. She didn't deserve it though, at least not in her mind. The radio crackled on her desk.
"A convoy or something is approaching the gate mam," the radio voice said.
She he sighed and pulled on a light jacket. The spring air, it was still cold, snow still present. Come summer it would be gone, but that was a ways away. At least the sun was shining. She did herself up and climbed the steps down the nine floors to the bottom. Coming out of the hotel doors the gate was to her left.
she saw two guards on the posts beside it, hunting rifles in hand. She raised a hand for them to lower it and stepped forward. "Who's there? You said a convoy?"
Post by Tayasha Johnson on Apr 14, 2016 8:29:12 GMT -5
It was colder the more up north they went. Of course word travels fast when one is running an Empire. Leaning the passenger side seat up as the vehicle began to pull over to the side along with the rest of the vehicle who also pulled over. Eyes still waking up to see the daylight shining up in the sky, her knows crinkled up at the sight. "Julio are we any closer?" She had to ask since she had turned it in early last night for all she knew they could be in Mexico. Tay knew better then that but the point was still valid.
Cracking her fingers one at a time while her driver explained the situation. "Tay we are there. It's up ahead and we-" He was cut off by the now fully awake a leader. Biting his lip a little bit while hating that she had stopped him from continuing. He was still thankful because h didn't have much to say after that.
"Okay I got it. Follow me up to the gates. We will talk calm with this group." Tay explained while opening the car door hopping out into the cold spring air. That was fucking Canada for you. She had always considered the damn place like the American attic. You often forgot what was up their and were amazed that their were cities and towns up in their. Ohio had cold enough winters for her liking. In fact a nice little bungalow on the beach with a nice drink in her hand sounded really nice right now.
The first person to approach was Emily. A older women with a little thickness then Tayasha with a noticeable Texan accent. Hearing her speak annoyed the shit out of Tay but it was never the pointless chit chat that could be found in some people. All those petty little small talk topics didn't work as much when the world has gone to shit. "Keep the few horses we brought with their handlers. If things go bad we don't want them getting stuck in the cross fire." The Ohioan ordered while touching her head realizing that she hadn't yet removed her head scarf from sleep. She shrugged at the thought of removing it deciding that she would be able to remove it later. Emily gave a nod before heading off back with the rest of the horses and riders.
Tayasha looked ahead toward the gated community with careful inspection before she walked forward, gun holstered with the only backup being Julio who was ready to translate in Spanish if needed. Then their was Ethan who knew sign language which had only been useful on one occasion. One could never be too careful in terms of precaution after all. Dark brown eyes looked up as Tayasha stood their now with her two men, one on each side unarmed for now. "We come to bring prosperity and trade." Clear and simple. No reason beating around bush.. Tay wasn't a lesbian after all
Maggie came up to the left platform of the gate. One stood on either side, level with the wall. It was like this on both opening, a guard on the roof of the hotel and fire department as well. They wouldn't be visible, not unless you looked for them, but the guards at the gate were. They both were bundled up, ski goggles, scarves, to stay wa r while on the platforms.
Maggie joined them, her hunting rifel resting one her back. Her hair was a mess, cut herself, with a knife, and the jacket did very little to cover the tribal and animal tattoo's on her neck and chest. She wore a jacket, a light flannel shirt under it. She watched the person below speak, hearing what she had to say. There were to many trucks, to many wagons and horses for just three people. She saw more in the back.
"That's a word you don't hear anymore, prosperity, or trade for that matter. You're not from the local ranches, we would have found you by now. But you look well. Clearly fed. How do I know you aren't a harm to our group. Or even have anything to trade. What guarantee do I have for any of this, safety and trade. I don't know you, or this caravan that follows you. But it looks legit, you made an effort to come all the way up here. But I need to know I have your words. How do you usually do these things?"
Maggie watched her. Her eyes never leaving Tayasha's. "Do you have a name. Or shall I just call you merchant."
Post by Tayasha Johnson on Apr 15, 2016 18:19:24 GMT -5
Did this bitch just call me fat? It didn't matter as much as it once would have. Tayasha knew her body was in the best condition she ever had it in. Regular exercise followed by a rather healthy diet of milk, fruit, vegetables, and meat had made it possible to be in such good condition physically. She wasn't starving like some of the survivors they had seen in the past.
Hell some even reached an outright low to the point of eating one another. Those were the kind of people that made Tay feel bad.. For a moment before her judgmental ways would get the best of her. However, what the women had said rolled over her back like that of water on a ducks. Personally Tayasha could give two shits about a snarky comment slipped into a greeting. She came all this way to talk business.
Dark brown eyes kept on the women the whole time since she had appeared. Thinking of her answer carefully, Tayasha opened her mouth to speak again. "We wouldn't come all this way from Ohio to attack. I don't know anything of your group and you know nothing mind other then what I will say. " She paused to let the words sink in. The two were in the same boat more then one would expect. Both as far as Tayasha's eyes saw it were leaders of communities. Communities with needs that could be met through deal that could open further doors in the growing web of trade routes through the Empires network.
Sometimes she would change her name to sound less eccentric to the more paler ears. Call her racist or clever but Tayasha knew a name could make people come up with assumptions about ones character. "Tayasha. My name is Tayasha Johnson." Offering a nod of her head. She kept her gaze on the women incase they were planning something. Her people had a good enough shot at killing the three guards if need be at the loss of her own life. It was comforting knowing that one had so much support behind her in these days of chaos. "Your name Mademoiselle?"
Frankly she wasn't sure which parts of Canada spoke French. She was pretty sure Quebec did but it couldn't help to try? Show's off what she remembered from French class back I school. Madam and I really have to fucking piss would forever be burned into the back of her skull. Speaking of things burned into her memory.. Felix. He had showed up back into her life without Claudia. The news had hit her hard and the events of that day ran through her mind if she wasn't focusing on something, anything to distract herself from the painful thought. Her only motivation for surviving this shit was gone so why was she still standing. How come she couldn't just eat a bullet like some had done in the initial outbreak. It was all a mysterious and bothersome ordeal.
Tayasha had forgotten to explain how something like this goes. It had almost slipped away from her until recently. Odd enough that it was yet another thing to distract her from dealing with her emotions and thoughts. "Up to you. I can bring a few samples of the recourses we brought to offer and you can decide. Then you do the same. Good?" It was spoken through a mouth who had said this before. Routine by this point.
"I guess we will both have to take each other's words for it then," Maggie said calmly after hearing the woman speak. "Considering we both don't trouble I'll open the gates. If your group will take an immediate left on the street there's a street at the back you can park your vehicles. Or if you wish to have them remain outside that is fine. I ask that any weapons you have be left outside, or turned over once you cross the gate though. They will be returned once you leave, just a safety precaution for my people."
She eyed the woman. "My name is Maggie Yeung (pronounced like You-en)." She appreciated the French, but it wasn't nessasary, she didn't speak, a few might have, but it outside of Quebec it wasn't native. She smiled and waited for the woman to respond about brining her folks in or leaving them outside. Either worked for Maggie, as long as no weapons were posing a threat.
"I will have a few samples brought forward. We can discuss this inside. More relaxed, less shouting down to you. I hope to speak less formally. Maybe over a drink." She kept her stance relaxed. "Very least I can offer if you actually want to trade." The word felt so bizarre. Some where along the line her ancestors had traded furs and other goods with the native Americans, it's what it felt like. Hell with the wooden walls, it felt like a trading post.
She turned to the guard. "Gather Casey, tell him I need a personal guard protection." The guard nodded and turned around to climb down the ladder. She turned her gaze back to Tayasha, foreign another smile. Ohio was a long ways away, she would have to ask how they found them. A few had left the walls or were exiled, maybe word of mouth. They didn't advertise this place.
Post by Tayasha Johnson on Apr 26, 2016 22:04:44 GMT -5
Tayasha felt a form of comfort in the fact that this women didn't seem to want trouble. "Not needed. My people will stay outside walls." she said in calmly despite having to yell for the women to hear her. She knew in the long run having the small band over her people in the snake hole would be like ringing the dinner bell.
This was the best time to call in with the others that were far back behind her. They were still visible and easily could be picked off by a sniper. It was something they considered which is why they a two rifle men watching through scopes at the settlement from the top of two moving trucks.
"I am entering the settlement alone and unarmed. If I do not return or respond by night fall. plan a attack, kill the enemy but not the children, take them in as refugees for one of these cold ass settlements up in this tundra." She ordered with an air of authority and tone that expressed how she earned her peoples loyalty rather then be given it to her by the old ways of 'democracy' The strong Ohioan had no intentions of spilling blood without reason, especially the blood of children. Tay didn't even know the area around this place at all to know if their were any near settlements. For all she knew this one was the only one her informants had told about in a brief summary.
In reality Monarchy and the like have become increasingly more understandable each day. The strong leads the people they want to prosper, just like a mother to her child with an added right to govern and command her subjects. If this shitstorm ever cleared she liked to think humorously that she would be claimed as the first Queen of the breadbasket that once helped feed the old United States. Tayasha took one last glance back toward the guard who would escort her toward the gates of the ice palace.
The two complied in the procedure or giving up their weapons. The empress was confident in her ability to stand her own in a fight but even she couldn't defeat a whole settlement on her own nor with just one other. Her breath was visible as she shifted her weight to the left leg awaiting for a tour of some sort by the women from earlier. Dark eyes looked over the surround area inside the walls with planning thoughts. It was best to be one step ahead as long as one didn't trip on their own thoughts.
"That's fine, but you will still need to hand over your weapons upon entering," Maggie said with a nod. She climbed down the ladder. Getting a guard to open the gate she smiled at Tayasha, listening to her speech. Maggie nodded along. They came forward and a guard took Any weapons they had. From the knives in their boots, to the guns on their back.
They bundled them up, a single duffle bag. "We will store these and you may have them back when you leave. The bag won't be opened by anyone, but you. This is just for the safety of my people. No one but the guards can carry weapons within the gate." She stepped back to allow Tayasha to come forward even more.
"Now, how about we discuss this in a more personal enclosure." The gate was closed, and Maggie put her hands on her hips. She set her eyes at the empress. "How about a drink." Maggie started walking toward the nearest building on the left, the bar. She stopped and held the door open for Tayasha and her escort to go in.
"So, what do you have to trade. What's in those trucks outside. As you can see we have a steady supply of lumber, as the wooden wall reveals. How do you usually go about these trade deals?"
Post by Tayasha Johnson on May 5, 2016 7:13:13 GMT -5
Tayasha watched with careful inspection at the women's idea of where to discuss. A bar? A drink? Had she given off the demeanor of homosexuality again? Either way it would happen for Tay knew only survival and how to run her Empire. Their was simply no place for a relationship in a world like this.
Especially without her little girl out there alone and scared. She could never make a real life in this world. Not without Claudia by her side. Tay smiled with a nod walking past inside the bar. Hands to her sides as if to avoid nipping herself on anything sharp just in case. "I don't drink but thank you for the offer." That was a lie that was concealed well by the mask she adorned.
Their was no monster underneath her facade, only a sad mother yearning to see her daughter again. Even if Tay could hold her hand for a second longer or a hundred years it would never be enough. In a attempt to brush off the uncomfortable thoughts with the distraction of business as usual. "Wood huh?" She restated what was said to give her more time to think of a answer.
"The Amish love that stuff and so do we." She smiled knowing their would be a follow up question about her statement on the religious group. "We have a large population of Amish in the Empire. Safety in exchange for labor plus they handled the apocalypse better. Easier life adjustments I suppose."
Tayasha went on without letting too large of a pause to form for Maggie to comment. She still had to answer the main question after all. "Hide clothing, lots of canned crops we have grown, Some horses and carriages if your interested.. But I would like to know anything else you have to trade? I'm trying to run a web of trade and it doesn't work well if their are dead settlements without much to offer." Tay cracked her neck as if relaxing in the presence of a possible enemy, Ha. "All business you know"
"Well I do," Maggie said with a smirk. More than she liked to admit, but she had to, it kept you warm, and kept the memories away. It stopped her thinking of Nate, the group, the ones she lost. She walked toward the bar. Pouring a glass of whiskey she took a seat. The bar was empty, a little dusty. There were round tables placed all over. She took a seat at one. As she took a sip one bought burned in her mind, it wasn't even noon yet.
"The Amish huh? I figured with out guns and bullets they'd have been whiped out," she said setting the glass down. "The empire, is that the group you lead? Your Stronghold? You mentioned Ohio. Funny, we dubbed this place the Ice Palace, due to the palace hotel at the front of town. I didn't think I would be meeting anyone, I never really set up an office. But we just needed something formal. Than the street."
Maggie tapped her fingers agaisnt the table. "I understand. How do I know you are true to your Word? That you won't cross us, or step all over us? What's stopping you from turning your back on the deal, taking what we have to offer and leaving?" She rubbed her forehead. "Horses and crops would work good. Hide clothing as well, though we need winter clothing, jackets, toques, mitts, stuff to keep us warm. We have what ever my people being with them, but nothing beyond that. Just general clothes would be desired."
She smiled and took another sip. "As for what we have, have an excess of. Wood is a main outscource, ecspecially if we get the mill up and running, we can get you cut logs, planks. We have fish from the lake, and from a few of the rivers. We dry it out, jerky, sometimes fresh. Though that would be hard to transport. There is a fish hatchery near here, where they grow and breed fish. We could operate that too."
She drummed her fingers again. "And bottled water. During the winter months we boiled and bottled clean water. It's a steady supply, from the build up of snow." She set her eyes on Tayasha. "I'm only telling you this because I trust you, you seem honest, true to your word. How many settlements have you traded with before us? I didn't know there was any other out there. We haven't came across any."
She moved back. "Does any of what I said interest you? Bullets and guns are something we need. Unlike the states we don't have access to all those weapons."
Post by Tayasha Johnson on May 7, 2016 22:59:11 GMT -5
"Not exactly. It is a broadly used name for a group of settlements surrounding mine which is the Capitol." She sighed. "With naming of settlements comes the nickname Empress." Tayasha said without any enthusiasm or sign of wanting that title. Actually Tay never liked the nickname as it made her already unapproachable demeanor a little more worrisome for new comers. Tayasha felt like Maggie would take the title to mean anything ominous. When have nicknames ever given a hint toward ones true persona anyways? None that Tay had met so far.
An unusual smile creeped over her face at Maggie's questions. All of them justified in a world a like this. How they trust each other in a world in anarchy? Tay thought of her answer quickly and the unspoken words made her smile. "The cold. Too damn cold up here to come all this way from Ohio don't you think? Especially if are intentions were to simply steal. Trust me when I say this." She paused to make sure she had Maggie's full attention. "Your far down on the list of places to rob.. But we don't do that. We trade and make business." That was the honest truth when all cards were on the table.
Tayasha considered what the women listed as their excess recourses. Wood could help some of the more industrially located city settlements with construction. Fish could be good too but as the women near her stated. Transporting such a recourse would a obstacle. Good thing she already had the answer wavering over the horizon in the East coast. The Empire had its eyes on the Hive since hearing about it from a few of their long distance scouts. She made note of the other things needed by the Ice Palace.
Her eyes flicked a little as sign that she was back in the present and away from deep thought. "Yes we have met other settlement and others we still are keeping watch on until making contact. Their is one in North Carolina we are watching along with one of particular interest for you I'd imagined." Her dark eyes looked down and up as if to make that pause a time to fill Maggie with anticipation for the answer to help. Holding back the information had a tendency to make the clients wanting more in terms of info and thus a little more accepting.
"The Hive is its name. Located on Rikers island and we have caught a few of their radio call outs. They could use the wood because New York City is.. Well it's pretty treeless in comparison to Canada. My point is they are heavily armed from my scouts reports. A real armed to the teeth island oasis in a Dead Sea of people. Thus they can easily manufacture bullets in such a setting and maybe we can get salt. Rivers their are too salty to not have a desalination program. Salt means the fish can be preserved better." She paused to allow all the information that came to settle in the air. Tay knew this probably made Maggie's world much bigger. "Trade makes cooperation. Cooperation can lead to civilizations such as history has proven so well. Now my question is.. How do you want to be written down in the history books?" Her head tilted ever so slightly. Perhaps Maggie had a different view but the point was the same. The Empires goals were ultimately good but good is subjective.
"Alright Queeny, but you don't rule here," Maggie said with a grin, "so I'm not going to call you Empress. I was never a fan of the whole monarchy thing. Think people should be elected, not just born into it. But I'm guessing you were chosen to lead anyway, or everyone else was to pussy to stand up and do it themselves." Maggie took another sip. "I like that, I'm the same way."
She leaned back again. "Cold during the winter, besutiful the rest of the year round. Should see it in the fall. Besides the pine trees, the others are all orange, red and yellow. Makes for beautiful scenery. The lakes are almost clear during the summer too. But I understand what you are saying. You wouldn't make your way all the way up here from Ohio, based on a hunch of where to steal. Plus I can tell you're not from here, accent doesn't match up."
Maggie Wartched the empress. As she spoke about a place called the hive she nodded along. "Yeah, out here, in the west coast, we get a lot of trees, and the means to take them down and ship them." She smiled. "We preserve most of our fish. With the lakes being frozen we didn't really start on that till now. But that whole lake is filled with fish. And there's certain rivers where salmon come to breed. Make for prime fishing spots. Bullets is what we need most. There's lots of wild life out there, bear, elk, squirrels even. Just need the means to take them down. If we had a true hunter up here, we probably wouldn't need the hide clothing. Furs and skin we would have." She took a big sip of her drink.
"I don't know how I want to be remembered. But I know what I want, and that is to trade. If you can get us weapons, bullets, the opportunity is to great to pass up. We could do more, if we had access to electricity. Sadly the plant would take to much to get up and running, but bullets would help. As you may have noticed the biters aren't a problem up here, not in any large scale. People are what we worry about, and we hadn't had an attack in months."
Maggie finished her glass and set it down. "So if we were to trade, what do you want from us. What do you need?"
Post by Tayasha Johnson on May 10, 2016 18:54:23 GMT -5
"Is that the best word?" Tayasha gave a light expression with a small grin forming. "By saying pussy aren't you just saying women's genitals are weak?" It was an unexpected change in the direction of the conversation. Maggie probably wasn't expecting it to go to such a random level but Tay saw the word as needing to be pointed out. "Pussy's are fucking strong as hell. I don't see men popping baby's out of their dicks now do you?" Tay said humorously with a light laugh and faint smile.
Dark brown eyes looked at Maggie for a moment unamused. Clearly they read that she hasn't came here to take in the Canadian wilderness. It was a wonder if Tay ever took anything in that hadn't to do with work or her empire. Ever since she was child she had always been ambitious but did she ever rest? No. Rest was for the weak and lazy sloths that would walk over her progress. "Do I need to add sorry for to my sentences?" A small wink and joking nudge toward the stereotype of Canada prior to the the fall of civilization.
Tayasha liked what Maggie was laying down as far as needs went. Until it got down to what her settlement needed which made a smile form. "Nothing. That is the glory of it. My Empire doesn't need outside assistance because we are self sufficient as far as needs go. We choose to help others and build trade because in the end it will help all of us somehow." Tay then shrugged her shoulders. Her settlement honestly didn't need anything that Maggie offered and anything the took in were a luxury or little boost.
"It may not have been the word, but if I said everyone else were dicks, you wouldn't be thinking they were weak. You'd think they were just jerks. Given the term it's give, and no one would 'man up' to do it. I had to. That's how it works. Obviously they aren't weak, look at the two who are in charge," she said with a grin, motioning between the two of them. "But no baby will be squeezing out of me, you can guarantee that."
She saw her eyes and nodded. "Only if I start adding Eh to the end of mine," she said with a grin. "Stereotypes aside, one stands out true for your people. Guns. We need them, we got huntin rifles, a few pistols, that's it. Can't by assault rifles at Walmart like you can there. So that would be out biggest need, guns and the ammo for them. Not much, but it would cover how much fish we send."
She placed both hands on the table, folding them. "Clearly that's not the case. You need stuff to trade, with the other settlements. You might be sustaining, but you wouldn't be knocking at our gates otherwise. There's a reason it's a trade, and not just a hand out. As kind and generous as you are, you need something, everyone does. Even if it's not for you, or your settlement."
Maggie smiled. "I gave some examples of what we have, also some things we want. I figure we trade small the first time, and if it goes well we can trade bigger items later on. How much are you able to ship out of here? You know if you had a boat, the lakes eventually lead to the ocean. River commerce was big before we became civilized folk. Seeing what I have, does any of it interest you Empress?"
Post by Tayasha Johnson on May 23, 2016 21:49:10 GMT -5
"I have no idea what your talking about." She felt her lips curve into a smile. "The United States has always been a peaceful nation. Especially toward the blacks, Indians, and japs. The south is the symbol of peace." Her hand gave a sarcastic wave to emphasize the comedic nature in her words. Tayasha's head nodded to confirm the brunettes statement. The U.S. Certainly had more guns then their colder neighbor. The young women wasn't too informed on the attic of the America to really judge on anything other then Quebec was very French like.
Tayasha's cocked her head to the side with a shake of her head. "My Capitol isn't on any coast at all. I know little about the Mississippi River and besides.. The farther south you go down the vein of America. The more you start to wonder if the Hills have Eyes was a real life documentary." She sarcastically remarked with a laugh escaping through her lips as she thought of what her settlement needed. "A girl. My daughter her name is Claudia Johnson. She is twelve years old now.. I was shopping with my mother when the world went to hell." Saddened dark eyes looked up from the table. The lack of a quivering lip and the tears that had once flooded her face at the mention of Claudia showed just how much she had endured. "I checked on my hometown when my settlement had things under control and she wasn't there. I understand it's like finding a needle in hay stack.. But just keep an eye out."
Tayasha then looked away from the other women in an attempt to hide the rising emotions. She missed her baby girl so much that sometimes and acted so hard all the time it was hard to show such emotions anymore. When she looked back at Maggie, her expression was more serious and business like. "She was with her father Felix. Mixed girl not to lighter then me.. Curley hair and dark eyes. If you see her.." The mothers mind was beginning to get lost in thought. Savoring the last mental image she had of Claudia. "Tell me. Okay? Other then that what were we talking about?" The flood of emotions that came with mentioning Claudia had made the topic a few minutes ago seem like ages ago.
"Yeah, guess without electricity or internet us Canadian in our igloos can't figure it out," Maggie said with a grin. Though a name like Ice Palace wasn't really helping. "Sorry eh, guess we forgot." She smirked to show she was kidding. "All I know is you have guns, big guns, little guns, guns that ride on cars. We got some, but hunting rifles and police pistols are what come close to this base here." She laughed.
"Nor is the Ice Palace, but the rivers and lakes eventually hook up to the ocean. Mississippi is far east of here, but it hooks up somewhere. I know it's not ideal, but it will best coming up through that old loading road. During the winter you won't be able to reach us, roads get blocked with snow and it's to dangerous."
As Tayasha talked about a girl, her daughter, Maggie listened. She saw the look in her eyes. It was the same look Maggie often had, the look of loss. With Nate, he family. She felt it. "I'm sorry," she said calmly, "it must be hard. I've lost people too. A friend, boyfriend. He disapeared one day, while we were kidnapped in Colorado. Haven't seen him since. So I know what you're feeling. I was close to him, he got me through all this. Sometimes, I wish they were just dead. Like I had confirmation, like with my family."
She reached over and grabbed another glass. Setting it down she poured one for herself and for Tayasha. "You need a drink. We can go back to the details of the trade after." She raised her glass up. "To those we lost, to those we have yet the find."
Shauna Kelly: That helped, thank you
Oct 4, 2021 14:40:44 GMT -5
Ayita Hunt: dang, January was my last post.. Jeez it's been a hot minute. o7 guys, sorry for the complete disappearance, life got.. a little interesting this year.
Oct 18, 2021 22:34:19 GMT -5