10 more miles and you'd be crossin' into Mexico.  Instead you find yourselves in flyspeck of a South Texas town who's welcome sign names it Sutter's Flats.  Sittin' in an area of low, grassy hills dotted with the occasional scraggly cottonwood tree, you can't help but wonder what brought anyone here in the first place let alone decide to put down roots and stay.

But accordin' to your contacts in the TL (that's Twilight Legion for those in the know), this is an active ranching area with several sizable spreads close enough to call Sutter's Flats their supply post and recreational local.  That would likely explain the towns two (and only two) business establishments: The Lonely Crow and Pettinger's Supply.  You don't even see a sign for a marshal's office along the street but there is a livery to mind the ranch hand's horses when they gather on Saturday nights for some R&R.

This is NOT a Saturday night so there's only a few scattered folks about and less than half a dozen horses in the livery.

Shakin' your head you look at the telegram again.

Famine building in the West.  2 drives have failed, critical to get cattle North.  Head to South Texas.

Pretty short on specifics but this isn't the first time you've gotten....orders, instructions, pleas...well, each of you has your way and reasons for workin' with the TL.  You've seen things, know things most folks don't.  It ain't charity what you, you make your way and livin' as you go.  And it sure as Hell ain't what most would call normal but you know it's important.

And now it's brought you here.

Jing carried himself cautiously as he came into town. Looking over the place, it wasn't much, and it didn't seem outwardly dangerous. But if the drives were failing, there must be something going on.

Besides--Jing had come over on a labor contract, and endured the humiliation of a particular name for people like him who had accepted similarly exploitative contracts. When he was still bound by that contract, he found himself in a town much like this one. So he knew how it could be, if he wasn't steadfast around these Americans.

He came to the entrance of the Lonely Crow and pushed open the door, stepping inside with a pause to take in the establishment. He wondered what kind of people made their livings around Sutter's Flats.

Sutter's Flat wasn't exactly large, and the audience was most likely small if anyone paid attention at all, but it was hard to not at least stare for a minute.  There was a soap box, turned bottom up, in the middle of the street so that the woman who stood on it blocked traffic.  She clearly had no sense of self preservation.  Well, perhaps, as there was a shotgun propped up against the box.

The nun habit might not be unexpected, but her face, painted white with blacked eyes and nose with a few lines drawn on suggesting exposed teeth with no flesh to hide them any more, that was different.  She didn't so much preach as scream.

"And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.  And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

"Sutter's Flat, He Who Is Called I Am, Sees Your Sin!  He sees your perversions, your cruelty to your fellow man!  The poverty among you!  How you tell falsehoods to one another, and how you throw your rock and hide your hand!"

"These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent! Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."

"Who among you can stand up to the righteous wrath of God!?  Your days are numbered, you will die and be found wanting if you do not give yourselves over to his holy will!  Clothe the naked!  Feed the hungry!  Make peace with your brother with whom you have quarreled!"

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."

Whoever this nun was, she was mad at somebody.  This had been going on for hours at this point, and didn't seem likely to stop soon either.

Riding into town, Cooper didn't look like your typical cowboy or ranch hand. Yes, he had a saddlebag on his horse, as well as a backpack hanging off the saddle too. But the large ghost steel arm hanging down on the right hand side of the saddle, the armoured vest, the native shield, and contraption on his back, made it seem like he belonged somewhere more interested in New Science, than the middle of nowhere.

Trotting up to livery, Cooper climbed down from his horse, slipping on the mechanical arm over his right arm, and the backpack dangling from his shoulder to not hot the contraption on his back.

Patting the horse, he walked to The Lonely Crow, checking out the eccentric nun preaching in the street as he passes her.

Walking inside, he looked around to see how many people were inside, before going up to the bar.

"What have you got to drink?"

As Thomas rode into Sutter's Flats, he noticed there wasn't much in town. He thought to himself, Why would the Twilight Legion send me to this God forsaken place? And what could be stopping the cattle from getting north? Oh well, business is business.

As he came to the center of the town there stood a woman preaching the gospel. He tipped his hat to the woman and headed on to the livery. He'd heard enough of the Word growing up, at least he thought so anyway.

He made sure his horse was settled and walked to The Lonely Crow. He was parched from the ride and headed straight to the bar. "Afternoon sir,  Whatcha got t' drink?" He then looked to the other gentleman at the bar and said, "Hey Pardna. You from 'round here?"

"OW!"

The figure gimping down the dusty street cursed colorfully, clutching at a boot that looked to have worn completely out several miles back. He sat down and worked to remove it, dropping a rather painful looking stone onto the ground in front of him.

"Don't they grow nothin' other'n rocks in this state!" He griped as he gingerly re-booted his foot, taking care not to tear out the last few remaining stitches. He got up again and limp-walked past the livery.

Standing outside the Lonely Crow, he invented a few new curses on the spot, many of which had to do with the questionable ancestry and fouled genetics of whatever Sutter had ever ventured here to begin with.

Of course he'd much rather cook his own food, he had neither the wares nor the supplies for anything more than a cup of hot, muddy water. The smells coming from inside weren't necessarily appetizing to one with such a refined palate, but it was better than eating overly dried roots on the trail like he'd done the last few days!

His stomach growled menacingly to reinforce this line of thought, and compelled him forward, through the door of the Lonely Crow.

Before proceeding however, he glanced over his shoulder at the woman who was raisin' Cain about sins and stones. "Hey lady! You got any pennies fer a poor, wayfarin' stranger?"

Oh, that might have been a bad idea.  Or a great one.

"For thee, I have better fare than worthless tokens of greed!"

She re-positioned herself and called out loudly.

"When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, he left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

"And he must needs go through Samaria.  Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

"Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.  There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

"Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

"Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

"The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?  Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

"Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

"Repent brother!  Repent and drink that sweet water no puny coin can buy, for death takes you soon!"

It was a lot of words for no, but apparently what the strange skull-faced woman lacked in brevity she made up for in recall.  And volume.  And lung capacity.

It had been a long trip and Gideon was tired. He often had to travel alone, but that didn't mean he had to like it. It got boring as hell riding for days on end with no one to talk to...or at least have the option to tell them to shut the hell up.

However, it did give him time to read, even if the three books he owned he'd read cover to cover dozens of times, one of them hundreds of times. And the telegram he'd received - he'd read that every once in a while as well, frowning each time. That meant that the cattle drive would be dangerous as hell.

He rode in to town, eyes scanning but there wasn't much to see. He gave the...nun...a wide berth and headed to the livery to put his horse up. Then he headed over to the only other business...The Lonely Crow.

He walked in slowly and looked around before heading to a table to sit down with his back to a wall. He was thirsty, but he wanted to sit for a spell first.

The newcomer to what some might jokingly call 'town', blinked a few times at the nun.

"Ya talk mighty fast lad- uh... Sister... If'n yer offerin' me water, I'll take it, if it be somethin' else yer gettin' at, well I don't rightly know as I've got much in the way of confessin'. Mostly my sins is between me'n God. But neither one of us's got the time for that nest of snakes!"

He held the doors open for her as a shorter desperado skirted the nun and made his way inside the Lonely Crow. "C'mon inside, you'c'n tell me about it while I choke down some eggs er beans er somethin'... You got a name Sister?"

Having kept himself to one side for a time to observe the various patrons of the bar, Luo thought on it. There had been a sudden influx of people, and that was no coincidence to him. At least someone here would be involved with the Twilight Legion.

While talking, Luo heard the din of hellfire preaching outside, and...well, he didn't think they were involved. He'd seen a lot of sorts like this, and although he could hardly understand this Christian religion, he had seen that these hellfire preachers were as likely to be the source of trouble as anything else. There were a few who came in, looking savvy. Two were already talking--traveling together, or just friendly? He settled on someone after a few more moments of thought.

Making his bet, Luo crossed the room, to where he saw Gideon Bennett sit down. Approaching, he first spoke as such: "Is this seat occupied?" As he spoke, he tucked his hat under his arm and made the shape of the setting sun with his hands, a sign by which members of the Twilight Legion could identify themselves to others involved with the group.

The nun looked about.  Though she could get absorbed in her work, was she really saving any souls out here?

"Yes!  Just as Rahab hid the Israelites despite a life of sin and debauchery, The Lord sends this one to lead me to his lost flock!"

She jumped down from the soap box and kicked it up on its edge while scooping up her scattergun.

"I have been reborn, washed in the blood of the Lamb, and am now called Sister Deidre.  And all sinners must repent, for the time of his judgment is at hand."

The Lonely Crow was about to get that old time religion.

Gideon was clearly trying to relax a bit after a long ride. His eyes went from half-lidded to fully open as someone approached him. One hand instinctively moved closer to a gun but didn't touch anything yet.

He frowned at the man in front of him for a moment. Then he straightened up a bit and shook his head. Very quietly he answer, "Lux in tenebris." He gestured at the chair. "Please, feel free."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:16, Thu 27 May 2021.

Luo let the tension out just a little bit, and sat down across from Gideon. He put his hat on the table in front of him. First he spoke up: "My name is Luo Jing, but...most call me Lou. It is a pleasure to meet you." He gave a friendly smile.

Then, very quietly: "You received the telegram also?" He was very glad this person had been able to respond to his signal, he had attempted to connect with other members of the Twilight Legion unsuccessfully before. It was embarrassing, if mostly innocuous to those not in the Legion.

When Thomas asked Cooper if he was from around here, he shook his head. "No sir. Just passin' through. Cooper Grannon, but most folks call me Coop." He extended his hand in the mechanical arm, as if he had either forgotten it was in it, or just didn't care.