The Kovenant: Doc Placebo
The Andorran Gambit: Scene II
Doc Placebo, “Do you see it now?”
Erica, “Your strategy? It’s as invisible as Bond’s presence on the airwaves right now. You’ve just been picking away at my pieces and only just NOW advanced at my King, but its too late for that.”
Doc Placebo, “One of my favorite deceptive philosophers Chris Latta maintained, ‘it’s never too late’! Queen’s Bishop to King’s Bishop Seven!”
Unlike his counterpart the Andorran standing on Queen’s Knight Four in the role of the White King has opted to position himself in front of his pieces with a Bishop of his own behind him standing on a white square while two pawns stand diagonally at the rear and in advance of said Bishop on white squares as well forming a line facing Erica’s remaining forces. The Bishop which had been standing behind of the stalwart Doctor moves diagonally across the game board which you now notice has been stained significantly with splatters and trails of blood where various pieces have been taken and then dragged out of play. While the straight jacked White Bishop transverses across the board at the speed of a stagger the Doctor turns towards his competitor and flashes an arrogant smile.
Doc Placebo, “Do you see yet? Just a few moves now…”
Erica, “What was it that you said about it being never too late?”
Rolling her eyes in the general direction of her Kovenant competition Erica idly fiddles with her mace which appears to have accumulated a significant amount of blood to it’s surface since we last saw it in action. Her almost playful expression towards the Doctor while picking off pieces of blood and flesh from her weapon of choice is intriguing as the Andorran’s power pieces now threaten checkmate on her King in a matter of two moves. The Bishop who has been staggering across the field of play all of this time crashes into a Black Pawn with a stiff kick to the jaw. The Pawn careens backwards several spaces and off of the board before the Bishop can do too much damage however, the Black King is now completely locked into a corner of the board now that the white Bishop has annexed Kings Bishop Seven.
Erica, “Queen’s pawn to Queen’s Rook Five!”
Erica, “There’s something else… oh yes, your in check, for the fourth time… you were right, it’s NEVER too late.”
Smiling at his competitor the Doctor nods as his own remark is spun against him while a Black Pawn which had been stationary ahead of him moves to engage the pawn to his direct left. As a silent observer the Andorran watches onward while two shackled crawling minion slaves collide in the square beside him. For a moment Placebo’s grip on his Spanish Rapier tightens before he notices the diagonal path from the Black pawn to his left trailing all the way back towards a Black Bishop just positioned slightly ahead of Erica who now has a directly clear path of attack against him. He couldn’t attack the pawn, it was protected by the rules of the game… His eyes roll towards Erica after detaching themselves from the pawn now flanking as he takes several steps diagonally to the right placing him directly in front of Erica’s remaining Bishop.
Doc Placebo, “Check, but not mate, not yet…”
Erica, “Mmm… no, not yet.”
Erica, “But close… only a few moves for each…”
Doc Placebo, “But only one move for me…”
Erica, “That’s IF I allow you to make that move of course.”
Doc Placebo, “Of course.”
Taking several strides towards the former UWA Champion Erica herself occupies Queen’s Knight Four which is directly adjacent to Placebo’s King’s Bishop Five threatening him for a fifth time. The two combatants for the first time in the game are now occupying squares directly beside each other and in a rare act of chivalry the new TPW Tag Champion offers his favored Pet with a slight bow before being forced to advocate his position and take a few steps diagonally to Queen’s Six using Erica’s own as cover as the Doctor himself cannot take Erica while she is under the protection of her Bishop standing on a white square. Slightly perturbed Erica notices her predicament…
Erica, “You’re just going to keep running around this piece aren’t you?”
Doc Placebo, “You’re welcome to move it and allow me to place your King in Check of course.”
Unable to place the Doctor in check yet again without him being able to avoid the threat with a mere diagonal step to another black square Erica’s eyes narrow as a few pieces of a puzzle to which the pieces had been denied to her come into place within her subconscious. While the thoughts appear to be nothing more than a mere untested notion at this point she feels compelled to take the risk, to lose, to discover the reality of the situation in which she is placed at present. Defiantly she stares down the Doctor whose eyes have always managed to find their way back to hers without a second thought of the welfare of his strategic position in various other segments of the game board.
Erica, “Fine.”
Doc Placebo, “Fine? You’re giving up?”
Erica, “Maybe… but maybe you’re not as close to winning as you say…”
Doc Placebo, “Oh?”
Erica, “We’ll see… Queen’s Pawn to Queen’s Rook Six.”
Raising his eyebrows in uncertainty at Erica’s latest move as it does not add any additional pressure to him but instead allows him to move his giant fat shackled, chained, and padlocked Minion Rook in King’s Knight Seven ahead one space to effectively end the game. Interested to see how this plays out the Doctor takes a few steps diagonally to his left positioning himself directly behind Erica’s Black Bishop intent on observing her movements. Erica herself smirks as if she has caught onto something but remains silent instead positioning herself directly opposite of the Doctor keeping her Bishop between the two. Placebo is now pinned between Erica and her Rook which is maintaining a defensive position two spaces near her King.
Doc Placebo, “Do you see it now?”
Erica, “What you’re playing for?
…you didn’t take my King… you didn’t try to win this game… so you’re after something else.”
Doc Placebo, “And that is?”
Erica, “I have an idea… but you’re going to have to work to get it!”
Silently amused with his opposing Queen the Doctor nods to one of his pawns ordering it forward totally wasting a move as he seems intent on observing his little pet in action a tad bit longer. In response Erica’s Pawn moves forward yet another square to Queen’s Rook Seven placing it a mere single square from the edge of the Doctor’s side of the board which would allow her to exchange this pawn for any one of her formerly deceased pieces. Doc once more wastes a move pushing his pawn up yet another space, the Pawn now struggles forward a few steps on his shackled knees placing him on a position directly behind of Erica who pays the subservient creature no heed, her eyes instead are locked on her prey; Doc Placebo.
Erica, “Odds are about to get a little harder for you… Queen’s Pawn to Queen’s Rook Eight…”
Doc Placebo, “Maybe… what piece do you want back?”
Erica, “I think I’ll take a Rook back, then you’ll see how fast your cornered too.”
Doc Placebo, “Fair enough.”
A large shackled Minion lumbers back onto the game board replacing Erica’s old Pawn which lets loose a sigh of relief as only one other piece of its rank and stature belonging to Erica’s side has managed to survive the game thus far unscathed. The new Rook does not settle into his place before a gut shattering scream is heard as the camera pans back towards the Doctor who has thrusts his Rapier so deeply into the shoulder of Erica’s Black Bishop that the blood dripping blade has come to a halt only a few inches from the Black Queen herself! Her eyes wide with shock as Placebo’s sword cuts through her Bishop Erica staggers backward a few steps as the Andorran forces her Bishop to his knees by twisting the rapier’s blade about within her piece’s wounded shoulder. Screaming in agony Erica’s Bishop falls forcing the Doctor to come into check by his own accord.
Erica, “You…you can’t do that!”
Placebo does not respond to his pet’s words as he observes the consequences of his actions; a squirming impaled bound slave bleeding at his feet. Clearly exasperated after being ignored Erica using for the last time in the game her rights of full movement allotted to the Black Queen she leaps forward to confront the now disarmed Placebo two squares away from her prior position of Queen’s Bishop 4. Droplets of blood sheet off of her weapon as she strikes at the Doctor with her mace which is caught between the arm and side of an advancing Doc. Holding her close to him he smiles and looks into her eyes which reveal only frustration to him. Using her right arm the Andorran forcefully twirls Erica about as if they were dancing instead of engaged in a precariously lethal diversion. Now holding onto Erica from behind Placebo whispers something into her ear…
Doc Placebo, “I just did. Check and… mate.”
Erica, “Well… in that case…”
Unseen under the multiple ruffles of her Victorian attire Erica uses legs to entrap Placebo’s toppling the couple to the ground. Landing on top Erica whispers something back towards the Doctor…
Erica, “Check, and mate.”
Smiling back from underneath his little pet Placebo’s eyes dart to his side where Erica notices his hand holding her own mace inciting her to shake her head in defeat as she collapses next to the Doctor.
Erica, “You were after me the whole time…”
Doc Placebo, “Yeah, took a little while longer than I thought…”
Erica, “Well you did have to cheat!”
Doc Placebo, “It wouldn’t be the first time and it won’t be the last. I don’t plan on playing a clean game tomorrow either… that is if Bonds even decides to show his face.”
Breathing heavily Erica edges herself a little close to Placebo.
Erica, “He got very quiet didn’t he, I think I like him better this way. He knows his place.”
Doc Placebo, “It was only a matter of time, he would have learned it this week, or tomorrow. Either way, that title, that match, are mine.
The camera begins to pan away from the Doctor and Erica allowing you to once again view other potions of the Morgue game board. With the conclusion of the game most pieces on the board have moved off to tend to the still bleeding wounded pieces that have been taken by both white and black slave armies. Holding hands, fingers intertwined, the fallen King and Queen lay within the center of the board surrounded by an aura of spilled hemoglobin siphoned from fallen troops under their authority as the scene is engulfed by shade.