BossManAlfa ASA: (After the feasting we got shown to rooms with clothes for us and so on...the rooms have a grand and yet somehow spartan elegance, blues seem to dominate the colour scheme, though Matt's room had a good deal more black and gold in his rooms. Atlanta's is primarily white (walls and ceiling) with blue and gold detailing)
(and now...Matt comes, as requested, to visit Atlanta for their talk)
BossManAlfa ASA: ::hears a knock on her door, sheathes excalibur, which she had been studying:: Come in.
LtCJoeASA: ::the door creaks open, and Matt slides in:: 'sup?
BossManAlfa ASA: ::chuckles:: More than I understand. I feel like a King in these quarters...::laughs ruefully:: I guess I am, now. Holy Shit right?
LtCJoeASA: Um, yeah. That'd be about right.
LtCJoeASA: ::he walks over to a chair and sits down::
BossManAlfa ASA: And you're my General. My war leader. Strange, considering that up until a few weeks ago I hadn't even met you.
LtCJoeASA: Well, I guess I'm in further than I wanted to be. Heh.
LtCJoeASA: Guess you're gonna have to trust me with the lives of...well...everyone.
BossManAlfa ASA: ::nods:: Exactly.
LtCJoeASA: ::you can tell it's hit him finally, he's not cracking snickering-type jokes::
LtCJoeASA: And now I've got one of those spooky ass swords. It creeps me out...it's like there's another person with me at all times.
BossManAlfa ASA: It's scary. I know. You only hold their lives on the battle field. I hold their lives all day, every day. ::laughs:: and I have an even spookier sword. Yeah, you noticed that too? I guess that's why being a sword bearer was considered a hero's curse...
You're never alone. You can't leave it. It uses you almost as much as you use it.
::goes silent and looks very serious:: But, Matt. That stress is no excuse to treat Rico like you are. He's confused. Scared. And he hasn't yet realized some things that are plain as day to us. And he will realize that in his own time. When he is ready for it. He has to unravel the culture, the history, the mysteries of these people. Of our swords. Our lives depend on him as much as they do on you. I can't have my two most essential advisors at each other's throats like this!
LtCJoeASA: Well, shit. I didn't know it was like that.
BossManAlfa ASA: ::sips a milky drink:: How did you not realize it was?
LtCJoeASA: I was going at it like a little friendly jostlin'.
BossManAlfa ASA: I think you've stepped over that line too many times, Matt.
LtCJoeASA: Well, don't worry about that anymore. I don't think I'll have time to joke around anymore. ::he takes the Brother Sword from his waist, in its sheath, and drops it to the floor::
::he then pulls the sword out from the sheath, and holds it up in the light::

::it shines that red glow like it did when he first took it out…he chuckles a second:: How ironic.
BossManAlfa ASA: ::silently observes the sword for a moment:: Irony is the humour of God.
LtCJoeASA: ::he chuckles again, but grimly:: It's red...It's always going to be red. Even after it loses its magic. It's still going to stay red.
BossManAlfa ASA: ::realizes Matt is sorta losing it:: ::gets concerned:: You are not a butcher. People will die. But others will live better lives because of what you do. You are not so much starting a war, but ending one. Uniting a nation.
LtCJoeASA: What am I going to do?
LtCJoeASA: I don't know a damn thing about this world.
BossManAlfa ASA: Neither do I. But we'll learn.
LtCJoeASA: Or our brand new Nazi enemies. And they've got so much more technology than us, it's so apparent. And you! You're becoming one of these new people. It's all too much, too soon.
BossManAlfa ASA: At least they look like us...It is. I know. but if it wasn't...come 'on how much chance could they afford to give us to run?
BossManAlfa ASA: We'll learn about their technology. We'll learn their language. We'll take vacations to Chicago. We'll see things no other human has seen. We stand on the threshold of a new era. We will bring it in. Don't fear for your losses. Rejoice for everything you gain.
LtCJoeASA: But, Atlanta.
LtCJoeASA: ...what happens if we lose?
BossManAlfa ASA: We won't.
BossManAlfa ASA: If we do...then we die, a little bit sooner than we might have if this had never happened, but with our loves a thousand times richer.
BossManAlfa ASA: Remember, Matthew: A brave man dies but once, a coward dies a thousand deaths each day.
BossManAlfa ASA: And the difference between a coward and a brave man? Merely the choice to do what he fears doing.
LtCJoeASA: ::he looks at his sword, then at her:: I'm going to have to do some studying for this upcoming war. So...if you guys are going out on any expeditions or anything, don't save a place for me for a little while.
BossManAlfa ASA: ::pauses, sighs:: I suppose that's for the best. I'll have Bask assign a weapons expert to teach you techniques and see if there is someone to help you with the tactics side of things...
LtCJoeASA: I should be able to be on top of things once I get a few thousand years of technology under my belt.
BossManAlfa ASA: ::laughs:: That's better. Dude, these guys...they told me something. There's a telepath here, he can transfer to you his knowledge of the technology...not all of it at once...but raw facts he can just hand you. Just place it in your head. Slowly until he learns your brain's limits. Then at that pace. It'll take him a few weeks I'd guess. But that would speed up the rest of your training.
LtCJoeASA: I guess that'd help.
BossManAlfa ASA: Alright. Now. Remember, you're Rico's friend. Give him time. And don't forget to laugh...there's too much for us to handle if we don't laugh.
BossManAlfa ASA: Know what you're doing now?
LtCJoeASA: Guess so... One more thing...
BossManAlfa ASA (16:49:56): ::tilts head and waits for Matt's thought::
LtCJoeASA: If this sword ever starts talking to me, I swear. ::he shakes a finger at her, and puts the sword back in its sheath on his side, opening the door, chuckling::
BossManAlfa ASA: ::laughs:: Go get some sleep. We'll need it.