We set out to gather precious emeralds for our king. Reign, Kennedi, Lucy, and I weren't quite sure just how the natives would respond to our arrival in their lands, so as soon as our feet touched ground we laid down the law (to discourage any funny business). Though we weren't violent, my crew and I established a basic pyramid of authority with the villagers. Because we had been sent directly from his majesty, we were the top authority.
All was well in the first month. Our firm but peaceful drive proved successful when we gained one ton of emeralds from the motivated natives. Because of their hard work and fruitful labor, Reign convinced us to give the Africans a break over the following month. Lucy isn't one for loosening the reigns in her plan for emerald extraction, but after I spoke with her, she came around.
Then, to Lucy's delight, the third month arrived. She planned to work the villagers till they dropped in order to turn a profit. Reign feared that hostility would lead to problems further down the road, but seeing the need to acquire more emeralds, I explained to her that our methods were necessary for our mission. Still disapproving, but silently now, Reign allowed Kennedi to take the plan into her own hands. When Kennedi gets her mind set on a task, her commitment is fierce. I would say it's almost frightening. You see, Kennedi doesn't come off strong. In fact she's quite sweet, which is why the villagers originally took to her and allowed her to call the shots. However, if she notices any sign of lethargy, disdain, or apathy towards a project, she does not hesitate to physically overcome such behavior. This sets in a fear and respect like no other.
We allowed Kennedi to push the villagers for another month or two because of the abundant gems they produced, but finally Reign decided she could not let the Africans go through such labor another month. Thus, we granted them one more well earned break. I'd like to report that in this month, there was nothing but sunshine and cheer, but sadly the weather turned against us. A typhoon had struck, and a quarter of our profits was washed away with the menacing waves. It was a crushing blow to our mission, and Lucy would never let herself be caught ill-prepared afterwards. At once, she plotted the rest of our course of action in Africa, and this time she would allow no breaks.
For the remainder of the year, Kennedi endlessly worked the natives through rain or shine. At times, it seemed she enjoyed her role all too much. I was not the only one who took notice of this, however. Reign often spoke out against the cruelty towards the Africans, and I suspect she might have been behind one of their revolts in the later months. I have a way of keeping peace between my crew mates though, so the opposition was blunt and strong at times, but I managed to end any squabbles before they began. If I said we were ready to return home, that would be an understatement. Hostility within our ranks and throughout the village had grown with every push we gave the Africans. In the final days of our mission, we hauled four tons of emeralds onto our ship. It was a haul fit for our good king, and no matter what terms we departed on, it is safe to say that our journey was a success.
(*personalities and actions a according to them are purely fiction)
We allowed Kennedi to push the villagers for another month or two because of the abundant gems they produced, but finally Reign decided she could not let the Africans go through such labor another month. Thus, we granted them one more well earned break. I'd like to report that in this month, there was nothing but sunshine and cheer, but sadly the weather turned against us. A typhoon had struck, and a quarter of our profits was washed away with the menacing waves. It was a crushing blow to our mission, and Lucy would never let herself be caught ill-prepared afterwards. At once, she plotted the rest of our course of action in Africa, and this time she would allow no breaks.
For the remainder of the year, Kennedi endlessly worked the natives through rain or shine. At times, it seemed she enjoyed her role all too much. I was not the only one who took notice of this, however. Reign often spoke out against the cruelty towards the Africans, and I suspect she might have been behind one of their revolts in the later months. I have a way of keeping peace between my crew mates though, so the opposition was blunt and strong at times, but I managed to end any squabbles before they began. If I said we were ready to return home, that would be an understatement. Hostility within our ranks and throughout the village had grown with every push we gave the Africans. In the final days of our mission, we hauled four tons of emeralds onto our ship. It was a haul fit for our good king, and no matter what terms we departed on, it is safe to say that our journey was a success.
(*personalities and actions a according to them are purely fiction)
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