A Scripta

Unfortunately, the muse is not very organized today. I'm suspecting it has to do with other distractions. Mase's placement in the asylum took me six hours (with playing in between). So Provo's story is being lobbed at me in bits and pieces - scenes and snippets.

Hey, this is my writer's journal. I can screw up if I want to.

For the Republican Movement only a struggle on many fronts will achieve the Republican objective of restoring the "ownership of Ireland to the people of Ireland" (1916 Proclamation). - WHAT IS IRISH REPUBLICANISM? By Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, President Sinn Féin in the Irish Independent, December 9, 1970.

"Allie, Allie, ye takin' th' red'er'blue?"

Alan picked up the blue t-shirt, started yanking it over his head. "So are we ready?"

"Almos'." His roommate picked up the red shirt and pulled it on. He pulled on his jacket to make sure the pistol in the holster didn't show. "You?"

Alan patted the pocket of his coat. "Two pounds - one kilo - of PE-4."

His partner nodded. "That'll ge'air attention."

The two young men stepped out into the dim light of dawn.

What the plan for this story was:
Alan and the red-shirted kid were supposed to plant a bomb in the car of Catholic minister in Belfast. Why, don't know. Who, don't know either. The IRA started decommissioning in 2001. Alan should be, at present, around 30 years old, which means he was born just around the height of "the Troubles".

Just because the IRA decomissioned doesn't mean they stopped. They splintered off into more or less militant groups, but seemed to be more into the training aspect than the actual action. So let's say Alan doesn't actually do bombings, but he knows how, and he's done it in training sessions. He got caught in Derry with some incidiary devices and was deported. Finished college with a Chemical Engineering Degree, he worked for assorted demolition companies all up and down the East Coast.

It was during this time that he got electrocuted. Hit by lightning. Something. From that point he constantly exuded electricity in a radius (Lightning Field or whatever the hell that is). Well, he obviously couldn't work around explosives anymore. He and some friends eventually created the vest that he wears, that pretty much lets out electricity as he needs it. For a strange reason, he likes to be constantly bathed in it, so will usually have it on in some way. (Plus it looks cool.)

His knowledge was still in demand, so he prepared chemical bombs, passive bombs, TNT explosives, any kind that was wanted by any group, particularly the "Fifth Column of the IRA" so to speak. He was arrested after a tip-off, and he's on the search to find out who. Because of his electrical issues, he was allowed to keep the harness. Of course, he was searched more often than other prisoners since he had the extra harness, but that didn't stop him from sneaking things in.

While in the Zig he beefed himself up, with the full intent of going after whoever turned him in. Not only did he become useful as a mule, but also as a bruiser. He didn't always win - then, he didn't always want to. Many were allowed to run and then get beat up later, when they least expected it, and when it hurt MORE.

Why is he with Styrm? He knows a good thing when he sees it. Styrm built that battle suit, which he's impressed with. (He's more impressed with the guns than the suit. Wait until trip mines. He'll drool.) Styrm's got a good and intelligent head on his shoulders, he knows what he's doing, he's got charisma. Styrm might have heard that he's a bruiser and the reason he's in the Zig. Styrm might have figured that he would be a good wall between the enemies and himself. If something explodes, Styrm might think, let Provo take the hit. Or hits.

Is he evil? He's not morally ambiguous, he's morally empty. Tell him to kill someone, he would - because he knows he can, and he'll eventually start liking it.

So there's my take. I hope I can keep close enough to that outline, anyway.