PARTIZAN 24: Millennium Break: The First and Second Arrests of Clementine Kesh

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Episode description[edit | edit source]

One might think that, with elections behind them, Millennium Break would turn its full attention outwards, towards the world it was trying to change. Instead, like an athlete determined to operate at peak performance, it turned further inward.

Bringing democracy onboard Icebreaker was all well and good. A solid first step. But what was to be done about Clementine Kesh? What was to be done about those who would send fellow revolutionaries to die instead of stand with their comrades? What would be done about those who abetted the reactionaries?

They set the world on fire in the name of justice only to ask: What might justice look like?

This week on PARTIZAN: Millennium Break: The First and Second Arrests of Clementine Kesh

///Operation Dossier\\[edit | edit source]

//Organizations\\[edit | edit source]

The Church of the Resin Heart: A Disciples of Logos church on Partizan which claims to be the true inheritor of the prophet’s religious mission. The “resin heart” in question is a 3-foot large object pulled from the sea 400+ years ago and displayed as a relic by the Church. It was originally part of the Exemplar.
Millennium Break: Dissidents, idealogues, rebels, and mercenaries launch a revolution from a state-of-the-art mobile fortress. They agree on little, except this: It is time for a new Millennium.
Strand Semaphore: Using ancient Hyphan technology, this messenger service is able to send text-based communications to anywhere on-moon, so long as they’ve built an outpost there.
Lambic House: A group of beer-brewing monks who both operate a brewery and manage a sizable civilian settlement deep in the mountains of the Pique Ridge. Part of the Shepherd’s Crook.
HORIZON: In the popular consciousness, HORIZON is a radical, anti-Principality terrorist organization. In actuality, they are a radical-reformist group, which seeks to drive out what it perceives as corruption in an empire that ought be pursuing noble (instead of selfish) ends. Rumored to be funded by Stel Kesh’s House Brightline.
The Mysteries Metronomica/ “Metronomica”/“The Cult of Perennial”: Guided by the paradoxical belief in historical cycles and radical freedom, the Isles of Logos offers this faith of the Adversary, Perennial, perhaps the only safe ground in the entire galaxy.
The Red Fennecs: Technically, the Red Fennecs are an Apostolosian logistics and transport squad. In actuality, they’re utilized by their commanding officer, Tes’ili Serikos, as the backbone of a humble smuggling operation.
The Sable Court: Some say that on dark nights, they have seen these Ashen witches on the eastern edge of Lake Timea, horns and antlers glittering in the light of Girandole. Some even say that a former elect walks among them. Heresy, all of it.
Company of the Spade: A veteran mercenary unit founded by space miners who learned how to pilot Hollows in the most dangerous of settings. They’ve been brought to Partizan to combine both types of expertise.
The Oxblood Clan: What started as a group of orphans turned into a labor guild and criminal enterprise with connections across Partizan. Occasionally run rough-and-tumble military ops for extra cash. Allies with SBBR.

//People\\[edit | edit source]

Sloe Uplight (he/him): His business card says “Private Historian,” his parlor rooms’ security system says “information broker,” and his grinning mouth says “no difference.” A Kesh academic turned freelance fixer. Now, his attention has turned to Millennium Break.
Quintessence “Tessence” Rey (he/him): A young member of the secret Equiaxed commune in Vigil City, Tessence is the community’s only remaining military defender. In his custom Kosmos unit, he has helped defend his family and friends from Columnar aggression numerous times. He did, however, have a card up his sleeve.
Jesset City (he/him): Previously worked for Adamant Arms and Manufacturing, Jesset became full time Oxblood Clan lieutenant (and rising star) after his participation in the fateful mission in Obelle, and solidified his status as a leader after the assault on Orzen. Expert technician, rapidly developing hollow pilot, and Cipher Certified by Stel Nideo. Utilizes prostheses on his right arm, switching between an affordable myoelectric model with grip hooks and a custom model specifically designed for interfacing with a hollow cockpit.
Apparatus Aperitif (they/them): Logos City, the largest independent city on Partizan, is known as a religious center, but its robotic night mayor ensures that everyone has a good time at the end of their time traveling the Prophet’s Path. Representative of the Mysteries Metronomica onboard Icebreaker Prime.
Gur Sevraq (he/them): Leader of the Church of the Resin Heart. Miracle worker. Currently on board Icebreaker Prime. Has possession of the Divine Future, which gives them startling prescience and the ability to imagine futures outside of the confines of the hegemonic and imperialist world around him.
Si’dra Balos (Si/Si’s, they/them): During their time in a communications division of the Apostolosian Navy, Si’dra saw the cost of war first hand. Now they dream of a world where people can connect instead of fight.
Tes’ili Serikos (they/them, tes/tes’): This Apostolosian transport specialist, black marketeer, and Tes’ili Serikos can get just about anything just about anywhere, for a price. Short, round, fuzzy, and good natured… unless you screw tes over.
The Blossom (he/him): The Lambic House is just supposed to make beer, sell it around the world, and keep people happy. But with each keg delivered by the sect’s Abbot of Provision, the Blossom also serves a short, populist whisper.
Zo’la (zo/zo’s, they/them): As a projection artists, Zo’la seeks to create a cinematic work that captures the dynamic spirit of this historical moment. Born to Columnar, then drawn to the Apostlosian ideology of Dynamism (which values speed, change, and violence above all else. A wildcard and a vanguard. Friends with Gucci Garantine, despite having spent time on opposite sides of the Kesh/Apostolos war.
Agon Ortlights (she/her): Aided by her servicebot companions, Agon worked hard to attain the rank of lieutenant in the Company of the Spade, where she’s become a veteren mercenary, a skilled miner, and a hell of a drinking buddy.
A.O. Rooke (he/him): Former Stel Orion mercenary, now commander of the Rapid Evening’s “toughs” squad.
Eiden Teak (he/him): Soldier and commander in the Sable Court. Wears the wounds of past fights on him with a distinct sort of pride, inherited from his time fighting as an Apostolosian soldier: He’s missing right leg under the knee, and a number of his antlers have been snapped and broken. Wears loose olive drab fatigues, marked the occult insignia and wards of the Court.
Mourningbride (she/her): An initiate in the Sable Court, and a former Elect.
Alise Breka (she/her): Guest lecturer at Verglaz University and Author of popular Renegade Hearts pulp series, which tells stories of daring and romantic Hallow pilots. On Partizan to research her next book, partly by interviewing the imprisoned pirate Exeter Leap.

//Places\\[edit | edit source]

Vigil City: The capital city of Stel Columnar on Partizan. Sits on the southern end of the “Teardrop" on a high plateau. The densest city on Partizan, Vigil City is also the most automated city on the moon.
Marengo: Oxbridge’s biggest rival to the far west of Orion territory, Marengo borders the Prophet’s Path and because of that has been favored by three groups: faithful hoping to draw on the strength of passing pilgrims; traders eager to take tourist coin; and criminals who like the proximity of uncontrolled territory.
The Prophet’s Sea: A massive ocean that dominates the center of most maps of Partizan. It is said that the sea was made by the prophet Logos Kantel in their first miracle, after walking the length of its radius and climbing a set of hills that would soon become islands.

//Things\\[edit | edit source]

Icebreaker Prime: A massive arsenal, garrison, airfield, and a firebase all rolled into one. Icebreaker Prime is a rumbling carrier which prowls land and sea, armed with innumerable weapons and potentially housing over ten thousand soldiers. Currently, Icebreaker Prime is under the command of Clementine Kesh and the Rapid Evening, and is hidden in the most unperturbed waters of the Prophet’s Sea.

//Additional Notes\\[edit | edit source]

Crossroads[edit | edit source]

Crossroad #1: Will The Kingdom allow civilian refugees to live on Icebreaker Prime?

Crossroad #2: Will the Kingdom rob the surreptitious Columnar and Orion arms shipments in order to address our resource problem?

Crossroad #3: Will the Kingdom hold elections?

Crossroad #4: Will the Kingdom put counterrevolutionaries on trial?

The Millenium Break Manifesto[edit | edit source]
  1. We will help those displaced by the war on Partizan.
  2. We will claim supplies only when it adds losses to the ledgers of the unjust.
  3. Free and Fair elections will be held every two years.
Character Bonds[edit | edit source]

Valence: I feel the uncomfortable draw of the unknown from Apparatus, but must keep focus on the revolution and the way of God. An overindulgence of curiosity would sidetrack me.

Apparatus: Gur Sevraq has always been a bit of a Day Mayor. I hope he has not gotten too used to the light.

Gur Sevraq: Milli is right to distrust all who seek to direct her power, but she ought fight for those who share her dreams yet lack her strength.

Milli: Sovereign Immunity's connections could get us out of prison. I need to make sure this summit doesn't make him forget that.

SI: This is the moment Clementine must show her mettle as a leader. If she is truly a frivolous child I will find someone better.

Clem: United, Gucci and I could be a powerful force for Kesh, with me at its head. Her misplaced egalitarianism, however, is a problem.

Gucci: Broun knows how to get things done and I know what they want in return. But there’s a difference between service and loyalty, and I don’t know when or where they’ll draw that line.

Broun: I need Valence to keep their promise to me but I don’t believe they can.

Contents[edit | edit source]

Opening[edit | edit source]

“

It was remarkable. All across Partizan, as if overnight, Millennium Break seemed to flash into existence. In the foggy mountains of the Nidean ridge, communes emerged, supported surreptitiously by a nearby temple. A skirmish in the streets of Oxbridge left four dead and four thousand radicalized. In Vigil City, a judge ruled that protesters were allowed to march but not to use the Millennium Break symbol. They did it anyway—violence.

And in the sordid Orion city of Marengo, where the Kesh-trained historian turned information broker Sloe Uplight made his home, the symbol of Millennium Break had caught fire in the streets themselves. A massive M lit down city boulevards, fire slashing across rooftops, a spark so bright that it could be seen from space. Uplight knew that revolution, what was happening across Partizan, wasn't novel, but that didn't make it any less remarkable.

Despite the Palace's attempt to downplay and obscure such events, this was hardly the first uprising of its kind. Year 380 of The Miraculous Millennium: a newly formed Horizon takes Leraphon IV, but is betrayed by the people they're saving. 620 years later: the Song of a Nidean resort attempts a coup. The world was wiped from the maps, its name, its location, its people turned Adrift, which is of course what happened to the world where the Farmer had led his uprising, too. But that Sovereign Immunity had done what few others had managed: Made his revolution visible, memorable, unerasable. And here he was again, a background player this time, but still.

They say that lightning doesn't strike twice, but Sloe Uplight, who had lit a symbol so bright that it could be seen from space, knew better. If you want to bring the thunder down, become a lightning rod.”

Plot[edit | edit source]

Leap and Millie convince Valence and SI that Clementine must be held accountable for her crimes. A group arrives to arrest Clementine. Valence wants her confined to her room, but those she has directly hurt are intent on taking her to the brig. Clementine tries to sow discord and make a public scene. Leap is also sentenced to the brig for half a day for trying to take the arrest into his own hands. Zo’la records the whole disorganised thing.

With both Clementine and Leap in the brig, Gucci asks why SI should not join them for his part in facilitating Clementine, until he points out he is still a Sovereign Immunity, who regular citizens aboard Icebreaker will still consider untouchable. When Broun is arrested for their part in the seditious pirateering group, Valence decides the whole thing has gone too far and frees everyone.

Gur, Millie and AO visit the Orion town of Marengo to investigate a claim about an independent Millennium Break cell and it becomes clear that they might start to emerge across the moon.

Freed from the brig, Clementine invites Valence to a proposal to launch an attack on the Stels. She doesn’t care about Valence's philanthropic ideals, but sees something to gain if they can help her sweep into power and offers them a favourable treaty in exchange. Valence sees for themself exactly the type of person Clementine Kesh is. Apparatus has been busy preaching history and revolution and helps to form a leadership council that better represents the members of Millennium Break. They want Valence as a figurehead, but Valence is all too happy to step aside to let experienced leaders take the reins. The new council puts an end to the mob trials—with the single exception of Clementine Kesh, who is returned to the brig.

Elsewhere on the moon, in the wake of rumours about an Orion food blockade, a disease has begun to afflict crops as the old uninhabitable pre-Miracle landscape begins to eat away at the edge of the habitable land. Aboard Icebreaker Prime, a rumour arises that Valence was always put into power to make way for a council leadership, but those who were there at the time know it’s false.

The Divine Present arrives with a message from Gallica.

Cast[edit | edit source]

Other Appearances[edit | edit source]

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