The Saga of Boris Unforgiven

  Boris watched the on-going training sessions across the Meadow from the top of the administrative building. Just outside of it, Vityukha was teaching first aid to a group of former renegades. Outside of the factory area, in a small scrapyard, Dimuha was training the marksmanship-skills of other ex-renegades and bandits. And furthest from the factory, Toshka's group was maneuvering through the anomaly field. Toshka might be the worst shot Boris had ever seen, but he sure knew how to avoid anomalies. Boris sighed. He had planned on leaving for the Outskirts yesterday, but his leg wound was still healing. Strelok would not be happy about this little foray, but at least Boris got to prepare his new faction up already. He had sent Dima as his diplomat to Sultan to negotiate a deal, and Venya, their only ex-Freedomer, had joined him. Boris meant to travel to Cordon and strike a deal with that fat bastard Sidorovich. But at least he could finally see Rookie village again, he had missed ...

  The varied bunch of criminals had gathered around Boris Unforgiven and Dima Lord in the Meadow factory, eager to hear Boris speak. During the months Boris had been working for Dushman, Dimuha and Vityukha had gathered old friends, associates and allies here. The factory had been transformed into a small base, with working kitchen, sleeping quarters and dinner table. Someone had even found a working television, although it only occasionally showed Duty propaganda videos and Sidoroviches commercials. Boris scanned the crowd in front of him. There was roughly thirty of them together. Boris, Dima and Toshka had two merc comrades in the crowd, there was about 14 renegades and 10 bandits, Dimuha and Vityukha included. One Freedomer was also in the crowd, looking a bit confused. Some of the renegades and bandits were wounded, but all looked at Boris with anticipation. Vityukha and Dimuha had apparently marketed Boris' plan to them quite well. Boris coughed to open his throat and started...

  Meadow is often regarded as the smaller Darkscape, a quiet backwater with little to do in, but right now it was all but quiet. Automatic fire could be heard from the factory, large assault rifles barking like dogs of war and submachine guns firing their bursts in sharp, sudden manner. Sometimes this cacophony involved beastly roars from shotguns and quieter yet lethal howls from pistols. The battle for Meadow had reached its peak, yet Dima and Boris had no idea who was fighting who. They had defeated a squad of military troopers, yet not without damage. But now was not the time to lick wounds. Boris started moving up the hill towards the factory, Dima following him closely, keeping his Val rifle as high as he could with his wounded arm. Boris meanwhile was limping slightly, but thankfully his leg was operational still and the painkillers had numbed the pain into a slight, pulsating ache. Boris had switched back to his AKMN and reloaded a new grenade. They were aware of how expose...

  Boris and Dima had just managed to fight off a Monolith ambush and Dima had proclaimed that he'd join Boris despite his plan being, well, a bit out there, when a pair of stalkers appeared at the doorstep to the farmhouse, weapons held high. Boris turned around quickly and pointed his AKMN at them, but both parties relaxed upon seeing a neutral Zone-dweller instead of a fanatic or a soldier. And to think if it wasn't for the suicide mission Dushman had sent him on, Boris would be fighting these stalkers right now. They chatted a bit with the newcomers, and the stalkers told them that there was a medium-sized loner outpost right next door. Boris asked Dima what he thought of some rest and recovery before entering Meadow and Dima agreed. The stalkers went their separate way and the mercenary duo entered the Loner farm. With guards posted on the roofs and walls of the outpost, it seemed like the forts of old, guarding the wilderness of Western America or Siberia. Inside the walls...

  The battle for lab X-8 had been a hard-fought one for Boris and Dima, but they had gotten out with all of the information they needed. Emerging into the light of day, the Outskirts were a welcome sight for the pair. Dima suggested that they take a quick break before heading to Griffin and Strelok to deposit their treasures, and Boris agreed. They set up a small campfire, Dima using his last few matches to light it up. While Boris used the fire to cook some meat he had harvested from a flesh earlier, Dima started fixing his suit, badly beaten by the canned tomato grenades. So, when we talked with Griffin, you mentioned that Dushman was the reason your squad was killed. I don't mean to open old wounds but could you elaborate on that? Boris asked, cautiously. At first, Dima did not answer. He had taken of his SEVA helmet, and Boris could see his face darken a bit. He let out a long sigh and started telling his story. Dushman had given his group intel on a big target, a group of bloo...

  The elevator doors closed, leaving the Zone and the whole outside world behind this small box of an elevator. Boris was sweating. The elevator had one small dim light in the roof, barely making the elevator visible. Dima lit another cigarette, clearly nervous. Boris decided to break the silence. You've ever been to these labs? Nah, closest thing was this one weapons cache near Dead City, one of the sewers led there. A maze of a building, my old squad leader somehow knew the way there. Had to fight plenty of tushkanos but that was pretty much it. Found some sort of orange  experimental gravity weapon there, apparently made using gravitational artefacts. Well, in that case, you'll love this. Ain't nothing better than raiding these labs, Boris said in a sarcastic voice. Dima scoffed, clearly not amused. He seemed to be about respond, when the elevator bell chimed, sounding like it was about the last chime it would ever make. The light was flickering, and the doors slowly ope...