The Contender was a virtual representation of one of Kassandra's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
Description[]
Kassandra travelled to the Sanctuary of Olympia, taking Testikles' place in the pankration games in the Olympic Games.
Dialogue[]
Kassandra arrived at the Sanctuary of Olympia.
- Kassandra: The Sanctuary of Olympia! Where the greatest athletes compete for fame and glory.
She travelled to the Stadium, where Ikaros spotted the pankration organizer, Paios.
- Kassandra: I need to talk to him.
As she approached, he barked for final check-ins.
- Paios: Pankration here! Last chance to claim your spot!
Kassandra spoke to him to check in.
- Kassandra: I'm here for the pankration.
- Paios: You must be joking. The only fighter we're missing is Testikles.
- Kassandra: He's a little under the... water—I mean weather.
I'm the one taking his place. - Paios: OK, OK. Save it for the fight.
Kassandra placed her hands on her hips.
- Kassandra: I'm Testikles.
- Paios: You're Testikles?! The same Testikles I went out drinking with last season, the one who made advances on my wife... and brother?
- Kassandra: Er... The diet and training is... transformative.
- Paios: Obviously...
- Kassandra: The people came for a show. I'll give them one.
Very well. The competition begins shortly.
Paios nodded and led her inside. Kassandra changed into her athletic attire and stepped into the ring, facing her competitor, Orion.
Leander introducing Kallias
- Leander: Welcome all, it is my pleasure to introduce to you Kallias. A former champion here in this stadium, and now an esteemed judge in Olympia.
The crowd, including Alkibiades, applauded for Kallias' arrival.
- Kallias: My friends, it is an honor for me to introduce this event, one so close to my heart.
- Kallias: The pankration!
The crowd continued applauding.
- Kallias: I will not delay you with words, for we all want to see action.
Kallias turned towards Kassandra and Orion.
- Kallias: For Zeus, let the competition commence!
Kassandra and Orion prepared to battle.
- Orion: I'll squish you like a bug.
Alkibiades, among the crowd, begins to recite a poem.
- Alkibiades: "So I, the Muses' nectar shedding; To conquerors deal the draught divine; Whose brow, with garlands amply spreading; Pytho and Olympia twine. Blest the sound of virtuous fame—"
Leander cut him off.
- Leander: There could be no more fitting tribute than a quote from Pindar. Let the contest begin!
Kassandra stretched her shoulders while Orion boasted.
- Orion: I'll crush you like an ant.
Orion attacked Kassandra, who countered his first blow.
- Orion: That's not fair!
Orion got one good hit.
- Orion: Huh, you'll be easy!
She landed a few more blows on him.
- Orion: It hurts!
- Leander: That's a big hit!
- Leander: I'm glad I'm not in there!
- Kassandra: Where's your tough talk gone now?
Leander was pleased with the fight.
- Leander: This is a fight you'll talk about for a long time!
Kassandra tired of toying with him and finished him off.
- Orion: Why you...
Please, please by the gods... No more!
- Kassandra: That was your best?
- Kallias: That was but the beginning.
- Kassandra: What?
- Leander: Now that our contestant is warmed up, let's see what she can do against ERASTOS!
The next competitor, Erastos, stepped into the ring while rubbing his hands.
- Kallias: Good luck...
Orion officially yielded, and Kassandra won the round.
- Kassandra: That was easy.
Leander applauds.
- Leander: A strong start.
Kassandra did a double take.
- Kassandra: Start?!
- Leander: All welcome our next opponent, Erastos!
- Erastos: Don't blink or you'll be seeing stars!
Kassandra fighting Erastos
Kassandra landed a blow on Erastos.
- Leander: Wow!
- Leander: Another big hit!
He got in a good hit of his own.
- Kassandra: Come on, that's the spirit!
Alkibiades cheered for her.
- Alkibiades: Come on, beautiful—you've got this!
Erastos' dodging was somewhat greater than that of Orion.
- Erastos: Too slow!
- Kassandra: Stand still and let me hit you!
The fight continued as they exchanged blows.
- Leander: I don't know how they're still standing!
Erastos got in another good hit.
- Erastos: This scorpion stings!
After a somewhat greater challenge than before, Kassandra won the second round as well. The crowd cheered with Leander clapping for Kassandra's performance.
- Leander: The crowd loves you... but you're not done yet.
- Kassandra: Not done?!
- Leander: A fine offering to the gods, wouldn't you say?
Soon, we will return for the final contest—the mighty Kassandra against our reigning champion, Dorieus!
Kassandra meeting Alkibiades and Barnabas after the event
Kassandra opened her mouth slightly as though to speak, but then uttered a weary sigh and walked off. Kassandra changed back into her normal garb and met with Alkibiades and Barnabas.
- Barnabas: Astounding! To think I could be a companion to an Olympic champion.
- Alkibiades: You're even better at sparring than I am—
Alkibiades held his fist near his chest, and Barnabas and Kassandra looked at each other with concern.
- Alkibiades: Though if Sokrates were a more willing partner...
Kassandra and Barnabas tending to Alkibiades
Alkibiades collapsed and retched, and Barnabas and Kassandra tended to him.
- Barnabas: Alkibiades, are you all right?
- Alkibiades: I was... with my friends Demophanes and Kallias. Respected Olympic judges, no less...
- Kassandra: Too much cheap wine?
Alkibiades stared at her with uncharacteristic annoyance.
- Barnabas: You look like you drank from Medea's cup...
- Kassandra: Medea's cup? You think he's been poisoned?
(If players asked "Where were you?")
- Kassandra: You were... celebrating?
- Alkibiades: It's the Olympics. What's not to celebrate? We were at the Leonidaion.
(Leave – "I'm going to find Demophanes.")
- Kassandra: If you've been poisoned, I need to find these judges.
- Alkibiades: Poisoned? Do you think that they could be too or... No. Never! They're good men you can't think one of them... They host a celebration every Olympics to celebrate the sacred truce.
Alkibiades proceeded to vomit. Kassandra turned to Barnabas.
- Kassandra: Stay with him. I'll find out what happened.
Outcome[]
Kassandra replaced Testikles in the pankration Olympics. She defeated Orion and Erastos, advancing to the finals against the reigning champion Dorieus. After the event, she met with Alkibiades and Barnabas, the former collapsing and presumed poisoned. Kassandra decided to investigate the celebration he attended.
Trivia[]
- Kallias can be killed prior to this quest, which in turn will affect Leander's introduction to the pankration event and Kassandra's fights. The intermission is the same, however, and Alkibiades is still poisoned. The dialogue always references Kallias as host of the celebration, which is either an oversight or indicates that he arranged the poisoning to take place with or without him present.
- As Alkibiades did not collapse until after the opening rounds at the pankration, it is more likely he attended the celebration beforehand and the poison itself was slow acting.
Gallery[]
