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Stitch

Roy Koopa
Holy crap, it is the RoboCoonie!








Since: 08-20-04
From: California

Since last post: 935 days
Last activity: 935 days
Posted on 03-03-05 11:32 AM Link | Quote
Okay, I'll insert the series again:


Paradox Island
By: CIAHacker/Zabuza
Part of the Paradox Island Series

Prologue: Destiny


Picture, if you will, an island far more complex than any other entity on any planet in any solar system, and the lives of those inhabitants have the opportunity to come to life right before your eyes. Their stories, forever intertwined and greatly affecting each other, help to tell the overall history and foundations of Paradox Island. From the lush northern plain of Central Plaza to the technologically untouched landscapes of Erdu City, extending towards the highly advanced realm of Edge City County just passed Oakridge City with its universities, shopping centers, and waterfront activities, on to the quiet fields of Zedari to the southern most tip of the Island where the animals run free unencumbered by civilized presence from the rest of the Island. A beautiful land overseen by the power of three suns and two moons, a land perched far out in the middle of a vast ocean far from the ruins of the mainland, and the troubles of an environmentally evil society.
Welcome to the land where prosperity ensues, and its peoples live in harmony with nature, manmade wonders, and each other. Prepare yourself to enter their world, and you may find a place of your own within their familiarities, within their homes and places of employment, within their diversions. Prepare to engage yourself with their troubles, their romances, their wonders, and their excitement. In an island as diverse as theirs, it’s impossible not to lose yourself.


Chapter One: Oakridge


Oakridge, so named because of the lush oak trees lining all city streets and avenues and because it sits on the edge of the Great Ocean, has become my home since I defected from Edge City’s towering buildings. I craved the warmth of the suns, and the cool winter nights underneath the stars. When I was promoted to senior executive of my late father’s company, I took my bonus and invested in the beautiful homes overlooking the far-off Zedari fields. It’s a small drive from Oakridge to downtown Edge City, but the time to myself is entirely worth it. On weekends, I visit Edge City University to continue my studies on the Island’s infrastructure, and often go out with colleagues from the Astrological Department—Crystle and Tom—on their ventures into the soft fields of Zedari.
Just north of Edge City, far above its towering office buildings just before the large Nisian orange trees, we find the peasantesque city of Erdu where life is as carefree as a Terran Parisian village. Where the elken trees create large canopies over the dirt roads, and its inhabitants lead a pleasant lifestyle almost reminiscent of the early ways of the founders.




(Last edited by Zabuza on 02-23-06 02:35 AM)
Elara

Divine Mamkute
Dark Elf Goddess
Chaos Imp
Penguins Fan

Ms. Invisable








Since: 08-15-04
From: Ferelden

Since last post: 101 days
Last activity: 101 days
Posted on 03-05-05 06:20 PM Link | Quote
Good visuals, I can't wait to hear more since you seem to be the elusive one.
Stitch

Roy Koopa
Holy crap, it is the RoboCoonie!








Since: 08-20-04
From: California

Since last post: 935 days
Last activity: 935 days
Posted on 04-08-05 02:18 AM Link | Quote
I'm rewriting Paradox's Chapter One---


Chapter I: Flashbacks


He stood anchored to the top of Edge City's Transportation Mobility Commission offices overlooking the greater area of downtown, the second of the three suns beating down upon his trenchcoat covered body. His coat swayed violently in the winds high above the city streets overlooking the sweeping hills of Erdu City as hyperjets flew by on their way to the air/space port. His chest expanded slowly in the thin air with each breath, his thoughts racing through the recesses of his mind. He would close his eyes occasionally, both to lubricate them and to view his inner mind, regressing back to the days of the Great War; back to the days when he worked both sides; back to the days when he belonged to no one but himself.

The winds around him deafened any sounds of the ringing phone in his pocket. He stood, his feet electromagnetically anchored to the building's roof, and allowed his mind to lead him through the paths of long ago, several years before the foundations of the TMC, before the modernization of Paradox Island, to the early days of the Great War, back to San Angeles on the Mainland. A sprawling metropolis with roadways as far as eternity and computer linkups to match, a difference of ideals, and the ensuing riot. That morning, a week before the main actions of the War, he had agreed to meet with his hacker compatriots on the beach near the city limits of San Angeles.

A hyperjet zoomed by his position violently waking him from his deep mental slumber, his eyes struggling to focus through the pitch black sunglasses. The air wave following the jet shot the glasses off his face sending them flying towards the street one hundred and fifty floors below. He immediately shielded his eyes, accidently breaking the electromagnetic hold launching his body off the tower across the gap between the other surrounding buildings and plummeting towards the cold, hard street below. He closed his eyes listening to the wind rushing through his coat and depressed a contact on the inside of his right arm. Engulfed in a bright white light, he reappeared on the ground standing at the exact spot where his sunglasses had violently bounced across the pavement.

He walked over to the glasses, picked them up, brushed them off, and placed them gently on his nose before glancing up towards the top of the building, the second sun just cresting the TransNet antenna fleetingly attempting to filter its rays down to the shaded street below. A BizTransNet single occupant vehicle pulled up in front of him, opened its door and awaited his boarding. He took a breath, readjusted his coat, then boarded the vehicle.

"Please choose destination." The vehicle chimed through the onboard speakers. He leaned forward and slid his identicard through a slot on the side of the monitor. "TMC Lot A." The vehicle moved slowly onto the road nestling itself behind a few other BizTransNet vehicles before accelerating to merge onto the main TransNet highway towards its destination on the outskirts of the city.

He leaned back into the seat watching the second sun, Solaris II, high above the City as the vehicle moved effortlessly through the dedicated lanes. "Music?" it asked. He closed his eyes thinking about some jazzy tune he had heard somewhere before, but not in his lifetime. "Terran Jazz, circa 1950s, 'Take Five' by Dave Brubeck," it announced within seconds confirming the activity of the neural identichip, engaging a soft piano tuned to optimum comfort levels. He drifted away again, his crimsom eyes shooting back and forth underneath his eyelids, back to that morning.

He had served as a freelancer, a term coined for hackers that neither served nor threatened the globalnet community, working for various agencies for years. Several of those occasions had introduced him to new learning experiences that were required for some of his future missions. He was immersed in new technologies, new ideas, and allowed to explore the vastness of his inner psyche. He worked both sides of his missions, serving as an adversary to himself. However, in his late adolescence, his skills and talent helped him acquire a position within the then developing Paradox Island Special Ops Division.

There he met T'om, the Taroxian refugee, whom had recruited himself to the fledgling agency in hopes of expanding his thirst for the battlefield, even if that field often rested in the digital realm. T'om's innate ability to manipulate large matrises of data proved to be an exquisite asset to the organization's goals.

But not him; he had been chosen because of his freelancer status. His mind worked differently than most being completely desensitized to everything and everyone. A small chime from the vehicle jostled him back from his dream state. "Destination in 10 minutes," the vehicle announced as it merged out of the dedicated lanes into the streets leading away from the City. He pulled his computer from his pocket holding it up in front of him, his reflection floating on the screen, as he read through the documents downloading from the DoxNet linkup. Another expedition into Xodan Flats today, and Brandon--the husband of his long time and only friend, Christine--would be heading up the site inspections.

The vehicle came to a stop outside the TMC lot, opened its door, and announced, "Thank you for your stay, today, Agent Almodovar." He stepped out, the door closing behind him, and walked towards his HyWire Marauder, his coat swaying slowly behind him as Solaris I and II glided slowly across the sky. His silver vehicle sat patiently awaiting his return, and powered to life as soon as his identichip came into range of the transceiver. He boarded his vehicle, the music from the BizTransNet vehicle transferring to his Marauder; the vehicle authorizing itself for the government only transit lanes--DoxTrans--and moved out of the lot onto the roadways leading towards the roads heading towards Oakridge.

He sat watching the other vehicles pass when he phone began to ring again. He fumbled through his pockets locating the phone and holding it up to read the screen. His pitch black sunglasses obscurred any attempt of reading the electroluminescent screen during the daylight hours. He silenced the phone and tossed it onto the seat next to him. Leaning forward towards the central control console, he activated the shading on the main windshield. With the windshield now providing the much needed protection from the suns' rays, he removed his sunglasses stowing them in the center storage areas of the car.

His eyes quickly adjusted to light hurting him at first, but subsided as the windshield increased its shading. Another call, this time through the vehicle's communications systems, forced him to deviate his attention from the upcoming task of controlling the vehicle. "Incoming secured communications from Erdu City..." He shifted forward in his seat moving into position to control the vehicle once it left the TransNet systems, touched a contact on his left wrist, and waited for his suit to disperse within his body.

During the first few weeks after joining Special Ops, he was chosen as the worthy recipient of a nanoarmor suit. Similar in appearence to the uniforms they all wore, but physically integrated with the physiological structures of his body, the suit offered more protection and flexibility than his meta-human body could ever provide. The suit also exploited the third helix abilities, amplifying them to the wearer's advantage. Years later, he still possesses the suit with the fully integrated ability to control it at will. The main control units embedded directly into his spine, his torso, his arms and legs with a control identichip installed deep inside his brain, he had developed ability to be the only being on the entire planet to personally link up to both DoxNet and GlobalNet without the use of an external device. He had become Special Ops' perfect agent, yet still possessed complete control over himself and his actions.

He possessed the ability to deploy armor throughout his entire body at will, the ability to control all connected systems using only his brainpower, the ability to allow the suit to control his body. Yet, he still had to uphold a secret persona to everyone except the one man who knew of his true identity. The man that he once trusted with the secrets of his technologies and the access to the specialized systems of DoxNet. The man that chose to betray him those many years ago.

The suit subsided leaving behind a slightly ruffled business suit, his hair slightly out of place. He removed the trenchcoat and tossed it onto the backseats, then searched his new suit's pocket for a small case housing two naturally adapting contact lenses. After inserting the lenses and allowing them to recolor his eyes to the desired brown shade, he depressed a contact on the screen allowing the call to flood the speakers.

"Meow?" he heard as he saw the image of Myst, Ryan's cat, walk passed the monitor.

"Ryan? Are you there?" he spoke as the vehicle transitioned off the TransNet systems and glided onto the gravel road towards Oakridge, the towering buildings of Edge City disappearing behind him as he approached one of the overcrossings for the suspended AeroTrain systems.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Hey, I had a question for you," Ryan moved towards his laptop computer peering at the agent, "how many systems are connected to my house?" Ryan knew only of the agent's cover life, his affiliation with the government had long ceased, he worked for himself as one of the larger companies on Paradox Island.

"Just your laptop, and the Electriz. Are you enjoying the car?" the agent twisted one of the control handles increasing the speed to the vehicle as he moved underneath the overcrossing, "Speaking of car, are you heading out to the showers this afternoon with Crystle and Tom?"

Ryan walked out of view from his laptop allowing Myst to sit in front of the computer, "Yes, and I'm already running late. I just needed to make sure that I don't have excess connections that I don't need."

"Not a problem. Hey, I gotta let you go, but I'll catch you later on...for lunch tomorrow maybe?" He squeezed the other control handle decreasing the vehicles speed on his approach towards the nonpaved area between Edge City's limits and Oakridge's limits.

"We'll see, and I will call you tomorrow. No backing out on me this time. Talk to you later, Lee." He moved into view and pressed a key on the laptop's keyboard before the screen returned to its neutral state. The music resumed after a few seconds; he blinked his eyes a few times to lubricate the contact lenses. The Marauder moved effortlessly over the dusty road enroute towards his home in Oakridge a few more miles away, his eyes adjusting to the light levels, his Eckta'arian characteristics trying to break through the cover he had to develop in order to live his two very different lives.


Creative Commons License


This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.


(Last edited by Zabuza on 11-09-07 09:44 PM)
Elara

Divine Mamkute
Dark Elf Goddess
Chaos Imp
Penguins Fan

Ms. Invisable








Since: 08-15-04
From: Ferelden

Since last post: 101 days
Last activity: 101 days
Posted on 04-10-05 02:33 PM Link | Quote
Wow, the rewrite did indeed make it more personal. I like it. So I take it that the old chapter one shall become chapter two or something?

Oh, and is it TCM or TMC? You said TMC first, then TCM the rest of the time. Might want to fix that.
Stitch

Roy Koopa
Holy crap, it is the RoboCoonie!








Since: 08-20-04
From: California

Since last post: 935 days
Last activity: 935 days
Posted on 04-14-05 12:07 AM Link | Quote
As the vehicle drove over the loosened dirt, its sophisticated instruments running millions of calculations stabilizing the vehicle enroute to its destination, Lee sat watching the road listening to the soft music filtering throughout the cabin of the Marauder. The faint sounds of the dirt shuffling beneath the tires as the clouds above parted over Oakridge converging over the fields of Zedari where many gathered to watch the annual showers. He unbuckled his safety belt causing the vehicle to switch into autodrive mode as he climbed over the backseats to the trunk of his car where he searched the storage panels for his PCD (Personal Communications Device). A bump in the road caused him to peer out the back window watching for what could have tripped the electronic stabilization. Nothing appeared on the road, his eyes started to hurt from the dryness of the contacts; he closed his eyes only to be moved into a flashback from his early years with Special Ops.



Two weeks before he set out to meet Pat and Tom on that beach on the Mainland, he was called into one of the laboratories at the Ops Headquarters in Edge City deep in the basements of the now TMC building for his input on a new technology. He had spent five hours of his fabricated existence in those laboratories tinkering, programming, and building the foundations of an immense project to control the fabric of time and space. The main generator housed several thousand lightyears away, the remote devices so small they fit on specialized watches, and they were set for distribution to special classifications of agents in a matter of a couple weeks. Since he had helped bring the project to fruition, he received three watches--one for himself, two for whomever he felt should have them--as a token of the agency's appreciation.



He blinked a couple times before rising from his position over the backseats, and sat down on the right passenger side before realizing that the vehicle had already parked itself on the driveway of his home. A familiar face appeared on the other side of the darkened windows attempting to peer inside. Christine, he thought as he opened his door. The midday suns disappearing behind the mountainscape of Erdu City, with Solaris III just resting on the horizon of the TMC building, he stepped out into the subdued sunlight and walked around to meet his friend.



She handed him a pair of jet black sunglasses she carried with her in case he ever forgot to bring them along. "I'm sure those contacts hurt," she said as she handed him the pair of glasses. He removed the contacts, placing them in their protective case inside his pocket, then turned to watch her pudgy ball of fur, Fappy, walk up to his feet.



"So Brandon went to Xodan then?" he asked as Fappy proceeded to rub himself around his legs leaving little strands of black fur around the cuffs of his pants, "Are you going to the showers this year?" He walked towards his mailbox retrieving the single postcard containing a written invitation from Crystle and Tom for the showers viewing in Zedari.



"Speaking of which, can I trouble you for a ride? Brandon took the car," she paused to pick up the sponge of a cat and tossed him into the middle of the street hoping the cat would get the hint and head towards the house, "which we absolutely love the car and can't thank you enough for..." Lee held up his hand and turned to walk towards the driver side of the car.



"Hop in, I'll drop you off there on my way back to the City."



"Back to the City? You just got off work," she asked knowing that he lead two lives and she just needed to hold up her end of the charade while they were still in the open.



"Yes, you reminded me of something I have to retrieve from someone," he sat clearly exhausted in the driver's seat and waited for her to fasten her safety belt, "Since you'll be there anyway, you can send my regards to them."



She moved to fasten the belts, but stopped just before the buckle neared the locking mechanism. He looked at her watching as she froze. He glanced out the side window watching the cat sit in the middle of the street frozen in his licking pose. With a slow push of the door, he stepped out and stopped a few inches from a leaf suspended in the air, its descent to the ground interrupted. Pat..., he thought as he tapped a contact on the inside of his left wrist.



Business Park Plaza had descended into darkness among the towering buildings obscurring the last of the three suns, nightfall on the cusp of arrival. The many citizens of the City frozen in their walks, their conversations, their happenings. Vehicles frozen on the roadways, trees motionless under the thickened presence of the motionless breeze. He started jogging the five blocks down the street to the apartment complex where Pat lived, but as he neared the building his internal sensors alerted him to the pending renewal of time. He quickly touched a contact on the inside of his wrist appearing once again inside his vehicle.



"I shall," she voiced as she fastened her safety belt. The vehicle rolled into the street, and with autodrive engaged, quickly accelerated down the roads towards the fields. She cleared her throat, "Um, can you drop me off at the central library in Edge City instead, or the Mass Transit station if it's out of your way?"



He turned to her, then disengaged autodrive and slowed the vehicle to a stop just underneath an elken tree on the road to Zedari. "Here," he said as he stepped out of the vehicle grabbing his trenchcoat from the backseats, "you can have the car for the night. I really have something to tend to. No trouble at all, just promise me you'll have fun." Before she could answer, he closed the door and the vehicle resumed its autodrive route to Zedari. He stood watching the final sun set just behind the TMC building, its rays spreading around the structure as it dropped.



Chapter II: Darkness




It had been a couple hours since he departed his vehicle and had taken to standing on the road next to the elken tree. He had watched every single individual leaf snap off the branches and float to the dirt road. He stood monitoring his internal sensors for any sign of mischief, watching as the clouds darkened over Zedari as the rain slowly started to filter its way to the ground, as both Isis and Usirus appeared behind the cloud cover, waiting for the nightlife of Downtown Edge City to die down.



A call startled his wandering mind shortly after nine o'clock. It was Christine. She had detoured just past Zedari up to Erdu to visit their library, and was still there. She wasn't planning on attending the showers and would just make it up the following morning with a better story. She had apologized for having the vehicle after she learned that he had yet to move from the position he had chosen earlier. He reassured her that he was fine, and she needn't worry. He also called Brandon after talking to her to let him know where she was, and that she'd be home later than expected.



Isis centered itself, as the original designs of the city had expected, over Business Park Plaza around one in the morning. Night Squadron, the protective entity of the business district, had started its rounds one hour before. He stood and watched both the distant fields of Zedari and the distant skyscape of Edge City. A bright beam of light shot up from the center of the business district to meet Isis high above before returning to its origin.



Years before, Pat had used a similar principle to power a large electromagnetic emitter for use against the Mainlanders. Lee stood watching as the beam disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. He tapped a contact on the inside of his wrist disappearing into a white light, the tree behind him shifting slightly under his disappearance. From a building on the south side of Business Park Plaza, he crouched and watched as a female night-dweller and another man talked near the fountain.



After the night-dweller had departed in the direction of Central Plaza, he waited and watched as the man handled a situation with a nosy Night Squadron officer. His internal sensors alerted him three times to a momentary short ranged activation of the time freeze device. Since the deregulation three years ago, only three people on the entire planet possessed remote activation devices--himself, Pat, and Tom, except that Tom had recently misplaced his. He stood in the shadows of the roof of the building and watched as Pat dispatched of the officer, Lee immune to the effects of the device as was the wearer of the watch. He watched as Isis provided the power source for the disposal of the body, then took a step off the ledge of the building landing in the shadows of another building just across from the man below.



He removed his sunglasses in the darkness allowing his acute eyes to enhance the darkened plaza, then he moved to meet the man face to face.



"The watch, now," he demanded just inches from the man's face, from Pat's face. Pat was still wearing the old uniforms from the early days of Special Ops. Pat moved his hand towards the depths of his trenchcoat forcing Lee to backflip out of his range landing a few feet in front of his once partner.



"I was just playing with it, no harm done." Pat yelled as he slowly removed his sword. He dropped down to a ready stance and moved his trenchcoat away from his shoulders. Lee mentally deployed his armored suit, then moved his own coat off his shoulders.



"No excuses, watch, now..." Lee moved into a ready stance, "don't make me take it from you." His internal sensors zoomed in on Pat's body immediately confirming that he posed no threat. It would have been a waste of energy to do anything short of killing the man.


"I'd like to see you try," Pat stowed his sword within its sheath, and motioned for his assailant to commence, "whenever you're ready." Lee sighed heavily before mentally engaging the mobile transporters allowing him to appear just inches in front of Pat. After falling off a building in the middle of the day, and with constant flashbacks to the past demanding his attention, he reserved to allow Pat to keep the watch if for one more day.

Insert elaborate fight scene here

"Fine, but next time, I take the watch with or without your cooperation," Lee cast his left arm towards the trenchcoat causing it to immediately fly into his grasp before turning to face Isis, "give my regards to Tom." He backflipped effortlessly into the shadows of the surrounding buildings before scaling one of them to perch himself upon its elevated ledge. Watching as Pat slowly kneeled down to pick up something, hold it up towards Isis for inspection, then placed the object in a pocket and walked away towards his apartment complex. Lee felt his pocket. My identicard, he thought slinking onto the roof of the building contemplating a possible second encounter with Pat. He decided it was best to turn in for the night, and tapped the transporter contact on his wrist appearing in front of his home, his car sitting in the driveway, a note pinned to a sleepy Fappy on the hood.



"Thank you again for this car, and our car, and Brandon and I send our love. You can do whatever you want to do with Fappy." Lee picked up the cat, walked down the driveway across the street and placed the cat on the Demarantus' lawn, then turned to walk back towards his home in hopes that he could at least get one night's sleep.










(Last edited by Zabuza on 06-03-06 06:37 PM)
Elara

Divine Mamkute
Dark Elf Goddess
Chaos Imp
Penguins Fan

Ms. Invisable








Since: 08-15-04
From: Ferelden

Since last post: 101 days
Last activity: 101 days
Posted on 04-14-05 05:35 PM Link | Quote
Hmn, very interesting... poor Fappy, must suck being a sponge cat.

Otherwise, very interesting... I look forward to seeing him get the ID card back. Now update Showers or I will have to poke you with a stick or something.
Stitch

Roy Koopa
Holy crap, it is the RoboCoonie!








Since: 08-20-04
From: California

Since last post: 935 days
Last activity: 935 days
Posted on 04-20-05 12:19 PM Link | Quote
Chapter III: Server One




Lee rolled out of bed that morning to the sound of a news data stream emitting from his holoprojectors in the living room, obviously activated by his t'ok'ra. The small furry biped held up its round head, big green eyes looking up at him as he stumbled groggily into the living room clad in a t-shirt from the 2415 Showers event and shorts he acquired from a trip to Paradise Island a few years back when he had such a thing as vacation. He scooped up the brown ball of fluff and walked over to his kitchen where the replicator plate had already conjured up a plate of pancakes and eggs with a small glass of Nisian orange juice. The room's windows were completely shielded from all light creating an entirely pitch black room only illuminated by the occasional dimmed light of the many control panels and lights around the room. He set his pet on the counter, its small forearms extended towards the groggy agent, its pointy ears shifting back and forth searching the room for errant sounds. It chirped, then fell onto its back exposing its furry stomach for petting. Lee picked up the plate and juice and set it on the table behind him, turning to replicate a bowl of t'ok'ra food for the small ball of fluff he acquired as a present from the high council on Eckta'ar Prime.



"Thanks, Giz. Nice to see that my house hasn't been further bugged today," he said as he set the bowl next to his ball of fluff near the replicator plate. Giz closed his big eyes, designed for superior night vision much like his master, then raised its small paws and touched his protruding ears together. A green aura appeared around him and the bowl of food, slowly disintegrating the food. Lee sighed, wishing he could consume food through energy transfers, then sat at his table to eat his meal. A nearby PCD started to ring from underneath a stack of papers on the corner of his table. He reached across the table hitting the PCDs connect contact before placing it in front of him, balanced on the table. The unit's infrared lights ignited allowing the caller on the other end to actually see Lee since the room was almost devoid of light. It was Christine. She called to find out if he was okay that morning, since she had his vehicle, and wanted to inform him of what Brandon had done with a disc she had acquired in Nisia.



"I already knew you had that disc. Fappy brought it over to me one day," he nonchalantly replied as he ate his pancakes.



"Damn that cat," she started crouching forward into her communicator, she was standing in her backyard, "Brandon had me send a copy of the disc to Pat last night, and with the mail being so efficient, it's probably already there this morning."



"Too late for me to do anything. Doesn't matter, I already have a copy. I have forwarded the data to my superiors, and they'll work with the University later on to remedy the issues. I also had to lie about where I got this information," Giz jumped up on Lee's head, "so it's a good thing I have Giz to find any bugged instruments in my home."



Christine motioned a greeting towards Giz, then slumped into her chair, the cats hovering around her. "But, why send it to Pat?"



Lee finished his meal, placed Giz on the table, "Um, I can't really tell you, but just trust your husband for the moment," he paused to contemplate something to distract her from the events of last night, "Do you want to head out to the City with me today? I know you have to be there anyway, don't you?"



She had agreed to meet him in an hour in front of his home, yet he sensed she had disconnected with a feeling of discontent towards both her husband and her best friend. Lee pushed away from the table, mentally commanding his inner suit to materialize a casual business suit upon his body, then walked over to the living room to verbally disengage the holoprojector. He picked up the stack of papers on the table, petted Giz's stomach and patted him on the head before heading towards the front door.



Christine stood next to his Marauder holding the still sleeping Fappy, watching Miko walk around her legs, obviously wondering where Harrison had gone. "Harrison's fine, I'm sure of it. Remember, he found you, and not the other way around. At least he left you these two, and Brandon," Lee said as he walked up to her holding the papers and noticing that Brandon had already left earlier that morning.



"What a lovely present from my smartest cat, two idiotic mutations from a faulty replicator plate and his DNA and a giant fuzzy as my bed buddy. Mine?" she said pointing to the papers in his arms. He nodded and placed the papers in her hand, then bent down to pick up Miko and stroke her fur behind her ears. The cat began to purr rousing the sleeping spongy mass in Christine's arms. Miko meowed at Fappy as he tilted his head up to look at Christine.



"Yeah, they're my analysis of the data on the disc. I'm sure it will help, but don't leave them lying around anywhere. You can share this with Crystle if you'd like," he opened the doors and boarded the driver's area, "I'm sure she'd appreciate it for their research."

Christine sat in the front seat looking over the documents, her eyes widening as she neared the middle of the stack. She clutched Lee's arm and turned to him with a look of deep surprise and fear in her eyes, "Is this true?"



"I double checked. Data doesn't lie," he coaxed the vehicle onto the road not headed towards Edge City but enroute towards San Angeles, "unless its fabricated. But, I know your source for this disc, so I have someone I'd like to visit on San Angeles before we do anything with this." Christine returned her gaze to the papers.



"We're going to San Angeles? Are you sure we'll be okay?"



"Doesn't matter. You've got me," he touched a contact on the center console activating the datadisc copy in the drive engaging a small rotating meteor in front of Christine, "data shows we don't have much time. If anyone would know what to do with this, it will be Server One."



She looked at him through his pitch dark sunglasses, "But, I thought Server One was disposed of after the war."



He turned off the holoviewer, and twisted the control handle urging the vehicle faster across the main highway heading towards the DoxTrans access tunnel of the SubTrain connector to the Mainland. "That's what we want you to think, but if you've sent a copy to Pat, I'm sure he's headed to Server One with the same information, and I have to intercept him before he gets there. Since Pat has no personal transportation, he's probably heading out there on SubTrain, and taking public transportation to meet Server One. I need to get there before he does."



Christine appeared to be troubled. "It's not your fault," he began resting his hand on hers, "but Pat can cause a lot of trouble if he really chooses to do so." She smiled at him, then watched as they drove into the access tunnel running parallel to the giant underocean stretch of tunnel heading towards the Mainland.





(Last edited by Zabuza on 07-16-06 06:23 PM)
Elara

Divine Mamkute
Dark Elf Goddess
Chaos Imp
Penguins Fan

Ms. Invisable








Since: 08-15-04
From: Ferelden

Since last post: 101 days
Last activity: 101 days
Posted on 04-20-05 02:06 PM Link | Quote
WHAT IS ON THAT DISK?!?!?!

Oh gods you are driving me crazy with this... I know it's bad, but yeah, I want to know!

Anywho, on another note, I've noticed something in your writing, at least in Paradox and Dark Diaries. It is apparent that you are trying to write this in third person limited for the most part, but in those two stories you slip into third person omniscient it seems. Basically saying too much about another character's feelings. Case in point: the converstation between Lee and Christine in your last post, when she hangs up... since the story is told from Lee's perspective, we shouldn't know Christine's feelings right then. You've done it a few times, but I figured that I would point it out just so you know.
Stitch

Roy Koopa
Holy crap, it is the RoboCoonie!








Since: 08-20-04
From: California

Since last post: 935 days
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Posted on 04-20-05 02:09 PM Link | Quote
No, I meant it as a sense coming from Lee not Christine...something he sensed not something she felt. Next update, her side of the conversation doesn't reflect that. It's something he got from knowing her all this time, not something she thinks of herself, him, and her Brandon. I edited it to reflect that.


[pasting next update here]


More to come...


(Last edited by Zabuza on 04-20-05 05:11 PM)
Elara

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Since: 08-15-04
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Posted on 04-20-05 11:02 PM Link | Quote
Much clearer now, but yes, I eagerly await the next update.
Stitch

Roy Koopa
Holy crap, it is the RoboCoonie!








Since: 08-20-04
From: California

Since last post: 935 days
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Posted on 05-30-05 02:46 PM Link | Quote
He pulled the vehicle to a stop at the San Angeles Mass Transit Center A Station watching the platform for arriving passengers. Christine sat next to him watching the platform and the surrounding buildings. San Angeles possessed a dark aura to its cityscape, unlike Edge City's bright charm. The buildings in Edge City, however huddled, were designed to increase sunlight through the region and amplify moonlight at night. The buildings generated their own power much like the leaves on trees helped to generate the plant's food. San Angeles, on the other hand, sucked life out of the city without giving back. It had been humored once long ago that San Angeles was the evil mutation of Terran's Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York combined. Even in the brightest of days on Earth II, San Angeles streetways never saw the light of day. The color schemes of the buildings absorbed most light, and lack of windows provided little or no reflection of the suns' energies.

Lee sat in the Marauder watching as a SubTrain transitioned out of the tunnel towards the AeroTrain station, its passengers disembarking and flooding the turbolifts, and watched the AeroTrain disappear down the track again. A dark, homely figure stepped out towards the edge of the platform surveying the lot below. That figure then took the lift down to the middle level automated vehicle highway and summoned an AutoTaxi. It had to be Pat.

"He's on the move," Lee stated pointing at the green AutoTaxi on the upper highway, "and we haven't much time." Darkness was starting to envelope them as the yellow lights of San Angeles started to come on, and his Marauder linked up to AngelNet--San Angeles' answer to TransNet--allowing them to move into the automated highway and overtake Pat's taxi.

A dark Harbor West vehicle joined his trek towards the seedy Zona District of San Angeles, closely following him on the automated highway as it snaked around the tall buildings of central downtown. Christine watched as the surrounding buildings blocked out all attempts of Isis and Usiris to shine down on the San Angeles citizens.

"We have company," Lee said watching the center console monitor, "and I believe we may have to ditch the Marauder."

Christine looked puzzled peering behind her as the dark vehicle rapidly approached, "How?"

Lee pushed back his trenchcoat's sleeve, "This is how," he depressed a button on his watch. Immediately, everything around him froze to a dead stop. Christine, whom should have been time frozen as well, sat there looking at him.

"Oh, that."

Oh, that? he thought. "You found Tom's watch," he wasn't too surprised, but suspected something else.

"No, Brandon found it," she moved her sleeve up revealing the old Special Ops technology, "and I meant to return it. Really."

He unlocked his door and pushed it open retrieving the disc, "Let's go. We've only fifteen minutes, and if Pat's wearing his watch; he's still able to move as well." Christine stepped out of the car and peered back towards the AutoTaxi several miles down the highway. In the distance, a single blue light bounced rhythmically down the highway. It was Pat, and he was running.

"Is he all that dangerous? He can't be. He was an analyst," she panted out as they ran down the highway dodging other frozen vehicles, their watches counting off the seconds to time-resume.

Lee glanced over his shoulder seeing the bouncing blue light heading towards them, "We had a falling out years ago, and yes he can be dangerous." Lee stopped underneath the Mass Transit Center A-2, and pried the turbolift doors open. He motioned for them to climb down the tube. On the streetway below, and in the darkness of a hostile city, they disappeared into the alleys of the night. The blue light continued bobbing passed the Mass Transit Center and on the highway towards the Zona District.

Lee and Christine stopped in front of a small deli and sat down at its tables. Ten minutes until time-resume, he started to remember his days when he lived just a few blocks from that deli. On the twelfth floor of the Elysian Apartments overlooking the darkness of the business plaza just south of his buildings, spending countless hours sitting at his window watching the riff-raff of the night stalking about, engrossed in the findings of his hacker talents. Pat used to live in the same building, four stories higher, facing the north side with a timid view of the AeroTrain lines. They used to meet at the deli for sandwiches, back before they worked together for the greater good, back before San Angeles fell into corruption, before Edge City rose from nothingness.

He stood and took a deep breath of the warm air permeated with the stench of social denegration, his trenchcoat swaying in the slight breeze that managed to slink through the streetways. He tried to look past the buildings jutting towards the sky in search of Isis or Usiris, but the tall, jagged structures afforded no view of either moon. His PCD started to ring.

"Agent," started an ethereal soothing voice cutting through the eerie night air, "I am very pleased to know that you are in San Angeles. I trust you are here for the same reasons as Patrick."

"I have my reasons, yes. I also have--"

"Pardon my interruption, but you have a disc you'd like me to take a look at. I know," her voice calmed his addled nerves, "and I would like you to meet me at the Cafe Rodin on Castro St. You're only a few blocks away. And, when the time-freeze lifts, I'll help as much as I can."

"Thank you, Server One." The call disconnected, and he held out his hand for Christine, "Shall we?"


(Last edited by Zabuza on 05-30-05 05:59 PM)
Elara

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Since: 08-15-04
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Posted on 05-31-05 03:55 PM Link | Quote
So does that mean that San Angeles has a Castro District?

But yeah, anyways... more damn you!!! I'm really getting curious about Server One and that disk.
Stitch

Roy Koopa
Holy crap, it is the RoboCoonie!








Since: 08-20-04
From: California

Since last post: 935 days
Last activity: 935 days
Posted on 02-25-06 01:57 AM Link | Quote
Because of Server One, I've deleted the prologue, and have to read through Paradox and Domain for any areas that might contradict with what I want to establish in Server One. Also, for all intensive purposes, any mention of Tom that isn't part of Tom and Crystle or Crystle and Tom is Rosy's T'om. I just don't feel like changing it here. I do that in the Word copy of it.


They made their way down to the streetway level only to be cut off by an irate Pat. Walking out of the shadows of the buildings, he appeared just as bitter and annoyed as always, but this time he wanted something they had.

"The disc, please," he spoke holding out a gloved hand. Christine moved to retrieve the disc, but was impeded by Lee.

"It's mine," he paused to scan his sensors, "and you already have a copy."

Pat took a step forward, "I know. I want the original."

Lee took a step backward, scanning the area immediately around them. The time-freeze lifted with life around them resuming to normal, the ensuing breeze ruffling the men's trenchcoats.

"Stop this, Pat. Let the past go. It was entirely," he was interrupted by a charging tackle from Pat.

"Your fault!" Pat yelled rolling with Lee to the ground. Christine gathered herself and started running towards the Zona District. The men came to a stop in the middle of a busy streetway, automated vehicles narrowly missing them both. "This is all your fault!"

Lee pulled back and landed a heavy and powerful punch across Pat's face, launching him over an AngelNet automated taxi and back onto the streetway. He flipped to his feet scanning the area for Christine, "No, Pat, this is your fault. You killed Jo'Rel on your own. You stole my kill. What I did for justification was just settling the score."

Pat struggled to his feet, blood trickling from his nose, "What you did was vile. It serves no justification." He jumped onto a passing AngelNet bus, dropping onto Lee's shoulder, the two of them rolling into traffic. Pat reared back, producing an energy gun and sat on top of Lee's chest, gun poised to fire. "Any last words?"

"Just one," he retorted quickly kneeing Pat in the back, grasping onto the weapon while pulling out his own, "good-bye."

The warmth of Solaris II and III bathed across Lee's back, T'om and Pat standing on the loose sand of the beach staring at the AeroTrain track, computers and rifles in their hands. They were outwardly betraying Harbor West that morning, putting into action plans that had taken years to formulate. The Great War was starting to lose its momentum, with Paradox Island's forces gaining strength, Mainland forces losing, and rebellion factions dwindling. It was time to end the war, and help return peace to the land.

"End it. Take my life," Pat growled at Lee. He blinked, returning from his flashback, winds rushing through his hair as vehicles zoomed past them. Nightfall was quickly approaching.

"No," he holstered his weapon, and replaced Pat's weapon in his holster, "you'd enjoy that too much." Pushing Pat off him, he stood up in traffic, "We'll settle matters another day. Now," he pointed towards the Island, "go home."

Pat quickly stood up, face to face with his rival, blood still trickling down his face, eyes transfixed upon Lee's eyes. They stood amidst the flowing traffic sizing each other up as the suns crested the buildings above.

"You're lucky you can't die," Pat whispered through his teeth before he spat a stream of blood onto a passing taxi.

"You're lucky I didn't kill you then," he knelt down slightly, then darted over traffic landing on the sidewalk. He smirked slightly, then started running towards the Zona District. Server One was waiting, and Christine had quite the head start on them both.

He found Server One sitting in front of the cafe, sipping on her tea, chatting to Christine while cradling the disc in her palm.

"You two are like a married couple," Server One spoke in reference to Pat and Lee's relationship. Lee smiled, despite his annoyance with the statement, and sat down next to Christine. The disc glistened in the dying sunlight, a twinkle in Server One's silver eyes mirroring the disc's light. "I'm not sure you're ready for this. I believe it's not your time yet."
Elara

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Since: 08-15-04
From: Ferelden

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Posted on 02-25-06 04:43 PM Link | Quote
Damn you and your cliffhanger endings! How much do the other stories have to go to catch up to this one now?
Stitch

Roy Koopa
Holy crap, it is the RoboCoonie!








Since: 08-20-04
From: California

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Posted on 06-03-06 08:37 PM Link | Quote
She gazed fondly at the buildings, mentally reminiscing of the days of old, "To think that just a few years ago these buildings all laid in ruins." She dipped a delicate finger in her tea, gently stirring it around.

Pat walked up, wiping away the blood from his nose and stared at Lee. He took a seat, opposite Christine, and waited for Server One's analysis.

"Good. You're both here. Now I can proceed," she took a long sip of her tea and placed the disc inside a pocket, "but, you will find out when the time is right."

Pat violently stood up knocking the chair into the street, and leaned dangerously close to Server One, "I want to know now."

Lee stood up, but was gestured to sit back down by Server One. She removed the disc, held it in both hands, and snapped it in half, "You will find out when the time is right." Wide-eyed and distraught, Pat stormed away towards the transit station. Lee and Christine sat at the table, staring at the snapped disc. Server One leaned back in her chair, lifting up the tea cup saucer, revealing an identical disc. "You didn't think I'd snap the actual disc, did you?"

"No," Lee started leaning back into his chair and watching as Pat's shadow disappeared in the distance, "I'm aware of how you followed us all those years. Spending the war as a rogue. I saw you that night."

Celeste placed the disc on top of her tea cup. The disc began spinning rapidly, instantly projecting a stream of data over the disc. The ex-agent sat in awe watching the disc recreate its holographic data without the use of a reader. She waved her hand over the swirling stream of numbers and letters, while Lee watched the data morph around her hand forming into a meteor-like object, slowing rotating.

"What is it?" Lee asked, watching the data stream.

"A meteor," Christine spoke, her eyes fixed on the rotating rock.

"Yes, it is. But do you know why this disc contains data on a meteor?" she gazed into the skies towards the swirling rain clouds beginning to disperse from the showers last week.
Elara

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Chaos Imp
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Since: 08-15-04
From: Ferelden

Since last post: 101 days
Last activity: 101 days
Posted on 06-04-06 12:01 AM Link | Quote
Holy shit, an update at last! Not sure if Pat would have stormed out like that in real life... I'm sure there would have been a lot of bitching before he did that. I'm dying to know what is up with the metor so I hope you will be updating this and the other stories soon.

... Especially Showers... no bias there at all, I swear *innocent look*.
Stitch

Roy Koopa
Holy crap, it is the RoboCoonie!








Since: 08-20-04
From: California

Since last post: 935 days
Last activity: 935 days
Posted on 06-04-06 07:30 PM Link | Quote
Elaborate fight scene from the second chapter, I think:


He shot out a quick punch towards Pat, but was blocked by his left arm and accidentally tripped the mobile transporter contacts hidden below Pat's sleeve. Pat disappeared as Lee looked around for his opponent, realizing he had appeared behind him. He mentally activated his mobile transporter narrowly avoiding a drop kick, and reappeared in front of Pat's outstretched leg. He quickly and firmly grasped onto Pat's foot, and twisted him into a fast-spinning spiral.

Lee jumped into the air in an attempt to land a hard, crushing punch on the spinning ex-agent, but landed in the midst of a disappearance. He backflipped over the sweeping motion of Pat's leg, landing behind Pat and executed two quick jabs to the back of Pat's neck before mentally engaging the transporter again. Pat appeared in front of him, connecting a powerful blow to Lee's chest, launching him backwards across the fountain floor. Before impacting with the ground, Lee removed his sword and disappeared in flash of light.

He appeared behind Pat, his sword just inches from the irate ex-agent's back. Pat quickly spun around, slicing his back and uniform along the sharp edge of the sword, a tinge of blood seeping into the air and blade. The swords clanged upon each, each man standing dimly lit by the rays of Isis. Lee swiftly shifted upon on a charging Pat, blasting his opponent's sword out of his hands and into a nearby wall. He leapt into the air, slicing towards Pat's shoulder, but instead embedded the blade deeply into the pavement. Unable to quickly extract the weapon, he flipped onto his feet prepared to counter his attacker.

They stood watching each as the familiar lights and sirens from approaching Night Squadron vehicles filled the night air. Lee flipped forward, retrieving his weapon, and landed in front of Pat.

"Fine, but next time, I take the watch with or without your cooperation," he cast his left arm towards the trenchcoat causing it to immediately fly into his grasp before turning to face Isis, "give my regards to T’om." He flipped backwards onto his feet once more before dissolving into the shadows of the surrounding buildings.


The next relevant update should follow this. I just needed to update the fight scene since I hadn't done that before.


(Last edited by Zabuza on 06-05-06 01:11 AM)
Elara

Divine Mamkute
Dark Elf Goddess
Chaos Imp
Penguins Fan

Ms. Invisable








Since: 08-15-04
From: Ferelden

Since last post: 101 days
Last activity: 101 days
Posted on 06-04-06 09:14 PM Link | Quote
Much more discriptive... it just bugs me to see the word "agent" appear twice in the same line, even if one is preceeded by "ex-".
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