[CommNet Message] To: Wim Herzog Subject: Funding

Rob
Taii
	
 Post Posted: 23 Apr 2005 08:53 am    Post subject: [CommNet Message] To: Wim Herzog Subject: Funding 	

[CommNet Message]

To: Wim Herzog
Subject: Funding
From: NovaCorp Administration

Message:

Mr. Wim Herzog, first of all let us thank you for your entry to our funding and support scheme. Here at NovaCorp we aim to provide for all walks of life, and your chosen profession (Film Maker: Independant) is, as of this date, added to the NovaCorp funding database.

We are happy to tell you that, thanks to your entry, you have been selected from a group of 500 participants to be funded and supported in the production of one film, in the genre of your choice. If you choose to accept this offer, you will be granted all the rights of enlisted NovaCorp personnel, and for the duration of the production of your film will be given free accomadation on board our command ship, the YSS Horizon.

As of the date this message was sent, you have exactly 3 YST (Yamatai Standard Time) weeks to reply in the affirmative before the competition is redrawn.

Regards,
Kim Yoshiro (Director of Accounts, Funds and Bursary department)

Snibble
Nitô Juni

Joined: 22 Apr 2005
Posts: 237

	
 Post Posted: 24 Apr 2005 06:01 am    Post subject: 	

[CommNet Message]

To: Kim Yoshiro
Subject: Funding
From: Wim Herzog

Message:
I accept your kind and generous offer.

Regards, Wim Herzog


 Ephesus' Notes

Zakalwe
Shôshô

	
 Post Posted: 06 May 2005 04:06 pm    Post subject: Ephesus' Notes 	

Ephesus’ Notes

Alright this is the ongoing log of me, Ephesus, in the analysis of the Thaxarian Ship left to us kindly, and for a lot of money, by Avatar Skhaal. It has advanced systems, that much is certain, but centuries of neglect have done their worst. It will take some time before I can work out how they work.

Thaxarian Ship

Physical parameters:
150m long
75m wide
15m high
3 decks each 1.5 metres tall

Weapons:

There appear to be three weapons designed to fire high mass gravitic anomalies, possibly some form of micro black-hole. There is no space for ammunition so I presume they are created in the barrel. How this would be achieved is currently a mystery, although a high powered particle collision is being theorised. This is the worst damaged section on the ship and will take a long time before I can come up with how it works at how to emulate it.

There are the remains of what appear to have been turrets dotted over the ship, although only one remains, and that one is badly damage. It seems to have fired a bizarre neutrino beam, but how it worked I can’t fathom. There are insufficient remains to reconstruct it, or too retro-engineer it, but I will continue to spend some time on it.

The wings are lined with a powerful energy grid, now disabled. Its function appears to have been to cut through any substance that the wings come into contact with. It seems to create an energy field around the wing, hot enough to melt and calve through opposing substances, but the specifics of the system resist me. It does not seem worth spending much time on, but I have a team of new role-players researching it.

There are also indications that the gravitic drive was designed to produce destructive gravitational waves and beams, and research into this is promising.

The missile bays have been entirely destroyed unfortunately.

Propulsion:

The wormhole generator on this ship is a masterpiece, small yet highly advanced. It uses a mix between a gravitational field, dark matter and a subspace generator. Unfortunately the last jump was badly done, so it is badly damaged. I’m making steady progress, but it will still take some time until I’m able to recreate a similar device.

The Gravitic drive is also more advanced than anything we have. Its manoeuvrability is extreme, and it appears to have been able to use the field as a weapon. With the technology I’ve been able to make some improvements to the design of our ships. However I still think there are improvements that could be made to the design. The weapons are too … passive.

Systems:

The computer system seems to be an advanced quantum model, or at least was. As it is the quantum computer is utterly burned out, I can glean some knowledge from the remains, but nothing much. The back up computer is nothing special, the high density chips are something new, but not unexpected.

The sensors are roughly are standard. However their appears at one suite which delves into subspace and hyperspace, and the mass spectrometer and other gravity related sensors are like nothing I’ve seen before. Shame they appear to have been hit by a meteor.

The life control systems are up to basic technological standard.

Hull:

The hull is made of a hyperdense metal, apparently created by exposure to massive gravitational forces. It is resistant to most attacks I can think of, but not enormously so. It lags behind the technology of the rest of the ship. It's around 0.60m thick.


 Open City

Snibble
Nitô Juni
	
 Post Posted: 25 Apr 2005 05:00 pm    Post subject: Open City 	

Wim Herzog let forth a steam of expletives from his lips followed closely by a stream of vomit, as had been his normal morning ritual over the last few days. Since Wim had arrived on the YSS Horizon he had suffered a major artistic block, which had driven him into a deep depression. For some reason not a single good idea for a film had appeared in his head since he’d arrived at the ship. It may have been due in part to the fact that there was an ever-replenishing mini bar in the ships quarters. This meant he had spent a lot of time drinking since he arrived. A vicious circle soon formed: the more depressed he got the more he drank, the more he drank the less good ideas he had and the less good ideas he had the more depressed he got. Thus he had ended up in the state he was in now: lying in a pool of his own vomit, faeces and urine.

This had kicked up a stink with the other inhabitants of the ship, quite literally; in fact they’d been forced to close off the entire area of the ship for health reasons. A whole corridor had to be quarantined and only those wearing decontamination suits were allowed in. So far their attempts to clear the mess up had been unsuccessful; Wim had forcibly decommissioned the cleaning robots they sent. When the security personal tried to apprehend him he defecated in his hands and threw it at them. In the end they’d managed to get him to leave the room by deactivating the mini bar and then they ambushed him when he went to get more beer.

Two days later Wim woke tied to a bed in the sickbay with an extreme pain in his anal region. He noticed that there was a nurse and a security guard in the room with him. The nurse saw his eyes move and said, “Finally you’re awake.”

Wim tried to think of a statement that perfectly summed up his thoughts feelings and emotions at that point. He failed. So instead he asked, “Why does my arse hurt so fucking much?”

“Probably from the three emergency enemas we had to perform just to keep you alive.” She replied.

“Three emergency enemas, fucking hell!”

“Yes, apparently your blood alcohol level was so high there was more alcohol than blood. In fact the only reason the security personnel haven’t killed you is because the doctors want to study you to see how you survived.”

“Why do the security personal want to kill me?”

“Cause you threw shit at us that’s why!” replied the guard.

“Oh sorry,” said Wim.

“You better be,” said the guard.

“Apparently the managers are uber-pissed and…” said the nursed but she was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Roe, one of the personal assistants of Kim Yoshiro (the Director of Accounts, Funds and Bursary department at Novacorp), and the one who had been asigned as Wim's 'handler', bursting through the sickbay doors.

“I ought to kill you!” said Roe

“That’s what everyone thinks,” said Wim.

“First you come up with a bunch of ideas for movies so bad shit would be a complement.”

“Thanks,” said Wim.

She continued unperturbed: “Then you throw a stunt like this.” She did a little dance of rage.

Wim, in order to defuse the situation said the first thing that came into his head; “I love you.” It took the combined effort of security guard and the nurse to stop her from killing him at that point.

“Wait, wait I’ve got an idea for a film,” said Wim.

Roe took a second to compose herself and then asked him what it was.

“Well how about we find a small inconsequential planet with a war going on, on it and then record the war.”

There was a silence then Roe said, “So it would be a real war going on with real people dying.”

“Yep”

“Hmm interesting. Do you know what I don’t think anyone’s done it before.”

“You’re right they haven’t.”

“That’s actually not too bad an idea.”

“You’re right it’s not.”

“Let’s do it!” She said.

“Yay” said Wim “I can smell the awards already.”

“That’s probably your bedpan,” said the nurse.

“In fact I just thought of a planet that would be perfect.” Said Roe.

“Really?” said Wim.

“Yeah. It’s small, unimportant, not especially technologically advanced and there’s a big war happening.” Said Roe.

“What’s it called?” asked Wim.

“Crick.” Said Roe.

“Who the fuck would name anything Crick?” Asked Wim.

“I don’t know. An idiot I guess.” She replied.

“I guess I’m going to Crick then.”

To be continued.


Snibble
Nitô Juni
	
 Post Posted: 30 Apr 2005 03:28 pm    Post subject: 	

“I’m coming for you!”

“No please no!”

“Hehehe there is no escape!”

“O, God please help me!”

Wim Herzog fell back from the speaker system laughing. The Nepleslian had developed a hobby in the days that had past since they had left the YSS Horizon on the Mersina class starship NovaCorp had so charitably leant them. He tortured the director of photography. The director of photography was a man by the name of Yoshi. Yoshi was perfectly normal. Wim instantly hated him. He had specifically asked that all the people who worked on this film were insane to varying degrees. He didn’t want them insane to the same degree because his mother always said, “variety is the spice of life.” His mother also told him not to go into the film industry. Luckily Wim had selective hearing. The rest of the film crew he’d been provided with were however, insane. This made Wim happy. Yoshi, he decided was the problem. Yoshi wasn’t normal. You see, in a world where everyone wears their undergarments on their head and says wibble at regular intervals it stands to reason that someone who doesn’t indulge in this practise isn’t normal.

Wim had decided to make a film on the way to Crick. A ghost story. He decided to make Yoshi the main character. He’d planted cameras in Yoshi’s room and other strategic places. Then he used the speaker system to project voices into Yoshi’s room. Spooky voices. He said things that would make a hardcore sadist run for cover. This understandably scared Yoshi. The best part however, was when Yoshi tried to convince the rest of the crew that the ship was haunted. The editor ran round in circles for three hours and then threw up on him, the sound man said the word “scree” two hundred and fifty six times, the rest of the crew just gave him funny looks and went about their business.

Wim relaxed in the captain’s chair. “NovaCorp are fools!” he thought. They’d given him a massive expensive starship without much thought to the trouble he might cause. Actually as it turns out they had given much thought to the damage he might cause. They’d disabled the weapons and made sure that the computer would never let him fly the thing manually. Wim however, didn’t know this. He was ignorant. It was bliss.

Wim had between psychologically torturing Yoshi and having delusions of grandeur decided to do something useful. He found out as much as there was to know about Crick. There was very little to know about the Crick. He found out that it was to the north on the border of the unexplored space and he found out that it was populated by the Crickonians. They were descended from a lizard-like reptilian species (as it turns out the only reason Roe knew about the place was because she an almost unhelathy fascination with lizards, and was part of an organisation of like minded people). The Crickonians were purple, covered in scales and they had nine-inch tongues and six-inch tails. They had recently got into a massive nuclear war and wiped themselves out. Well, nearly. There were two armies the Loyalists and the Devotees. They’d destroyed everything but the capital city. The aptly named Crick town. A treaty had been made not to attack Crick town and it had been left unclaimed. The two armies were preparing to break the treaty. They had both amassed on either side of the town. The town had the only spaceport left. Both armies wanted to get off the planet so neither wanted to destroy the town fully. So it would have to be a pitch battle. Good old-fashioned urban warfare would settle the conflict. Once and for all. This spelt trouble for the inhabitants of the town who hadn’t left.

Wim had decided what too do. The first half of the movie would be scripted. He would show the situation from all angles; the townspeople, the loyalists, the devotees. Then after tension building the second half would be war. Total war. He decided to what the films title would be. Open City.

To be Continued…




Snibble
Nitô Juni

	
 Post Posted: 01 May 2005 08:50 am    Post subject: 	

Nikaldo wasn’t having a good day. There were various reasons for this. The foremost among them was that two armies were preparing to lay waste to the town he’d lived in for the past twenty years. If this wasn’t enough he was unable to sell the refrigerators he’d “acquired” the other week (there wasn’t a market for food preservation products as it was unlikely you’d live long enough to eat the food you preserved) and his pet lizard Lizzy had just died. However, Nikaldo or Nicky as his friends called him was unperturbed by all this; Nicky was a “glass half full” kind of guy, (although Nicky wouldn’t have called himself a “glass half full” kind of guy as he considered the phrase to be very clichéd and he thought anyone using it should be kicked in the testicles immediately) he tried to make the best out of every situation even certain doom. In fact he was certain something would happen that he could used to his advantage any second now.

A Mersina class starship landed at the spaceport right next too Nicky. The ramp of the ship was lowered and a series of funny looking people with camera and lighting equipment hopped out (literally, as the captain had decided left legs were useless and were not to be used for the rest of the day.) The weirdest looking of them all, a tall man with a potbelly messy hair and clothes so loud, there were people on the other side of the galaxy who could hear them, ran out of the ship and started barking orders in a languge Nicky didn’t understand. He looked up at the town hall, a big magnificent looking building, and shouted to the man next to him (who was looking very frightened), “I’d like to get a shot of this building somewhere near the beginning of the film, only with the sun a little more to the left. Who can I talk to about moving the bloody sun!?!”

Nicky strode defiantly up to the man and said “Hi I’m Nickaldo, my friends call me Nicky. And I’m at your service.”

The captain looked at him closely. Very closely. In fact so closely Nicky could smell what he’d had for dinner the other night. It wasn’t good. “Good bone structure” said the captain in the language of the Cricks, “Hmm, I think you’d be perfect.” With that he threw a script at Nicky and said “Right, the highlighted lines are your lines. Learn them. Shooting begins in one-hour meet me back here then. Make sure you know all your lines from the first two pages. I’m counting on you. The name’s Wim by the way, and I am gonna make you a star.”

Nicky smiled; he liked the sound of this. Then all sudden ten very tough looking thugs turned up. Most were carrying knives or clubs but their leader had a pistol and he pointed it at Wim. “Hey!” the leader said too Wim, “Who do you think you are? This is our turf.”

“Be careful” Nicky whispered to Wim “These guys are tough.”

Wim didn’t look all that phased. “I’m Wim,” he said and this is my turf now”

“I suggest you leave” said the leader.

“Why?”

“Cos I’ve got a gun”

“No you don’t”

“Yes I do”

“No you don’t”

“Yes I do”

“No you don’t”

“Yes I do”

“No you don’t”

“Yes I do”

“Prove it” demanded Wim.

“Fair enough,” said the leader. He considered shooting Wim for a while, but he decided not to. It might cause the weird people standing around on one leg to attack. The weird people seemed to out-number them. It probably wasn’t a prudent course of action. He instead aimed the gun up at one of the Crickonian flying lizards that were zipping past. When he pointed the gun in the air, Wim decided to take the opportunity the thug had been stupid enough to provide him with. Wim leapt at him screaming and they landed in a heap. Nicky quickly scooped the pistol off the ground and pointed it at the rest of the gang. Wim pinned down the thug’s arms and legs and wrapped his teeth around the thugs nose. After about thirty seconds of chewing there was a horrible cracking sound as the nose bone broke, and there was a horrible ripping sound as the skin and flesh was torn away. The thug screamed very loudly. While his mouth was open, Wim spat the nose into it, and forced him to swallow it. Afterwards he stood back up and looked at the rest of the thugs. A second later you couldn’t see them for dust.

“Right” Wim said to Nicky “I’ll meet you back here in one hour.”

To be continued…

Snibble
Nitô Juni

	
 Post Posted: 05 May 2005 02:03 pm    Post subject: 	

“Cut! Cut! Cut!” Wim Herzog screamed at the bewildered cast and crew. “Listen,” he said to one of the actors in Crickonian. “You’re supposed to act like scared townsperson who’s desperately worried about the impending doom and destruction two massive armies are about to inflict on your city.”

“But I am a scarred townsperson who’s desperately worried about the impending doom and destruction two massive armies are about to inflict on my city.” He replied.

“But I’m not feeeeeling it!” Wim shouted.

“Right now I don’t give a flying lizard’s arse what you’re feeeeeling!” The Crickonian retorted.

“That kind of attitude is gonna get you fired!” Wim shouted.

“I don’t care. I’m only here because that guy dragged me here.” He stated pointing at Ron the casting manager. (as Wim was the only person who knew the Crckonian Ron had to just drag random people off the streets to get actors)

If the actor had known Wim better he would have seen it coming. The back of Wim’s hand connected with his cheek, made a large cracking noise and sent him sprawling to the ground. Wim then instead of carrying on as he normally would have desisted from the violence and ran off to the edge of the “set”. “Nicky!” he shouted.

Nikaldo saw him and smiled “Hey Wim, howyadoin, whadya think of what I’ve done so far.”

“Excellent, brilliant,” Wim said full of enthusiasm, “the superlative of perfect. Have you seen the rushes?”

“No” he replied.

“Really cos’ neither have I. I wonder where they got to?” He said quickly scanning the immediate area with his eyes. “Listen, Nicky you wait here I’ve got to sort something out.” He ran back to the townsperson and started kicking him, after about ten kicks he helped him up.

Yoshi watched all this from the sidelines and sighed. Wim’s crazy he thought. Wim would often shoot two or three scenes at once, with multiple cameras on each scene. Also he spent loads of time shouting at and beating people. He didn’t pity the editor; the poor man would have to spend ages in postproduction editing out Wim screaming, “With feeling you stupid fucking wanker! With feeling!” Yoshi was happy about one thing; he knew that the chances were that he’d be dead in a couple of days; this meant that there was no element of surprise. Yoshi didn’t like surprises. Unfortunately for Yoshi he was about to be surprised.

“Right” said Wim “Once more with feeling. Remember we don’t have muc ime. The war will be in the next couple of days. At this point he Loyalist army started firing shells and charging down the hill towards the town “fuckshitbollockscockwankers” shouted Wim.

“Oh dear” said Yoshi. For he’d been surprised.

To be continued…

Snibble
Nitô Juni

	
 Post Posted: 15 May 2005 10:27 am    Post subject: 	

“STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP!!!!!” Wim shouted while running up the hill at a very large army of Crickonians. The general of the Loyalist army was leading from the front armed with a small sharp stick in accordance with Crickonian military tradition. This usually meant that Crickonian generals had low life expectancies thus generally only people too stupid to realise that being a general isn’t a good idea were made general, so generals weren’t generally the sharpest tools in the box. This general wasn’t an exception and when he saw an odd looking creature with pink skin running at him he decided that it would be a good idea to stop. He stopped. The army tried to stop and but for the most part it was a failure and most of the army ended up on their arses.

“Hello there,” The general said to Wim.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Wim snapped at him.

“Charging.” The general replied with a big, silly grin on his face.

“Well I’d appreciate it if you didn’t.”

“Why?”

“We aren’t ready for you yet.”

“What?”

“We haven’t finished the pre-war scenes yet.”

“Oh right.”

“Listen,” said Wim putting his arm around the general and leading him away from the troops “You got potential, I think you could be a star.”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Your performance thus far has been magnificent.”

“Really?” The general said again this time with a proud smile on his face.

“Yep,” Wim said. “You can be a star. Just wait for us to finish the rest of the shooting.”

“Shooting! Sounds fun can I join in”

“You’ll get your chance just wait on the hill until I give you the signal.”

“What will the signal be?”

“Me coming up here and telling you to charge down the fucking hill.”

“Right then.” The general replied and he led the troops back up the hill.
When Wim came back to the town he received a hero’s welcome. He was cheered, given lots of free Crickonian ale and several Crickonian women offered him sexual favours after they’d shot the remaining scenes that day. “I’m afraid I’m otherwise engaged,” he told the women looking over at Nickaldo.

To be continued…


 Apesaels Training

Zakalwe
Shôshô
	
 Post Posted: 12 Mar 2005 07:01 pm    Post subject: Apesaels Training 	

Apesael was floating in the comfortable oblivion of his consciousness. The gentle whispering of ten thousand minds gave him the impression of being at one with nature and he felt as though he could stay in this state forever.

His armband GPC buzzed, sending a small electric current up his arm and jerking him from his meditative state. He sighed, uncurled from his lotus position and opened his eyes. Darkness.

“Gravity on” He instantly regretted it as he fell several feet onto his back. Groaning slightly he switched on the lights and checked on his armband. There was a message on the video screen:


Cadet Emrys, alpha blue 3 team

Report to training area 5 by 0600. Bring your preferred training close combat weapon with you. Lateness will not be tolerated.

Shihan Koji

He grinned; a lesson with the Shihan, that would be rare pleasure. He got dressed in his heavy martial arts training outfit, white but with gold embroidery on the arms, and his clans symbol on the back. Straitening the outfit, he went into the very small attached washroom, and cleaned his teeth. He then went back into the main room and reached under the low bunk to take out the case containing his Jo. He left his room and waited for the transit compartment to arrive, while going through his combat preparations, unconscious of any onlookers.

The transit compartment soon arrived, and after he gave his destination through pressing the relevant area on the wall touchpad (a recent addition), it was only around half a minute to get to training areas. He then walked down the well known hallways, consciously changing his breathing pattern adapting it to the way he preferred to fight. He reached the door to area five and entered the large dark room warily.

He had not taken his third step before two men in loose black clothing and red headbands stepped from behind the door and adopted fighting stances.

“Hey, crimson cretins.” He dropped into a defensive stance as they advanced.

One circled to his left and the other headed straight forward, coming forward with a jab for his face.

Apesael leaned slightly to the side causing the jab to overextend his opponent and brought his hand round for a knife hand attack to the exposed neck, and just to finish him off followed with a downwards reverse punch to the head.

The other assailant, now weary due to his partners quick dismissal, circled Apesael, keeping his arms in attack stance. He suddenly lunged forward with an spear hand attack.

Apesael responded with a roundhouse that hit his opponent in the stomach, causing him to fold over, and quickly retracting hit his now exposed back with the back of his leg in an axe kick, knocking him to the ground, groaning. Not taking any chances, Apesael knelt down, and slammed his face into the metal floor, knocking him out. He then straightened up and bowed to the center of the training room/dojo.

“Very good, kohai, very good” Koji emerged from the deep shadows of the center of the room, clapping. “Successfully taking out two opponents without blocking once and not taking the offensive; I’m suitably impressed.” He looked the same as always, small but walking with an inner confidence unrivalled by any man that Apesael had ever met, he seemed to radiate inner power with his very presence. His face held the ever present half smile, his eyes the glint of laughter and of a questioning mocking.

Aepesael bowed deeply, the tall man almost dwarfing the Shihan, smiling on the inside due to his compliment
“they were not a challenge, Shihan. They didn’t feint, or even try a complex move, let alone block me,” he shrugged “I am surprised they are even in the Red team.”

“Actualy this was their last chance kohai. Their standard is too low, so I told them that unless they could defeat you they would be out. They failed and so they are out, out of my class and out of NovaCorp.” He clapped his hands and his servant, the hulking man came out of the shadows. “Take these failures to the medical center. Once they have regained consciences tell them that their services are no longer needed, and if they are not out on the next flight their shall be problems.” walked up to the downed bodies, knelt and picked them up by the scruff of their necks before walking out the hall.

Turned from the door and motioned for Apesael to follow him.
“Lights” The lights of the hall snapped on, illuminating it and showing the various lines on the floor outlining the different rings, ranges and arenas. Around the walls their where a variety of melee weapons on racks, katana’s, wakashai’s, bo’s, jo’s, butterfly swords, claymores, rapiers, scimitars, throwing knives, axes, and a plethora of others. Apesael picked up his own case before following the Shihan.

“You said that they were not a challenge and I agree, they were not meant to be. But you do deserve one. This is why I have decided to place you in for the Close Combat special award. There shall be a challenge for you. If you succeed the award will allow you to succeed that much easier in your career in NovaCorp, a special award is not taken lightly. However it will not be easy, it may be to much even for you,” He stopped and picked up a particularly finely crafted Bo, and started examining it “Do you wish to undertake it?”

Without and warning he brought the Bo downwards in an arc that would intercept with Apesaels head. Acting purely on instinct he caught the Bo and disarmed it, only to realise that Koji had let go, and was holding his arm in the spear thrust position, right next to Apesaels solar plexus. He had ‘killed’ him.

“Ah, good to know I still have some tricks up my sleeve,” His eyes wrinkled with unpronounced laughter “but do you want to take the award?”

Apesael thought about it for the moment and coming to a firm conclusion in his mind answered “Yes, shihan. When will the test take place?”

“There are three tests, I am not allowed to give you the details but the first one will occur in two days, I suggest you prepare for anything. I’ll leave you to train by yourself.” He bowed to the center of the Dojo and left. Apesael was left by himself in the large empty room with his thoughts.

Last edited by Zakalwe on 16 Apr 2005 01:50 pm; edited 1 time in total


Zakalwe
Shôshô
	
 Post Posted: 02 Apr 2005 08:07 am    Post subject: 	

Apesael knelt in front of the stars. He had taken advantage of one of the rare occasions that the Horizon came for enough out of the cloud to see the outside galaxy, and the stars where as usual restoring his sense of inner tranquillity, and clearing his mind of the fears and what ifs that might occur in the upcoming challenge.

His armband GPC beeped, signalling his self allotted time of meditation and contemplation had ended. He sighed regretfully, stood up and bowed to the stars, before walking a few steps backwards before turning his back and walking out.

His mind was so filled with thoughts of the stars, their beauty and hidden power, that he almost walked into a group of cadets. He snapped back to reality just in time to stop himself and he saw whose group it was with an inward sigh. Mephis'.

"Look where you’re going idiot. Oh it's you, why to busy looking for you soul Oni, to notice your superiors?"

Apesael had been weathering these comments since he arrive, and he had enough, annoyed how a few words could shatter his inner calm.

"Cadet Mephis, I hereby challenge you to a duel under NovaCorp personnel relations section 7, under the charge of repeated prejudice, provocation, verbal abuse and disrespect to an equal. At the nearest convenient time we shall consult an advocate." Apesaels voice was calm and cold but inside his heart sang with wonderful fury

This stunned Mephis, and well he might, challenges where not often issued, and Mephis couldn't back down from the challenge without risk of a fine, demotion and a report on his record. However by the same measure if the advocate saw the reason as unworthy of a duel the same punishment would be applied to Apesael.

Apesael pressed a few keys on his GPC and after finding the relevant information stated in the same cold but authoritarian tone

"First officer Tanjo is one of this weeks advocates and has no recorded preference for either of us. He has an opening at 1600 hours. Is that an agreeable time for you?"

Mephis nodded and was about to say something when Apesael cut him off

"Good, I'll see you outside his room then."

And with that he walked off fast, resisting the temptation to look backwards, but he already heard the murmuring of Mephis' group giving him encouragement.

Apesael turned the corner and slumped against the wall, holding his head in his hands.

"I shouldn't have done that, I lost my temper as per usual. I should be training for the challenge, and instead I engage a worm like Mephis to a duel! Damn it." He thought. His GPC beeped again telling him to hurry to Tactics. Apesael gave a heartfelt groan. Sometimes he really hated his GPC.

Rob
Taii
	
 Post Posted: 16 Apr 2005 08:29 pm    Post subject: 	

First Officer Tanjo heard the gentle rapping on his door and stood, sighing. "Come." He called softly, hoping it would simply be more reports. He liked reports - they didn't complain and make him tense.

Apesael came it "Sir, It's Cadet Emrys and Cadet Mephis reportiing for your advocation on a duel.”

Tanjo sighed again, looking down at his cluttered desk for a moment before staring at the two cadets. "You both wish to proceed with this duel? I must inform you that from the moment you agree the time, place and nature of your bout, you cannot withdraw on pain of immediate expulsion from the corporation." His eyes, steely gray as he stared at them, softened momentarily. "I'll be perfectly happy to strike the preliminary challenge off my record..." then smiling weakly, added "I don't want to be sending one of you two lads off in a body bag."

No sir. I wish to follow this through." Apesael said.

Mephis seemed uncomfortable but muttered "Might as well ..."

Tanjo looked up sharply, rapping out "Confirm or back down Mephis! No half-hearted affirmations! you go into this now or you back down!"

Mephis straightened up and his eyes held a sudden anger at being scorned "Yes sir, I confirm the duel, sir" He barked

Apesael looked at Mephis with a new found respect, that beneath his wormlike exterior there seemed to be real character somewhere in there

Tanjo sagged, suprised at both his own and mephis' actions. "I... I'm sorry. I don't rely on formality but..." He shook himself and turned away to face the wall, murmuring "Alright. As the challenged party Mephis, you may choose the weapons. As the challenger Apesael, you may choose the location." Turning back, steel-gray eyes one more boring into the too, he said softly, sadly, but with a great inner strength, "Now."

Mephis spent a few quick moments considering, scanning through the possibilities in his mind, before coming to one. "The Rapier Sir, It seems right that a duel should be fought witha duelists weapon."

Apesael also considered his options. "The planaterium sir. I wish to fight beneath the stars."

Tanjo smiled at both boys' choices. "A sword-fight beneath the stars... how oddly inspiring..." He stared into the wall for a second, then snapped his eyes back to the pair. "Confirmed. The planetarium is open..." looking down to his desk-top data pad for a moment, he cleared his throat and continued, "Now, as a matter of fact. I will be your judicator... and now, duelists, we shall go." Stepping around his desk he made for the door, his long strides taking him past the two before adding, "Oh and because I don't want to see either of you in a mortuary... it's to first blood. No killing blows", then strode through the door, not bothering to wait for them.

Apesael turned to Mephis "You first, I insist." Attempting a gesture of civility

"That's right. Now your betters" Mephis walked out the room with a short laugh

Apesael lowered his eyes, saddened by this further insult, yet also angered. He was going to make Mephis pay.

Rob
Taii

 Post Posted: 17 Apr 2005 10:20 am    Post subject: 	

As Tanjo walked into the planetarium, several idle employees looked across at him and gulped at the look on his face. "Out! Now!" he shouted. "This area is a duel zone until otherwise stated!" and locked the doors around the edges of the circular room. "Kip." he said, and a small figure shimmered into existence, hovering off the floor to give the appearance of looking at him eye to eye. "Yes Tanjo?" the AI's high voice piped up. "I've been watching this with some interest..." then, looking across to the two duellers, nodded and waved "Good luck to both of you!"

Apesael seemed uncomfortable with the blade and took a somewhat shaky fighting stance, weight on the back foot and sword pointed to the ground. Mephis on the other hand, seemed very comfortable with his sword and stepped naturally into a fencing stance, with the sword pointed at his opponent, breaking common etiquete

Tanjo, versed in the ways of fencing himself, frowned. "Mephis... you do not start a duel in this manner." Looking up again to Kip, he murmured "Seal the doors, and get a recording. I have e feeling this will turn out nasty..."

Mephis let out an almost inaudible growl at being revoked, and lowered his blade

Tanjo, still frowning at Mephis experience and obvious aggression against Apesael's courage, raised his voice. "Duellers, raise your weapons!"

Apesael rose his rapier level to Mephis' solar-plexus and started his breathing technique.

Mephis brought his sword up until it was pointing at Apesaels neck, and moved it around a little, in anticipation

Tanjo looked away and said, after a long pause, "Begin." Immediately Mephis leapt forward, swinging his rapier in a short side-slash, trying to catch Apesael off guard.

Apesael blocked quickly with his rapier, but over compensated for weight, and left himself open, so Mephis flicked his rapier around in a circle, cutting under Apesael's guard and thrusting in toward his unprotected chest. Apesael in desperation leapt backwards, thrusting both legs of the floor and landing three feet away.

Mephis grinned, the obvious lack of experience on Apesael's part beginning to show. Hopping back and forth on his feet, his rapier pointing to the ground in an obvious show of disrespect - he didn't NEED to guard himself. "Feeling the heat Oni? You look to be sweating..." he darted in again, viciously slicing at the air and trying to force Apesael backward. Apesael blocked with his rapier again, but at the same time thrust both their swords upwards and came around with a sweeping kick.

Tanjo, looking on and frowning suddenly grinned. "Looks like Apesael might have the advantage after all..." he murmured to Kip, hovering at his side. "Really?" the little AI replied. "I thought Mephis was winning..." Looking down at Kip, Tanjo smiled, "Yes... yes, he was. But with the introduction of martial arts, he hasn't a hope. Apesael there is a very accomplished fighter."

Mephis grunted as the kick came out of nowhere, slamming into his ribs and almost winding him. Cursing, he forced the pair's swords back down, slowly wrenching his own out of Apesael's grasp and rotating it down toward his head, forcing him to lean backward. Grunting and throwing Mephis back slightly, Apesael thrust his foot forward into another kick to the solar-plexus. Mephis hunched over slightly, then roared and slammed Apesael's blade out of his fist, twisting the fingers painfully and sending the sword arcing across the arena to land outside the circle.

Apesael quickly retracted his fist, shaking it to get rid of the pain. He dropped down into a deep fighting stance, suddenly very wary of his opponents obvious advantage. Mephis, still gasping slightly from the sledgehammer hits to his abdomen, retreated slowly, his eyes locked on Apesael.

Apesael slowly scanned his opponents stance, looking for a weakness, and tried a dummy attack in the form of a kick to the knee, before trying a real punch to the head. Mephis swung his sword around unevenly, his eyes blinking strangely. "guuh..." he murmured as the punch to the head took him by surprise, slamming into his forehead and making fireworks flash in front of his eyes. Falling over backward, he recovered just before he hit the floor and rolled to flip back up to his knees, then his feet, and charge forward, swinging the sharp sword wildly, his eyes wide and his face locked in a grimace of rage and pain. Apesael slapped the sword out of it's path, hitting the side of the sword with the back of his hand and side-steeping, then following it through with a roundhouse kick to the back. Mephis dropped to the floor, air expelled from his lungs in a loud "hufff!" as he hit. The sword, held against his body, sliced into his shoulder, blood welling up around it and ending the duel.

Tanjo entered the ring quickly, Kip hovering at a distance, and murmured to Apesael "Very well done..." as he passed, then knelt to roll Mephis over. Wincing at the sight that greeted him, he carefully withdrew Mephis' sword from his shoulder and dropped it next to him, then ripped a strip of soft cloth off the end of Mephis uniform and bandaged the shoulder. Apesael, breathing deeply straightened himself, coming out of fighting stance. "Thank you Sir. It was a worthy duel." Kip zipped over to Apesael, gently hovering around him in circles "Hiya Apesael! I'm Kip, in case you didn't already know! Actually, you were hopelessly outmatched, sword-wise... very nice addition to fencing!" pausing, he added "your martial arts that is!"

"Thank you Kip." Apesael inclined his head, smiling gently "Mephis was overconfident, it was that that allowed my victory, That and how he lost his temper."

Mephis, the last of his conscious thought slipping away, stood behind them, grabbing his blood-stained sword as he did so. With an outraged roar, he took a vicious overhand swipe at Apesael's unprotected back, and was surprised in a detached way to hear a fleshy thunk as his sword impacted with something. Apesael heard the same thunk and whirled around, and saw Memphis' sword imbedded to the bond in Tanjo's arm.

Tanjo had, moving with lightning speed, thrown his arm up, standing at the same time, and now stood with his teeth gritted, eyes closed and shaking slightly, blood running down the lower edge of the sword from the deep wound and welling up to run slowly drip to the floor.

Apesael moved forward, close to fury at this attack on a superior and readied a reverse punch. Tanjo opened his eyes suddenly and stuck out his other arm, blocking Apesael's strong blow. Slowly, he turned his head to Mephis who was staring at him, no longer angry but simply confused. He slowly dragged his arm along the sword to the point, making a slick "shhhhing...", then reached out with both hands to Mephis forearms, his long fingers circling them completely. A grim smile smile crossed his face for a second before he suddenly, viciously twisted, twin snaps sounding like whip cracks as the bones of Mephis' arms broke and jacknifed into the surrounding flesh.

Mephis was beyond thinking, in pure agony, and screamed, jerking his body violently in a futile attempt to escape from the pain but being held by Tanjo's rock hard grip. Apesael came forward and backhanded Mephis' head, putting him out of his misery for the moment. He grinned savagely, enjoying the feeling of avenging an attack on honour and his superior, before regaining control on himself.

Tanjo, suddenly looking confused and exhausted, dropped to his knees and looked down at his arm for the first time. Looking up at Apesael and grinning for a moment, he said "Ow." then keeled over sideways. Kip zoomed in to him for a moment, then looked up at Apesael too. "Don't worry, I have alerted medical teams and they're on their way..." Looking down at Tanjo's arm, he murmured "I wonder..." then fizzled away into light. A moment later, small sparkles appeared around Tanjo's wound and the bleeding stopped. Looking closely, Apesael could actually see the flesh slowly knitting together. Returning in a flash, Kip grinned and murmured "Knew it! Nanite enhanced... but didn't know how to activate them!"

Apesael went over to Mephis and looked at his sleeping face with a mix of wonder and disgust. What drove him to this? He layed him out in a more comfortable looking position and then walked back to Kip.
Apesael mused, "So Kip, what did you think of the duel? Was it what you expected?"

Kip simulated a quick backflip, "landing" to hover as if he were sitting on Apesael's shoulders. "Um... yeah, I guess! The only duel's I've seen so far have been fought with pistols or ranged weaponry... not many people go in for swords!" He momentarily manifested his hand, ruffling Apesael's hair and continuing "But swords and martial arts? It was like watching an action sequence from a vid!"

Apesael asked, surprised, “You watch action videos?"

Kip giggled slightly and said loudly "Yup! all the time!"

Apesael laughed quietly, Kip's optimism was contagious "When's that
medical team going to get here?"

Kip frowned "Lemme check..." and looked off into the distance a moment, his eyes unfocused. "They should be here about..." he grinned and looked over as the large main door hissed open "Now!"

The med teams came in quickly, two hover beds between the five members. "What happened here? We where told there was a duel but what's Tanjo doing injured?" The lead medic asked while the other four got Mephis and Tanjo onto stretchers and began rudimentary first aid.
Kip scowled and muttered "Head case on the floor there with the broken arms is the only one injured. leave Tanjo here. I have recordings of the whole lot, just leave him to me... I need to debrief him on something"
"OK Kip, whatever you say". The lead medic gestured and Tanjo was lowered back to the floor, the medic team jogged out of the room, carrying Mephis on the stretcher.

Tanjo groaned. He opened his eyes and slowly, strangely, the world blurred in and out of focus. He saw a strange ghost-like grid overlaying everything he saw, small blue lights flowing along it in places. Finally, his vision swam back into focus and the grid faded. "uugh...what happened? I feel like a transport module hit me..."

"Sir, you intercepted a blow meant for me, and it uhm ... almost severed your arm. You passed out after breaking his arms." Apesael said, and held out his hand to help him up.

Tanjo looked confused and looked down at his arm. By now the nanites had finished their work and all that remained was a slightly paler patch of skin. "I did what...? I don't remember that!"

"According to Kip sir you have nanites in your body that heal you. Honestly sir a few minutes ago there was a huge gash in your arm. You weren't really acting yourself either." Apesael tried to answer.

Kip suddenly spoke up, still sounding terminally optomistic. "Yup! Got recordings!" Pausing a moment, he stared at Tanjo for a moment before continuing, "And welcome back to the land of the living! ... Officer Tanjo, would you mind if I did a quick scan of your body? there's something I want to check."

"Uh ... sure, whatever you think is best Kip." Tanjo slowly shook his head, trying to get rid of the groggy feeling. Kip nodded, motioning Apesael to step back. A moment later, a quick beep sounded and Kip brought up a holographic readout of Tanjo's body. embedded in his chest, close to the heart, was a small metallic object. "Hmmm... You appear to have had a nanite implant. I would guess performance enhancing... and the rate at which you healed up..." He frowned, staring at Tanjo's face. "This is Yamatai Military grade equipment. What are you doing with military grade nanites in your blood?"

"Nanites? Aren't nanite enhancements outlawed in NovaCorp?" Apesael asked, followed by Tanjo's outraged "Never mind that, cadet! What the Hell are they doing in me?!"

Kip nodded at Apesael. "Usually. I would guess they have been added to Tanjo's system without his consent..." He stared searchingly at Tanjo's face before continuing, "Officer Tanjo... were you ever in the Yamatai Military?" Tanjo replied, confused,"I don't know, I... I can't remember".

Kip nodded again. "Well Officer Tanjo, we will have to look into this... perhaps another time. For now, be gratefully you have nanites - otherwise you'd be turning gray about now, calculating the amount of blood you would have lost..."He turned to Apesael, murmuring "keep an eye on him..." before continuing more loudly, "Well done on your duel, I'm sorry your opponent turned out to be so... crazy!" He grinned, hopped off Apesael's shoulders and manifested his avatar, pulling Tanjo to his feet. "Why don't you two go have a drink or something? I have some work to do... cleaning up blood for example." Wrinkling his nose, he faded and was gone.

Apesael asked softly, "Sir, what will happen to Cadet Mephis?" Tanjo, still shocked at the revelations into himself, murmured "I don't know cadet... but I'm guessing he'll be patched up and sent back to wherever he came from... You'll probably get whatever posessions he accumulated here, but these are special circumstances, so don't be too sure..."

"That's fine sir. Do you want me to accompany to your quarters, office or a bar as Kip suggested? You still look a little pale, if you don't mind me saying so."

Tanjo smiled, in spite of himself. "Oh, the bar definately. I think I could do with a drink!"

Zakalwe
Shôshô

 Post Posted: 01 May 2005 12:34 pm    Post subject: 	

Apesael pounded away at the punch bag, each hit smashing it against the wall, to ricochet back for another hit. There was something soothing in the regularity of the hits, the repetition let him forget his fear and anxiety over the upcoming test, especialy in the empty training hall. Unfortunately his train of thought brushed against the forbidden area, and all the tension over the upcoming event rushed back. In a primal instinct was to lash against this, and this exposed itself as a punch at the punch bag, with all of his pent up anxiety and strength behind it, his eyes closed in a wince. When he opened his eyes he found the punch bag had exploded and was now to be found four metres two his right, the chain broken. He sighed, he had lost his temper far too often recently. On the bright side however, the tension was gone, he felt strangely rejuvenated.

Tomorrow was the test, and now with the stress and tension gone he could finally think about it straight. It was for the close combat special award, so melee would be the name of the game. He had practised hard for the last two days, memorising all the different blocks and attacks, and engaging in several practise fights. And there was that fight with Mephis …
Mephis had been thrown out of NovaCorp, with great dishonour, and the counsel, who had taken great offence by his actions, had spread word of what he had done to all the major corporations. His life would be very difficult from now on. Thinking of Mephis made Apesael depressed. Mephis, for all of his rudeness and impudence, had been a skilled combatant, and a very skilled tactician, it was a terrible waste of potential.

However he couldn’t waste time thinking about what ifs. Apesael opened his Jo case and took out his preferred weapon, the tetsujo, or metal jo. It was to heavy for most people to use well, but his training, combined with his above human strength, meant he could wield it as easily as a normal man wielded a jo. He began a very elegant and fast routine, the Jo moving to fast to keep track of with the eye. He closed his eyes and allowed his mind to direct his hands, not slowing down, completing the dance like moves relying entirely on skill.

Finishing with a double handed downwards strike, Apesael had a small smile on his lips. He felt cleansed. He opened his eyes and put his tetsujo away in the case. He was ready.

Zakalwe
Shôshô
	
 Post Posted: 15 May 2005 03:36 pm    Post subject: 	

All right, this was it. Apesaels heart was beating franticly as he slowly jogged towards the Dojo. He had been sent the time that morning, at five in the morning to be precise. It was now 7:58 and he was standing outside the doors of the Dojo. He a deep breath and hit the open button.

"Enter", said a deep, smooth voice from inside the dark room. The shihan stepped into the pool of light from the door, smiling slightly. "Are you ready?" he asked, as Apesael moved inside, slapping the door's control panel so that it close quickly behind the trainee and leaving white scars across his vision for a moment, as his eyes adapted to the deep blue ambient lighting of the room.

Apesael bowed deeply. "I am ready Shiham." He would never admit to anyone how unready he really felt. He glanced around the room slowly.

"Then let it begin" said the small man, backing into the darkness. Almost immediately, a challenge rang out across the large space, and the lights brightened, illuminating a red-garbed novice as he adopted a combat stance, facing Apesael warily.

Apeseal dropped into a low fighting stance, hand in the free-style position. He began to study his opponent’s stance and breathing, looking for a weakness to exploit. He really wished he had been allowed to bring his Tetsujo, but the message had been clear, come unarmed.

Suddenly, the novice broke into a sprint across the room, leaping into a perfectly executed flying kick at head height just a few meters from his opponent with a loud shout.

Responding with instinct Apesael moved out of the way instantly, before bringing his leg up in such a way to intercept the novice.

The man's foot slammed into Apesael's leg, knocking them both to the padded floor in an undignified heap. Rolling back quickly and wincing, the novice slowly stood, watching Apesael closely.

Flipping up, Apesael took the offensive with a palm strike to the face, accompanied by a sweep of the legs. His heart was singing, there was no fear or tension here, only relsease.

The novice dropped backward, clutching at his face. With one hand, he signalled surrender, blood leaking through the fingers of the other in little rivulets as he clamped it over his nose and crawled a little way off to slump against the wall. "Excellent" murmured the Shihan, appearing from the shadows in one corner, and signalling another fighter forth. This man was clad in blue robes, and carried a Jo which he arrogantly twirled around one wrist and then the other, forming a whirling figure of eight in front of him.

A man of his own heart, a wielder of Jo. Apesael knew how dangerous he could be. He kept his arms wide and began to slowly advance on the fighter, keeping solid eye contact.

The man looked questioningly toward the Shihan for a moment, but the smaller man had melted back into invisibility. Frowning, he advanced as well and slowly flicked his weapon from one hand to the other.

Apesael flung himself into motion with a double swing kick, landing after the first and using the momentum to launch his foot straight at the man's head.

Grinning at the attack, the Jo-wielder swung his weapon in a simple arc and slammed Apeseal's foot off course, unbalancing him

Apesael landed with his two hands in front of him, in a Poisson, not unlike as if he was doing press-ups. He quickly levelled a sweep at the man's leg's.

Almost laughing now, the man slammed his Jo into the ground, blocking Apesael's sweep. It did, however, knock him off balance and force him to stumble backward as the Jo bucked in his hands.

Apesael righted himself and lunged forward with a reverse punch to the head, followed by two to the stomach and one to the groin.

The man thumped down hard onto the floor, head bowed and winded. The Jo hung loose in his hand for a moment, before he swung it end first upward to impact hard on Apesael's jaw, almost lifting him off his feet.

Apesael winced, the pain threatening to overwhelm him. He reached down and switched of that part of his brain through telepathy. He was really mad, killing mad. In quick succession he axe kicked the man in the solar plexus three times, letting out a kiai with every kick.

Sighing gently, and with a confused look in his eyes, the blue-robed man slowly sank onto his back, eyes closed. "Very well done!" roared the Shihan from his hidden watching place, and another man stepped through the arch at the back of the room. He didn't appear to have any weapons at first, but suddenly he flicked out a knife from his belt and flicked it into the air, the blade glinting and flashing as it turned.

Apesael bent down and picked up the Jo. He felt much more comfortable now he had his favoured weapon with him, he span it, quickly compensating for the lighter Jo than he usually used. He lunged forward with a flurry of blows faster than the eye could follow, his expertise with this weapon evident.

Flopping to the ground bonelessly, the knife-wielding man slipped under Apesael's assault, kicking up with one foot to slam the Jo into the air as he rolled backward, nimbly standing again and hop-dancing from left to right.

Apesael can forward with a side snap kick to the groin, punching out at head height to slam into the man's temple

Grunting with pain, the man retreated slowly, raising his knife and slicing at Apesael's fist as he withdrew, opening a thin slice across his knuckles and splashing blood to the floor

Apasael looked at his fist with some interest, before launching forward in a high-speed assault of a punch with his uninjured fist to the head followed by a low thrust kick to the solar plexus.

Shaking his head to clear it and stumbling backward again, the man dropped his knife, sticking into the floor and vibrating for a moment. Staring down at his hand, the man snarled and kicked out with fury, slamming square into Apesael's groin.

Apasael winced as the pain rocketed through his body, but had the presence of mind to clench his upper legs. The man's leg now stuck, Apesael brought his uninjured fist down on the man's knee, snapping it.

The pain in the man's leg was so intense that he didnt actually feel it for a moment, staring in confusion at his leg that now bent backward, hanging strangely as it extended from him to his opponent. As the pain slammed into his brain, he screamed horribly and fainted, dropping to the ground and wrenching his leg further, twisting the lower leg backward in relation to the upper as the shattered knee ground around 180 degrees.

"Very good", the Shihan roared again, apparently enjoying the violence greatly. He motioned for the next fighter.

The next fighter entered the ring slowly, two nunchuku clearly tucked into his belt.

Apesael was feeling very weary, the last three fights had not been easy on him. His groin, jaw and fist still hurt, and he couldn't fully shut down his pain receptors without loosing his ability to fight properly. He had a nasty feeling that some of the tendons on his right fist where damaged, and that would mean he couldn't hit with the knuckles. He tried his best to telepathically convince his body it felt better, and adopted a defensive stance.

The new fighter, looking first to the three slumped against the wall and then to the wounded Apeseal, smiled grimly. Spinning the nunchuku around in blurred circles, he advanced on Apesael at a slow walk, half-crouched, and forced him to back slowly away.

Apesael did not think he had the strength to continue a offensive style of combat, so stayed defensive, moving slowly, and watching for any sign of weakness. He would have to play on his opponents confidence if he was to win this one.

Halting suddenly as he saw Apesael's weariness, the man stopped spinning his nunchuku and caught the ends, holding one pair in each hand. Looking quizically at his opponent for a moment, he suddenly gave him a friendly smile and kicked the Jo across the floor toward Apesael, before beginning to spin his own weapons again.

Apesael was surprised at this. This was the first fighter which appeared to have honour. He picked up the Jo and adopted a defensive position with it, horse stance.

Still not appearing satisfied, the strange fighter let one of his nunchuku spin off into the darkness to thud against the wall. With the other, he began a complicated figure of eight that arced around his body, humming and swishing as the free tip moved through the air at immense speed

Apesael was not going to make the first move this time, whenever that had happened earlier he had ended up getting pounded. It was as the Shihan said "The defender must always win." He wished this applied to life outside sparing. The nunchuku where very impressive, their wielder clearly competent, and Apesael had serious doubt's about besting him. He tried to get rid of those thoughts. Doubt yourself and you will loos. "Good luck" He sent telepathically to his opponent.

The man smiled slightly, and an answering voice echoed around Apesael's mind "And to you too, young one...". Ending his display, he dropped into a low crouch, his weapon held in both hands outstretched, on above and behind his head, the other pointed directly at his opponent. "Your move..." his mind echoed, as outwardly he stayed focused on Apeseal, appearing to be about to attack.

Apesael slowly slid forward, his Jo held in such away so it would block downward attacks and could be quickly moved to block side ones. He locked eyes with his opponent, waiting for the slightest twitch that would give him an early warning of an attack.

After a good three minutes of neither opponent doing anything, Apesael thrust his Jo forward, without warning, aimed straight at the man's solar plexus.

With lightning speed the nunchuk arced up out of the man's hands, the central chain wrapping around the end of the Jo and pulling its point down into the ground, instead of to the man. He calmly reached out with one other hand, taking hold of the Jo and wrenching it out of Apesael's grip. "Hmm... You will have to do better than that..." he murmured, handing the weapon back and taking a step backward.

"Fine." Apesael attacked again, using both ends to lay a flurry of attack to the man's head.

Wincing slightly at a few of the blows, the man raised his arms and calmly blocked the attacks, although the strain showed on his face. "not bad..." he sent, kicking out against Apesael's chest once, then flicking around in a circle to land another kick that lifted his opponent off his feet, hurling him a little back backward.

Apesael swore mentally. Now both sides of his jaw hurt. He was going to have to replace several teeth after this. He dummied an attack to the face, before using the other end to hit the man's floating rib.

The man grunted, tensing his muscles a millisecond too late to prevent the attack from doing damage. Silently, he brought his foot around in another kick, aiming for Apesael's temple

Apesael was in the worst possible position to block this, so went with the kick, bending his body to minimilse the force. It didn't work very well and Apesael was sent sprawling to the floor, head rining. He fought hard to get his vision to stop blurring.

"Hmmm... I don't think you can finish this..." echoed the man's sending. He turned on his heel and marched away a few steps, before turning to bow. "I give you my strength..." came his voice, and then he was gone, fading into the shadowy edge of the arena.

Apesael picked himself up, telepathy quickly organising his mind and clearing it. He felt strength wash through him, and all his pain seemed to diminish. He felt amazing, like he could do anything. He quickly held that in check, overconfidence was what defeated most people. He marvelled at his last opponent, a superior fighter had surrendered, and somehow helped him. He couldn't quite understand. In any case he prepared for the next challenge, in a forward stance, the jo wide in on hand the other straight to the side.

A final warrior stepped through the arch at the back of the room. Dressed in black, vast and all of seven foot tall, he was the image of an ancient executioner, right down to the black hood. He didn't appear to wield any weapons at first glance, but as he moved into the light, metal studs glinted maliciously in the dim light. "Ahh... that one..." came the previous fighter's voice, still in contact with Apesael's mind. "He appears strong, and yes.. he is... VERY strong... but not unbeatable. You may notice that he limps slightly - his right leg is devoid of sensation. He will feel no pain, but will be weak defending that side..."

Thank you for your assistance. Apesael stared at the behemoth. This was not going to be fun. Waiting for him to attack first was not an option. Apesael began thinking liquid thoughts, a technique he'd been taught, think like water, and move like water. He dove forward, ready to dodge any blow levelled his way, and slammed his Jo into the Goliath’s right knee.

Stumbling backward, just barely, the hug man slammed his fist through the air with a roar, aiming directly for Apesael's exposed head.

Apesael dodged out the way, moved around to the man's back, and thrust the Jo into his floating rib, in one fluid move.

Grunting through his mask, his behemoth opponent swung his other fist around in an arc that connected with Apesael's shoulder, hurling him to the ground.

Apesaels shoulder screamed at him. He told it to shut up. It ignored him. He roled as he hit the floor, coming up in a crouching position, and rushing forward to deliver another blow to the right knee.

The man sagged onto one knee with a thump as Apesael's Jo pushed his right knee forward. Noticing the knife on the floor, still embedded in the padding, he reaching down and closed his fist around it and wrenched it out, hurling it with surprising dexterity toward Apesael's injured shoulder as he spun and stood again.

The knife entered his shoulder with a horrible *thunk*. The screaming became a 100 part choir of pain, and Apesael let out primal scream. His arm hang limp, clearly the knife had damaged some muscles, but not much blood was coming out. Through some random good luck it had avoided all major veins and arteries. He cut off all sensations from that arm. Apesael tried to make the best of the situation and began to circle the giant man, bombarding his head with one handed blow's from his Jo.

The huge man grinned through his mask, mouth twisting into a horrible parody of a smile. As he swung his fist around in a lethal arc, he suddenly stopping, looking confused, and stared at Apesael for a moment. "Finish him..." came the voice of the fourth. "He won't be like that for long... and if you don't he will surely finish YOU." Indeed, as the words whispered through Apesael's mind, his opponent was already beginning to move more coherently, his eyes focusing evilly on Apesael through the narrow slits in his mask.

Apesael drew the knife out of his shoulder. Desperate situations called for desperate responses. He drew it out, and plunged it as hard as he could into the man's collarbone.

Roaring in pain, the man flailed at Apesael, sheer luck directing his blows. Wrenching the knife out of his chest, the man coughed horribly, blood seeping over his lips.

Apesael blocked the man's blows quite easily. Flailing never realy works anyway he thought, before landing a thrust kick towards the mans right leg.

Collapsing awkwardly, the black garbed man put his hand down to prevent himself from falling further. Unfortunately, it was the hand he held the knife in, and the high velocity plus his own weight drove the blade clean through his palm to stick up into the air, red sheen glinting. Grunting in surprise at the cold feeling in his hand, the man coughed again, spilling more blood across his lips. As he saw the blade his eyes widened in surprise, and he held his hand up to look at it dazedly. "wha...?" he gurgled, and collapsed into a fit of coughing, blood rolling freely across his chin to splatter against the padded floor. "You win, I think..." came the voice of the fourth, actually speaking rather than sending.

Stepping into the light, with his white cloak shimmering, he took Apesael by the shoulder and lead him through the archway into the next room, gesturing the Shihan who had, suddenly, appeared to sort out the mess.

Apesael was apprehensive about this new room, his whole body felt as if it had been pulversied (as indeed it had), and he was not in a fit state for any more fighting. Pleased was he when it was a quiet garden. He was surprised by this, what with it being a garden with plenty of smaal trees, and small stream and a mahogany desk in the center.

"Welcome, Apesael, to my office" said the man, dusting off his clothes. "If you would find somewhere to sit while I find your papers? The carp are particularly relaxing to watch, I find."

Apesael knelt by the stream obediantly, and stared intensely at a carp, which apeared to notice him and hid beneath an ornamental bridge.

"Ah. here we are." Murmured the man behind him, soft voice carrying strangely across the bubbling of the stream. "Your papers," he handed a small portfolio to the tired fighter, "And your congratulations-on-winning weapon. Ceremonial, but quite functional." As he spoke, he drew out a short katana, blade gleaming in the softly lit room. The hilt was engraved with intricate patterns, etched black onto the silvery metal. Studying it for a moment, the man resheathed the weapon, handing it to Apesael with a small flourish. "May it serve you well, warrior."

Apesael bowed deeply and accepted the lovely looking sword. He was pleased with his success "Thank you sir."

"Sir ... who are you?" Apesael didn't mean to be rude, but his curiosity demanded that he asked.

"Me?" the man paused, smiling at some inner joke. "I ... I am the power behind many things, yet none know of me. I am ... the one who knows all and sees all ... the one who plays with the lives of Novacorp's Sixth, manipulating them, using them ..." He grinned, and patted the tired and bewildered Apesael on the shoulder. "My friends call me Zeke! ... oh, and forget I mentioned "the Sixth". they don't exist!" He winked, gently shepherding Apesael back through the archway. "Get some rest..." he sent to Apesael, motioning the Shihan over to him as he watched the young man walk toward the door.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Zeke, sir." Apesael was very enthusiastic about rest, sleep he could handle. His mind reeled though. The Sixth? He'd never heard of the Sixth. He bowed and walked backwards towards the door before walking out, it closing silently behind him. Sleep. Now.


 [Orders|NovaCorp] Apesael Emrys

Rob
Taii

 Post Posted: 15 May 2005 03:50 pm    Post subject: [Orders|NovaCorp] Apesael Emrys 	

NOVACORP BOARD
YSS HORIZON

Apesael Emrys,

Congratulations on your promotion. You have been awarded the rank of C3 (Civilian Class 3), previously U (Unranked).

You are assigned to M/C1 (Military/Civilian Class 1) Tanjo Shen as a personal aide.

M/C1 Shen and yourself are assigned to the YSS Destiny to oversee the Engineer corps and provide intermediary relations between the engineers and the SA crew.

Signed,

Zeke

PS: vsm hvsfs. odsgosz, am tfwsbr, w vojs hoysb hvs zwpsfhm ct wbqzirwbu o forwc gmghsa wb mcif okom ywh. kcizr mci fsdcfh hc as igwbu wh, kvwzs mci ofs cb hvs rsghwbm? hvs wbtcfaohwcb kcizr ps joziopzs, obr wbgwuvh og hc hvs voddsbwbug cb pcofr qcizr ps igstiz tcf hvs kvczs ct hvs sadwfs.

*genetic key*

Zakalwe
Shôshô

	
 Post Posted: 16 May 2005 12:05 pm    Post subject: 	

Orders received. Will be transferring at next convenient time. Thankyou for the promotion and position.


 New things on the horizon

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 23 May 2005 06:48 pm    Post subject: New things on the horizon

"This is the freighter long haul to YSS horizon, come in horizon," Came the voice of someone who was paid to sit on their ass while they watched a machine do all the work. The being in charge of running the freighter continued to run his gums from the small cockpit compartment of the freighter transporting the first shipment of Leistung group property in its many holds of its segmented, caterpillar like body. "I hate doing runs inside of nebulas… can’t see a damn thing." The captain thought out loud before returning to his radio in an attempt to find the horizon. His ship had recently dropped out of FTL travel before entering the Feynar cloud that the NC facilities occupied. With a burst of fire from its drive system the ship shoved itself through the cloud toward the location it was p

"YSS Horizon responding. You are entering NovaCorp protected space. Identification is required to proceed." Blared a loud computerized voice. "Repeat: Identification required before you may proceed."

"affirmative horizon, transmitting authorization codes now. " With a lethargic grunt the captain scooted forward on his chair and brushed a container of powder covered pastries out of his way as his large fingers fumbled around for a swipe card on his dashboard. He swiped the card through a slit on the panel in front of him and flipped a few switches, sending the data to his primitive radio array and then to the horizon or anyone else within range of his transmitter. As he waited for the next response he slouched back down into his seat, "do do… dum dum do…" He hummed.

"Confirmed Long Haul. Welcome to NovaCorp space, enjoy your stay. Proceed to dock gamma. beacons deployed to indicate your safest path." said the voice and a rough line of radar pings were sent out as guidance beacons activated.

"Affirmative horizon," With that he reached up and flipped a pair of switches to turn on his auto-pilot and give it control of the maneuvering thrusters. A series of thrusters on the ship fired to alter its course and bring it in towards its destination.

The vast bulk of the modified colony ship came into focus through the clouds of dust. Dwarfing the smaller transport as it closed, a bright patch near the rear of the behemoth vessel grew wider - the docking bay doors slowly grinding open.

The captain of the transport pushed a bar to its side, flipping a series of switches that lowered all of the 16 supports that allowed the ship to land. With the ease of a professional the captain took hold of the control stick and levers in front of him and guided the ship into the landing bay, setting it down softly and waiting for the external door on the horizon to close before opening his own cargo bay. "Hello horizon, docking successful on this end."

A completely different voice came through the channel this time - human. "Welcome aboard guys! This is Grant, I'll be down in the bay in just a moment. If you would like to tell your passengers to leave the ship captain? Unless, of course, you are with the group. In which case... no, you must come yourself anyway! Your journey must have been tiring... so feel free to make use of our R and R facilities."

"Thanks for the offer Mr. Grant" The captain replied, "but I have a schedule to keep. Once they finish offloading I am out of here. The doors on either side of each segment of the transport opened and folded down into ramps, exposing the various heavy duty crates and a small group of people.

"Roger that. Grant out... and thank you captain." said the director over the radio as a small group of security officers trooped out of the irised hatchway a few meters from the ship, accompanied by Grant himself. Folding away the portable radio, he shouted "Welcome, one and all, to the good ship Horizon! I trust you had a good journey?"

"About as good as you can get for a cargo container," Came a female’s voice. She was dressed in a form fitting black bodysuit that covered the entirety of her well endowed body, leaving only her head exposed. Draped over her shoulder was a small black oxygen mask that had a hose which traveled over her shoulder and into the down jacket she wore over her entire outfit. The small remnant of people in the group were all dressed in regular street cloths, the kind of type found on Ayenee even though that was a rather broad category. Some had a typical shirt and tie, others robes, while still others just wore baggy pajama looking outfits. "I’d love to see what you have in the way of RnR," She started, "But first I’d like to be show to the areas that have been rented out. I’d like to know we have

"Alright miss....", Grant paused for a moment, "Alright. We'd better get introductions done here before anything else. I'm Grant Williams, the science advisor of NovaCorp. These are minions number three, seventeen and two-one-two." He grinned at the security team's annoyed expressions. "Don't worry boys, you can meet them informally later!"

"Well then, I’ll look forward to meeting you a bit more informally later," She said the scientists starting grabbing the crates and pushing them along. Built in anti-grav generators allowed the crates to float above the ground and move with a minimum of effort, "Officially I’m going by the name of Harm while I’m here. I’m in charge of security for the group members as well as keeping things running smoothly. They aren’t supposed to talk with anyone while on the ship about what they are working on but I’m sure we shall all get to know each other very well regardless." She flashed them all a charming smile.

Grant looked her up and down, taking in the suit. "Harm huh? wow... not to be rude, but that ... fits your attire!" He chuckled and returned her smile, continuing "No... i joke... anyway Ms. Harm, would you and your entourage care to follow me? It's a very short walk to your assigned labs, we made sure we could get you close to the bays for any transport you need." Smiling again, he turned and walked back toward the hatch, flanked loosely by the guards

She simply nodded to him and followed as did the rest of the people in the transport... eventually. They didn't come off as a very highly disciplined but in the field of RnD that wasn't such a bad thing.

striding down the dingy corridors with the security guards in tow, Grant seemed in his element. "Come on people, we don't have all day!" He called over his shoulder. "You'll need to get settled in quite quickly, unless of course you want to move to a different location on board - it's the ship time dinner break in a few hours, and after that there's no opportunity to grab food until tomorrow... unless you have change handy!" he nodded to a vending machine set into the wall as he passed, then turned suddenly and disappeared through a brightly lit doorway

Harm followed as did the procession of people pushing floating crates. "This is long haul to horizon, My unloading is complete and I'm heading out of the cloud," With the last of the containers removed from the ship its doors closed and landing gear retracted as forward thrusters pushed in clear of the docking bay and turned it around to face outer space. "What currencies do the vending machines accept? Probably only the KS?" She asked.

Grant looked distractedly at his radio uplink and murmured ingratiatingly, "Thank you Long Haul. Have a safe journey!" then folded it closed. "Yes... they accept standards, I'm not sure what else. There's documentation for them somewhere but I never got around to reading it..." He grinned and gestured widely around the spacious, well lit room they had entered.

"How do you like it? You have basic equipment in here, more advanced gear in the next room along, " he pointed to another door in the opposite wall, "and we've taken the liberty of providing you with a pair of fabricators. If you don't know already, you can program them with molecular codes, shapes... lots of stuff, and they'll make it for you. Comes out pretty hot though..." he winked and stuck a hand into the open hatch of the closest fabber. "I took the liberty of preparing this earlier." he drew out a small cube of dull metal. "Iron. the edges of the cube are straight down to the atomic level, so don’t touch them..." he murmured and held it out to Harm

"this looks sufficient, but the final say will go to the science team when they are finished setting up. If you can, we’d like to get a blueprint of this room so where know where all of the interfaces with the ship are and their power outputs ect. I’m assuming it will be alright if we make modifications to this room to accommodate our unique pieces of equipment." Harm picked up the cube by the faces with her fingers and examined it, "Do you believe in a god?" She asked.

"There is a saying that when you see a 20 ton beam held above your head by a string is when you truly start seeing god in technology." harm chuckled to herself slightly, "In any case I'm looking forward to working with you. Any chance you could give me a tour of the entire place while my associates start getting things in order around here?"

"Of course! Where would you like to start?" said Grant. "I assume you mean the R&D sector, although the rest of the ship is just as easily accessible."

"I'd like to start with the RnD sector, the living quarters, and everywhere in between." Harm said.

"And I can give you the grand tour!" Kip sprang into existence with a *pop*. "I'm Kip, resident AI, pleased to meet you." He reached out his had to greet harm, while still standing two feet in the air.

"Well that answers a few questions about the nature of your ship," Harm thought out loud as she extended her hand to shake with what she assumed to be a hologram in front of her, "I have a few questions I’d like to ask you later if that is alright,"

Her hand slipped through his suddenly, less than solid form. Kip found this hilarious. "Of course, ask away. I can tell you anything I want."

Grant jumped backward, startled. "Wagh! you have to stop that Kip! Gonna do my heart in!" he yelped, blushing at his reaction. "Um... yeah. Harm, this is Kip, Kip, this is Harm, the leader of the Leistung group" he said quickly, trying to catch up. "Um... Harm... do you want a tour from Kip? It would help, because I still have some admin work to do..." he paused, aware that he nobody had been listening to him. "Err... yeah."

"Don't worry Grantie. I'm always listening." Kip tugged on Grant's ear lobe, still floating in the air. He laughed and flipped backwards. "I look forward to seeing these wonderful experiments, I love science, and since Ephesus has gone things have become dull." Kip put on a exaggerated mournful expression.

~not solid?~ she thought to herself as her hand returned to her side, "That is fine, I’m sure we’ll bump into each other later on" She briefly tuned her head to flash him a courtesy smile before looking back at Kip. "Quite the energetic one… and looking at experiments is just what I wanted to talk about. What is the extent of your presence on this ship, or should I say your ship?"

"Total. I see pretty much everything. And I mean everything," He gave a knowing wink, "But if you wish for privacy, I'm sure some form of arrangement could be made." He bent over and picked up a scalpel, rotating it between his fingers at great speed.

Harm couldn’t resist a playful grin back and a witty retort, "Well if you’ve already seen all of me shouldn’t we get along to seeing all of you?" Her grin returned to a more serious expression soon afterwards, "In any case privacy is the main reason we are out here and its one of the things I would like to discuss with you."

"Right. To both" Kip crossed his legs and floated serenely in mid air. Naked. "Discuss away."

Harm shook her head, "I’d like to know that your sensors in the lab we have rented are disabled along with the sensors in the group’s living quarters. I’d like them to know I’m the only one spying on them." She took a moment to look over the hologram’s nude form, "You body artists were quire detailed weren’t they?"

Kip glanced down. "Yes, I suppose they were. Anyway, you want to rip out my eyes?" He waved his hand over his eyes, revealing empty sockets.

"Not rip them out," She said, point to her own eyes to emphasize her point, "Merely cover our more sensitive places," Again, she covered her more sensitive places with her own arms to compliment her words.

"I'm sure I could limit my sensors in quarters. I'm afraid I can't stop some of them, security, but visual and audio feed I can do. For these labs," He looked around "I'll limit them. Just a few vague scans to make sure your not trying to kill or maim me. And yes, I consider the ship part of myself." Kip sighed. "'m feeling a bit overweight actually. Being over a kilometer long makes you feel like that."

"what type of scans are we talking about? I also assume you won’t mind us taking precautions in the lab for our own piece of mind?" She returned her hands to her sides and her eyes to his unique form, "Its long, but not that long," She said, referring to the length of his ‘ship’.

"Depends on the precautions, within reason I don't mind. You value your privacy, I value no-one's, but I think we can get along. And I know I'm not big compared to that Destiny thing. You should her Avatar."

"Well you are already much more than a handful," Harm said before turning to look back at the lab, checking to see if everyone was getting in alright, "May I see the living quarters now?"

"Sure." Kip vanished and then appeared in the hall, clothed now as a museum curator, compensating for his small size. "On your left you will see a metal wall, on your right more of the same. Oh wait, there's a door."

"Artificial personalities are just wonderful, just who programmed you? I’ll be sure to be careful around any more of his creations." Harm said as she stepped up to follow him.

"You know, I never searched my memory banks for him. Ephesus helped design a slight update though. nd here we see an exquisite piece of ceiling. He began to walk down the corridor, his head turned 180o around his neck, to face Harm.

"Perhaps we could move ahead to something that I haven’t already seen?" Harm asked the AI’s face and the AI’s back.

"Of course. See you on the floor with your rooms on them then. It's corridors until then, and since you've seen them, you don't need me to guide you." Kip vanished.

"The word WE means more than one person, and those people would be me and you." Harm said, ~Or maybe people is the wrong word to use~ She thought to herself as she tapped her foot, waiting for some retort from the AI.

"Your obviously royalty and using it to mean I." Kip's disembodied voice rang out. "The lift's down the first corridor. Hit the illuminated button. It'll take you to where you need to go." This was followed by some disembodied humming.

Harm followed the lit path to the lift and pressed the appropriate button. "So what have you run into out here in this cloud?"

"Dust mainly. I destroy rocks before they reach me, and I steer clear of the micro-blackholes. Their was one high-light with some pirates which I destroyed. At least I think they were pirates, certainly weren't speaking any language I could understand. Oh, and their was the run in with the Thaxarians. Not much else really." The humming now consisted of eight complimentary melodies.

"Thaxarians? I’m afraid I haven’t heard of that one before. Would you mind me accessing your databanks and getting some background information on them?" Within a few moments the lift had reached its destination and Harm walked out, waiting for her guide to show her the next step.

"They're a warrior race with inappropriately advanced technology. I'll give you access to some of the information we have, but I'm afraid we're researching they're technology currently, and we need are secrets too. Just follow the humming." The now ten part ostinatobegan to fade down to hall.

Harm got a laugh out of that one, following the sounds, "Hardly one for being subtle now are we?" She asked as she looked around, "About how many people are on this ship? The place seems so empty."

"Not too many. NovaCorp doesn't have a huge number of personnel, so I'm mostly empty. And of course large parts of me have gone to be part of the Destiny. Here." A large florescent arrow appeared in front of a door, connected to a neon light saying "Yep, here."

Harm held out her hand just in front of her body as she walked toward the door in hopes it would open automatically. "Is this room going to be for the entire group? Or just me with other rooms elsewhere in this hallway?" She asked before she walked inside. "And what is the Destiny you keep talking about?"

"It depends how cozy you are. If you want to all be in this room, I'm fine with that, although this corridor is yours." The signs vanished, and where replaced by kip, now wearing a Kimono.

"That is good, Sharing a room is not high on my priority list." Harm walked through the door and looked inside, "What are these rooms equipped with anyways?"

"They have the latest in comfortable mattresses, and showers. They have personalized Gravity generation systems, lighting, hot and cold running water, and a magnificent view."

Harm took a walk around the room, turning on the shower to get a feel for just how hot and cold the water could get, "Its good to be back to civilization again. War showers are a few and far between when traveling on transports, I’m going to have to get some use out of this later." Harm played with the shower settings for a time before going to the bed and laying down in it, "Heh, I guess I shouldn’t be wasting my time here when there is so much more you could be showing me?"

"I don't mind. I have the patience of a saint." A halo of gold appeared above his head "And as the old saying goes, if your happy, I'm happy, and probably plotting something."

"I wonder, just what could you be plotting that involves me on a bed?" Harm got another laugh out of that before looking around, "Just what is the view of? Or do you have real windows?" She asked, looking around for the 'view' it spoke of.

"Yes, right over there". he pointed at a largish window, showing the interior of the cloud "Your lucky actually, most of the cabin's have much smaller windows. And I'm not plotting anything."

Harm got off her bed and took a look outside, "Nothing but nebula," She said to herself, not really expecting a response. "I’ll get a better look at the rooms a bit later. Mind showing me around elsewhere now?" and after a moment of thought she added, "And is there anything I need to know about the crew?"

"I lead you around then. Where would you like to see? The crew are in the mess halls currently, or eating at their homes, you don't need to concern yourself with them currently. Just don't offend anyone unless your willing to fight, dueling is an important part of NovaCorp regulations."

"And we wouldn't want someone as pretty as you to get hurt." Kip smiled widely.

"I'd like to start with the mess halls actually," She said, "And how important is dueling? and is there anything I need to know about it in particular?"

"Your an outsider so you might get immunity. Basically someone goes to their commanding officer and reports and offence, if it is regarded as worthy it goes to be a duel, with the accused deciding on the weapon, he accuser the location. It's usually to first blood, or too submission. The loser’s loss is documented, and they can receive a dock on their salary while the winner's success is noted and pay raised, usually by the same amount. The Mess Hall? Well ig you insist." Kip didn't seem too interested, as he converted into a blond-haired, leather clothed handsome man. "Felt like a change." He explained, flashing a smile to Harm.

"Hmm… well inform whoever needs to be informed that I will take the place of other members of the group if they are accidentally drawn into a duel." Harm looked over his entire new image before asking another question, "something wrong with the mess hall? You sound like it is the most boring place on this ship."

"It's a place to eat, and where a lot of people eat. Not exactly fascinating stuff. But if you want too see it, who am I to tell you any differently? I'll take you too the nearest one." Kip's new form stood to one side of the door, gesturing that Harm should take the lead with a polite bow.

Harm walked past, "Just how many of these mess halls are there on the ship? And do you have any particular taste for the food they serve there?" Harm kept an eye out for some sort of directions on where exactly to head now that she had left the room.

Kip laughed. "I don't eat. Not much in the taste department, although I can cook. There are plenty of mess halls dotted around the place. The officers and some of the crew have their own kitchen's so they don't join. This way." Kip led the way down the corridor, his feet in contact with the floor for once, and apparently solid. He began to whistle a soothing, almost hypnotic tune.

"Not a taste for food, but one for music perhaps. I’m afraid I don’t recognize the tune." In a few moments she had fallen in step beside and slightly behind it.

"I compose." Kip shrugged. "You need something to pass the time. Left here."

She made the turn and asked, "What type of music do you prefer?"

"No real preference. Classical style has the most complexity, while the modern variety is more in your face. A bit from the Romantic period's always good though." He winked.

"Everyone enjoys a bit of romance now and then, but getting in your face can be so much more entertaining." She replied with a grin

He laughed. After a few more steps he stopped at a door, which opened to reveal a large chamber filled with NovaCorp employees bustling around, getting their meals and sitting down to eat them. "You first, I insist."

"I'm starting to think you just enjoy looking at my back," she said as she walked into the mess hall, wiggling her rear teasingly as some females do.

"Maybe a little." He laughed again. "I've altered my current personality a little, you might have noticed, a slightly more .... mature personality."

"I never would have guessed," Harm said as she took a look around the room, taking in the people, places, and things inside.

"Had enough? There isn't exactly much to see unless you getting pangs of hunger."

"Sure, I guess I'll let you pick the next thing I'm going to see," she said.


(two JPs edited together, all characters played by their respective players.)


 Clouded Vision

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 24 May 2005 01:29 pm    Post subject: Clouded Vision

With the tour of the ship finished Harm returned to the labs that had been rented for her and began her task of keeping their secrets secret. "Ok everyone, I get to do my job before you all get to do yours. Head to your rooms and wait there until I finish up." Reluctantly the entirety of the group left within a few minutes so that Harm could work all by herself. She walked through the multitude of crates in the room, her fingers trailing over each descriptive marker placed on the side until she came to a certain label. Her hands turned the dials on either side of the crate and flipped the hatch open, removing a few bulky pieces of machinery. As she shifted around to distribute all of the weight on her left arm, her right began to feel around on the wall with her eyes closed, using the sophisticated scanner to locate any internal sensors that might be present

"What are you doing Harm? It tickles." Kip appeared in his normal form.

"You'll have to forgive me, I don't trust you enough to believe you'll disable your internal sensors on your own initiative." She said as she continued her scans.

"You don't trust me?" Kip had a shocked, hurt expression on his face. Single tear formed in the corner of his eye and swelled to ridiculous proportions.

Harm came across a small audio recorder by following the electricity paths through the wall. She withdrew a small disk shaped tool from the device and placed it against the wall to disable the device by obstructing its power flow, "It is not personal Kip, strictly professional." Harm said as she continued her scans.

Kip grimaced, as if in pain "That ... hurt."

"Oh come on, it won't hurt you that badly... besides if your good for me during this I just might be nicer to you," Harm said as she continued around the walls, placing more and more of the disk like objects to obstruct the power flow to various internal sensors.

Kip's body began to distort, becoming less clear "I can't hear you, can't maintain..." He disappeared.

Harm kept up her work, “Kip, Can you hear me?” she asked out loud repeated times as she continued around the room, twice, and then three times before finally placing the equipment in the center of the room. ~Clamps on~ she thought to the device, activating an energy clamp to hold the device to the floor, even during the worst of jolts from the ship. Harm then turned on the devices dampening fields. While not very effective against smaller, closer devices, it would distort even the best of the ship’s sensors trying to peer into the room. Harm left the labs and headed out into the hallways “I guess I should apologize to Kip,”

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 24 May 2005 02:06 pm    Post subject:

A voice came out of the ventilation system. "That was very rude. And painful. Do you have any idea what your form collapsing feels like?"

Kip did not sound pleased

"I can imagine," Harm said as she walked down the hallway with no particular destination in mind, "Is there some way I could make it up to you?"

"Surprise me." Kip appeared in a puff of smoke, dressed in a dark cowl, and with a baseball cap. He was carrying a quarterstaff for some reason.

"Maybe I'll give you extra sensors in my shower?" She said with a wink, "Like I said that was nothing personal."

"I'm sure. Although it still hurts like a tooth ache. You didn't exactly use subtle methods. The shower idea sounds most intriguing." Kip brought a video recorder into existence with a wave of his hand and a laugh.

"Well now, looks like your quick to find ways to pass your time," Harm said as she tried to pick up the video recorder.

"'tis true. Don't get bored that easy. Playing games of chess and formulating games of chance and working out how to cheat at them takes up a fair amount of my time. That and keeping up with current events, all of them." The camera was solid, but not functioning.

"Ah, remind me to not bet against you then," Harm said, making a turn down a random hallway.

"Don't bet against me." Kip laughed "At least not on this ship, where I control all." He wiggled his fingers spookily "Except that lab of course. Or at least I can't see in it, so anything I did would likely blow the place up."

"Well, please don't blow anything up. I'm sure you'll be just as disappointed with an explosion in there as me," Harm said, coming to a conclusion to head to her room and making a turn in the right direction.

Kip appeared to have to think about that, worryingly "I suppose. Although explosions are always fun. That lab is sophisticated though, so I probably won't. You might want to note that I still control the air recycling systems, and thus the atmosphere of the room though." Kip created a oversized d20 dice that began to spin at great speed in his hand.

"The worst you could do is send in nanomachines to spy on us. I'm not to particularly worried about that," Harm said as she stepped into the lift.

"Worst? Oh now your challenging me. I could easily use goo, or replace the oxygen with sulpher dioxide, or worst of all make it 20% helium." Kip rolled the dice in mid air coming up with 23.

"So are you anything like your programmer?" Harm asked.

"No. Did some research. He's a Neek. I'm not. I'm a bit more like Ephesus really. Trying to work out why." Kip broke the dice into 23 one sided dice.

"Well I would say dropped on your heads as children but for you that really isn't a possibility," Harm said as the lift closed its doors and moved down to the crew quarters

"Could have happened to Ephesus. No-one knows what happened in his childhood though. It's part of his charm." Kip conjured up a picture of Ephesus

Harm committed the picture to memory, "ah, attracted to the dark and mysterious type are we?"

"Somewhat. And the light and innocent. I'm not choosy of the type, just the person. Ephesus is a fine guy though. Brilliant you know." Kip had a faraway look in his eyes "Things have become less interesting now he's gone."

"So where did he go then?" Harm asked, "I might just have to look him up sometime."

"He's moved to the Destiny, along with most of the other interesting people." Kip sighed "I'm getting lonely with the lack of notable characters. That's partially why I'm paying so much interest in your group ... and you of course." Kip took a sad smile.

"Scientists should really stay in their labs," Harm commented rather matter-of-factly, ".... I guess I should be flattered by you taking so great in interest in us even though that makes my job a bit harder and more interesting."

"Job's should be interesting. Mine is, so many little people scurrying around, each one so tiny, so insignificant, so defenseless ..." Kip's voice faded away "In any case, if you could find me a hard job I'd be grateful, and pleased to help you."

"You really should never say how hard you are," Harm said, "Surprise is half the fun of things."

"Moi? I'm as hard as nails!" He transformed himself into a figure made out of what appeared to be fluidic steel.

Harm got a laugh out of that one. "So what are you made of anyways? Not your body... your mind?"

"Thoughts, emotions, fundamental buildings blocks and concepts, hyper-dense nano-etched circuitry, the works. What's YOUR mind made of?"

"Stuff... Can't say what it is really made of if I don't know." Harm said.

"And yet you expect me to know mine? Interesting." Kip turned into a giant floating brain with a mouth "This might be similar to yours though."

"Just curious, I've never met a completely artificial computer that behaves like you," She said

"I'm unique. Now try this for size" Kip turned himself into a perfect copy of Harm, down to her voice. Giving a whirl he/she said "What do you think?"

"It has been a long time sense I've been impressed by an assembler trick." Harm said, "Besides, you make my butt look big."

"No it's accurate." Kip looked at his/her butt "You just happen to have a nice arse."

That got a laugh out of Harm, "So just how accurate?" She asked, unable to resist feeling the stomach and chest of her alternate self.

"Perfect." He/she purred "My scans are total here, and allow to recreate you with complete accuracy."

"Never make a detailed scan of me," She said in all seriousness, withdrawing her hands.

"Fine." Kip reverted to his ordinary form. "Your objection to scanning has been noted, registered, and detailed scans will not be made." His tone was almost machine like, his body lacking emotion.

Harm retained a serious posture for a few more moments before a smile returned to her face, "Sorry, its just that my insides are a bit sensitive."

"Alright. I deleted all memory of such scans." Kip relaxed, a soft smile dancing over his mouth and eyes. "I understand that sensitivity can cause pain."

"Well being sensitive isn't always bad," She said

"I'm sure." He smirked slightly.

"Speaking of sensitivity, just how sensitive are you? This may be a bit personal but how many functions of life can you imitate?" Harm asked as she neared her room.

: "With these projections I can 'imitate' pretty much anything. Sweat, heart-beat, breathing. Everything your genuine organic can do, and more."

"interesting, So do others get the same kind of treatment as me? or am I the only one who will listen to you for this long?"

"I can produce multiple versions of myself, all over the ship, but your the most interesting person in your group, so your getting the special treatment." Kip smiled gently

Harm nodded, "If you say so. The rest of us should be arriving shortly."

"I'll keep a few thousand eye's out then." Kip developed a third eye in his forehead.

"Well it has been fun, but I need to get some sleep." Harm said, "We've got a long day tomorrow."

"Right. Good night then Harm. Sweet dreams." Kip smiled happily and disappeared in a column of light.



Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 01:39 pm    Post subject: Flowers for Harm  	

Kip straightened his tie. He was in his usual form, buying into the idea that appearances meant little, but was dressed in a dinner suit, with a bowler hat slightly lopsided on his head. In his hand he carried a large bouquet of roses, real ones which he had picked himself from one of the Horizon's parks. He felt nervous, which was a wonderful experience. It was a rare thing for him to feel nervous, and he valued it intensely.

He took a deep synthetic breath, and felt his synthetic breath speed up. He knocked on the metallic door of Harm's quarters, calculating the perfect strength to get the noise across without being annoying. He could have used the com system, but he felt it lacked the human touch. His heart skipped a beat.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 02:01 pm    Post subject:

Harm grabbed a hold of one of the pillows strewn about on her bed as a light rapping came a tapping on her chamber door. A blissful look on her face showed just how much she was enjoying her nap as she considered bringing the pillow back to her head and sleeping a bit longer but alas this might be related to her job and that, for the moment, was more important that her personal comfort. “One moment, I’ll be right there.’ She said as she slid out of her covers and off the bed.

“Oh, hello kip… flowers?” She asked, slightly confused by his manor of dress and suddenly feeling a bit more exposed than she should as she was only clothed in a overly large sleeping shirt, that clung to her front, and a pair of black panties.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 02:10 pm    Post subject:

"Yes flowers, Roses actualy. Good afternoon Harm, you look wonderfull this evening. Have I disturbed you?" He felt a sinking feeling, from the look of the room and Harm he had disturbed her rest. Damn. Harm did look wonderfull though, her jet black hair cascading down her face, long at the back, and with two bangs enclosing her face like a heart. He let out a mental sigh.

"If you would rather I left ..." He hoped she wouldn't turn him away.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 02:13 pm    Post subject:

Harm smiled, suppressing a small laugh at Kip’s expense. “It seems silly to come here and ,once you have me, to leave. What did you want to talk about?” With that she stepped back from the doorway to allow him entry into her quarters.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 02:19 pm

Kip mentally let out a deep sigh of relief. A gentle smile spread across his lips.

"Well it apears, looking back on our conversations, that I have spoken a lot about myself, and you have not spoken much about yourself. I have come to the conclusion your a reasonably private person, but I would like to know more of you, if you are willing."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 02:24 pm

Harm retreated into her room a ways, walking around the few duffle bags on the floor that held her stuff. “So…” She asked as she sat down on the edge of her bed, sweeping a few pillows aside to make room for her as she leaned back slightly, “are we talking business or am I being asked out.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 02:30 pm 

"Not buisness certainly, a date I'm sure could be aranged." His eyes glazed over for an instant as he arranged a seat for two at a rather nice restraunt, which served wonderfull pasta. "How about a meal with the best plate of pasta in three light-years? My treat of course. There we can discuss everything and anything." His eyes sparkled.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 02:36 pm

“So when is this date going to be?” Harm asked, crossing her legs, “and your not promising much in the way of pasta… there isn’t anything for three light years in any direction.” Her lips curled into a soft smile as she waited for a response.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 02:39 pm

"When? I can arrange it any time," Kip made a show of looking at a watch he drew from his breast pocke "although I am free now. Do you have anything planned?" Kip was feeling a little daft standing holding the huge bouquet of flowers. He took a step inside, closing the door behind him.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 02:44 pm 

“I have about an hour left until the group’s dinner break officially ends and they start trickling back into the lab.” Harm said as she stood up and headed toward the restroom attached to her room, striping off her shirt as she entered, “So if we go now, we should have more than enough time to eat.” It only took her moments to get inside of her black body suit and detach the 02 mask hooked into its back.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 03:03 pm

"Nice suit." Kip held any comments aside, although the suit did raise some intresting questions "Come along then."

He led the way down the hall at a brisk pace and stopped at one of the transportation modules.

"Ladies first." He grinned, and gestured to the door, which he oponed.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 03:07 pm

“I hope you don’t expect to talk about everything, but anything is definitely something you can ask about,” Harm said as she followed and stepped through the door. “So can you taste pasta and get the same enjoyment out of it as an organic?”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 03:37 pm

"In this form yes. I have spent special attention on this form, and it is perfect, down to the neurons on my tongue. Thus I can taste just as you can, if not better. I look forward to it actually, I haven't eaten before." Kip silently directed the transport at the destination closest the restraunt, re-directing several other transports for a faster journey. By the end of his sentance they had reached the destination, and the doors slid silently open.

"You first, I insist." Kip made a half bowing, gesturing motion. This was going as well as his most reasonable predictions had foretold, his more ecentric ones, while fun to simulate in his mind, where unlikely to happen. He realized he wasn't exactly a lovable thing, he wasn't even a organism. He brought himself back from that thought, he felt depresion was a comfort he couldn't indulge in.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 04:11 pm

“Well then it is good to know I won’t be the only one trying to enjoy the food.” As she walked out of the door her hips wiggled back and forth like a fem-fatal out of an old spy movie. “Well if the food is as good as you say then I’ll have to tell the rest of the group about them.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 04:19 pm 

Kip shrugged "It's quite exspensive, I wouldn't know if your sponsors are willing for you spend good money on food. It is worth it though. It's a place that Emrys Industries set up. I happen to know Seru so I allowed it. And here it is." He gestured at a very nice looking restraunt, with table adorned with white linen, candles, and one table on the balcony a story above them, with a single red rose resting in a vase.

"And that's our table." Kip grinned and manipulated the AG so that he and Harm floated up the balcony.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 04:27 pm 

Harm extended her feet to get a feel for the ground as she touched down, “Well, indulging oneself is a necessity sometimes,” She said as she walked over to a chair, but pausing instead of sitting down, “So who is this Seru?” She asked as her right hand held her left arm just above the wrist.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 04:34 pm

Kip sat down. "Seru Emrys is the head of Emrys industries. He's a nice guy really, viciously intelligant. He's the head of the Emrys clan that recently established Emrys Industries, which is now growing at an amazing rate. His son was actualy here for a while." He looked over at the waiter "Garcon." He called.

The waiter came over "Will madame and monsier order."

"Thank you, I'll have the Spaggeti Bolonese. Would you like more time Harm?"

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 04:36 pm

“I’ll have the same, with an iced tea.” Harm responded, “for the time being I’ll trust your judgment. Emrys industries, it is a company that specializes in foods and whatnot then?”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 04:44 pm

"Not really. They sell a power suit for police, a powered truncheon, several grenades, they run a form of armoured taxi surface on Nepleslia, and they have now gone into the food industry, and quite succesfly too. I hear they might be going into education next."

The waiter came with a bottle of wine "I had this put on ice. It's a rather nice vintage actualy." He offered the bottle to Harm.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 04:48 pm 

“Ah, another one of those omni corporations that do a bit of everything. Education should be a rather interesting field to go into. I don’t imagine much of a demand for that here.” She picked up the napkin on the table and folded it into her lap. “I haven’t heard of that specific type before… but then again this place’s wine list is something I’ve never studied to closely. If the taste is reflective of the age then we should be in for a treat.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 04:52 pm

"They make the food by hand here, so we have some time to talk." Kip leant forward, his elbows on the table "So tell me about yourself, or at least as much as your willing to tell." His face was strangely illuminated by the flickering candle.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:00 pm

“Well then we will probably have to find another topic to talk about otherwise there will be in the middle of an awkward silence by the time our food arrives.” Harm said with a slight chuckle as she folded her hands in her lap, “I’m afraid you know more than I was originally willing to let you. For the moment at least I’m in charge of a small research group that has come to this place to conduct some more of the sensitive RnD that can’t be done elsewhere for a variety of reasons. My existence before that is something I’d rather leave off the record.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:05 pm  

Kip laughed. "And I am of course a record. Well then my mysterious beauty, leaving the anethema of your past, some questions abour yourself. So what do you like? Dislike? Favourite color?" His eyes dazzled with some hidden humour.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:09 pm

“A good game, loosing, and that last one is a toss up between black, white, and dark green… So that is 3 out of 20, any more you have for right now?” She asked.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:23 pm

Kip's mind worked through all the possible questions he could ask, smiling more.

"Alright then. What's your favourite animal? Do you prefer cat's or dogs? What's your favourite food? Drink? Drug? Do you have any tatoos? Piercings? What is your favourite feature of your body? What is your least favourite feature of your body? What do look for in men? What do you look for in women? What do you look for in a freind? Do you prefer organoids or artificial life? Brain or brawn? Does size matter? What type of music do you like? Do you believe in love at first sight? Does love exist or is there only lust? I went one over." Kip shrugged.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:32 pm

“I don’t really like animals but if I had to choose I guess I’d go with pussy cats. My favorite food is definitely ice cream if that counts. Drugs don’t work on me, or at least none of the ones I have come across. I do enjoy body art but I don’t have any on me, at least not yet. The same goes with piercing, I don’t even have my ears pierced yet!” She chuckled a bit and then continued. “My favorite feature of my body is definitely my legs, they are so smooth and firm, plus get me from point A to point B. Least favorite is… well there are specific internal organs I dislike. No particular one. In men, I like them to be there for me. Someone you can lean against so to say. In women, they just have to be fun to be around. A friend… I don’t know I don’t really have any. Artificial life, Neither, I prefer finesse. Size DEFFININTLY matters. I haven’t listened to music in a long while but if I had to pick it would be alternative rock or something along those lines. I can accept love at first sight. Love is a fairy tail,” She then chuckled, “I didn’t answer my least favorite part so I’ll count that as 21 and leave it un answered.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:36 pm

"So now I finally get to know you. One last question then, are you enjoying your wine?" Kip leaned back, he really enjoyed being with Harm, she had a a form of charm he was susceptible to, and was fun to be around, at least for him. "The food should be arriving soon. Do you have any questions for little old me?"

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:39 pm

She swirled the wine, and checked it for settling particles, then took a sip. “Yes,”

She put the glass down on the table along with her elbows as she leaned forward, “Have you ever killed someone?”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:42 pm

"Yes." His eyes went flat "A pirate ship. I controlled the particle cannon that destroyed it, and all of the 30 people on board. Unfortunatly I had an open radio link with them and heard them die, slowly actualy. Wasn't the best day of my life." He looked up, "But it is something I should accept, I have killed, I will kill again if anyone attacks me. It's a fact of life."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:43 pm

“So you’ve never killed someone you’ve known then. What is your favorite thing to do?” Harm asked

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:47 pm

"No, no-one I've known. Although I have researched everything I could about the identities of those pirates." His face lit up "My favourite thing to do? Well there are now too: simulating things, seeing how things would turn out if things where a little different, which is wonderful if you have capacity, which I do. My second is hanging around with you." Kip laughed.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:49 pm

“Careful, flattery will get you everywhere,” Harm said, leaning back in her chair, “Sounds like you don’t get out much. What is your position inside of Novacorp? And what position do you prefer?”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:53 pm

"I can't really get out much, in all ways that matter I am the ship." Kip laughed "As for position, I don't know really, it never came up. The highest rank in NovaCorp is director, so I suppose I'm around there. They ask me for advice, and I decide what happens while there on me. My position depends on how much respect I give to the directors, for example in my eyes Ephesus was a higher rank than are Research director, and at my level. Our director isn't."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:55 pm

“So your not one with much respect for the chain of command, that is understandable. What do you think about the Yamatai government?” She asked.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 05:59 pm 

"Reasonable. Justice is relative of course, relative to who you are, what you do, and who you know, but all in all it's a good enough system. There's certain ineqaulities between planets, but then you'd have to expect this. According to my simulations, most other systems would lead to a much worse mess, and the ones that don't are highly unlikley to come arond." Kip looked thoughtful, "I do not make black and white judgments, that's too easy, I analyse and come up with theories and hyphothesis. I'm looking foward to making my first decision on an abstract matter someday."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:02 pm

“Not much on political science are we?” Harm asked, “ Ok then, what is your preference in men, women, and friends?”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:09 pm

"I have no direct preferance over men and women as freinds. My orientation is a case of choice, and if I decide I no longer want to find something irratable, I make it so. I do not have many freinds. I had a good relationship with Tanjo and Ephesus, but they're gone. I have some other's but not many. No women actualy, coincedence I assure you. My tastes in people is likewise variable, I can see the advantages and disadvantages of each personality, and embrace each fully. What I really like is a mysterious persona." He laughed "And combined with your intelligance, personality and beauty, that's what intrests me in you."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:13 pm

“Well then I’m going to have to keep you in the dark for as long as possible, after all a mystery is no fun when you know the end. Hmm… so what has Ephesus designed that has made him so popular with you and novacorp?” Harm asked.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:17 pm

"Ephesus? Well he's the motivational force behind everything. He developed Xasers, Arachni Drones, Carbon-ring, Perfect-Iron, Perfect-diamond, several toxins that aren't on general relesase, the assistant androids, the veil, and of course the Destiny. And then there's the stuff that he designs but doesn't give to us. I think he keeps the best stuff for himself."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:18 pm

"The viel?" She asked curiously.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:21 pm

"It's a personal shield generator. Ephesus is very unhappy with it, and so hasn't improved it for a long time which is why it's stuck in a rather lmited form. It's capable of taking 5 megawatts every 5 seconds, and has enough power for 2.5 hours of constant use. It apears to have some side effects though, rashes, that sort of thing."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:24 pm

“Ah, the name made it sound like something else,” Harm said, “For my final question for right now, How much longer till the food gets here,” With that she broke out into laughter.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:26 pm

"It's is here madam." A waiter came out from behind a pillar carrying two trays, one with there pasta, the other with Harm's drink. The waiter laid out the meals and left again.

"Dig in." Kip instantly began to eat his food with furvour. "Oh God, this is amazing. How can you live with such wonderfull food?"

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:33 pm

“I believe the saying is how can you live without it?” Harm corrected as she took a sip from her tea to clear her taste buds before ‘digging in’, occasionally taking sips of wine and tea as needed. “Ya, eating is great, but at least you don’t have to keep eating constantly to maintain your existence.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:34 pm

"This is true. That's why I am happy being a simple AI." Kip managed a seated bow, no mean feat. "How's your meal?"

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Jun

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:37 pm

“Much better than the stuff I had on the way here. THAT was no fun… but then again I guess I am a little spoiled.” Harm said. “So… can you leave this place? The ship I mean, not this cloud.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:39 pm 

"Not easily. My mind is here, imbeded in this ship. It's not actualy that large thanks to the whole hyper-dense thing, but it would still be a bugger to move around. I could lessen my capacity to only that of 50 times that of a human and put it in an avatar easily though. Then I could move around."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:40 pm

“So you are slightly independent then. How do you feel about life? Do you envy it?” She asked in-between bites.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:42 pm

Kip sat back and thought. "Yes and no. I envy mortality, the rush it must give to every day life. I envy your lack of power. As for life, I can mimic most of it here. This body for example, is for all intents and purposes and living, breathing, fully correct human male."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:43 pm

"even repoduction and growth?" she asked.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:46 pm

"It depends what you mean. I can mimic growth, and grow through a way that would resemble organic, moving the right parts of synthetic materials around. As for reproduction, I could easily create replica's of myself, biologicly, with this body, I could have sex, but the fusion between my synthetic self and the other persons real eggs would not work. I am sterile." Kip laughed again, bitterly. "I'm considering making an organic avatar, just to feel what it's like."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:48 pm

So your not truely alive then," Harm said, "I can relate..." Her gaze went down to her plate as she halfheartedly stabed her fork into her food.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:49 pm

"Another thing we have in common then." Kip said half heartadly "And no I'm not alive, I don't even have a soul. I'm a demon according to some faiths."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:53 pm

Feeling like your just some piece of software that mimics the actions of something that’s alive… That raises questions of fate and destiny, can those exist if you lack a soul? Do you really have free will or simply programmed to ife, I can mimic most of it here. This body for example, is for all intents and purposes and living, breathing, fully correct human male."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:43 pm

"even repoduction and growth?" she asked.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:46 pm

"It depends what you mean. I can mimic growth, and grow through a way that would resemble organic, moving the right parts of synthetic materials around. As for reproduction, I could easily create replica's of myself, biologicly, with this body, I could have sex, but the fusion between my synthetic self and the other persons real eggs would not work. I am sterile." Kip laughed again, bitterly. "I'm considering making an organic avatar, just to feel what it's like."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:48 pm

So your not truely alive then," Harm said, "I can relate..." Her gaze went down to her plate as she halfheartedly stabed her fork into her food.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:49 pm

"Another thing we have in common then." Kip said half heartadly "And no I'm not alive, I don't even have a soul. I'm a demon according to some faiths."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 06:53 pm

Feeling like your just some piece of software that mimics the actions of something that’s alive… That raises questions of fate and destiny, can those exist if you lack a soul? Do you really have free will or simply programmed to imitate it?” She paused for a moment, “Perhaps we shouldn’t go there, talking about souls opens a Pandora’s box of what ifs…”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 30 May 2005 07:05 pm

"Your right, going there is definitely not a good idea, or at least not here. However it is interesting to be with someone that can understand some of what I feel." He sighed "You know, I keep surveillance on everyone in this ship constantly, thousands of people, and yet I feel lonely. Why do you think I behave the way I do usually? Certainly eccentricity comes into it, plain and simple, but equally, it is an attempt to escape the feeling that I'm all alone. You see I'm not like other AI's, I act, even think differently, talking to androids is fun, but they aren't on my level on intellectual speed and capacity." For a moment his eyes where desolate of life, before regaining there sparkle, "But I'm sure we can at least give each other the illusion of life. Oh waiter!" Kip had finished his meal, and quickly paid the waiter using a card he materialised out of no-where. "That was not cheap."

He sat down and patiently waited for Harm to finish her meal, his eyes never straying from her face, and a gentle smile dancing upon his lips. Being around her made him feel alive.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 30 May 2005 07:27 pm

“Your watching them, but they aren’t watching you. You talk with them, but they are not your friends, just subordinates. There is a saying, ‘it is lonely at the top’. Sounds like what you need is another ship to talk to.” She sat her form on top of the plate along with her napkin, “Thank you for the good food and company… but it is almost time for me to head back to the lab.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 31 May 2005 03:36 am

"Well if duty calls..." Kip waved his hand aimlessly "Then who am I to stand in the way. I have really enjoyed tonight Harm, I hope we can do it again someday. Mint?" He offered out a small plate of round mints that came with then bill, which he had hidden instantly. He had already eaten three.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 31 May 2005 10:43 am

“Work can be a cruel mistress sometimes.” Harm said as she tossed one of the mints into her mouth and got ready to leave, “Next time I’ll have to wear something other than this, I feel so underdressed here.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 31 May 2005 10:54 am

Kip smiled "Buy into my philosophy: it doesn't matter what people think of you, unless you think something of them. And I'm sure a lot of people here would like to see you more underdressed." He laughed cheerfully.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 31 May 2005 10:57 am

“Well unfortunately not all of them will be so lucky. And besides, I enjoy looking nice sometimes,” She said as she stood to leave.

Wes, OOC wrote:
So, she doesn't look nice when she's minimally dressed? :P

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 31 May 2005 01:35 pm

"Well at least let me escort you to the lab's. I know all the short cuts, and can speed your journey up considerable. And of course you'll be receiving the advantages of my warm and charming pursonality." Kip made a half bow, popped three mints into his mouth and waited for Harm's reply, plotting the fastest way too get to the lab.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 31 May 2005 02:40 pm

She walked over to him and put one of her arms around his, “lead on,” She said, “After all, you know the way.”

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 31 May 2005 03:13 pm

Kip laughed "Like the back of my hand." Strangely not converting his hand into a map, he simply created a three dimensional map in his palm, before clenching his fist. "This way." He began to walk briskly the way they came towards the transport module, through mid air of the balcony. "Coming?" He said, turning to Harm, "It's quite safe."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 31 May 2005 03:29 pm

She followed, unphased by gravity tricks. "I've seen many tricks of that kind, Ever seen a place with perspective gravity?"

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 31 May 2005 05:04 pm

"Simulated it. It would create chaos in this enviroment, unfortunatly. I did reverse the gravity in several sections, but several people got injured." They reached the transport module, and Kip oponed the door "You first, I insist."

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 31 May 2005 05:29 pm

She got in, "Well, it helps if you tell them your going to reverse gravity before you do it."

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 31 May 2005 06:14 pm

Kip thought about this "I suppose that could have improved the matter. Although the look on their faces was pretty hilarious. Another fun thing to do is to play music at a frequency lower than the human ear can hear in people's room when they try and sleep. It effects their psyche in unpredictable ways. I only do that to people who have annoyed me however, and then not for long, I'm not a sadist. Well not much of one. We're here." The doors of the transport slid open silently, and as usualy Kip motioned for Harm to go first.

Uso Tasuki
Ittô Juni

Posted: 31 May 2005 06:15 pm

“I’m going to have to be careful when I sleep,” Harm said as she walked to the doors of the lab just as one of the other members of the group arrived and entered.

Zakalwe
Shôshô

Posted: 31 May 2005 06:19 pm

"Well goodbye Harm, from here on I can not follow you." He said lamentf