Zzzzzz
Mar 15, 2004, 08:47 PM
Making it easier for me to find and you to read, I "reprinted" Different Viewpoints 1-4 because this is going to be the thread where I submit my DV shorts from now on.
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Waiting for the End
I stood there. Home. That's what I called this place for several years. Ragol is a much better place then the Pioneer. The Pioneer had no life on it. Sure, it had people and pets, but it was all metallic. Ragol has grass, trees, wild animals, rivers... it is flourishing with life.
I turned and saw some people laughing and smiling. They must have gotten the news. Not just any news. The News. "The fools," I whispered. They didn't know what is going to happen. Yeah, it'll come. I saw how much time we have left. After all, I am one of the best scientists. I have access to certain places they don't. They think today will be a good day. They think today will be a day to remember. They think today will be a joyous day.
"Honey?"
I turned around and saw my newman wife.
"Is anything wrong? You look upset. Is it because you weren't able to stop them from continuing The Project?"
Ah. The Project. I forgot about that.
"No, dear, I've gotten over it."
"You can always try tomorrow."
I stood there, and stared. She looked surprised. Then I looked at the clock. "Kiss me," I said in a sad voice. She eased up and walked towards me. I embraced her, then, as we were about to kiss...
"Wait," I told her.
"For what?"
"The perfect moment."
She smiled.
"Like when we first met?"
"Exactly."
We just stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. Finally, when I noticed the time, I said "Now." We kissed. For a long time. Then I noticed the communication beams. But that wasn't what I was looking for. A blue light appeared.
"Eric? What the-" She let go to stare. I didn't want it to end like this. Quickly, I grabbed her, and pressed her lips against mine. The fools were right. Today would be a good day...to die.
The blue light hit us. And there was nothing left.
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Why Do We Hope?
My heart was beating fast. My eyes were so full of joy. My fingers were typing fast on the keyboard. I was writing this memorable day in my journal. It read:
LOG ENTRY #1851
Although some people may not consider this day an important day, I do. Today is the day before we meet Pioneer 1 on Ragol. I feel overjoyed. I don't know how people can go to work today. They act as if today is a normal day, as if today has no meaning. But today, a few years ago, was when Pioneer 1 lifted off to explore the universe. I remember myself back then. I was what some people considered "a caring father but a lazy one." I couldn't afford money to support the family, so my brother, who was a scientist, offered to take my family. He said he can bring with him three people and his family. After much debate, my wife and I decided that it be better if she and the kids went, and I stay here and go on Pioneer 2. "Pioneer 2 would have much more job offers" she told me, and that's what made us decide. After having my brother swear that he will not neglect my family, I watched them go. Now, today, I have a great job. I'm a hunter, a merchant, a mfgefdmbfder of BlPr...
My hands were shaking. Horribly. It was getting harder for me to type. When I did finish, I ran a spell check to correct the many spelling errors I made. The first one to show up was this.
"mfgefdmbfder is a misspelled word. Would you like to change it to:
Mefger
Fed Feb
Ged
member
More..."
I thought about it. I hit the "come back to me after I correct the others" button, then corrected them all. Then I came back to the first one. I thought about it long and hard. Should I say I'm a member of the BlPr? If the military or my wife reads it (and she will), it may send me to prison, the Fortitude, or worse, ruin my image to my wife and children. But would my wife understand? That I'm sacrificing it all just for them? Then I realized the promise I told myself when I stared my journal...
"I promise I will tell nothing but the whole truth in my entries, so that, when I pass my journal over to them, my children and grandchildren will know what life they're father and grandfather lived."
I clicked on "member," then closed my journal. They'll understand. They'll have to.
************************************************** ***
Today is that day. I can just imaging it. When we will land there will thousands of people. They'll be smiling, laughing, maybe even eating. But I will stand and look for my family and my brother. Then I'll tell her, and quit my highest paying job, and tell the military about BlPr. Sure, I'll might get arrested, but the penalty will slacking, especially since I have not killed anyone in my lifetime. After that, we will live happily ever after.
************************************************** ***
It is just 1 more minute till we get there. Man, this has to be the happiest day of my life. I watched through the window. Ragol looks like a peaceful place..... and the communication beam went out and reached Pioneer 1. Then..... I saw a big explosion on Ragol. I was worried. Like yesterday, my heart was beating fast. My hands were clutched so tight, my knuckles turned white.
"This can't be... happening..."
I turned and watched the telecast. Everyone were watching it, with dread in their eyes and anger in there hearts as the giant screen showed the surprise of the news caster. Then they showed it over...and over... and over again while trying to figure out what went wrong. I went to my house and watched it from there. Then, after 45 minutes, they showed the news caster on TV, and she was shaking badly. "I, I, I'm Nol Rin, Rin, Rinale to briiiiiiiiiiiiing you brea, brea, breaking news. The, the explosion has caused a, a, all lifeforms near the, the b,b,b,base of Pio, Poineer Un to disappear as, as, as if they were...... dead."
The news caster started crying. Because I had risked everything, lost it all and whatever relatives I had left, I started crying too.
************************************************** ***
A few weeks later...
A police hovercar pulled up to house #1934. Three policemen and a HUnewearl got out. "Okay people," said one of the policemen, obviously the commanding officer. "It is said that this man is a member of the Black Paper, so be very cautious. We don't know what we're up against." After a few "Yes sir," the pack advanced towards the house. The commanding officer counted down to three, then they knocked down the door.
"Freeze!"
"The man seems to be asleep in chair, sir."
"I knew that!"
The HUnewearl stepped towards the man when, all of a sudden, he fell to the floor, blood gushing out from his wrist and head. Everyone jumped and the HUnewearl went to check his body.
"He's dead, sir. But there's a word drawn in blood by his chair."
"What does it say?"
"It says "BeTrAyEr."
"Sir! Look at this!"
Everyone walked over to where the policeman who shouted was, who was by a journal.
"Well, what's on it?"
"It's blood, sir and... I think it's spelled out!"
"What does it say?"
"..."
"Say it, that's an order!"
"It says "Why do we hope, if we are willing to aid the side of evil?"
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I Ran, They Died. Can I Live With That?
I kept running. I told them, I told my friends. I can still hear their screams. My friends just died, just like that. All four of them were just ripped apart by a tall black and red HUcast. I eventually stopped in a room covered with bodies of other hunters and hid in the shadows to catch my breath. I didn?t care to examine them right now, nor will I later. Usually my friends and I would bury the body of a dead hunter that wasn't found or no one cared to bury.
Then it just hit me.
My friends actually died.
I was the only survivor of the group, The Noble Hunters.
And no matter how many moon atomizers I could use, it wouldn't bring them back.
I shook my fist as tears started to form. Me, known as the emotionless blue suited HUmar, started to cry. Why did they die? Black Paper? Was it their fault? I shook my head as if to nod "no." It wouldn't be them, despite the fact we know who the leader is.
Mome. That coward. Could it be personal vengeance? Because we arrest as many Black Paper operatives as he recruits? Was that it? I thought about it for a moment.
I sat down, and held my head in my hands.
After a few minutes, I received a BEE message.
It was from Tyrell. I opened it, and it read:
"Noble Hunters, I ask of you to help us again. The androids are going berserk! They are killing people left and right while saying "Must kill." Come back to Pioneer 2 at once!"
When I finished reading the message, I recalled my friends last stand. The HUcast just kept saying "Must kill" while ripping them apart.
So... that was it. A virus. A VIRUS IS WHAT KILLED MY FRIENDS!
I pounded both my fists to the wall, and screamed in agony. After all we've been, through, all the medals we've earned, it didn't matter to that 'droid. It wasn't even it's fault is the irony.
I kept pounding and pounding, until until I heard a rumbling. It was coming from the other room. Instincts kicked in, and I raced for the nearest door. I saw a Racaseal holding a body, about to be crushed by the landslide. I headed towards her, but it was too late. The rocks fell I watched the dust clear, and saw nothing but the pile of rocks.
I realized that there was nothing I could do here, so I returned to Pioneer 2.
*********************************************
I was busy from then on. Everywhere I turned, some one was in trouble. I saved most of them, but some were unfortunate. The time I had free was spent with my friends screams echoing in my head, and me wondering why I didn't die with them. I kept fighting and fighting, until I noticed A small group that consisted of a black giant RAcast, a HUnewearl and a black HUcast. What made them stand out was that the 'droids were perfectly normally. Well, except the HUcast was arguing with the HUnewearl. After I heard a remark from the HUnewearl that sounded like "I hope something drops on you!" that was exactly what happened and a giant RAcast fell on him. The black RAcast caught a FOnewm, put him down, and lifted the other RAcast to check on his friend. The HUcast stood up, clutched him by the throat and threw him at the wall. The HUcast then turned to his other comrades and began to cast Pilla. I knew I had to do something. Fast. I pulled out my sniper and shot him in the back, but he didn't seem to have felt it. "Darn," I muttered under my breath, and watched with horror as Pilla attacked them. They managed to move out of the way, and I attacked again as he was about to strike them with his Dragon Slayer. This time, he felt it, but that was because the black RAcast attacked too. He turned around and headed for the RAcast, and and his comrades ran away. I watched the fight, hoping they would kill each.
After that HUcast killed my friends, I had no respect for 'droids.
************************************************** ******
The RAcast laid on the ground, oil spilling out, and the HUcast ran away, searching for more victims. I came up to the RAcast, and aimed my sniper at his head to end his misery. But before I was about to pull the trigger, he said:
"I ain't dead yet."
I stopped and listened as he repeated those words over and over again.
"I ain't dead yet."
I left him alone, and ran for the nearest teleporter, knowing what I should have done.
************************************************** *******
I found him at last. The HUcast that killed my friends. He had a wounded HUmar in a corner, ready to kill him like my friends. I pulled out my dagger, and threw it at him, hoping to catch his attention. It cut a good inch through his armor, and he turned around and left the man alone. He pulled it out and threw it back at me, but I narrowly dodged it. I looked back up to see what he would do next.
He was coming for me.
"Let's fight, you ugly walking tin can."
"MuST KilL..."
"Not if I kill you first!"
I pulled out my sniper and kept shooting, the photon bullets just bouncing off.
Finally, he got close enough that I knocked him in the head with the butt of my rifle. No effect. He grabbed me by the neck, lifted me off the ground and began to crush my neck. With one last breath, I pressed a button on my BEE mailer and said "I'm coming, my friends. Wait for meeeeee...*
************************************************** ****
Irene walked into the Principal's place.
"Sir? This message is for you."
"Can't you see-"
"It's from you're nephew."
"The Noble Hunters? What is it?"
"They're...dead."
The Principal began to cry softly.
************************************************** *****
A woman approached Mome.
"Sir?"
"Yes,Iris?"
"We've got good news."
"What?"
"The Noble Hunters are dead, sir."
There was nothing but uneasy silence in the room.
"Isn't that good news, sir?"
Mome looked at his cat and he remembered the good memories he had fighting these hunters. "It is unfortunate that they are dead," he spoke in a tone that sounded slightly sad. He looked at a picture on his desk. It showed him and The Noble Hunters posing in front of a restaurant. People thought he quit because he was too cowardly. But only The Noble Hunters knew. Now that they're dead, his secret is safe now. They did present a unique challenge through the years.
"We will miss them." (http://www.jhepple.com/Patriot/Taps.wma)
************************************************** ****
In the very darkened room the six Generals sat around the circular table facing each other, each one hoping that it would be another that would be the first to speak.
It was General Sophos who eventually broke the silence.
"It is 50 Beats to the deadline yet Tyrell wants us to do nothing more than sit on the frontline and twiddle our thumbs!" He raged.
General Mcafee was quick to counter. "We all have seen the reports of chaos within the Guild on the Holocasts but I think it is prudent to see if the Hunters can resolve their own..."
"Hunters? Bah!" Interrupted General Symantec. "We have suffered for millenia as undisciplined civilians took weapons and matters into their own hands under the banner of being hunters."
"General Symantec is right..." Interjected General Norton. "The way I see it, this could be our opportunity to rid ourselves of them once and for all."
"Tyrell will never allow us to take such an action." Replied Mcafee.
"Tyrell is a hunter sympathiser. His own daughter and is lost in the Ruins on the surface somewhere. His nephew and the group, the so-called "Noble Hunters" are dead. It is clear that he is stalling and this put ALL the people of Pioneer Two at risk." Said Norton.
"The way I see it..." Stated General Panda slowly and clearly. "Is that the time has come for change. To that effect, I have a W.O.R.K.S. special forces team ready to move in and secure the Guild's main transporter... To ensure that there is no escape."
He gazed slowly around the table at each of the Generals.
"I trust we are unanimous on a course of action and not words?"
All the generals nodded in agreement.
-----------------------------------------------------
A Heavenly Experience
I finally made it. The end of the ruins. Here is where I will find out all the root of all mysteries that plagued us for years.
My heart beat quickly and my hands were shaking. I placed a special item on the ground, to tell anyone I've been here. I walk through the room and past the doors into the big, red telepipe. I pulled out my "daggers" and pressed the button, ready for anything.
**************************************************
I figured I was ready for anything, but not this. The telepipe lead up to the surface, I presumed, but I didn't know this place would be so...beautiful. Birds are chirping, the grass is bright green, it's a beautiful day...
But I noticed there was a tall pillar in the center. I decided to leave alone for now. I needed to relax, and hunting is tiring work.
As I was about to sit down, I noticed someone in the distance. When I came closer, I noticed she was a little girl. She had flowing blond hair that reached to her ankles, a one-piece dress that was pure white, bare feet, and her age would be about five or so.
She was sitting on a hill when I came up to her.
"Hello," I said to her.
"Hi," she said back.
"Do you live here?"
"Sort of. I come here all the time."
"Is the weather always like this?"
"No. My friend does it to welcome people."
"Where is your friend?"
"He lives in the pillar over there. Wanna meet him?"
"Sure! I would love to meet him."
"Ok! Let's go!"
She grabbed me by the hand and pulled me over there. The pillar looked like it was made recently and it had strange markings on it.
"Touch it," the little girl said. I reached out to the pillar when I felt something like a cold and wet blanket was wrapped around me. I stepped back, and the feeling disappeared. The little girl started to laugh. "What's so funny?" I asked her. "Are you afraid of him?" she asked in a joking tone. "Afraid of what?" I said in a confused tone.
"He does that to people to make sure strangers doesn't get into his house! He doesn't want his place ruined, silly!"
I reached out for the pillar again, this time ignoring the funny feeling. I touched it, and it exploded into a bright light.
**************************************************
I was on a floating island from the looks of it. I saw nothing but grey skies and the pillar and the girl was gone. The weird thing was that the grass was still there.
"YoU NOtIcEd tHAt, HaVEN't yOU?"
The voice came from all directions.
"WheN I AM reADY, tHE GRounD WiLl be COveREd wITh ThE DEad SOuls OF YoUR PeOple."
"WHO ARE YOU?"
"I aM KnoWN AS DaRK FalZ."
"I WILL NOT LET YOU KILL MY PEOPLE!"
"NO..."
The little girl appeared in the middle of the area. She had a wicked smile on her face.
"You will aid us instead," she said in her childish voice.
I watched in horror as she grew to be about 50 feet high. A black shadow appeared over her. It disappeared within ten seconds, and she was a huge deformed beast. I couldn't describe her.
Then I felt pain flow through me,My body felt wrapped in a invisable rope and I couldn't move at all.
"You'rE BoDY WilL BE pERfECt, UnTIl A strONger hOst cOMes."
I felt overwhelmed, as if all my worst fears came true. Then, I heard a calm male voice say:
"Do not worry. The Protectorate is coming, Red Ring Rico."
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And now, our feature presentation!
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Why We Hope
I stepped into the room. It was unlike any of the other rooms I've been to in the Caves. The floor was covered with water that went up to my ankles and, if north was facing the exit, there were silent waterfalls to the east and west of me. The thing that standed out to me, though, was the rainbow that started in the west end of the room and ended in the east.
"What business does a white-clad HUnewearl have in these parts?" I heard a familiar mechanical voice say. I turned to my right to see a blue HUcast, about twice as tall as me, walking out from underneath one of the waterfalls, carrying a saber. It was him.
"I've come to take you back, Axe," I answered. I pulled out my daggers, turned them on, and got in my defensive stance. "Oh, Lotus, can't we talk this over?" he said in a weary voice. That should've surprised me, because he has an outdated voicebox. But, with the way he's been acting lately, he seemed like a perfect stranger.
"Dead or alive, Axe, those are the choices," I replied. "Fine then," he answered, and advanced towards me. Upon closer examination, I noticed his saber was a pallasch. I realized my dagger could only block a few times before the pallasch would konk them out.
His first attack was a simple overhead slash, which I blocked with my left dagger. With my right dagger I swung at his left leg. He pulled his leg back so I just scratch the paint instead. He stepped back several feet. "You have learned many things since I last met you," he said. I just stood there and replied "Maybe you're rusty because you're used to killing helpless victims." His eyes from his normal-shaped head lit-up, then he charged towards me, holding his pallasch overhead with his left hand. I threw one of my daggers at him, and it cut off his whole right arm. That didn't stop his charging, unfortunately, and I barely managed to block with my right dagger. His pallasch hit the inner curve of it. It was taking all my strength to hold it in one place while he was pushing harder and harder.
"Join me, Lotus. The Master can give you power beyond your dreams!"
He sounded possessed.
"And...kill more innocents? I don't think so!" I replied. My dagger was getting closer to my chest.
"Why do you think you can win against my Master" What hope do have? Why do you hope?"
"Hope is what keeps us going. If we had no hope, we would have stayed on that dying planet."
I could almost feel my dagger.
"Hope leads to faith which leads to a better future!"
"Fine then."
He lifted his pallasch up high, pulling me off the ground.. Before I could react, he swung his pallasch, causing me to go flying to the east side of the room. I hit the wall with a *THUD* then fell into deep water with a loud splash. I panicked. I had a big fear of water when I was young, but I never was able to overcome it. I was losing air and consciousness. After almost drowning, I managed to pull my self together, close my mouth and pull out my sword. I swam up. Getting tired, but seeing the surface, I stuck my sword into the wall and jumped off the hilt. I emerged and survived. I reached the edge and hung there while I coughed up water for what seemed like a long time.
I looked towards the exit to see Axe standing there. "Do you change your mind?" he shouted. I yelled "No!" and realized I wasn't in a good defensive position. Nor did I have any weapons left. "I'm sorry, Lotus," he shouted back.
He charged towards me, and I prepared for the end. Then a miracle happened. He stepped on the dagger I threw, causing him to trip and land in the water behind me. I heard a loud, submerged scream. I saw oil and two halves of Axe float to the top. I realized this was the result of putting Axe and sword together. I pulled my self out and headed towards the door I came from. Axe?s reign of terror was over.
I wondered what he could've meant by "Master" when I heard my Rati chime up. It was waiting behind the door like I told it to. "Come on ,Rori, I need to dry off." Whatever this "Master" is, I hope Pioneer 1 can handle it. After all, that"s what helped me survive. Hope.
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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Zzzzzz on 2004-04-03 19:44 ]</font>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Zzzzzz on 2004-04-25 15:19 ]</font>
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Waiting for the End
I stood there. Home. That's what I called this place for several years. Ragol is a much better place then the Pioneer. The Pioneer had no life on it. Sure, it had people and pets, but it was all metallic. Ragol has grass, trees, wild animals, rivers... it is flourishing with life.
I turned and saw some people laughing and smiling. They must have gotten the news. Not just any news. The News. "The fools," I whispered. They didn't know what is going to happen. Yeah, it'll come. I saw how much time we have left. After all, I am one of the best scientists. I have access to certain places they don't. They think today will be a good day. They think today will be a day to remember. They think today will be a joyous day.
"Honey?"
I turned around and saw my newman wife.
"Is anything wrong? You look upset. Is it because you weren't able to stop them from continuing The Project?"
Ah. The Project. I forgot about that.
"No, dear, I've gotten over it."
"You can always try tomorrow."
I stood there, and stared. She looked surprised. Then I looked at the clock. "Kiss me," I said in a sad voice. She eased up and walked towards me. I embraced her, then, as we were about to kiss...
"Wait," I told her.
"For what?"
"The perfect moment."
She smiled.
"Like when we first met?"
"Exactly."
We just stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. Finally, when I noticed the time, I said "Now." We kissed. For a long time. Then I noticed the communication beams. But that wasn't what I was looking for. A blue light appeared.
"Eric? What the-" She let go to stare. I didn't want it to end like this. Quickly, I grabbed her, and pressed her lips against mine. The fools were right. Today would be a good day...to die.
The blue light hit us. And there was nothing left.
-----------------------------------------------------
Why Do We Hope?
My heart was beating fast. My eyes were so full of joy. My fingers were typing fast on the keyboard. I was writing this memorable day in my journal. It read:
LOG ENTRY #1851
Although some people may not consider this day an important day, I do. Today is the day before we meet Pioneer 1 on Ragol. I feel overjoyed. I don't know how people can go to work today. They act as if today is a normal day, as if today has no meaning. But today, a few years ago, was when Pioneer 1 lifted off to explore the universe. I remember myself back then. I was what some people considered "a caring father but a lazy one." I couldn't afford money to support the family, so my brother, who was a scientist, offered to take my family. He said he can bring with him three people and his family. After much debate, my wife and I decided that it be better if she and the kids went, and I stay here and go on Pioneer 2. "Pioneer 2 would have much more job offers" she told me, and that's what made us decide. After having my brother swear that he will not neglect my family, I watched them go. Now, today, I have a great job. I'm a hunter, a merchant, a mfgefdmbfder of BlPr...
My hands were shaking. Horribly. It was getting harder for me to type. When I did finish, I ran a spell check to correct the many spelling errors I made. The first one to show up was this.
"mfgefdmbfder is a misspelled word. Would you like to change it to:
Mefger
Fed Feb
Ged
member
More..."
I thought about it. I hit the "come back to me after I correct the others" button, then corrected them all. Then I came back to the first one. I thought about it long and hard. Should I say I'm a member of the BlPr? If the military or my wife reads it (and she will), it may send me to prison, the Fortitude, or worse, ruin my image to my wife and children. But would my wife understand? That I'm sacrificing it all just for them? Then I realized the promise I told myself when I stared my journal...
"I promise I will tell nothing but the whole truth in my entries, so that, when I pass my journal over to them, my children and grandchildren will know what life they're father and grandfather lived."
I clicked on "member," then closed my journal. They'll understand. They'll have to.
************************************************** ***
Today is that day. I can just imaging it. When we will land there will thousands of people. They'll be smiling, laughing, maybe even eating. But I will stand and look for my family and my brother. Then I'll tell her, and quit my highest paying job, and tell the military about BlPr. Sure, I'll might get arrested, but the penalty will slacking, especially since I have not killed anyone in my lifetime. After that, we will live happily ever after.
************************************************** ***
It is just 1 more minute till we get there. Man, this has to be the happiest day of my life. I watched through the window. Ragol looks like a peaceful place..... and the communication beam went out and reached Pioneer 1. Then..... I saw a big explosion on Ragol. I was worried. Like yesterday, my heart was beating fast. My hands were clutched so tight, my knuckles turned white.
"This can't be... happening..."
I turned and watched the telecast. Everyone were watching it, with dread in their eyes and anger in there hearts as the giant screen showed the surprise of the news caster. Then they showed it over...and over... and over again while trying to figure out what went wrong. I went to my house and watched it from there. Then, after 45 minutes, they showed the news caster on TV, and she was shaking badly. "I, I, I'm Nol Rin, Rin, Rinale to briiiiiiiiiiiiing you brea, brea, breaking news. The, the explosion has caused a, a, all lifeforms near the, the b,b,b,base of Pio, Poineer Un to disappear as, as, as if they were...... dead."
The news caster started crying. Because I had risked everything, lost it all and whatever relatives I had left, I started crying too.
************************************************** ***
A few weeks later...
A police hovercar pulled up to house #1934. Three policemen and a HUnewearl got out. "Okay people," said one of the policemen, obviously the commanding officer. "It is said that this man is a member of the Black Paper, so be very cautious. We don't know what we're up against." After a few "Yes sir," the pack advanced towards the house. The commanding officer counted down to three, then they knocked down the door.
"Freeze!"
"The man seems to be asleep in chair, sir."
"I knew that!"
The HUnewearl stepped towards the man when, all of a sudden, he fell to the floor, blood gushing out from his wrist and head. Everyone jumped and the HUnewearl went to check his body.
"He's dead, sir. But there's a word drawn in blood by his chair."
"What does it say?"
"It says "BeTrAyEr."
"Sir! Look at this!"
Everyone walked over to where the policeman who shouted was, who was by a journal.
"Well, what's on it?"
"It's blood, sir and... I think it's spelled out!"
"What does it say?"
"..."
"Say it, that's an order!"
"It says "Why do we hope, if we are willing to aid the side of evil?"
-----------------------------------------------------
I Ran, They Died. Can I Live With That?
I kept running. I told them, I told my friends. I can still hear their screams. My friends just died, just like that. All four of them were just ripped apart by a tall black and red HUcast. I eventually stopped in a room covered with bodies of other hunters and hid in the shadows to catch my breath. I didn?t care to examine them right now, nor will I later. Usually my friends and I would bury the body of a dead hunter that wasn't found or no one cared to bury.
Then it just hit me.
My friends actually died.
I was the only survivor of the group, The Noble Hunters.
And no matter how many moon atomizers I could use, it wouldn't bring them back.
I shook my fist as tears started to form. Me, known as the emotionless blue suited HUmar, started to cry. Why did they die? Black Paper? Was it their fault? I shook my head as if to nod "no." It wouldn't be them, despite the fact we know who the leader is.
Mome. That coward. Could it be personal vengeance? Because we arrest as many Black Paper operatives as he recruits? Was that it? I thought about it for a moment.
I sat down, and held my head in my hands.
After a few minutes, I received a BEE message.
It was from Tyrell. I opened it, and it read:
"Noble Hunters, I ask of you to help us again. The androids are going berserk! They are killing people left and right while saying "Must kill." Come back to Pioneer 2 at once!"
When I finished reading the message, I recalled my friends last stand. The HUcast just kept saying "Must kill" while ripping them apart.
So... that was it. A virus. A VIRUS IS WHAT KILLED MY FRIENDS!
I pounded both my fists to the wall, and screamed in agony. After all we've been, through, all the medals we've earned, it didn't matter to that 'droid. It wasn't even it's fault is the irony.
I kept pounding and pounding, until until I heard a rumbling. It was coming from the other room. Instincts kicked in, and I raced for the nearest door. I saw a Racaseal holding a body, about to be crushed by the landslide. I headed towards her, but it was too late. The rocks fell I watched the dust clear, and saw nothing but the pile of rocks.
I realized that there was nothing I could do here, so I returned to Pioneer 2.
*********************************************
I was busy from then on. Everywhere I turned, some one was in trouble. I saved most of them, but some were unfortunate. The time I had free was spent with my friends screams echoing in my head, and me wondering why I didn't die with them. I kept fighting and fighting, until I noticed A small group that consisted of a black giant RAcast, a HUnewearl and a black HUcast. What made them stand out was that the 'droids were perfectly normally. Well, except the HUcast was arguing with the HUnewearl. After I heard a remark from the HUnewearl that sounded like "I hope something drops on you!" that was exactly what happened and a giant RAcast fell on him. The black RAcast caught a FOnewm, put him down, and lifted the other RAcast to check on his friend. The HUcast stood up, clutched him by the throat and threw him at the wall. The HUcast then turned to his other comrades and began to cast Pilla. I knew I had to do something. Fast. I pulled out my sniper and shot him in the back, but he didn't seem to have felt it. "Darn," I muttered under my breath, and watched with horror as Pilla attacked them. They managed to move out of the way, and I attacked again as he was about to strike them with his Dragon Slayer. This time, he felt it, but that was because the black RAcast attacked too. He turned around and headed for the RAcast, and and his comrades ran away. I watched the fight, hoping they would kill each.
After that HUcast killed my friends, I had no respect for 'droids.
************************************************** ******
The RAcast laid on the ground, oil spilling out, and the HUcast ran away, searching for more victims. I came up to the RAcast, and aimed my sniper at his head to end his misery. But before I was about to pull the trigger, he said:
"I ain't dead yet."
I stopped and listened as he repeated those words over and over again.
"I ain't dead yet."
I left him alone, and ran for the nearest teleporter, knowing what I should have done.
************************************************** *******
I found him at last. The HUcast that killed my friends. He had a wounded HUmar in a corner, ready to kill him like my friends. I pulled out my dagger, and threw it at him, hoping to catch his attention. It cut a good inch through his armor, and he turned around and left the man alone. He pulled it out and threw it back at me, but I narrowly dodged it. I looked back up to see what he would do next.
He was coming for me.
"Let's fight, you ugly walking tin can."
"MuST KilL..."
"Not if I kill you first!"
I pulled out my sniper and kept shooting, the photon bullets just bouncing off.
Finally, he got close enough that I knocked him in the head with the butt of my rifle. No effect. He grabbed me by the neck, lifted me off the ground and began to crush my neck. With one last breath, I pressed a button on my BEE mailer and said "I'm coming, my friends. Wait for meeeeee...*
************************************************** ****
Irene walked into the Principal's place.
"Sir? This message is for you."
"Can't you see-"
"It's from you're nephew."
"The Noble Hunters? What is it?"
"They're...dead."
The Principal began to cry softly.
************************************************** *****
A woman approached Mome.
"Sir?"
"Yes,Iris?"
"We've got good news."
"What?"
"The Noble Hunters are dead, sir."
There was nothing but uneasy silence in the room.
"Isn't that good news, sir?"
Mome looked at his cat and he remembered the good memories he had fighting these hunters. "It is unfortunate that they are dead," he spoke in a tone that sounded slightly sad. He looked at a picture on his desk. It showed him and The Noble Hunters posing in front of a restaurant. People thought he quit because he was too cowardly. But only The Noble Hunters knew. Now that they're dead, his secret is safe now. They did present a unique challenge through the years.
"We will miss them." (http://www.jhepple.com/Patriot/Taps.wma)
************************************************** ****
In the very darkened room the six Generals sat around the circular table facing each other, each one hoping that it would be another that would be the first to speak.
It was General Sophos who eventually broke the silence.
"It is 50 Beats to the deadline yet Tyrell wants us to do nothing more than sit on the frontline and twiddle our thumbs!" He raged.
General Mcafee was quick to counter. "We all have seen the reports of chaos within the Guild on the Holocasts but I think it is prudent to see if the Hunters can resolve their own..."
"Hunters? Bah!" Interrupted General Symantec. "We have suffered for millenia as undisciplined civilians took weapons and matters into their own hands under the banner of being hunters."
"General Symantec is right..." Interjected General Norton. "The way I see it, this could be our opportunity to rid ourselves of them once and for all."
"Tyrell will never allow us to take such an action." Replied Mcafee.
"Tyrell is a hunter sympathiser. His own daughter and is lost in the Ruins on the surface somewhere. His nephew and the group, the so-called "Noble Hunters" are dead. It is clear that he is stalling and this put ALL the people of Pioneer Two at risk." Said Norton.
"The way I see it..." Stated General Panda slowly and clearly. "Is that the time has come for change. To that effect, I have a W.O.R.K.S. special forces team ready to move in and secure the Guild's main transporter... To ensure that there is no escape."
He gazed slowly around the table at each of the Generals.
"I trust we are unanimous on a course of action and not words?"
All the generals nodded in agreement.
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A Heavenly Experience
I finally made it. The end of the ruins. Here is where I will find out all the root of all mysteries that plagued us for years.
My heart beat quickly and my hands were shaking. I placed a special item on the ground, to tell anyone I've been here. I walk through the room and past the doors into the big, red telepipe. I pulled out my "daggers" and pressed the button, ready for anything.
**************************************************
I figured I was ready for anything, but not this. The telepipe lead up to the surface, I presumed, but I didn't know this place would be so...beautiful. Birds are chirping, the grass is bright green, it's a beautiful day...
But I noticed there was a tall pillar in the center. I decided to leave alone for now. I needed to relax, and hunting is tiring work.
As I was about to sit down, I noticed someone in the distance. When I came closer, I noticed she was a little girl. She had flowing blond hair that reached to her ankles, a one-piece dress that was pure white, bare feet, and her age would be about five or so.
She was sitting on a hill when I came up to her.
"Hello," I said to her.
"Hi," she said back.
"Do you live here?"
"Sort of. I come here all the time."
"Is the weather always like this?"
"No. My friend does it to welcome people."
"Where is your friend?"
"He lives in the pillar over there. Wanna meet him?"
"Sure! I would love to meet him."
"Ok! Let's go!"
She grabbed me by the hand and pulled me over there. The pillar looked like it was made recently and it had strange markings on it.
"Touch it," the little girl said. I reached out to the pillar when I felt something like a cold and wet blanket was wrapped around me. I stepped back, and the feeling disappeared. The little girl started to laugh. "What's so funny?" I asked her. "Are you afraid of him?" she asked in a joking tone. "Afraid of what?" I said in a confused tone.
"He does that to people to make sure strangers doesn't get into his house! He doesn't want his place ruined, silly!"
I reached out for the pillar again, this time ignoring the funny feeling. I touched it, and it exploded into a bright light.
**************************************************
I was on a floating island from the looks of it. I saw nothing but grey skies and the pillar and the girl was gone. The weird thing was that the grass was still there.
"YoU NOtIcEd tHAt, HaVEN't yOU?"
The voice came from all directions.
"WheN I AM reADY, tHE GRounD WiLl be COveREd wITh ThE DEad SOuls OF YoUR PeOple."
"WHO ARE YOU?"
"I aM KnoWN AS DaRK FalZ."
"I WILL NOT LET YOU KILL MY PEOPLE!"
"NO..."
The little girl appeared in the middle of the area. She had a wicked smile on her face.
"You will aid us instead," she said in her childish voice.
I watched in horror as she grew to be about 50 feet high. A black shadow appeared over her. It disappeared within ten seconds, and she was a huge deformed beast. I couldn't describe her.
Then I felt pain flow through me,My body felt wrapped in a invisable rope and I couldn't move at all.
"You'rE BoDY WilL BE pERfECt, UnTIl A strONger hOst cOMes."
I felt overwhelmed, as if all my worst fears came true. Then, I heard a calm male voice say:
"Do not worry. The Protectorate is coming, Red Ring Rico."
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And now, our feature presentation!
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Why We Hope
I stepped into the room. It was unlike any of the other rooms I've been to in the Caves. The floor was covered with water that went up to my ankles and, if north was facing the exit, there were silent waterfalls to the east and west of me. The thing that standed out to me, though, was the rainbow that started in the west end of the room and ended in the east.
"What business does a white-clad HUnewearl have in these parts?" I heard a familiar mechanical voice say. I turned to my right to see a blue HUcast, about twice as tall as me, walking out from underneath one of the waterfalls, carrying a saber. It was him.
"I've come to take you back, Axe," I answered. I pulled out my daggers, turned them on, and got in my defensive stance. "Oh, Lotus, can't we talk this over?" he said in a weary voice. That should've surprised me, because he has an outdated voicebox. But, with the way he's been acting lately, he seemed like a perfect stranger.
"Dead or alive, Axe, those are the choices," I replied. "Fine then," he answered, and advanced towards me. Upon closer examination, I noticed his saber was a pallasch. I realized my dagger could only block a few times before the pallasch would konk them out.
His first attack was a simple overhead slash, which I blocked with my left dagger. With my right dagger I swung at his left leg. He pulled his leg back so I just scratch the paint instead. He stepped back several feet. "You have learned many things since I last met you," he said. I just stood there and replied "Maybe you're rusty because you're used to killing helpless victims." His eyes from his normal-shaped head lit-up, then he charged towards me, holding his pallasch overhead with his left hand. I threw one of my daggers at him, and it cut off his whole right arm. That didn't stop his charging, unfortunately, and I barely managed to block with my right dagger. His pallasch hit the inner curve of it. It was taking all my strength to hold it in one place while he was pushing harder and harder.
"Join me, Lotus. The Master can give you power beyond your dreams!"
He sounded possessed.
"And...kill more innocents? I don't think so!" I replied. My dagger was getting closer to my chest.
"Why do you think you can win against my Master" What hope do have? Why do you hope?"
"Hope is what keeps us going. If we had no hope, we would have stayed on that dying planet."
I could almost feel my dagger.
"Hope leads to faith which leads to a better future!"
"Fine then."
He lifted his pallasch up high, pulling me off the ground.. Before I could react, he swung his pallasch, causing me to go flying to the east side of the room. I hit the wall with a *THUD* then fell into deep water with a loud splash. I panicked. I had a big fear of water when I was young, but I never was able to overcome it. I was losing air and consciousness. After almost drowning, I managed to pull my self together, close my mouth and pull out my sword. I swam up. Getting tired, but seeing the surface, I stuck my sword into the wall and jumped off the hilt. I emerged and survived. I reached the edge and hung there while I coughed up water for what seemed like a long time.
I looked towards the exit to see Axe standing there. "Do you change your mind?" he shouted. I yelled "No!" and realized I wasn't in a good defensive position. Nor did I have any weapons left. "I'm sorry, Lotus," he shouted back.
He charged towards me, and I prepared for the end. Then a miracle happened. He stepped on the dagger I threw, causing him to trip and land in the water behind me. I heard a loud, submerged scream. I saw oil and two halves of Axe float to the top. I realized this was the result of putting Axe and sword together. I pulled my self out and headed towards the door I came from. Axe?s reign of terror was over.
I wondered what he could've meant by "Master" when I heard my Rati chime up. It was waiting behind the door like I told it to. "Come on ,Rori, I need to dry off." Whatever this "Master" is, I hope Pioneer 1 can handle it. After all, that"s what helped me survive. Hope.
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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Zzzzzz on 2004-04-03 19:44 ]</font>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Zzzzzz on 2004-04-25 15:19 ]</font>