Never at any point do anything to compromise and operation, if things are good keep them good. - Imperial Guard field manual.
The more comfortable I am someplace, the more dangerous it has to be. - Chronicles of Lorentino
Rolando was on edge. He'd been working for morlatech a week, and he knew something was wrong. Sensed it in his blood. He never really put much belief in the Lorentino awareness his father advocated for, but he just knew things were up. The work just felt off, like too safe and out of the way to be a real mercenary posting, especially for someone low in the organization like he was. Especially an asshole like Delorey. Rolando should have been metaphorically shoveling shit (or even literally) and yet he was basically on lab duty, checking Id's and making sure technicians weren't doing anything against company code. Nihls was through the roof on the assignment, it was the kind of thing they wanted him to work towards and here he was off the jump with access to the labs.
"Morning Mr. Delorey." It was Simpson the administrator, he always said good morning in the most cheerful way, Rolando suspected he was a horrific monster if only because no one should be that happy all the time.
"Adminstrator Simpson." Rolando didn't have to be a gruff asshole, but he figured it best to keep everyone at a distance, lest anyone suspect he's not the real Delorey because he had cream in his coffee or something.
"Have a pleasant weekend?" Simpson was around too long, Rolando subtly looked around, he suspected something was up.
"No, my girlfriend wouldn't return my calls." Rolando had no girlfriend, but he figured it best to have had love trouble, no one wants to talk to a dude who's bitching about a spouse.
"That's a shame, hope things get better." Simpson left and Rolando was now wondering what that meant.
"Delorey what are you doing?" Straber had proven to be a micromanaging asshole, which meant Rolando didn't have to feign hating dealing with him.
"Checking people through?" Straber would constantly call in for status check ups and it confused Rolando since not only was he on video, he was personally wearing an id tracker that let Straber know at all times where he was.
"Get up here, I got work for you." Now Rolando really was afraid. First Simpson, and now Straber, shit was about to go down and he only hoped he could get in front of it.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Everything Looks To Be Fine
"When you are discovered do your best to escape, any time trying to reestablish your cover is time wasted in getting away."-Imperial Guard field manual.
"There has never been a situation that I talked myself into I couldn't talk myself out of, except for all the times I couldn't."-Chronicles of Lorentino
Facing down men with rifles it took everything in Rolando's will to not shift out of there. Nihls was practically screaming for him to do it. He knew differently though, it wasn't possible they had seen through his disguise, this was a test, it had to be. Everything in his Lorentino blood told him to just stand his ground and play his hand.
"What is this shit?" Indignant was the best tack he could take. The men with rifles didn't flinch, but Straber seemed to falter a little bit, either doubt or something else getting into him.
"We need to know who you are, because you aren't Vincent Delorey."
"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Straber seemed confused as to why Rolando was fighting it. Like he'd just accept he wasn't Delorey and come clean immediately. Rolando almost wanted to smile, he even quieted the screeching Nihls was doing in his ear. The men with rifles relaxed, Straber himself seemed to listen to another voice and then waved them off.
"Sorry about that Delorey we had to be sure."
"Sure of what? That I'm me? What kind of weird bullshit is this?" Rolando knew he had to sell the outrage, when people were testing you, being all too willing to let bygones be bygones means you're not who you say you are.
"No need to be affronted no damage was done."
"You almost had me executed in an office and I'm the one who's being too hung up on it?"
"You want the job or not."
"Its not a question of want, but need, but if you pull this shit on me again Straber we're going to throw down you understand that." Straber nodded, he was cowed by Rolando, it was the power position for him and he felt confident in exercising it. Rolando felt a lot better about the infiltration now.
****
"And Mr. Straber, let the fool think he's won, we need to find out who he's working for." The voice in Straber's ear was one he'd never heard before, but instantly regretted hearing.
"There has never been a situation that I talked myself into I couldn't talk myself out of, except for all the times I couldn't."-Chronicles of Lorentino
Facing down men with rifles it took everything in Rolando's will to not shift out of there. Nihls was practically screaming for him to do it. He knew differently though, it wasn't possible they had seen through his disguise, this was a test, it had to be. Everything in his Lorentino blood told him to just stand his ground and play his hand.
"What is this shit?" Indignant was the best tack he could take. The men with rifles didn't flinch, but Straber seemed to falter a little bit, either doubt or something else getting into him.
"We need to know who you are, because you aren't Vincent Delorey."
"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Straber seemed confused as to why Rolando was fighting it. Like he'd just accept he wasn't Delorey and come clean immediately. Rolando almost wanted to smile, he even quieted the screeching Nihls was doing in his ear. The men with rifles relaxed, Straber himself seemed to listen to another voice and then waved them off.
"Sorry about that Delorey we had to be sure."
"Sure of what? That I'm me? What kind of weird bullshit is this?" Rolando knew he had to sell the outrage, when people were testing you, being all too willing to let bygones be bygones means you're not who you say you are.
"No need to be affronted no damage was done."
"You almost had me executed in an office and I'm the one who's being too hung up on it?"
"You want the job or not."
"Its not a question of want, but need, but if you pull this shit on me again Straber we're going to throw down you understand that." Straber nodded, he was cowed by Rolando, it was the power position for him and he felt confident in exercising it. Rolando felt a lot better about the infiltration now.
****
"And Mr. Straber, let the fool think he's won, we need to find out who he's working for." The voice in Straber's ear was one he'd never heard before, but instantly regretted hearing.
Monday, November 28, 2016
Nihls To Meet You
"Trust is important, an operator must trust their handler implicitly and follow their instructions to the letter the operators life might depend on it."- Imperial Guard Field Manual
"The only person I trust is myself, and even then only half way, I've been known to screw myself for short term gains at the expense of long term thinking." Chronicles of Lorentino
"Just remember why we're here." Nihls was in Rolando's head, the sub dermal communication set up was top notch, but it still felt weird to Rolando. Rolando was currently sitting in front of a corporate representative who was viewing his application for corporate security. Rolando was wearing a cheap suit and was clean shaven, trying to sell the illusion of the fake corporate mercenary he was selling himself as.
"So Mr. Delorey what do you think you can bring to Morlatech?"It was to laugh for Rolando to be assigned to infiltrate the company of his fathers enemy, but in a way hurting Morley seemed like a very Lorentino think to do.
"I need work, you guys pay well." Vincent Delorey had been killed to set up this cover, he was a piece of shit according to Nihls, but Rolando felt a slight pang of guilt that a man had to die for him even if he didn't kill him himself. The executive snorted at his answer, the kind of response that didn't appreciate the bluntness to it.
"Do you even know what we do here?"
"Make money?" Rolando wanted to be a little more tactful, Nihls had assured him that nothing about Delorey was tactful. The interviewer did not like any of his answers and Rolando felt Nihls had for whatever reason purposefully lead him astray.
"Wait here." The interviewer got up and Rolando wanted to shift out of there, he didn't feel safe in the tiny office, and now that the only person in it was leaving, he felt even less safe.
"Swear to gods Nihls if you screwed me you better hope they kill me."
"A little faith, they are checking your background right now, and the genetic modification we did on you makes you indistinguishable from the real Delorey, his parents couldn't even tell the difference." Rolando didn't like the gene modding, his skin itched in a way that could never be satisfied among other issues. The interviewer returned and he had another man with him, bigger than he was and dressed in a uniform that denoted rank.
"Captain Straber, this is Delorey." Straber held out his hand and Rolando shook it. Firm and strong, Straber was doing the usual dick waving contest of trying to out muscle the other person in a hand shake. Rolando did his best to respond in kind to sell the Delorey cover.
"Welcome aboard Delorey." The man had a smile Rolando didn't like, something in it made him alarmed.
"See I told you you were freaking out about nothing." Rolando got up to follow Straber out of the room and was met by five men with rifles.
"Now Delorey tell us who you really are before we blast you into the next world."
"Fucking Nihls." It was the only thing he could think of.
"The only person I trust is myself, and even then only half way, I've been known to screw myself for short term gains at the expense of long term thinking." Chronicles of Lorentino
"Just remember why we're here." Nihls was in Rolando's head, the sub dermal communication set up was top notch, but it still felt weird to Rolando. Rolando was currently sitting in front of a corporate representative who was viewing his application for corporate security. Rolando was wearing a cheap suit and was clean shaven, trying to sell the illusion of the fake corporate mercenary he was selling himself as.
"So Mr. Delorey what do you think you can bring to Morlatech?"It was to laugh for Rolando to be assigned to infiltrate the company of his fathers enemy, but in a way hurting Morley seemed like a very Lorentino think to do.
"I need work, you guys pay well." Vincent Delorey had been killed to set up this cover, he was a piece of shit according to Nihls, but Rolando felt a slight pang of guilt that a man had to die for him even if he didn't kill him himself. The executive snorted at his answer, the kind of response that didn't appreciate the bluntness to it.
"Do you even know what we do here?"
"Make money?" Rolando wanted to be a little more tactful, Nihls had assured him that nothing about Delorey was tactful. The interviewer did not like any of his answers and Rolando felt Nihls had for whatever reason purposefully lead him astray.
"Wait here." The interviewer got up and Rolando wanted to shift out of there, he didn't feel safe in the tiny office, and now that the only person in it was leaving, he felt even less safe.
"Swear to gods Nihls if you screwed me you better hope they kill me."
"A little faith, they are checking your background right now, and the genetic modification we did on you makes you indistinguishable from the real Delorey, his parents couldn't even tell the difference." Rolando didn't like the gene modding, his skin itched in a way that could never be satisfied among other issues. The interviewer returned and he had another man with him, bigger than he was and dressed in a uniform that denoted rank.
"Captain Straber, this is Delorey." Straber held out his hand and Rolando shook it. Firm and strong, Straber was doing the usual dick waving contest of trying to out muscle the other person in a hand shake. Rolando did his best to respond in kind to sell the Delorey cover.
"Welcome aboard Delorey." The man had a smile Rolando didn't like, something in it made him alarmed.
"See I told you you were freaking out about nothing." Rolando got up to follow Straber out of the room and was met by five men with rifles.
"Now Delorey tell us who you really are before we blast you into the next world."
"Fucking Nihls." It was the only thing he could think of.
Friday, November 25, 2016
Motihater
Hate is a strong motivator. Rolando hated training. He hated everyone he trained with. There were four other operatives at the course and they all were hateable. Their handlers were nicer looking than Nihls, they didn't have a stupid name, and they all signed up and weren't press ganged into it like Rolando. He spent the moments not buried in mud or doing a physical task that seemed the opposite of espionage just sitting on his cot hating everyone. He also found hating himself was the easiest hate of all. That he had let things get this bad, let Trezlan and his life get him to the point that he can't enjoy alcohol anymore or make his own decisions. He could have left, could have just shifted out of the area and continued on enjoying being a useless person, but the hate wanted to be slaked, it thirsted to show everyone else he wasn't the screw up they all knew he was. So he stayed, and persevered, and took the beatings and the physical punishment. He didn't know what it had to do with espionage but his tormenters certainly seemed to think it did.
Two other operatives didn't make it. They tapped out unable to keep up, he didn't know what happened to them. He assumed they resumed service they were already apart of. Rolando didn't want to admit it, but he had no where else to go. So the hate and fear of what would happen without it kept him there. Eventually the physical abuse abated and the training began. Weapons training, lock picking, and electronic warfare were all covered. Rolando was crap at the lock picking, but figured shifting could save him there, he was surprisingly adapt at the electronic stuff much to the chagrin of Nihls who did not appreciate the not so subtle message he kept leaving on his work station.
It took six months, but eventually Rolando was finished with his orientation. He and two other operatives were officially recommissioned in a secret ceremony. The royal guard wouldn't acknowledge who they were or what they were to do should they be caught. Death before dishonor was stressed. He was given some money, changes of clothing, small arms and a mission. It was the most purpose he'd had in about a year, years if he was being honest with himself. And still behind it all like a puppet master orchestrating a grand show, his hate festered and waited.
Two other operatives didn't make it. They tapped out unable to keep up, he didn't know what happened to them. He assumed they resumed service they were already apart of. Rolando didn't want to admit it, but he had no where else to go. So the hate and fear of what would happen without it kept him there. Eventually the physical abuse abated and the training began. Weapons training, lock picking, and electronic warfare were all covered. Rolando was crap at the lock picking, but figured shifting could save him there, he was surprisingly adapt at the electronic stuff much to the chagrin of Nihls who did not appreciate the not so subtle message he kept leaving on his work station.
It took six months, but eventually Rolando was finished with his orientation. He and two other operatives were officially recommissioned in a secret ceremony. The royal guard wouldn't acknowledge who they were or what they were to do should they be caught. Death before dishonor was stressed. He was given some money, changes of clothing, small arms and a mission. It was the most purpose he'd had in about a year, years if he was being honest with himself. And still behind it all like a puppet master orchestrating a grand show, his hate festered and waited.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Why Don't You Handle Me Over a Drink
"Your information is out of date. I'm not in the military, I don't have handlers." Rolando tried to move against the restraints and found it difficult. He didn't exactly like his second enlistment so far.
"Its up to date, Commander Rolando Lorentino, espionage division." That was a surprise, his former job had been retrieval, and now he was to be a spy? He also noticed he'd been promoted in his absence, apparently failing up was still a thing.
"Commander?"
"I'm shocked you weren't more concerned with espionage." Nihls had a smug look that Rolando couldn't stand, but he didn't want to give the man the satisfaction to know he was right that being a spy was the more surprising revelation.
"Well I'd tell you why I'm not surprised, but then I'd have to kill you."
"At least you have your humor." Nihls pressed something and Rolando was brought to a standing position still strapped down.
"I'm still confused why a wash out like myself is back in the military, if you are doing this to get something from my father, I can't tell you where he is, I helped him kill a god, that's all I know." Nihls reacted like a bad fart had hit the room.
"No this is not about Trezlan Lorentino, this is about the opportunity you yourself provide the Royal military. As you say you're a wash out, someone known for being poor at both military and mercenary service, quite a mark of distinction for someone as young as yourself, usually it takes someone a lifetime to be listed as big of a fuck up as you are Commander."
"I try my best."
"Which makes you perfect for espionage, the corporate sector has gotten bold, but per our pact we can't openly move against them, and so we will not openly move against them. The plan is to send in agents like yourself to gather intelligence and if necessary terminate operations that risk the Empire."
"And if I say no?"
"Then we'll kill you, and before you think about saying yes and returning to your drinking ways, while you were out we injected you with a virus, it doesn't do much only makes the taste of alcohol unpleasant enough you'll retch immediately." Nihls smiled at that and Rolando really didn't like him.
"Well when you put it like that, why don't you sign me up for this espionage work, I mean the benefits sound amazing." Rolando just wanted to be free, he'd figure out what to do about the alcohol virus afterwards, but he knew just knew he had to get out of the restraints.
"Glad to know you're on board and not just saying something to be taken out of the restraints. Sadly my superiors don't feel that way so you'll still have to go through Orientation."
"I don't like the way you phrased that."
"You'll like the orientation even less." Nihls snapped his fingers and the tray was returned to the laying down position and unseen people were moving Rolando to his next destination. Presumably "orientation" though he could tell just from the rough way he was being tranported he probably would not like it.
"Its up to date, Commander Rolando Lorentino, espionage division." That was a surprise, his former job had been retrieval, and now he was to be a spy? He also noticed he'd been promoted in his absence, apparently failing up was still a thing.
"Commander?"
"I'm shocked you weren't more concerned with espionage." Nihls had a smug look that Rolando couldn't stand, but he didn't want to give the man the satisfaction to know he was right that being a spy was the more surprising revelation.
"Well I'd tell you why I'm not surprised, but then I'd have to kill you."
"At least you have your humor." Nihls pressed something and Rolando was brought to a standing position still strapped down.
"I'm still confused why a wash out like myself is back in the military, if you are doing this to get something from my father, I can't tell you where he is, I helped him kill a god, that's all I know." Nihls reacted like a bad fart had hit the room.
"No this is not about Trezlan Lorentino, this is about the opportunity you yourself provide the Royal military. As you say you're a wash out, someone known for being poor at both military and mercenary service, quite a mark of distinction for someone as young as yourself, usually it takes someone a lifetime to be listed as big of a fuck up as you are Commander."
"I try my best."
"Which makes you perfect for espionage, the corporate sector has gotten bold, but per our pact we can't openly move against them, and so we will not openly move against them. The plan is to send in agents like yourself to gather intelligence and if necessary terminate operations that risk the Empire."
"And if I say no?"
"Then we'll kill you, and before you think about saying yes and returning to your drinking ways, while you were out we injected you with a virus, it doesn't do much only makes the taste of alcohol unpleasant enough you'll retch immediately." Nihls smiled at that and Rolando really didn't like him.
"Well when you put it like that, why don't you sign me up for this espionage work, I mean the benefits sound amazing." Rolando just wanted to be free, he'd figure out what to do about the alcohol virus afterwards, but he knew just knew he had to get out of the restraints.
"Glad to know you're on board and not just saying something to be taken out of the restraints. Sadly my superiors don't feel that way so you'll still have to go through Orientation."
"I don't like the way you phrased that."
"You'll like the orientation even less." Nihls snapped his fingers and the tray was returned to the laying down position and unseen people were moving Rolando to his next destination. Presumably "orientation" though he could tell just from the rough way he was being tranported he probably would not like it.
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
The Worst Hang Over Cure Ever
The world was spinning. Rolando couldn't remember what he drank, but he definitely didn't like the feeling he was in right now. It had been an eventful evening, he had gotten fired/quit from the shit squad. It was a mutual decision based on his drinking and not giving a shit, but he felt it necessitated drinking pretty heavily as an act of celebration separating himself from the mercenary life. But now looking up at a skylight in a building he didn't remember entering Rolando was regretting the decision immensely.
"Awake now Mr. Lorentino?" The name tag on his uniform read Nihls, pronounced Nyles he would later tell Rolando at length. Rolando didn't like him, and not just because of the smug tone in his voice. It was the little pointy white facial hair, it always seemed so manicured and polite, completely at odds with how Nihls himself was.
"Nihls? who what?"
"Nyles actually, but that's not important, what is important is that you are here." Rolando looked down now and noticed he was strapped in on a kind of gourney. The skylight overhead was part of a facility. He couldn't shift, but he didn't know if that was the drunk or some actual thing preventing him from doing it. Ever since he'd been on the benders his shifting ability had been severely limited.
"Where is here? And who are you?"
"Sanctuary, and I'm your new Handler commander, its nice to meet you." Rolando sighed, he was barely awake and already wanted to be drunk again.
"Awake now Mr. Lorentino?" The name tag on his uniform read Nihls, pronounced Nyles he would later tell Rolando at length. Rolando didn't like him, and not just because of the smug tone in his voice. It was the little pointy white facial hair, it always seemed so manicured and polite, completely at odds with how Nihls himself was.
"Nihls? who what?"
"Nyles actually, but that's not important, what is important is that you are here." Rolando looked down now and noticed he was strapped in on a kind of gourney. The skylight overhead was part of a facility. He couldn't shift, but he didn't know if that was the drunk or some actual thing preventing him from doing it. Ever since he'd been on the benders his shifting ability had been severely limited.
"Where is here? And who are you?"
"Sanctuary, and I'm your new Handler commander, its nice to meet you." Rolando sighed, he was barely awake and already wanted to be drunk again.
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Odds of Survival Great
"You know we can probably live down here for years if I find some kind of food paste." We were exploring again, hadn't necessarily found anymore creatures, but hadn't found a way out either. Though to be honest considering how a glassing effects a planet, even if we could go top side, I didn't know if I wanted to be up there.
"That is a terrible thing to say Trezlan."
"What you find my company so offensive."
"Yes, you're a terrible companion, when you aren't lost in your own thoughts, you tell these horrible stories that you apparently find hilarious, but I find horrifying." I was hurt by Luke, but he wasn't exactly wrong, I've known for years I'm the worst to hang around for any extended period of time. It's why I'm not shocked Rolando treats me like he does, and that my wife died of exposure (ok it wasn't exposure, but when I'm feeling plenty sad for myself this is what I imagine it was).
"Well maybe I don't need you either Luke, why don't you go explore for a way out that way and I'll explore this way and if we never see each other again this has been horrible and all your fault." I walked off in a huff and Luke did as well. It was probably stupid for him since I understood the language and he did not, but rational thinking had fled hours before and so irrational thinking was the method for the day.
Thinking back on it, if only Luke and I knew at the time we were going to be under the ground for a year, we might have had been a little nicer to each other. Probably not, but you know these are the things you think of in hind sight.
"That is a terrible thing to say Trezlan."
"What you find my company so offensive."
"Yes, you're a terrible companion, when you aren't lost in your own thoughts, you tell these horrible stories that you apparently find hilarious, but I find horrifying." I was hurt by Luke, but he wasn't exactly wrong, I've known for years I'm the worst to hang around for any extended period of time. It's why I'm not shocked Rolando treats me like he does, and that my wife died of exposure (ok it wasn't exposure, but when I'm feeling plenty sad for myself this is what I imagine it was).
"Well maybe I don't need you either Luke, why don't you go explore for a way out that way and I'll explore this way and if we never see each other again this has been horrible and all your fault." I walked off in a huff and Luke did as well. It was probably stupid for him since I understood the language and he did not, but rational thinking had fled hours before and so irrational thinking was the method for the day.
Thinking back on it, if only Luke and I knew at the time we were going to be under the ground for a year, we might have had been a little nicer to each other. Probably not, but you know these are the things you think of in hind sight.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Don't Say Doomed, Say Not Particularly Safe
"So we're screwed." Luke took the cynical side to things, I mean I know I had as well, but he was more cynical, his cynical was worse you see for reasons I don't have to tell you because there. But I was not going to go out like that. I always find a way out of things, even if that way out is over a two headed potentially immortal insect creature. First I had to had to have a shitty plan that should never work. That would be a start as it was always a start for me.
"You need to calm down Luke I have a plan just wait." I didn't have a plan, but I figured given enough time I would come up with one, probably. I just had to run through the motions first, because that's what guys like me do, we take a minute to think of all the good plans, throw those out and just go with whatever sounds like it would be least terrible. First I needed a trap, since we wanted to kill the creature I knew necromancy would be my go to (because necromancy against an unknown foe works better when you've got time to apply it most of the time... Look I didn't use it earlier because I panic'd when fire failed, ok there you got me ARE YOU HAPPY!?)
I drew my ritual circle large, infused it with plenty of my own blood as well because I knew I needed to do those things so that it would be powerful. Luke didn't want to know what I was doing because he could guess it was bad (and he wasn't wrong, I was using some top tier awful necromancy, like spells I don't normally use if only because if they go bad they go real bad). It took me the better part of an hour to make sure it was ready, and then I went to the door to open it. Right before the two headed monster came crashing through. I guess in all the time it had spent before blocked by the door it had figured out it could get through it (I noticed ever so briefly some slimey fluid on the door, perhaps it barfed up stomach acid to weaken the door? In which case very clever monster!)
I ran for my rune trap, the monster was fast, but I was faster (all that size slowed it down). It hit the spell dead on and kept on trucking which scared me pretty badly, until upon reaching the end of the circle its flesh was ripped clean from its body. It died over the course of an hour. Me and Luke were gone before it's final breaths but we could hear its wails from well far away.
"You're sick Trezlan."
"I had no idea it would do that, I must have crossed some runes up, but you know successful right?" Callous I admit, but when you win, you win! You don't take that back! So a horrible monster took an hour to die in agony, better it then us right?
"You need to calm down Luke I have a plan just wait." I didn't have a plan, but I figured given enough time I would come up with one, probably. I just had to run through the motions first, because that's what guys like me do, we take a minute to think of all the good plans, throw those out and just go with whatever sounds like it would be least terrible. First I needed a trap, since we wanted to kill the creature I knew necromancy would be my go to (because necromancy against an unknown foe works better when you've got time to apply it most of the time... Look I didn't use it earlier because I panic'd when fire failed, ok there you got me ARE YOU HAPPY!?)
I drew my ritual circle large, infused it with plenty of my own blood as well because I knew I needed to do those things so that it would be powerful. Luke didn't want to know what I was doing because he could guess it was bad (and he wasn't wrong, I was using some top tier awful necromancy, like spells I don't normally use if only because if they go bad they go real bad). It took me the better part of an hour to make sure it was ready, and then I went to the door to open it. Right before the two headed monster came crashing through. I guess in all the time it had spent before blocked by the door it had figured out it could get through it (I noticed ever so briefly some slimey fluid on the door, perhaps it barfed up stomach acid to weaken the door? In which case very clever monster!)
I ran for my rune trap, the monster was fast, but I was faster (all that size slowed it down). It hit the spell dead on and kept on trucking which scared me pretty badly, until upon reaching the end of the circle its flesh was ripped clean from its body. It died over the course of an hour. Me and Luke were gone before it's final breaths but we could hear its wails from well far away.
"You're sick Trezlan."
"I had no idea it would do that, I must have crossed some runes up, but you know successful right?" Callous I admit, but when you win, you win! You don't take that back! So a horrible monster took an hour to die in agony, better it then us right?
Friday, November 18, 2016
Two Mouths, Because One isn't Scary Enough
It was at least twenty feet tall, and it had two mouths next to each other (I'm guessing one throat? Why two mouths? I swear people who design creatures are insane). The body was mostly insectoid which is probably how it stayed alive all these years, it had some kind of hibernation cycle or something? All I know is that when it came stalking our way Luke ran and I decided to burn it. I mean what was the worst that could happen? Oh I set it on fire and it kept coming.
Yes the worst that could happen was that I didn't kill the creature and it was now on fire coming after us. Fire normally doesn't fail me, but today it did, it failed me badly. I ran after Luke as the creepy on fire double mouthed bug creature chased after us. It was a shame really because we passed by a lot of interesting things as we ran, I wish I could have stopped to look at them, but no the creature wanted to eat us and so we had to flee (why not use necromancy Trezlan? Because it was on fire you fool!) We ran past a hallway and into a larger room I worked the door console to shut the door right before the two headed monster got there. The door was a heavy one, probably a security door for the previous occupants and kept the creature at bay, it slammed futilely into it before stomping off somewhere else.
"Well that was horrifying."
"Right? Why even make something like that?" At least fear seemingly made Luke temporarily forget all the dread.
The new room we'd entered appeared to be a lab of some kind, probably where they made the two faced creature of doom. I didn't see anything else in the room thank the gods. But there were plenty of horrifying things in the room. All kinds of tanks with body parts in them, and medical tools I didn't want to know how they got used. We didn't see any bodies in here, or any indication of combat like other parts of the facility. Whatever had happened out there had apparently not gotten to this part of the area. There was a smell though.
It was hard to say what it was. Like decaying flesh that had been left to linger for far too long. The room was so big we couldn't necessarily see what was causing the smell, but the further we went the more prevalent it became. Eventually we came to the end of the room and found the source of the smell. Bodies, so many bodies, all of the people who had obviously fled in the lab and gotten trapped had gone out in some kind of orgy of violence and horribleness. I guess it was better than getting eaten? But it didn't inspire confidence in Luke and mine's ability to get out of the lab/complex alive.
Not like there would have been a lot of confidence in that anyway! What can I say I'm a cynic at heart when I'm stuck in underground alien facilities.
Yes the worst that could happen was that I didn't kill the creature and it was now on fire coming after us. Fire normally doesn't fail me, but today it did, it failed me badly. I ran after Luke as the creepy on fire double mouthed bug creature chased after us. It was a shame really because we passed by a lot of interesting things as we ran, I wish I could have stopped to look at them, but no the creature wanted to eat us and so we had to flee (why not use necromancy Trezlan? Because it was on fire you fool!) We ran past a hallway and into a larger room I worked the door console to shut the door right before the two headed monster got there. The door was a heavy one, probably a security door for the previous occupants and kept the creature at bay, it slammed futilely into it before stomping off somewhere else.
"Well that was horrifying."
"Right? Why even make something like that?" At least fear seemingly made Luke temporarily forget all the dread.
The new room we'd entered appeared to be a lab of some kind, probably where they made the two faced creature of doom. I didn't see anything else in the room thank the gods. But there were plenty of horrifying things in the room. All kinds of tanks with body parts in them, and medical tools I didn't want to know how they got used. We didn't see any bodies in here, or any indication of combat like other parts of the facility. Whatever had happened out there had apparently not gotten to this part of the area. There was a smell though.
It was hard to say what it was. Like decaying flesh that had been left to linger for far too long. The room was so big we couldn't necessarily see what was causing the smell, but the further we went the more prevalent it became. Eventually we came to the end of the room and found the source of the smell. Bodies, so many bodies, all of the people who had obviously fled in the lab and gotten trapped had gone out in some kind of orgy of violence and horribleness. I guess it was better than getting eaten? But it didn't inspire confidence in Luke and mine's ability to get out of the lab/complex alive.
Not like there would have been a lot of confidence in that anyway! What can I say I'm a cynic at heart when I'm stuck in underground alien facilities.
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Something Terrible, Like Any Other Day
The facility we had entered had been overrun. I couldn't tell how long since the overruning, but there were ancient dead bodies, signs of combat and the flashing screens warning people of containment breach were everywhere. Of course Luke could only see the bodies, he didn't read the screens, but I'm pretty sure the language of be afraid is obvious even if you don't speak the language. We didn't really say anything, there wasn't anything to say, we had left one awful situation and entered potentially another. I was trying my best to look over things, figure out exactly what kind of containment got breached. Luke seemed just too frightened/sorrowful to be of much use to me so I mostly forgot he was there.
"What happened here?" I was actually startled, I had forgotten Luke for so long, him speaking shook me out of my revelry. I was reading a report on the corruption when he spoke, apparently the facility we were at was some kind of biological research facility. The containment breach was the creatures had gotten free. I couldn't tell if this was because of that corruption or not.
"It was some kind of bio lab, creatures here broke free, killed most of the whatever these bodies are." I hadn't gotten a name on the remaining creatures. Or why they were so deep in the ground and had some kind of empowering room above me. Like I was just rolling with the changes to me, I hadn't even stopped to think about what that all meant.
"Are the creatures still around?"
"I wouldn't think so, I mean hundreds perhaps thousands of years have passed here. No one in the galaxy remembers these people, that should tell you everything you need to know about if anything is still alive here." Of course I didn't tell him that some of experiments they were working on was extending life and how the creatures might have like entered stasis following killing their creators. I left that unsaid, why ruin a potential surprise?
"At least we still have air."
"Yeah oxygen production is still on going which is nice, though slightly alarming, why would this species also breathe the same stuff as what we do?" There were a lot of things like that that had me slightly alarmed, like most of the consoles and such were the same height as a regular person. This species whoever they were looked to be mostly humanoid from the corpses we found. Like bones and skin that looked just like us. I started to wonder if they died out or were we somehow their descendants. I didn't have much time to puzzle that out though, Luke was insistent we find our way out of the facility, and I didn't want to be wrong about the creatures that could still be there so I didn't exactly disagree with him. We were turning down a hallway when I stopped dead in my tracks, I could see something ahead Luke couldn't and figured it best to just go a different route.
"Why aren't we going this way?"
"No reason, no reason, lets just, yeah lets just keep going this way." Luke was halfway turned when the creature appeared from down the hallway and let out a shriek from its double mouths.
"You said...."
"I said they were probably dead... probably..." No one understands a proper probably!
"What happened here?" I was actually startled, I had forgotten Luke for so long, him speaking shook me out of my revelry. I was reading a report on the corruption when he spoke, apparently the facility we were at was some kind of biological research facility. The containment breach was the creatures had gotten free. I couldn't tell if this was because of that corruption or not.
"It was some kind of bio lab, creatures here broke free, killed most of the whatever these bodies are." I hadn't gotten a name on the remaining creatures. Or why they were so deep in the ground and had some kind of empowering room above me. Like I was just rolling with the changes to me, I hadn't even stopped to think about what that all meant.
"Are the creatures still around?"
"I wouldn't think so, I mean hundreds perhaps thousands of years have passed here. No one in the galaxy remembers these people, that should tell you everything you need to know about if anything is still alive here." Of course I didn't tell him that some of experiments they were working on was extending life and how the creatures might have like entered stasis following killing their creators. I left that unsaid, why ruin a potential surprise?
"At least we still have air."
"Yeah oxygen production is still on going which is nice, though slightly alarming, why would this species also breathe the same stuff as what we do?" There were a lot of things like that that had me slightly alarmed, like most of the consoles and such were the same height as a regular person. This species whoever they were looked to be mostly humanoid from the corpses we found. Like bones and skin that looked just like us. I started to wonder if they died out or were we somehow their descendants. I didn't have much time to puzzle that out though, Luke was insistent we find our way out of the facility, and I didn't want to be wrong about the creatures that could still be there so I didn't exactly disagree with him. We were turning down a hallway when I stopped dead in my tracks, I could see something ahead Luke couldn't and figured it best to just go a different route.
"Why aren't we going this way?"
"No reason, no reason, lets just, yeah lets just keep going this way." Luke was halfway turned when the creature appeared from down the hallway and let out a shriek from its double mouths.
"You said...."
"I said they were probably dead... probably..." No one understands a proper probably!
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Not All Exits Are Marked Properly
As interesting as it would be to die alone underground for a few days (alone you say? Yeah I'd kill Luke to stay alive I thought that was a given) I knew I had to find a way out. Clearly the way in was a bust, but that didn't mean we were trapped. I mean we were trapped, but we didn't have to stay that way. My hope was the most obvious one. The spiders had not found the proper entrance to the chamber we were in, which meant there had to be a proper entrance in, I just had to find it (you'd think with the sight I had that would be easy, but alas when you're in a panic everything looks like panic).
It's like when you're looking for your keys, you get so dialed into finding your keys you miss that they've been in your pocket the whole time. I was so wrapped up in finding the exit I didn't notice it was underneath us the entire time (also I didn't think to go down to get out, because geometrically that makes zero sense, as if I know anything about geometrics). So despite having air and in theory food (again sorry Luke you're just a meal if I need it). I just read a bunch of stuff in my increasingly panic'd mind and then finally looked down and noticed we were standing in an elevator chamber as such. I was basically panicking in the lobby of whatever the underground complex was. I actually hit the down button by accident. One moment I was reading about going down, and then the next we were actually descending. It caught Luke by surprise as well.
"It feels like we're going down."
"Because we are."
"So you found a way out?"
"Well a way out or a way to our damnation, remember this race was wiped out by corruption, this could be a like a holding facility for that corruption, so we might be descending into a worse place." Luke looked at me with a slight bit of anger.
"You just have to ruin everything."
"My son says the same thing."
It's like when you're looking for your keys, you get so dialed into finding your keys you miss that they've been in your pocket the whole time. I was so wrapped up in finding the exit I didn't notice it was underneath us the entire time (also I didn't think to go down to get out, because geometrically that makes zero sense, as if I know anything about geometrics). So despite having air and in theory food (again sorry Luke you're just a meal if I need it). I just read a bunch of stuff in my increasingly panic'd mind and then finally looked down and noticed we were standing in an elevator chamber as such. I was basically panicking in the lobby of whatever the underground complex was. I actually hit the down button by accident. One moment I was reading about going down, and then the next we were actually descending. It caught Luke by surprise as well.
"It feels like we're going down."
"Because we are."
"So you found a way out?"
"Well a way out or a way to our damnation, remember this race was wiped out by corruption, this could be a like a holding facility for that corruption, so we might be descending into a worse place." Luke looked at me with a slight bit of anger.
"You just have to ruin everything."
"My son says the same thing."
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Oblivion Wouldn't Be So Bad
The light in the chamber at least kept us aware we were alive. Being in total darkness makes you think you died and you just don't know it yet. I mean I could see things, see through things, but Luke couldn't, so the light was at least reassuring for him. I mean if he would have stopped crying it would have been reassuring, but I guess being told your whole family just blown up probably not that reassuring. I admit at this point I think the chamber was messing with my morality, but I've always been a callous dick. That whole millions are a statistic, but cutting my finger is a tragedy.
"Well you brought food, so at least we can last a few days, though oxygen deprivation will kill us long before starvation, so you know that's good." I tried to reassure Luke, it sadly did not work very well.
"So this is that corruption you were talking about?" It had been a couple hours since he had spoken, I had gone back to trying to read all the language.
"Oh no, this is an asshole who was trying to kill me, possibly did kill me? I can't be sure, but I'm pretty these tablets are not talking about Morley trying to kill me."
"So this is all your fault?" I could hear the anger, maybe I shouldn't have casually mentioned that it was indeed my fault. I mean I didn't want to have to kill Luke and spend my last days alone, but I would do what I needed to should I need to. Which is the nice way of saying I'd kill him if I even thought he'd try and do something marginally bad to me.
"You don't blame the victim when someone tries to kill them, you blame the people who did the attempted killing." It was weird to see this calmed Luke (I had now tapped into some kind of spiritual vision? I dunno that chamber was weird and I could see and do things I have since lost the ability to), but I at least was assured he didn't want to kill me.
"Can we survive?"
"Probably not, but I've been wrong before, right now I can do things I've never been able to do before, given enough time, maybe the right words, I can get us out of here and then..."
"And then what?"
"And then I find Morley and rip his wretched heart out of his chest and stomp on it while he watches." Enlightenment for me is like honing a blade of hate. I feel best when I have a direct source for my vitriol. I'd have felt bad the chamber makers had gifted such a broken creature with their gifts, but I don't feel bad about just about anything, so why start now?
"Well you brought food, so at least we can last a few days, though oxygen deprivation will kill us long before starvation, so you know that's good." I tried to reassure Luke, it sadly did not work very well.
"So this is that corruption you were talking about?" It had been a couple hours since he had spoken, I had gone back to trying to read all the language.
"Oh no, this is an asshole who was trying to kill me, possibly did kill me? I can't be sure, but I'm pretty these tablets are not talking about Morley trying to kill me."
"So this is all your fault?" I could hear the anger, maybe I shouldn't have casually mentioned that it was indeed my fault. I mean I didn't want to have to kill Luke and spend my last days alone, but I would do what I needed to should I need to. Which is the nice way of saying I'd kill him if I even thought he'd try and do something marginally bad to me.
"You don't blame the victim when someone tries to kill them, you blame the people who did the attempted killing." It was weird to see this calmed Luke (I had now tapped into some kind of spiritual vision? I dunno that chamber was weird and I could see and do things I have since lost the ability to), but I at least was assured he didn't want to kill me.
"Can we survive?"
"Probably not, but I've been wrong before, right now I can do things I've never been able to do before, given enough time, maybe the right words, I can get us out of here and then..."
"And then what?"
"And then I find Morley and rip his wretched heart out of his chest and stomp on it while he watches." Enlightenment for me is like honing a blade of hate. I feel best when I have a direct source for my vitriol. I'd have felt bad the chamber makers had gifted such a broken creature with their gifts, but I don't feel bad about just about anything, so why start now?
Monday, November 14, 2016
Probably We're Doomed, Probably
"What? What did you do?" Luke dropped the food he'd been carrying, I turned to look at him, but my eyes were so sore from searching text and tablets I could barely make him out from all the language around me. It was like being drunk except my drink was knowledge and I was now swimming in it. Like most of my experience with excess I'm not good at it. So of course I had given myself almost wholely to the knowledge I was lost in.
"I'm reading, so much knowledge, an entire society destroyed by corruption, or The Corruption, its hard to really understand what's specifically the problem, I'm getting there though, maybe." Luke could just look at the room and then back at me with my half crazed look and I think assume I had actually become corrupted and that I was now spouting nonesense. Totally wrong, but I'm sure I looked more than a little crazed.
"I think I made a mistake Mr. Lorentino."
"Yeah I don't like my coffee without creamer in it, black is terrible why would you even bring it."
"How did you even?" I was about to tell him because I could see the liquid, but I could also see through his body. And I knew that maybe just maybe Luke had made a mistake and that whatever else the chamber was it was altering me as a person at least temporarily. I looked up and could see beyond the chamber, I could see to the buildings and people above, and the stars beyond them, and then I saw ships. A lot of ships, and they were opening fire.
"Get down." I dropped to my knees and Luke just stood there looking at me confused until the first impact shook the chamber. There were more, I could see them as they killed everyone above us. The entire world was getting "glassed" a lovely term for Orbital bombardment. Personally I was sad the antiques I had brought were destroyed, such a waste of old world relics I was going to over charge for. The actual glassing was over in a minute or so, but for me it felt like forever, watching everyone die without really knowing what was happening was heart wrenching. Equally as bad was seeing that the blasts had sealed me and Luke into the chamber, we were now trapped.
"What happened?"
"Someone just killed us, the just made sure it would take longer than usual."
"I'm reading, so much knowledge, an entire society destroyed by corruption, or The Corruption, its hard to really understand what's specifically the problem, I'm getting there though, maybe." Luke could just look at the room and then back at me with my half crazed look and I think assume I had actually become corrupted and that I was now spouting nonesense. Totally wrong, but I'm sure I looked more than a little crazed.
"I think I made a mistake Mr. Lorentino."
"Yeah I don't like my coffee without creamer in it, black is terrible why would you even bring it."
"How did you even?" I was about to tell him because I could see the liquid, but I could also see through his body. And I knew that maybe just maybe Luke had made a mistake and that whatever else the chamber was it was altering me as a person at least temporarily. I looked up and could see beyond the chamber, I could see to the buildings and people above, and the stars beyond them, and then I saw ships. A lot of ships, and they were opening fire.
"Get down." I dropped to my knees and Luke just stood there looking at me confused until the first impact shook the chamber. There were more, I could see them as they killed everyone above us. The entire world was getting "glassed" a lovely term for Orbital bombardment. Personally I was sad the antiques I had brought were destroyed, such a waste of old world relics I was going to over charge for. The actual glassing was over in a minute or so, but for me it felt like forever, watching everyone die without really knowing what was happening was heart wrenching. Equally as bad was seeing that the blasts had sealed me and Luke into the chamber, we were now trapped.
"What happened?"
"Someone just killed us, the just made sure it would take longer than usual."
Friday, November 11, 2016
It's Ok That's How You Read Language
I had my translation programs working overtime, they weren't coming up with much, but seeing the little lights flashing made me think I was doing something. I also had my tome of ancient interpretations out. The book didn't really help me, since none of the language it had in it corresponded with anything on the stone, but I was hoping something similar would spark something in my head. I dunno really I was just hoping if I stared at a bunch of different languages something would work out. I was about to just throw my work down in a huff when a word came through in my head.
"Day" I don't know how I read it, or even spotted it. But day was there on the stone, all over the stone, I could see day I could see the word. I put that into my translation program and soon enough more words were showing up. I couldn't be sure if it was the program or some connection to the light stone, but I could read like I'd never been able to read before.
From what I could understand the stone was a warning. Some kind of evil or corruption. The people who wrote the stone explained how they tried to work with it. Hoped to understand it and have it cooperate with them, only for whatever it was to turn on them. Slowly bending and twisting them to it's ways. I was still working on translations, because some of it didn't make any sense. Like I struggled with the concepts of how this species talked of itself. I couldn't be sure if the thing that destroyed their society was internal or an external source. Also I wasn't entirely sure why the Object was buried in the ground and who the warning was meant for.
I had the fever then, I needed to know everything about the object. I needed to know everything about the people who made it. I didn't even notice I'd opened it up and it was no longer and obelisk and was instead a very large tablet. The room had also gotten lighter, and writing was all over the walls. I didn't notice these things, but Luke who had come down to see if I needed food did, and he screamed in terror.
Which was an odd way to react to enlightenment, but people who aren't me tend to react negatively to new things...
"Day" I don't know how I read it, or even spotted it. But day was there on the stone, all over the stone, I could see day I could see the word. I put that into my translation program and soon enough more words were showing up. I couldn't be sure if it was the program or some connection to the light stone, but I could read like I'd never been able to read before.
From what I could understand the stone was a warning. Some kind of evil or corruption. The people who wrote the stone explained how they tried to work with it. Hoped to understand it and have it cooperate with them, only for whatever it was to turn on them. Slowly bending and twisting them to it's ways. I was still working on translations, because some of it didn't make any sense. Like I struggled with the concepts of how this species talked of itself. I couldn't be sure if the thing that destroyed their society was internal or an external source. Also I wasn't entirely sure why the Object was buried in the ground and who the warning was meant for.
I had the fever then, I needed to know everything about the object. I needed to know everything about the people who made it. I didn't even notice I'd opened it up and it was no longer and obelisk and was instead a very large tablet. The room had also gotten lighter, and writing was all over the walls. I didn't notice these things, but Luke who had come down to see if I needed food did, and he screamed in terror.
Which was an odd way to react to enlightenment, but people who aren't me tend to react negatively to new things...
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Well I'm not Omniscient Probably
"Come again?" Luke seemed incredulous, I just shrugged.
"No clue, this isn't something I know, or can even process. It's not a language I know, or even one related to it. This is terrifying really." I didn't understate that, it was legit scary that I could not read something, because that's never happened in a long time.
"Is it dangerous?" Luke was hanging back by the entrance, his previous confidence as shaken as my own.
"Probably not? Maybe? I don't know, I don't see bodies in here, but I don't see any kind of work done by the spiders either, someone found this chamber and then didn't do anything."
"Not inspiring confidence."
"I apologize Detective Therod, you showed me a chamber of light written in a language I can't understand, this is a new thing for me." I was trying though, like really wracking my brain to figure out what the language was. I knew I had some stuff that could help, but I almost felt compelled to stay.
"What do you want to do?"
"I have some things in my shop, a couple tablets and a book with a circular sigil with a lightning bolt in it, bring them to me."
"Can't you go get them?"
"No, I need to stay here, I'm compelled to stay here." I couldn't see his face, but I could tell it wasn't a happy one when he said he'd get my things. I had to worry of course that he'd find something he shouldn't have, but my mind was on the object. And it was starting to speak to me, which was something I should have been worried about, but you know I make some mistakes from time to time. I mean I'm not a god... probably, and they screw up all the time so what chance do I have?
"No clue, this isn't something I know, or can even process. It's not a language I know, or even one related to it. This is terrifying really." I didn't understate that, it was legit scary that I could not read something, because that's never happened in a long time.
"Is it dangerous?" Luke was hanging back by the entrance, his previous confidence as shaken as my own.
"Probably not? Maybe? I don't know, I don't see bodies in here, but I don't see any kind of work done by the spiders either, someone found this chamber and then didn't do anything."
"Not inspiring confidence."
"I apologize Detective Therod, you showed me a chamber of light written in a language I can't understand, this is a new thing for me." I was trying though, like really wracking my brain to figure out what the language was. I knew I had some stuff that could help, but I almost felt compelled to stay.
"What do you want to do?"
"I have some things in my shop, a couple tablets and a book with a circular sigil with a lightning bolt in it, bring them to me."
"Can't you go get them?"
"No, I need to stay here, I'm compelled to stay here." I couldn't see his face, but I could tell it wasn't a happy one when he said he'd get my things. I had to worry of course that he'd find something he shouldn't have, but my mind was on the object. And it was starting to speak to me, which was something I should have been worried about, but you know I make some mistakes from time to time. I mean I'm not a god... probably, and they screw up all the time so what chance do I have?
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
I Feel Like I've Done This Before, Several Hundred Times
"We found it mopping up the spiders, at first we thought it was just another weird spider temple, but this is something else." The Detective was actually a Therod, which made sense, but damn it why do they all have to be involved in awful things. Like Therod's entire descendants seem wrapped up in various forms of law enforcement, and a lot of them have died tragically over the years. The detective was Luke Therod, mostly an orphan his family killed years ago during some kind of mob war. He didn't really go over it much other than to explain my name got passed around the old family tree as someone to come to if everything falls to shit and I'm your last resort. It was kind of sweet really that I made such an impact on at least one branch of her family.
"Just burn everything, its probably the lair of one of those death god things, entirely susceptible to fire." We were descending now, the air didn't smell foul like I assumed it would, which made my previous assumption probably incorrect.
"We found the remains of one those, but no that wasn't this. This is something entirely unique." I was amazed at how quickly they set up lights and such, until I realized the excavation wasn't done by them. They only found it, the spiders had been digging up the site well before Luke and crew stumbled upon it. We came out of a narrow passage into a bigger room that was bathed in light. The walls radiated it, it was hard to see from the darkened corridor leading up to it. In the center of the chamber was a stone made of a metal I'd never seen before covered in a language I couldn't discern.
"So Mr. Lorentino with your experience what do we have here." I stood there in the chamber of light running my hand over the language just taking it all in.
"I have literally no idea."
"Just burn everything, its probably the lair of one of those death god things, entirely susceptible to fire." We were descending now, the air didn't smell foul like I assumed it would, which made my previous assumption probably incorrect.
"We found the remains of one those, but no that wasn't this. This is something entirely unique." I was amazed at how quickly they set up lights and such, until I realized the excavation wasn't done by them. They only found it, the spiders had been digging up the site well before Luke and crew stumbled upon it. We came out of a narrow passage into a bigger room that was bathed in light. The walls radiated it, it was hard to see from the darkened corridor leading up to it. In the center of the chamber was a stone made of a metal I'd never seen before covered in a language I couldn't discern.
"So Mr. Lorentino with your experience what do we have here." I stood there in the chamber of light running my hand over the language just taking it all in.
"I have literally no idea."
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
I Don't Feel This Is Important
The police station was mostly in disarray. The spiders had hit it pretty hard and I could see that cleaning up wasn't so much a priority as just getting back to functional. I was directed to an interview room that had blood in it, dried blood, but blood all the same. I assumed it was from the war, but you never can be sure with rural police on sub planets. Upon entering the room they took my wrist restraints off and told me to wait. I did, because I'm always for law and order up until the point I get jailed, that's where I try and get the balls out of there, not doing another long prison stint if I can avoid it.
"Sorry for the wait Mr. Lorzo? Did I say that right?" The man was in a crisp suit, it stood in stark relief to the rest of everything else in the department.
"Yes you said it right." I of course never use my real name anymore, its a shame really, I made up an awesome one and have to use lesser not as awesome varieties.
"Mr. Lorzo, you were found over the body of Bob Links, is this correct?"
"Should I have my lawyer present." Ignoring of course I am my own lawyer, ignore that I have spent long tracks in prison please.
"Should you? Mr. Links was clearly dead by your hand, and dying of some kind of wasting disease. Officers also noted your clothing had what appeared to be a bullet hole with blood, but no actual injury appeared on your actual shoulder."
"Are you implying something untoward happened to Mr. Links and that I somehow benefited?" The detective who I noticed did not give his name and I saw no badge smiled.
"Cut the shit Lorentino, I know who and what you are." Pretenses dropped I smiled in kind.
"And yet I sit here without shackles, so either you think I'm useful or you realize your limited ability to contain me would not help you in the long run."
"Courtesy, you see what I have to work with, you see how this place is. I see you are moving in to set up shop, which means you are most likely going to be arranging illegal arm sales, and before you complain do not insult my intelligence. I don't care really, we're a small planet and the additional traffic will help everyone, but what I do care about is shit like this. Outward necromancy is bad for public perception, and I can't have people knowing I'm letting you operate without getting something in return."
"You want a financial kick back?" He laughed.
"Gods no, what I need is much more important, I need your help with a problem that is only getting worse by the minute." I sighed.
"Sure what's the worst that can happen, I mean its not like I can cause a second spider war."
"Or a second Red one." The detective smiled again and lead me out of the interview room. I hate smart people, they always get me to do dumb things.
"Sorry for the wait Mr. Lorzo? Did I say that right?" The man was in a crisp suit, it stood in stark relief to the rest of everything else in the department.
"Yes you said it right." I of course never use my real name anymore, its a shame really, I made up an awesome one and have to use lesser not as awesome varieties.
"Mr. Lorzo, you were found over the body of Bob Links, is this correct?"
"Should I have my lawyer present." Ignoring of course I am my own lawyer, ignore that I have spent long tracks in prison please.
"Should you? Mr. Links was clearly dead by your hand, and dying of some kind of wasting disease. Officers also noted your clothing had what appeared to be a bullet hole with blood, but no actual injury appeared on your actual shoulder."
"Are you implying something untoward happened to Mr. Links and that I somehow benefited?" The detective who I noticed did not give his name and I saw no badge smiled.
"Cut the shit Lorentino, I know who and what you are." Pretenses dropped I smiled in kind.
"And yet I sit here without shackles, so either you think I'm useful or you realize your limited ability to contain me would not help you in the long run."
"Courtesy, you see what I have to work with, you see how this place is. I see you are moving in to set up shop, which means you are most likely going to be arranging illegal arm sales, and before you complain do not insult my intelligence. I don't care really, we're a small planet and the additional traffic will help everyone, but what I do care about is shit like this. Outward necromancy is bad for public perception, and I can't have people knowing I'm letting you operate without getting something in return."
"You want a financial kick back?" He laughed.
"Gods no, what I need is much more important, I need your help with a problem that is only getting worse by the minute." I sighed.
"Sure what's the worst that can happen, I mean its not like I can cause a second spider war."
"Or a second Red one." The detective smiled again and lead me out of the interview room. I hate smart people, they always get me to do dumb things.
Monday, November 7, 2016
I Feel Like We Got Off To A Wrong Murder
"Did you hear what I said?" The man with the gun and bad ink reiterated his demand for money despite the fact most people pay with things electronically. I mean robbers know that, they know this, and yet like the setting sun, they still act like gods damned idiots. It's almost like someone who holds people up for money isn't very smart.
"I heard it and you're very scary, but I just opened, how would I have money on hand as if people would pay me in hard currency to begin with." To me it seemed a logical 'go rob someone else' stance. He pulled the hammer back on his pistol and I lost my patience immediately.
"Give me money or you'll..."
"Die? How would you kill me? With your gun? With your tiny little gun? Do you think it can kill me? Do you think you can kill me? ME?!" I shouldn't have been surprised he shot me, I mean I was, but I shouldn't have been. The bullet hit me in the shoulder, it destroyed my clavicle which if you've never been shot in the clavicle it hurts like you would not believe. He was shouting more at me, I couldn't make out what he was really saying because of the pain and the loud gunshot, but he was really insistent I pay attention to him.
"DON'T FEEL SO TOUGH NOW DO YOU!?" The shouting felt really rude, but I believe he probably deafened himself, so he probably couldn't hear well either. I've never been one to taunt someone I was going to kill (ok that's a lie I totally do) but I'd really be cautious about taunting someone like me who is a vengeful dick with the powers of necromancy and the subtlety of a hundred pound sledge hammer. I spit on his foot and he went to shoot again, but the magic was already working on him. Traveling up his arm I heard his own shoulder snap just as mine repaired itself (which still hurt, good lord necromantic magic is like the shitty aunt of medicine). He fell to his knees and the gun hit the floor.
"Actually I'm feeling better." The look of agony on his face helped the pain I was in (and see how I lie I didn't even make it to the next line before I insulted someone dying...)
"What are y..." The gunshot ended his suffering, which was nicer than I thought I had to be. I was about to wonder what I was going to do with the body when the local authority came bursting through my door to see me standing over a dead body that was withering before their very eyes.
"Ok so this looks bad."
Friday, November 4, 2016
A Lorentino's Work Is Never Done
"Are you sure this is wise?" SiC didn't like my new store front. He didn't like the idea of me having just being open for business, but SiC didn't have the desire to sell things in his soul like I did, he was also a robot and not even a he. I digress. The store was my first priority. I picked an out of the way planet recovering from the spider attacks and managed to get cheap real estate (because the previous owner died, no I didn't kill him god you people and your assertions).
"I need you guys to build a new ship, that takes time and resources, time I got, resources I don't."
"You understand the kind of economics we need will not be supplied by one small storefront correct?"
"I have forgotten more about economics than your processing units can run. Trust me this shop will make the funds I need." Robots don't have derision in their voices, but I could hear it in SiC's its ok he didn't need to know that my store front was mainly a front for my illegal arms sales. I mean I'm sure he'd clue in eventually with the kind of money I normally make, but I figured post spider war everyone would want illicit arms, and I was generally never wrong. And Hanlon would need to expand his gun selling once again, for whatever good it does him, he always seemed to gain power from it somehow.
"Yes sir, we'll begin construction as you instructed, I'll update you on what we need. And sir, good luck seriously."
"Thank you SiC, I'll not need luck though." I was encouraged the AI believed I needed superstition to come to a victory. It meant they still cared. The shop was still in the process of being set up. I had the bots just roughly deposit a bunch of my saved antiques and other stuff from storage. So I was sorting stuff out when the young man with a gun walked in. I smiled at him wondering if he somehow had gotten lost from a spider hunting party.
"We're all good here no spiders." I tried to be friendly, it was the least I could do.
"Give me all your money." I smiled again.
"Oh son this is the worst decision of your entire life." And judging from his scars and tattoos that was saying something.
"I need you guys to build a new ship, that takes time and resources, time I got, resources I don't."
"You understand the kind of economics we need will not be supplied by one small storefront correct?"
"I have forgotten more about economics than your processing units can run. Trust me this shop will make the funds I need." Robots don't have derision in their voices, but I could hear it in SiC's its ok he didn't need to know that my store front was mainly a front for my illegal arms sales. I mean I'm sure he'd clue in eventually with the kind of money I normally make, but I figured post spider war everyone would want illicit arms, and I was generally never wrong. And Hanlon would need to expand his gun selling once again, for whatever good it does him, he always seemed to gain power from it somehow.
"Yes sir, we'll begin construction as you instructed, I'll update you on what we need. And sir, good luck seriously."
"Thank you SiC, I'll not need luck though." I was encouraged the AI believed I needed superstition to come to a victory. It meant they still cared. The shop was still in the process of being set up. I had the bots just roughly deposit a bunch of my saved antiques and other stuff from storage. So I was sorting stuff out when the young man with a gun walked in. I smiled at him wondering if he somehow had gotten lost from a spider hunting party.
"We're all good here no spiders." I tried to be friendly, it was the least I could do.
"Give me all your money." I smiled again.
"Oh son this is the worst decision of your entire life." And judging from his scars and tattoos that was saying something.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Kill Him? Why didn't anyone think of that?
Morley watched the news with what he would call a smile. The spiders had lost, their god abandoned them and with him went their power. Casualties were high, but the galaxy would pull through for now. It was enough for him to be right, it was better than in the spider god's failing he had indirectly benefited Morley. Now he alone could tap into the former death god's powers and had been enjoying the surge since.
"Feeling good about yourself?" Hanlon, Morley felt revulsion in just seeing him.
"I will in time." Morley wanted to do something to him, but didn't want to show his power to Hanlon even with how much he hated him.
"Well I'm glad you got it out of your system, now you can die slowly in peace without harming the rest of us."
"I'm not dying, you'll be the one dying soon enough." The metallic hollow whisper he said it in made Hanlon want to laugh, but he didn't have to taunt Morley much. He just wanted him to know he was aware of his usual treachery.
"Good talk."
"Before you go Hanlon, know that I will kill Trezlan, I have things in place to do it this time, and you can't save him like all the other times before. And when he dies I'll come for you next, and then I'll run this galaxy."
"It's good to have goals Morley." Hanlon left and Morley sat the smile having faded from his metallic lips. He was patient, but Hanlon wasn't wrong, his life was running out, all the necromancy and machines couldn't fix what was wrong with him. And so he pushed a button his console and initiated his plan. And then he waited, because now was time to be done with Trezlan, done and buried.
"Feeling good about yourself?" Hanlon, Morley felt revulsion in just seeing him.
"I will in time." Morley wanted to do something to him, but didn't want to show his power to Hanlon even with how much he hated him.
"Well I'm glad you got it out of your system, now you can die slowly in peace without harming the rest of us."
"I'm not dying, you'll be the one dying soon enough." The metallic hollow whisper he said it in made Hanlon want to laugh, but he didn't have to taunt Morley much. He just wanted him to know he was aware of his usual treachery.
"Good talk."
"Before you go Hanlon, know that I will kill Trezlan, I have things in place to do it this time, and you can't save him like all the other times before. And when he dies I'll come for you next, and then I'll run this galaxy."
"It's good to have goals Morley." Hanlon left and Morley sat the smile having faded from his metallic lips. He was patient, but Hanlon wasn't wrong, his life was running out, all the necromancy and machines couldn't fix what was wrong with him. And so he pushed a button his console and initiated his plan. And then he waited, because now was time to be done with Trezlan, done and buried.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
And You're Fine With That
"Of all the trips I've taken, this is definitely the shortest." The Fire God had taken me across the galaxy quickly, doing small things as we went. It felt like a child who was up on too much sugar just running around. I assumed it because of her being trapped in her own dimension for a bit caused her to have to burn off energy, but I dunno, she just zipped around with me from place to place until finally returning home, satiated by the effort.
"I doubt that, but I did say I had things to do."
"You did, and now?"
"You just got here and you already want to leave?"
"I've got a busy schedule of avoiding prosecution ahead of me, made even worse I lost my ship." She lounged on her fire throne, I always wondered if she even felt the heat.
"What a boring thing to tie up your time."
"Well its the life I live, not the one I wish I did." She smiled at that.
"And if you would just accept being my herald you'd have untold of power." I sighed.
"But not freedom, and at this point I have to be my own man."
"Despite owing your life and existence to Hanlon and myself," I was about to respond but she held a hand up, "Fine fine keep your freedom for what its worth, but know this, death has a way of catching up to everyone Lorentino, even you."
"Yeah Hanlon always finds me one way or another." She smiled and dismissed me with a hand gesture and I was back on my ship much to SiC's suprise. At least the spider war was over, mostly. Mostly Shit like that doesn't just go away immediately, plenty of damned spiders were left to kill.
"I doubt that, but I did say I had things to do."
"You did, and now?"
"You just got here and you already want to leave?"
"I've got a busy schedule of avoiding prosecution ahead of me, made even worse I lost my ship." She lounged on her fire throne, I always wondered if she even felt the heat.
"What a boring thing to tie up your time."
"Well its the life I live, not the one I wish I did." She smiled at that.
"And if you would just accept being my herald you'd have untold of power." I sighed.
"But not freedom, and at this point I have to be my own man."
"Despite owing your life and existence to Hanlon and myself," I was about to respond but she held a hand up, "Fine fine keep your freedom for what its worth, but know this, death has a way of catching up to everyone Lorentino, even you."
"Yeah Hanlon always finds me one way or another." She smiled and dismissed me with a hand gesture and I was back on my ship much to SiC's suprise. At least the spider war was over, mostly. Mostly Shit like that doesn't just go away immediately, plenty of damned spiders were left to kill.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
The Click Before the Strike
Hurting things is what I do best. I hate to say it that way, its sound awful. But its true. All the years I've lived, all the things I've done, inflicting misery is my true calling. I mean sure I've documented our world and its history better than actual historians (in your face people who didn't live through the history you studied!), but that's like my hobby, my job is hurting and killing things.
Rolando with his shifting ability had managed to get me to the spider gods domain. He didn't stick around, I wouldn't have were I him. Didn't even leave me a way out, though I knew I had one when the time came. The creature wasn't there as I had suspected he would not. So I had time to hurt him, had time to make his realm my own. Years of planning just in case against the gods had made me the perfect weapon against this one. I had hours alone in his domain. Plenty of time to look things over, apply all sorts of nasty things and wait. When he finally showed up he was already hurting from my work, and I was ready to do more, I felt that old blood pumping feeling of inflicting misery.
"Right about now you hear the click, but don't know why the bullet isn't fired, you wonder is the assassin waiting for something, or just enjoying the moment, a bit of both really." I worked a while to come up with something witty, this was adequate in my opinion.
"You think you have something Lorentino? You think because you hurt me you can kill me?" He was projecting now. Growing larger, more grotesque.
"Think I have something?" The problem with people being caught, they spaz, they overreact. I know this because that's what I do. The issue of course is the person who caught you generally expects your response. Or in the case of me, actually needed it for my plan to really work.
"YOU WILL WISH FOR DEATH IN THE..... end?" The massive hulking creature shrank, even smaller than it was getting smaller by the minute. I smiled. "What did you do to me?"
"It's complicated, needless to say your use of power is going in reverse, your effectively eating yourself, and like quick sand your exertion made it worse." He grew smaller, and I couldn't hear his voice any longer, the power was robbing him of everything. When he was the size of a regular spider the Fire God squished him. I didn't notice when she'd shown up, but I knew she was on the way.
"As always you deliver."
"I'd say I live to serve but we both know that's more bullshit than its worth saying." She laughed.
"I enjoy this not frightened Trezlan, so much more fire than when you first were cowering before me."
"Well give me a couple hundred years and I feel more comfortable."
"Who knows what happens with more time, thank you Mr. Lorentino I assume you want a ride home?"
"If you know the way."
"I might just, though there is a detour I need to make."
"Oh this will be exciting."
"Probably for you."
Rolando with his shifting ability had managed to get me to the spider gods domain. He didn't stick around, I wouldn't have were I him. Didn't even leave me a way out, though I knew I had one when the time came. The creature wasn't there as I had suspected he would not. So I had time to hurt him, had time to make his realm my own. Years of planning just in case against the gods had made me the perfect weapon against this one. I had hours alone in his domain. Plenty of time to look things over, apply all sorts of nasty things and wait. When he finally showed up he was already hurting from my work, and I was ready to do more, I felt that old blood pumping feeling of inflicting misery.
"Right about now you hear the click, but don't know why the bullet isn't fired, you wonder is the assassin waiting for something, or just enjoying the moment, a bit of both really." I worked a while to come up with something witty, this was adequate in my opinion.
"You think you have something Lorentino? You think because you hurt me you can kill me?" He was projecting now. Growing larger, more grotesque.
"Think I have something?" The problem with people being caught, they spaz, they overreact. I know this because that's what I do. The issue of course is the person who caught you generally expects your response. Or in the case of me, actually needed it for my plan to really work.
"YOU WILL WISH FOR DEATH IN THE..... end?" The massive hulking creature shrank, even smaller than it was getting smaller by the minute. I smiled. "What did you do to me?"
"It's complicated, needless to say your use of power is going in reverse, your effectively eating yourself, and like quick sand your exertion made it worse." He grew smaller, and I couldn't hear his voice any longer, the power was robbing him of everything. When he was the size of a regular spider the Fire God squished him. I didn't notice when she'd shown up, but I knew she was on the way.
"As always you deliver."
"I'd say I live to serve but we both know that's more bullshit than its worth saying." She laughed.
"I enjoy this not frightened Trezlan, so much more fire than when you first were cowering before me."
"Well give me a couple hundred years and I feel more comfortable."
"Who knows what happens with more time, thank you Mr. Lorentino I assume you want a ride home?"
"If you know the way."
"I might just, though there is a detour I need to make."
"Oh this will be exciting."
"Probably for you."